Canada Immigration & K1 Guide for Montreal

[Alofox 0]

You need the long form of the birth certificate for the interview the short one will not do. You take your birth certificate and a copy of it to the interview with you, they will keep the copy and give you back the original. All you send in packet 3 is the checklist signed and dated with X's in everything that applies to you and you will have at the interview. The forms that were required, 2 passport photos and a copy of the bio page of your passport. Everything else goes to the interview with you. Montreal has been known to lose things. Make copies of all the forms that you are sending for yourself.

That's odd, because there is a section in the middle of form DS-156K that specifically says "The Following Documents must be attached in order to apply for a fiance' nonimmigrant visa" and then they include birth certificate and police certificates as items under that list. Is this something new maybe or am I misinterpreting this?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

That's odd, because there is a section in the middle of form DS-156K that specifically says "The Following Documents must be attached in order to apply for a fiance' nonimmigrant visa" and then they include birth certificate and police certificates as items under that list. Is this something new maybe or am I misinterpreting this?

The originals and copies are brought to the interview with you. They will keep the copies and attack them to your file.

[Bryan+Christine 1]

You need the long form of the birth certificate for the interview the short one will not do. You take your birth certificate and a copy of it to the interview with you, they will keep the copy and give you back the original. All you send in packet 3 is the checklist signed and dated with X's in everything that applies to you and you will have at the interview. The forms that were required, 2 passport photos and a copy of the bio page of your passport. Everything else goes to the interview with you. Montreal has been known to lose things. Make copies of all the forms that you are sending for yourself.

Long form of Birth Certificate? Yikes!! I only have the small (non laminated) paper card/wallet size. Im not sure I even know what the long form is exactly.

So you are saying I need to contact the Canadian GOV and get a "long form" of my Birth Cert, for the interview?

Please advise.

thanks.

[JeannieL 44]

Long form of Birth Certificate? Yikes!! I only have the small (non laminated) paper card/wallet size. Im not sure I even know what the long form is exactly.

So you are saying I need to contact the Canadian GOV and get a "long form" of my Birth Cert, for the interview?

Please advise.

thanks.

Yes you need the long form of your birth certificate.....I went to Vital Statistics and got it the same day. You can order them online go to your provincial government site. The long form has your parents names on it, unlike the wallet size one. In Nova Scotia the long form birth certificate cost me $35.90. Make sure to make a photo copy of it before you go to the interview so they will give you back the original. You will need it again for AOS.

[Alofox 0]

Long form of Birth Certificate? Yikes!! I only have the small (non laminated) paper card/wallet size. Im not sure I even know what the long form is exactly.

So you are saying I need to contact the Canadian GOV and get a "long form" of my Birth Cert, for the interview?

Please advise.

thanks.

Based on the form I mentioned above that you need to fill out, you need it for your packet three (see this form: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82063.pdf)

[JeannieL 44]

That's odd, because there is a section in the middle of form DS-156K that specifically says "The Following Documents must be attached in order to apply for a fiance' nonimmigrant visa" and then they include birth certificate and police certificates as items under that list. Is this something new maybe or am I misinterpreting this?

Do not send them...take them to the interview with you. As Coconuts said, they will attach the copy to your file when you get there.

[Alofox 0]

Do not send them...take them to the interview with you. As Coconuts said, they will attach the copy to your file when you get there.

Alright, the way they put that on the form must mean that those documents need to be together with the form at the end of the process and not immediately sent with it for packet 3. They really need to re-word some of the language on these forms to make more sense. Super huge props to you and the VJ community for sharing insider tips like this!

[Bryan+Christine 1]

Yes you need the long form of your birth certificate.....I went to Vital Statistics and got it the same day. You can order them online go to your provincial government site. The long form has your parents names on it, unlike the wallet size one. In Nova Scotia the long form birth certificate cost me $35.90. Make sure to make a photo copy of it before you go to the interview so they will give you back the original. You will need it again for AOS.

...sigh. Guess I will have to do it online then, since I do not live in the province i was born in anymore.

But thank you for clarifying this. Curious, does it specify that you need the Long Form version anywhere? Or is this from word of mouth or form other VJ experiences? Regardless, im glad i caught this topic and saw the Birth Cert question.

Geez, they sure don't make this easy do they.

Greatly appreciate the help from all of you folks.

Cheers

[Kimbear 53]

The birth certificate you require must state your parents names etc on it, i believe thats the only difference between it and the short / wallet sized copies. As for the checklist, i did not send any of that in either i just brought it all with me to the interview. The girl will ask you for everything when your there like the bc and the copy, etc.

[Bryan+Christine 1]

The birth certificate you require must state your parents names etc on it, i believe thats the only difference between it and the short / wallet sized copies. As for the checklist, i did not send any of that in either i just brought it all with me to the interview. The girl will ask you for everything when your there like the bc and the copy, etc.

I only asked because for the I-129F petition, all i sent in was a copy of the small BC. and we didnt get an RFE.

I suppose its different for the interview.

And on the DS-156 form, doesnt specify a Long Form, only says "Your Birth Certificate".

Thanks again. You all have probably saved me one less headache.

[meandmybeloved 15]

Put this together with some help from a few other members (JeannieL, pocheros, coconuts, Stuart & Thea) to try and get all the confusing FAQs about the Montreal process in one place. Hope it helps people out!

1. NOA2

Once you've gotten your NOA2, it's time to celebrate! Most people wait a while for this, sometimes even dealing with an RFE... Instead of jumping headfirst into the "What comes next!" Stage, take a minute to relax. If you're going through Montreal, it's going to take some time. You've got it. Put your NOA2 in a safe place since you'll need it later on for AOS and relax.

2. NVC

Once at least a week has passed, you can feel free to start calling The National Visa Center (NVC). Their number is: 1-603-334-0700 (Pressing 1 for English and 5 for an Operator). They will want both the petitioner and beneficiary's names and dates of birth, as well as the receipt number for your petition. (WAC# if you went through California, EAC if you went through Vermont). NVC can't do very much for you as a typical K1 petition doesn't stay there very long, but this is the information you're looking to get from them:

-Has your petition arrived at NVC? If not, there's nothing they can do yet. It can take time for the petition to get there, anywhere from a week to a month, so don't worry if you find yourself calling frequently.

-Once it's arrived, does it have a Montreal case number yet? This number will begin with MTL and if they can provide it at NVC, write it down!

-Has the petition left for the consulate? Once this happens, you're done with NVC! No need to call them for any further updates.

3. DOS

After you get word that the petition is headed for Montreal, give it a few days (I'd say minimum a week) and you can start calling the Department of State (DOS). Their number is: 1-202-663-1225 and to get to a visa specialist, it's 1 and then 0. This operator will want your MTL # and sometimes both the names and dates of birth for both petitioner and beneficiary. At this stage, you'll go through the follow things with DOS:

-Has your petition arrived in Montreal? If it has not, there's nothing to do yet. Montreal is notorious for delays in its mailroom so even if you think it's unrealistic it hasn't physically arrived yet, chances are it's sitting somewhere waiting to be logged. Until DOS gives the word the petition is in Montreal, you just have to sit tight.

-Once the case has arrived, you can ask DOS is Packet 3 has been sent out. Even if it hasn't, you can prepare and send Packet 3 yourself, the important thing is to make sure Montreal has your case before you send them anything.

4. Preparing Packet 3

Waiting for P3 to physically arrive can be a fruitless task. Many people never get it, sometimes only the petitioner gets it, sometimes it shows up months later. If you want to expedite the process, don't wait for it. There's nothing including in Packet 3 that isn't available on Montreal's website: http://montreal.usco...ument=visa_pkt3

Since even the website can be a little confusing, this is what you send back (all forms available above at Montreal's website):

Signed Checklist

DS-160 x 1

DS-156K x 1

DS-230 x 1

DS-156 x 2

US style passport photos of the beneficiary x 2

Many have found it helpful to also include a very brief cover letter summarizing the contents, providing an email address and re-iterating the MTL case #.

(If you are doing a K2 as well, don't forget the forms for them!)

5. Sending Packet 3

How you send P3 is up to you. It can be done for free via DHL, but many have found it faster to just use an xpresspost mailer from Canada Post and eat the cost themselves. If you are sending it via xpresspost, it goes to the following address:

ATTN: Immigrant Visa Unit

315 Place d'Youville Suite 500

Montreal Quebec

H2Y 0A4

Make sure to again write your MTL case # on the mailer itself.

(You could also just send it regular mail, but it's usually better for peace of mind to get a tracking number, which means XPpesspost.)

6. Waiting

Once P3 has been sent, for the sake of your own sanity give it at least a week before you start calling about it. Again, Montreal is notoriously slow processing documents so there's no use fretting if you know it's physically there and it still hasn't been logged. At this stage, you're back to calling DOS. They're open M-F from 8:30am until 5, except for Wednesday's when they're closed from 11:30-12:30.

-You'll want to ask them if P3 has been logged. If it hasn't, you'll have to keep calling.

-Once they tell you P3 has been logged, you'll ask if Packet 4 has been sent out yet? If it has, you will be eligible to schedule your interview.

Note: There have been a LOT of cases of people getting incorrect information from DOS at this stage. Every consulate is different, so even if a representative tells you that your interview will be scheduled for you, this is not the case for K1s right now. As soon as P4 has been sent, you are about to schedule.

7. Scheduling Interviews

The website (Referred to on VJ as the CSC site) is here: http://usvisa-info.c...country_welcome

You can register at any time once you have your MTL case #, but do NOT schedule an interview until you've been told P4 has been sent out. You'll be prompted to select your reason for immigrating, and you can chose either of the K1 options (Permanently immigrate or ready to schedule). If you chose "Permanently Immigrate" you will need to pay the $350 fee via credit card before you can schedule. If you would rather pay the fee at the interview (US cash only, exact change!) just choose "ready to schedule"

You will follow the prompts to schedule your interview as well as select the DHL branch you wish to pick up your Visa at.

If all goes well, you will get an interview date. A confirmation email will be sent to you, make sure to hold on to that, as you will need to bring it with you to Montreal.

8. No Interviews Available!

Unfortunately, what seems to happen often with Montreal is a message stating "No Interviews Available". If that is the case, there's not a lot you can do except keep checking back. If someone cancels their appointment, a time may open up that you can grab. Sometimes Montreal opens additional interviews in the afternoons or just more dates... there's no specific time of day or month that these things happen, so it's just luck of the draw. If you're stuck in limbo without an appointment date, calling DOS or contacting Montreal won't do anything, unfortunately. Just keep refreshing and waiting.

If you're lucky it's just a day or so, sometimes it can be as long as a month without interviews being available. It's just luck, sadly.

9. Rescheduling Interview?

Oftentimes, if interviews are available they're months away. If you log in and that's all that's available: TAKE IT. Even if it's further than you'd like, it's better to have something booked than to hope for something better. You can always reschedule by logging in and clicking "reschedule". (Note: If the CSC site says the next available interview day is further away than the one you have: do NOT continue from there. You will lose the one you already have booked as soon as you go to the calendar.)

Also: You don't need to log in and out. Just refreshing the page that tells you if/when the next available appointment is will work fine.

10. Medical

You'll need to complete a medical before your interview. There's only four places in Canada you can do this at and they all have different processes and costs. Once you've decided where to have it, your best bet is to search the VJ forums for reviews of that particular place. Typing "Toronto Medical" or "Medisys Montreal" in the search bar will bring up excellent accounts.

The websites for the doctors are:

Dr. Seiden: http://panelphysicians.com/ (Toronto and Montreal)

Medisys: http://www.medisys.ca/ (Montreal)

Working Medical: http://www.wokingmedical.com/ (Vancouver)

Your medical can be done at any time before the interview, but it's best to keep it relatively close. If done within a year of when your AOS is processed, you can use the same medical. All the locations vary for how long it takes to get the results, so refer to the specific location for the specifics on how much time you need to leave.

11. Interview

When it's finally time for your interview, the best thing you can do is know what to expect. VJ has plenty of consulate reviews available right here: http://www.visajourn...&cty=&dfilter=5 and searching "Montreal Consulate Review" on the forums will also bring up lots of tips and tricks.

The interview really is the easiest part of the process as long as you're prepared with the correct documents.

For the trip, VJ also has threads about hotels in Montreal close to the consulate and information on parking and travel within the city. Again, searching the forums is your best bet.

12. DOS & DHL

After your interview is when Montreal is most unpredictable. They vary so wildly on the length of time to return visas that it's really impossible to say what might happen. The best thing to do is prepare for a lengthy wait, you might be pleasantly surprised.

There's four ways to learn what's going on with your visa at this stage.

-First, you can go back to calling DOS. They can't tell you when it will be sent, but they can tell you if the Visa has been printed. Keep in mind, it getting printed doesn't tell you anything about how soon you'll be getting it, but sometimes it's nice to have an update. (Also: Don't worry too much if DOS tosses around comments about AP at this stage, sometimes they say it to just mean Montreal is still working on the case, not true AP.)

-If you signed up correctly for DHL, you should get an email with your tracking # as soon as the Visa departs Montreal. Depending on your location, the shipping time varies but you'll be able to track it. Not everyone gets this email, even if they signed up correctly.

-Logging into the CSC website: If you log in and see a waybill # printed underneath your DHL location information, you can track that at dhl.ca to get an update. Not everyone sees this on the website, though.

-If you never get the tracking number, there's a good chance you'll get a phone call from DHL once you're able to pick up the package. If you don't hear anything, you can always stop by your DHL location and ask, but while it's happened, there's a pretty small chance it may be there without any notice. (I'd save this option until you're absolutely at the end of your rope, however.)

13. POE & Shipping Belongings

Once you have your Passport back from Montreal, you can POE at any time within 6 months. All you need at POE is your passport and the sealed envelope that will come with it, then you're set to go!

If you're curious what to expect for POE, head to the reviews section on VJ and look up where you intend to cross: http://www.visajourn.../poereviews.php

If you have questions about shipping belongings from Canada, search the forums. There have been plenty of threads on this topic!

14. Get Married

You have 90 days from POE to get married. Congratulations!

Wow! This was great help. Thank you so much for doing this and putting it together so nicely. I am a newbie here and so having this really helped a lot. <3

[Bryan+Christine 1]

Based on the form I mentioned above that you need to fill out, you need it for your packet three (see this form: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82063.pdf)

Well, I just stumbled across this site, and it confirms the Long Form BC is required.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3195.html#certificates

Thanks again to all of you for your help.

Edited September 18, 2011 by Bryan+Christine

[Stuart and Thea 95]

BUMP!

(still needs a sticky)

[Tileeka 1]

Sticky status, wtg Ralyse!! Glad to have you on the team!

[Bryan+Christine 1]

Hello All,

I am in the process of doing the forms required for Packet 3 (as per listed above in the Montreal Guide step 4).

I have filled out forms out except the DS-160.

I am doing the DS-160 online right now (as the Link - https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ - from the Montreal consulate site.

However, I just read on this site - http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4230.html - that I should not do the DS-160 online if I am applying at the U.S. Consulate General Montreal have different application form requirements. Review information on the U.S. Consulate General Montreal website to learn more. http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3

I feel I am running around in circles trying to figure out if I should be doing the DS-160 online or not?

Im so confused, and this is the last form I need to fill out

Please help.

Thanks,