Canada & US Spousal Sponsorship: What happens in the interim.

[DoubleBirthday]

Hello everyone!
First I want to say thankyou for all the great advice and support on this forum.

So, I've been researching and researching but I'm still fuzzy on some details about a Spousal Sponsorship.

First some background:
My boyfriend (Canadian from Vancouver) and I (from NYC) met online in 2013.
It's grown into a long distance relationship when we met in person March 2015.
He is a Teacher, and I am a Freelance Artist (which means I can work from anywhere, but it's also seems even more difficult to finding a job in Canada as a US citizen).

We aren't in a hugeeeee* rush to move and live with each other (we want to be realistic and do it right), but marriage is on the horizon and we want to plan properly.
Ideally I would like to be in a position that by summer 2016 I could get the ball rolling on immigration.



From what I can gather, the smartest thing to do would be to marry in Canada, and then do a Spousal Sponsorship (Outland?) to become a Permanent Resident.
What I am unclear about is what happens, after marriage occurs.
Would it still be a long distance situation, where I have to continue living in the USA and only visit for 6 months of the year?


In short I am wondering:
Is there anyway that I could live in Canada after a legal-marriage, while the Sponsorship application is processing?
Should I really expect it to take 17 months to process?
Are there cautionary things I should look out for as a Freelance Artist who would still have clients mostly from the US?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[mikeymyke]

Yes definitely you should apply outland. Marrying in US or Canada doesn't really matter. Never apply inland as an American. If you visit here for 6 months, you can apply for an extension for possibly another 6 months. By that time, your spousal application should be completed (usually 6-8 months).

No it does not take 17 months, its about 6-8 months for a non complicated case. As a freelance artist, since most of your clients are from US, you should be able to work this type of job, even as a visitor. If you're having trouble finding work in Canada as a freelance artist, I suggest going to upwork.com

 

[canadianwoman]

Once you get married he can apply to sponsor you. Getting married in the USA or in Canada does not matter. You do not need a visa to enter Canada, so you can come here as a visitor and stay with him. When you come to Canada, be clear with the border agent that you are just visiting. It is a good idea to have proof of ties to your country with you, and a return ticket. They usually don't ask to see anything, but it is best to be prepared.

You will probably be let in for 6 months. One month before this time expires, you can apply to extend your stay.

While you are waiting you cannot get a job in Canada. However, since you are an artist, you can of course continue doing your art. If you only sell outside of Canada, it would be fine. Other people have worked remotely while waiting in Canada, and as long as the pay did not come from a Canadian source, it seemed to be OK.

Applying outland is much faster than inland. You can apply outland and still be in Canada as a visitor. If you apply inland, you can also apply for a work permit, but for an American it is generally not worth it. For an artist I would guess there would be no advantage at all. The 17 months is not an accurate reflection of the time it would take. Americans often get their PR visa in under a year.