I know this question comes up at least 80 times a day -- every day but none of them seem to make very much sense to me.

I am a born and raised 21 year old Canadian who is currently doing the whole long distance relationship thing right now. I live in Windsor, Ontario so the US to me has always been so close it honestly didn't feel like a different country to me -- just my neighbour. My boyfriend lives in Pennsylvania and I'd LOVE to be able to move down there with him. I have a diploma in Animation (Though it was only a 3 year course) and seeing that he is not college educated we figured that I would have a far better chance finding sponsorship and work in the US than he would find in Canada. ANYWAY. So far my easiest option seems to be to just go for it and get married! Yay! But is it so horrible to want to test the water before jumping in right away?

What I'm curious about is; is there a way for me to be able to live with my boyfriend BEFORE we get engaged or anything along those lines? (Legally of course.) How long can I be just "visiting" before I have to return home even just to say "hey I went home to have a poutine now I'm coming back." Does doing this make getting these other fiancée visa's impossible? Lord knows I don't want to screw myself over in the future though I'm notorious for doing it.

Also, is it faux pas to "visit" the US while looking for work related sponsorship? I've applied to a billion Graphic Design jobs in PA via Find Jobs. Build a Better Career. Find Your Calling. | Monster.com however I've had no luck thus far. I figure that maybe -- just maybe I'll have better luck finding work if I'm there in person saying "please, I'll work my butt off for you if you let me."

Any help at all would be absolutely wonderful! Thank you very much in advance. And any additional information you think I might need, please feel free to include it. I really have no idea what route I should be taking to be with my boyfriend.

I suggest you get your Canadian passport and visit your b/f for as long as you want. Canadians have to return to Canada every six months to maintain benefits.

A few years ago my husband and I lived and worked in the US on green cards because he was sponsored by a firm. Upon moving back to Canada after, we had to relinquish our green cards as we had not intended to live in the US any longer.

In order for you to find a job and receive a green card allowing you to work in the States, you would have to be hired by a company proving that an American citizen cannot fill the position. Could be when you are down there visiting for a length of time, as I suggested, you could possibly test the waters.

Thank you very much Tickle. : ) I have my passport already being so close to the boarder we travel there a lot for mere shopping trips. Again, thank you very much! It's great being able to talk to people who have done this before.

Well Aeoden, you actually ask several questions.

My wife (Canadian) and myself (American) had a "long distance" relationship for a couple of years before I proposed to her. She, wisely to my way of thinking, waited for me to commit to her before she was willing to make the move to the US.

I proposed, she moved in with a female friend of mine for the six months before we got married. It's a lot safer that way. You can sort out your commitment and feelings and still have room to decide that it didn't work out if that is the case. Yes, we were faithful to each other and no, we were not "intimate" before marriage. We've been married 30 years this October.

She started as a "handy girl" volunteering at an Architectural Firm and was hired full time once we got married. She then was put in charge of doing the interiors of Nordstrom Stores. She was still a "Green Card". We didn't know it at the time, but if she was no longer married to me, she could not be guaranteed to stay in the US or have certainty of guardianship of our kids. She got her US citizenship (proudly, I might add) and has every right I have except being able to run for Prsident, which she doesn't plan on doing.

Turns out that you can still get your green card taken from you if you break the rules.
Also, if you are unlawfully in the US, with enough accumulated unlawful presence, you can be deported and kept out of the country for 5 years or for 10 years depending. I mention this for any future readers of this post.

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope it works out for you.
(I had an Uncle at Univ of Windsor teaching Euopean history)