Boyfriend visiting US from Canada for four months?

[rvm4488 0]

Hey guys,

Just starting this very long road to being with the one I love, and the more I learn about the process the more overwhelmed I become. As is probably the case for everyone here, my SO and I are finding it very difficult being apart from one another. I live in Houston, TX USA and he lives in Moncton, NB Canada. Before finding out how much of a nightmare the process is, our plan was for him to come here for 4 months, me go there for 6 months and get married, and then come back to the USA in order to petition for him to come over on the IR-1 / CR-1 visa with my Step-dad acting as a co-sponsor.

Then after staying up till 5 am on this glorious site, I come to find out that we can't simply stay our max terms in each other's respective country, so now I'm kind of lost. On top of everything we're both men, so the process is going to be a very long and arduous one if it's not denied completely.

On to my topic: He has about $4000 saved up, his job is going to take him back when he goes back to Moncton, he has a car in his name, he plans on buying his return ticket for February 1st, so in short, plenty of ties to Canada. I feel, based on others' experiences on here, that he has a good chance of being granted the four months we're asking, right?

I also have come to realize the same won't be true for when I try to go back with him to Moncton. I have a feeling that I will only be able to ask for two weeks tops, and then rush to get married during those two weeks. From there I'd come back, petition, and with any luck by this time next year his visa will have been approved and he can move down. I guess my questions are:

Does anyone here have experience with a Canada to US relationship and immigration?

What would happen if I ended up staying six months in Moncton even if I told immigration I'd only stay two weeks?

Does anyone have any suggestions to an alternate route we can take?

I'm just really lost and crestallen that I may not be able to be with the one person in this world that has ever loved me.

[cujodu 15]

Right now your option is the K-1 fiancé visa. If you get married it's the IR-1/CR-1.

Under the "Guides" section above you can find all the procedures for each. Also check the processing timelines. Your big gay visa procedure will be no different nor take longer than any other, as long as you file everything timely and get the right documents in (this site will help ensure that) . We filed ours within a few weeks (July 17) after the defeat of DOMA. Just start on it ASAP!!

[Teddy B 17,251]

Hey guys,

Just starting this very long road to being with the one I love, and the more I learn about the process the more overwhelmed I become. As is probably the case for everyone here, my SO and I are finding it very difficult being apart from one another. I live in Houston, TX USA and he lives in Moncton, NB Canada. Before finding out how much of a nightmare the process is, our plan was for him to come here for 4 months, me go there for 6 months and get married, and then come back to the USA in order to petition for him to come over on the IR-1 / CR-1 visa with my Step-dad acting as a co-sponsor.

Then after staying up till 5 am on this glorious site, I come to find out that we can't simply stay our max terms in each other's respective country, so now I'm kind of lost. On top of everything we're both men, so the process is going to be a very long and arduous one if it's not denied completely.

On to my topic: He has about $4000 saved up, his job is going to take him back when he goes back to Moncton, he has a car in his name, he plans on buying his return ticket for February 1st, so in short, plenty of ties to Canada. I feel, based on others' experiences on here, that he has a good chance of being granted the four months we're asking, right?

I also have come to realize the same won't be true for when I try to go back with him to Moncton. I have a feeling that I will only be able to ask for two weeks tops, and then rush to get married during those two weeks. From there I'd come back, petition, and with any luck by this time next year his visa will have been approved and he can move down. I guess my questions are:

Does anyone here have experience with a Canada to US relationship and immigration?

What would happen if I ended up staying six months in Moncton even if I told immigration I'd only stay two weeks?

Does anyone have any suggestions to an alternate route we can take?

I'm just really lost and crestallen that I may not be able to be with the one person in this world that has ever loved me.

I'm not sure why you feel that you will only be given 2 weeks to stay in Canada. Have you had problems crossing the US/Canadian border in the past?

You should always have evidence of returning to the US or Canada, whether it be by plane or bus, you should have a return ticket. If you travel by car, then it's harder to show that you intend to return when you say you will. As long as both of you can show strong ties to your home country, you should both be allowed to enter either country for the allotted 6 months. Once you are allowed entry, you can stay the full 6 months unless otherwise noted. If either of you is given a mandatory return date, then you must be out of that country by then.

As far as I know, your being gay will have no adverse affect on this process. It's fairly easy for a Canadian/US couple compared to some others that live worlds apart. Skype comes in really handy while your apart.

Good Luck.

[rvm4488 0]

Right now your option is the K-1 fiancé visa. If you get married it's the IR-1/CR-1.

Under the "Guides" section above you can find all the procedures for each. Also check the processing timelines. Your big gay visa procedure will be no different nor take longer than any other, as long as you file everything timely and get the right documents in (this site will help ensure that) . We filed ours within a few weeks (July 17) after the defeat of DOMA. Just start on it ASAP!!

Yeah, I was going through the guides section which ultimately raised my hope ups that we'd be able to do this on our own without a lawyer. I'm actually really relieved to hear that our gender won't be an issue when pursuing his Visa. Thank you so much!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

My thoughts in your other thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/456995-feeling-overwhelmed-but-glad-to-have-found-you/?p=6539352

[rvm4488 0]

I'm not sure why you feel that you will only be given 2 weeks to stay in Canada. Have you had problems crossing the US/Canadian border in the past?

You should always have evidence of returning to the US or Canada, whether it be by plane or bus, you should have a return ticket. If you travel by car, then it's harder to show that you intend to return when you say you will. As long as both of you can show strong ties to your home country, you should both be allowed to enter either country for the allotted 6 months. Once you are allowed entry, you can stay the full 6 months unless otherwise noted. If either of you is given a mandatory return date, then you must be out of that country by then.

As far as I know, your being gay will have no adverse affect on this process. It's fairly easy for a Canadian/US couple compared to some others that live worlds apart. Skype comes in really handy while your apart.

Good Luck.

Well I've actually never traveled out of the US, so this will be my very first attempt. I guess I've read elsewhere that if you attempt to stay for long periods of time that you're less likely to be approved. I guess on my end the only ties I have to the US is College and my credit card payment, which I doubt the latter will fly lol. Other than that I don't own any property, and I don't have a job.

Yeah I've heard it's easiest for Canadians and Americans to visit one another, but I guess I've let the extreme cases scare me.

[Teddy B 17,251]

Well I've actually never traveled out of the US, so this will be my very first attempt. I guess I've read elsewhere that if you attempt to stay for long periods of time that you're less likely to be approved. I guess on my end the only ties I have to the US is College and my credit card payment, which I doubt the latter will fly lol. Other than that I don't own any property, and I don't have a job.

Yeah I've heard it's easiest for Canadians and Americans to visit one another, but I guess I've let the extreme cases scare me.

It is a good practice to shoot for shorter periods of time in the beginning to establish a pattern of trust with the CBP officers. There is also nothing that says your plans can't change once you're in Canada. Once you are allowed entry, so long as you are not given a mandatory exit date, you can legally stay the full 6 months, or 183 days. Be sure to always be truthful with the CBP officers and do not overstay the 6 months.