Married_my_love

April 8, 2009

My lil piece of advice... once you get to the seated waiting room DO NOT walk around. I remember that a woman wanted to look out the window at the beautiful Montreal view, and got up and walked over to the window. A voice came down the loud speaker that sounded like God, and said "please return to your seat". A short time after, she decided to try another window :blink: and the voice got meaner. This is when we realized there were cameras and someone watching us from somewhere else. The 2nd time she went to the window she turned around after the voice of God came down and there was a security person to escort her.

April 6, 2009

1) What is the best route? Live outside of USA and file, live separately and file, some how move in to USA and file?

DCF if possible. As soon as wife has residency in Canada, file DCF. Please confirm with Embassy that they still allow Canadian PR person to file the DCF with less than 1 year residency. (I filed it with 2 days residency, not kidding)

EDITED to add: I just poked around on the DCF board and see that they've changed the requirement since we filed; the US citizen has to live in Canada for a minimum of 6 months. So this means your wife gets her residency, and 6 months after that date you can file for DCF.

April 6, 2009

First want to know - on your wife's Cdn application, did you file it when she was in US, and then she came to "visit" you? (ie' outside applicant?) or did she come there and then you filed as "inside". Just wondering as if you filed "outside" you might get that residency much faster....

I filed Canadian as outside, and drove over the border to live with my husband while we waited for my residency. Things didn't work out for me there and as SOON as I had the residency card, we drove to Toronto and I filed DCF for him to come back to US. Because I had moved out of US and became a Cdn resident, I had to get my brother to sponsor us.

1) What is the best route? Live outside of USA and file, live separately and file, some how move in to USA and file?

DCF if possible. As soon as wife has residency in Canada, file DCF. Please confirm with Embassy that they still allow Canadian PR person to file the DCF with less than 1 year residency. (I filed it with 2 days residency, not kidding)

2) What forums do I need to fill out?

see guide

3) Can I get a job In VA and use that to leverage my immigration application?

No leverage; and will cause extra hassles

4) How long does it typically take a newly married Canadian/US couple?

Same as it takes any couple, see the guides for timelines. You'll want to request your Cdn marriage license if you haven't done so that adds LOTS of time to the process!! They are slow (we had to get an Ombudsman to step in after waiting and waiting for mine)

5) How much income does she need to have to show that she can support me in the US?

If she is living in Canada and doesn't have established job, this is a moot point. You'll need a sponsor

6) I have a lot of family there as well, but all are distant cousins, all willing to sponsor me, does that help?

Yes, ask them pretty-please to sponsor you in

7) How much is the average cost for the whole process?

I haven't file in a while but we are still paying off, it all adds up, photos, bio, medical, applications, blah blah blah

8) Should I pay the extra money and get a lawyer? Is this process really that complicated in the US?

Not in my opinion, unless there's something funky about your case. If it is straightforward you can do it yourself!!

9) Do I need to give up my Canadian Citizenship when I get approved as a US immigrant?

No. You'll be a resident in US. Re: Citizenship, I just found out that even though you will denounce Canada, Canada will still love you.

10) Can I still keep my Canadian Health insurance and come back to Canada if I have a serious illness?

This is questionable. You'd want to post this on the Canada board. If you are not a resident in Canada, but are a Citizen, can you get health care?

11) I want to make sure that I am working at all time because my wife cannot support the two of us and I don't want to be a burden on her parents or any one else. So keep that in mind so I am not left in USA waiting to be allowed to work, (like my wife is here in Canada).

You will have a bit of time here while you wait for your social sec# to be able to work. My husband and I came back in Dec 1 2005 and he wasn't able to work until about February due to Social Sec office losing his #.

April 3, 2009

I wore Canadian Socks to my oath ceremony!! lol!! People ask I stil say I'm Canadian, never bring up the fact that I now have USA citizenship. 100% Cdn!

I hate the term 'laugh out loud' as it is overused, but I did, really, literally just laugh out loud when I read your post.

Ok, I get it, so he's taking the oath but it doesn't mean it erases his Cdn citizenship. Thanks for clearing this up!!

April 2, 2009

Maybe someone can help me to understand this. My DH and I are discussing the whole citizenship thing. I found this information on a site about dual citizenship:

Newly naturalized citizens in some (but not all) countries are required to renounce their previous citizenship(s); the US has such a requirement, for example, but Canada does not. And in some (but, again, not all) cases, a country will automatically revoke the citizenship of one of its citizens who acquires another country's citizenship by naturalization, even if no explicit renunciation was involved.

We are interested in going for the citizenship because it would remove my brother from the whole sponsorship thing (and we kind of told him that we would do that asap to relieve him of that obligation). But my Canadian is not interested in denouncing Canada! Will they actually have him say he is doing so? and what does that mean exactly? He is no longer Canadian?

Sorry if these seem like really dumb questions, but we are not that excited of the prospect of him not being a Canadian... and we had always thought (until I read that above) that he would have dual citizenship.

help me to understand this, thanks.

April 2, 2009

The Consumerist article also states that you can find some in Mexican Grocery Stores, but I didn't have the chance to confirm that...

We live in So. California and several of our local mexican fast-food burrito type places sell the "real" sugar bottle coke. My canadian Dh buys 2 whenever we're somewhere that has them... one to gulp down immediately and the other to take home and try not to gulp down immediately.

March 26, 2009

Hey, The letter said that his residence is extended one year for work and travel. Does anyone know if we have to get his passport stamped or will the letter work at customs?

The letter should suffice; bring passport, expired green card and the extension letter.

March 17, 2009

Here's my table of contents (maybe you'll see something in here that will spark an idea on yours)

This is my table of contents:

• I-751 Application

• Copy of PR Card

• Lease (2006, 2007)

 Letter from Landlord

Financial Information

• Bank Information

 Letter of Explanation

 Union Bank & Wescom

 Copy of Check from Mutual Account

• Tax Information

 Tax Transcripts (2005, 2006, 2007)

 Stimulus Check Mailer

 Letter from Canada Revenue

• Joint Credit Accounts

• Life Insurance and Investment Beneficiary

 Health Insurance Statements & Correspondence

• Joint Utility Bills

• Auto Purchase

 Bill of Sale Ford Taurus & Nissan Frontier

 Mutual Insurance Card

 Auto Loan information

 DMV Registration Notices

 Interim Driver’s License

 Car Maintenance Receipt

Other Documents of Support

• Travel Information

• Pay Stubs

• Bills showing address

• Junk Mail

• Correspondence

 Letter from Mother-in-Law + Envelopes

• Photos

Affidavits

• Letter Regarding Relationship from Supervisor

• Letter Regarding Relationship from Friends

March 17, 2009

I threw in a whole chapter of junk mail, as well as envelopes from relatives written to Mr. & Mrs. Also included copies of credit cards that had both our names on account. Took the pictures and made them 6 to a sheet with descriptions (sometimes funny, I figured IO could get a laugh). I also included a letter we both signed saying that we are madly in love. I know love isn't supposed to be part of the equation in this, but dangit it should be ALL ABOUT that!!!

March 16, 2009

hahaha, congrats! I knew you'd get yours shortly after we got ours. I seriously think we had the same IO, and either he/she was really lagging compared to others,or the person might have seriously taken a long vacation. Either way, congrats!

I know, I was thinking the same thing. There might be one slow moving IO at CSC and we both had him/her.

March 13, 2009

Married_my_love ...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DID YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL OR A TOUCH BEFORE THE LETTER ?

I received absolutely nada. I checked online every day like a crazy girl, and also no emails came in and no touches. I am not sure about that system!!

March 13, 2009

Fixing the list and adding our Approval!! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

UserName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics......Approved

andresamia...........06/29/07..........08/01/07........08/29/07........--/--/--

Stefanie.............07/16/07..........07/25/07........military........ON HOLD (>NSC)

sara535..............09/15/07..........09/17/07........10/30/07........--/--/--

bluegirl.............02/04/08..........02/08/08........03/13/08........--/--/--

lilshe...............02/21/08..........02/26/08........03/26/08........--/--/--

LindsC...............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/16/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

newoption............03/27/08..........03/31/08........04/26/08........--/--/--

sjjp1974.............04/22/08..........04/23/08........05/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

grrltraveler.........04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/29/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

gurney...............06/04/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--/.......--/--/--

gerard...............06/05/08..........06/13/08........07/17/08........--/--/-- (>VSC)

laver................06/23/08..........06/24/08........07/26/08........11/12/08

sherose..............06/24/08..........06/27/08........07/23/08........10/24/08

Buzz17...............06/24/08..........07/03/08....... 07/24/08........10/24/08

Yorkie...............06/26/08..........07/07/08........07/25/08........10/23/08 (>NSC)

Mrs.J06..............07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/09/08........02/23/09

dcl766 (K2)..........07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/08/08........12/19/08

Craig2006............07/09/08..........07/11/08........09/16/08........--/--/-- (>VSC)

Bocario..............06/06/08..........06/18/08........07/31/08........--/--/-- (>VSC)

Jonesie..............06/28/08..........07/05/08........07/25/08........10/23/08

summersolstice.......06/23/08..........07/07/08........08/15/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Canuck Carrie........06/30/08..........07/15/08........07/25/08........--/--/-- (>VSC)

Kitty_Cat............07/12/08..........07/14/08........08/08/08........12/08/08

jeeleebee............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/15/08........11/13/08 (>NSC)

jtkings..............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/14/08........11/18/08

Expatriot............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/12/08........11/25/08 (>NSC)

maika_tereza.........07/19/08..........07/21/08........08/15/08........11/06/08

fd_jaymz.............07/21/08..........07/25/08........08/22/08........11/11/08

fskrc1...............07/21/08..........07/28/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

patti................07/21/08..........08/08/08........08/28/08........11/18/08

Isleta521............07/24/08..........07/28/08........08/25/08........--/--/-- (>VSC)

amylovespaul.........07/26/08..........07/28/08........08/26/08........11/21/08

GregS................07/30/08..........07/31/08........08/22/08........11/18/08

ToddHill.............08/04/08..........08/06/08........09/16/08........--/--/--

NEDO2................08/04/08..........08/18/08........09/10/08........12/06/08 (>NSC/CSC)

Jomo's Girl..........08/05/08..........08/08/08........09/08/08........12/15/08

Juni.................08/16/08..........08/18/08........09/09/08........12/12/08

Internetkafe.........08/18/08..........08/20/08........10/02/08........01/03/09

Bulanglang...........08/20/08..........08/25/08........09/26/08........01-26-09

kml_36...............08/26/08..........08/27/08........10/01/08........--/--/--

Smile!...............08/28/08..........08/29/08........09/30/08........12/24/08

Carol&Marc...........08/28/08..........08/29/08........10/09/08........12/16/08

SnowXTC..............08/29/08..........09/02/08.....Never Received.....12/16/08

runaway73............09/01/08..........09/04/08........10/01/08........--/--/--

wonky................09/02/08..........09/04/08........09/26/08........12/24/08

shinkansen...........09/03/08..........10/11/08........10/25/08........--/--/-- (Walk-in Bio / Div. Waiver)

PrinceandPrincess....09/04/08..........09/08/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Oly..................09/09/08..........09/10/08........09/26/08........12/12/08

gsmaclean............09/18/08..........09/22/08........11/03/08........12/24/08

rkl57................09/21/08..........09/23/08........11/04/08........12/30/08

AnnaC................09/29/08..........09/29/08........10/30/08........12/29/08

mamatom..............10/01/08..........10/04/08........12/09/08........02/03/09

wherezdabearz........10/08/08..........10/14/08........11/21/08........01/05/09

janda................10/15/08..........10/24/08........11/25/08........02/26/09

Married My Love......10/24/08..........10/29/08........12/06/08........03/12/09

garyandmarylou.......10/25/08..........11/04/08........12/02/08........01/09/09

Patluv...............10/27/08..........10/28/08........11/29/08........01/22/09

thefish..............10/28/08..........--/--/--........11/26/08........01/14/09 <rec'vd date

illumine.............11/03/08..........11/04/08........12/22/08........01/08/09

Keigwyn..............11/13/08..........11/17/08........12/13/08........01/21/09

Senyorita80..........11/13/08..........11/22/08........12/08/08........01/20/09

Sweettweety..........11/21/08..........12/18/08........12/18/08........01/13/09

Megz.................11/24/08..........11/26/08........12/30/08........01/15/09

Wrumug...............11/26/08..........12/02/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Andaline.............11/16/08..........11/17/08........12/12/08........01/21/09

Candace..............12/01/08..........--/--/--........01/06/08........01/12/09

N8+Ying..............12/06/08..........--/--/--........01/03/09........02/11/09

Mychelle.............12/19/08..........12/24/08........01/14/09........--/--/--

Wichita..............12/29/08..........01/05/09........01/27/09........02/14/09

JohnL................01/04/09..........01/07/09........01/30/09........02/17/09

MichaelaHassan.......02/10/09..........02/12/09........03/07/09........--/--/--

Another1.............01/27/09..........01/29/09........02/24/09........--/--/--

Together2Love........02/17/09..........02/18/09........--/--/--........--/--/--

ReignVictorious......02/28/09..........03/07/09........03/26/09........--/--/-- (>VSC)

JayJay...............02/28/08..........03/04/08........03/29/08........02/13/09

Bjumanja.............12/19/08..........12/22/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

ClovesC..............03/02/09..........03/03/09........03/20/09........--/--/--

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REMEMBER: "Date of I-751" is the date you sent your petition - NOT the date it

arrived at the service center. "NOA1 Date" is the 'Notice Date' shown on the NOA1

NOT the date you received it.

March 13, 2009

Got the letter yesterday in the mail!!

:thumbs: I put it on the fridge and told my hubby there was a surprise in the fridge. He went right past the Letter and looked in and said OHHH!! You got my favorite beer!!

...and we were just getting ready to make an info-pass to see what was up.

March 11, 2009

Ah, it would have been lovely if we had been able to get married in Canada and then come back together, but instead I flew home to US from my honeymoon alone.

I am posting to tell you DO NOT try and get married there and have her try to come back to US. After my husband and I decided to bail on our US visa and me move to Canada, my husband came down to help me pack/move back to Canada. He had with him leases, letters from his employer, copies of my moving contract, a whole SLEW of stuff showing he would be only coming here for a few days to help me come back to Canada and he was taking off the airport shuttle bus at the border and held for quite a long while to determine if they were going to allow him to do this. It was a scary nervous time for him. Just my 2c.

March 7, 2009

Went to my DO today for an Infopass to see if there's been any action since I mailed in my RFE 3 wks ago / Get a stamp in my passport.
The IO that served me took a while to realize that my case was a waiver case... Started asking me about what docs I'd mailed in... Asking why we never did marriage counseling... Told me that CSC did their quarterly audit on 2/22 to see where all cases are at... Then told me that my case may take 18-24mo (despite anyone on this forum knowing that some waivers are getting approved within 2mo at CSC)... I did get my PP stamped for 1yr, but don't know why the IO felt the need to ask all the questions that she did...

Wow, that's pretty crummy to ask about counseling. Not sure exactly what business it would be at this point in time. Sometimes after people have an infopass appt it stirs up the pot and they get some action - hopefully that is your case.

If we don't hear anything in a few weeks I'm going to infopass and I'm thinking of printing our CSC case status list so I can show actual dates that others are flying by and getting approved. I'll prolly tick them off, but :whistle:

March 3, 2009

I don't have a crystal ball (lol..I have a bulging round pregnancy belly, does that count?)...but....

Ant, I re-read my post - I hope you don't think I was been a snothead. I wasn't and mostly my post is based on paranoia. And I do think that if someone has been waiting since June they should go before someone posted in October. I have just been getting that un-easy feeling as I see people getting approved that have app'd months after us.

And also wasn't being mean about the crystal ball, I think I thought I was being 'humorous' - anywho, I thought if you could look into any shiny object and tell me what has gone wrong with our package, hee hee... :thumbs: you get my drift.

March 2, 2009

Just curious, do you get your payment back?

February 28, 2009

Updating Janda and adding Craig2006 and Canuck Carrie. Congrats Janda!!