US Citizen trying to bring Canadian gf to US to work

[Jovian2k 0]

Hello, my name is Mike I am a US Citizen who has been dating my girlfriend for 3.5 years who lives in Quebec. She and I want to move to NYC since I will be working there but it has been a difficult journey trying to get her to be able to work here. She has not been able to find an employer yet to get an H1B visa, we were considering marriage but if we do the K1 visa for fiancee she needs to stay in Quebec while it processes (I was told). Does anyone who has experienced this have any input? We are considering getting married in Canada possibly since she heard that was easier. ANy help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[canadian_wife 1,791]

These days work visas are difficult to get - mostly because jobs are difficult to get.

What industry does she work in? Does she qualify for a TN visa (but that also needs to have an employment offer)

Here is the link for spousal and fiance visas

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

She may VISIT the US while undergoing any of the above processes but she cannot live or work without authorization

Good luck

PS - nothing about immigration is easy sadly

[Jovian2k 0]

These days work visas are difficult to get - mostly because jobs are difficult to get.

What industry does she work in? Does she qualify for a TN visa (but that also needs to have an employment offer)

Here is the link for spousal and fiance visas

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

She may VISIT the US while undergoing any of the above processes but she cannot live or work without authorization

Good luck

PS - nothing about immigration is easy sadly

She works in Fashion and Marketing industries (degree is fashion business). You're right, the jobs she is interested in have been hard to get... she would love to get sponsored for a H1B visa but has been trying for months. Are you sure she may visit the US while undergoing those processes? We were told at USCIS that while waiting for K1 visa she will not be able to enter the US even for visitation and and this process might take up to 4-5 months!

[S and P 9]

She works in Fashion and Marketing industries (degree is fashion business). You're right, the jobs she is interested in have been hard to get... she would love to get sponsored for a H1B visa but has been trying for months. Are you sure she may visit the US while undergoing those processes? We were told at USCIS that while waiting for K1 visa she will not be able to enter the US even for visitation and and this process might take up to 4-5 months!

realistically......8-10 months.......(montreal consulate is SLOW)...... and she can visit as long as she proves really strong ties to canada when trying to enter US....lots of documentation showing she is going to return to canada...but she still may be denied entry.....it's up to the Border Patrol Officer... sadly...

Edited May 31, 2011 by S and P

[canadian_wife 1,791]

4-5 months is the estimate for USCIS only, then count on another 1-3 for NVC and then another 1-4 for Montreal to book her apointment. So, look at 8-12 months in total. It took us 10 months start to finish

LOTS of people visit during this process. But like SandP said, bring LOTS of ties to Canada

Good luck

[Jovian2k 0]

Is there any way to expedite a K1 under any circumstances? It seems ridiculous that I even need it since she can come into the US it seems like it would be so simple to take her to Vegas to get married why is that not possible? She has been trying to look for jobs to sponsor her and we will try to offer unpaid internships just so she can get a H1B... but is it going to be an issue for her to be in NYC looking for a potential employer while she is visiting?

[Anh map 2,098]

She can look for a job, but isn't likely to get an offer if she doesn't know when she will be able to accept it. And a person cannot volunteer to work for free if that job is a paid position.

It's frustrating, but waiting is a part of the immigration process.

[Jovian2k 0]

Yeah it is frustrating it seems. I am sure many on here have or have had this same feeling : I just want to be with her while things are being processed. I know it takes long, but we just want to be able to live together, even if she cannot work! Getting married in Quebec and applying for the CR-1 Visa sounds great to be able to have her be a legal citizen right away but then we would have to be apart during the process huh? Why are they so cruel

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Actually, the Cr1 does not allow for legal citizenship right away, it allows for legal conditional residency.

You take her to Vegas, you get married. However, she MUST return to Canada.

She may visit, as a Canadian, for up to 180 days. However, she will need to return to Montreal for the medical and interview. SHe can visit for that amount of time, if admitted, during the Cr-1 process

It is not cruel, it is the rules. You have no right as a US citizen to bring a foreign wife to the US. This is why there is a process and steps that must be followed to ensure it is legally acquired.

Good luck

[Darnell 8,478]

recheck the TN-1 requirements, is a specific thing for Canadiens, not as difficult as the H1-B visa.

(Seriously)

[Inky 1,110]

I visited the US while waiting on K-1. You absolutely can visit the US while waiting on visa process.

K-1 can be expedite if you are in the military and deploying to an active duty combat zone. Other then that its pretty hard pressed to try and get an expedite, iv also seen people denied expedite with proof of military deployment.

There is no legal citizenship on marriage. You have to wait and follow the lines. Citizenship will be a 3 year wait starting only when she has the green card.

[Jovian2k 0]

Yea i misspoke, I meant legal residence with the CR-1

[kutakendra 3]

We're near the end of the K-1 process, but my fiancee will have to go through the AOS process in order to work. It may be jumping the gun, but I almost think if working is an issue, maybe you should get married and then file for a marriage visa, not a K-1. It may take, slightly longer (1 month?), but you'll have a green card day 1. K-1 visas are conditional and can't work. Just make sure you are over the poverty guidelines for the I-134 and check all your paperwork, like police reports, arrests, etc..., before you go and get married and then can't get her in.

[Harsh_77 716]

Yeah it is frustrating it seems. I am sure many on here have or have had this same feeling : I just want to be with her while things are being processed. I know it takes long, but we just want to be able to live together, even if she cannot work! Getting married in Quebec and applying for the CR-1 Visa sounds great to be able to have her be a legal citizen right away but then we would have to be apart during the process huh? Why are they so cruel

I think there is some disconnect about you understandin the immigration and how it works.

Unfortunately its not as simple as it sounds, it's difficult to get someone to sponsor for H1 with this market condition.

Lot of the times employers do get asked back by immigration why they cannot find someone local for the job instead of bringing a foreign national and employer find it difficult to justify that with the given economy and umemployment.

I have heard stories about USCIS presenting employer with the similar skillset local resume when employer files for H1.

CR1 is not a citizenship and it is no short cut in immigration, CR1 would also take approximately the same time to process your K1 only difference is on K1 she will enter the country as your fiancee and on CR1 she will enter the country as your wife.

There are thousands and thousands of ppl waiting in line to enter the country, unfortunately most ppl who have gone thru the K1 or CR1 have had to do with staying away from ppl they love for few months, thats just how the process is.

recheck the TN-1 requirements, is a specific thing for Canadiens, not as difficult as the H1-B visa.

(Seriously)

Need an employer............... unfortunately same as H1 only diff is its not part there is no limit on how many TNs are issued in a year.