Rachela

Wow, that's insane! 

Thanks for the tip though, I will try what you've suggested.  

I'm "happy" to know we're not the only ones. I wish we had a solution. When we called in, they sighed and said it happens a lot. Helpful.

I'm curious if anybody else is experiencing the same problem I'm having with messages on the Dept. of State site. When I click on messages in my inbox, a grey box temporarily opens beneath the list of messages, but disappears a short time later without displaying the message. My husband and I have tried 3 different computers and every browser we can think of (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, IE, Brave) but the result is always the same. We're not sure what else to do.

21 minutes ago, Mary Moore said:

We’re in the same situation: married, living in Canada for 17 years. I moved back to the States to work and declare domicile. We filed I130 last July, and are now waiting for interview appointment in Montreal. From start to finish, expect 15 months minimum.

I'm very sorry to hear that. 

11 minutes ago, TNJ17 said:

I suggest you do a lot of reading directly from USCIS to see all the requirements. I wouldn’t go the savings route because then you need to be at 3x the poverty line. Go on USCIS website and search for spousal visa (IR-1) and read all you can about it. There’s a lot of details you need to know and it’s better that you get information directly from the source. Then whatever you don’t understand you come back and ask cause someone will know the answer. 

Thank you. I just find the source to sometimes be misleading. From what I read, the initial application could be completed as quickly as 3 months. Which is why forums such as these are invaluable. 

9 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

The sale of the house is not going to be enough. They pretty much want you back living in the US before granting the visa. 

Do I not have to worry about living back in the US until before the interview?  During the I-130 process, I can  stay in Canada without fear that it will somehow count against me?

I've skimmed through the Montreal thread. It seems they make it very complicated! I'm hoping that the sale of our home in Canada shows intent, but it seems even if people have all of their ducks in a row that they are still rejected, sometimes multiple times!

2 minutes ago, geowrian said:

All K-1 and immigrant visas are processed through Montreal, so that's where the interview will be.

 

No (barring exceptional circumstances, which applies to any consulate).

Thank you for clarifying that for me.  Does the I-130 process take 12-15 months and the affidavit of support comes after that and takes additional processing time?

We're trying to hedge our bets so that we're not paying to maintain two households (we share a car, currently), so I wouldn't want to return until I had to. Would our savings be enough to show my ability to support us?

28 minutes ago, GreatDane said:

It's good that you've done all those things. It will help. But you'll need something more substantial - like a US address and living situation setup (key part of domicile). Did you also maintain your US drivers license? You need to prove, for the visa to be issued, that you are living in the US and intend to for the foreseeable future.

I didn't maintain my US driver's license, only because Canada has a sort of exchange program. Hand over the US license and receive your Canadian license. 

Would the address of my family be enough?  

32 minutes ago, geowrian said:

You can start the process while living in Canada. You will need to establish US domicile or show sufficient intent to establish US domicile before they can issue the visa. The process takes roughly 12-15 months, and the I-864 (Affidavit of Support, requiring US domicile) isn't needed until after the I-130 is approved.

Guide: http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

Montreal is notoriously strict with the domicile requirement. I suggest looking at the Canada country portal. You may need to move a few months early to establish your domicile before the visa is issued.

Thank you so much for your reply. Where does Montreal come into play? Is it the province in which all things are processed?  We live in Ontario. I've always held my bank account in the US, filed taxes annually, etc. My plan was to return to the US after graduate school, which I completed last year. I've had a few health things pop up that slowed those plans, but can show ties to the US. I don't  know if that will make an ounce of difference, considering we're lived in Canada for so long. I really appreciate your reply. 

Hello, I'm thankful to have found a forum where I can ask questions from real experience. 

I'm a US citizen. My Husband is Canadian. We have been married 12 years and live in Canada together (we have our entire marriage). I am a dual citizen of Canada and the US.

We just sold our home in Canada, because of our plans, however wish to stay together if possible during the immigration process to the US. 

Is this possible? Should I go to the US myself alone and begin work and establish residence, or can my husband be approved while we both live in Canada?

Anyone with a similar experience? I'd really love to hear your story and wait times, etc.