How can I become a Canadian citizen to be with my girl?

Question

I am from Mexico and met my girlfriend on line. We have talked on the phone for hours on end for 5 months when I finally took the chance to go to Canada to be with her. Now I have come on a short tourist visit so I cannot stay very long. The thing is is that we truly want to be together, How can I stay here permanently without going back to Mexico?

Answer 1

1) You have to get married. I'm married to a Canadian and though I'm a US Citizen and living in the US 45 minutes away, we could not actually live together for a year after marriage until my paperwork went though.

2) If you have a passport you can get a Visitors Visa for a six month stay - you would not be able to work or enjoy health care benefits. Also, if you got married, you'd have to go back.

3) Once you are married it's a matter of paperwork, police clearances and health checks....and money. The process is extensive but on the base very easy. Your girlfriend has to agree to financial support of you for 10 years (as another person said too, she has to make enough in the eyes of the government to support the two of you) - which I would hope she'd consider long and hard as you probably haven't had much time together and 50% of marriages break up but then that's between you.

Good luck.

Answer 2

You would have to apply for permanent residence first before you can apply for citizenship.  Now that being said, the only way for you to stay right now is for you to get married and file for PR with her as your sponsor.  You will have to file an INSIDE Canada application.  This will allow you to stay during the process but it will not allow you to work or get health coverage.  You will need to stay in Canada during the process as it is not recommended to leave Canada because you are not guaranteed re-entry.    The process is taking about 1-2 years right now for completion.  If you have to work during that time you will need to file for an open work permit and wait for one to be issued.

You have other options but they will not allow you to stay right now.  If you want to take more time and get to know each other better before getting married then you can go back to Mexico after your visit.  After  one full year of meeting each other you would be eligible to apply for PR as conjugal partners.

You can look at all the options on the CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca

I am an American married to a Canadian so we went through this whole process and I understand your situation.      

Answer 3

You will have to go back to Mexico in order to apply for permanent residency in Canada.  If you stay past your visa date, you will never be allowed back into Canada.

There is a specific criteria to be eligible to apply as a permanent resident.  You must have significant assets, and be able to work in a specific area.  It is a very long, drawn out, and costly process.  Once you have established yourself as a permanent resident of Canada, they you can apply for citizenship.

You can't just decide to stay in Canada.  If you tell the government officials that you met a girl on line 5 months ago and want to stay with her, you will be turned away.  

Becoming Canadian means something to people who already are Canadians.  Becoming Canadian merely because you've been chatting to a girl for a few months demeans the meaning.

Answer 4

This idea that you should "just marry her" is wrong. Marrying a Canadian and using that to gain instant citizenship won't work. Immigration Canada will totally ignore whatever arrangements you make and you will have to return to Mexico.

When you return to Mexico, you can apply to immigrate to Canada from there. I just hope you have some skills that Canada wants or else you won't be able to move to Canada.

I would advise that you look at http://www.cic.gc.ca and read through the whole website very carefully. There is a self-assessment quiz you can take to see if you even qualify to immigrate. But, please, don't assume you can just marry your way into the country. It won't work.

Answer 5

You probably can't, even if you marry her.  You would still have to go through the process.  Does your girlfriend have an income sufficient to support you?

Go to www.cic.gc.ca  and go through it.

Answer 6

Lonya is right, you can marry her and stay and apply for her to sponsor you.  Because she is sponsoring her spouse only and no kids, she does not need to have a minimum income to sponsor you.  Immigration will ask but it's not important.  You will not be able to get a work permit until the first stage of your application is done, I have heard 8-9 months just for that.   While you are staying in Canada waiting for your case to get processed, they will not deport you but you can't leave or you may not be let back in.  Your gf will be responsible for you if you go on welfare or other social assistance for 3 years after you get PR status.  After 3 years as PR in Canada, you can also apply for citizenship which takes about a year to process.

Answer 7

Marry her.