Trying to get premanent residency and I need help!

[Demonardae]

Hi, I'm from America and I'm trying to marry my fiance. We've been together for three years and I have been there several times. But, recently, we've been having problems with getting me in. I've never lied to the customs officers that I deal with and I know every one of them at the airport I always go to. I've told them about how I would like to become a permanent resident, when I was mistaken about going back a second time in one year after I had already been there for 5 months and two an a half weeks.

They denied me entry once, saying that, 1) I had no money to my name, 2) no insurance, 3) no return ticket and 4) no ties to America. I was able to handle the first three, but the third is much harder to take care of. With no bus system where I live, and no jobs in walking distance (that are hiring anyways), I am sort of out of luck. I am afraid that if I try to go back with a two week round trip ticket they will, once again, deny me entry and cost me another 1000+ dollars wasted on accomplishing nothing.

However, my fiance wants to give it a try anyways, for the purpose of having a courtroom marriage. (I don't have the know-it-all to plan a wedding when I'm not even in the country.) He's decided to pay for a immigration consultant and I desperately need to know the right questions to ask and anything else that might be helpful. I'm so lost and confused. I truely love him, but honestly I'm losing hope that we are going to accomplish anything. We've wasted so much money already just trying to be together and we can't afford to waste more, especially with him not working on account of a serious injury and I can't even find work.

Please help me. If you need to know anything else that might reveal on what to do, just let me know.

 

[bobshynoswife]

Why doesn't he come down to the US and marry you there?

 

[Demonardae]

Ahh, well he's in college.

 

[canadianwoman]

I honestly don't think you need an immigration consultant. I would suggest a consultant or lawyer for a difficult case; maybe even one for a difficult country; but you are an American and your fiance is a Canadian: the easiest combination. Are there any complications or problems in your relationship?
I would suggest your fiance come to the States, get married in a simple civil ceremony, go home and file the application.
You can ask for advice here.
To start off: what state do you live in, and what province does your fiance live in? How far apart are you?

 

[ghdfans2010]

I have no idea! But I have study many Knowledge from the post!

 

[Demonardae]

I honestly don't think you need an immigration consultant. I would suggest a consultant or lawyer for a difficult case; maybe even one for a difficult country; but you are an American and your fiance is a Canadian: the easiest combination. Are there any complications or problems in your relationship?
I would suggest your fiance come to the States, get married in a simple civil ceremony, go home and file the application.
You can ask for advice here.
To start off: what state do you live in, and what province does your fiance live in? How far apart are you?

Well, like I said I have been denied entry before. The customs agents I deal with do not like me, and have treated me like I'm a criminal. Every question they have asked, I have answered truthfully. But my fiance can not come here for a few reasons, unless of course I start being unreasonably and demand he comes here.

I live in houston Texas and he lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

I think this is what has to happen (correct me if I'm wrong.):
1) We get married in a civil ceremony
2) I return to texas
3) we begin the paper work for getting me permanent residency
4) And then we wait for approval, with me in Texas.

I'm really confused and I feel like I am falling apart mentally. Please help me. I just don't know what to do anymore...

 

[AllisonVSC]

Any chance you two could meet somewhere along the border, say Niagara Falls New York, and get married there? You could fly to Buffalo; it's a LOT cheaper than flying to Canada, and he could drive down (I think it's about 5-6 hours with good traffic conditions) or take a bus.

 

[Demonardae]

I have mentioned that to him. I don't remember what he said to that...

 

[plumosa]

Well, like I said I have been denied entry before. The customs agents I deal with do not like me, and have treated me like I'm a criminal. Every question they have asked, I have answered truthfully. But my fiance can not come here for a few reasons, unless of course I start being unreasonably and demand he comes here.

I live in houston Texas and he lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

I think this is what has to happen (correct me if I'm wrong.):
1) We get married in a civil ceremony
2) I return to texas
3) we begin the paper work for getting me permanent residency
4) And then we wait for approval, with me in Texas.

I'm really confused and I feel like I am falling apart mentally. Please help me. I just don't know what to do anymore...

Is it possible for you to meet right across the border in ogdensburg, NY and get married there? its $40 dollars (plus a fee for the officiant)

http://www.health.state.ny.us/vital_records/married.htm

you would both need a birth certificate and a passport and you have to wait 24 hours to get married, but its a lot faster and cheaper than doing it in Canada. IF you go to the border with the marriage certificate in hand, with proof of funds to support yourself for several months, and proof of health insurance for the same amount of time, they will probably give you a visitor's record that allows you to stay at least until you can file your paperwork. When they have proof that you've filed they'll give you a longer record.


I got reasonable traveler's insurance from https://www.kanetix.ca/travel-visitors-to-canada

The worst thing that will happen is that they will deny you and you follow the plan you mentioned above with the marriage bit already taken care of!

 

[Demonardae]

IF you go to the border with the marriage certificate in hand, with proof of funds to support yourself for several months, and proof of health insurance for the same amount of time, they will probably give you a visitor's record that allows you to stay at least until you can file your paperwork.

I was told that proof of funds for several months in 10 thousand dollars. I'm not sure I can have that much in my bank account simply because me and my fiance do not have that much money, but do you think that if we have some proof that he and his family will support me that they will still allow it?

 

[plumosa]

I was told that proof of funds for several months in 10 thousand dollars. I'm not sure I can have that much in my bank account simply because me and my fiance do not have that much money, but do you think that if we have some proof that he and his family will support me that they will still allow it?

Try to get at least a couple thousand ~5 if you can and an letter stating the situation from him and his family showing that you will not have to pay rent or anything like that. I think the 10k is for if you're having to pay rent. at least 2-3 grand + the letters and you should be ok.

 

[AllisonVSC]

You definitely don't need $10 thousand (well, maybe if you were planning to travel, stay in hotels and eat out all the time). You will need some funds (you can't come penniless) in the bank and a letter of support from his family.

 

[Suin]

I have mentioned that to him. I don't remember what he said to that...

where there's a will, there's a way. just do it, if you are in love - love is a best motivation.

 

[Suin]

I was told that proof of funds for several months in 10 thousand dollars. I'm not sure I can have that much in my bank account simply because me and my fiance do not have that much money, but do you think that if we have some proof that he and his family will support me that they will still allow it?

where did you get that info? that's not correct. we have never been asked for that. does anyone of you work or has some sort of income?

 

[Demonardae]

He does have a job, though he isn't going due to a serious injury. He hasn't been fired or anything. I don't have a job.