Need Advice on upcoming PR Application

[Jigoku-Geisha]

Hi, American Citizen here planning on marrying my Canadian fiancee in a few months in Quebec when I go and visit him again. We have decided to apply for my PR application inland so I will be able to stay with him during the processing time. I have read on here a little about the PR Application, though I don't know much about it other than it has to be perfect, and its a long and tedious process where I have to have a physical exam, police records, and show evidence that our relationship is genuine, ect. I am little nervous about the PR application, so I was seeking advice on what I could do while still here in the US to maybe speed up the process for the PR application. Also, if anyone here could tell me anything I really need to know and what to expect with the PR Application, that would be greatly appreciated. Do we have to hire an Immigration Attorney to help us with the application? We were thinking of doing that because we know the application has to pretty much be perfect and we are afraid of making mistakes and getting rejected. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks alot! 

[Leon]

You don't have to apply inland in order to be able to stay with him.  You can apply outland which is faster, at least when you are going through the US and you can still visit him and stay for up to 6 months and after that apply to extend your visitor status if you don't have your PR yet by then.  When you visit, it is most important that you don't bring all your stuff in a u-haul because you can not officially move to Canada on visitor status.

You don't need a lawyer to fill out the forms.  You can start now by looking at the forms and preparing your application, writing down your address, work and education history best you can since the age of 18 etc.  You will also need your police clearances from the FBI and home state but they can not be older than 3 months old when you apply so don't get them too early if you aren't planning on applying just yet.

[NoseOfNicko]

Bump

[Jigoku-Geisha]

Thanks alot for the advice Leon. We didn't know you could apply Outland and I could still stay with him, we have discussed how we are going to apply, but we still think we are going to go the Inland route. And we have also decided to fill out all the forms ourselves. The lawyers are way over priced and what I have read about using them on here, is that they aren't much help anyway as they can't speed up the process any. We figured we would be fine as long as we get advice to any questions we have on good forums like this from people who have been there and done it! I have already started on gathering my employment and residential history for the past 10 years. I am not entirely sure on all the dates of all my past jobs and residential history, so here is another question, what if I make a mistake and mess up a date I had on a job or where I lived? I want to know does it make that much of a difference if I can't remember it all perfectly? Should I just guesstimate the dates I can't remember? I can remember most of the dates of past jobs and residences but some are iffy. Do they really check on all the past jobs and residential history that scrutingly? Will I be ok if its not exactly perfect? Thanks alot!

[MandyUK]

Im interested to know why you still want to apply inland rather than going to Canada to be with him as you are  doing and applying outland.
For both ways you will still have to apply for an extension to your visitor visa, but with outland you might get your PR even before you have to do that. Inland applications can take well over a year to be processed. Outland probably half that. Are you thinking you have to leave Canada to apply because it called outland?

[Leon]

Should I just guesstimate the dates I can't remember? I can remember most of the dates of past jobs and residences but some are iffy. Do they really check on all the past jobs and residential history that scrutingly?

I very much doubt you will have enough space on the application form itself to fill this out which means you need to put together your own list.  Write down all dates as guesstimated by you but star mark all the ones you are not 100% sure of.  At the bottom, explain the star mark as dates you are not 100% sure of but have listed according to your best knowledge and recollection.  That way, you are covered in case they check up and find that the dates are not 100% correct.

[scylla]

I have already started on gathering my employment and residential history for the past 10 years.

Just a small correction. Unless you're under the age of 28 - you need to show all residential and employment history since the age of 18 (not the last ten years).

[mittens]

i'm also curious why you would still choose inland?
outland is much faster and you have a right to appeal...

you can still live together in canada, you just can't work as you're a visitor