US - Canada temporary stay and permanent residency

[JamesinCanada]

Hi everyone,

I live in Canada, and my girlfriend lives in the US (we're both citizens of our respective countries). We've been discussing the future should we end up deciding to get married, and have decided that if things work out she'd like to move to Canada with me. So I've been trying to work out the Family Class sponsorship procedures.

Since we'd need to be married or in a common law/conjugal relationship to apply for permanent residency, we're trying to decide on how we'd do this if we got married. I've had trouble working through all the technicalities of what to do, so I have a few questions.

1. If we decided to get married, would she have to come to Canada as a visitor, marry, and return to the US after six months until her PR application went through? Or is there a way to extend the stay/return soon after the six months ends? I know you can't stay in Canada for more than six months, normally.

2. I know there's a difference between inland and outland applications. Is it faster/more likely to be successful if she applies from the US? Should she go back to the US and file her application, or look for a way to stay in Canada while we apply?

3. Would it be wiser to marry in the US or Canada if we plan to live in Canada?

Any input on this is much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Benni]

1. If we decided to get married, would she have to come to Canada as a visitor, marry, and return to the US after six months until her PR application went through? Or is there a way to extend the stay/return soon after the six months ends? I know you can't stay in Canada for more than six months, normally.

2. I know there's a difference between inland and outland applications. Is it faster/more likely to be successful if she applies from the US? Should she go back to the US and file her application, or look for a way to stay in Canada while we apply?

3. Would it be wiser to marry in the US or Canada if we plan to live in Canada?

Any input on this is much appreciated. Thank you!

My fiance (Canadian) and I (American) have gathered all the documents together along with proof of relationship and all else that is needed. I take my medical exam and get FBI report in March.

I fly there in April, get married. Then we send in our files together. I will stay 90 days (you can stay 6 months), come back here for a week, then back to him for 6 months -- and so on until PR is approved.

Outland apps are much faster and can be done while she is there with you. She is free to travel back and forth throughout the process.

She can apply to extend her 6 months.

It doesn't matter where you are married but seems to me that marrying where you are would be easiest.