please help i need info about moving to Canada from USA

[sthorn]

Hi i am very nervous i am engaged to a citizen of Canada and I am a citizen of the USA, I don't even know where to start to be able to move to Canada to be with him as soon as possible. I am also the mother of 3 children that will be going with me one who is school age. We have passport cards to cross the border but how long can we be there on just passports? will my school age child be able to attend school while our visa apps are being processed? Being away from him is killing me please help

 

[ashunandal]

Hi i am very nervous i am engaged to a citizen of Canada and I am a citizen of the USA, I don't even know where to start to be able to move to Canada to be with him as soon as possible. I am also the mother of 3 children that will be going with me one who is school age. We have passport cards to cross the border but how long can we be there on just passports? will my school age child be able to attend school while our visa apps are being processed? Being away from him is killing me please help

yes you can stay with him as a tourist in canada during processing of your application but you need to prove that you will return back to USA after your tourist visa expires. after entering canada you can extend your tourist visa but your children wont be able to attend school in Canada before you all get your permanent residence status. most imp. he has to have a nice job in Canada with high salary to sponsor your children.
good luck

 

[CharlieD10]

You may visit, but unless you and your fiance can prove one year's uninterrupted cohabitation (except for short breaks for business etc) or actually get married, he cannot sponsor you just yet.

You may visit for up to 6 months as a visa-exempt American, however if you bring your children with you, plus a lot of baggage and possessions, it is unlikely you will be permitted that long, and you might even be turned around at the border. When you go to visit, it must be obvious that you are going to do just that: visit. You cannot move over with your kids and possessions until you are granted permanent residence.

Your children will be required to get student permits and pay international fees, in most cases, to attend school. After they receive PR, then they can attend school without paying additional fees.

You will need actual passports, not passport cards for the PR process, so you should apply for them. If you have sole custody of your children as per court orders, you will need to produce the court order for the purposes of the application. If you do not have sole custody, your children's father will need to consent to their emigrating to Canada.

If you haven't already done so, read Leon's first post in the first thread at the top. It will give you an overview of the process and what you should prepare yourselves for, you and your spouse.