US Citizen engaged to Canadian Citizen

[giigii20]

I have been doing tons of research & from the information I have read, its making me feel a bit overwhelmed.. I have a few questions..

Situation- I am a US citizen and I have been dating my boyfriend who is now my fiance for almost 3 yrs now... we have both been traveling back n forth throughout this time period. I am currently 6 weeks pregnant and so now we are planning on getting married in Canada at the end of next month.

Question 1- What am I automatically entitled to when we get married? (ex: social security, healthcare)

Question 2- I do plan on traveling back n forth during my pregnancy but I don`t know if its worth the risk.. so is it worth the risk?

Question 3- How long does it take for all of the paperwork to go through for sponsorship?

Question 4- How much would it cost to pay for the different applications.. marriage license.. sponsorship application... temporary healthcare for my pregnancy?

Question 5- After we get married, how long after would i be eligible for ontario works?

 

[can_usa_97]

Question 1- What am I automatically entitled to when we get married? (ex: social security, healthcare)

By marriage alone, you are never automatically entitled. You will need to apply for a visa.

Question 2- I do plan on traveling back n forth during my pregnancy but I don`t know if its worth the risk.. so is it worth the risk?

If your current insurance does not cover out of country then you might want to consider travel insurance, though my understanding is that this does not cover pregnancy/birth.

Question 3- How long does it take for all of the paperwork to go through for sponsorship?

Buffalo is currently taking approx. 11 months to process spousal/common law/conjugal applications

Question 4- How much would it cost to pay for the different applications.. marriage license.. sponsorship application... temporary healthcare for my pregnancy?

Again I am not sure on the temporary healthcare covering pregnancy. There had been someone who found one I think, on the board. The sponsorship application is $1040, plus you need a passport and the medical, other incidentals like mailing the application, the FBI certificate (add at least 2 months to the application time-or send it without and follow up with it), copies, photos, ect. Marriage license in Ontario appears to be $125 but I am not 100% and that may or may not include the $15 for the marriage certificate. The license is valid 3 months.

Question 5- After we get married, how long after would i be eligible for Ontario works?

To work in Ontario? That comes immediate after your approved for the visa, and gain your SIN card. Some have been able to start the process before getting the SIN but it only takes 10 days. I am not sure if you can get a work visa from the US, or that if you can, it'd be any faster. I'm not familiar with that, so hopefully someone else can come along.

 

[Baloo]

I have been doing tons of research & from the information I have read, its making me feel a bit overwhelmed.. I have a few questions..

Situation- I am a US citizen and I have been dating my boyfriend who is now my fiance for almost 3 yrs now... we have both been traveling back n forth throughout this time period. I am currently 6 weeks pregnant and so now we are planning on getting married in Canada at the end of next month.

Question 1- What am I automatically entitled to when we get married? (ex: social security, healthcare)

Nothing.

Question 2- I do plan on traveling back n forth during my pregnancy but I don`t know if its worth the risk.. so is it worth the risk?

Only you can decide.

Question 3- How long does it take for all of the paperwork to go through for sponsorship?

See here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm-fc.asp

Question 4- How much would it cost to pay for the different applications.. marriage license.. sponsorship application... temporary healthcare for my pregnancy?

Marriage licence, depends on where in Quebec about $247 - $329.
Sponsorship $1040, plus medical and any police checks.
Temp' health care - you need a current quote.

Question 5- After we get married, how long after would i be eligible for ontario works?

If you apply outland, as soon as you get permanent resident status - inland, about 9 months.

 

[giigii20]

First off thank you for taking time out to even reply.. Secondly ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... this is so stressful..

Heres the thing.. he already has a job in Canada and I want to go over there to be with him so we can go through the experience together.. Im not worrying about work but technically speaking I cant be over there visiting for no more than 6 months so what should I do.. what do you guys recommend for me being in this position? I need step by step help please

 

[Baloo]

Gather all the info' you need for a Pr application,
Visit your man in Canada, (as a VISITOR, check the CIC web site),
Get married,
Apply for permanent resident status,
Apply for an extension of your stay before your six months is up.

Live happy ever after

BTW if you think this is stressful, just wait, it gets much worse - all you can do is suck it up.

 

[dakonej]

Gather all the info' you need for a Pr application,
Visit your man in Canada, (as a VISITOR, check the CIC web site),
Get married,
Apply for permanent resident status,
Apply for an extension of your stay before your six months is up.

Live happy ever after

BTW if you think this is stressful, just wait, it gets much worse - all you can do is suck it up.

haha LOL Baloo, that's so funny, yet so true!

As Baloo implied, be prepared to invest time, energy, patience, patience, and did i mention, patience?

But if you're serious about being with your dear one nothing (well, almost) should prevent you from putting all your effort into going through this process.

I second Baloo's advice: start with gathering as much documentation as you can, then start doing a chart of the things you need to do for the application, in certain order, for example, leave the meds for the last, etc.

As will become obvious to you later in the process, you'll need help and friendly advice, so get in touch with other people who are going or have gone through this before to get advice, this forum is a good start, though not the only source for help. You'll appreciate it when things start getting a bit out of hand.

Good luck!

 

[canadianwoman]

You can stay in Canada for 6 months (usually); after that, you can apply to extend your stay, so you can stay with your boyfriend/husband during the process. You will be a visitor, so can still apply outland, which is faster.
Since you are pregnant, you will not be able to complete the medical right away, since it includes an x-ray. Usually pregnant women get the medical done, minus the x-ray, send the application off, then get the x-ray after giving birth, when their application can be finalized. If you have health care in the States, then, it is better to give birth there, since you will have to pay to give birth in Canada.

 

[scylla]

Maybe this will help with your decision...

How well off are the two of you financially? Specifically, how would you feel about spending $10K? If this is something you can afford, you could consider coming to Canada about 4-5 months before you're due and having the baby here. (No insurance company will cover the cost of delivery or prenatal check ups - so you would be on the hook for the entire amount. It's suggested you set aside $10K to cover the costs - although it could be more if there are complications.)

If $10K is outside of your comfort zone, then you need to stay in the US and have your baby there.

 

[regine]

Ontario Works is Social Assistance aka Welfare

So, I think people misunderstood what you meant... as you won`t be eligible for welfare as soon as you get your PR.

 

[Stumpedmom]

you can not go on Ontario Works at all for the first 3 years. That is part of the undertaking that your spouse will have to sign, that he is responsible to support you for the first 3 years whether you are together or not after you land.

Your spouse can not be on OW when he applies to sponsor you either. He must show he has a job, and is working. Yes spouses are exempt from the LICO, you still need to prove that you can support yourselves....

 

[CharlieD10]

Well, technically, she can go on Ontario Works within the period of the undertaking. The catch is, her husband will be required to pay it back to the province.

I have been reading on CanLII about sponsors defaulting on previous undertakings and have seen cases where sponsored spouses and family members received social assistance within months or even weeks(!) of landing in Canada. That they were newly-arrived and sponsored by spouses and family members who had signed undertakings to be responsible for their needs did not prevent them from being found eligible to receive social assistance. Again, as I said previously, the catch was that the sponsors were required to pay it back.

In some cases, many sponsors (allegedly) did not know their family members had received social assistance and only found out when they submitted applications to sponsor other family members or new spouses. I also saw where Ontario Works co-ordinated with Revenue Canada to withhold income tax refunds to sponsors in default and some had their wages garnished in order to repay the province. The amounts of the defaults ranged from a few thousand, to more than $100,000.00 in one case. In the majority of cases where the sponsor could not show that they had either repaid the defaulted amount or at least made arrangements to do so, the appeals were dismissed.

My advice to the OP is, unless you and your husband-to-be have adequate savings to pay for the childbirth costs (at minimum, $10,000.00), remain in the US if you have health insurance and have your baby there. By virtue of your husband's citizenship, the child will be Canadian too, so there is no difficulty there with your baby entering Canada once you apply for proof of its Canadian citizenship. Whatever you do, do not go on Ontario Works during the period of your husband's undertaking, he WILL be required to pay it back.