Jump to content
Googoobuggy

Canadian in the US - When To Go Back

 Share

11 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Hello all,

 

My Canadian fiancé and I, the petitioner, are in the US currently. 
 

We counted our days, and it looks like in the beginning of September, it will be about 180 days that he’s been in the US. Every place I read online, I see that the maximum amount of time a Canadian can stay in the US is 182, “or approximately 6 months”.
 

During this pandemic, does this timeframe still apply? I’m just curious. I don’t want him to face repercussions for staying in the United States for too long, especially since we are at the end of our K1 Visa Process. Just wondering if anyone has seen anything about this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline

There is no automatic extensions for stay just because of the pandemic. You can check their I-94 on this site to see just how long they're allowed in, assuming they came by plane. You do have alternative options, you may try to file an I-539 to extend his visitor status, or you can skip the K-1 altogether by getting married ASAP and filing for AOS alongside an I-130. Note than an I-539 is not guaranteed to be accepted, and they will not be able to leave with a pending AOS before receiving their green card or AP. If I were you, I'd be tempted to go for AOS right away, especially because of fee changes causing the AOS/EAD/AP package to double in price starting October. I understand you're in AP in Montreal, but the embassy has not shown any signs of resuming services anytime soon.

Edited by JacobP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline

The rules still apply. He will be required to self quarantine when he arrives and they are taking it very seriously handing out pretty stiff fines if caught. 

It would be best for him to head back sooner rather than later as covid numbers are going to skyrocket soon enough and they are dropping much faster back in Canada. His Canadian Health insurance also will be void if he is gone more than 6 months and takes 3 months to get it back. The last thing he wants is to get covid with no health insurance in either country. 

Edited by Ontarkie
Spoiler

Met Playing Everquest in 2005
Engaged 9-15-2006
K-1 & 4 K-2'S
Filed 05-09-07
Interview 03-12-08
Visa received 04-21-08
Entry 05-06-08
Married 06-21-08
AOS X5
Filed 07-08-08
Cards Received01-22-09
Roc X5
Filed 10-17-10
Cards Received02-22-11
Citizenship
Filed 10-17-11
Interview 01-12-12
Oath 06-29-12

Citizenship for older 2 boys

Filed 03/08/2014

NOA/fee waiver 03/19/2014

Biometrics 04/15/14

Interview 05/29/14

In line for Oath 06/20/14

Oath 09/19/2014 We are all done! All USC no more USCIS

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Canada
Timeline
6 hours ago, JacobP said:

There is no automatic extensions for stay just because of the pandemic. You can check their I-94 on this site to see just how long they're allowed in, assuming they came by plane. You do have alternative options, you may try to file an I-539 to extend his visitor status, or you can skip the K-1 altogether by getting married ASAP and filing for AOS alongside an I-130. Note than an I-539 is not guaranteed to be accepted, and they will not be able to leave with a pending AOS before receiving their green card or AP. If I were you, I'd be tempted to go for AOS right away, especially because of fee changes causing the AOS/EAD/AP package to double in price starting October. I understand you're in AP in Montreal, but the embassy has not shown any signs of resuming services anytime soon.

How likely is it that you’d be denied if you went the route of marrying and AOS while visiting on a k1 visa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
37 minutes ago, JB&CP said:

How likely is it that you’d be denied if you went the route of marrying and AOS while visiting on a k1 visa

That's what I am wondering, and how would you even cancel the K1? after you got married? or before? and who would you contact to do it? Montreal(if its there)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Thanks for the replies. I tried that I-94 website (he did come over by plane), but the information said N/A for everything...and I would be worried about cancelling our K1, and I certainly don’t want him to lose his coverage in Canada during the pandemic, so I think the safest thing would be to wait for the Montréal Consulate to open back up while in Canada. I just needed to know if there was any hope in us being able to stay. I fortunately have duel citizenship, so we won’t need to be separated, but still, it’s uprooting everything again and living away from family. :( In any case, we’ll just pack up and stay there for the time being. At least it seems safer up there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
On 8/5/2020 at 9:03 AM, JacobP said:

There is no automatic extensions for stay just because of the pandemic. You can check their I-94 on this site to see just how long they're allowed in, assuming they came by plane. You do have alternative options, you may try to file an I-539 to extend his visitor status, or you can skip the K-1 altogether by getting married ASAP and filing for AOS alongside an I-130. Note than an I-539 is not guaranteed to be accepted, and they will not be able to leave with a pending AOS before receiving their green card or AP. If I were you, I'd be tempted to go for AOS right away, especially because of fee changes causing the AOS/EAD/AP package to double in price starting October. I understand you're in AP in Montreal, but the embassy has not shown any signs of resuming services anytime soon.

I mean, now ya got me thinking that we should just get married and file for AOS and an I-130. He came here on a tourist visa because I had surgery and needed help taking care of our newborn - so not with the intention to marry yet. And our relationship is considered bona fide by the Montreal Consulate...we are only in AP because his passport was water damaged ugh. He sent his new passport in, and then BOOM, covid.

 

We are just afraid of the repercussions. Of course we didn’t commit visa fraud, but we’d have to be able to prove it. I have my medical papers for proof, and we have a plane ticket for him intending to go back -we didn’t end up using it because we wanted to wait for any news about the Consulate.

 

Does anyone know how likely it would be that we got approved?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Googoobuggy said:

I mean, now ya got me thinking that we should just get married and file for AOS and an I-130. He came here on a tourist visa because I had surgery and needed help taking care of our newborn - so not with the intention to marry yet. And our relationship is considered bona fide by the Montreal Consulate...we are only in AP because his passport was water damaged ugh. He sent his new passport in, and then BOOM, covid.

 

We are just afraid of the repercussions. Of course we didn’t commit visa fraud, but we’d have to be able to prove it. I have my medical papers for proof, and we have a plane ticket for him intending to go back -we didn’t end up using it because we wanted to wait for any news about the Consulate.

 

Does anyone know how likely it would be that we got approved?

1) Filing for AOS is allowed here. It's essentially starting over from scratch. Whatever Montreal did won't matter anymore, and a new medical will be required.

Note the timeline for AOS depends on local field office. Many are taking close to a year or so. Some are over 18 months.

You cannot work or travel abroad during this time. You can (and I suggest doing so) file an I-131 and I-765 alongside your I-485 to apply for AP and an EAD. Those will let you work and travel abroad (and return). ETA for those is a question mark right now given the circumstances, but expect around 6 months and hope for something sooner. It may be later even.

That said, since you were applying for a K-1 visa, you should be familiar with all these drawbacks already as they would have applied if you did the K-1 -> AOS route anyway.

 

2) There's no repercussions (other than the drawbacks noted in #1). You don't need to prove that you didn't commit fraud. You're in the US now so you're allowed to AOS.

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
6 hours ago, Googoobuggy said:

I mean, now ya got me thinking that we should just get married and file for AOS and an I-130. He came here on a tourist visa because I had surgery and needed help taking care of our newborn - so not with the intention to marry yet. And our relationship is considered bona fide by the Montreal Consulate...we are only in AP because his passport was water damaged ugh. He sent his new passport in, and then BOOM, covid.

 

We are just afraid of the repercussions. Of course we didn’t commit visa fraud, but we’d have to be able to prove it. I have my medical papers for proof, and we have a plane ticket for him intending to go back -we didn’t end up using it because we wanted to wait for any news about the Consulate.

 

Does anyone know how likely it would be that we got approved?

I'm starting to think the same, since I came to visit here, and expected to go back on the first, but decided to just wait and see if the consulate says anything, and now this could be an option.....
I also worry about being denied, would hate to cancel the K1, and start those forms, only to be denied, and be over my 180 days. What even happens if you overstay? Not going to be allowed back in the US? (for how long?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Zaraliaya said:

I'm starting to think the same, since I came to visit here, and expected to go back on the first, but decided to just wait and see if the consulate says anything, and now this could be an option.....
I also worry about being denied, would hate to cancel the K1, and start those forms, only to be denied, and be over my 180 days. What even happens if you overstay? Not going to be allowed back in the US? (for how long?)

If you accrue 180 days or more of unlawful presence in the US, there is a 3 year ban. At 1 year, it becomes a 10 year ban.

Unlawful presence does not accrue while there is an AOS application pending.

So unless you file after having accrued 180 days, or stay after being denied (why would you be denied?), there is no risk of a ban based on overstay alone (if actually deported, a separate ban still applies).

 

If you have a valid relationship, didn't lie to immigration, don't have a criminal or medical inadmissibility, have a sufficient sponsor for support, etc., then you should be fine.

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...