kachab

Generally, all the USCIS contact info and tools are in this link: https://www.uscis.gov/contactcenter
 
The phone number is 1-800-375-5283. When you call there is voice recognition and they ask you to say what is the reason for your call. If you say "Infopass", you will be transferred to an actual person. 
 
Since my card took 8 months to arrive, I called them many times and honestly, many of them were not useful and one in particular gave me wrong information that made me waste a lot of time. 
 
Based on my experience, the main thing that you need to do if you are passed the 90 days, is to file an e-request ("Did not receive card by mail" request) here: 
https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/displayNDCForm.do?sroPageType=ndc&entryPoint=init
In the "form" drop down you have to select OS155A and your receipt number the IOE number that should appear in your MyUSCIS account that you created when you paid your immigrant fees and where you can track your green card. When I filed mine, they then said that they would get back to me within 30 days. However, after that 30 days, they told me that they needed another 90 days to investigate or issue my green card! That felt like a slap in the face, but my green card actually did show up 45 days after that. The e-request actually gets someone to get back into your case and check why it is getting delayed. Since it takes quite a bit of time, better file it asap after you are passed the 90 days. After you have filed it, if you want to make 100% sure that they have it, you can call USCIS. They should see the e-request in your file. 
 
You may have already seen it on the VJ link I had sent you, but it seems likely that your and your wife's card will arrive separately. As long as you are still within the 90 days, there is nothing to worry about and no action on your part is necessary apart from waiting. 
 
Hope you don't need all of this info and you receive your card on a timely manner. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi @Nimar
 
Yes, there is a $220 USD fee that needs to be paid (not sure if this is still this exact amount). You don't need to pay it before entering the US, it can be done after. However, as long as the fee is not paid, they will not start the printing process. More info here:
 
https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/expect-green-card#:~:text=It may take up to,receive your permanent resident card.
 
You have to wait to get your passport and the sealed envelope back from the consulate to create the online account. There will be a letter in there with your immigrant visa number. You will need it to create the account. It is also in this account that you will pay the immigrant fee. 
 
 

Hi @Nimar
 
Yes, there is a $220 USD fee that needs to be paid (not sure if this is still this exact amount). You don't need to pay it before entering the US, it can be done after. However, as long as the fee is not paid, they will not start the printing process. More info here:
 
https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/expect-green-card#:~:text=It may take up to,receive your permanent resident card.
 
You have to wait to get your passport and the sealed envelope back from the consulate to create the online account. There will be a letter in there with your immigrant visa number. You will need it to create the account. It is also in this account that you will pay the immigrant fee. 
 
 

Hi @DTCC
 
I had my interview on a Wednesday morning, the next day I was receiving the tracking for my passport and on Friday morning I collected it at the Ottawa post office. They had told me at the end of the interview that I would get it back within 2-3 weeks, but it turned out to be only 2 days. 

Hi @DTCC.
 
#1. I remember they asked me my address at the interview, so I assume you could ask them to change it (I did not need to). Also, they also ask it at the border, so surely it can be changed there as well. For the green card itself, it would not be an issue if you entered the US without having changed it. When you get your passport back with the documents in a sealed envelope that you have to hand in at the border, there is also a document that explains that you have to create an online account with the USCIS and pay the immigration fees. I think you can change your address directly in that account or you just have to call USCIS and they will change it for you. (There is more info regarding this account and how to contact the USCIS here: https://www.uscis.gov/contactcenter). The card takes a while to get printed, so you would have enough time to contact the USCIS and get your mailing address changed.
 
Where it gets trickier is with the Social Security Number card. If you asked on your DS260 to have a card (or a new card) issued, when you get to the border and they stamp your visa, it will automatically trigger its issuance and they do it really fast. The printing date on my card was the day after I entered the US and I received it about a week and a half later. There's therefore no time to change your address after having crossed the border and I am not sure how you would go about doing it. I am not sure at that point after you are in the US if changing your address with USCIS would change it at the Social Security office as well. I have heard of many people on VJ  who had asked to get a SSN issued on their DS260 and did not get it. They just had to go and apply in person at a Social Security office. It seems to be a hit or miss, so nothing to worry about if you don't receive it. The border official I had did not even know that he was triggering the issuance of my SSN card. 
 
#2 I have never heard of anyone who got denied at the border. They ask you a few basic questions (like what job are you going to do in the US, your company and where are you going to live), but they clearly do no review your case in depth. They try to make it look like they could potentially deny you entry to the US, but I think it is more a show than anything else. Anyway, they need to ask you to confirm some information on your case to make sure that the documents that are in the sealed envelope that the consulate sent you and that you then handed to them (do NOT open that envelope!), are really for your case and not someone else's. 
 
Since you mentioned Port Champlin, I am assuming you will be driving to the US like I did (I crossed at Thousand Islands). When you get to the passport control, you just have to hand in your passport to the border officer and tell him/her that you are entering the US for the first time as a permanent resident. He will ask you to park your car and go inside the office. You will then hand in your sealed envelope and they will go through all the documents and re-enter some information in their computer system. They also took my fingerprints again (and I think my photo, but I am not 100% sure anymore). When this is all done, they stamp the visa that the consulate had put in your passport and you are free to go. 
 
You just have to make sure that they keep the documents from the consulate that you gave them. I have heard on VJ a few instances where the officer was confused and handed the documents back to the person and it delayed the printing of the green card because they said the packet was lost. My understanding is that the border needs to send that paperwork to the USCIS for the green card to be released for printing. The person had to get an appointment to a local USCIS in the US to hand in the packet and it seemed to have been quite complicated. I think some officers get confused because some immigrant visa categories do not have a packet anymore but the employment-based ones still do. 
 
My understanding is that the three main things that need to be done right for the green card to be printed are that the physical packet has to be sent by the border officials to the USCIS, you need to have paid the immigrant fee and the USCIS needs to have your fingerprints on file. If one of those three things are missing, your card will be delayed. In my case,  it took 8 months to get it even though it appears that everything was done correctly. Seems I just fell through the cracks. If all goes well, they aim to send you the card within 90 days, but many people seem to receive it sooner than that recently. In case there is a glitch with your card issuance, there is the thread on VJ below that I found quite useful to navigate the delay. Hopefully you don't need it! 
 
I wish you the best of luck for your interview. You will soon cross the finish line!! 
 

Hi @DTCC.
 
#1. I remember they asked me my address at the interview, so I assume you could ask them to change it (I did not need to). Also, they also ask it at the border, so surely it can be changed there as well. For the green card itself, it would not be an issue if you entered the US without having changed it. When you get your passport back with the documents in a sealed envelope that you have to hand in at the border, there is also a document that explains that you have to create an online account with the USCIS and pay the immigration fees. I think you can change your address directly in that account or you just have to call USCIS and they will change it for you. (There is more info regarding this account and how to contact the USCIS here: https://www.uscis.gov/contactcenter). The card takes a while to get printed, so you would have enough time to contact the USCIS and get your mailing address changed.
 
Where it gets trickier is with the Social Security Number card. If you asked on your DS260 to have a card (or a new card) issued, when you get to the border and they stamp your visa, it will automatically trigger its issuance and they do it really fast. The printing date on my card was the day after I entered the US and I received it about a week and a half later. There's therefore no time to change your address after having crossed the border and I am not sure how you would go about doing it. I am not sure at that point after you are in the US if changing your address with USCIS would change it at the Social Security office as well. I have heard of many people on VJ  who had asked to get a SSN issued on their DS260 and did not get it. They just had to go and apply in person at a Social Security office. It seems to be a hit or miss, so nothing to worry about if you don't receive it. The border official I had did not even know that he was triggering the issuance of my SSN card. 
 
#2 I have never heard of anyone who got denied at the border. They ask you a few basic questions (like what job are you going to do in the US, your company and where are you going to live), but they clearly do no review your case in depth. They try to make it look like they could potentially deny you entry to the US, but I think it is more a show than anything else. Anyway, they need to ask you to confirm some information on your case to make sure that the documents that are in the sealed envelope that the consulate sent you and that you then handed to them (do NOT open that envelope!), are really for your case and not someone else's. 
 
Since you mentioned Port Champlin, I am assuming you will be driving to the US like I did (I crossed at Thousand Islands). When you get to the passport control, you just have to hand in your passport to the border officer and tell him/her that you are entering the US for the first time as a permanent resident. He will ask you to park your car and go inside the office. You will then hand in your sealed envelope and they will go through all the documents and re-enter some information in their computer system. They also took my fingerprints again (and I think my photo, but I am not 100% sure anymore). When this is all done, they stamp the visa that the consulate had put in your passport and you are free to go. 
 
You just have to make sure that they keep the documents from the consulate that you gave them. I have heard on VJ a few instances where the officer was confused and handed the documents back to the person and it delayed the printing of the green card because they said the packet was lost. My understanding is that the border needs to send that paperwork to the USCIS for the green card to be released for printing. The person had to get an appointment to a local USCIS in the US to hand in the packet and it seemed to have been quite complicated. I think some officers get confused because some immigrant visa categories do not have a packet anymore but the employment-based ones still do. 
 
My understanding is that the three main things that need to be done right for the green card to be printed are that the physical packet has to be sent by the border officials to the USCIS, you need to have paid the immigrant fee and the USCIS needs to have your fingerprints on file. If one of those three things are missing, your card will be delayed. In my case,  it took 8 months to get it even though it appears that everything was done correctly. Seems I just fell through the cracks. If all goes well, they aim to send you the card within 90 days, but many people seem to receive it sooner than that recently. In case there is a glitch with your card issuance, there is the thread on VJ below that I found quite useful to navigate the delay. Hopefully you don't need it! 
 
I wish you the best of luck for your interview. You will soon cross the finish line!! 
 

I've just received the tracking info for my passport! Based on the email, I will get it in 1 or 2 business days. That's very quick!  It's clearly not the same person who's printing the visa and the one who's booking the interviews....  

I had my medical at Telus Sante in Montreal. (Fyi, in the link they send with the interview letter with the list of approved physicians, they are called Medisys (old name) and the address is wrong - they have moved since then - but the phone number is correct. This is the number I called to book the appointment). 
 
As soon as I got the interview letter, I called to book the appointment. The lady I spoke to asked me my interview date and she told me that last time she checked the schedule, they were fully booked until that date. However, she checked again and someone had cancelled and I could get an appointment on Tuesday Jan 4th with Dr Lapointe. They apparently do medicals for US immigration only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The fact that they were closed one week for the Holidays and that the IL's were sent to IR/CR about 1-2 weeks before us, did not help in terms of availability for getting a medical. It may be easier to get an appointment at other times of the year, but it is certainly something to book asap in any case. 
 
The medical itself is quite straightforward. It lasted about 2 hours total. To check in, they need your passport, interview letter, vaccination records and 5 passport-size photographs (US format). They then give you a form to fill out regarding your medical history. I was then called to get an x-ray of the lungs and then sent back to wait. I then had the medical with Dr Lapointe who is basically just asking you if you've had some specific diseases in the past (TB, syphillis and 3 others I can't remember), if you've had a history of severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, including DUI, etc) and if you have other severe conditions that may potentially require you to have prolonged treatment in the US. He then just auscultates you and that's it. I then went back to wait and was then called to do a visual exam (the typical thing where you read letters on a board pinned on the wall - you can do it with glasses/contacts if you typically wear some) and they took my weight and height. I then went back to wait until I got called to meet with the nurse who took a blood sample and reviewed my vaccination history. If you need any vaccine, she would administer them. I think that for Covid, you need to have both doses for the physician to sign off on the medical, one dose is not sufficient. Depending on what you answer in the health history questionnaire, it seems they may also ask for a urine test. When I booked my appointment, the lady told me it would cost about $590, but it ended costing less since I did not need the urine test and extra vaccines. 
 
They told me that they typically send the medical electronically to the consulate within 5 working days, but they emailed me 48 hours later to tell me that it was already sent. 
 
 

They were referring to the works visas I've been working on in the US for the past 10 years, not Canadian visas (I am Canadian). I had to go with Consular Processing instead of Adjustment of Status because it is apparently the safest route when you are on TN visa (which doesn't have dual intent, contrarily to H-1b).  
 
I think the main reason why they were focused on this is because if I was answering something regarding my past US visas that did not match what they had on file (they ask questions for which they know the answers..!!  ), that would raise a red flag that I may have fraudulently obtained a US visa in the past and that would be a reason to deny the green card. Also, when he asked if I had ever overstayed a visa, that would also be a serious offence and lead to a green card denial. 
 
You are correct, when you enter the US with the EB visa, you will then be considered a permanent resident in the US and that will nullify any US work visa you were on (if you are already employed in the US). You will just be working legally as a permanent resident, no work visa required anymore. 
 
During the whole interview, they ask questions they already have the answers for on their screen (US visa history, answers you gave on the DS-260, work description, etc) and when you start answering and they see it matches what they have, they stop listening while you are in the middle of your sentence!  No need to get into lengthy explanations, better just keep it direct, short and simple! 
Good luck! Hope you time comes very soon!  

They were referring to the works visas I've been working on in the US for the past 10 years, not Canadian visas (I am Canadian). I had to go with Consular Processing instead of Adjustment of Status because it is apparently the safest route when you are on TN visa (which doesn't have dual intent, contrarily to H-1b).  
 
I think the main reason why they were focused on this is because if I was answering something regarding my past US visas that did not match what they had on file (they ask questions for which they know the answers..!!  ), that would raise a red flag that I may have fraudulently obtained a US visa in the past and that would be a reason to deny the green card. Also, when he asked if I had ever overstayed a visa, that would also be a serious offence and lead to a green card denial. 
 
You are correct, when you enter the US with the EB visa, you will then be considered a permanent resident in the US and that will nullify any US work visa you were on (if you are already employed in the US). You will just be working legally as a permanent resident, no work visa required anymore. 
 
During the whole interview, they ask questions they already have the answers for on their screen (US visa history, answers you gave on the DS-260, work description, etc) and when you start answering and they see it matches what they have, they stop listening while you are in the middle of your sentence!  No need to get into lengthy explanations, better just keep it direct, short and simple! 
Good luck! Hope you time comes very soon!  

They were referring to the works visas I've been working on in the US for the past 10 years, not Canadian visas (I am Canadian). I had to go with Consular Processing instead of Adjustment of Status because it is apparently the safest route when you are on TN visa (which doesn't have dual intent, contrarily to H-1b).  
 
I think the main reason why they were focused on this is because if I was answering something regarding my past US visas that did not match what they had on file (they ask questions for which they know the answers..!!  ), that would raise a red flag that I may have fraudulently obtained a US visa in the past and that would be a reason to deny the green card. Also, when he asked if I had ever overstayed a visa, that would also be a serious offence and lead to a green card denial. 
 
You are correct, when you enter the US with the EB visa, you will then be considered a permanent resident in the US and that will nullify any US work visa you were on (if you are already employed in the US). You will just be working legally as a permanent resident, no work visa required anymore. 
 
During the whole interview, they ask questions they already have the answers for on their screen (US visa history, answers you gave on the DS-260, work description, etc) and when you start answering and they see it matches what they have, they stop listening while you are in the middle of your sentence!  No need to get into lengthy explanations, better just keep it direct, short and simple! 
Good luck! Hope you time comes very soon!  

They were referring to the works visas I've been working on in the US for the past 10 years, not Canadian visas (I am Canadian). I had to go with Consular Processing instead of Adjustment of Status because it is apparently the safest route when you are on TN visa (which doesn't have dual intent, contrarily to H-1b).  
 
I think the main reason why they were focused on this is because if I was answering something regarding my past US visas that did not match what they had on file (they ask questions for which they know the answers..!!  ), that would raise a red flag that I may have fraudulently obtained a US visa in the past and that would be a reason to deny the green card. Also, when he asked if I had ever overstayed a visa, that would also be a serious offence and lead to a green card denial. 
 
You are correct, when you enter the US with the EB visa, you will then be considered a permanent resident in the US and that will nullify any US work visa you were on (if you are already employed in the US). You will just be working legally as a permanent resident, no work visa required anymore. 
 
During the whole interview, they ask questions they already have the answers for on their screen (US visa history, answers you gave on the DS-260, work description, etc) and when you start answering and they see it matches what they have, they stop listening while you are in the middle of your sentence!  No need to get into lengthy explanations, better just keep it direct, short and simple! 
Good luck! Hope you time comes very soon!  

I had my medical at Telus Sante in Montreal. (Fyi, in the link they send with the interview letter with the list of approved physicians, they are called Medisys (old name) and the address is wrong - they have moved since then - but the phone number is correct. This is the number I called to book the appointment). 
 
As soon as I got the interview letter, I called to book the appointment. The lady I spoke to asked me my interview date and she told me that last time she checked the schedule, they were fully booked until that date. However, she checked again and someone had cancelled and I could get an appointment on Tuesday Jan 4th with Dr Lapointe. They apparently do medicals for US immigration only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The fact that they were closed one week for the Holidays and that the IL's were sent to IR/CR about 1-2 weeks before us, did not help in terms of availability for getting a medical. It may be easier to get an appointment at other times of the year, but it is certainly something to book asap in any case. 
 
The medical itself is quite straightforward. It lasted about 2 hours total. To check in, they need your passport, interview letter, vaccination records and 5 passport-size photographs (US format). They then give you a form to fill out regarding your medical history. I was then called to get an x-ray of the lungs and then sent back to wait. I then had the medical with Dr Lapointe who is basically just asking you if you've had some specific diseases in the past (TB, syphillis and 3 others I can't remember), if you've had a history of severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, including DUI, etc) and if you have other severe conditions that may potentially require you to have prolonged treatment in the US. He then just auscultates you and that's it. I then went back to wait and was then called to do a visual exam (the typical thing where you read letters on a board pinned on the wall - you can do it with glasses/contacts if you typically wear some) and they took my weight and height. I then went back to wait until I got called to meet with the nurse who took a blood sample and reviewed my vaccination history. If you need any vaccine, she would administer them. I think that for Covid, you need to have both doses for the physician to sign off on the medical, one dose is not sufficient. Depending on what you answer in the health history questionnaire, it seems they may also ask for a urine test. When I booked my appointment, the lady told me it would cost about $590, but it ended costing less since I did not need the urine test and extra vaccines. 
 
They told me that they typically send the medical electronically to the consulate within 5 working days, but they emailed me 48 hours later to tell me that it was already sent. 
 
 

I went to the interview this morning as planned. I am approved!! Woohoo!  
 
I got there about 15 minutes before my interview time. They made me wait outside about 5 minutes before going in to get through security screening. I then had to go upstairs and wait for my number to be called, which took about 5 minutes. 
 
The officer initially asked for my interview letter, passport, original birth certificate, passport photos, original police certificates and letter from my employer. He took my fingerprints and asked me a few trivial questions:
- Did you self-petition? (No, my employer did)
- Where did you live before moving to the US? He asked this since I have been working in the US for the past 10 years. 
- What visa are you currently on? 
- Were you on other types of visas before that? 
- What kind of job are you going to do after entering the US as permanent resident?
- What is your marital status?
 
 
I then had to go back and wait for about 45-50 minutes until got called to another counter to see another officer. I had to make and oath that I was telling the truth and he asked me a few other questions:
- Again, what kind of job I would be doing in the US.
- Where did you do your studies?
- How long was you longest stay in the US?
- Again, questions about my current visa and the ones I have been on since moving to the US. 
- Have you overstayed any of your visas?
- Have you committed any crime?
 
He made me sign a document confirming that I have the intention of performing the job for which I have an offer for my EB and took fingerprints again. He then told me that he would approve my visa and send it to get printed. I should have my passport back in 2-3 weeks, maybe less. 
 
I was about an hour total inside the consulate. 
 
Basically, if you have all the documents they are asking for in the list in the interview letter, have your medical sent on time and your answers match what is in your job description used for your green card application and the various questions in the DS-260 that was submitted, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Both officers I saw were quite friendly and the interview feels more like a formality to wrap up the application. 
 
In a way it is very nice that the visa is approved and I can now move on, but it is also frustrating to think that they made me wait more than 2 years for such a simple and trivial interview!! 
 
I hope things get moving faster soon for EB's and you don't have to wait that long to finally get done and over with this long and frustrating process! 
 
 
 
 

I went to the interview this morning as planned. I am approved!! Woohoo!  
 
I got there about 15 minutes before my interview time. They made me wait outside about 5 minutes before going in to get through security screening. I then had to go upstairs and wait for my number to be called, which took about 5 minutes. 
 
The officer initially asked for my interview letter, passport, original birth certificate, passport photos, original police certificates and letter from my employer. He took my fingerprints and asked me a few trivial questions:
- Did you self-petition? (No, my employer did)
- Where did you live before moving to the US? He asked this since I have been working in the US for the past 10 years. 
- What visa are you currently on? 
- Were you on other types of visas before that? 
- What kind of job are you going to do after entering the US as permanent resident?
- What is your marital status?
 
 
I then had to go back and wait for about 45-50 minutes until got called to another counter to see another officer. I had to make and oath that I was telling the truth and he asked me a few other questions:
- Again, what kind of job I would be doing in the US.
- Where did you do your studies?
- How long was you longest stay in the US?
- Again, questions about my current visa and the ones I have been on since moving to the US. 
- Have you overstayed any of your visas?
- Have you committed any crime?
 
He made me sign a document confirming that I have the intention of performing the job for which I have an offer for my EB and took fingerprints again. He then told me that he would approve my visa and send it to get printed. I should have my passport back in 2-3 weeks, maybe less. 
 
I was about an hour total inside the consulate. 
 
Basically, if you have all the documents they are asking for in the list in the interview letter, have your medical sent on time and your answers match what is in your job description used for your green card application and the various questions in the DS-260 that was submitted, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Both officers I saw were quite friendly and the interview feels more like a formality to wrap up the application. 
 
In a way it is very nice that the visa is approved and I can now move on, but it is also frustrating to think that they made me wait more than 2 years for such a simple and trivial interview!! 
 
I hope things get moving faster soon for EB's and you don't have to wait that long to finally get done and over with this long and frustrating process! 
 
 
 
 

I went to the interview this morning as planned. I am approved!! Woohoo!  
 
I got there about 15 minutes before my interview time. They made me wait outside about 5 minutes before going in to get through security screening. I then had to go upstairs and wait for my number to be called, which took about 5 minutes. 
 
The officer initially asked for my interview letter, passport, original birth certificate, passport photos, original police certificates and letter from my employer. He took my fingerprints and asked me a few trivial questions:
- Did you self-petition? (No, my employer did)
- Where did you live before moving to the US? He asked this since I have been working in the US for the past 10 years. 
- What visa are you currently on? 
- Were you on other types of visas before that? 
- What kind of job are you going to do after entering the US as permanent resident?
- What is your marital status?
 
 
I then had to go back and wait for about 45-50 minutes until got called to another counter to see another officer. I had to make and oath that I was telling the truth and he asked me a few other questions:
- Again, what kind of job I would be doing in the US.
- Where did you do your studies?
- How long was you longest stay in the US?
- Again, questions about my current visa and the ones I have been on since moving to the US. 
- Have you overstayed any of your visas?
- Have you committed any crime?
 
He made me sign a document confirming that I have the intention of performing the job for which I have an offer for my EB and took fingerprints again. He then told me that he would approve my visa and send it to get printed. I should have my passport back in 2-3 weeks, maybe less. 
 
I was about an hour total inside the consulate. 
 
Basically, if you have all the documents they are asking for in the list in the interview letter, have your medical sent on time and your answers match what is in your job description used for your green card application and the various questions in the DS-260 that was submitted, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Both officers I saw were quite friendly and the interview feels more like a formality to wrap up the application. 
 
In a way it is very nice that the visa is approved and I can now move on, but it is also frustrating to think that they made me wait more than 2 years for such a simple and trivial interview!! 
 
I hope things get moving faster soon for EB's and you don't have to wait that long to finally get done and over with this long and frustrating process! 
 
 
 
 

I went to the interview this morning as planned. I am approved!! Woohoo!  
 
I got there about 15 minutes before my interview time. They made me wait outside about 5 minutes before going in to get through security screening. I then had to go upstairs and wait for my number to be called, which took about 5 minutes. 
 
The officer initially asked for my interview letter, passport, original birth certificate, passport photos, original police certificates and letter from my employer. He took my fingerprints and asked me a few trivial questions:
- Did you self-petition? (No, my employer did)
- Where did you live before moving to the US? He asked this since I have been working in the US for the past 10 years. 
- What visa are you currently on? 
- Were you on other types of visas before that? 
- What kind of job are you going to do after entering the US as permanent resident?
- What is your marital status?
 
 
I then had to go back and wait for about 45-50 minutes until got called to another counter to see another officer. I had to make and oath that I was telling the truth and he asked me a few other questions:
- Again, what kind of job I would be doing in the US.
- Where did you do your studies?
- How long was you longest stay in the US?
- Again, questions about my current visa and the ones I have been on since moving to the US. 
- Have you overstayed any of your visas?
- Have you committed any crime?
 
He made me sign a document confirming that I have the intention of performing the job for which I have an offer for my EB and took fingerprints again. He then told me that he would approve my visa and send it to get printed. I should have my passport back in 2-3 weeks, maybe less. 
 
I was about an hour total inside the consulate. 
 
Basically, if you have all the documents they are asking for in the list in the interview letter, have your medical sent on time and your answers match what is in your job description used for your green card application and the various questions in the DS-260 that was submitted, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Both officers I saw were quite friendly and the interview feels more like a formality to wrap up the application. 
 
In a way it is very nice that the visa is approved and I can now move on, but it is also frustrating to think that they made me wait more than 2 years for such a simple and trivial interview!! 
 
I hope things get moving faster soon for EB's and you don't have to wait that long to finally get done and over with this long and frustrating process! 
 
 
 
 

I went to the interview this morning as planned. I am approved!! Woohoo!  
 
I got there about 15 minutes before my interview time. They made me wait outside about 5 minutes before going in to get through security screening. I then had to go upstairs and wait for my number to be called, which took about 5 minutes. 
 
The officer initially asked for my interview letter, passport, original birth certificate, passport photos, original police certificates and letter from my employer. He took my fingerprints and asked me a few trivial questions:
- Did you self-petition? (No, my employer did)
- Where did you live before moving to the US? He asked this since I have been working in the US for the past 10 years. 
- What visa are you currently on? 
- Were you on other types of visas before that? 
- What kind of job are you going to do after entering the US as permanent resident?
- What is your marital status?
 
 
I then had to go back and wait for about 45-50 minutes until got called to another counter to see another officer. I had to make and oath that I was telling the truth and he asked me a few other questions:
- Again, what kind of job I would be doing in the US.
- Where did you do your studies?
- How long was you longest stay in the US?
- Again, questions about my current visa and the ones I have been on since moving to the US. 
- Have you overstayed any of your visas?
- Have you committed any crime?
 
He made me sign a document confirming that I have the intention of performing the job for which I have an offer for my EB and took fingerprints again. He then told me that he would approve my visa and send it to get printed. I should have my passport back in 2-3 weeks, maybe less. 
 
I was about an hour total inside the consulate. 
 
Basically, if you have all the documents they are asking for in the list in the interview letter, have your medical sent on time and your answers match what is in your job description used for your green card application and the various questions in the DS-260 that was submitted, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Both officers I saw were quite friendly and the interview feels more like a formality to wrap up the application. 
 
In a way it is very nice that the visa is approved and I can now move on, but it is also frustrating to think that they made me wait more than 2 years for such a simple and trivial interview!! 
 
I hope things get moving faster soon for EB's and you don't have to wait that long to finally get done and over with this long and frustrating process! 
 
 
 
 

I went to the interview this morning as planned. I am approved!! Woohoo!  
 
I got there about 15 minutes before my interview time. They made me wait outside about 5 minutes before going in to get through security screening. I then had to go upstairs and wait for my number to be called, which took about 5 minutes. 
 
The officer initially asked for my interview letter, passport, original birth certificate, passport photos, original police certificates and letter from my employer. He took my fingerprints and asked me a few trivial questions:
- Did you self-petition? (No, my employer did)
- Where did you live before moving to the US? He asked this since I have been working in the US for the past 10 years. 
- What visa are you currently on? 
- Were you on other types of visas before that? 
- What kind of job are you going to do after entering the US as permanent resident?
- What is your marital status?
 
 
I then had to go back and wait for about 45-50 minutes until got called to another counter to see another officer. I had to make and oath that I was telling the truth and he asked me a few other questions:
- Again, what kind of job I would be doing in the US.
- Where did you do your studies?
- How long was you longest stay in the US?
- Again, questions about my current visa and the ones I have been on since moving to the US. 
- Have you overstayed any of your visas?
- Have you committed any crime?
 
He made me sign a document confirming that I have the intention of performing the job for which I have an offer for my EB and took fingerprints again. He then told me that he would approve my visa and send it to get printed. I should have my passport back in 2-3 weeks, maybe less. 
 
I was about an hour total inside the consulate. 
 
Basically, if you have all the documents they are asking for in the list in the interview letter, have your medical sent on time and your answers match what is in your job description used for your green card application and the various questions in the DS-260 that was submitted, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Both officers I saw were quite friendly and the interview feels more like a formality to wrap up the application. 
 
In a way it is very nice that the visa is approved and I can now move on, but it is also frustrating to think that they made me wait more than 2 years for such a simple and trivial interview!! 
 
I hope things get moving faster soon for EB's and you don't have to wait that long to finally get done and over with this long and frustrating process! 
 
 
 
 

Yes, that's what I would think. The January Visa Bulletin came out at the end of the day on Thursday Dec 16th and I got my interview letter on the 22nd (which was actually dated the 21st and sent in the middle of the night), so 3-4 working days later.  
 
Of course, I will let you know how the interview went and what to expect! 
 
Hopefully they really start giving some tender loving care to the EB category. Having to wait that long, especially when other categories are moving full speed, is pure torture! 
 
 

I may be wrong, but I have the strong suspicion that they wait for the Visa Bulletin for the following month to come out before sending the letters for EB's and F's which are covered by it, contrarily to CR/IR and K visas. That may be why they can send letters to them earlier in the month. 
 
I have noticed the past few months, except last month, all the letters were coming out soon after the Visa Bulletin was published. Last month they sent the letters to the other categories earlier, but ours came out again after the Visa Bulletin. They probably don't want to send a letter to someone too early and then find out that the priority date has retrogressed and there is no visa available in his/her category in the month of the interview and have to cancel. 
 
The Visa Bulletin has been coming out lately around the 15th-16th of the month. The letters would probably be coming out a few days after that in about 2 weeks. Hope this is the case and many of you guys get good news this month! 

Hi @era101. Congrats for your appointment!
 
I did get my RCMP PCC from outside of Canada back in March through this company https://www.canadianfingerprints.com/. I had to first email them to request the fingerprinting package. They emailed me a few forms to fill out and the fingerprinting sheet that I had to print out and bring to my local police station to get fingerprinted onto.  I then Fedex'ed them everything and they scanned and sent my fingerprints to the RCMP. It took about 3-4 weeks to get the PCC, but there were snow storms at the time and it took a while for Fedex to deliver my documents. Also, it wasn't easy to get an appointment at the police station because of covid (they were not doing walk-ins anymore). After the fingerprinting company had received everything, it was quick to get the PCC. With this in mind and considering the holidays, I would think you may not save much time by doing all that abroad vs waiting until you get back from vacation and make a PCC request from within Canada. 

Yes,  agree, waiting to get the IL may be tight to get the PCCs on time, especially the non-Canadian ones. Not sure when you are DQ'ed, but I am assuming that starting in the next month or so, the Consulate will be focusing more on resolving the EB backlog and you will get a good sense after of couple of month as to how many months worth of backlog they call for interview every month by following this thread and the consulate website. You would then be better able to guess when your turn will come and plan accordingly to get your PCC's without risking having them expiring again before getting the IL. 
 
Also, I saw that getting the medical done on time may be tricky...  I called the clinic in Montreal straight away after getting the IL and they initially told me that they did not have any availability before my interview but then when she checked again, she saw that someone had cancelled earlier that morning and I could get Jan 4th. Phew! The fact that they apparently do GC medicals only 2 days a week in Mlt and they are closed for a week due to the Holidays did not help, but they will surely be very booked in the next few months with the consulate booking more interviews to clear the backlogs. Definitely not something to leave at the very last minute.... Unfortunately, this is not something we can get done before getting the IL. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g about this whole process is stressful!! 

Hi all. 
 
Good news, I got my interview letter this morning after being stuck at the NVC for over 2 years! Jan 19th at 10am. 

Hi @New_123
 
This is what the Department of State say on their website regarding the PCC. 
 
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-5-collect-financial-evidence-and-other-supporting-documents/step-7-collect-civil-documents.html

 
The NVC letter I got in 2019 when they confirmed that I was DQed and put in the queue for the interview said the same thing, but it said that the PCCs were expiring after 1 year instead of 2. I don't take any chance, and still consider them to be valid for 1 year. This is also what my attorney told me. However, I think I remember seeing on the IR1/CR1 VJ thread someone saying they went to their interview with PCCs which were a bit older than 1 year, but less than 2, and did not have issues. 
 
In my case, I am a Canadian living in the US, but I have also lived a few years in the UK and Netherlands. In mid-2019, I did get PCC's from Canada, UK and NL and sent copies of them to the NVC as requested. Because I haven't gone back at all to the UK and NL since then, I did not get  a new PCC from there, but I did get a new one in March 2021 from Canada (I stupidly thought at the time that my interview would be coming anytime soon....! :)) It took about a month to get the new Canadian PCC from the RCMP, but I think that if you get fingerprinted  in Canada at a company that submits directly to the RCMP, it is quicker than that. In my case, I did it from the US and had to Fedex everything to a Canadian fingerprinting who then sent it to the RCMP. After the RCMP has the info, it takes only a few days to issue the certificate, unless they find something in their records. 
 
I am not sure if just going back for a short vacation to one of the countries you lived in would trigger the need to get a new PCC. If one takes literally what they say above, if you haven't gone back to LIVE in that country, you don't need a new PCC, but it is probably a grey area which leaves room for interpretation. Your attorney should be able to advise in this case. If you can get PCC's relatively easily, it would be worth getting new ones even if it just to give you some peace of mind!