nebcan

So......I came on a K1 Visa to Oklahoma in March 2012.I had been in Canada fulltime since Feb 2011 with no USA visits waiting on my visa/ We got married in April, I got my SSN right away.... and I went for biometrics in July and recieved my EAD in early August. yay on all that good stuff.

The state of Oklahoma does not issue Driver's License on a temporary visa as in K1. I cannot write checks without an OK DL......I was able to get added to only one of my husband's business accounts......his other bank would not do so...and I do all the bookkeeeping!I cannot get a library card...lol..MY passport is still in my maiden name, as it has my K1 visa in it.....I have been getting hassled over it and my Canadian DL being in my maiden name........

He is a long haul trucker so is not home every week. I can drive his personal vehicles as an adult driver on his policy for one year only without an OK DL--but I cannot be officially added without a OK DL. I imported my own vehicle and cannot get insurance or tags for it until I have a OK DL.It is now expired on its Canadian ins and plates.They cannot be renewed as I no longer live there.My Canadian lic is good for another year. I cannot take training for my CDL to drive with my husband as I do not have an OK lic. I cannot drive my own van I bought last year to get to work as a painting contractor...rather difficult to haul paint and materials around in my husbands car.. I will now have to see if I can get my vehicle put into his name......as AOS could take longer yet...

Other than the major inconveniences I have been dealing with since April.....I am rather concerned about my looming interview document reqs.....I only have one bank account I have been added to..and one piece of paper saying I was added to his BCBS health insurance....(they didnt like the lack of DL either).and my SSN and EAD...as well as marriage license etc.

I did read about other states interfering in the immigration process with the DL ....what have other VJ'ers done? Any tips appreciated....mainly at this point I am resigned to all of it....just concerned re interview day.

You have plenty... they never asked to see any of mine.... was a lot of work for nada, oh well. Border crossings to visit--either of you was all the evidence they generally need they told me,which shows up on their screens. They also said it helps if a couple has known each other for longer than one year prior to filing...(we were at 3 yr mark at time of interview). They move the K1's through quickly , ahead of others also that are waiting, which actually were all Americans living in Canada ,mostly all students. A lot of other immigration cases- get sent to Montreal as the Vancouver consulate doesn't handle them all they said.

I was first told (Oklahoma ,but rules are same everywhere they said) that along with SS in my married name(being female and changing my name), and marriage certif, I would get a temp dl , good for the same period as the I-94..3mos, and it would be extended until the greencard is issued...

today however I was told that NO temp visa holder can have a dl until their perm visa/ greencard is issued, and their passport MUST also be in their new legal name,as well as the visa...so the I94 wont be accepted for females who have changed their name anyways.. This is a major headache... but the big issue is driving period....... this hinders getting new tags on imported vehicle and insurance...as require state dl to do so in ones own name, and furthermore American insurance companies will not insure foreign lis holders ....... So if one's foreign dl or foreign tags and insurance expires on their vehicle before they get the AOS finished they are SOL, and you cannot renew it from abroad (and new North American insurance laws do not cover you if you leave your registered home area for longer than 30 days) also is a headache to change the passport from outside one's own country but it is doable at least.

just more barriers to going the fiance route vs the already married route and not arriving in USA until you have your full status. They will give you an EAD so you can work early, but what is the point if you cannot drive?

I got mine done in Ontario,Canada in my hometown, at the 4mos point after nao1..in Canada is valid for a year. It only took a week to come back. Make a photocopy to keep , as the original must be handed in at the interview.

I would renew your Canadian passport... dual citizenship is automatic for Canadians (commonwealth countries) as in you don't lose your Canadian citizenship if you do not live there, just your driver lisc and provincial health card expires/isn't valid without residence-- doesn't hurt to have both passports, and it is proof of your Canadian citizenship. I have heard a lot of duals use their Canadian passport when travelling overseas as it is easier. For females , one has to reapply to get the name change to married name anyways.

well...with free health care, and such in Ont..and a good job...maternity leave, child tax credit ( depends on income)..better to have and raise a child in Ontario..at least in the early years, for the delivery and all those early Dr visits. She would be able to support you until you find work. That being said, the employment climate in Ontario is NOT good, especially in certain urban and rural areas..however it depends as always on one's skills. Generally, rates of pay are higher than in USA for almost all jobs but so is the cost of living, and taxes ( yikes -Ont has 14% sales tax on everything--and very high utility rates) If she is a flight attendant..she could always easily apply for a job with full benefits in the US and you all could move back if it worked out better for you to live in Calif or wherever. I would advise DAD (!) congrats// that you get married in a civil ceremony on her next visit...and you see about your pardon.Irregardless of which country you decide to do permanent residency in as a couple..you need that cleared up--as you will be travelling across the border for family visits regularly I would assume. CR1 is the route to go .

we are doing 2 weddings as well.A civil one right away,to get all the paperwork process started asap, and a big one in the summer whenever it works out for everyone to attend. I have a tea length pretty ivory dress for the civil day.Our families and friends would flip if we didn't have a real wedding too,besides we both want a religious ceremony. We are going to go out for dinner and dancing, probably a hotel. The "real" deal is going to be at my fiance's farm outdoors.

I got refused entry last March/11, so after that scary experience I haven't crossed into USA at all. We decided it would be better to wait until the visa was approved. They are soooo pushy(Homeland security) now the last few years, at least in Ontario border crossings. My fiance is a truck driver, so we have had short visits when he has gotten hauls--one in Ontario last summer, and 3 in Alberta since I came out here for winter to stay with family here. It has been more lonely for him than me, as I been with family, whereas he is alone when home. I would have ideally liked to do some 3 week visits a few times , but oh well.

oh thank you. My fiance and I's three years together(met Jan 1,2009) has been very eventful to say the least. We would have been married a long time ago ---my Mother was diagnosed the same day we planned to announce our engagement.. so we put it off a year..then we decided to go the k1 fiance route, and it will be another year. I think all anyone will say at our wedding is "FINALLY!". We cannot be accused of rushing into anything for sure.

i don't have any advice for you, but just wanted to say sorry about your loss, and glad that you and your brother can spend some time together.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

I am staying with my brother in Calgary for the winter,I came out from Ontario. I have been painting and decorating my brother's home for him, I never had the time to visit since he bought it new 20 yrs ago.We lost our Mom to cancer in 2010, so this has been good for us to be together as well,before I go to US. My fiance is a truck driver who lives in Oklahoma and hauls to Alberta once in a while,so this way I get to see him too on his trips through. We informed Vermont and NVC of address change..well, now Montreal embassy because it keeps getting not corrected...(different post---thanks for help)... so I can go to Vancouver embassy ,hoping for Feb.interview.

A visitor to Alberta can use their out of province dl and registration,insurance for 183 days, so I haven't changed it. You have 90 days if you are a resident to change your address. My Ontario dl doesnt expire until 2013, Ont plates expire in Aug/12, and insurance is valid until April..I only bought it last April.I still have OHIP. Oh, I did get my police record search done in my hometown last fall before I left there.

Did anyone else do this -change residences before interview temporarily----? You know how you start to get paranoid---too much time to think ALL these months....am I going to get hassled at interview w dl not matching where I am staying in Alberta?? (really it is no different than if I was working out of my home province for a few months)...will I get in trouble at POE too?

My fiance, USC, got a letter today-no text or email, dated Dec 21/11 that our case would be sent to Montreal within 7 days and the packet for me is being sent to my old Ontario address. When I called NVC on Thursday the 29th , to check on case,and to double check on my address and correct embassy ---- I-beneficiary -Canadian- was told my dob I gave them to ID myself on case was incorrect and to email proof-would not talk about case with "wrong ID".. I sent email yesterday to NVC w passport and birth certif as requested. So, obviously someone has typed in my dob incorrectly,despite that they have copies of my passport, dl and birth certificate already AND have had prior communications-many, by phone,email and letter with my fiance with no mention of my dob being incorrect. arggg.

And now wrong embassy- sent to Montreal-I am living in Calgary. I moved from Ontario on September 10/11.. they-Vermont SC were told over the phone ,and sent a letter , along with the RFE docs my fiance sent back to them in October. Oh and btw they sent the RFE to incorrect address for him---took 6 weeks to get one to the correct address, which they wouldn't allow him to confirm until after a month! His address hasnt changed since 2005 so there again someone made a mistake.

Has anyone had to request case be moved to a different embassy? I cannot afford to travel to Montreal ... from the west coast besides the fact they are backlogged huge. The Vancouver embassy here is a few hundred miles away.

Hi based on our RFE sent out Sept 12/11--where it never arrived in mail, they wouldnt discuss it for three weeks, then allowed my fiance to confirm address... said it would be mailed in 3 days --it arrived 3 weeks later ( just mailed 3 days prior)...he sent back info( duplicate copy of his divorce records)on Oct28---noa2 Dec 9/11. So.....I think they only deal w RFE once a month for just one day.You would logically think already opened cases would have priority over unopened...

Ok. So I've been watching Igor's list, and chatting with other friends on here, and it doesn't appear that any RFE's have been processed in December at all by the CSC. Being one of those with a response that was received in December, I am just curious as to why. Do you think they just do all the RFE responses on one day, knocking them out? What's your thoughts/opinions. Do they have an RFE day, or do they wait for the trained monkey to deliver it in return for a bite of banana?

forgot to mention I would like RFE's for K1 VSC.

sorry about that.

Terri

Hi--we are May K1 filers, sent to Dallas, then on to VSC. got an RFE. mailed Sept 12. never arrived. called=== they said wait..finally ......letter returned to VSC Sept 28. fiance called NSC .. They wouldnt talk to him until he had codes off application form ,rather than case No. He is a trucker , so there was a one week delay in his calling them w proper case ID info as he wasn't home to get it.Reaffirmed address as correct, Then...waiting.......... Letter was not mailed by VSC for three WEEKS, then arrived in 2dys.. Recieved RFE : VSC wanted a hard copy of fiance's divorce records. Mailed IMD overnite. VSC recieved reply Oct 28 according to email. States correspondence within 60 days(!).. as of 11.11.11. no response.

Hi I a newbie-- I am Jan and my fiance lives near Tulsa,Ok..I am from Stratford,Ontario Canada. We filed in May and fiance recieved email confirmation of rerouting from Dallas to VSC on May 23/11. never got a NOA1 in the mail. no touch since..