onesassygirl

I posted this in another thread but I don't know if you'll see it:

There is one airline that doesn't require you to go through US Customs in Canada: WestJet. Everytime I flew WestJet to the States, my POE was always in the States--not the Canadian city I departed from. I don't know if they are still doing this or if it is only with particular cities/airports, and I don't know if they have flights to JFK... I was going to check but their website was taking forever to load.

If you're comfortable with bringing cash, go for it. If not, there are a few online foreign exchange services (like Custom House) that will move your money from your Cdn bank account to a US account and vice versa. There are no fees, and the exchange rate you get is pretty decent. It's been pretty handy so far.

I'm going to go to Halifax first then fly from there as I too want that stamp from JFK.

Mo

You clear US Customs at Halifax now -- trust me, I was there and through it this morning. They built a beautiful 2nd floor for all US departures and opened it up recently. So no-go at Halifax, sorry, unless they stamp there and we don't know it yet!

There is one airline that doesn't require you to go through US Customs in Canada: WestJet. Everytime I flew WestJet to the States, I always went through Customs in the States. I don't know if they are still doing this or if it is only with particular cities/airports, and I don't know if they have flights to JFK... I was going to check but their website was taking forever to load.

Not quite sure about Montreal, but Vancouver did want the income tax return with the W2. I'm assuming Montreal is as #######, if not more so?

So a woman from Medisys is saying that in order to pick up a copy of my medical, I need a WRITTEN request from the montreal consulate requesting a copy????????

I thought I could just go and pick one up. Has anyone else run across this???

Did you show them a copy of the Packet 3 checklist when you went for your medical? That should be sufficient...

And you don't need another copy of the whole medical for AOS; you only need a copy of the vaccination supplement DS-3025 (to be transcribed to an I-693A by a civil surgeon for the AOS application when you get to the States).

And what if it takes months for my biometric letter to come? I really don't want to miss out going on this trip with him. We only have each other here where we live (family lives hours away). And since I have just moved here, I really don't have any friends yet, and I don't want to be stuck at home all by myself like a little hermit, when I could be with him. Three weeks is a long time... we were in a long distance relationship for 5 years, and don't want to spend any more time apart if we can help it.

Hi all,

I got my NOA1 for EAD and AOS on Dec. 13. I've looked at other people's timelines and have noticed that they get their biometrics appt scheduled within 2 weeks to a month of the NOA. Is it safe to assume this is the average time it takes from NOA to the biometrics appt?

My husband is going away on a 3-week (straight) business trip starting Jan. 11 and I really would like to go with him. I have no idea when my biometrics letter will arrive, and we have no one to check our mail for us if we go away. If I go away with him and don't receive the letter before then, what are the repercussions of missing the biometric appt? Can it be re-scheduled?

Any input/advice will be greatly appreciated.

Apply for:

- Adjustment of Status (AOS) - to get your conditional 2-year green card

(http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=307)

- Employment Authorization Document (EAD) - to get a work permit so you can work while waiting for your green card

(http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=309)

- Social Security Number (SSN) - needed to open a bank account (in some cases), for employment (once you have your EAD), etc.

(http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=309)

- Advance Parole (AP) - to get travel authorization so you can travel outside of the US while waiting for your green card

(http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=309)

She can use her married name now. You have your marriage certificate to prove the name change.

Hi everyone,

I was hoping someone could help me with a few questions that I have. I am faxing in my packet 3 checklist to the Vancouver Consulate.

1) If the document is not applicable to me i.e. court and prison records, do I still have to check it.

I didn't check it. I put "N/A" beside the box".

2) On Step 3 it states "Complete on-line form DS-156 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application-in duplicate),..." What does "in-duplicate" mean?

Fill it out twice.

3) Do the photos have to be 50mm x 50mm? I read that they are ####### about that on here before.

My pictures were not exactly that size. The lady who took my papers at the interview said they were not the right size, but they accepted them anyway.

4) Proposed Date of Marriage. Do I have to give them an exact date?

I wrote "As soon as visa is granted".

5) Proof of Engagement. Are photos, telephone records, and plane tickets suffice? Should she send me another letter of intent?

Yes, those will suffice. Another Letter of Intent would be a plus. I brought all these things with me to the interview, but the interviewing officer didn't ask to see a single thing.

Thank you for the responses. Good luck to everyone on here.

we put them both on one cheque (total $575) and they took it.

James has two middle names, but his EAD only has First, Middle Initial (of the first middle name) and Last name, so they've ommited one of his names too. How it can affect things though, I don't know (he doesn't really use his middle names or initials, so if you do I dunno if it's different). There is only so much space on the card for names though. I also have 5 names but my SS card only has first name, two of my middle intials, maiden name and married name due to lack of space.

My SS card has my first, first middle, maiden and married names. My NOA had my second middle name (which I don't go by often) instead of my maiden name (which I do use often). I called USCIS and had the names switched so that they put my maiden name in place of my second middle name. Argghh.. it sucks having so many names. Why couldn't my parents have kept it simple??

I have a very short name 4 letters in first name and 5 in last. My NOA didn't include my middle name either, nor did my husbands NOA for his I-130. I don't think its a big deal.

Hmm.. I wonder if they put the whole name (including middle name) on the actual EAD and Green Card.

If NOAs usually don't include middle names, can someone tell me whether they put your whole name (first + middle + last) on the EAD or GC? I'm really ####### about getting my whole name on all my important documents...

I have a very short name 4 letters in first name and 5 in last. My NOA didn't include my middle name either, nor did my husbands NOA for his I-130. I don't think its a big deal.

Hmm.. I wonder if they put the whole name (including middle name) on the actual EAD and Green Card.

So I just received my NOA for AOS and EAD today, and noticed that they kinda screwed up my name. My (married) name is suuuuuper long (5 names in my whole name) and they only put the first 3 and my last name (they omitted my middle name). Is this a big deal? I go by a shorter alias (3 names long), which I put on the application under "other names", and is usually the name I go by; it includes my middle name which was omitted on the NOA. Who do I contact to get this straightened out?

My pictures were also the Canadian requirement, but the consulate still took them.

Only reason why I didnt have the cheques directly put into my Cdn account was that I had planned to close it. I like using Custom House, usually gives a much better exchange rate than the banks. And using ATM's to take out $$ while in the USA drawn on a CDN account can incurr extra fees, probaly not much though. Just my 2 cents

I looked up the fees my bank charges for withdrawing money in the US: $3.00 per withdrawal + exchange rate + 2.5% of the converted amount. Plus, the US bank machine I withdraw from may charge an additional fee.

How does Custom House's fees look compared to this?

No fees... just straight exchange from bank to bank... it does this through an Electronic Funds Transfer...

I just actually called them. It sounds like the better option of transferring money between accounts.

Only reason why I didnt have the cheques directly put into my Cdn account was that I had planned to close it. I like using Custom House, usually gives a much better exchange rate than the banks. And using ATM's to take out $$ while in the USA drawn on a CDN account can incurr extra fees, probaly not much though. Just my 2 cents

I looked up the fees my bank charges for withdrawing money in the US: $3.00 per withdrawal + exchange rate + 2.5% of the converted amount. Plus, the US bank machine I withdraw from may charge an additional fee.

How does Custom House's fees look compared to this?

As for the checks, I get them directly deposited to my Canadian bank account that I left open just for this reason. I then take the money out here at an ATM. Because my bank account is in my maiden name, my EI file is also in my maiden name.

Hmm.. that's a good idea. I don't know why I didn't think of that. I was worried about having to do it the way flames9 does it.. Thanks for the tip!

Can we cash cheques in Cdn funds into US bank accounts?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8 Lots of info on there

you get paid by a cheque in Cdn funds!!!

There is at least a 2 week waiting period, plus depends on how much severence $$ u received from last job!!

Yeah, I've skimmed that... it didn't clarify some of the other questions I had though!

Thanks for the info.

Hi y'all,

Just a few concerns regarding EI:

1.) How soon do you start receiving EI benefits after sending all the necessary documents?

2.) How do they send you the check/money? (i.e. in CDN or US funds? can they electronically deposit the money into a US account? etc.)

3.) My EI application was in my maiden name. Assuming that they send me a check in US funds, I am assuming it will be made out to my maiden name, but my bank info here is in my married name. Can I request that my checks be made out to my married name?

Any input will be highly appreciated! I'm still a little in the dark about what happens after submitting my EI application (and I can't access the archived EI thread to read all about it!).

All I've received so far after submitting my application online is a questionnaire from them asking for information regarding my citizenship and whether or not I have a US work visa. They are not asking for copies of my I-94 or K1 Visa, and I do not have my EAD yet. I am sending back the questionnaire with my ROE. Should I also send in copies of my I-94 and K1 as well since it looks like that's what VJers have done in the past?

And regarding the maiden/married name thing, should I submit a copy of my marriage certificate as proof of the name change?

Yeah I filled them out typing, that was no problem. But the DS156, the one you kinda have to go and do online in a special way? That one wont work for me. If I understand correctly there's supposed to be a barcode generated on that. I can't get it to work =/

You might want to try another computer with a fully functional version of Adobe Reader to fill out your DS-156. I'm thinking Vancouver might be ####### about having the barcode.

Ok I have been ringing round my approved M.Ds this morning and they have confused me as to which vaccinations I require,Im over 50 and have a current diphtheria,tetanus,polio,just done in Feb of this year in U.K. and good for 10 yr,MMR had that when a child same with chicken pox,got Hep A also,so Im needing a flu shot for definate,but one nurse I spoke to said I would require another tetanus shot as I needed two?but none of the other nurses I spoke too mentioned this,can anyone enlighten me please,thanks,oh and as a by note the charges for this service varied from 35 to 142$.

For ages 18-64, you need:

Td (Tetanus & Diptheria)

MMR (Mumps, Measles, Rubella)

Varicella (Chicken Pox)

Show proof that you got the Td shot, MMR and Chicken Pox (immunization records). You do not need another dose of Td if you just got one this year. If you don't have the immunization records, you can get a blood titre test done to check if you have these in your system (except for Td--the titre test cannot detect these toxoids, so you'll have to get them re-done).

so since i have digital phone and it is free to call iowa that means our overseas calls are free?

yep, to the listed countries.