Moving back to Canada with GC

[feelings 0]

I, a Canadian citizen, am currently in the process of recieiving my 10 year green card. My husbdand and I have been think of moving to Canada as a possibility for the future.

Will this make things complicated for me in the US? If we move to Canada will I still be allowed to come back live/work in the US?

I realize this might be a bit outside this forum but don't really know how to search for an answer.

[carocaro 22]

Sure you don't want to wait one more year and have your Naturalization? Then you can do whatever you want in the future forever....

[feelings 0]

Sure you don't want to wait one more year and have your Naturalization? Then you can do whatever you want in the future forever....

carocaro thanks for replying. We have a great opportunity for a great job for me in Canada so I just wanted to see our options. I definetely do not want to complicate things in the US after all this time and effort into the immigration process. As I can sense from your response it will be easier to wait for naturalization?

[Boiler 45,670]

If you are a USC then you can come and go as you please.

At the moment you are a Permanent Resident, can you fudge it, most likely, for how long that is another issue.

[NikLR 13,227]

You can try for a reentry permit but it effectively stops your period of naturalization. If you are wanting to move back and forth freely, I highly suggest naturalizing first as being a USC and ONLY a USC ensures you the right to live there without going through the visa issue.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

If you accept a job in Canada you're essentially saying you intend to take up permanent residence in Canada - unless you're in a border town and cross the border daily to work and return to the US at night. I agree with the naturalize first comments in order to preserve your US permanent residency and all the money you've given to Immigration thus far!

[feelings 0]

Thank you everyone for your replies. They have definitely been helpful. I don't feel I have another choice but to wait until naturalization before I consider canada again.

When will I be able to be considered for naturalization? How do I determine that date?

[NikLR 13,227]

If you ahve lived in the USA for 3 years married to your spouse as a green card holder. So... 3 years from 03/09/12. 03/09/15, just over a year from now aboutish.

[feelings 0]

Thanks NLR and everyone for your answers.

[warlord 73]

The issue is the re-entry is only granted for certain situations as well (generally military or other specific conditions). So essentially in this case, you leaving the US to move and live and work in Canada will abandon your status and Green Card. You can turn in the Green Card when you leave the US for the last time.

If you want to come back, you'll have to apply for the entire process again. Your only option is to become a US Citizen or leave and re-do everything you have just gone through.

So as everyone else said, your best option is getting Citizenship then going from there as that will leave your options open...

[Rob & Monika 87]

How long does the the immigration process take to get your husband up to Canada? If you take the job, are you going to leave him behind while you deal with Canadian immigration?

[Flames9_RN 358]

Giving up ur greencard is not the end of the world......If its a great job, why not go for it!! And if u have to move back to thew USA--u know the process---and how long it takes!!

[NikLR 13,227]

How long does the the immigration process take to get your husband up to Canada? If you take the job, are you going to leave him behind while you deal with Canadian immigration?

Her US husband can move up to Canada with her. There is no stigma like there is in the USA. However after they move and file, it will take about 8-9 months him to get a work permit and then another 20+ months to get PR status in Canada. The longest part of that wait is the FBI check, which should be done before they move, if they plan on it, because that significantly shortens the time to a Canadian PR.

But they can also start outside of Canada right now the initial processing time is taking 34 days vs 8-9 months from inside. Still total time outside is minimum 22 months and from inside is 16... Seems better to do it from the inside.

US immigration doesn't seem to take so long anymore does it?

Giving up ur greencard is not the end of the world......If its a great job, why not go for it!! And if u have to move back to thew USA--u know the process---and how long it takes!!

The only part is that the OP did AOS the first time. The second time, probably wouldn't be an option.

[feelings 0]

Her US husband can move up to Canada with her. There is no stigma like there is in the USA. However after they move and file, it will take about 8-9 months him to get a work permit and then another 20+ months to get PR status in Canada. The longest part of that wait is the FBI check, which should be done before they move, if they plan on it, because that significantly shortens the time to a Canadian PR.

But they can also start outside of Canada right now the initial processing time is taking 34 days vs 8-9 months from inside. Still total time outside is minimum 22 months and from inside is 16... Seems better to do it from the inside.

US immigration doesn't seem to take so long anymore does it?

The only part is that the OP did AOS the first time. The second time, probably wouldn't be an option.

NLR from everything else I have read it seems that the process from outside will take less time for my husband. Obviously the part that would matter to us would be that he gets a work permit as quickly as possible.

Also for the FBI check, can we just request it from the US and then submit it with the application?

[NikLR 13,227]

Not sure to be honest but it is the part that takes the longest from what I can read. It takes less time to go from start to end if he is up in Canada with you. The Canadian side of the application takes longer, but the USA side takes 20 months minimum. Within Canada it takes 8 and 8 months respectively. Feel free to call Canadian immigration. I did when my husband initially was going to move to Canada.