SunnyTiger

Agreed - you don't pick them up.  What happens is that you have to wait for the bags to transfer from your Regina flight to your next flight.  Gist of it is that you scan your boarding pass which then checks to see if your bags have been transferred over to intl flight.  If yes, you're allowed to go into customs. If no, you wait in a room until they get transferred over.  Learned way too much about this last summer when the luggage system broke and hubby got stuck in Toronto overnight!

Wow, thanks for sharing.  I had a new job offer last year and no one, not even a lawyer we consulted told us of that option.  We finally have our interview in two weeks after originally filing in April 2018.  I do hope your posting will help others!

I'm not sure where to post but I just wanted my story out there in case anyone else gets in the same position as I was.  
our history....
me Born in Canada. My husband born in USA. He came to Canada, became a permanent resident, we met and got married we had 3 children to whom we all gave born abroad status to when they were born in case they ever in their lives wanted to go live in the United States. My husband became a Canadian citizen. Life was good. Fast forward 12 years he gets the job offer of his life in Philadelphia and accepts without thinking bringing me would be an issue.  
We filed I130 in March and got Nebraska. I was led to believe there was nothing I could do to expedite our case so we just sat for months waiting for something to happen.  In Aug we got fed up, hired a lawyer who wrote to the Montreal office asking for DCF. They gave us an appointment in Toronto to file DCF Aug 30. We heard  back Sept 30 with packet 3, sent that back, packet 4 came on Oct 3rd with interview Date Oct 18th. I needed to get a police check and medical done in that short time. Unfortunately my police report didn't get returned to me in time (I did it Oct 4 at commisionaires, showed completed Oct 7 but never  arrived in the mail until Oct 23) I went to my interview they only really asked about my police check and if I have ever been in the US longer then 6 months. Gave me a form to send back free courier with my police report and passport said everything else was fine. I couriered back on Oct 23. They sent it back to me on Oct 30 complete. I drove directly across the border, they processed me quickly at the border. So total process took exactly 2 months from dcf to permanent resident even without having my police check at the interview.
 
 

So far, up through July 4th on DQ.  Hopefully tomorrow will bring more IL's!

So far, up through July 4th on DQ.  Hopefully tomorrow will bring more IL's!

Hi!  Can you please add me to the group?  I applied for CR1 for my husband and we became documentarily qualified on June 21.  We still haven't heard back regarding our interview date.  Thank you!

I was inspired by someone in another thread to make a chart of CR1 and IR1 interviews based on the available data (starting March 2017). July 2019 was the worst month by far for both. I'll update it once August data comes out if anyone is interested.

Would someone be able to add me to the group for the IR-1/CR-1 applicants? Just received my CC today, but from browsing this thread it seems that we may be waiting for a while to receive a date. 

Hi. We've applied for an IR1/CR1 visa and were DQ on Sept 3. We're still anxiously awaiting our interview date and it sounds like the embassy has gotten really backed up over the summer - can someone please add me to the IR1/CR1 group. Have any new interviews been announced recently? 

After months (and months) of lurking, the wait for a Montreal interview has finally driven me to actually sign up for VJ!  I am CC June 11, so I'm really really hoping for a November IL.    Can I please be added to the private message for us CR1/IR1 hopefuls?

I would like to be added to this group as well please! My husband is immigrating and just got his Montreal interview date on oct 25th after waiting for 4 months for our date.  

Can you add me? I got DQ on Sep. 18, waiting for interview in Montreal. 

@Kartineecartoons can you please add me to your group? not DQ yet but id like to follow until i am

Just got our interview date for Oct. 29th. We were DQ as of May 28! 
 

Just got our interview date for Oct. 29th! DQ on May 28th!

I've gone both ways with my pups.  What is required to cross the border is proof of rabies vaccination.  They also recommend getting an international health certificate filled out at the vet.

We are still waiting too - was DQ on June 4th.  

Drop it in the mail marked 'return to sender'. Then USCIS will use other means to contact that person (email or phone).
 
Also, it would be great if you modified picture to block the street address? Just thinking of personal privacy for this individual.

I'm not going to argue (pointless to do so on the internet), but I do know many, many Canadians who entered the US on a visitor visa and then did AOS after they arrived in past years.  Previously it wasn't an issue, but now it is not recommended based on how they are looking at the cases.  With you being from the Philippines and other poster from Taiwan (or your sig other) that wouldn't have been an option for you as you need a visa to get the US in the first place, while you typically don't need one from Canada.

We did a similar thing and filed the I-130 from Canada and then I (USC) moved to Texas first.  Hubs got a TN visa when we realized how long the process would take.  He did have trouble at the border once and nearly was turned away, but eventually they let him through.  
 
Filing the I-130 and I-1485 at the same time is now discouraged due to current administration practices, according to a lawyer we consulted...unless you waited at least 3 months after entry on a visitor visa or something.  Previously when Canadians would cross over under a visitor visa and then file for AOS it was ok, but not now in current political climate.  
 
Once our I-130 was approved, we were advised that we could continue with consular processing or file the I-485 and it wouldn't be an issue then.  We are going back to Montreal for his interview...whenever NVC schedules him for an appointment.  Mainly our reason is to get it finished up and there is a major backlog of cases in Houston.  Total timeline is 15+ months and counting since we started this process from Calgary.
 
One thing to note, I ended up buying the house in my name only for the deed and mortgage since he didn't have a SSN or legal status in the US when I closed on the house.  Maybe its the state or the lender, but just thought you may need to be aware of that.
 
YMMV and good luck!

No, but the interpretation of it has changed.