cruisedreams2014

yea, and no i feel like i need to go back to immigration to speak to someone else to verify the information. sheesh. this would be nice if its true, but now im not sure since this whole process tends to change when new laws go into effect.

Ok thanks for the info. I figured I wouldnt be able to apply since the gap is so long.

There was another thread recently about an immigration office giving this advice (unless that was you).

As Boiler said...if she is already in the US, she can adjust status.

If she is still in Canada, then coming in on a visitor visa (or whatever the technical term is for Canadians) with intent to adjust is fraud. If she crosses the border and tells them she is planning to stay, she'll be turned away. If she doesn't tell them, then she has lied to immigration officials. Neither are a good way to go.

I explained to him my situation in grave detail:

1) we are already married

2) she is currently in canada (and a Canadian citizen)

3) I intend to have her visit me in July.

I asked whats the best way to file the application and get this thing started. He said do to it the way I mentioned. Bring her here on a tourist visa, then adjust, even though she is currently in Canada. Hopefully Im getting good information directly from immigration.

Because ALL immigrant visa interviews are in Montréal. I had to fly there from central alberta. Even if you live in Vancouver or Whitehorse etc... you interview in Montreal. Vancouver and Montreal do K1 visas.

Hi. I just wanted to post some information I recently received. I'm hoping that this is correct information being that it came directly from an Immigration Officer at an Immigration Office. But basically he says no need to go to Montreal. She can come here, and we do the whole things from here. I started another thread about it:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/550573-cr1-in-country-filinginterview-update/

Last week I went to the immigration office here in San Diego to ask a whole list of questions. I gained a lot of good information that I thought I'd share. The good news according to the immigration officer, is that since I'm already married, it would be best to bring my wife here from Canada, then start the process. I was leaning toward starting it while she was still in Canada, and also previously told that the interview would need to take place in Montreal.

This officer told me that we could do the interview here in San Diego and have no problems. Even the medical exam, he said that would happen here. So this is all news to me as this is quite different from the process I had read about in a book and here on the forum.

Has anyone heard this elsewhere?

Thanks.

Well finally my wife was able to come to an out of court agreement with her ex regarding custody for her 6 year old daughter.

Originally we were asking to get full custody in that she lives with us in the USA, but is able to go back to Canada during Summers and Christmas.

Being that, I had planned on filing for both my wife and her daughter on 1 application. Now, the reverse plan will happen. Her daughter will stay in Canada year round, but visit us in the US for summer and Christmas. The difference is this will be for 5 years, and in 5 years (when she's 11), it will reverse, and we'll get her for the school year.

So...my question then is...

Can I still file her immigration papers now as an addon to my wife's application? I was hoping to do it all at once. I know the answer is probably no, but I thought I should find out. If she's approved now, with the intension of immigrating at a later date, that could help move things along. I really dont want to have to go through this again in 5 years.

Anyone been in this situation?

Thank you very much for this! This is extremely helpful.

I'm curious if there are ways to save on the medical exam costs? If my wife either verifies her vaccinations and shots now, or gets them done ahead of time and brings proof with her to the immigration offices in Montreal, will this save money? Being that she's Canadian, will the medical exam fees for her and her daughter be covered under Canadian Health coverage?

I am looking to file our immigration papers in June. I'd like to have my wife fly out to San Diego with my son (as tourists) the first week of July.

Right now 1 way tickets are very cheap. Can I get her a 1 way, or will this be frowned upon? As a Canadian, she has 6 months

on a tourist visa. Should I buy the roundtrip to show the border agent the intent to return to Canada?

Thank you.

Do you know why the interviews are in Montreal? Do they not have them in Toronto? I was just at the consulate there in Toronto, was hoping they have this service.

Hi,

I have not yet filed my 2014 taxes. I've submitted an extension. Also, I have about $20K in back taxes, but an $80k/year

salary. Will this be a problem?

I read that I need to present the last 3 years of tax transcripts for documentation. They will probably see

how much I owe for some years. But I'm on a payment plan that's active and in good standing. I should probably "prove" this too.

Any thoughts? Thanks

I'm looking for a similar template/letter example to immigrate my wife's 6/yo with her from Canada to the US. This is probably a common request to have an example, or something with all the legal jargon already provided so that just the names/information can change. I need this later to be notarized.

$5500 is with fees. But I've decided to do it myself. Saving a ton.

I'm not going to use a lawyer, but when I did consult with some lawyers, they told me I will need

a notarized letter from my wife's child's biological father giving permission for her to be in our custody.

We are trying to avoid going to court, and just handle a written agreement. I'm wondering if anyone already

has a letter example or template having been in the same situation. I will also include a paragraph authorizing her daughter

to travel with us back and forth between the US and Canada using a Nexus pass. I'd like to do this all in one letter since

I have to get it notarized.

I do have some legal services that I can use, but if a general used template is available, that will be a start so that I can

present it to the child's father now and get his consent.

Any tips?

Thank you.

Hello,

I'm trying to get a complete list of costs for this entire CR1 process. It will be my Canadian wife and her 6 y/o daughter who

are immigrating into the US from Canada. We are married.

Does anyone have an updated list of fees specific for this visa? I found the USCIS fee schedule, but not sure which apply for

my situation.

Thanks.

Thank you for all the helpful information. I was definitely leaning toward DIY after speaking

to a few lawyers, then a friend who did DIY. My situation should be pretty straight forward.

Thanks for the tip about NEXUS. We're def going to do that. My next question then is:

once I file the paperwork to begin the process, what has to happen before my Canadian family

can come to the US as tourists while we wait for the visa? Do we receive something back from USCIS?

Or is simply filing certified mail "proof" of application, and then they can come.

Again, this is early May. My goal is to file this month and have them here by 4th of July. Crazy goal or realistic?

Thanks again!

Hi.

This is my first post. Initially I fully intended to hire a lawyer to handle everything for me, even though I don't really have the funds right now.

I was going to finance it, or take an IRA loan. This particular lawyer quoted me around $5500 for immigration of my wife and her daughter with a CR1 visa.

My wife and I just married on 05.03.15. I am looking to get this immigration process underway ASAP, but also looking to save if at all possible.

So I decided to get informed myself, hence why I'm here on VJ today.

I just bought the Kindle Book "Fiance and Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.S. Immigration" by Nolo (8th Edition).

My goal is to read this, and determine which visa is best, and if I need a lawyer or not. I've spoken with a friend who did the process for his Japanese wife,

and he said it was rather straight forward. He didn't spend close to $5000.

My wife is Canadian. I'm a US Citizen. She has a 6 year old daughter and we just had a baby boy in Canada. I've already begun his paperwork

to get him US citizenship before even starting immigration so a visa for him won't be necessary.

So basically, I'm trying to learn if most people are DIY, or going the lawyer route? If using a lawyer, what is a typical price to pay and is it worth it?

From what I'm reading, the process for a CR1 visa seems pretty straight forward, but I dont want to miss something.

Also, once I file my initial visa request, can I have my wife and her daughter visit me on a tourist visa? What has to happen before they can come here? I'm

shooting to bring them here by July, at least on a tourist visa. The lawyer I spoke with said this is possible, but the book Im reading tells me to have them stay put during the application process. I'm not sure how long this process is.

I'll keep reading this forum, but if anyone has tips on this, please advise.

Thank you.