SF2007

Quick question...For the DHL form do we check off "Non immigrant visa" or "Immigrant visa"? for the consular section to which the documents will be sent. I thought it was a non imigrant visa but I see a lot of people have marked it immigrant visa. Also, what address do we send it to for Montreal. I have the 315 Place d'Youville Suite 500 H2Y 0A4. Is that the correct one? Thanks!!

I forgot to mention it's the K1 visa I'm talking about.

You can use any company to ship your packet to Montreal but the consulate will only do business with DHL to mail you your approved visa and passport back.

I don't think it matters much, I mailed mined with Xpresspost to their Saint-Alexandre address (to Immigrant Visa Unit) and it was signed for the morning after I also wrote my MTLXXX case number on each page of the packet. I had DOS's authorization by phone to schedule my appointment 7 business days later.

One of those things, if work is a priority, then marriage first, and apply for a spouse visa is the better approach, CR-1 spouse visa costs less overall, and gets green-card upon arrival to the USA, could conceivably take a job the same day as arriving in the USA, even have one lined up before coming to the USA on the spouse visa...

K-1 is a fiancee visa, not a work visa, the K-1 is an option offered for cases when US citizen getting married overseas is difficult or impossible due to laws or requirements overseas that prevent marriage, however this is not the case in the USA. Many use the K-1 traditionaly as a "Fast" visa, however due to improvements, it is not much faster than the spouse visa.

K-1 is also an option when you find less distasteful to be separate during your engagement than as newlyweds

In theory you are eligible to ask the port of entry officer for a temporary work authorization when crossing with a valid K-1. But this will last as long as the K-1 itself, which is 90 days. Once those 90 days are up, if you did find employment, you will need to resign and wait for your green card as you will no longer be authorized to work in the US.

Otherwise you wait for your green card as YuAndDan explained. Your first is valid for 2 years and can be renewed. It's your best option.

Good luck!

I keep starting new topics when further questions arise, so forgive me you all are just so darn helpful though!!!

ok, fiance visa questions....

Petition was approved as of Feb. 24....I just got off the phone with the NVC who tells me they sent approved petition to Montreal as of March 11. They gave me MTL case #. I then called DOS and talked with a woman here. (I must say, my wait times on both calls was very short!!!). Woman at DOS told me they mailed packet 3 from Montreal to my fiance's address in Hamilton, ON as of March 23. We are now at April 4 and she has not received. Any ideas on how long these packets take to arrive?

What's next once she receives packet 3? From what I understand so far, more docs will then need to be sent back to Embassy with packet 3?

Thanks in advance fellow VJ'ers!

Your fiance doesn't need to wait for your Packet 3 to be delivered to complete and mail the packet to Montreal. As long as DOS tells you it's been logged as sent, it can be received besides, some of us have never received the mailed Packet 3.

Everything required for Packet 3 is listed here : http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3

Next step after will be Packet 4 which is booking the medical and scheduling the interview. You can complete those 2 steps once DOS tells you your fiance is eligible to schedule your appointment with Montreal. In most cases lately, that happened 7 business days after Packet 3 was physically received in Montreal.

Info on packet 4 here : http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt4

So you can wait for your fiance to receive Packet 3 if you want, but all the instructions are online and there is no point to wait.

The content and instructions for Packet 3 has been discussed in great length on several post in the Canada regional forum, you might find most questions have already been answered

I had to reschedule my medical exam to a week earlier .. now I'm hoping for an end of April or first week of May interview date to open up.

You'd think it gets easier to wait because we've been waiting for a long long time... but it gets harder everyday now!

Good luck with rescheduling sooner

Hello! I have a predictment and need some advice. Me and my husband (US Citizen) have a Montreal interview on 05/18 and have a religious wedding on 05/21. What are the options to leave the country for a honeymoon with a valid passport by 05/22? We dont want to take a chance on a passport that might take a week and ruin our trip. All assuming they do take my passport at the interview. Thank You in advance for any input. Niki

Sorry Niki but I think the odds are not in your favour

Your status doesn't say which visa you're applying for so I will assume it's a K-1 since you're not married.

If you are applying for a K-1 and you are referring to your own wedding, don't you have to marry in the States? If you were planning to marry in Canada, I am doubtful they would let a married woman enter on a fiancee visa... besides, getting your passport and visa back will take between 3 business days and 3 weeks. I will agree with all the advice you've had so far and there is no chance you can be in the US 3 days after your interview.

Secondly, if you have your honeymoon outside the US and have not had you AP yet (which can take months), you will not be able to go back to the States after your honeymoon. You will have to honeymoon in the US or wait for your AP.

Hello,

My packet 3 has been mailed to us yesterday but hasn't arrived yet (I am currently in the US with my fiancé).

I am trying to get ready -- I want to send back the forms as soon as possible.

However, there is something I don't understand : I thought that the checklist and the DS-230 needed to be mailed back to the embassy, but the package instruction letter I found here on VJ reads :

"STEP ONE: Complete form DS-230, Part 1, Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, for each visa applicant and return the completed form(s) to the National Visa Center"

Where do I have to send my DS-230 ? Paris or NVC ?

Since I am in the US, it would be completely silly to overnight the letter to France and have the consulate ship it back to New Hampshire.

Thanks to all for your advice and input.

You would have better luck in the regional forums as this is a France-specific question. In Canada, all items in Packet 3 go to the consulate.

Sent my stuff off today ! YAY!

Cheers!

If you're in a rush to book your interview, start calling DOS everyday in about a week (or earlier if you feel like it). Ask them if your Packet 3 was logged and if you are eligible to schedule your appointment with the consulate.

It took me 7 business days between delivery of my Packet 3 and the OK from DOS to schedule my appointment. It seems to have been 7 days for others lately too.

Hey,

So I called Dos today, asking them if our packet 3 was logged and if packet 4 was sent out from Montreal. The lady on the phone told me packet 3 was logged, eligible for interview but packet 4 wasn't sent out. Can I still set the interview if packet 3 is logged with packet 4 not being sent out yet?

Thanks!

I would call DOS again and specifically ask if you are allowed to now book your interview with the foreign consulate.

It is my understanding we can schedule an interview when the database shows Packet 4 was mailed but if DOS tells you you're a GO, then you must be

Good luck!

Hey guys

I love this stream of comments . It has given me a whole new boost of hope that things can happen quicker than I was thinking! YAY!

Question for those who have filled out DS 160 .... intended length of stay ...hmmmm ..... forever? and intended travel date? since we have really no idea of when we can travel to the states before we have an interview date and are intent is to stay .... what did you guys put?

Website shut down on me as I was filling out the online form ...grrrr

Thanks guys!

x

DS-160 : I think I put 50 years as an intended stay. But really a life time; you're applying for an immigration visa... Intented travel date is your bet, I put mine in July since it was when interview were taking place (I thought I could not book any earlier).

The page will reset every 20 minutes and goes back to previous one.

You will have to list exact dates and how many days you stayed for your last 5 trips to the US. Write those down before you get to that page

Moving from K-1 Process to the Canada Regional Forum.

Correct, K-1 applicants schedule their own appointments online. You won't be assigned one.

Call DOS and ask them if Packet 4 has been sent to you and if you are now eligible to schedule an appointment. They have access to foreign consulate's databases. You don't need to have your Packet 4 in hand before scheduling if DOS says you can.

Once eligible, schedule it online through the CSC website at http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/ss_country_welcome.

Like the other said... Long form. Order - http://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/vs/REG3023.pdf and get the one with "Certificate with Personal Information and Parentage". Won't take long

Good luck and welcome to the process!

Odd in Quebec, we don't have the same long version as it doesn't list parent's place of birth. It's either a pocket size laminated one or a slightly bigger one.

I'm not from Alberta, but it seems to me you answered your own question I would get the original long form sent to you because the consulate will ask for the original, not a photocopy of the registration...

Just a thought!

The consulate requires to see the original of all official documents at the interview. They need the long version of the birth certificate. Same yourself headaches later and order it now!

You need the I-134 Affidavit of Support for the K-1 interview. After you arrive to the US and get married, you will apply to Adjust your Status from non-immigrant fiancee to Permanent Resident. When you file the AOS application (I-485) then you will need to complete the I-864 Affidavit of Support. Good luck at the interview .

Thanks to both of you!

I thought so but... I am gettin a little giggy-ty as the appointment gets closer!

Hey guys,

My fiance and I are finishing last touches for our K-1 interview in Montreal this April (YAY!).

It is listed on the interview letter that we need to provide both I-134 and I-864, but reading the I-864 instructions, it seems to be for CR1 visas and not for a K-1.

Can anyone who has interviewed lately in Montreal for a K-1 tell me whether we need to provide both or not?

Thanks much!

Yes, we are still waiting for our packet 3 as well.

Called DOS today and they said the packet was sent Feb 28 but as of yet I have not received anything.

Was told to wait............

I have found several addresses to send the forms to... can anyone tell me the official mailing address so I can be proactive as some of you have done and send the forms off now?

I've said this before , but I really do appreciate people sharing your experiences . It just feels good to know that this process and the feelings that go along with it are all quite normal.

x

Funny, I was told by DOS my Packet 3 was mailed on Feb 28 as well. As of today, I still have not received it.

Thank goodness I did not wait around (yay for VJ!!!). It doesn't hurt the process not waiting to receive your Packet 3's hardcopy... So as long as DOS says your Packet 3 has been sent, just go ahead and mail them the forms right away. I am glad I did. I ended up saving a month's worth of waiting and could book an April appointment.

I received today my Packet 4 hardcopy dated march 21 and I booked my interview on March 22 (we called DOS every other day to get the OK) before receiving the paperwork as well.

If you want my 2 cents, a lot of us going through Montreal sent our Packet 3 when DOS told us it was logged as mailed. Do the same. I mailed mine through Xpresspost to rue Saint-Alexandre, overnight delivery, and I had no issue. It was signed for the morning after. Then book your appointment as soon as DOS tells you your Packet 4 was logged, which should take around 10 days from the moment they receive your Packet 3.

Good luck!

You will need to provide 3 passport style color photos for your medical and 2 at your interview.

I would recommend you get a total of 5 identical photos.

Good luck!

Hi,

My POE was through Trudeau as well, and I got there quite early. The only thing is that customs open at around 6am... And the process of the K-1 visa took maybe 45 min.-1 hour... I think my flight was at like 11 am or something...

This is just my opinion, but I would try to find a flight for a little later... But again, if you get there early and start waiting in line as early as possible, you should be ok... I know that I got there at around 5am, and there was already a line at customs...

It was hassle-free though, so it's just the time issue you have to figure out...

Good luck!

Thank you for your help!

Did you also mail your belongings later in the process or did you fly with everything you were moving with you to the States?

Hi guys,

My interview for a K1 visa is schedule mid-April and I will most likely be flying out from Montreal's Trudeau airport. All flights I can book to my destination fly out around 8 AM. I have read on other posts that I should get there earlier and expect a longer process than usual.

Can anyone comment on how POE in Trudeau goes and how early I can show up at customs to deal with it?

Also, I plan on flying with some of my belongings and have the rest shipped by family in the next few months. I read on CBP website's that you have 10 years to import your belongings when you permanently move to the US... so it should be no issue I don't have everything with me or slips of shipment yet, right?

Thanks in advance!

April 18!

Finishing up my 2 binders of documents (one for them, other with originals). Might reschedule my medical appointment to give them time to mail me the results so I don't have to pick them up on the day of the interview.

Fun times

Great idea!

Ok so now I'm trying to book my medical at the Toronto office.

I just called and left a message and I sent a short email telling them my interview date and that I'm ready to book.

Am I missing anything?

Here's what Medisys in Montreal asks me to take to my medical (pretty sure it's standard for all clinics):

- Health book listing your vaccines/shots

- glasses if you wear contacts and take your prescription if you have it

- consulate's letter of confirmation you have an interview booked

- drug prescriptions (including the pill if applicable)

- passport

- 3 identical passport color photos

They told me they need full 3 days to process and you have to pick up your file at their office.

Yaaaaayyy! Nice work!

Listen, you'll be ready. Hell or high water, eh?

OMG just moved mine to April too!!!

You all still waiting for Packet 4 to book, keep the faith... I just saw 2-3 days per week available in April

OMG I just booked for April 29th...........

Can't believe it, I was expecting late July.

I'm not even sure I will be ready by then...

Very happy for you both, April is great!!!

Hello everyone...I am a Canadian citizen who is crazy in love with the most perfect woman who happens to be an American and resides in New Jersey. We plan on getting married and residing in the US. I have a 9 year old son who will remain in Canada with his mother but I obviously will visit him frequently. So naturally I have a million questions and want it to be seamless. I do currently spend most of my time "visiting" my girlfriend in the US. Any advice, tips, comments, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Hi there,

We have a regional forum for Canadians. Might want to check there, most Canadian related topics are covered : General Discussion Area/Regional Discussion/Canada

The fiance visa (K1) is an option if you are engaged and not married. It's a year long process during which you will most likely have to wait around in Canada. Your fiancee will have to petition on your behalf. I suggest you browse through the K1 guide and flowchart at http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

And welcome on VJ!