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POE review - Peace Bridge

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Rustbelt Explorer

Rustbelt   0

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Steve's wife again . . .

This was perhaps the most pleasant experience I've ever had at this POE. I've crossed frequently here over the past couple of years and we're almost on first name terms now. ;)

Steve came to pick me up after work (yes, he really is that close - we're very lucky that "apart" didn't mean "long-distance" like it has for most of you guys). I had some clothes and few other bits & pieces with me - nothing major because we're moving everything over in a week and a half. Went through a regular passport lane and the guy there said he hadn't seen one of these IR-1's for AGES (that really surprised me). Anyway, he couldn't think what to call the visa packet and was asking me what it was called (uh, Big Fat Envelope with my life's dreams in it???). But once he'd figured out what to call it we got sent over to secondary.

The place was nearly empty - I highly recommend crossing on a weeknight if you can because I've done an I94 on the weekend and it's always PACKED. So we'd barely sat down before we got called up. The guy was really, really super-extra-nice and we had a great chat about where Steve works and where the immigration guy had worked before (Las Vegas airport) and where we were moving to and the whole immigration process and all that good stuff. I had my short list of stuff ready and asked him if he or one of his colleagues wanted to see it, but they really weren't interested.

So him filling out the form, fingerprinting me (AGAIN!!!!), putting the stamp in my passport, chatting, having me sign the form - ALL of that took 30 minutes. If that.

Great experience, lovely guy. Least stressful part of the whole process by a long shot!

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Rhiannercakes Experienced

Rhiannercakes   14

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats!

~*Relationship Info In Profile And Fiance(e) Visa/Adjustment of Status/Removal Of Conditions Info In My Timeline*~

Looking for your favourite Canadian foods that you can't find in the US?

Try this site! http://www.canadianfavourites.com/

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OBX Mentor

OBX   51

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Welcome to America!

I found the POE experience at the Peace Bridge smooth as well (although I had a much longer wait!) Funny the woman that processed my paperwork also mentioned that they did not see many CR1/IR1 visas. Where is everyone crossing? :blink:

USCIS

NOA1 08/19/08

NOA2 01/20/09

NVC

Received 01/26/09

Completed 02/13/09 (19 Days)

Interview Assigned 03/27/09 (6 weeks after NVC completion)

Medical

04/14/09 (Toronto)

Interview

Montreal 05/12/09 (88 days after NVC completion) **APPROVED**

POE

06/16/09 Buffalo

07/02/09 Welcome Letter Received

07/07/09 Applied for SSN

07/10/09 "Card production ordered" email received

07/13/09 SSN received

07/14/09 "Approval notice sent" email received

07/17/09 GREEN CARD received

Removal of Conditions

03/21/11 I-751 mailed to VSC

03/23/11 I-751 received at VSC

03/29/11 Cheque Cashed

03/30/11 NOA1 received (3/24/11)

04/11/11 Biometrics appointment notice received

05/05/11 Biometric appointment

12/13/11 **Approval date** (5 days short of 9 months!)

12/19/11 Approval letter and green card received

Naturalization

05/16/2019 Filed online (estimated completion February 2020)

05/18/2019 Biometrics scheduled

05/21/2019 Receipt notice and biometrics notices posted to online account.05/23/2019 Hard copy of NOA1 received

05/24/2019 Hard copy of biometrics appointment received

06/07/2019 Biometrics appointment (estimated completion January 2020)

12/31/2019 Email received "Interview scheduled"

01/01/2020 Interview date notice posted to online account (02/19/2020)

01/05/2019 Hard copy of interview appointment received

02/19/2020 Interview (**Approved**) and same day Oath Ceremony. 

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Arabella Proficient

Arabella   4

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Sean is going to POE at the Peace Bridge so I am glad to see good reviews!

02.09.2007- Met online (EverQuest 2)

07.11.2008- Met in person (Orlando)

02.14.2009- Got engaged (Toronto)

K-1

03.13.2009- NOA 1

08.24.2009- NOA 2

11.20.2009- Montreal Interview Approved!!

02.01.2010- POE @ Lewiston Bridge

02.25.2010- Applied for SS#

04.29.2010- Beach Wedding!!

AOS

05.27.2010- NOA 1 for I-131, I-485 & I-765

06.18.2010- I-485 transferred to CSC

06.21.2010- Biometrics

07.22.2010- EAD & AP approved

10.28.2010- RFE for I-485- They lost our medical!

12.09.2010- Green Card in hand!

ROC

09.14.2012- Mailed I-751 to VSC

10.26.2012- Biometrics

04.11.2013- 10 Year Green Card approved! No interview :)

8zs8cuv3suq7.png

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raymaga Mentor

raymaga   25

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats and best wishes with your new life in the U.S.!!!!

"THE SHORT STORY"

KURT & RAYMA (K-1 Visa)

Oct. 9/03... I-129F sent to NSC

June 10/04... K-1 Interview - APPROVED!!!!

July 31/04... Entered U.S.

Aug. 28/04... WEDDING DAY!!!!

Aug. 30/04... I-485, I-765 & I-131 sent to Seattle

Dec. 10/04... AOS Interview - APPROVED!!!!! (Passport stamped)

Sept. 9/06... I-751 sent to NSC

May 15/07... 10-Yr. PR Card arrives in the mail

Sept. 13/07... N-400 sent to NSC

Aug. 21/08... Interview - PASSED!!!!

Sept. 2/08... Oath Ceremony

Sept. 5/08... Sent in Voter Registration Card

Sept. 9/08... SSA office to change status to "U.S. citizen"

Oct. 8/08... Applied in person for U.S. Passport

Oct. 22/08... U.S. Passport received

DONE!!! DONE!!! DONE!!! DONE!!!

KAELY (K-2 Visa)

Apr. 6/05... DS-230, Part I faxed to Vancouver Consulate

May 26/05... K-2 Interview - APPROVED!!!!

Sept. 5/05... Entered U.S.

Sept. 7/05... I-485 & I-131 sent to CLB

Feb. 22/06... AOS Interview - APPROVED!!!!! (Passport NOT stamped)

Dec. 4/07... I-751 sent to NSC

May 23/08... 10-Yr. PR Card arrives in the mail

Mar. 22/11.... N-400 sent to AZ

June 27/11..... Interview - PASSED!!!

July 12/11..... Oath Ceremony

We're NOT lawyers.... just your average folks who had to find their own way!!!!! Anything we post here is simply our own opinions/suggestions/experiences and should not be taken as LAW!!!!

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Dan and Ali Community Regular

Dan and Ali   3

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

That's great news! Congrats! :)

AOS/AP/EAD Timeline

Package sent to Chicago Lockbox: 06/16/2010

Chicago Lockbox received: 06/18/2010

Received e-mail notification from Chicago Lockbox: 06/24/2010

Hard copy NOA1 received: 06/28/2010

Touch!: 06/28/2010

Received biometrics letter in the mail: 07/16/2010

Attempted walk-in biometrics @ Salt Lake City office -- DENIED: 07/16/2010

2nd attempt at walk-in biometrics @ Salt Lake City office -- SUCCESS!: 07/28/2010

EAD card production ordered!: 08/09/2010

AP approved!: 08/09/2010

2nd EAD card production ordered e-mail: 08/12/2010

AP arrived!: 08/16/2010

3rd EAD card production ordered e-mail: 08/16/2010

EAD arrived!: 08/19/2010

Received interview letter in the mail: 09/13/2010

Green card interview -- APPROVED!: 10/15/2010

Green card received: 10/25/2010

The whole AOS process took almost exactly 4 months ... not too shabby!

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darkchilde794 Proficient

darkchilde794   5

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congratulations Steve and Steve's Wife!!!!

I am so happy for you! Hope the move is smooth and you and your family have a wonderful life, TOGETHER! :)

Finally married... and still married... ;)

Green card received: March 18, 2011

Removal of Conditions:

GC Expiration: March 11, 2012

Documents sent: December 13, 2011

NOA-1 received: December 15, 2011

Check cashed: Red said yes when asked

Biometrics: January 25, 2012

Letter approving 10-year GC: September 7, 2012

Production of 10-year GC: September 15, 2012

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IR5FORMUMSIE Grand Master

IR5FORMUMSIE   850

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats on an uneventful activation and entry. :thumbs: I thought most people crossed at the Peace Bridge. Mom and Pop did theirs at the Rainbow Bridge. The people were not very nice but other than that no problems.

IR5

2007-07-27 – Case complete at NVC waiting on the world or at least MTL.

2007-12-19 - INTERVIEW AT MTL, SPLIT DECISION.

2007-12-24-Mom's I-551 arrives, Pop's still in purgatory (AP)

2008-03-11-AP all done, Pop is approved!!!!

tumblr_lme0c1CoS21qe0eclo1_r6_500.gif

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sdw Proficient

sdw   10

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats and best wishes

Removal of Conditions: 12/09/2011

ROC check cashed 12/15/11

NOA1 12/13/11

Biometrics 1/6/12 Complete

RFE 9/13/12

RFE package sent back 10/17/12

Card Production Ordered 12/04/12

10 year card arrived in mail 12/10/12

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TimandJoyce Proficient

TimandJoyce   1

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

How wonderful. Congratulations on an easy passage to the States. :star:

K-1 timeline

Sent I-129f Dec. 29, 2008

Received NOA Jan. 10, 2009

NOA2 email sent April 16, 2009, APPROVED

Interview in Vancouver, June 23, 2009 APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!

Wedding, September 19, 2009, South Carolina!!

AOS

Mailed package to Chicago, Oct. 22, 2009

NOA hard copies Nov. 3, 2009

RFE Nov. 17, 2009

Finally mailed back RFE December 15, 2009

Case transferred to CSC January 7th 2010girlfreuya.gif

EAD and AP Approved, cards sent January 8th, 2010!!

AOS approved February 9th 2010 smiley-happy093.gif

Welcome letter and GC received February 16th, 2010

Done with USCIS until 11/08/11

ROC

Sent 1-751 to Vermont Service Center November 18th 2011

NOA November 23, 2011

Biometrics December 23, 2011

RFE Dated Aug. 17; received Aug. 20th

mailed off RFE end of Oct.

Received Email stating card has been ordered Dec. 4

Received Email stating card should arrive within seven days; Dec 6

GLITTER.jpg

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Hugglebuggles Experienced

Hugglebuggles   60

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Nice to read another positive Peace Bridge review!

I POE'd at the Peace Bridge when I was activating my K-1 and it was a really nice experience for me as well. The man who processed my visa was an older gentlemen, very soft spoken, funny, and just seemed the genuinely care! He actually wrote the borders phone number on a peace of paper and told me to call and ask for him if I ever had any problems crossing in the future. The problem with that is that I didn't even catch his name! :lol: Maybe we had the same person? I crossed Saturday morning at 6:30am and it was empty as well, so it seems like early in the morning on the weekends or later at night during the week are the best.

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antda Experienced

antda   13

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
Posted (edited)

Hi SteveTreible,

Congrats about your successful POE crossing at the peace bridge tonight and good luck with the rest of your move.

Welcome to the USA!..:star:

Glad the crossing went quick and well for you, without any problems. Yup, the Peace Bridge is the way to go!

Lol..wish I did that in the first place, as we by mistake crossed the Rainbow Bridge instead for the POE....and what a nightmare that was!...

I agree, crossing the peace bridge at night is even better (lol..I once crossed at 3am...no problems....was just very drowsy and pregnant then....).

And ever since then, I always cross the Peace Bridge when I go over to Canada....Easy in, easy out, not busy..(and plus I don't have to pay the Grand Island tolls when I use that bridge...lol..)....

And yeah, by the way, dress warmly, as it is going to be cold here in New York State tonight! (expect snow, perhaps)

Maybe stop by Tim Horton's on your way...yummy..coffee and timbits!....That should keep you warm on your long trip!

Good luck with the rest of your journey too.

Ant

Steve's wife again . . .

This was perhaps the most pleasant experience I've ever had at this POE. I've crossed frequently here over the past couple of years and we're almost on first name terms now. ;)

Steve came to pick me up after work (yes, he really is that close - we're very lucky that "apart" didn't mean "long-distance" like it has for most of you guys). I had some clothes and few other bits & pieces with me - nothing major because we're moving everything over in a week and a half. Went through a regular passport lane and the guy there said he hadn't seen one of these IR-1's for AGES (that really surprised me). Anyway, he couldn't think what to call the visa packet and was asking me what it was called (uh, Big Fat Envelope with my life's dreams in it???). But once he'd figured out what to call it we got sent over to secondary.

The place was nearly empty - I highly recommend crossing on a weeknight if you can because I've done an I94 on the weekend and it's always PACKED. So we'd barely sat down before we got called up. The guy was really, really super-extra-nice and we had a great chat about where Steve works and where the immigration guy had worked before (Las Vegas airport) and where we were moving to and the whole immigration process and all that good stuff. I had my short list of stuff ready and asked him if he or one of his colleagues wanted to see it, but they really weren't interested.

So him filling out the form, fingerprinting me (AGAIN!!!!), putting the stamp in my passport, chatting, having me sign the form - ALL of that took 30 minutes. If that.

Great experience, lovely guy. Least stressful part of the whole process by a long shot!

Edited by Ant+D+A

**Ant's 1432.gif1502.gif "Once Upon An American Immigration Journey" Condensed Timeline...**

2000 (72+ Months) "Loved": Long-Distance Dating Relationship. D Visited Ant in Canada.

2006 (<1 Month) "Visited": Ant Visited D in America. B-2 Visa Port of Entry Interrogation.

2006 (<1 Month) "Married": Wedding Elopement. Husband & Wife, D and Ant !! Together Forever!

2006 ( 3 Months I-485 Wait) "Adjusted": 2-Years Green Card.

2007 ( 2 Months) "Numbered": SSN Card.

2007 (<1 Months) "Licensed": NYS 4-Years Driver's License.

2009 (10 Months I-751 Wait) "Removed": 10-Years 5-Months Green Card.

2009 ( 9 Months Baby Wait) "Expected": Baby. It's a Boy, Baby A !!! We Are Family, Ant+D+BabyA !

2009 ( 4 Months) "Moved": New House Constructed and Moved Into.

2009 ( 2 Months N-400 Wait) "Naturalized": US Citizenship, Certificate of Naturalization. Goodbye USCIS!!!!

***Ant is a Naturalized American Citizen!!***: November 23, 2009 (Private Oath Ceremony: USCIS Office, Buffalo, NY, USA)

2009 (<1 Month) "Secured": US Citizen SSN Card.

2009 (<1 Month) "Enhanced": US Citizen NYS 8-Years Enhanced Driver's License. (in lieu of a US Passport)

2010 ( 1 Month) "Voted": US Citizen NYS Voter's Registration Card.

***~~~"The End...And the Americans, Ant+D+BabyA, lived 'Happily Ever After'!"...~~~***

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zenaxe Rising Star

zenaxe   22

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats to you guys and best wishes for a long and happy marriage !!

2007 Nov 30: Met in Las Vegas, Nevada

2009 Jul 13: Proposed/Engaged in Sedona, Arizona

2009 Dec 26: Married in Tucson, Arizona

USCIS

2009 Dec 30: Filed I-130

2010 Jan 02: I-130 delivered

2010 Jan 07: NOA1 - email - CSC

2010 Jan 11: Received NOA1 hardcopy

2010 Mar 24: NOA2 - email & text - NVC

2010 Mar 29: Received NOA2 hardcopy

I-130 was approved in 76 days from NOA1 date

NVC

2010 Mar 30: NVC received - case# assigned - emails given to NVC

2010 Mar 30: Opted in - DS3032 emailed to NVC

2010 Mar 31: Received AOS bill & DS3032 - paid AOS

2010 Apr 05: Online payment portal confirms paid AOS(Apr 2 processing date)

2010 Apr 05: Sent I-864 package

2010 Apr 15: EP confirmation email

2010 Apr 15: IV bill generated & paid

2010 Apr 15: Email confirmation - receipt of DS3032

2010 Apr 16: IV bill confirmed paid - sent DS230 package

2010 Apr 19: NVC operator confirms I864 & DS230 documents have been received

2010 Apr 21: AVR confirms all documents received Apr 19th

2010 Apr 23: Email from NVC: case complete - confirmed by NVC - sign in fail

Completed in 24 days

CONSULATE

2010 May 27: Email from NVC - consulate received file - interview Montreal Jul 27th

2010 Jun 16: Medical @ Woking Medical Centre, Vancouver, Canada - APPROVED

2010 Jul 27: Interview @ US Consulate in Montreal, Canada - APPROVED

Your interview took 201 days from your I-130 NOA1 date

2010 Aug 13:POE Washington - APPROVED

REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS

2012 May 14 - mailed I-751

2012 May 16 - delivered @ CSC

2012 Jun 18 - I 551 stamp

2012 Jun 28 - biometrics appointment NOA notice date Jun 7

2012 Dec 20 - approved

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IR5FORMUMSIE Grand Master

IR5FORMUMSIE   850

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted
Lol..wish I did that in the first place, as we by mistake crossed the Rainbow Bridge instead for the POE....and what a nightmare that was!...

And ever since then, I always cross the Peace Bridge when I go over to Canada....Easy in, easy out, not busy..(and plus I don't have to pay the Grand Island tolls when I use that bridge...lol..)....

Ant

I thought Mom and Pop were the only ones that had a bad experience. I hate the Grand Island Tolls, always end up taking US 62 (Niagara Falls Blvd.) or just cross at the Peace Bridge and end up in a less galmourous part of Buffalo.

IR5

2007-07-27 – Case complete at NVC waiting on the world or at least MTL.

2007-12-19 - INTERVIEW AT MTL, SPLIT DECISION.

2007-12-24-Mom's I-551 arrives, Pop's still in purgatory (AP)

2008-03-11-AP all done, Pop is approved!!!!

tumblr_lme0c1CoS21qe0eclo1_r6_500.gif

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