LaurenJSchafer

My husband entered on February 13th. I didn't expect it this soon. Like the others, he did get his SSN card 3 days after getting home.  However, we were not able to pay online the $220. And upon asking for help from the help center we got an email saying that his case didn't support paying online? Anyone else have this weird problem? We are getting a bit of a run around about the actual green card processing. Shocking, I know. But if anyone knows anything about this? I was kind of thinking it might be because of the electronic filing? I really don't know. Either way, we haven't paid for the processing yet, and we can't figure out how to go about doing that. Thanks. 

For those of you who got your passports back via Canada Post, how many of them showed one date that kept getting moved? I am mildly panicked. We got the tracking number on Monday that said it would be at the post office on Thursday. Then it was Friday...Now it's says Saturday. I am flying up to Calgary on Tuesday to drive back home to NC with my husband on Wednesday. I am trying not to panic, after all we've made it this far. But what were your experiences? 

1 minute ago, Loois said:

I can only speak to the CR-1 visa, but the passport came back in a sealed package from Canada Post. We were definitely able to open everything beforehand. If I recall correctly, the package included the passport, original security check document, a general info sheet and maybe a few other original documents. We used the visa number in the actual passport to pay the fee online. I do vaguely recall reading that this might be different for the K1 visa (there might be a sealed package you have to wait to open), but that was not the case for us.

That was helpful. We have a CR-1 visa as well. The passport should be back by Thursday. And I am glad to know we can just open it to get the number to pay the fee for the greencard. Thank you so much!

On 12/30/2018 at 8:36 PM, Loois said:

Update: we received our passport pretty last night (9:30pm) at our home yesterday! Now currently in the US!!! 🙌

 

What happened with us is that our passport did not arrive on the Friday like the tracker said it would. Instead, the tracker showed that it was sitting in some facility in our city and did not move/change status for over 24hrs. So the next day Saturday, we called like crazy. Once in the morning, once early afternoon and again late afternoon. After much persistence we finally got patched through to a higher up manager who took our case seriously - we emphasized that it was a passport and we were on a deadline etc. They opened a “case” for us or something, put our file on priority. It was then delivered that night outside of Xpresspost’s normal delivery hours.

 

If your passport does not arrive on its scheduled date, it’s worth calling aggressively and letting them know that your passport is late and you need it urgently. Ask to speak to a manager if they try to brush you off. 

Hi, a few questions for you. When you got your passport back, did it come sealed and with anything else? We were given the impression that it was just going to be the passport mailed back. Also, was it sealed to be opened at the border? And what numbers did you use for your $220 payment? I know it said that we had to pay that before they left Canada, but it also said we needed a visa number. And I was confused that if we can't open the package until we get to the border, then how will we pay the fee? Just a little confused. Any help you can offer from what happens after the interview up to the border crossing would be appreciated. Thanks.

So what's the passport return time averaging? Granted it is the holidays, and things *should* be a bit better after January starts. Just curious.

I am sure this is somewhere in this thread, but...well, we've all been together so long (haha) that I can't find the answer. We are planning for our January interview, and I am trying to do a little budgeting. I believe the guy at the Montreal Medisys said $455 for the medical. 1) Can anyone confirm this? 2) How much is the visa at the consulate? I vaguely remember that we have one more fee to pay at the consulate. Anyone know? Thanks! 

Just booked our medical in Montreal for the Friday before our interview on Thursday. Getting excited!

Got our interview!!!! Case completed October 1st. Interview date January 24th!!! I am so happy!!! 

Easy does it everyone. This process is hard enough without us turning on each other. No one is pleased with the timing, but we are in this together. Let's all give each other a little extra grace. Being without our loved ones, especially around the holidays, is hard. It's harder if our stress from all of this gets the better of everyone. 

1 hour ago, Courtney86 said:

Thanks for the response! I emailed them and they got back to me a couple days ago. They said they usually send them back with the passport, but because of the strike they won't send them right now and gave the option to have them picked up. (Unfortunately we are in Calgary)

 

What was unclear was if they won't send them *at all* because of the strike, or just not right away. So I responded back asking to clarify that and haven't heard back yet. That said, looks easy enough to replace both. I was frustrated thinking of the effort and money to deal with it but what's another $60 at this point 😂

Hey Courtney, so I remember you saying that you were in Calgary. Just to be clear... because we are looking at staying for a couple of weeks in Montreal if this is true...they gave you the option of picking up your passport in person? I read that they were only allowing certain people to pick up in person (ON and QC residents), which didn't make sense to me. But if you wanted to and had chosen to stay and wait, you could have picked up your passport in Montreal, correct? We are planning on staying a couple of weeks to do the medical, the interview, and then wait on the passport if we can pick it up in person. Thanks for your help. Congrats again! 

@centralpork With picking up the package, are you from ON or QC? We're from BC, and we need to wait if they will allow us to wait as opposed to waiting on the strike to be over. Just hoping they'll let everyone wait if they can...

Did anyone get interviews at the end of this month? 

13 hours ago, Zara7860 said:

Hi today I called nvc they told me same thing do you how long waiting time 

It means once the NVC assigns you a case number and an IIN you  will be submitting all of your documents online. After you upload all of your documents, then you will get a document qualified email notice. From that point on it could be 2-3 months before you receive an interview date. 

1 hour ago, bizzai said:

 

CC 10/18.

 

I received 2 messages from NVC at the same time. One saying the petitioner does not meet the minimum income, but I included my assets here in Canada as proof of assets and we filled out form i-864. Second message saying we are documentarily qualified. Wondering what we should do now?

As much as this sucks to hear, it means that the interviewing consular officer will make the decision at the interview. I would bring as much proof of income to the interview as you can in order to show that you meet the requirements. You are just going to have to plead your case at the interview. You may also want to show that your spouse has a trade or a profession that will earn an income. They just want to know that we're not bringing our spouses into the country whereupon they will be come dependent on the government for assistance. Hope this helps. 

19 minutes ago, KN2018 said:

We just got our case closed/ documentarily qualified with the NVC today (October 17th)! So happy to be on to the final steps. For any other October filers out there, I am wondering if we might get interviews in December. I count 12 people on here from August who got interviews in November. I count 6 from September who are waiting to hear about interviews. Maybe they will be able to squeeze in some October people in December? Perhaps optimistic but... fingers crossed! 

KN2018 we should start a list like the August filers did. Do you want to copy and tag the other September and October people that you know about in this? Courtney made this suggestion, and I think it's a great idea! 

@LaurenJSchafer CC 10/01

@KN2018 - CC 10/17

33 minutes ago, MissMyHusband said:

Is case complete when NVC accepts all documents? 

Yes, and they will send you an email that says "Document Qualified". Good luck! 

12 minutes ago, Courtney86 said:

Can't figure out how to edit my last post, but I already called and answered my own question. The latest day you can book medical for that interview date is Nov. 7th. Didn't sound like they had too many appointments open, so I rec. booking asap if you need one and don't want to be in Montreal longer.  

Hey Courtney, congrats on your interview date! I was wondering about the medical. You said the latest you could book for the medical was the 7th for your 13th interview. Does that mean only if you wanted to do them both at the same time in Montreal? For example, if we get an interview date for December as opposed to spending a week in Montreal waiting for the medical then the interview, we could just go to a different civil surgeon correct? Book the one in Surrey a couple weeks before the interview? Does that make sense? I am assuming you wanted to do your wife's medical and the interview all at once in Montreal, but we don't have to right? 

23 minutes ago, Alyssamac90 said:

Ugh, i can’t believe nothing has been booked yet for November! 2 weeks from now! I feel for you people who have CC dates at the beginning of August and pretty much know your interview is going to be at the beginning of November but cant book your medical or airline tickets yet, especially if you live far from Montreal! 

 

I’m from Ottawa, CC date Sept 21. I know it’s unlikely for me to get a date in November but I’d love for them to be booked so I know how far they got and how likely it is that I’ll get an interview in December. It would be really nice to spend Christmas with my husband

I understand completely. My son's birthday will pass (again), and now it looks like Christmas will pass (again) before  my husband gets home. It truly is just a waiting game now, but  it is agonizing nonetheless. Hang in there, one day at a time. 😕 And we were so hoping to not have to make the cross country trip home in the dead  of winter. It's a 4 day drive from eastern BC to western NC. 

I am from western NC, little town called Lenoir. My husband is from Red Deer, AB but he lives in Kimberley, BC now. 

Did anyone get interviews today? 

2 minutes ago, Kat & Jim said:

Congratulations ! Hopefully you don’t have to wait that long. I wonder if Montreal will start scheduling appointments more quickly. I’m currently not yet at that point yet but everyone that has had a CC in the past 2 months or more, has had to wait a long time. Yes, I agree it’s Progress. 😊 

Hoping everyone gets an Approval, CC or Interview soon. 

 

I hope so too! And I agree, maybe the slow down on Montreal's end was because of vacations. That was the word on the street at least. And I get that, Canada only has a few weeks in the summer when it's warm enough to go outside for a little while LOL! But now that vacation season is over, maybe they'll speed up the scheduling. Fingers crossed! 

We got our case complete today! I am guessing another three months? But yay! Progress! 

Congratulations everyone on your interview dates! Make sure you let us know how the medicals and the interviews go! Very happy for you all! 

I am a little confused. How did you know when your case was complete? Do they send a message on the NVC CEAC? Or was it just when all the documents show accepted? I asked once before and no one answered. I hate to feel like I don't know when clearly someone in here knows. Thanks and good luck.

8 hours ago, darth vader said:

I also got my case complete! Thanks! 

From September 11th until when did you get your case complete? And did they send you an email or anything saying that it was complete? Everything was submitted for me and accepted on the 19th. Thanks!