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3 hours ago, KimchiLumpia said:

This is truly odd.  I followed many Canadian K1 Visa filers here on VJ before me, and have never heard of this happening.  The day our CEAC status showed "Ready", my fiance and I downloaded the online packet 3 information, emailed the 3 requested documents, and received our packet 4 email with no problems.  My fiance did not receive her paper packet 3 in the mail for 2 weeks after we sent our emailed packet 3 documents.

The question remains: will you have to resend the packet 3 information again once you receive the paper packet 3?  Or, will they just process the packet 3 email you have already sent, and will receive a packet 4 email once they have processed it?

I'd recommend posting your situation in the Canada sub-forum:
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/93-canada/
 

When our status switched to 'Ready', I also sent in the packet 3 info to Montreal however we didn't receive Packet 4. After 3-4 days, they sent the Packet 3 email so I resubmitted the checklist and we got our Packet 4 email that night. I'm not sure why it works for some people and not others but don't be too worried-they will email you Packet 3 in the next few days hopefully!

2 hours ago, M3chwarrior said:

Thank you for the info. We filed before getting the letter as well. The CEAC said ready, so we went ahead and did it. I guess we may have to do it again when we get the notice. That great news about the interview slots! hopefully we get the emails, and can get the ball rolling. If I'm not mistaken, we can not schedule the interview until after receiving packet 4, correct?

Right! I think you probably can but they include in packet 3 that interviews scheduled prior to receiving packet 4 might be cancelled without notification so probably safer to wait. 

1 hour ago, M3chwarrior said:

Hey guys, I've got a quick question on the packet 3, packet 4 thing... We filled out the ds160, and emailed all of the things the packet 3 from Montreal wanted. Is the packet 4 an emailing, or do they send it snail mail? and what is everyone's experience on timing for this? We emailed the packet 3 two days ago. Thanks in advance guys, you are all a font of knowledge!

Our packet 4 came via email from Montreal. We emailed the checklist and everything on 3/22 prior to actually receiving the packet 3 email once our status said ready. Then on 3/24 we received the packet 3 email, responded to it again with the same info and received packet 4 on 3/28! Some people had much faster responses than that so fingers crossed for you  Also, FYI they had a bunch of interview slots still available for April when we booked ours last week. It looked like every Wednesday starting 4/19 they had openings. We picked 5/3 just because it worked logistically for our schedules.  Good luck! 

1 hour ago, KimchiLumpia said:

Ok, I just read one of your posts in the Grenada portal.  So your fiance is actually a resident of Canada?  

If this is the case, after you email returned Packet 3 to the Canadian Embassy, they will reply with Packet 4 instructions.  The Packet 4 reply from the Canadian embassy was fast.  It took literally 12 hours to receive.|

In your Canadian Packet 4 email, you will find information on scheduling your interview.  On the interview scheduling website, you will pay your K1 Visa fee of $265 - we paid $358 CAD.  Also, the Packet 4 email is what you will print out and bring to the interview along with the checked listed items as requested in Packet 3 and 4.  

Hope this clarifies everything for you.  

 

Thank you! It's a little bit complicated because he's a Grenadian citizen but has been a permanent resident in Canada since 2011 and currently lives there so we are applying through Montreal. Hopefully our packet 4 comes back as quickly as yours did! Thank you again- that was super helpful!

6 hours ago, KimchiLumpia said:

I'd like to add clarity to this post regarding scheduling the medical and interview after receiving your NVC case number.

Many new VJ members always mention, there is good specific information regarding how to file a K1 Visa I-129F petition, but, where is all the specific information on how to schedule an interview or medical in my country?  Where do I find this information?

First, after receiving your NVC case number, you will take that number and track your case on the CEAC website here:
https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?eQs=o/iS8zDpeAKjMWCuebHqOw==

Once your case is received and says "Ready", you will be able to start scheduling your medical and interview.  This is where it gets a bit tricky and country specific.

Before you are able to schedule a medical or interview, your foreign fiance's country will send a step-by-step checklist of items required to be completed first.  This checklist is what is loosely known as "Packet 3".  I say loosely, because every country is different.  Some countries literally call it "Packet 3".  Some countries call it a simple "Checklist".  Some countries have no name for it. 

Regardless of what it is called, this Packet 3 checklist will be mailed to your foreign fiance.  However, some VJ members report they never received their Packet 3 checklist in the mail.  Fortunately, many countries have this Packet 3 checklist available on their US Embassy website.  Realize however, every country does this differently.  

For example:

Canada's Embassy website provides a downloadable Packet 3 checklist PDF: https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/fiancee/

Ukraine's Embassy checklist is directly written on their website:  https://ua.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/fiancee-visa/how-to-apply/

 

This Packet 3 checklist generally includes: Submitting your DS160 online, getting your affidavit of support evidence, getting your police records report, and other information required at interview. 
 

Now remember: THIS CHECKLIST IS COUNTRY SPECIFIC!!!!

 

If you read the links above:

In Canada, you are to schedule your interview first THEN schedule your medical.
In Ukraine, you are to schedule your medical first THEN schedule your interview.

So when a VJ member gives you advice on what to do, make sure that advice is geared specifically to your foreign country.  

I took my time to write this post because I had a ton of questions myself regarding what to do with my NVC#.  Fortunately, I connected the dots with the help of the VJ members here.   And, I want to help others answer the same questions I had. 

If you've received your NOA2 and are waiting for your NVC#, I recommend checking your foreign fiance's embassy website and see what their packet 3 checklist requirements are.  Remember, your CEAC status must first be "Ready" before you can schedule your medical or interview.  

Just make sure you take the proper checklist steps that are specific to your country prior to scheduling your medical or interview.  

And if you're not sure....ask!  Especially make sure to ask those who's foreign fiance share the same country.

I hope this helps others connect the dots on their visa journey as well. I think I'll go to bed now. 

Do you have to pay an additional fee prior to scheduling your interview? I just emailed packet 3 and remember reading about a fee but assumed it was with the ds160. I'm hoping our packet 4 is sent back as quickly as yours so we can go ahead and schedule!

1 minute ago, geowrian said:

Alright. If he still has legal status, he just needs to carry proof of that (and show it if asked) then he should be fine.

Thank you, geowrian! This thread has been so helpful during this super stressful process. Good luck to everybody!

6 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Sorry but I can't help with Canada's visa process. However, in order to obtain an immigration benefit at an embassy, you must have legal status within that country. If he currently has no legal status, then that will probably be an issue. I just don't know Canada's laws regarding status during a renewal. In the US, having your green card expire does not mean your status expires, but Canada could be different with how they handle LPRs.

Thank you for such a quick response! I'm pretty sure Canada handles status during renewal the same way as the US as he is still able to work, travel etc within Canada. My question isn't so much about the PR card process but about the us embassy seeing it as a problem during his interview for the K1 visa.  I know they will look at his passport and am hoping to avoid any possible issues!

I have sort of a specific question for you guys but am hoping someone might be able to help! My fiancé is a permanent resident in Canada and his PR card expired in October of 2016. He applied to renew it in July but it is still in progress (?). Will this be a problem when we go for our interview in Montreal? He will have his current Grenadian visa as well but as he lives in Canada I'm not sure if it will be a problem. He applied for the renewal before we got engaged so it's complicated having two pending but I'm just hoping it won't affect our visa!

Perfect! Thank you!!!

Hi everyone! So I'm in the process of filing a k1 visa and I just have a quick question. My fiancé is from Grenada (in the Caribbean) but is a permanent resident of Canada. Can he apply for the visa in Montreal or does he have to go back to Grenada? Thank you for the help!