Success stories??

[missboon]

Has anyone successfully gone through customs using the sentence "I am visiting my fiancé.." I'm super nervous :-[ Any stories would be helpful Are there papers I should have besides a return ticket? I'm an American visiting Canada btw...

 

[CdnandTrini]

Reply: Success stories??

Has anyone successfully gone through customs using the sentence "I am visiting my fiancé.." I'm super nervous :-[ Any stories would be helpful Are there papers I should have besides a return ticket? I'm an American visiting Canada btw...

Hi Missboon, I do not think you need to be worried unless you have any extenuating circumstances. A return ticket should be fine. Are you planning to get married on this trip? If so, I might not say that. I had to visit my fiance (now husband) in Trinidad all the time and get married there as he was not able to come visit me. So now we are married and I am sponsoring him. Why are you nervous - is this your first time visiting him?

 

[missboon]

Re: Reply: Success stories??

Hi Missboon, I do not think you need to be worried unless you have any extenuating circumstances. A return ticket should be fine. Are you planning to get married on this trip? If so, I might not say that. I had to visit my fiance (now husband) in Trinidad all the time and get married there as he was not able to come visit me. So now we are married and I am sponsoring him. Why are you nervous - is this your first time visiting him?

We plan on doing the spousal sponsorship in a few months after we get married of course.. But I won't be getting married on this visit. However it has crossed my mind to stay there for 6 months (assuming they let me in as I have been visiting my fiancé for 2 1/2 plus years) and get married during those 6 months and send in our application.. Doing the inland application because I just want to be with my loved one. Being apart for long periods is heartbreaking and I'm sure most people here understand that feeling. Any further advice or thoughts? Would this be considered "misrepresentation" if I say I'm visiting for that amount of time but end up getting married while I'm there?

 

[CdnandTrini]

Reply: Success stories??

We plan on doing the spousal sponsorship in a few months after we get married of course.. But I won't be getting married on this visit. However it has crossed my mind to stay there for 6 months (assuming they let me in as I have been visiting my fiancé for 2 1/2 plus years) and get married during those 6 months and send in our application.. Doing the inland application because I just want to be with my loved one. Being apart for long periods is heartbreaking and I'm sure most people here understand that feeling. Any further advice or thoughts? Would this be considered "misrepresentation" if I say I'm visiting for that amount of time but end up getting married while I'm there?

In my humble opinion if you can afford legal advice you may want to get an opinion as with an inland application there is no right of appeal if refused for any reason. The outland or "overseas" applications are allowed a right of appeal. I do not think it would be considered misrepresentation, people are allowed to change their minds and plans, if you decided to get married and apply right away. If your application is straight forward then inland might be the way to go, check the processing times for your visa office though because sometimes outland can be faster. It is brutal to be apart for so many months, sometimes years at a time so discuss with your fiance and weigh your options. Once you are married will you be able to visit each other freely? My hubby cannot visit me, I can only visit him so try to have a plan B. Blessings.

 

[sariss]

I will be 100% honest. My husband the first two times said he was visiting friends... last time he said he was visiting his girlfriend (we were married that time)... it was a bad idea in the sense that SO much could have gone wrong, but he got through fine.
However, I DON'T recommend lying... we were stupid and just got lucky.

 

[Tomorisu]

Re: Reply: Success stories??

Hi, missboon,

At the immigration, officers will ask you why you want to stay in Canada for 6 months. And they might doubt your overstay or working illegally.
If you want to stay in Canada for 6 months, I recommend the following.

・a return ticket
・proof of money (a bank statement)
・a letter from your fiancé (explains about your relationship, about planning marriage, include his address & phone number)

Just in case, I think it's better to prepare those things. Good luck!

 

[AnaMaria]

You can apply outland even when you are visiting him in Canada. Overall process is usually quicker, assuming you are from visa-exempt country. And you can travel in and out of Canada. You don't have this freedom if you apply inland.

 

[tavora]

Re: Reply: Success stories??

Hi, missboon,

At the immigration, officers will ask you why you want to stay in Canada for 6 months. And they might doubt your overstay or working illegally.
If you want to stay in Canada for 6 months, I recommend the following.

・a return ticket
・proof of money (a bank statement)
・a letter from your fiancé (explains about your relationship, about planning marriage, include his address & phone number)

Just in case, I think it's better to prepare those things. Good luck!

This is good advice. My husband (also American) crossed into Canada with me and the officer wanted to know how he could take six months off work, so be prepared to answer that. Also, your fiance could include in the letter than he will support you during your stay in Canada (because as a visitor, you can't work or go to school).

 

[Hnhkrk]

When I crossed the border in July of 2012 I told the officer that I was visiting my fiancee, and there were no problems. Then again, I also had a return ticket.

After I got across the border I cancelled my ticket and have been staying in Canada as a visitor since July of 2012 with no problems.

 

[CdnandTrini]

Reply: Success stories??

When I crossed the border in July of 2012 I told the officer that I was visiting my fiancee, and there were no problems. Then again, I also had a return ticket.

After I got across the border I cancelled my ticket and have been staying in Canada as a visitor since July of 2012 with no problems.

Isn't there a time limit on how long you can stay? I thought it was 6 months between Canada and US? It may not be a problem now; however, if you have overstayed illegally and try to submit a spousal/PR application there could be some very big problems in your future. Maybe I am missing something but please be careful for yourself and fiancee and in advising others unless you are 100% sure about your status. I suggest you check into this further. Better safe than sorry.

 

[missboon]

I am trying to look into getting a lawyer or attorney but it's doubtful because they cost a ton of money. There is just a lot of questions I have that I find conflicting answers to. My plan was to say that I was staying there for x amount of days - lets say 30 days. I have proof of my return ticket and maybe even a letter from my employer (if needed and asked for) Then once they stamp me through from what I understand you are allowed to stay in Canada for 6 months from the date they stamp in my passport. So I was thinking of getting married and filing my papers in those six months doing the inland application and once I file my papers I'm allowed to stay in Canada from what I read as long as after those 6 months I file an extension stay...correct?? :-X

I am also wondering some people say that with inland applications there is no appeal others say there are and with outland some say the same thing that there is a chance for appeal if rejected ( I pray that doesn't happen) So from what I'm concluding from the conflicting information is that there is an appeal for both. True? :-\

 

[missboon]

One more thing...I made an appointment to get my fingerprints done this Saturday as I've heard ink prints can take up to 120 days to process....has anyone gotten their certificate faster than that? I'm just trying to time everything perfectly because I know that the certificate is only valid for 3 months....

 

[AnaMaria]

Inland:
Pros: You can stay with your husband (given implied status if you send PR application and OWP together and do so before the expiration of your status)
You will get OWP after stage 1 approval if you apply one together with PR application, this may be quicker than outland process
Cons: No appeal right
No travel in and out of Canada, you should stay in Canada whole time

Outland:
Pros: Appeal right
You can apply while you are temporary in Canada
Travel in and out of Canada as long as CBSA will let you
Whole process is usually quicker than inland (some cases quicker than inland stage 1 process)
Cons: If you are invited for interview, you have to travel to VO
You need to keep your status updated and valid

As to FBI, their website says it takes about 16 weeks (when I did it about a year ago) but I got it in 4-5 weeks and I lived in Canada that time. And most of people seem to get it around that time frame. (Check FBI timeline thread in this forum). Yes, the certificate must be sent with application within 3 months from the date of issue. But not fingerprints. I read quite pots about fingerprints being illegible. Getting one done by a professional may not be a bad idea. Filling out forms and getting all documents can take months. You want to coordinate them.

 

[cempjwi]

Re: Reply: Success stories??

Isn't there a time limit on how long you can stay? I thought it was 6 months between Canada and US? It may not be a problem now; however, if you have overstayed illegally and try to submit a spousal/PR application there could be some very big problems in your future. Maybe I am missing something but please be careful for yourself and fiancee and in advising others unless you are 100% sure about your status. I suggest you check into this further. Better safe than sorry.

It is 6 months (actually 180 days) for visa-exempt or not, US or not, unless noted differently by the immigration officer.

 

[Hnhkrk]

If you are a visa exempt US citizen, you are allowed to stay in Canada for 6 months. If you want to stay longer than 6 months, you have to apply for a visitor's visa extension 30 days before your status expires.

I entered Canada on July 17th, 2012 and have not left since. My husband and I married on August 04, 2012 and then sent in my Permanent Residency Application on September 08, 2012. In December of 2012, 6 months before my status expired I applied for a Visitor's visa extension. On January 26, 2013 I received my extension, which is a year long.

A lot of people stay in Canada while their application is processing, and most people end up getting their visas extended for a year or longer! . I did my medical and got my pictures taken here and everything.