Bellingham-Vancouver

[KRusso9 0]

Ok, my situation can't be THAT rare; especially with all of the dating sites and living in a border city.

I met my boyfriend through the tinder app in 2014. He lives in Bellingham, Washington (U.S. Citizen) and I live in Coquitlam, B.C., Canada (Canadian Citizen). We are absolutely head over heels about one another and can't wait to start our lives together. *Pretty sure there will be a ring on my finger within the next few months*. What I am trying to figure out now, is how to make this all work. I'm a keener, and like to have a plan.

Friends, what do you think? K-1 Visa?
Personally, I don't think this works well in my situation as we are crossing the border every weekend to see one another. We are currently only 1 hour by car away from each other. I also have a nexus pass which helps with border crossing. I have a reallllly good job in Vancouver that I don't want to leave. I will commute everyday if I have to. Living in Washington state will only provide us with better opportunities as a couple and some day, as a family.

So, if not K-1, I-130?
We have talked about having a small courthouse wedding and then applying for this visa. This seems to make the most logical sense as I want to continue working in Canada. So, I apply for the visa, then wait it out in Canada until I am approved? Once it is approved, will I have a problem crossing over the US-Canada border everyday?

This whole process seems so daunting. Any advice or thoughts about my situation are greatly appreciated.

-Karoline

[VeeNDee 44]

K1 Visa would be an issue if you wanted to keep driving over the border to Canada every day. There is a period of time after you enter the US on your visa (or POE) that you can't leave the US until you have either received your greencard or a card called 'advance parole' which gives you permission to leave and re-enter the country and not lose your status. This can take months to get - it took just over 3 months for me. As far as the logistics of having the I-130, living in the US and working in Canada that is something I am not familiar with other than that taxes will be a lot more complicated!

Another thing to consider - if you apply for K1 visa you can interview in Vancouver but all married visas have to travel to Montreal. I guess it depends how badly you want to keep working in BC!

P.S. Kudos on having a Nexus pass already. I waited to get mine and am wondering why I didn't get it earlier. So convenient. I travel from WA to BC to visit family more often myself.

[Andy&Vanda 8]

Agree with VeeNDee. K1 is the fastest way to get a visa, but limited in that once you cross, you have 90 days to marry then file AOS to change your status and in the meantime cannot leave. I'd go with the marriage (CR1??) option

[Flames9_RN 358]

If u want to keep ur job in Canada..which u can do...the CR-1 route is the way to go!. As with the k1 once you get it endorsed (activated) u can NOT leave the USA until u get the greencard! With the CR-1 route (marriage) you can leave the USA.

There are a fair # of Canucks here that travel back back to Canada to work..then back to the USA, few in ur region..just can't recall who they are..Maybe they will pipe up!!

[KRusso9 0]

Thank you all! I can't believe that I will now have to factor in a trip to Montreal! ugh. Oh well, it will all be worth it!