SAsal

Hello from Missouri. Just wanted to pop in to say I’ve been thinking of you guys and I’ve been hoping that the process speeds up for all those still waiting. I keep having these moments when I suddenly remember that I’m here to stay, that there’s no more countdown to my dreaded flight back to Canada... Stay strong, there really is a light at the end of the very long tunnel 🙏🏻💛

It's where it's meant to be...
Oct. 17
5:55 am
Item processed Mississauga, ON
   
4:31 am
Item arrived Mississauga, ON

I received my tracking number 😁 I’m in Montreal so it should get to me soon!!

It came from the email address “donotreply@usvisa-info.com”

Mine also said ready after my interview if that helps 

One thing about this process that I’m now realising is that the obsessing never ends. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I used to be obsessed with checking my emails for my NOA2, then for my NVC case number, then for DQ, then for IL... you get the picture. It got even worse this summer just waiting for things to start moving again. I had such a hard time focusing on anything else.
So anyway, I thought I’d relax once I was told I was approved, but then yesterday I was still worried about my visa not actually being issued. Now that it’s in the final processing I keep checking for the tracking number 🙃 it just drives you nuts. Well it depends on your personality type too, my husband has been pretty chill through the past 2.5 years but I’m just an obsessive person lol.

We also got ours today. 

My wife got email with tracking number this afternoon!

I just went through the pictures on my phone to delete all of the screenshots I had of paperwork tips and interview recaps from this forum 😂 The end of an era. 
 
I also finally found how to check the status of my visa (spoiler: it was absolutely not by using the link that the officer gave me lol, that one gave me nothing). It already says "ISSUED "Your visa is in final processing"". Yay!

Hi everyone, Thankyou so much for your help. I am travelling back to Toronto. This forum has been a huge huge help for me. Everybody is super helpful. Overall it was a positive experience. They are very nice and helpful and very understanding. They asked for tax returns, police certificates and orignal marriage and birth certificates. After that i was asked to wait. Then the next officer was also super nice. He asked me questions regarding my marriage. And asked how will i be travelling. Overall it was the best experience!! Thankyou everyone for your help!! 

Hi everyone! My visa was approved this morning
 
I was in and out in a little over an hour! The security lady made me feel bad when I showed up because I was "very early"... In reality it couldn't have been earlier than 10.40am for a 10.45am appointment... I waited on the subway platform for a while since I didn't bring my phone and it was the only way I could know what time it was! But anyway, everyone else was fine. I was told to go to the first floor, booth 5 or 7. Before getting on the elevator, I confirmed to one of the agent that he said the "first" and not the "third" (because I didn't want to get yelled at lol). He was empathetic and said "yeah I know, with the masks I'm always having people repeat themselves". Regardless, there's a sticker with the name of the consulate right by the elevator button for the consulate so you can't get it wrong. The security guy upstairs was nice. I was very very stressed going there, but once I sat down it got better. The building isn't nearly as intimidating and formal as I was expecting it to be - it reminded me of where I went to get my health care (RAMQ) card. The two officers I spoke with were very nice, the second was actually very friendly!
 
Now for the details, I'll try to remember as well as I can! The first officer only asked for my passport, birth certificate, our marriage certificate, police check and passport pictures. I'm a temporary resident here so he did ask about my status, I showed him my work permit. He confirmed my husband's address, phone number, occupation; my date of birth; the date of our marriage; he asked if I ever had any issue crossing the border, if I had ever been arrested. He confirmed how long I'd been here in Canada for. He gave me the pamphlet on domestic violence. It was a little hard to hear him with the mask and the glass but he seemed to be mindful of it and he was also kind of turning his head to have his ears towards me when I was speaking. So I think that if you can't hear them well, they'll be understanding of it (I'm specifying because that was my worry!). Then I sat back and waited to be called for the second part of the process.
 
The second officer started off by thanking me for my patience and saying I was at the end of a long road - which kind of told me right away that I was going to be approved!! He had a speaker of some sort so it was very easy to hear him. Then he asked me to tell him about my husband, how we met. He asked what was the longest I'd ever stayed in the US (I said about 2.5 months during the lockdown), how often we see each other, if it was a first marriage for both of us, what does my husband do, what do I do. He said everything looked really good, lots of green lights. Then he said he'd hang on to my passport. He gave me a paper to show at customs because my packet will be electronic, I won't have an actual envelope to give them when I cross at POE. He told me a couple of logistic things about getting my passport back that I can't remember at all (oops) because I was suddenly realizing that we were finally DONE and I was getting emotional lol. But I live in Montreal so the passport just has to cross the city. Then my eyes filled with tears, I couldn't speak for a couple of seconds so I just looked at him with the most grateful look. He was like "yay, happy tears, that's good right?" lol. He congratulated me, told me to "take care". A very nice gentleman!
 
So globally, I would say it was very stressful leading up to it but the actual interview was painless. The officers are nice, the questions are very standard ones. I was definitely over prepared paperwork wise, knowing now what they actually asked me for. But I would 10000% recommend doing in this way: it's best going in knowing that, whatever they ask you for, you can just pull it out of your binder and give it to them. It was definitely a thought I held on to when I got nervous about interviewing! 
Also note that I had uploaded the following documents on CEAC a week before the interview, even though I didn't get an email: 2019 tax transcripts and W2, my more recent police check, and an updated I-864. This last one had changed quite a bit since the NVC stage but they didn't ask for any supporting documents (namely updated bank statements or a letter from my employer, since we're using my income and assets to qualify). I think we really went to town at the NVC stage with the supporting documents, so it made the rest of the process go smoothly.
 
That's it, I hope it helps! Pheeeew, what a crazy ride. Seeing my husband's smile on my phone screen when I told him was just amazing 😍: 😭  I'll relax for real once I get my tracking number. I hope to be able to fly down this weekend, I cannot wait to be reunited with my spouse... and our 2 cats of course!!! I'm going home!!!!

I emailed the immigration specialist who helped us submit our case initially and he said to use the DOS case number we always use. So without the extra 2 digits on the passport. So that’s what I did! Hopefully it all goes well with the green card down the line. We shall see. Either way I have the receipt printed and will keep it for my records. It shouldn’t have any impact on crossing the border at all regardless.

They don't make this easy!  I stumbled through the same issues, then used the info on this page (see "Visa Stamp" section): https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/uscis-immigrant-fee/immigrant-fee-payment-tips-on-finding-your-a-number-and-dos-case-id

I just read this and imagined the security guard outside taking his phone and drop-kicking it up to the 3rd floor window after he took the elevator up 😂

Thank you!!! I hope our interviews go smooth and we all have good news to share on Wednesday!! 🙏🏼

Congrats to @US-EH & @JenTex; best wishes to our Wednesday party people (who won't party b/c Montreal & Covid): @AAA0523, @Rose__, @realmadrid23, & @ReadIcculus!

I’m flying out Monday morning too!!😁 haha. Best wishes for the next step of your life with hubby! 

I’m flying out Monday morning too!!😁 haha. Best wishes for the next step of your life with hubby! 

I’m flying out Monday morning too!!😁 haha. Best wishes for the next step of your life with hubby! 

I’m flying out Monday morning too!!😁 haha. Best wishes for the next step of your life with hubby! 

It’s more simple questions, I’d say! It shouldn’t be a problem; they’re very understanding and don’t go into too much detail 

I’m flying out Monday morning too!!😁 haha. Best wishes for the next step of your life with hubby! 

It’s more simple questions, I’d say! It shouldn’t be a problem; they’re very understanding and don’t go into too much detail 

It’s more simple questions, I’d say! It shouldn’t be a problem; they’re very understanding and don’t go into too much detail 

Good luck to @JenTex and @US-EH tomorrow! Looking forward to hearing the good news 😊🙏🏻