please help....i am new here

[meandblue 0]

Here is the scoop.

I have been dating a Canadian since September 2007 that is here on a TN Visa. We are wanting to get married and live here in the US but we do not know where to begin. His TN Visa expires in June of 2008. We were thinking of getting married ASAP (my first choice) and hope that he gets permanent staus before the Visa expires or we could wait until after he renews it in June and then get married with another year to get all the paper work in. Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions? Could anyone tell me where I would even start the paperwork process? I am sure all the answers are here somewhere but I cant make heads or tales of all this stuff???? Thanks in advance for any help that can be given....

[Carlawarla 1]

Here is the scoop.

I have been dating a Canadian since September 2007 that is here on a TN Visa. We are wanting to get married and live here in the US but we do not know where to begin. His TN Visa expires in June of 2008. We were thinking of getting married ASAP (my first choice) and hope that he gets permanent staus before the Visa expires or we could wait until after he renews it in June and then get married with another year to get all the paper work in. Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions? Could anyone tell me where I would even start the paperwork process? I am sure all the answers are here somewhere but I cant make heads or tales of all this stuff???? Thanks in advance for any help that can be given....

Hello meandblue! Welcome to VJ. I'm really not familiar with the process of TN visas. I am going to question the expiry date of the TN Visa. June 2008? or did you mean 2009? If it's 2008, it's already expired. Have you checked out the Canada Forum? Click on the link and you'll find a forum of Canadian/US couples, and I think some who are or have done what you're suggesting. Here's the link. Good luck in your journey!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=93

If you don't get many responses here, you might try posting in the Canada forum.

[trailmix 77]

Hi meandblue,

My Sister (dual Canadian/American citizenship) lived in the U.S. with her Canadian Husband for about 7 years on a TN visa (we hadn't documented our U.S. citizenship yet - so they were both technically Canadian's living there).

Basically, what they did, after she documented her U.S. citizenship - they crossed the border, renewed his TN visa for a year (as they had to do every year, I see that they are now issuing 3 year visas) - and applied for an Adjustment of Status for him.

I don't know if you have read anything on the site here about adjustment of status, but it might be a good idea to familarize yourself with it.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't get married now and get the paperwork process underway (but I am certainly no 'expert' on adjustment of status ).

This is probably a good place to start - Step-by-Step Guide on How to File an I-130 for a Spouse Inside the US

Edited November 21, 2008 by trailmix

[Brian and Jenn 0]

Trail is correct.

You could go ahead now with the marriage and file for adjustment of status. I too am a Canadian citizen married to an American - only I entered on a VWP.

The guide that Trail posted is a perfect spot to start!

Goodluck in your journey!

-Brian

Edited November 21, 2008 by Brian and Jenn

[KimandRuss 0]

Welcome.

This is a great place to start.

[Reba 2]

You could go ahead now with the marriage and file for adjustment of status. I too am a Canadian citizen married to an American - only I entered on a VWP.

-Brian

Just FYI, Canadians are not part of the VWP. We have a completely different status, which is basically just "visitor". Because no visa is required for us to enter, what's the waive?

To OP, get married now and apply for AOS! Don't wait until the TN expires, because it may not be renewed, or he may get laid off in the interirm, given the economy lately and the number of people on another immigrant website I frequent, quite a lot are being forced back to Canda after they lose their jobs, and re-entry can be a bit of a trick.

Check the processing timelines for AOS in your state, and make sure you apply for EAD with the AOS because if the AOS application processing takes longer than expected and the TN runs out, he can no longer work. If he gets the EAD (generally granted within 3 months of application, and hey, its included in the price anyway) he can keep working without any break in authoriztion.