CougarFan

Okay, the title of this topic is pretty self-explanatory.

We went through the entire process (interview in Montreal and all), and crossed the border a week after being approved at the interview.

We got down here...and I began waiting...

and waiting...

and waiting...

No welcome letter. No permanent residency card. No anything.

So, I went to Infopass to discuss my problem. They said to keep waiting. We crossed at the end of August, and I hadn't heard anything from the USCIS. So, in January, I went to Infopass again, and they looked me up. Nothing was being "processed" for my case, which they said was odd. They told me to call me POE, and ask if they forgot to send my visa packet (you know, the super important one that you can't open when you cross the border) to the processing office. They didn't have it. I went back to Infopass, told them the story again, and they said they would mark this is an officially lost visa packet. They said that this does happen once in a while, but when it does, we aren't expected to pay for anything.

They told me to re-submit everything we submitted to the USCIS, as well as an I-90, to the office in Phoenix. I sent it all in. Then, today, I got a letter saying that my I-90 had been denied, because I hadn't paid for the processing fee...which they clearly told me I didn't have to pay for. It's their fault.

UGH.

Any advice? Has anyone gone through this? It's a nightmare.

Yahoo! We were approved at the Montreal embassy for our CR-1 visa on August 19. I moved about a week later (thanks to speedy DHL!), and we are so happy to be together down here. However, I have a few questions. I'm sure they have been asked (and answered) a million times on here, but I am having a hard time finding those discussions. So thanks in advance for your patience - help is appreciated!

1) We are living in Utah, and my POE was August 27, 2011. About how long does it take to receive my green card? I've heard it depends on the population of the State - is that true? (I have a friend in Montana who got hers in a week). I haven't received any sort of package yet, and I suppose I'm just getting nervous...that's a pretty valuable card

Oh, and I am well aware that if my SSN doesn't come within 3 weeks of my POE, I can go to a local SSA office and get one.

2) So, I am a CR-1. I have heard mixed things as to when to apply for my IR-1. Is it within 3 months of our two year anniversary? How long does the paperwork take? Our two year anniversary will be next August, not for almost another year. When should I start working on the paperwork, and when should I have the paperwork submitted by? Before June 2012? Or more like July 2012? I just don't know!

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Good luck to all of you USCISers and NVCers out there. Just be patient. Life will start coming together soon, and you will be so happy you did it the right (and LEGAL) way!

Thanks!

The Prestons

Just make sure it was a national search, and double check with the police office that it is what they need for a US immigrant visa. I am from Lethbridge, AB, and I had it done at my local office. The list of all of the searches preformed were on the back of the certificate, so I called the police office to make sure that I had the correct searches (the front said a regional search, but the back said national search). When I sent it electronically to the NVC, I made sure to scan the back as well. I had no problems with the NVC accepting it, but I was almost refused at my interview because of it! Good thing I had previously called, and I showed the lady doing my interview the back of the certificate, where the list of searches preformed was. So check the back and call the local police station!

I live out in Alberta, and we were expecting a long wait time. We had my interview on Friday, August 19th, and we had an e-mail from DHL the following Monday (the 22nd). I had my passport in my hand THE NEXT DAY! I was very impressed. Good luck to all of those waiting out there - I hope my message is one of hope!

Thank you! We have our fingers crossed

I also found this poll:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/302129-waiting-for-our-passports-from-montreal/

Thank you! We have our fingers crossed.

Hello VJ'ers!

Let me first say, everyone here has been such a great help to us. We couldn't have done this whole process without you all!

We are just a few weeks away from my medical and interview in Montreal (we went the I-130 route). It happens to fall the same week as our 1 year anniversary, so we are making a fun holiday out of it . Anyway, my interview is the 19th of August, and my husband is raring to start college again on August 26. It's cutting it close, we know! (He has been working in northern Montana for the past 8 months, so he could be close to me here in southern Alberta).

We were wondering - how long did it take you (or those you know) to get their passports back after your interview? I've heard "3 days" a lot, but I live out west, in Alberta. We do have a back-up plan, in case it doesn't come in time. (He will have to go and start college in Utah, and come back to get me and the U-Haul later...there's no way I'm driving that thing by myself through the Rockies!)

Thanks again everyone!

Catharine & Jake

Hey! Congratulations on the decision. My husband (the US citizen) and I (the Canadian, of course) are near the end of the process, and we will tell you how we did it:

We were married in August, and filed the I-130 in October. We had 2 RFE's (it was, of course, before we were lucky enough to come across this forum...HUGE help!). We didn't send in the photocopy of back of our marriage certificate, and my husband (the US citizen) needed 2 passport photos.

Our I-130 took about 6 months to process. Average wait time, at that time, was 5 months.

We made 2 trips down to the States while it was filing - one in August for our Utah wedding reception, and another to see his adorable, new little nephew, in March of this year. So, we had to provide evidence that I was certainly coming back to Canada, and not just "sneaking off" across the border. I had a letter from my employer, stating the time and date of my next shift, a letter from my landlord (the upstairs tenants...we live in a basement suite), stating that we still had a car and all of my belongings at our current place of residence, tuition receipts, and an invitation to the blessing of the baby and/or wedding invtation (the reason for our trip). I think we had a few other things, but those were the most important. While crossing the border in August, the border guard asked the purpose of our trip, (like usual), then said, "How can you prove you are coming back to Canada?" We handed him the evidence, explained a few things, and he sent us on our way. No problems with our most recent trip in March, either.

Now...my husband. We were living in Edmonton when we filed the I-130, so I could finish school. Jake was on "visitor status", and didn't need a visa or anything to be here in Canada. So, he took some online classes through his college and stayed at home, while I went to school. When I finished school in December, we moved to Lethbridge. As we knew we would need evidence of domicile and employment down the road in the NVC stage, he got a job in northern Montana. He commutes almost every day, a 2-hour drive one way. The border guards say this is fine, as long as he doesn't spend more time in Canada than he does in the States. I have been known to meet him at the border for lunch, as he sometimes works at the actual border station itself! (Hence why we get so many great hints... )

We slugged our way through USCIS, then flew through the NVC. Our case was complete on June 16, and now we are waiting for our interview in Montreal. We are hoping to be done before the fall semester, so my husband can return to school.

That's it! If you can manage to see each other often, it isn't a big hassle, and just have lots of proof you are coming back on your trips down. Put in the paperwork right the first time, and wait it out. Good luck on the journey!

Category:

IV Package

Stupid RFE:

Small version of Marriage Certificate

What I Learned:

Here in Alberta, Canada, you can get two types of Marriage Certificates when you apply for your license; the large version (most couples choose to frame this), and the small version, which is more commonly used for proof of marriage, etc. We just got the small one, as there is nearly no difference between the large and small versions (besides stating the bride/groom's place of birth), and we didn't think we would need the large version. Sure enough, NVC does. Groan. The day I found out about the RFE, I called an operator immediately to ask what we needed, flew to the registry office, and paid extra to have it couriered to us. Thank goodness we do electronic processing, we will have the certificate in our hands today, and it will be submitted tonight.

Hey! My husband and I are totally in the same boat as you. He served his mission in Tampa Bay, FL, and...as you know, also didn't have any tax returns, etc. We will be sending in the I-864 hopefully within the next week or two, as soon as that dang payment portal permits What I think we are going to do is include a copy of his mission call, as well as some pictures and letters from his mission. The I-864 states to only submit the past 3 years tax returns if they will be beneficial to your case...and, in your case (and in ours), they certainly wouldn't be beneficial to proving that he has had sound income. He is working now, however, and so we printed out an employment letter from a wiki we found here on VJ, filled it out, and had his boss sign it. The letter states that he is making a certain amount right now, (as of "fiscal year 2011") to support me. We also are including his most recent paystubs. I hope this helps a little bit! Don't worry

Cathairne & Jake