wally

We have barely started our journey! I have a couple of questions for the future though.

I'm going to need the RCMP finger print clearance done (the 4-5-6 month one). My husband just mailed off the I-130 today, then we will be sending off the I-129F (k-3) petition. For this packet 3, do you think I could go in now and request my finger print check done, or do they need to see the packet 3 forms, which I won't get for quite a while? Or do they request the clearance done within a certain time period? I'm just trying to avoid a lengthy wait is all..

And, a few people have mentioned you need the full length Birth Certificate, which I don't think I have. I only have the wallet sized one. Do I need to order a full length one?

go to ......http://www.commissionaires.ca...I can't remember but it's either good for 6 mo. or a year after issue. Other than ID, you don't have to provide any immigration documents but do tell them why you need it. I got mine within 2 weeks but did not require fingerprints.

you will need your long birth certificate...that shows your parents info...I think there's a method you can order that online but I went to the Registrar's office and got it in about a week..some people here have waited months for it though

personally, I like Canada and only left there to live with my husband

we made the drive as I lived west of Toronto. The drive isn't so bad, around 6 hours. However, the driving in Montreal is not good. They're crazy. It's like driving on the 401 during rush hour in the center of the city and throw in some pedestrians. We also drove cause since we were staying overnight we thought we'd see a bit of Montreal.

Email your consulate. I was told by Vancouver my custody papers are all I need. It makes sense that the parent with sole custody does not need the non custodial parents permission.

careful here, find out more if you can...I have sole custody, permission granted by their father and endorsed by court for my kids to move. I'm from Ontario and my lawyer advised me that I needed the permission. At the Montreal interview, the officer there wrote on the kids' petition that I had permission to move them. Also, I couldn't get their passports without my ex's signature. That was another court battle.

patience and a very very thick skin when they hit puberty

I eat sugar free jello every night as a snack.

a friend of mine did the Berstein diet, lost a bunch of weight then while on maintenance she fell into a slump. They told her to eat as much sugar free jello as she wanted, it keeps your metabolism going or something like that.

my daughter got another Welcome to America letter and her Permanent Resident card today too. The letter for her card was dated Feb. 25.

We don't have much of a choice...NWA only from here to Ontario. Planes are noisy but generally positive experience.

My favourite though is Westjet. In flight TV, staff have a share in the airline (I asked) so they real helpful, seats are leather and wide, lots of space and they never overbook.

yes we did get lucky. I'm sure it's symptomatic of living in a small town and my previous job was in education so I knew where and when to lean on the school board here.

I've had a good experience with my son in Grade 5 and my daughter as a Sophomore, grade 10. He moved in October and was placed in the same grade he was in Canada. He is, however, the youngest cause of the cut off date for birthdays. In Ontario, it's the calendar year. Academically my son is well ahead of the standards here. The school board and staff were attentive and very willing to discuss his needs.

The high school proved to be more challenging in switching from one system to the other. The school here works under a 'traditional system'...same classes all year whereas the one in Ontario was semesters. She completed her first semester then moved at the beginning of Feb. here. There was no testing but because she had already missed the first 4 weeks of the second term here, my daughter was placed in grade 9 and 10 math as the principal believed she would not be prepared for the Junior year math here. Within a few weeks she has since proven she is far beyond the standards here and has been allowed to 'clip' out of some courses, obtain the credits and advance in grade. They have accepted the credits she attained in Canada and in fact will probably graduate with more credits then that are required.

Moving into a small town have made my children somewhat of a novelty to their friends...the pronounciation of some words, idioms...Imperial vs. Metric etc etc.

I hear ya. I was down to the last two interviewees for a pretty decent part-time job, they even faxed for my references in Canada and the other got chosen cause she was more familiar with the area.

we went there in September...almost fell over from the high of 104F

our SSA office is the same way. Not that it's a busy place, just that it's a small town and either those people are really ignorant of the system or just can't be bothered. They sure seem nice to the seniors though.

we received our Permanent Resident cards about 4 weeks after POE last year. my daughter has just come over Feb. 2 and so far has received only 2 Welcome to America letters.

I was just reading another thread about somebody being held up because something came up on their background check. This is starting to worry me. My fiance was denied at a land crossing border last May. He was coming to see me but was bringing some personal items with him. They viewed it as he was trying to come into the United States and wouldn't be leaving. That was not his intention at all. Now I am wondering if this is going to cause a problem with the approval. He has since been to the US twice to visit me and hasn't had a problem.

What does everybody think?

I was denied at a land crossing once. No problems at all.

We chose to petition for CR1 cause at the time it was moving faster than K3's even with our petitions being transferred from Nebraska to California. Half way through, the processed reversed and it took almost a year for our CR's.

when I think of Utah, I think of Robert Redford

if you're going through Montreal, it's the consulate

I can only tell you my experience in Canada. At my interview, where my kids also attended, the interviewer made a note on their petitions..."has permission to move".

My circumstances were such that I had judge-endorsed permission to move. My ex-husband did things like refusing to sign their passports in order to delay the kids' CR2 petitions therefore causing my interview to be assigned before their petitions were completed. Fortunately, I was able to expedite and we all got interviewed on my date.

I'm bringing my longjohns and down coat with me to TX..

TO BURN!!

We Canuckians love talking about weather

I visited family one year in August in Houston...it was 28C at 9am.

One of my brothers was in Hong Kong and the temp. dropped down to low 70'sF...they advised him to get out his winter coat.

we use State Auto here in ND, don't know if that can help you. We moved from Metlife...they were gouging us and inconsistent with their information. Also I found using a local agent may get you a better premium.

I have not done mine, I am to busy doing everyone else’s.

Peter Miami

my brother's a CA...every year it's the same thing...nags and nags and nags us to file, then finally just gives in, takes all the paperwork and files for us.

We moved from Toronto, Ontario to North Dakota so we are geographically north of the Great Lakes. You want to talk about wind chill?

Hamilton huh? Hope your dress looks good with snow boots.

mine had a big piece of tape across the flap and a stamped seal...can't remember if it was wax or not. The officer at POE very carefully broke the seal so as long as that's intact, I would try not to worry.