EmilyandJason

I've noticed the same thing Reba!

It feels weird to have to fill out a deposit slip at the bank!

Also, it seems to me that the BOA online system is pretty behind the times as it can take several days for a debit transactions to show up. I'm in WA and I know that WA and ID are on their own system. Maybe it is better for the rest of the country.

Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know if WAMU is better for online banking?

What part of Canada are you in? Coast Capital savings has a no fee account and I have only great things to say about their customer service.

https://www.coastcapitalsavings.com/Persona...quing_Accounts/

Wow, thanks for that info Zyggy. I was finding it pretty hard to accept that children would be put in government care rather than with their family.

It really doesn't matter since being a godparent is pretty much a title. The only way you can legally have custody of her children is if she has an official legal document saying that you and your husband will be their legal guardians if anything happens to her.

Diana

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I don't mean godparent in just the sense of the title. My sister wants my husband and I to be legal guardian of her children should anything happen to her and her spouse.

Anyway, it seems to me that should anything happen, the children would have to remain in the care of the Canadian government until the US government processed everything. This isn't really an option.

Thanks for your answers, that is what I thought.

Briefly - my husband is a US citizen and my application for a conditional green card is underway.

My sister (Canadian citizen) is expecting in February 2009 and has no other family that she feels she could ask to care for her children should something happen to herself and her spouse.

How practical is it for her to ask my husband and myself? If something should happen to my sister and her spouse, I wouldn't want the child to be left for months while USCIS processed things.

Anyone have any experience with this? I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Thank you,

Emily

I've been travelling back and forth each week since I received my K3 visa, both before and after applying for AOS. I have not had any problems.

Some border guards like to us the US Visit procedure and fingerprint / photograph me, others don't seem to care. I do get a stamp in my passport now, that is about the only difference.

Emily

Ours was mailed May 23rd.

I don't know if this is typical or not, but I got my interview 2 weeks after completing packet 3. MUCH faster than I had expected.

I second everything the Ateam said. I had my medical last Wednesday and honestly the toughest part was getting up so early and being there at 6:30! Everything else is really simple. The ladies in the office are very nice and reassuring, they know how stressful this process is for everyone and are very patient. Dr. Morgan is very nice as well.

The only thing you may find difficult is getting your shirt on and off if you can't move your shoulder. One of the ladies there will be able to help you as one of them will be in the exam room with you and the doctor.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

Emily

I'm sorry Linda, I know how tough it is to be apart even with weekly visits.

I hope you get a July date.

Thanks

This is what I was hoping. I just read through the CBP moving to the US guide and again found nothing.

I think its a fairly safe assumption that I only need this letter in order to register and insure the vehicle in the US.

I am planning to keep making the payments from my Canadian account .. I'll just transfer the money using Custom House.

Emily

Sorry if this has been asked before, I checked through old posts and couldn't find anything specific.

I have a Ford vehicle that is financed. I can't pay off the balance before I go.

I've already arranged for the safety standards letter (I got charged $100 plus taxes .. what a rip, I think this is a dealer specific fee). The guy was super nice and offered to disable my running lights for me if I need to.

Anyway, my interview is next week so I plan on driving down to Bellingham on Friday. I'm not actually physically moving my belongings yet but I will be entering with the K3 visa and I don't want to run into issues with the vehicle.

I've contacted Ford Credit and they won't give me approval until I give them a copy of the state title and the insurance. They also want my US address (which I do have) and the name and address of my US employer - which I do not have) My vehicle is going to remain insured in Canada (my insurance does cover travel to the United States) until I get my SSN and US drivers license.

I couldn't find anything that specifically said I needed this approval from Ford Credit so I'm hoping I'll be ok with just the safety standard stuff.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I appreciate all the help you guys have given me to date. It has really helped me out over these past few months.

Emily

Mine is on Thursay - May 15th.

I feel pretty organized but a little nervous of course ... this is a pretty major deal!

I'm sure we'll all do just fine.

Good luck!

Plus, she's a Canadian citizen, so they should be able to DCF even if she's in the US I should think.

Once I apply for AOS I will not be able to return to Canada without AP which will not be granted for this purpose

This is false. A K3 is multiple entry good for 2 years, even after you apply for AOS. No AP needed.

That is great to know, thanks Reba. A lawyer told me I wouldn't be able to re-enter after starting the AOS. I'll check into this further.

I'm sure this has been asked a thousand times...

Just to clarify ... if my interview is at 1pm on Thursday, it is the norm that I can pickup my passport on Friday after 2pm?

Also, what is the other option if I don't want to wait an extra day for it?

Thanks!

I am planning on working in Canada after I have entered the US with my K3 visa.

I've been told there shouldn't be any problems with this.

I will apply for an EAD after I have the K3 in hand and have used it to enter the US. I will then move my possessions to the US with me and reside with my husband and I will return to Canada for a few days each week. I am only planning on doing this for a few months though, this could not be done long-term. Once I apply for AOS I will not be able to return to Canada without AP which will not be granted for this purpose. The point of doing this is to avoid being unemployed during the three month period of waiting for the EAD, by the time I finish at my Canadian job I'll have the EAD in hand as it has to be issued within 90 days.

That being said, if the OP's whole family resides in Canada, DCF is the way to go. Otherwise, this may be an option to avoid forced unemployment.

Thanks for the info.

I've read over the EI threads and it looks like the theory is that with the K1 you are legally able to work, at least for Canadian EI purposes, even though you don't have the EAD.

Does this same theory apply to the K3? Anyone have any experience?

Thanks

I think part of the point being made, is that the processing of the I-129F is held up due to the receipting delay.

People don't file I-129Fs because they want an immigrant visa. They don't want the K3 held up because of the receipting delay.

I just opened a Bank of America account this weekend without a SSN. I gave my Canadian address, passport, drivers license and SIN. The man was very nice - he gave me 5 years no fees, no questions asked. I also applied for a credit card, so we'll see what happens with that.

I tried to get an account at a smaller credit union but was told they couldn't do it because of the Patriot Act.

I think it all depends.

Ah yes, I see the merit of waiting for the unconditional green card.

I'm glad I'm know alone with the OCD ... lol

As for the winters, I wish I was moving a little farther south. I could do with some sunshine and a little less rain. Being from the coast I can't really complain about the winters though!

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Bowflex - yes we think the CR1 is the best option also, but we don't want to risk waiting at least another 10 months. The cost and hassel of AOS is worth it to us. I also live in Victoria so Montreal is a substantial trip ... Vancouver is but a wonderful BC Ferry ride away.

Delicia - that is good advice. I do tend to plan and get an idea in my head of when I think things are going to happen .. and yeah, that is just setting myself up for disappointment. I feel your pain too and can't believe all that you and your hubby are going through. Is K3 an option for you?

Spiritalight - that made me laugh. Yesterday Jason was harrasing Canadian government officials .. from Economic Development .. he KNOWS they can't do anything but couldn't resist the urge to poke at ANY government official ..

Thanks for the info. I'll read through the thread a little further as well

I am slowly, but surely driving myself insane (ok, the road really isn’t that long, but humour me)

We initially chose to get married and file for a CR1 visa because we had some time ( I wanted to finish tax season here) and because we thought that by filing in September we’d surely have our visa in hand by July. BIG.MISTAKE.OBVIOUSLY.

Next, we decided to file the I-129F, thinking that .. ok, fine, we can’t have the K1, but maybe we can at least speed this up with a K3. Then there was/is all this drama and debate over whether the K3 was “dead” and not only dead but slowing down your I-130. There is just so much conflicting information flying around it is so hard to have any clue what might be going on.

Now I am thinking that the CR-1 could take at least 4 months at NVC (if not longer, due to backlog from the backlog from the ..) and then at least 4 months, if not more to the interview in Montreal. This puts us at least November or December 2008 (15 – 16 months after initial filing).

I am praying that our K3 is approved because I think we could have the K3 in hand within 4 months (meaning I could move either June 30th or July 31) … this would be lovely. Our family/friends wedding ceremony is July 19th so I would really love not to have to come “home” after our ceremony.

I obsessively check the immigration timeline data, Delicia’s spreadsheet and the forum threads for approvals … I check USICS case status every 30 minutes …

I obsess that our forms are on some hag’s desk who hates people who are in love and want to be together. Ok, but seriously, there have been people who were told that their K3 was cancelled and people who were told that both their petitions were put into the I-129F processing unit and were taking much longer. Argghhh .. I just don’t know what to think any more. I keep seeing more and more approvals for people who filed after us and it just makes me think ours is stuck ….

So .. tell me the truth .. when you were waiting for your approvals were you as obsessive as I admit to be?