Immigration to Canada/United States, which route to take? Advice?

[KellyandNick]

Okay here's a little back story. My boyfriend and I have known each other for almost 7 years now. We met online on a game we both played. (Irrelevant) but we started Skype in 2010, and ended up wanting to meet and be together. I have been head over heels for him since I was 13 years old! I really do want to be with him. This is the part I need help on.

Questions:
Would it be easier to get engaged and apply for k-1? OR would it be easier for him to apply for PR by himself?
Would immigration patrol look down upon us for not telling them that we PLAN on being together, questioning why we don't apply for k1?
Would it be easier if we applied for VTR, and then for his PR?
Would it be easier for me to move to Canada, or him to come to the United States?

Those are some questions I really ponder. I've been doing research all day. All I can do is cry because I've been thinking about this for the past two and a half years..... And it doesn't seem any easier now that I'm 2 and a half years wiser. This is so frustrating.

Now it gets really hard. Also, very far fetch...
We have never met each other in person, but he is coming to visit in a few months...K1 requires that the couple must prove they have met at least 2 years prior to engagement? I don't know about anyone here, but I can NOT fork out money like that! The flights alone are somewhat expensive. He is in Vancouver and I live in Oklahoma. I've known him for 7 years. We know EVERYTHING about each other and I wouldn't trade him for the world. I would do anything. But now it's seeming to me that anything is going to consist of multiple jobs. I'm being very hypothetical about this because we haven't met. But he hates this stuff, so I'm just trying to learn now so that when/if we decide to go through with it, I will be informed.



Can anyone think of what we can do? Without having to fork out 3,000$+ and not getting in trouble? I may sound insane, but I honestly can't help who I love. He just so happens to be 1,500 miles away and in another country. Please help.

 

[marsiangal]

To tell you honestly as a person, I would advice you first to try and be actually together. Like face to face. lol.
I know you are in love and your judgement might be clouded when your in love BUT even knowing each other for 7 years online is not enough, there are some intimate things and no I am not only talking about sex, that you don't know about each other that you can only learn if you actually live together or spend time together. For example you won't know how much you hate the noises he makes when he sleeps and can't stand it. How much you will love his little mannerisms and can't get over it or hate it. If he is a bad kissed or noT! LOL. If you absolutely adore how he cuddles you or despise it.
Little things like that, are little but you can only learn when your together.
Take time to make decisions like this as sponsoring and undertaking is more than just a piece of paper. It can make or break your life.

Realistically speaking, If he comes to visit you and decide you actually love each other. STILL give it a little more time. Maybe the next time come visit him in Canada. As you won't need a Visa to visit cause your from the US.

If you have not MET each other, How can you prove that the relationship is genuine? Even if I tell you what the requirements are how will you provide pictures of you guys together, bills, and payment in the same house address, declaration from your family and friends that the relationship is true, trip pictures, joint bank accounts, life insurances together?


It's not easy being apart from someone you think you love, but there are other ways than sponsoring each other,that are less permanent like getting a work permit/study permit here. or him getting a US work permit/study permit. alternating visits from both of you.

Then you guys can actually see if you actually want to be together. And actually want to carry on the responsibility of sponsoring each other on either Canada or the US. A lot of people here in this forum has years and years of tested relationship of people they are married to or have a partnership with. And has tons and tons of proof of their relationship.ANd has been together for the hardest of times to endure the gruesome and loooooooong process of sponsoring a spouse or a partner and actually get them here. I don't think the US process can be easier, If I am not mistaken they are more strict when it comes to immigration. How will you compare to that? Think about it. Test the waters first.

Good luck!

 

[KellyandNick]

Marsiangal, thanks! ;D that for sure, I will do. I forgot to mention the 6 month thing! LOL! I am totally NOT jumping into the water that fast!!! Lol. I mean so far he plans on staying for a week or two. Then possibly him coming back for a few months, or vice versa.

We both can visit for up to 6 months is what I've heard, please correct me if I'm wrong. And then I think we'd go from there. I would imagine I would go visit him before we stay together for months at a time. Is that plausible? Would something like that work if we eventually applied? If so, I'll start documenting now so I don't change emails, Skype accounts, ect.

I do not mean to seem bigoted to the situation, I definitely look up to everyone here! Seeing all of the stories, good and bad. I haven't read many bad, so it gives me hope!


I completely agree with everything that you've mentioned previously! I am a very nit picky person... And there's voices he does already that annoys the heck out of me. LOL!!!! He doesn't know that shh don't tell! But there are also things already that I just absolutely love. Isn't it just weird how things play out? I read stories about people being on the complete opposite sides of the world. I'm just glad that I'm not the only one in this situation! And I would really like to learn from people's past experiences, to make it seem easier on us. : not that it will be. I'm hoping for the best!


P.S. You said that they ask for bills and stuff from us living together? Is it possible that during our stay together, we are granted a work permit? I read somewhere that during that 6 months, the TR (I don't know what else to call them, lol) is not allowed to work. Is there anything you recommend researching for this? For future references, I mean. Lol.

Thank you, again. I really do appreciate it.

 

[zardoz]

For Canada, you have a few simple options available to you.

1) apply to immigrate to Canada under your own merit (worker, student)
2) find a way to live together for 12 continuous months to qualify as common-law and then be sponsored by him
3) get married and be sponsored by him.

Given your current situation 1) is doable, 2) is possible but will need to be well planned and 3) would be very silly.

 

[KellyandNick]

Zardoz, I'm glad to know that we have options. I didn't really know about number 1, I've heard people getting in trouble because they were sneaking around, telling immigration that they were just friends. So I was worried about getting in trouble somehow. I.e: if I was in processing, still and we decided to get engaged or married, would something like keep them from granting me PR? I don't see why. But I also haven't really researched everything fully. I don't exactly know how to go about all of this. It just alarmed me when I heard they want all this proof! Lol. When I've waited so long, just to find out now it has to be longer. Lol!

Number 2) seems more appealing. Especially if I can plan it out well enough for it to go smoothly.

Number 3? Out of the question, but I'm not saying its not last resort. LOL!!!!! ;D

 

[zardoz]

I assume that you have been to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index-int.asp and checked out your options?

If you apply to immigrate under your own merit, a new relationship with a Canadian citizen will not harm any application. Just make sure that everything is out in the open. CIC take a very harsh line when detecting misrepresentation.

 

[KellyandNick]

I had checked CIC a year or so ago, I had forgotten all about it. I kind of panicked, when I heard what all we couldn't do, since the circumstances. And was going to see if it was even worth the time or money.

For some reason I always take people's word easier than when it's on a government site. Lol. But I will definitely check it out!

 

[Leon]

Most people on this forum will not be able to tell you much about sponsoring him to the US but him sponsoring you to Canada is another matter. You can try to immigrate under your own merits. This would depend a lot on your education and skills and what the employment situation is like where he lives. Most immigration classes depend on having a job offer these days and you could also take the route of getting a work permit and working on immigrating later and that would of course also require a job offer. A study permit is also an option but you would have to show funds and ability to pay your tuition.

You sound like you do not want to get married but if he should sponsor you as his common law, you would need to find a way to live together for 12 months. You can do this either by getting a work or study permit or you can do this by coming as a visitor and either taking a short trip to the US after 6 months and hoping they let you back in for another 6 or by applying to extend your visitor status after 6 months. If you want to extend, you would need proof of when you entered so you would need the IO to stamp your passport when you enter which they often don't do if you are US. Just make sure you ask them nicely. In order to extend your visit status, you would have to give a reason like exploring relationship, qualifying for common law in order to apply for immigration etc. You would have to show funds to support yourself without working illegally and you would need to have some kind of emergency health insurance to show that you don't expect the tax payer to pay for you if you end up in an accident. Be aware that staying with him for 12 months without working will put a tremendous strain on your relationship. You will be alone without your friends and he will be working or studying or whatever he does. You will be bored and lonely and completely dependent on him for company as well as financially unless you have enough savings to survive for a year. After the year is up, he should apply to sponsor you for PR right away and you will have to apply to extend your status once again if you want to stay and wait for it. The only thing you are legally allowed to do in Canada while on visit visa is volunteer work or short courses, shorter than 6 months and no college credit.

Also be aware, before you enter into a common law partnership in Canada, you might want to know that in some provinces, common law partnership is legally seen as marriage. You can read more about this here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/03/19/common-law-myths-and-facts.html

As for you applying for K1 for him, as far as I have heard, that is only a visa for him to come and marry you. As far as I know, you would have 3 months to get married in that case and then you could sponsor him to the US. If you do not get married within the 3 months, the K1 is gone and he has to go back home.