I love my country. I love both my countries. I love being able to travel so freely between Canada and the United States. I hate the cost of immigration.
This weekend consisted of visiting my mother and my grandfather in Quebec. I brought Cooper (thus fulfilling one of the requirements of my 101 in 1001). It was a very pleasant trip. It was so satisfactory to make two people I love happy by visiting them.
As I planned to leave to head back home, I wasn’t able to find my Green Card. The piece of information required to prove that my legal status is a Permanent Resident (although Conditional) of the United States. I tore apart my car, I dug throughout the house, I could not find it. I hadn’t been anywhere where I could have lost it.
My only theory is that the Canadian Border official forgot to return my card upon my entry. I stopped at the Canadian border on my way home to see if they had found it. Of course they didn’t have it. But if you had made a mistake that serious would you seriously admit it to your superior?
So I had pay to have my Green Card replaced at the US border. It cost $370. My jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
I’ve had to pay several thousand dollars in filing fees since I have started this immigration journey. I have a very simple case. I met my husband while I was here on a student visa. I worked on a TN Visa for 2 years so I could live with him before committing to him. We own property and liabilities together. But they can’t discriminate by difficulty.
And now this lost Green Card has made me realize the amount of extra money I could spend if I stay on a Green Card for the rest of our lives in the United States. Every time I lose or have to renew a card, I have to pay money. We never know when the government will change it’s rules about permanent residents.
I’ve pretty much made up my mind to apply for American Citizenship when I become eligible. It’s a point of contention for me. I’m 5 generations of born in Canada. I will always want my Canadian Citizenship. You never know when I will want to return to the country of my birth. But I cannot deal with the stress of additional paperwork and restrictions for the rest of my life.
And applying for Citizenship isn’t cheap either.
Oh the things I do to stay with my husband. I can’t imagine people who have more complicated cases problems with the immigration services.
Ok, rant over 
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Brutal! I guess the border guards have to be paid somehow. When are you eligible for citizenship in the States?
Sounds like a bit of a pain, but I’m sure your hubby is worth it
We have some friend that is still trying to get his wife moved to the US from her native Australia. The red tape is a nightmare!
our husbands are so lucky to have us. Even though I am a US Citizen, just living this far from my home feels like I’m in another country sometimes. I guess I luck out cause there is just no documentation needed for me to go between home and nh.
I guess you have to be married for 3 years to apply. We are coming up on our second anniversary at the end of September.
Honestly, I’d rather just keep the Canadian citizenship. Although I guess being a dual citizen could be cool.