BIRD TALK

Dear Bird Talk,

I have been a subscriber for a long time and have not seen any articles or letters inquiring about the technicalities of marrying an American. We all enjoy our winters in the U.S. and sometimes, romance happens. I am one of the lucky ones and am contemplating marriage in the future. As a Canadian marrying an American, what advice can you offer? Your help and information would be greatly appreciated.

Olivia
Ontario

Response:
Ed: My advice is to get married and have a great life and may the governments be your only hassles. Part of the answer depends, of course, on where you want to live. If you plan on living in Canada, you can easily bring in your spouse, but the process will take about six months. You do not need a lawyer, as you can simply call the Canadian immigration people and they will help you through the process and the many forms. Your new spouse will qualify for health coverage three months after admission to Canada, but your trips to the U.S. will be limited to a maximum of six months when he becomes a Canadian resident. We cannot be certain of all the details of U.S. regulations, should you wish to live in the U.S., but it can be done quite easily. CSA’s lawyer Wallace Weylie can certainly advise you. He has dealt with many situations just like yours and he has had many successes as a top-flight immigration lawyer. Call the CSA office and they will put you in touch with him. Our best to you both.