I am so beyond exhausted right now, I can barely think straight. I have talked to someone who has done visa work for 20 years, my congressman's office (in person, not that it did any good) and an immigration attorney. Unless my fiance decides that he, for whatever reason,still wants to come here then we will be postponing the interview for about 3 or 4 months if they'll allow it. I don't know why they wouldn't, considering the circumstances.

So now, that leaves me with contemplating what I'm going to do about visiting him in Canada. I'm hoping some of you might be able to shed some light on this for me. I still don't have enough insight into what exactly is going on with his illness and treatment but I'm trying to figure out what I need to do ahead of time and be ready to go at the last minute if necessary. This is where I need some help.

I'm thinking that if I end up being there for longer than 3 months it would probably be a good idea for me to take my car and just drive there. I'm kind of nervous about not having my own transportation with me. Does anyone have any clue about how big of a deal it is having a car licensed in your home state and being out of the country for possibly half the year or maybe longer and not being a LPR in Canada?

My lease on my apartment is up in three months and I hate the thought of wasting all that money for nothing and I have no one to take over the lease. Shouldn't I just see if the landlord will let me out of it, explaining the dire circumstances? As far as a "U.S. address" should I just use a friend's until I know more about what we're going to do? I just don't know. I don't really have the extra money to go up there by plane last minute, which is a HUGE chunk of money, then turn around and go back by car. I'd rather just go and plan to be gone for a few months, and have everything here squared away as much as possible so that I have less to worry about once I get there . Then again, I don't want to get up there having next to no proof of ties to the U.S. and to show that I plan on coming back here. I mean, I plan on coming back but I just don't know what's going to happen at this point. sigh.

Any advice?

It should not be a problem to take your car, though you may want to check with your insurance company to make sure they are ok with it. The Canadians wouldn't care I don't think.

Can't help you with the apt. situation, but where are you going to store your stuff? Would it be possible to sublet it?

Don't forget to look into obtaining some legal rights to be involved in the medical decision making, get married or get power of attorney.

Good luck with all this, Lyric, we are all rooting for you and hoping for the best possible outcome.

Linda

I don't think it will be possible for you to insure your car in Canada as you have no legal status, that being said, it would only make sense that as you are coming in as a visitor, then as long as you have a permanent address in the US then you should still be insurable under your current policy even though you are driving across the border. Good luck, Lyric - things seem to be making more sense for you now.

Mo

I have no clue about how subletting works, really. I mean, do I move my stuff out and someone takes over the lease while I'm gone or how does that work? I did just find out that a storage company very close to where I live will store my stuff on a month to month basis for $50 per month. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. I don't know if anyone I know has room to store what furniture and stuff that I have. I don't have that much, but still it would take up a lot of space.

Maybe I'm jumping ahead about the apartment but there's just no way for me to afford to keep paying for it with no money coming in.

Believe me. I am working on trying to get the rights to be able to discuss the medical with his doctors. It's just up to him to get the letter to her That's a totally different story.

And what about access to my money? Should I leave as much of it as possible in my account and then just use an atm card to withdraw it when necessary? I would think the fees for that would get expensive. Or maybe I should just use my credit card and just pay the balance off every month?

sigh. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to have to spend the least amount of money while I'm there.

All your suggestions are appreciated. I need all the help I can get

About accessing your money in Canada - what is your bank in the US? What bank does he use? please try not to get too overwhelmed by what you need to figure out - just keep asking questions of people. we're here to help as much as we can. You are both in my prayers.

-Eli-

For transferring money one can use customhouse.com Takes a few days to set up as you have to scan, then email proof of ID and banking info(secure email) (or snail mail, or fax) You can cal ltheir 1 800 # on their website and ask all the questions you want. Takes 3-4 business days to make an exchange. I use it from canada $$ to US $$$, but you can do it the other way around as well. Usually a better exchange rate than the bank.

Lyric

A few thoughts -

On the money issue, why not just use your ATM card when you need cash as well as your credit card. You can set up your credit card to pay online with direct debit from your checking account. I use my ATM card when I'm in Mexico with no additional fee from my bank and I have paid my credit card bills online for years. It's very simple to set up and easy to do.

On the apartment, depending on where you live, maybe you should consider subletting it furnished. I also did this a few years ago and it worked out great. I didn't care much about my furniture or stuff (and I removed any breakables or personal stuff but I also made a deal with the tenant that I could leave all my books on my bookshelf as well as some winter coats which made it even easier for me). If you don't think a furnished sublet will work, you should either get out of your lease now if possible or put your stuff in storage like you mentioned.

Once you contact the consulate I'm sure you'll find that they can extend his visa. This happened to someone else here several months ago and she needed to stay in Canada for treatment for 6 months - her visa was extended as far as I remember.

Do whatever you can to be there with him and best of luck to you both.

1 can stil use their ATM card in Canada,just be prepared for a subpar exchange rate.

As a USC you may visit up to six months at a time. I take my truck vehicle there all the time, NO problem. Use my atm, no problem. It was my auto insurance I had to change to be conered in a foriegn country. Even my bc/bs is good for emergencies. Good luck, and hope your fiancee feels better soon.

You may want to get some money to carry with you when you're crossing the border. Border officials (on both sides) can be rather pernickety about people becoming bums once they enter the country. If you've got it, get a couple thousand in travellers cheques and then just put that money into your fiance's account and get his bank card (ATM) and pin from him.

ANY time I've gone to the US for more than a week at a time, they ALWAYS ask how much money I have on me. Having a bank card or credit card only is no good as far as they're concerned. What if it doesn't work? (which can happen!) then you have no access to cash. They want to know that you have money with you in your pocket at that very moment.

My husband was usually asked how much money he had on him when he was crossing into Canada anytime for more than a few days. He'd usually carry a wad of cash with him and he'd exchange his US for Canadian near the border.

Don't you think there might be a US bank that has a kind of cooperation with a Canadian bank so that taking money out of the ATM woulnd't cost fees.

I know that with Bank of America and a big German bank it doesn't cost fees to get cash...


If you live in a city with lots of students, subletting your place with all your furnitures should not be a problem, I think. Usually there's always someone there who needs stuff.

Good luck!

Just a note, his recovery will be longer than three months and if he activates the visa -- what about health care -- maybe you should consider moving there for the next year or so. Cancer is a life changing experience. Not overnight cure. Just trying to be realisitc. I'm sorry for being blunt. I'm wishing him a very speedy recovery.

Scotiabank in Canada has an agreement with Bank of America. I used to use my Scotia bank card in the US at BoA machines and there was no service charge.

Im not sure if your past the point of uscis careing or not.. but you may want to consider keeping the appartment (or at least a smaller appartment) to help prove ties to the US. Thats usualy the only thing customs asks me when i come and go from canada is if im maintaining a residency in the US.

As far as everything else goes, come back to the states within 6 months, and everything should be ducky!

I wish hubby a quick recovery!

Not to keep beating the drum on banks, yes some won't charge you fees, but they may not give you a geat exchange rate. Whe I was with the Candian Armed Forces, used my ATM card all through out the world, usually with no problems. If your dealing with small sums of $$$, the exchange rate is goin gto matter that much.

Hi Lyric In my opinion you answer all questions you ask!
You are in an emergency situation, so all administrative stuff, people you have to deal with, have the civil duty to understand and care, so check the original or the source papers:
-for the lease, check the lease paper, the part when you have to leave it in such situation, then inform the owner the reason you have to go, such and such date.
- money thing, i think the AT&T thing might be the simplest one.
- the car insurance, check the insurance paper, if any info is available for being with the US car in Canada, or call the insurance company.
I would think of simplifying the administrative stuff in order to make mental and physical space to be with your beloved.
Best wishes of healing for your hubby! you are doing everything so right!(F)

I wrote a nice letter to my landlord (as I still had 3 months left on my lease) offering him 3 options. He took the nicest one for me.... help him advertise (craigs list) and find a renter, let me out of my lease free and clear. I would think given your circumstances if you needed to do this, they would understand. You could do the sublet too, lots of people post sublets on craigs list as well.

I have been using my ATM up here with my california bank... small fee, not much to baulk at though.