Magnolian

Hi all,

Planning to cross the border to the US soon to make the permanent move. Did anyone cross the

border at the Peace Arch? Is it a good place to cross? We are considering flying but we have an

unvaccinated toddler, so we think just driving in a rented car would be a better option. If anyone

can comment, I would highly appreciate it. Thanks so much in advance.

Hi all,

I have a question about crossing the border to US. We are planning to cross the border

soon, but we are thinking of going through the border and activate my visa and visit  family quickly and

then come back to pack up and make the move. The thing is I am PR in Canada, and the

big question lingering on my mind is would they allow me to enter back in Canada? I know

Canadian citizens can do this technically, but they would lose the provincial healthcare.

How about PR holders? Does anyone here have any previous experience doing this?

Thank so much in advance. I would greatly appreciate any input.

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone used a cross border mover when moving to the US?

I would love to hear if someone share their experiences.

1 minute ago, G_K said:

If it is not indiscreet, when was your interview and email saying your visa is being sent ? Also which area of Canada ? Asking that because I'm trying to guess for my own case (living in AB)

Hi I live in Vancouver. My interview was on July 19, and my visa status was changed into 'issued' on July 21. I received the email saying my visa being sent on July 23. Picked it up yesterday. Hope this helps!

2 hours ago, Hawk Riders said:

@Magnolian, @Mikeeastern, @JillianGio... interview results?

approved!! Thanks! Wrote a recap of the experience. Will update the timeline soon.

1 minute ago, Fobosdaemios said:

Thank you for sharing. I'm just curious if you had to come back to pick up anything from them after the whole interview process is done? I booked my flight back to BC on the night of the interview but not sure if that was a good plan.

Hi I did the same, and it worked out. I had my interview yesterday morning and left the consulate around 12 noon,

and walked to my hotel, picked up my bag and went directly to the airport. My flight back home was at 3:15 pm

and I was at the airport way early.

To answer to your question, no, you don't need to come back to the consulate at least to my experience.

Good luck with your interview!

On 7/14/2021 at 3:14 PM, B&Grr said:

YAY!! it's issued now!

 

finally got my parent's names on my birth certificate fixed... sent it in June 14th. Took 5 days to get my 221(g) docs from BC to Montreal using their courier canada post service.

 

Status changed today

 

what is the typical time between "issued" to when the visa is sent out?

 

Hi @B&Grr My visa status is as same as yours..... I am surprised as I just had interview yesterday. I was wondering if you have received your

visa/passport and, if you did, how long it took.

Hello All,

I had my visa interview yesterday at the Montreal consulate, and just want to give my account

here before I forget the details.

I arrived at the consulate about 40 minutes before my interview. There were a few people standing

outside waiting. When one of the guards came out to let someone in, I talked to him and he told me

to come back 10 minutes before my interview. So, they wouldn't let you in early even if you come early.

Once I was inside, and went through the airport-like security at the ground floor and put my i-phone in

a locker as one of the guards instructed. I brought all my massive 3 folders full of documents, and 

a small purse with me, and I was allowed to bring all of it except my i-phone to the interview hall.

They sent me upstairs to join others sitting and waiting in a hall. At the first window, they took my passport, and

nothing else and I sat down and waited. I think this wait was at least for 40 minutes and the longest.

Then they called me with my number on the screen again. This time, they took the necessary documents, which

were as best as I can remember:

-Original birth certificate

-original marriage certtificate

-W-2s and 1040 for 2020

-i864

-Police certificate from Canada

-Police certificate from my home country

-my Canadian PR card

Then they sent me back to the waiting area to wait more. This time, I didn't need to wait long as I was called

again shortly afterwards for the interview.

I was interviewed by an older gentleman, who was polite, friendly even. He asked some questions related to

my marriage after taking an oath:

-Who is your petitioner

-Tell me how you met your husband and where and when you got married

-What does you husband to for living

-Where you will you be living in US?

-Have you ever arrested?

-What is the longest time you stayed in US?

-What do you do?

-Do you have children?

It felt more like a conversation, rather than an interview. One thing to note here is I brought a letter from my mother-in-law

stating we will be living with her in her place and we were welcome to stay as long as we like. She actually had the letter notarized

by a public notary in California and attached her driver's license to it. When he asked where will be living in the US, I pulled out the

letter and gave it to him and after he looked at it and said 'It is very complete and good. It really helps.'. I actually took someone's 

wise and informed advise here in this forum and asked my mother-in-law to write me a letter and have it notarized. I thank this forum for

it!

The interview was for about 5-7 minutes in length. In the end, he said that he was planning to approve my visa, explained the procedure etc.

and gave me the welcome letter. I thanked him and left.

I was inside for about 1 hr and 40 minutes.  It was generally a good experience. The security guards were polite. Inside, there were only 4

people were working, 2 taking documents and other 2 interviewing. I thought they were efficient.

I wanted to thank all the wonderful members in this forum. You all have been an enormous help during a challenging time. I would have been in the

total dark without any knowledge as to what is going in regards to the application/interview schedule without this forum, and would probably have

driven myself mad. So, thank you all!

Hi all, 

I was just looking at my i864 which was filled about a year ago. The form itself hasn't expired yet, but as it

has been roughly a year as we filled it out, it hasn't reflected my husband's 2020 income info. I am bringing the

tax return papers with me for 2020, but I just want to make sure I am doing it right. Do we need to fill out another

i864 to reflect the latest info?

I know the FAQ mentioned you don't need to fill out another one as long as the form itself hasn't

expired. I am just curious to know what other people did and what their experiences in similar

situations.

Thank you very much in advance.

2 hours ago, mizzem said:

We also stayed at that Best Western. My husband’s interview was at 9:30 so we asked if we can get a later checkout time and they extended it to 1:00 for us. Tell them you’re there for your immigration interview and they should do that for you. We left everything in the room and picked it up after and left.

Thanks so much for letting me know. I appreciate it.

Another quick question. I will be bringing my small sized travel bag with me to Montreal. I am staying at Best Western which is 2 minutes away according to Google maps. I am wondering if anyone had experience of asking the hotel to keep the bag until I come back from my interview. Since my interview is 10:15, I don’t think I would have enough time to return before 11 am checkout time. 
 

FAQ mentioned that there is a locker in nearby mall. Has anyone used locker before there? Would it be big enough for s travel bag? 
 

thanks a million in advance. 

Hello all,

I have a quick question. The US consulate website says that the applicants must bring medical examination

results in sealed envelope to the interview. I specifically asked Dr Cheema's staff the other day about this,

and they said medical results will be sent to the Consulate through email, and I didn't need to pick it up there.

The FAQ also said that the panel physicians will be sending the the results electronically to the Consulate.

Does this means that I don't need to bring the med exam results with me to the interview? Dr office mentioned

that a CD will be sent to my home address.Do I need to bring this CD?

Any replies are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance!

2 hours ago, Kai (CanadaDude) said:

Hey...just a quick question here. How flexible is Dr. Cheema with appointments for the medical? Are you able to generally get any day you want or is it pretty strict?

 

Thanks!

Hi I communicated with them today through email. They asked me which day I prefer and I said July 1, but they were going to be closed

on July 1. So they gave me June 29 app. From my experience with them, they seem to be flexible. Just make sure you send them an

email as soon as you receive your IL and you can call them on the phone if you don't hear from them in a day. When you call them, make sure

wait until the message ends, and then it will go through and someone picks it up. I didn't know this, so first I thought it went straight to voice

message.

5 hours ago, Waynester925 said:

My wife has scheduled her medical but she needs her Tetanus-Diptheria shot since she hasn't had one in the last 10 years. Can this shot be given over the counter at pharmacies or is it something she's going to have to make an appointment to get? 

Hi I am in Vancouver and I received my TD shot at local Shoppers pharmacy the other day.

It was very easy... It took only 15-20 minutes in total. I didn't need to get any appointment in advance.

2 minutes ago, Kai (CanadaDude) said:

That looks like the one I got last August, I think it's correct? Any else can confirm?

 

I applied for a new PCC last week, and probably a good thing too given that I'm in the August interviews...if they happen lol.

 

Hi Thanks for your reply. Hopefully someone will be able to confirm....

This new one looks like the one I obtained in July 2021 except a few things. 

It says 'Criminal Record check for personal use' which is the exact wording

in the requirement listed in FAQ. So I hope this is the right one.

Hi all, 

i was just reading FAQ and it states that new name for Police certificate  is Criminal Record Check for Personal Use. I recently went to Commissionaire and received a new PC. Since I am not sure if it meets new requirement, can you guys take a look and let me know if it is the right one? Thanks. I really appreciate it.

46 minutes ago, MadKittyCat said:

I remember reading somewhere (maybe FAQ) that it can take a day to process before you’re able to register the appointment! So I would just wait and try again  congrats on your interview! 

Hi thanks so much. i will read through FAQ. I have read it a million times before, but don’t remember anything😀

11 minutes ago, State and Maine said:

I booked mine with dr cheema this morning no problems. They asked for case number and gave me an appointment for the 29th of june

Hi thank you very much for your reply. What number did you call them? I tried to call them at the number listed on their website and it went to did-did sound and didn’t go through for some reason. Will try again as soon as I get home. Thanks again!

Hi again all

I tried to register my appointment with them, but it said my case number is not ready for an

appointment. Should I wait and try again? I just received the IL this morning....

any comment will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi all,

I am trying to make an appointment with Dr Cheema.

I sent them an email just now including all my information as they instructed on their

website. Even though I read all instruction, I still think I might have missed something

and there should be another way to make an appointment such as online.

Can you tell me if I am doing it right? Thanks, I appreciate it.

2 hours ago, Hawk Riders said:

@Magnolian, @Mikeeastern, @LomLomLom, @G_K?

Hi, I received July 19 appointment! Thanks! 

40 minutes ago, Waynester925 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the medical before the interview so you can get any vaccines you may miss that are required? I was under the assumption that they do it at the appointment if so. 

From what I read on dr Cheema's website, they expect us to bring all the vaccine document papers

from childhood or titer test results OR recent vaccine shot records if you can not provide them.

It seems they are pretty strict about it. They even explained how you can get titer test if

you don't have vaccine record from childhood. For the chicken pox, they said they would just accept

your verbal declaration of having the decease as a kid which I like.

12 minutes ago, Kai (CanadaDude) said:

Apparently there's no maximum time to get the second dose of the MMR and is safe to have as an adult. We would be pretty hosed if we couldn't get it lol.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/public/index.html

 

By the way, Covid vaccine-wise. BCCDC says that you can't have any shots either 14 days before the Covid shot, or 14 days after it.

Thanks a lot!

All of a sudden, I need to get all the vaccines in the world and trying to figure out how to space them out in best way is driving me crazy.

39 minutes ago, Shumai84 said:

I just got all three shots (Tdap, chicken pox, and MMR) today at a nearby walk-in clinic. They don't accept walk-ins now, but you can call and book an appointment. I don't have an immunization record from my home country, so I just decided to take them all. US immigration requirement seems to require 2 doses for MMR, so I'm planning to get the second in June.

 

FAQ says if the interview happens before the 2nd dose, you should be ok as long as you are getting the second dose before you cross the border. 

You cannot take these immunization shots for 4 weeks from a Covid shot, so probably I'm won't be able to get a Covid shot till July or later.  

Hi @Shumai84 I have a quick question for you. Were you fully vaccinated as a child for MMR? Did you consult a dr or medical professional about

the safety of getting it second time as an adult? Thanks!

Like you I don't have any papers from childhood. My mom says I have been fully vaccinated for measles, but not the other two.

Trying to avoid the blood test for immunity and just want to get the vaccine if possible.