oogie

It's already up!

Update: Visa approved! They accepted the photocopy of notarial certificate of birth along with an affidavit from my mother.

But my notarial certificate is just a photocopy, could that work? I do have both my parent's actual notarial certificates though. I don't have any immediate family in China.

Both my fiance and I have called the NVC, and they said there's nothing they can do and to contact the consulate. And with Montreal, the only way is email.

I'm concerned with the original birth certificate requirement of the K1 visa process.

I was not issued a birth certificate at birth in China. I immigrated to Canada 19 years ago with my parents, and at that time, I was issued a Notarial Certificate of my birth, which was used as the birth certificate requirement for immigration paperwork. I still have a photocopy of this certificate with translation - but not a certified copy, and I no longer have the original. My parents believe the original was submitted at some point during the Canadian immigration process and never returned.

I am unable to obtain another certificate issued from China, because no one in my immediate family lives in China, and when we became Canadian citizens, we gave up our Chinese IDs (hukou), which is necessary to obtain such a certificate.

I have my Record of Landing from Canada which lists my birth date/place, and my father's birth date/place, and I'm also prepared to get my mom (and/or dad) to sign an affidavit stating the details of my birth.

I emailed the Montreal consulate these details more than three weeks ago asking if those documents could be used instead of an original birth certificate, and today received a reply that did not address my question whatsoever, and just restated the documents I need to bring to the interview (beginning of course with the original birth certificate). Seriously, #######! After three weeks, they send me an email copied off the website?? Infuriating.

Anyone have experience with this type of situation, who could provide some guidance on what other documents I should look into trying to obtain?

I have two weeks until my interview, and this is the only thing I'm not 100% sure about.

I posted my review here

Dr. Lyndon Mascarenhas

200 St. Claire Ave. W. Suite 101-W Toronto, ON M4V 1R1 416-960-1014

I booked my appointment a week in advance, they sounded flexible with the times and dates available.

The building is right on the north corner of St. Clair and the first street west of Avenue Road. Easy to get to, just one block west from St. Clair TTC station. There is a parking lot right out front for $10 cash also.

The office is suite 101W, which is at the very end, through a corridor and another set of doors. Receptionist asked for P4 letter, passport, vaccination record and 2 photos. I only had a print out of my P4 letter from an email, but the receptionist wanted the mailed letter which has a barcode. I said this is the only letter I had and she accepted it eventually after I showed her that it does have the case number printed inside.

After copying my documents, she gave them back to me and kept the photos. Then I waited for 20min, after which the receptionist gave me two forms for blood work and X-rays, which are done in labs suite 100 and 114.

Blood work asks you to take a number, and after a few minutes I was called into a little booth. Nurse took one vial of blood, and that was it.

At the X-ray lab, I waited a few minutes, then I was called in to change into a short paper gown just for the waist up, and the X-ray took just a minute. Then I changed back and went back to the doctor office to wait.

The doctor check up was very straight forward. He asked me a bunch of basic questions (e.g. height/weight in metric, history of heart/kidney problems, mental problems, etc.) and checks them off on a form. I don't have any medical problems, so that went quick. I also had gone to my family doctor the week before and got all the vaccinations I needed, and the doctor said that was very helpful. He took my blood pressure, and that was it. I paid him the $300 in cash, he wrote me a receipt. He told me they will call me when the results are ready.

I got there 15 minutes late for my scheduled appointment, but still finished in less than an hour.

I think it's for picking up. I didn't ask about shipping, but I imagine it would be extra.

I just booked my appointment with Dr. Lyndon Mascarenhas (I didn't want to wake up at 5am!). Picked up phone promptly, was able to book appointment easily, seemed flexible on time. The cost and turn around time is the same: $300 cash only and you get results in 48 hours. The woman I spoke to on the phone was nice and verified the necessary vaccinations with me over the phone. They do not do vaccinations there.

Will post review after my exam!