Hi guys, well looks like I will be marrying my partner of a little under 3 years in early spring. I am so happy. We..well he...;-) bought a house we move in March. The day after we get married I plan on submitting the paperwork for processing. My question is this...I see talk of "passports requested"...I have yet to get a passport. I have a NEXUS pass an Enhanced EDL but no passport. Is that a requirement? Also, while waiting for approval and I'm crossing back and forth periodically (god i cant wait till that is over) do I continue telling the customs agent that i'm going to visit my boyfriend err husband at that point...or do I get into the PR application? it kind of makes me nervous to think about saying my husband because then they would ask deeper questions like so you don't live with him etc...Maybe i'm gettiing nervous about it but its a big step to say husband..Should I maybe not say husband?
I believe that you do indeed need a "passport" to apply for PR. So yes, obtain one soon. And yeah, it will cost, as will most of the steps along the way.
I see no reason to say anything other than "visiting" . . . until you are in fact "married." That will change circumstances a bit, but you realize that legally you cannot enter Canada other than as a visitor until you have authorization to do so . . . so you will continue to enter Canada to "visit" until you are given PR status. With NEXUS it seems unlikely you will have any problem doing so . . . just be honest . . . to "visit" your "boyfriend" until you are married, and then to "visit" your "spouse" after you married . . . they might call you into Secondary despite the NEXUS at that point but if you are straight with them, and you are indeed visiting, you should be OK . . . a history of crossings would, at that stage, tend to show you are not just staying/living in Canada. If your cross border treks have been infrequent and you'd have to say (being honest) you have been primarily staying in Canada, then once you are married you will probably want to make a trip to the U.S. and then back accompanied by your partner, who should do the talking, and be clear about "dual intent" . . . that is, visiting until PR status is granted. At that point they would probably give you a Visitor's Record. No big deal. Just get the PR app in process and if necessary, file an app to extend your visitor's status. All should go pretty well.
If you are concerned about the border trip and your plan is to marry before your current time is up, you can marry, apply for the extension, apply for PR, without going back to the states (that's what I did . . . happened to marry after the last time I entered Canada to visit my "then" girlfriend, applied for extension, then applied for PR, and I have been a landed immigrant now for more than a year).