burnsis

I have a locked in GIC at CIBC that I transferred money into from a pension several years ago. I've forgotten about it until now. I am not supposed to be able to withdraw it until I am of retirement age as far as I know. But since I am now a US permanent resident with no intent of returning home to Canada...I want to get it transferred here somehow, perhaps into an IRA. When I call CIBC, no one seems to be able to help me since I don't have a regular bank acct with CIBC, and my info is not current.

Anyone have experience with this? What happened?

Thanks in advance!

great thanks so much!

now when does the SSN number arrive?

I checked off that I wanted to apply for it when I submitted my visa paperwork, so it should automatically be on the way, no?

Do they usually arrive around the same time? Should I be worried? I've been here just a month now. My perm resident card came a couple of days ago, but pretty much can't do anything without the SSN.

I would definitely give yourself 3 hours. I know it seems like a lot, but I fly through Pearson a lot and it can get busy. You may go through with no one else in there which also happens, but better to be safe than sorry.

As for your luggage, I'm pretty sure I've seen people go through with a cart - I could be wrong - but I remember people with lots of stuff using a cart (they looked like they were moving). I've seen people with a baby or toddler and they fold up the stroller and put it on the cart with all of their stuff piled and then just held the toddler. I'm sure its not ideal but the longest I've ever waited was around 20 minutes, so it's not that long.

What time/day and terminal are you flying? That really makes a huge difference too. Whenever I'm going through customs around 5:30 a.m.-8 a.m. its busy, same with 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. The rush hour traffic is the worst. Last week I went through at 4:00 p.m. and it was completely dead on a Friday in Terminal 3. I was pretty surprised, I thought it would be busier, but it wasn't. I also wondered whether that was because it was Halloween because my flight was half empty too.

If you are flying with the same airline, your luggage will travel through to your final destination. The only time it doesn't is when you take 2 separate airlines and have to re-check in but that is pretty rare so you should be good to go.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the info. I am flying out Monday afternoon from term 1

Is is a review link of VJ members who wrote about Pearson as a POE.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/poereviews.php

Here is the number of the Pearson Pre-Clearance (Border Control), that you can ask them about the cart issue if you want to know for certain. I think most POE's are going to tell you to be there 3 hours ahead of time, but I think a lot depends on what time of day you go.

Toronto Preclearance

Lester B. Pearson International Airport

P.O. Box 115

Toronto AMF

Toronto, Ontario, Canada L5P 1A2

Port Director

Phone: 905-676-2606

thanks!

Congratulations on getting your visa! Nice timing on receiving it in the mail as well!

I don't know where you're from...what airport you're flying out of, or where you're flying to, or stopping at. I think that might make a difference. I've never heard about not having a cart?? That sounds ridiculous!

Most, not all Canadian airports have pre-clearance to the US now I believe, in which case you'll be activating your visa in Canada, before you board the plane. Depending on when you're leaving as well, 3 hours might be a bit too much time. You could always phone the airport to find a more realistic time to be there.

I flew Saskatoon to Minneapolis, and there is no pre-clearance there, so I didn't go through Customs until I got to the US. After going through, and processing my K-1, which was 5 minutes long...I had to pick up my luggage, and with the use of a cart, had to take it to the next area, to put it back on a belt, to be put on the next plane.

If you can provide us with more information, maybe someone with the specific airport experience can tell you how they did it.

Sorry, it's Pearson Int'l Airport in Toronto.

I got my visa last week....2 days after my interview! I wasn't expecting it to be so fast.

I booked my flight to the US, and if I remember correctly, I am going to have to lug all my bags through customs with me. It's always been a pain, but now I will have two suitcases, a couple of carry-ons, a stroller, a giant carseat, and a toddler with me. How will I manage all of that, b/c last I recalled, they wouldn't let you use those carts while waiting. And I am told to get there 3 hrs early, b/c I have to activate the visa...what all does that involve? I am just worried about my toddler having a meltdown, and carrying all of that stuff on my own.

And will my luggage get tagged through to my final destination, or do I have to pick it up at my stopover destination and reload it? I had to do that coming from Asia to Canada via the US, but I wonder about from Canada to the US with a stop?

Leaving for MTL tomorrow!!

I have some time to spare between my train home and the interview....are there any malls close to the train station, consulate area?

And dumb question....but what did you bring your papers in...if you can't have bags, purses, etc. Do you just carry your big old expresspost envelope with an xray hanging out? Snowstorm is coming, and I am a little worried.

I lived in Edmonton. My interview was on a Friday and the following Monday was a holiday. Gentleman said he'd hope to have it in the mail by Tuesday. It arrived on Friday morning. So super fast in my case.

Thanks for the info and the wishes of luck. I really hope I get it this time. I had gotten all the way to the interview last time and it was in Korea. They felt that my criminal background check wasn't good enough b/c they had the right to request a more thorough one with fingerprints being an embassy abroad. The one I gave them had allowed me to teach children in the Korean public school for three years, but not good enough for them to say that I can get a visa. So, time ran out and I had to transfer the case to my homeland of Canada. In effect though, nothing transferred, as I had to fill out all papers again and pay ALL of the fees again. No refunds from Korea.

I really hope that this time it works, otherwise I am thinking it just isn't meant to be.

Ah okay....I am in the Toronto area...so shouldn't be too long.

According to the list, I only need my medical, photos, and passport. Everything else is paid and there:)

I have my interview next week, and I am pretty certain(knock on wood) that I will be approved. Just wondering how long it takes to get your passport w/ visa back from express post?

I am wondering which would be more convenient to the consulate and nearby hotels? The train is cheaper, but I am wondering how close the station is vs. the airport, and getting around. I'll have a toddler in tow, so I am hoping to make it as smooth as possible...LOL. Any tips, or hotel recs?

Congratulations on nearing the end of Part I

Here is a link to the specific instructions for MTL NVC:

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/supplements/MT...L-0003-0808.pdf

Here's everything that I took with me last month to MTL:

1) medical results and xray

2) gigantic xpressport mailer (314mmx394mm)

3) 2 passport photos (duplicates)

4) valid passport

5) about 10 or so photos from our life together

6) interview letter

7) copy of police certificate

8) copy of marriage certificate

9) copy of long form birth certificate

10) 3 years of tax returns (they sure don't look like Canadian tax returns)

11) NOA2 from USCIS

12) a sampling of plane ticket stubs

I also provided everything before the interview, I brought these copies just in case. None of it was reviewed or even asked about.

I am not much of a gambler - so I wouldn't bank on having my visa issued the same day and getting your passport back. I would plan on getting it in the mail.

Here is a link to the government ID requirements for air travel. Perhaps you can use your birth certificate and something else that they recommend on this website?

http://www.passengerprotect.gc.ca/identity.html

The following are examples of valid government-issued identification documents that may be used to meet the requirements of the Identity-screening Regulations:

passport

citizenship card

permanent-resident card

driver’s licence

provincial health card

provincial or territorial government identification cards (GICs)

birth certificate

Record of Landing Form/Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292)

immigration documents issued to foreign nationals (e.g., Work Permit, Study Permit, Visitor Record, Temporary Resident Permit, Refugee Approved Status)

Canadian military identification

federal police identification

federal, provincial or municipal government employee identification cards

Social Insurance Number (SIN) card

Old Age Security (OAS) identification card

Certificate of Indian Status (Status card) issued by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)

Canadian Border Services Agency NEXUS card

thanks for that info!

So, I just got told that I have an interview for end of Oct. And I have a few questions(IR/CR1):

Can I schedule my medical now? Or do I need the letter with my interview date on it?

Does my husband need to go with me? Can I bring my son with me?

They have all the documents they requested, do I need to bring anything else?

Can I get my passport back the same day? I am flying within Canada, but I don't have a health card or valid dl, it all expired. I don't have any other ID other than a birth cert.

I have one dated Feb 08, it has the fingerprints and is an official one from the RCMP. I had to order this one b/c at the time I was living in Korea. It took nearly 8 months to have it done...as they lost my file, and then in the meantime I moved.

So they sent it to me, and then in transferring my IV case from Korea to Canada, things got messed up with immigration, and file numbers and addresses were confused....so they are just now finally requesting all of my documents again.

It says that an RCMP check older than 6 mths won't be accepted. And by the time I mail it in, it will be over 6 months old.

I have been visiting my husband in the US for quite sometime now, and have not lived in Canada for a few years now. I am going home next month, and I can apply for a new police check much quicker than if I apply with fingerprints again to Ottawa. But, I don't have any ID with a current address on it, other than a passport. My health card and driver's licenses are expired. Can I show them a birth certificate and passport?

Anyone know?

I had to transfer my file from Korea to Canada. It looks like nothing is transferring though....I am being requested to pay all fees again, and submit all forms again too. So I don't know what exactly was transferred, if anything.

Has anyone gone through this? Are any of the papers I left in Korea going to be sent to Montreal?

I email and never get a proper response to whatever I ask....and I call, and after waiting for a minute, they send me back to the automated system, and then I press 5, and I'm on hold again, and then it puts me back to a message saying they are busy and goodbye.

What gives?

The number I called is 603 334 0700

Any tips or other numbers I can call?

Long story short: I applied for my visa when we were living in Korea. We paid all of the necessary fees, including the 400 for the actual visa. When I gave them all of the docs at the interview, they felt my criminal background check wasn't good enough(wanted a more official one that took months to get), and so I left without my visa and wasn't offered a refund, just told to come back with the proper docs. We had to leave Korea before I could do that, and I was told to transfer the case to Canada. We finally got that transferred to Montreal, and then they sent us a fee request letter for 70.00. We paid that, and now they want 400 more.

I know that we've already paid this in Korea, and I have the receipts to prove it. Do we have to pay again?

Should we have even paid that 70.00? I know we already paid that too!

Long story short: I applied for my visa when we were living in Korea. We paid all of the necessary fees, including the 400 for the actual visa. When I gave them all of the docs at the interview, they felt my criminal background check wasn't good enough(wanted a more official one that took months to get), and so I left without my visa and wasn't offered a refund, just told to come back with the proper docs. We had to leave Korea before I could do that, and I was told to transfer the case to Canada. We finally got that transferred to Montreal, and then they sent us a fee request letter for 70.00. We paid that, and now they want 400 more.

I know that we've already paid this in Korea, and I have the receipts to prove it. Do we have to pay again?

Should we have even paid that 70.00? I know we already paid that too!

Bumping? Anyone?

Long story short: I applied for my visa when we were living in Korea. We paid all of the necessary fees, including the 400 for the actual visa. When I gave them all of the docs at the interview, they felt my criminal background check wasn't good enough(wanted a more official one that took months to get), and so I left without my visa and wasn't offered a refund, just told to come back with the proper docs. We had to leave Korea before I could do that, and I was told to transfer the case to Canada. We finally got that transferred to Montreal, and then they sent us a fee request letter for 70.00. We paid that, and now they want 400 more.

I know that we've already paid this in Korea, and I have the receipts to prove it. Do we have to pay again?

Should we have even paid that 70.00? I know we already paid that too!

call DOS at 202-663-1225-1-0

You will need either your case # or ss # and benificiaries name, they should be able to track it down

Good luck

Thanks so much for that number!

I contacted them, and they were able to tell me that I had been assigned a new case number...and they had sent me a DS 3032 on Feb 11 to our old address in Korea. I am not sure why this is, as I had a letter sent to me in Canada already, and we requested the case be transferred from Seoul to Canada...so we wouldn't be there to get any mail. The new case number also starts with SEO. It was MTL before, and now it's been changed back to SEO. I hope this doesn't mean that they've sent my file back to Korea.

I've contacted the NVC to give them my new address, and I don't know if the DS 3032 means I am any closer to an interview. I had an interview in Korea, but was missing a document that I couldn't get in time before we left. So I now have all the docs needed, just waiting for an interview date.

Dh and I were married in Korea(I'm Canadian, he is US military). We filed for the IV over there, but had to leave before we could finish things. I had the case transferred to Montreal, Canada. I got a letter from MTL back in Oct 07 saying they had requested the file from Korea, and that NVC would contact me once it was there. Well since then, I've heard NOTHING.

I contacted MTL, NVC, and Korea....no one has my file. NVC finally told me to contact CIS today, and when I did they told me basically I was an idiot for calling them b/c they don't have anything to do with IV cases. I looked at the lone paper I have from Montreal stating that the case was requested for transfer, and it just has a phone number on it for NVC...followed by a note NOT TO CALL them b/c they don't have a live person there to help.

What can I do?

I am in the US now, visiting my Dh...I just want to cancel it and start over I think. I am so lost, and sad. We've spent so much time and money on this, and no one can help us it seems.

I am currently in the US "visiting" my hubby.

We applied for my CR/IR-1 IV in Korea when we married/lived there. It didn't get finished in time. We've now transferred the case to Montreal.

The only thing I received was a letter stating that MTL had requested my IV file from Seoul, and that I should wait for NVC to contact me. This was back in early Oct 07.

I've contacted both MTL and NVC just to check if my file has been received and to try to get an idea of when an interview would be granted. MTL told me to check with NVC, and NVC told me to check back with MTL. Grrrr.......

I have been in the US for 4 mths now just waiting on this...going to have to fly back to Canada soon, probably no interview in sight...don't know if they'll let me back in here to wait again. I am really stressing out.

Is there anything I can do from here? Extend my stay? Apply for an adjustment of status?

My husband is army, and we were married abroad. I have heard something about them moving my belongings to the US for me b/c we were married overseas. Has anyone had experience with this?

Just read another post, and it made me worried.

For my age group I need MMR, Td and Varicella(I've already had chicken pox).

I have no clue where my vax records are....I had a titer test performed here in Korea, and it proves that I have immunity to varicella and MMR.....they said one couldn't be done for Td, but I read that it can.

But this other poster is saying they want all records from birth...how is that possible to obtain, and what if I don't have it? I don't want to be revaccinated. I'd rather submit an exemption form than be re-vaxed.

The visa gives you permission to live in the US. Without permission you are only here as a visitor. A visitor is not allowed to live in the US, so is not allowed to bring their possessions into the US as the intent is that they will be leaving. Once you are allowed to live in the US - have your visa - you will be allowed to bring your possessions into the country. You will need to provide a copy of your approved visa and your own proof of admission on that visa to the US before the border guards will allow your belongings in, regardless of who is transporting them, so you will also have to make another border crossing into the US yourself when the time arrives.

I see you are on a CR-1 - you will have to activate that once it is approved in order to allow your belongings into the country.

B/c we were married in a 3rd country(korea) the army will pay to transport my goods to the US where my husband lives. They have contracts with moving companies in Canada apparently...the only catch is that I have to be there when they pick it up.

I just don't see how it works though if I have to already have a visa activated. Is it possible to say that I am sending my "husbands" goods...IDK.

I have a bunch of stuff sitting in storage in Canada. I've been living out of the country in Korea for the past 3 years. I am planning to wait in the US while the visa application processes....can I have my stuff shipped over to the US before the visa is approved?

He is US military, and I have a friend that says it can be done w/o a visa b/c we are married...that the army can arrange to transport my belongings to the US from Canada.

I am skeptical though.....what do you think?

I don't want to take it all out of storage and have it rejected at the border.