Frazell Thomas

flames9,

so true, that tracking system isn't worth too much.

OBX,

Thanks for the kind words

Did just that a few days ago, waiting on a reply and refreshing that useless Canada Post tracking site every 5 minutes

Well, here I am.

All my stuff is packed up and ready to go. I was planning on making my move to the states today but the Consulate still hasn't sent my Visa and Passport! (I had to send them my medical results which they recieved Monday, I figured, all they have to do is print the darn visa and stick it in that pre-paid pre-addressed envelope and hand it over to Canada Post...how long could that take?) Apparently I got so caught up with this process finally being over that I forgot to look at the past performance of government workers during this entire time...

Makes you start to wonder, will I ever move?

That's better

-Kerri

While I was half naked in my paper gown, the secretary started banging on the door telling me my car was being towed. DON'T repeat my mistake LOL

Whoa! That would be my nightmare! What a story though Looks like you survived it though

When I went to my interview on December 18, I brought along a small purse (with only my essentials, wallet and keys) and was able to bring along a tote bag (like those re-usable shopping bags) with my accordian-style folder with all my documents inside of that. I was concerned about carrying along the tote bag (my intentions were to leave it with my family after they had dropped me off at the consulate) but we got there before they opened and the gentleman who worked there was outside having a cigerette and said that the tote bag was fine. Oh and they make you empty out everything in all of your pockets, including pieces of paper. So get rid of any unnecessary receipts etc. I also saw people trying to come in with cell phones, and backpacks who were being turned away and told to get rid of them before entering the building.

Hope this helps,

-Kerri

Thanks! Now if only my husband could make it here through the winter storm warnings to celebrate... ah well, I'm still happy Woot woot! Finally

It made me smile too

Merry Christmas!

JillA

Someone needs to invent a switcheroo machine, that way we could switch your mom's place with my husband's place, and we'd all be happy.

We could switch them back later if you really want to

Someone get on that, k?

Stupid snow!!!

My husband was supposed to catch a bus from NYC to Toronto last night (and would have been here by now) but the winter storm warning cancelled the bus! (Even though he called them before he left his house to make sure it wasn't cancelled and they said it wasn't) Which means he went to NYC from Philadelphia for NOTHING, and then had to weasel himself back onto a sold out bus to get back to Philadelphia, only for him to try it again tonight *fingers crossed*. Don't get me wrong, snow is nice (to look at) but it can be so inconvenient sometimes! I haven't seen hubby since August and had been counting down the days...b'ah, more waiting i hate waiting

okay...starting to feel better now

-Kerri

Congratulations! That's wonderful

I'll have to try out Jim's on South Street.

And I love me some SEPTA.

I know, I know, it has its problems, but it's way better than Hamilton's HSR! So, hey, I'm excited I can do without a vehicle and that will make me very very happy.

Hey MsZ; That's so cute, "written in the stars". I like that

I plan on moving the 2nd week of January. They said they have to wait until January 6 (my 2nd wedding anniversary) to get my passport in shape because it won't let them do the IR-1 until that date. So hopefully I can get the medical to them by then. They said it takes 10 days to get the results back, which places it right on Christmas day, so I'm factoring in a few extra days for the holidays and the stop in mail flow, and then add a few days for me to get it to Montreal. Then they'll xpress-post it back to me, so that shouldn't take too long I don't think.

I love love LOVE Philadelphia (isn't the old architecture just like WOW! the amount of detail they used to put into buildings still blows my mind). Can you tell I'm a little excited to be moving?

Congrats to you and your husband also

JillA :

Never had a cheesesteak!? You better fix that soon!

When the Sobey's here first came out with Steak-ums I FREAKED out in the store, and even wrote Sobey's an e-mail saying how I appreciated it so much and how it meant the world to me to have a little bit of Philadelphia blah blah blah. All they wrote back was that they do their best to offer a wide selection of products and will pass my e-mail onto their food selection department...I simple thank you would have sufficed

but to have a real cheesesteak again...mmm i can almost taste it

Wow! Thanks guys I already feel welcomed to Philadelphia! Who knew so many of you were around there??

I can't wait to live in the big city. It's going to be awesome! (a REAL mass transit system, )

hmm I have a craving for a cheese-steak now

Hey OBX,

Just finished writing up my post about the interview. The short answer is, it went wonderfully!

The long answer is in the post http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=167985

Thanks for all your support

Well I had my interview in Montreal yesterday and it went better than expected I got there bright and early at 7:10 and was the first one in when they opened the doors at 7:30 (with a small line forming behind me).

I had brought a large collection of papers/evidence along with me, but all they wanted to see was my passport, passport photos, my deferral letter from my medical, and my xpresspost envelope...oh well, so I was a little over-prepared . My financial evidence was marked off as not complete, but the lady who took my fingerprints said she didn't need my IRS information I had brought so...

The interview portion was nice. I like how you get to talk to guy in a suit, rather than a guy with a gun strapped to his side and a radio... A little less intimidating. He was nice and we just talked casually (well, aside from the swearing an oath part, that was slightly less casual than most of my conversations). We looked over the photos I had submitted, and he asked when/how we met, when did we get engaged, when did we get married,etc. the usual. He said there was no question about our relationship being true so we moved on to the financial stuff.

Since my husband is a full-time student and has started his own web company, they were a little concerned, since it is not a steady income. We only have 23k CAD in assets (we were able to deduct some of his school financial aid so we didn't have to have much more than that...), with no co-sponsor so we were right on the border-line of acceptable. He asked if there was anyone in the states we could use as a co-sponsor and I told him no one was in any kind of situation who could do that (everyone we know lives below the poverty line), but that my parents in Canada would be able to help us out if we needed any more money, though I knew that wouldn't really help at this moment.

He asked what I did for work, and I told him I work at a UPS store and have worked at various locations with about 5 years experience. He asked if I could get a transfer from the UPS store in Canada to one in the States, but since they are all franchises, that doesn't really work. He hummed and hawed about it to himself (*and I prayed while he did that!*), said we'd come back to that in a bit and went on to talk about my Medical, or lack there of. Basically just said he'd have to wait for my medical results before he could issue the visa, which I already knew, so no surprise there. He went back to the financial side and said that given my experience I should be easily employable when I get there and he'd let it go. (What a relief! I had lost sleep about that a few weeks back...since then I was more worried about my Medical results )

He also up'd my CR-1 to an IR-1 so that was perfect too. All in all, I couldn't ask for a better experience

I was out of there at about 9:30. I think the hardest part of the whole situation is not having a cell phone along Since you can't have electronics, and my family was wandering the city while I was doing the interview and wasn't sure when they should meet back up with me. I thought I'd just call their cells from a payphone, collect. D'oh! You can't call collect to a cell phone. And then I tried using my credit card, since I didn't have any non-toonies in coins, but the stupid thing just kept saying "you do not have access", So I tried 3 more cell phone numbers (my parents each had one, and my sister had hers and mine as well) and it just kept saying "you do not have access"...Walked down the street, tried another phone, same thing...walked down the block found a "desjardins" which I assumed was a bank (which it was) , thinking I would see if I could get change (coins) to see if it was my credit card that wasn't working. While I was in there, I saw another payphone (inside, so nice and warm ) and figured I'd try again. After a few more tries, I got it! You have to dial a 1 before the number (it makes perfect sense, and I'm not sure why I wasn't thinking clearly, probably because I was so happy I was done that interview I had waited nearly 2 years for....and why can't they just say "dial 1 before the number"...that "no access" really does nothing to tell me why it's not working) It cost me $3.90 but it worked . That was definitely the most frustrating part of the whole process. Oh, and I was worried about having to carry all my documents with no "large bags/purses" but a large tote bag was fine, so I used that.

So, in a few more weeks when I get the medical results from Toronto and pass them on to Montreal, I'll be moving to Philadelphia! .....finally

Well,

I went back for more blood tests and here's the scoop. I had failed the screening test but passed the confirmatory test (same like at the Canadian Blood Services). They said that when that happens, they have to do a re-test of the confirmatory test after 2 weeks. So, they are sending those back in for testing and it takes 10 days which places it for Christmas, so add a few days for the holidays and I should have the results between Christmas and New Years. And that's the scoop

Well, they finally called me back (they even called me back at work, which they must have saved on file, as I didn't leave that number on the last 3 messages I left them). So on Monday I'll be making another trip to Toronto to have some more blood taken so they can do more tests. Test should take 10 days, which means I definitely won't have the results for my interview (boo Just when I think I finally have a final date for this process, it seems it is still a misty fog as to when I'll finally get that approval.) She said she'd give me a defferal letter and fax one over to Montreal as well. Now I was a little distracted when I was talking to her (pesky customers ) but from what I gathered, I failed the first test, passed the second, and now they want to retest the first one? Something like that, all very weird if you ask me... Anyways, the adventure continues...

Yup, I'm very glad I can still go to my interview with or without my medical results and I did mention that my interview is in 7 days (lol like that movie the ring... 7 days) so they better get back to me tomorrow! Of course I'll bug them as much as I have to, to get an answer (even if it is a no, we haven't got a clear result yet)

Called again and left a message and no one called me back. I hate that you have to leave a message and wait for them to call you...more waiting....but I'm running out of days!

Well, I was expecting to hear back from them by last Wednesday, but after still not hearing from them regarding the test results today (Tuesday following) I called them to see what was up. Left a message and they got back to me. The lady tells me "hmm, I don't have your results back yet...that's very odd....let me look into that for you" ....so now I'm waiting for more news. I hope they find it, and I hope I don't have to go back to Toronto for more blood tests (that's just annoying)...I'll keep you posted

*waits some more*

I'll make sure to bring along the payment receipts I plan on taking everything I've ever sent them and everything I've ever received from them, and some extras too

Congrats to you!

Oooo that makes me mad! He's upset because he was GRANTED a 1 year work visa, and then ABUSED it? Come on now...rediculous. It irritates me when you go about the immigration system legally, wait your time, and then some smuck like this wants sympathy for doing it illegally and facing the consequences. Grrrr.

Now breathe.... *sigh*

-Kerri

Thanks! I just had this feeling like I was supposed to fill out some forms or something (there's always more forms it seems!) But I'm glad to know I've got everything done, just have to get that Xpresspost mailer. Woot! Come on December 18!! I'm ready!

Hello.

I've got my interview set for December 18th in Montreal. Besides the Medical and getting passport photos, and evidence of a bona-fide marriage, is there anything else I'm supposed be doing in the meantime? I just want to make sure I'm not supposed to be filling out a form I don't know about..

Thanks guys