Questions about the process - Canadian wanting to sponsor an American

[JSFirefly]

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I just found this forum and it seems amazing. We're preparing to start the process of moving to Canada and we're new to everything-immigration. Advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I'm a Canadian citizen currently going to school in the US (F-1 visa). My fiance is an American citizen, living/working in the US. Our plan is to get married next year and move to Canada once I'm done with school (1-2 years), bringing him in as my spouse.

Our questions:

1) To confirm, is it easier/faster to get married in the US and apply for permanent residency for him from there? We entertained the idea of getting married in Canada (my preference) but it's seeming like that may be the harder way of getting this done...

2) I'm confused about who needs to be where, physically, during the application phase. I've read that the sponsor (me) needs to be in Canada when the application is filed. Is this true? Ideally, we wanted to get the process done as efficiently as possible without having to be separated or having either of us unemployed. My hope was that because I'm away on a student visa, and otherwise have maintained my OHIP, Cdn accounts, taxes, etc., that it might be the same as if I'm living in Canada, even if I'm physically in the US when we file the papers. Ideally we'd file about 6-10 months before we're ready to move to Canada. How does this work? And does the applicant (fiance) have to remain the US during the whole process, until we're approved? If we file for an open work permit, can he come into Canada and look for jobs while we wait on the PR application?

3) How does the financial status of the applicant affect the PR application? My fiance filed bankruptcy in the US a few years ago and it is on his record. He may also have outstanding debt (hospital bills) at the time of the application. Does any of that matter? He doesn't intend to broadcast his financial history or use his SSN once he moves, but we weren't sure if his bankruptcy would show up somewhere in the application process and hinder things.

Those are the major questions for now. Thanks a lot, and hope to hear from some of you soon!

Jenn

 

[OneLuckyCookie]

Hey Jenn,

I don't really know if getting married in Canada is a problem, but I would think that it would be possible considering that you are a Canadian citizen. You could go to Canada for the marriage (he could come on a visitor's visa) from what I understand. Not sure, though....
As for the application, it seems that applying outland is faster than inland. With the inland application, he would have to stay with you in Canada and if he left during the process and was refused entry the application would be lost. If you apply outland, he can come visit you in Canada at the discretion of the Immigration Officer (IO) at the border. So he would not have to remain in the US during the whole process.
That's all I can tell you. =) Let's hope someone with more experience can help you further.

Cookie

 

[MARLENA]

JsFirefly get married first. Doesn't matter where but the sooner the better.
At the meantime you can still gather all the information in advance for your application , pictures, love letters, greeting cards, gifts receipts, joint bills under both names (if you can) since you are living together it's harder to collect proof but you can also ask friends and family to write letters supporting your relationship. If you can open joint account will be even better. Adding him to your life insurance if you have any as well your work health plan. In another word the more you join things together the better your chances are to proof the relationship is genuine.
Outland process is better and much faster. Since you are Canadian Citizen (I'm assuming) you can sponsor and still live with him but you have to have to show that you are maintaining your ties in Canada. If you are a PR that's when you have to live in Canada during the sponsorship process.
Bankruptcy would not effect the process since you he is the applicant and you are the sponsor but like u said they it will show somehow in the process.
Good luck!!!!