In-country vs out-country sponsorship, soon thoughts appreciated

[cwolf241]

HI, I wrote a couple of questions on here and Thaiguy was very kind in giving me some advise. I am going to Canada to get married on 12-22-07. My soon to be wife and I had made up our minds to do the incountry sponsorship. Money will not be a problem since she has a good job and I have a monthly income I get from the US. We had talked to a consultant several months ago and she thought our plans were a good idea. But within the past couple of days I have contacted a couple of attorney's and each has said we would be better off doing the process out of country. They each said it would be so much easier and quicker and if we used their service it would be around 1,500 and 2,000 dollars for them to help us. We were even told that it would be no problem for me to visit her in Canada for us to 6 mths at a time while the process is going on since I am from the US. 
 After reading the forums on here it sounds like the out of country is so much harder for everyone. (lost paperwork, years of waiting etc...) The part that scares us the most is so many people seem to get refused entry to Canada for a visit once the marriage has taken place. We love each other very much and would hate to be apart for a year or longer.
 Would people be so kind as to give us their thoughts on in in-country vs out country? We are now just so confused.
 Thanks in advance and my prayers are with those who are having difficut times. Cwolf241
PS: She is 45 and I am 50.

[hoping75]

Hi,

I have to say if given the option I would have much preferred doing the in country application. It is torture being away from my Husband.

If you don't need to work quickly while you are in Canada, I personally don't see the downside of applying in Canada. You will be together, and that is the most important part in my opinion.

The separation is very difficult.

You really don't need to give your money to a lawyer, they will not make anything faster or easier. It is a simple procedure. You fill out yor application, and submit everything they require to process  your application. A lawyer won't change anything.

[thaiguy]

A couple notes..

The process does take longer if you do an in-country application rather than out-of-country.  But as you said, you'd have to be away from your fiance/wife and that would be difficult.  Maybe not as long as you think, though.

Hoping75 is right that it shouldn't be a problem to visit your wife while the out-of-country application is in-process.  It might sound like splitting hairs, but that's what bureaucracies do, right?  Here's why..

1.  If you show up at the border and tell them you're entering with the intent to get married and immigrate, they will likely deny you entry even though you are from a visa-exempt country.  The reason is that you are trying to enter on a temporary visa while your intentions are to stay permanently.

2.  If you get married in Canada, return to the U.S., start your out-of-country application, and then try to visit Canada, they will probably let you enter as long as you are up-front about your marriage and out-of-country application.  The reason is you are only visiting (not yet landing) and you come from a visa-exempt country.

Does that make sense?

A final scenario..

If you enter Canada for a "visit," get married, begin your in-country application, and go back to the U.S., you will be prohibited from returning to Canada until your PR has been granted because you would be re-entering Canada as a visitor when, due to your in-country application, it's clear that you intend to stay.

Seems picky, doesn't it?  They're just sticklers for being clear about your intentions.

[cwolf241]

Thanks for the answers. If I go up and say I am visiting my gf, get married and stay for six months (if they let me that long) is there an amount of time I would have to stay out of Canada before I visit again? Guess my question is could I leave and then say return in a couple of weeks again and stay another six months? So many questions. Thanks

[thaiguy]

There's not a specific amount of time you have to stay outside of Canada.  Immi only cares that you're obeying the laws.

Keep in mind that you can apply for an extension from within Canada.  Those are pretty readily approved for U.S. citizens unless you've broken the law.