The Getty

sent in packet........hope I did the posting right.......

October is right around the corner and no doubt us October filers have either already started putting our packets together or will be doing so shortly.
I've started gathering some of the relevant evidence and printed some for our application (bank records, signed leases, etc) and will continue working on it before next week.
Let's use this thread for any questions regarding the application process and the gathering of evidence.
Hopefully we can all go through this process smoothly. Below is the standard template used by other threads to keep track of progress.
California Service Center (0 applicants)

VJName............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics.....Approved....
YOUR NAME HERE......--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--.......--/--/--....



Vermont Service Center (1 applicants)

VJName............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics.....Approved....
YOUR NAME HERE......--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--.......--/--/--....



IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.
* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.
* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.
* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.
* Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application
NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter
Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment
Approved = The Date your case was approved

Format correction.
California Service Center (3 applicants)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
NEO1..................10/07/13......10/09/13......--/--/13......--/--/--
INSOMNIACDOZE.........10/07/13......10/09/13......--/--/13......--/--/--
SXM...................10/11/13......10/--/13......--/--/13......--/--/--

Vermont Service Center (2 applicants)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
CHARLESR..............10/02/13......10/07/13......--/--/13......--/--/--
CALY..................10/03/13......10/07/13......--/--/13......--/--/--

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.
* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.
* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.
* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.
* Please check that you have not deleted anyone's NAME & DATA. Also please check that you have not deleted the name of the Service Center.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your petition
NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter
Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment
Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list.
* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly.
* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do

You should be able to claim E.I. no problem while in the USA provided you have enough hours (which it appears you have) AND you are ready, willing, and capable of working/accepting work. You can call Service Canada's toll free number and speak to a representative. Better yet, call the Interstate Department - they are the ones who deal with E.I. claims OUTSIDE of Canada. Their number is 1-877-486-1650. This is a voicemail only number, so you can leave a message with your name, SIN, and contact phone #, and someone will call you back. Then you can discuss it with that person and they will give you the proper information.
I moved to the US in October 2011, and I had no problem getting my E.I. down here. You will get cards in the mail, and you will not be able to file your report on neither the internet nor using the automated phone system. (Once I received my cards, I just called the Interstate Dept. phone # and left my name, SIN, contact phone # , and report on the voicemail, and they were able to process it for me.)
One thing that I must point out is that in other posts I have read in response to your question, you have been given wrong information, namely as follows:
"You just need to prove you are eligible to work in the US. Which you will be able to do with your greencard after you cross,"
"Usually you're eligible to collect as soon as you can prove that you're able and willing to work i.e. you have your green card,"
"As a cr-1/ir-1 ur eligible right away when u enter the USA, as these visa come with you being able to work right away"
A green card alone does NOT make you eligible to work in the U.S.!!!!! Until you receive a vaild Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration that does not have a restriction preventing you from working (which it shouldn't on a CR-1 visa), you CANNOT LEGALLY accept work in the U.S., and thus will be deemed by Service Canada as NOT being able to work and not eligble for E.I. benefits.

How did you find out about your interview if you didn't get a letter? Ours came via email.

It depends on who you called and where your medical is. I called the panel physicians (Dr Seiden's crowd) in Montreal the day I got my letter stating when my interview was. Almost FOUR WEEKS later and 3 or 4 messages left, I still hadn't heard from them. My wife emailed Medisys in Montreal just before the close of business one day and the first thing the next day they CALLED her back. She let me know and I made the appointment with them for my medical. Then about 3 days before I left, the other crowd called me. I didn't answer. They left a message but I didn't call them back. They couldn't bother calling me back in a timely manner, so I extended them the same courtesy. And from what I could find out, I saved myself $40-$50 by having my medical done at Medisys versus the Panel Physicians and I had the results just as quickly.
I know each case is different, but that was my experience. I personally recommend using Medisys if you're going to Montreal for your medical.