What are our US Visa options?

[Kennedy Vince 0]

Greetings! 
 

I live in the US and my boyfriend is in Canada. We are only 4 months into our relationship. However, we want to spend QUALITY time with each other before we decide on marriage. At least 6 months to a year of quality time in each other’s presence rather than just FaceTiming. Because of the pandemic, visiting is difficult. And the K1 Visa just feels like a rush for only getting 90 days before marriage. My boyfriend knows plenty of people from my church who have job opportunities. We are considering a work sponsorship? Eventually the goal is to marry, live, and work in the US. But first.. we need that quality time. How should we go about it? I am absolutely clueless over here so please enlighten ya girl!!! 🤓

Edited November 29, 2020 by Kennedy Vince

[Crazy Cat 39,222]

Where do you propose to spend this quality time?  In the US or Canada?  I assume you mean the US.

Edited November 29, 2020 by Lucky Cat

[Cndn 98]

What does your boyfriend do? Obtaining work sponsorship is difficult and only available to certain highly trained or experienced individuals. 

[Kennedy Vince 0]

41 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

Where do you propose to spend this quality time?  In the US or Canada?  I assume you mean the US.

Preferably the US. But I do plan on visiting in Canada and that time does count. I think if my parents had it there way, they would like my boyfriend to be able to live here for 6 months to a year, be able to work, and spend time with us before marriage. But it ain’t that easy. Gotta be be realistic. My dad has a painting business and my boyfriend is very experienced in construction. Wondering if a sponsorship is the best route. Idk. 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

3 minutes ago, Kennedy Vince said:

Preferably the US. But I do plan on visiting in Canada and that time does count. I think if my parents had it there way, they would like my boyfriend to be able to live here for 6 months to a year, be able to work, and spend time with us before marriage. But it ain’t that easy. Gotta be be realistic. My dad has a painting business and my boyfriend is very experienced in construction. Wondering if a sponsorship is the best route. Idk. 

It is slightly possible he might be able to get a seasonal H2B visa for that type of work. Some of those visas are currently banned so not sure if that is even a realistic option right now, even if construction qualifies. Your dad will have some hoops to jump through to be able to sponsor him. Main page here https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-2b-temporary-non-agricultural-workers 

Realistically he is probably not going to get any other type of work visa doing something like that, almost all work visas are for degreed professional jobs, specialized fields, etc.

Edited November 29, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Kennedy Vince 0]

22 minutes ago, Cndn said:

What does your boyfriend do? Obtaining work sponsorship is difficult and only available to certain highly trained or experienced individuals. 

Mostly construction work. Framing houses, installing gutters, working with aluminum, building warehouses for greenhouses, building decks. Kind of a handy man. Comes from Mennonite background, so very good with his hands. My dad owns his own painting company. I wonder how difficult it would be if my dad sponsored him. Just throwing ideas out. 

[Cndn 98]

8 minutes ago, Kennedy Vince said:

Mostly construction work. Framing houses, installing gutters, working with aluminum, building warehouses for greenhouses, building decks. Kind of a handy man. Comes from Mennonite background, so very good with his hands. My dad owns his own painting company. I wonder how difficult it would be if my dad sponsored him. Just throwing ideas out. 

That’s not likely to work. H1b visa jobs are mostly physicians, computer science, engineers, etc. Construction is not the kind of profession that qualifies. It’s also very expensive and not an easy process to sponsor someone, even if he was in a profession that might qualify him for a work visa. Fortunately, Canadians are able to spend up to 6 months in the US. He just won’t be able to work unless you get married. 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

15 minutes ago, Kennedy Vince said:

I wonder how difficult it would be if my dad sponsored him. 

My previous post gave you a link that details the process.

[Boiler 43,433]

Your father needs to talk to the company Immigration Lawyer to discuss any options. TN would be my forst thought, does he have any qualifications?

[Kennedy Vince 0]

18 minutes ago, Cndn said:

That’s not likely to work. H1b visa jobs are mostly physicians, computer science, engineers, etc. Construction is not the kind of profession that qualifies. It’s also very expensive and not an easy process to sponsor someone, even if he was in a profession that might qualify him for a work visa. Fortunately, Canadians are able to spend up to 6 months in the US. He just won’t be able to work unless you get married. 

Thank you! So K1 Visa seems the most realistic? 

[designguy 1,179]

3 minutes ago, Kennedy Vince said:

Thank you! So K1 Visa seems the most realistic? 

The K1 visa requires you to sign an agreement that states you WILL get married. The K1 is not intended to test out a relationship

[Boiler 43,433]

For most CR1 is the best bet.

[Cndn 98]

7 minutes ago, Kennedy Vince said:

Thank you! So K1 Visa seems the most realistic? 

K1 would work although I would recommend the CR1. That way your boyfriend (husband) will be able to work as soon as he enters the US. 

[NikLR 13,220]

I get how annoying it is to not be able to spend time.  Hubs and I got married quicker than we would have liked.  He wasn't working in the USA so came to visit me in Canada for a few months but needed to come back to the USA for job interviews.  But that's all you can do really unless you qualify for a TN visa is visit.  

[SalishSea 16,770]

1 hour ago, Kennedy Vince said:

Mostly construction work. Framing houses, installing gutters, working with aluminum, building warehouses for greenhouses, building decks. Kind of a handy man. Comes from Mennonite background, so very good with his hands. My dad owns his own painting company. I wonder how difficult it would be if my dad sponsored him. Just throwing ideas out. 

Unlikely.  Those are all jobs that can be easily filled by American citizens and residents.