Getting my wife a CR-1 Visa

[Knollzky 0]

Hi there,

I'm a newly wed residing in Vancouver, Canada. I'm an American as well as Canadian. My wife and I are wanting to move to the US and we were wanting to know the best approach on how to get her visa. So far it seems the CR-1 is the fastest route. Here are some of the questions that we are having.

1.) Do we send our I-130 to the Chicago Lockbox?

It says online that Canada doesn't have a USCIS Office and the Vancouver embassy isn't listed on there. I'd also be more than willing to drive down to seattle.

2.) For the CR-1 do we need a sponsor for my wife or am I able to do so?



All of this stuff is probably on this site. I'm just starting to figure out how to navigate around it.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Luke

[ricnally 259]

CR-1 is the one you want. You can sponsor her, but you have to make enough money and also establish domicile in the US, so you'll have to move back and get a job. If you don't make enough money, you'll need a co-sponsor. After the I-130 is approved in several months, she'll have her interview in Montreal. Check the guides on this site.

[NikLR 13,234]

CR1 is the only route available to you (besides K3 which is rarely granted but we've seen a few sneak by lately.)

1) yes you send it to the chicago lockbox. I-130 petitions from abroad always go to the chicago lockbox. - There they take the petition and forward it off to the appropriate service center. Which right now is only the National Benefits Center (NBC) They cash the cheque attached (needs to be in US funds - money order would be best from Canada unless you still have a US bank account - easy to set one up via RBC btw )

2) You have to sponsor your wife. Do you need a joint sponsor? It depends if you have US based employment or not. If you do not and do not intend to move back to the USA ahead of wife to get a job first, you'll need a joint sponsor.

it would be good for you to note that IR1/CR1 visa interviews are ONLY done in Montreal. They are sticky about domicile. I suggest coming to the Canada forum and reading over the domicile thread therein. Just to save yourself headaches later.

I would not put any US addresses on the I-130 petition as then it will likely not be sent to a local office but instead adjudicated at the NBC in 2-3 months. This will save you 2-8+ months of waiting and then you can do the second stage of the CR1 at your own pace with the NVC (National Visa Center.)

Edited June 20, 2013 by NikiR

[Knollzky 0]

So would I be able to have my father co-sponsor her with me and remove the need for me to move back?

And do you know if we can have the interview in Vancouver? Montreal...wow thats quite a trip.

[NikLR 13,234]

So would I be able to have my father co-sponsor her with me and remove the need for me to move back?

And do you know if we can have the interview in Vancouver? Montreal...wow thats quite a trip.

You have to interview in Montreal. All immigrant visa interviews are in Montreal. There was a girl there, from VJ, on my interview day, that was from the Island. (edited to add clarity to this sentence.. LOL)

Yes your father could joint sponsor as long as he makes above the poverty guidelines for his household plus your wife. http://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

You still may need to move back first. Montreal is very sticky about domicile. Read the domicile thread in the Canada forum.

Edited June 20, 2013 by NikiR

[Knollzky 0]

Thanks Canadian in Colorado. (I used to live in Littleton, so beautiful there)

I'll take a look at the Canadian Threads.

So would the joint sponsor fill out the I-864 or a different Support form?

[Knollzky 0]

Can I claim Domicile? I grew up in the states. Most recently lived in Wyoming.

I have a US Bank account that I've had for almost ten years. All of my schooling through high school was in the states. I've only been up in Canada for school where I met my wife. Now I'm dont school and want to move back to the states with her. Just not to WY but to OR.

There's gotta be an easier way

[NikLR 13,234]

Your joint sponsor and yourself would sign a completed I-864.

Domicile isn't something you claim. You need to show proof of it. Here's the link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/164618-proving-domicile-when-not-living-in-the-us/

Btw my user name is NikiR .. the other is my user title.. like yours is newbie.