My new Green Card arrived in the mail today.

One week exactly after our interview.

I don't think I will be pursuing Citizenship for a while.

So, for now my journey has ended.

Good luck to all :0

7 hours ago, torontoim said:

Also good luck with your interview today TGP! Here’s to good news and the end of this process for you! ☺️

Thanks!

Just got back from it...............Approved!!!!!!

Apart from the wait......Appt. for 8:30. We arrived at 8:15. It took 30 mins to pass through security. Checked in and assigned an interviewer at 8:45. Called in for interview at 10:25. We did the interview together. At no point were we separated. No hardball questions. Asked where we met, and when. Who attended our wedding. Who proposed, and how/where. Wanted to see latest joint tax return (2020 had not been included with the petition). I also offered documentation on a Joint Trust that we have been putting together. His final question was to me...why didn't I file for a N-400 as well? I explained that I misunderstood the timelines. He pointed out that If I had of filed the N-400 when eligible (July 24/2021), we would of been doing both interviews at once! He excused us so if could fill out some paper work, and ten mins later came out and had me an approval letter, and explained that I would be receiving my new 10 year Green Card (I thought it would only be 7, because of the 3 years already here) in a couple of weeks!

It's easy to say now, but try not to sweat it

Received another Form I-797C today.

Our interview is Oct. 01/21 here in L.A.

Hopefully all goes well

30 minutes ago, Ngyeu78 said:

Im MSC and still no date yet

39 minutes ago, Alexa210 said:

Is your case starting with MSC?

Yes it is.

I received the "case is ready to be scheduled for an interview" notice on June 30th

Received this today. Odd that they wouldn't tell me WHEN the interview is. Will keep an eye out for the mail.

3 minutes ago, TGP said:

That's good to know.

 

If I proceed with the N-400, I can submit it late Aug.

 

My thought process in applying for a N-400, while still waiting on an I-751 interview, is the combining of both applications into one interview. I've also read that applying for a N-400 during the I-751 process can expedite your application(s).

 

Regardless, I'm not anticipating a quick interview here in L.A., most likely will take over six months to get one.

 

You mentioned that you assume that they will use your already submitted Biometrics for your N-4000, did you omit the Biometrics fee from your N-400 application? It makes sense that they wouldn't need to do another needless Biometrics. But, I would hate to have the application sent back because I made the mistake of assuming that logic was involved

 

 

 

My bad (math)....you're right I could apply later THIS month

8 minutes ago, torontoim said:

There requirement is for 3 years of living in the United States together with your spouse after receiving your conditional green card, not 3 years of marriage to your spouse.
 

I’m a similar timeline to you. I got married in April 2017, applied for a CR1 visa which I received and activated in August 2018 when I moved to the US to live with my spouse which set the 3 year clock for me to apply for naturalization. However, you don’t have to wait until exactly 3 years after you activate your CR1 visa (conditional green card). You as a US citizen spouse can apply exactly 90 days (not one day earlier) prior to the 3 year anniversary of getting your green card and living with your spouse as long as you’ve met the minimum US residency requirement in each of those 3 years. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/uscis-early-filing-calculator

 

An absence of more than 6 months (more than 180 days) but less than 1 year (less than 365 days) during the period for which continuous residence is required (also called “the statutory period”) is presumed to break the continuity of such residence. (https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-d-chapter-3)

 

I was eligible to apply for naturalization in late May 2021 for a conditional green card issued in August 2018 with the 90 day early filing provision. With the timeline you described you shouldn’t have to wait until October, you might be able to file this month! 3 months can help cut into the long processing times for N-400s (which can still take over a year). 

That's good to know.

If I proceed with the N-400, I can submit it late Aug.

My thought process in applying for a N-400, while still waiting on an I-751 interview, is the combining of both applications into one interview. I've also read that applying for a N-400 during the I-751 process can expedite your application(s).

Regardless, I'm not anticipating a quick interview here in L.A., most likely will take over six months to get one.

You mentioned that you assume that they will use your already submitted Biometrics for your N-4000, did you omit the Biometrics fee from your N-400 application? It makes sense that they wouldn't need to do another needless Biometrics. But, I would hate to have the application sent back because I made the mistake of assuming that logic was involved

15 minutes ago, torontoim said:

Yep. For US citizen spouses, it’s 3 years to apply for naturalization, for everyone else it’s 5 years.

Being married for three years is only part of the requirement for Naturalization, you also have to of been living together for three years,

I married my US wife in May 2017. Soon after, we started the Spousal Visa process. In Oct. 2018 I arrived in States with a CR1 Spousal visa, and started living together with my US Wife. In Aug of 2020 I applied to have the conditions removed. I'm not eligible to apply for Naturalization until

Oct 2021......three years after we have been living together. I'm currently in the "Ready to be scheduled for an interview" stage

I brought along my Expired GC, and the Extension letter.

I just added 18 months to the date of my expired GC

I had no issue getting back into the States, but, because of my change in immigration status my Nexus privileges were on hold.

You can most likely get away with utilizing the the Global Entry Line once, or twice, but unfortunately your privileges are on hold until your petition is resolved.

It might not be the case for visiting Canada (apart from a 3 day stay in a Covid Hotel, and 14 days quarantining), but most certainly it will come up with the US

Customs and Immigration Official you deal with at pre clearence on the way back Stateside

1 minute ago, HRQX said:

Does CBP enrollment center not accept the 2-year GC with extension letter?

I can't say about the CBP, but my wife and I went to Mexico over the Christmas Holidays. When we flew back to LAX

I entered the Global Entry line (as you probably know, A Canadian Passport holder with a Nexus Pass is entitled to TSA Pre Check, Can/US expedited clearance, and the US Global entry program). When I filled in data on the Kiosk, I was Red Flagged. A secondary Agent came over and explained that because my Immigration Status was in the process of being changed, my frequent traveler program entitlements where on hold until the petition is finalized.

He was very kind about it, and let me through

Thanks for responding,

Perhaps, and just a thought, if you transition from a Tourist visa,  Work visa, or Student visa to an I-130 Spousal visa you have most likely

already gone through a more through vetting than someone who had stayed out of the States waiting for their CR1 to be approved.

It would make sense that applicants in this situation could be moved forward to decrease a Covid backlog because they probably already attended USCIS interview with their Spouse. My wife and I considered to option of a B2, and getting married, but I had too many Business and personal commitments that needed attending.

I believe it what the past Administration that changed the requirement that interview must take place in order to confirm that the marriage is legitimate and to move forward with issuing a IR1.

It would be great to not have to bother with an interview, but as long as the whole process doesn't go past the 18 month extension, we're not going to stress too much.

It does suck that my Nexus pass is on hold until this gets finalized!

Hello,

Congratulations to everyone who has had their Petitions approved.

We filed our I-751 Aug. 02, received Aug 06 and the I-797 was dated Aug 11/20. I did my Biometrics on Dec 09.

Everything was sent to Arizona, but our receipt number is from the National center (MSC).

I'm surprised by the speed that a lot of fellow filers have had their Petitions approved. I may be incorrect in this, but it does

seem that many of the filers that have had swift success have been K-1 applicants. K-1 applicants seem to have already had an interview, and their Biometrics

are on file. My wife and I went through the I-130 process. I had an interview at the Montreal Consulate, but we have not had an interview together.

I'm wondering how many approved Aug 2020 filers have gone through the I-130 process?

I paid the Immigrant online, and signed up for a USIS account (to check status) on Oct. 15, 2018.

On Oct. 24 I arrived in the USA, through pre-clearence in Toronto.

On Tuesday Oct. 30, on the suggestion of my immigration lawyer, I went to a local Social Security Office to apply for a number.

The Agent told me that I had already been issued a number (which she gave me) and that I should expect the card in the mail sometime the following week.

On Saturday Nov. 03, I checked my mail box and my Green Card was there, on Monday the 5th my Social Security arrived!

It took 10 days to receive my GC after arriving in the States....this somewhat makes up for the 16 months it took to process my CR1 visa!

14 hours ago, Amyrita said:

Congrats! Could you let us know how long it takes to get your passport back in the mail with the courier service?

Thanks

I'm expecting sometime this week, and will post when I get it.

2 hours ago, R.Q. said:

Congratulations and thank you for sharing this info. The old one you submitted was the visa/border with fingerprints and photo or the simple namecheck?

I am an IR-1/CR-1 applicant. It was a Visa/Border fingerprint with a photo, not a name check

25 minutes ago, Sonata Arctica said:

I want to update people on here about this whole debacle with the "Certified Criminal Check" that NVC is asking for.

 

I contacted RCMP and they told me that since I do NOT live in an RCMP jurisdiction (RCMP does not have jurisdiction in major cities), I have to go to my local police department for the criminal check. So I contacted the Calgary Police, and they said, "We do not do finger print criminal check and you have to go to a partner agency of RCMP to do those....we recommend Commissionaires". So I called the Commissionaires, and they said, "RCMP has told us NOT to do any of those certified criminal checks under the "Privacy Act", as those are supposed to be done ONLY for those individuals who have a criminal record and have been pardoned. For anyone who does not have a criminal record, a criminal check with finger prints CANNOT be obtained with the reason of "Privacy Act". Furthermore, the Commissionaires person said that RCMP has informed them to not just not do these checks, but also that they have lodged a complaint with the US Dept of State that they are asking for a document from Canadians that actually contravenes the rights of people here in Canada in some way (I don't know how)...basically meaning that the document they are asking for, from the people who are intending to immigrate, cannot be obtained because it does NOT apply to INNOCENT People who do not have a criminal record. So in order to prove that I have no criminal record, I have to get a document for myself that only is available for those who have a criminal record!!

Long story short, RCMP, Calgary Police, AND Commissionaires have all refused to do the Certified Criminal Check with finger prints under the Privacy Act. Commissionaires guy said however, that if I wanted to get it done with US immigration Visa as the purpose/reason, they could do it. Otherwise, no.

 

Someone please tell me how this makes sense, or what is the way out of it. We just got our NVC case number and paid our fees, so we havent submitted any documents yet. However, I understand that we do need to submit this certificate to the NVC in the coming days. So I want to be ready with it.

 

If any of you have any idea as to what we could do, please do share.

 

Thanks.

Thanks

I sent a pm to registered user who had an interview yesterday in Mtrl, and asked about his experience. He said that he wasn't asked for the new (??) background check, they accepted the certified fingerprint check based on immigration.

I hope this is the case as my interview is Friday.

If the RCMP did lodge a complaint, perhaps the Embassy has changed their mind? The other possibility is that the the September 10th date refers to documents uploaded to CEAC. If the NVC had qualified your documents before September 10th, maybe you don't need this new check?

My Lawyer confirmed to me today that as of Sept. 10 this new police check will be required.

If I don't get the certificate in time for my interview, I will still attend the interview. After the interview is complete, the Embassy will give me back my passport. When the certificate arrives I will then send it (along with my passport), via the courier service I registered with through the Embassy, back to the Embassy to complete the process.

If you don't have an interview date yet, do not be concerned about registering with the courier service, you will not be able to until you get that date.

I found about this new development on Sept. 4 late in the afternoon. I sent the request for the new certificate on Sept. 5, via a commissionaires ofice. I called the RCMP tracking line for an update today, and was told the the certificate was done and in the mail as of today!

It takes 5 business days for a letter to arrive from Ottawa to Halifax.

MY INTERVIEW IS SEPT 14.

3 hours ago, Jlomartin said:

I am leaving on Wednesday sept 12 to visit my fiancé in NJ. Then booked my medical on Sept 18 (we are driving out to MTL) and then I already bought a one way ticket from NJ to MTL on the Sept 25 and MTL to WPG on Sept 26 after my interview.

 

You would think that when they sent the P4 on August 29 to me they would have this information added since it takes effect on Sept 10.  Since I cannot cancel my flights or hotel for Sept 25 I’m going to take my chances to attend my interview without the fingerprints.  

 

I plan to to go today with hopes I can receive my fingerprint next week and my family to expedite this information to me in NJ before my interview. Or if they can have it ready by Wednesday morning since my flight is not until noon, I can pick it up rather than them mailing it out to me.

 

Hoping and praying it all works out for all of us.  Such a short notice of change.

I would suggest getting the request for a back ground check done today, or Monday. You will get the results mailed to your home by the RCMP in plenty of time for your interview.

You don't have an option to have to results sent anywhere else, and this is because you are making the request under the Privacy Act.

When your results arrive, have someone your know Fedex (or whatever) the enevelope to the Hotel you will be staying at in Montreal.

52 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

As US immigration has always had access to an applicants criminal history. The term Privacy act had me thinking they wanted more then just your normal background check. Looking into it I see by telling ppl to get it with those terms is a benefit as the fingerprint fee is waived. 

 

I sure hope they get things straighten out though. Too many places in Canada do not have more then one place to go for the police checks. 

 

 

http://www.johnhoward.ab.ca/pub/A5.htm

 

Yes. Under the Privacy Act of Canada, every individual has the right to request access to their own criminal record anytime. Requests can be made informally to the RCMP or local police, or the request can be made formally under the Privacy Act. If the request is made under the Privacy Act, the costs normally associated with fingerprinting will not apply.

When individuals request copies of their own criminal record from the RCMP, they will generally receive their full criminal record. This includes stays, acquittals, etc. However, individuals can also request a portion of their record, such as convictions only. If there are no convictions, the RCMP will provide the person with a letter stating this.

If an individual finds that there are inaccuracies and errors in his/her criminal record, the person can request corrections under the Privacy Act at the local police service. For more information on how to use the Privacy Act to access and correct criminal record information, call the Privacy Commissioner at the number listed on page 26 of this document.

I do believe that there is an ethics issue here. That is why some agencies are balking at doing the search. Best not to mention anything about this being a requirement by the Embassy to whatever agency you choose to make the request through. You do have the right to ask for the background check under the reason "Privacy Act Request", just tell them it's for your own personal use.

1 hour ago, Ontarkie said:

I'm going to guess that  the privacy act requirement is not legal in Canada and why some are refusing to do it. This is going to put many ppl is a bind if they don't have other options to get it. 

Bad guess. It is you as an individual who has a right to request this report under the auspices of the "privacy act". Who you share this report with is your choice.

1 hour ago, R.Q. said:

Thank you for this. This is what they did as the instructions on travel.state.gov are misleading. I went to Canadian Fingerprints in Toronto.

You're welcome. Good to get this done ASAP,  I have a feeling that the RCMP will be deluged with these requests very soon.

1 minute ago, R.Q. said:

No. I have the regular police certificate that searches the RCMP repository using name and birthdate.

Well, that's good.

I'm taking heart in SKB2017's post regarding clarification from their Lawyer. If this change did apply to people with qualified documents, and already

scheduled interview dates, surely the Embassy would of contacted us to inform us of this change. I think my Lawyer may have over reacted, but none the less, i did start the process just incase.

52 minutes ago, R.Q. said:

Thank you for posting this. I have no idea this changed, so I only have the regular Toronto Police Service certificate searched with name and birthdate. Going to Commissionaires first thing tomorrow but my interview is on Sep 19th. Please update us on your status when you can.

You didn't need to get a RCMP background check, with a fingerprint scan, and photo taken?

32 minutes ago, Mary Moore said:

TGP, which commissioner’s did you go to? The one in downtown Halifax doesn’t understand request or how to fill out form.

I'm currently in Shediac N.B. I dealt with the Commissioner's office at 272 St. George Blvd in Moncton. The officer I dealt with was named Terry Babin. I had forwarded him a copy of the email from my lawyer, explaining what to request. He called me back 5 mins later, and knew exactly how to make the request. He had a guide and was able to cross reference "privacy act" and "non-certified criminal information check"