MonicaCO

Still waiting for an interview in Casper, WY.  I had an interview scheduled for last Friday but on the Thursday afternoon I get a call from Denver field office saying that my appointment is cancelled. I've called USCIS and the agent put in a service request to get me another appointment..hopefully, within the next 30 days.  I have also gotten my local Congress woman involved now since I think this is taking way too long.

It seems to be a current issue..... several people have stated this as well. I, also, didn't use a lawyer so I am anxiously awaiting the watermarked one since I am travelling in 4 weeks.  I almost always have a panic attack going through border control even IF I know that everything is in order.  This will be a very anxious return for me.

As soon as I am back from my trip....son's wedding takes precedence, of course..... I will begin the citizenship process.  Who wants to go through this kind of drama every ten years? I'm certainly not going to get any younger so it will add that extra layer of burden too. 

Received the courtesy letter just now.  I'm hoping that the watermarked one arrives soon.... I'll be travelling and returning to the states mid October only a couple of weeks away from my 1 year expiry so I'm happy to have this in my hands now.

Has anyone received the extension letter for 18 months yet?  We will be moving in 3 weeks so I'm nervous that it's going to get lost in the mail.

If someone is more familiar with the tracking form being used and would update my information for me to include that my biometrics were done sometime early November 2017...that would be appreciated.

I did have that conversation.  She pointed out to me that because I applied as "non citizen" then a green card is a required document.  She even pulled the form out to show me.

I got my NOA on Tuesday...Oct. 11/17.  So happy I could hand that in to my HR lady so I won't be terminated......PHEWWWWW!!

And now we wait for the biometrics letter and then the big wait.....SIGH!!

Monica

I all...I'm in this group too.  I mailed my documents overnight on Tuesday morning and tracking shows that it was received by the end of the day yesterday. So that's good.  Hubby will begin checking if the cheque is cashed tomorrow.  

Any information on how I can find out when the extension letter should arrive?  Where can I check on that.  My gc expires on October 24 and my human resources person at work tells me that if I don't have that extension letter to her before then, that I must be terminated for not having a valid gc.  She would reinstate me as soon as I have it but it would also mean that my health insurance would have to be discontinued.  Totally bummed right now......

Hi all.....feels so strange to be back on these forums, but it is the BEST source of information and I am so thankful for it.  Hello to all the Canadian peeps out there.

My window for filing is after July 31st and I'm starting to gather alllllllll of the things....lol.  My concern is that sometime in the next year we will be moving to another state....I don't have a definite move date.  If it can take a year to get my gc, how do I reliably notify the powers that be that I have moved?

Now, after previous comments, I am also concerned about becoming a US citizen.  My thought all along has been that I wouldn't take it (I am also very disconcerted by the oath renouncing Canada).  Being in my 50's I would more than likely move back to Canada to be closer to my son should something happen to my husband.  But now, with seeing comments....it could be possible that I wouldn't be able to inherit my husband's estate if I don't have citizenship?  Could someone send me a path to start researching this please?

Yes, I have used Karo light for my butter tarts here as well. It is lighter in colour and taste just a little bit....not the same as the Beehive brand back home...but it is a very acceptable substitute.

I am so sorry to hear that you haven't gone through. I hope that you can get your paperwork together quickly and all will proceed very soon.

My interview was on Thursday and I have notice this morning that my package left Montreal last night so I should have it tomorrow or Thursday I would think. I've just done the letter to Revenue Canada and I'll have to deal with taking my truck to the wrecker and sign off at the MTO and turn in my plates and inform the insurance company to cancel my policy. Other than that, I should be on the road by Saturday. I ended up getting the offer from a friend to drive me and my stuff in her minivan to Colorado and she would drive back on her own.

I hope that everyone gets their paperwork soon and gets moved and settled and we all can move on with our new lives.

Hi jhondhrey.... I may have missed you by only a little while. I was on the floor for my appointment time of 8:30 and was completely astounded that I was going back down the elevator.....WITH APPROVAL!!!.... at 9:30. I didn't expect to be done so quickly. How did yours go???

What a rollercoaster ride of emotions this last week has been. Surprisingly, once I got to the hotel I became extremely calm and was very very calm this morning until he said "I'm going to approve your application"....then I just sobbed for a few minutes. What a great feeling....like a ton of weight has been lifted. This process has been overwhelming at times but I'm so glad we found this site, stuck it through and did everything by the book.

That's the key....this site has the best information to follow. It's from people who have made the journey and are sharing their first-hand experiences. If you read the reviews and follow the guides you will be very well prepared. All the information you need is on the site and as long as you are prepared and organized, I think it should be very successful.

I will say that I am absolutely appalled at the way security treated some people. For the most part, I, myself was treated well. But, we are told all the way along...NO BAGS in the consulate....yet I arrive and see women ahead of me with purses being allowed in which surprised me. Yet here comes a man a few people behind me....he's using crutches and has one leg and has a small backpack and he gets turned away for it. He's an American citizen coming to request an emergency passport (you can't help but overhear every conversation it seems) and they won't let the man in with his backpack. He was directed to walk or get a taxi to the Eaton Centre and get a locker. I can totally understand the level of frustration this poor man was in. I saw him later arrive and go to a different window than ours but then I got called and didn't see him again. That's just sad.

And now, the big relief of knowing that I'm approved and can move ahead with my moving plans and hopefully leave within the next two weeks. My husband is very much looking forward to our finally being together, as am I. I can't wait to be back in the mountains again and not have to leave this time.

Good luck to everyone. I can't wait to hear your stories.

Monica

Good luck everyone on the interviews this week. I leave for Montreal tomorrow and mine is Thursday morning. Hopefully we are all done and wrapped up very quickly.

Congratulations NLR!!!

I'll be joining you there soon.....Finally!!! Interview is on Thursday, October 15 so I should be leaving about a week after that. Can't wait to be home in Colorado.

My appointment with Dr. Zatzman yesterday was very straightforward. Dr. Zatzman is very personable and easy to communicate with and his staff are very helpful. There is very little stress involved in the appointment itself IF you are prepared with all of your information. Dr. Zatzman has prepared a very thorough list of criteria on his website which is required by ALL of the panel physicians and should be followed explicitly to make things as simple as possible....specifically the information regarding vaccinations. All of the details are listed on the website. You MUST prove that you have had the MMR immunizations either by your immunization record or by the blood test from your doctor ahead of time. If the blood test is required at the time of the appointment, you will face a delay in the amount of time that it takes for your paperwork to be returned which will affect the timing to have the documents ready for your interview.

The website is very very simple to use and informative including the request appointment feature...I had my reply back the same day. Dr. Zatzman appreciates the use of the website and reviews on this site as well.

Plan for the normal long wait times when dealing with doctor's offices and lab/xray and you won't have any problems. It is a small waiting area (one stroller made a big congestion in the room). I arrived at 1:45 for my 2:00 appointment and left the building at 4:50. Parking was limited but at no charge and the building was very easy to locate.

All in all, it was a very good experience in the process and I appreciated his advice.

http://www.health1stmedical.ca/us-medical-exam-requirements.html

I emailed the address on the website this morning to say that I haven't been able to register my appointment and just got an email back saying to go ahead.... so now the appointment is registered and I've chosen the courier location.

My doctor's appointment is tomorrow afternoon and I have all the paperwork ready to go for that. OOOOOOOOOOO...this is getting exciting now.

We've decided that my Mom and I will fly down with about 4 suitcases and I hope to come back up in the spring to pick up the heaviest, awkward and fragile stuff that I can't bring down this trip. Only the essentials go with me now and that's all I'll need.... what remains of my clothes, my knives, computer and files.

I hope everyone else is progressing well.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.... I tried that idea already thinking to get something from Niagara Falls or Buffalo and a) can't get a cargo van and b) almost everything is based on a mileage rental and not unlimited miles.

I think what we're going to do is Mom and I will fly down... one way for me and return for her. Then I can have up to 4 suitcases (times 50lbs each) at a very reasonable price. I will continue to get rid of the excess that I don't really really love and start mailing down lighter items. I can leave the largest and most fragile stuff here with my Mom until sometime next year and do a drive up with hubby to pick up the rest.

I sent an inquiry to Fedex to see what sort of shipping charges would apply for me to send boxes/tubs of household items. The reply worked out to something like $1.47/lb which isn't totally awful, but then saw a statement that Fedex doesn't ship household goods. I'm not sure what to make of that statement really.

I also got a quote from Pods which was really really disappointing....I'd have to take my stuff to their storage facility to load a pod there since they would charge me mileage to bring it to me here. A 7' pod with a one month rental would work out to just over $3000. Renting a 10ft. uhaul truck would be cheaper at $2000 but then add on gas/hotels/food for 3-4 day drive.

That's my drama for the day. I'm going to stop thinking about it for now and focus on my medical on Tuesday (yaaay!) and then start getting organized for the interview (15th) and focus on packing when I am back from Montreal. Still can't book a flight until I have my passport in my hand since I'm not a very good gambler and won't hazard a guess when it will be back in my hands.

So.....the moving vehicle saga continues.....***sigh****

The smallest moving truck is going to cost me $2000.....using a moving company with my stuff well under the minimum weight is over $3000...and I can't even get a one-way car rental from Ontario to Colorado. I don't want to import my rattle trap of an SUV that may or may not get me there, but that may not be an option.

Alex.... any issues with registering your appointment.... mine comes back saying "not ready to register the appointment".... the CEAC site shows IN TRANSIT so I'm going to hope that is the issue

Anyone else having this issue?

Moving on to calling the doctors now.

I'll be on the phone tomorrow and let you know what I find out.

Interview letter (P4) just received by e-mail.....and naturally, LOL, my printer cartridge just died. Anyway, I'm very very excited. Now I can go ahead and book the medical in Toronto and gather all the paperwork and continue to patiently wait (HA!) for the interview. I booked my rental car and hotel yesterday.

I hope everyone else gets their letters very very soon too.

I'm looking at options to travel and stay in Montreal for the interview. Any suggestions?

I could do the 8 hour drive from Barrie, Ontario but I've never driven into Montreal before. I'm contemplating the train....it means a convenient, stress-less way to travel but a two night stay since there's no guarantee that I won't be finished the interview in time to make the return train back. Any hotel suggestions?

I am not stressing the interview so much now. I'm more looking at it as a formality since our paperwork was all accepted with no questions. As long as I'm prepared with the documents that they want and be very clear and polite in my answers, I expect it to go very smoothly.

To think...this could be finally over and moved there before the end of October. I can't wait to get on with my new life with my awesome husband who has been so so patiently waiting for me to get there. Who knew when we started how awful this waiting would be. Now that there is a final date, we can wait one more month....time will fly by.

Thanks to everyone on the board for all the support. Too bad none of us have the same day so that we can meet up and share stories.

WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!... So happy!!! I finally got through on the phone. October 15th at 8:30

I am over the moon happy.... only a month more to wait.

Thanks for the post Alex..... we have the same cc date and I am dialing the phone as often as I can now. Oh please let us get an October interview date too!!!

We also received our letter stating that "all documentation necessary to complete..has been received" on August 25th and are very very anxious to hear when the interview date in Montreal will be.

Is there a squeaky wheel factor involved? Will calling NVC every day have any effect?