CBR

My fiance's was June 11 (wednesday) and we got it the following Monday June 16, so 5 days for us.

Good luck!! Montreal took a long time to schedule the interview, but the experience there was worth it. Very nice and organized.

For the interview does the petitioner need to be present? Also are all of these documents necessary to take to interview? Thanks.

If you can make it, I would go. It's not necessary and true at some embassies you're not allowed in. BUT, I have read a few VJ members who've been turned down at the interview and told that the USC needs to be interviewed too.

If it's a hardship, then don't worry about it but I'd prepare in the back of my mind for plan B just in case.

That's correct, it could be your initial notice of action from when they first received your petition. When I called they told me I had an RFE once, but what it actually was was when they first received our petition with the incorrect fee amount and sent it back (thanks poe officer for telling us the wrong thing).

However, at a glance your siggy says your noa1 was 204 days ago. You've certainly been waiting long enough that it COULD be your noa2. If you don't hear anything for a while (couple weeks) and your lawyer doesn't have info for you...maybe try calling NVC. They can look up your petition by the WAC number and tell you if they've received it. Then you'd know it was the noa2. You're gonna need that hard copy of the noa2 for your interview so I hope you get it!!

Well, I'm not the Canadian (my fiance is), but I'm developing my own list too so I hope ya don't mind my 2 cents here lol.

Aero bars (the ones with the yogurt stuff inside)

Diana sauce

can of Tim Horton's hot chocolate (my son & I are hooked)

I wish so bad I could bring back pemeal bacon!!

and we always stop somewhere for some poutine

and I must say your ketchup is much tastier (sweeter) too.

I'm gonna have to try the famous Shreddies one of these visits.

I want to try mcdonald's just to see what the difference is out of curiosity.

The toothpaste in Canada is just weird!! I didn't like it too much. Soda is too sweet especially in restaurants where it's not from a can, omg.

If they'd found a BP station they would've been alright.

I can't believe it's not Jamaica mon with the marijuana, wow! Isn't that the motherland for weed smokers?

My fiance found a canister of Tim's coffee this morning in one of his boxes while unpacking. Now we just need a coffee maker to brew that sucker up!

From my perspective (and I don't adhere to this philosophy) people in the US are very career driven. They want to have it all, all the toys, big house, big career, big paycheck, and kids too. It just doesn't work. I have seen co-workers take risks during their pregnancies because they fear disapproval from others. They don't want anybody thinking they are using their pregnancy as an excuse to not do their job to the fullest (or fear being passed up on a promotion or opportunity). Also, if they are the insurance holders of the family they are really forced to maintain their full-time status. Another thing, I'm noticing more and more women who are the breadwinners of the family (i was one of them in my previous marriage). It's way too much pressure and I have many regrets.

This topic gets me so fired up, I must move on now.

I'm googling like crazy and it's so hard to find good info on this. So far, I've concluded that you're correct flames9 that we wouldn't be double taxed and as for the US taxing you no matter where you live in the world, that's conditional. If you make over 85,700 a year you will be taxed...if you make less you are exempt. Also in the us if you make less than 8500 (single) you don't have to file and something like 17k for a married couple (yea i know, who could live on that?).

Aren't you only paying taxes in whatever country you actually made an income above a certain amount? Why would you pay US taxes if you didn't make money here???

Why would you pay taxes in any country you didn't earn an income from? And why would it be different in any country? I'm confused

Hi all,

Because myself and Laura had twins last year while my K1 was still processing we need to get a bigger place now that our babies are on the verge of getting mobile. we had a meeting with our bank that Laura has banked with for many years, 9she added me to the account after we got married), and got approved for a mortgage. However, because I am currently out of status awaiting my green card which could take ages the bank had to remove me from the mortgage application to get approval, so the mortgage is approved purely on Laura's income.

We've now found a hosue and have put in an offer but the realtor, (part of our extended family here) has called me today stating that without me be named on the title of the house I would have no claim to it should something happen to Laura. Obviously I'm concerned about this as I will be paying over 20% of the house value as a down payment out of my own savings and should something horrible happen to Laura I wouldn't want us, and especially the kids to be homeless.

Does anyone know of a way that I can be named on the property title without being named on the mortgage?

Thanks,

Darren.

im no lawyer or real esate agent, but i would think a quick claim deed might be able to get you name on the house

Are you sure you don't mean "QUIT claim deed?" I had to do this when I was divorced and needed the house in just my name. We did a quit claim deed to get my ex husband's name off of the house which meant he had no rights to the house. Like you "quit" your "claim" to the "deed". Or is there a quick claim that puts you on?

Very nice post Rae! Another thing for the younger people here is that you are changing your primary role in life which is a huge adjustment. You're going from being your parent's son or daughter to being someone's husband or wife now (head of your own household if you weren't before). And for some you're soon to be someone's parent. Those changes in and of themselves are major adjustments to make in life and to couple that with moving to a new country, and I can see why some have a rough road. In the end though all that matters is being with the one you love and creating your life together.

Thank goodness everything worked out! I just saw this thread now, but was on the edge of my seat reading each post lol. Hopefully since she's been dilated so long when she goes into active labor it will be swift and pain kept to a minimum. With my first I had dilated early like that too and when I finally acknowledged I was truly in labor my daughter was born just a few hours later and it really wasn't bad at all. Of course every single birth is unique, I wish your wife the same easy delivery!!

Jeraly you always crack me up! I can't believe you're moving time is here finally! How exciting

I hope you don't get all homesick too. I would imagine that just about everyone does though. I know I would if I were the one moving to Canada. I think it's more a matter of mouring the loss of everyone and everything you are accustomed to than not liking your new home. Hopefully once you have more and more good experiences and memories here the homesickness will abate.

Might as well change subject in my post here...we went and applied for our marriage license yesterday!! It should come in the mail next week. I called the local SS office, but Jeremy isn't in the system yet so we're gonna wait and call again next week. I don't want to get caught up in that ####### where they have to verify you with USCIS and it takes forever. Jeremy has been looking at job openings in our area so we're getting anxious.

In exactly 3 weeks from now I will have a new last name!!! I can't wait!!

I tried to make a dentist appointment here a few weeks ago, first question I was asked was "do you have insurance" next was "we might not accept that, you'd have to pay first".. Back home the first question was "whats wrong and are you in pain".... it sickens me to death to think that people without (could have been me, was me before) would have been turned away in pain?

I'd love to know where that dentist was.. you sure you didn't go to Canada for that kind of treatment?... Maybe you looked/sounded like you could afford it maybe, maybe you found one in a million? I know one thing for sure every dentist I've seen in the US has asked for three things right away, fill in this document, we'll need to see ID and your health insurance card.. No insurance card, well we'll need to see some cash...

My experience with dentists here is the same as Aidens . . .and partially similar to Gary's. One of my front incisors fragmented 3 years ago (it had had a previous root canal done in Canada). I called around to find a dentist - none of them took our insurance. I finally found one who did - but I couldn't get an appointment for 4 days. They put a temporary cap on, then I went back for the permanent replacement a month after that. They were more interested in trying to get me to replace all of my teeth with crowns than just doing the work that needed doing for a nice big cost in the tens of thousands. When I had pain in one of my teeth their diagnosis right away was 'root canal' for several thousand dollars. Since I had already met my maximum of $1000 in insurance for the year (that happens extremely quickly - even faster if you have to use an out of service provider) i decided to explore other options. Siince I had some antibiotics at home, I took those instead. The pain went away and I have been 3 years without pain in that tooth - the same one that 'had' to have a root canal. (And yes, I DO know that you are not supposed to use antibiotics like that but under the circumstances and supported by my research it was the reasonable alternative - and it worked).

In Canada, dentists are not covered by universal health care so either you pay or an employer pays for dental care. If I had a toothache I was always able to get an appointment the same day - not 3 or 4 days later. Gary, you seem to think it is perfectly acceptable to wait 3 days in pain. That I don't understand - it wouldn't happen in Canada. When I had root canals done in Canada the total price was a third of the price I was quoted here in the US for a simple, single root - and these were on molars with 4 roots. My dentist also allowed payment plans, and understood that my finances were limited so would provide me with options - a higher and a lower cost option. I was fortunate in that my dental was covered by my employer at 80%. The dental company allowed me to wait until the insurance came in to pay them. I filed my own claims - straight forward send in the paperwork and receive back a cheque in 2 weeks.

Let's talk about expenses that are not covered. I use insulin - two different types. I also test my blood glucose multiple times a day as my test results determine the amount of linsullin I take - also several times a day. The co-pay I pay here for the test strips is just slightly less than the full price I paid for the test strips in Canada - they are not subsidized by the government nor are prescriptions covered by the Health act. The vial of insulin I paid $19 for in Canada cost $34 here - exact same product, exact same manufacturer. I don't understand how diabetics who don't have some sort of coverage are able to manage their condition here in the US. . . how in heavens name can they afford it? It costs at least 3 times more to purchase the necessary medication and accessories in the US as it does in Canada - and that is when neither country is providing any type of health subsidy or reimbursement. Add to that the necessary trips to doctors for prescriptions and ongoing testing all with their copays if you have insurance or full cost if you don't, well, people just can't afford to be sick here.

I do have friends here without insurance. One of them received a bad cut on his cheek from a tree branch. He 'sewed' it up himself. When he broke his leg by falling through a rotted wooden stair, he splinted it himself and let it heal. He couldn't afford medical treatment as his expenses were already very close to the edge and he just didn't have the money. Another friend has ulcerative collitis - she has to decide how long she can endure the pain before she goes to her doctor for medication because she can't afford the visits or the medication. She works 35 hours a week in a llibrary but they don't provide benefits for those who work less than 40 hours - and they won't increase her hours or the hours of their other employees to 40 just so they don't have to provide medical benefits.

I am glad that you have good insurance, Gary - and I am more than thankful that I do right now as well. I don't know what is going to happen to me when my husband retires in 3 years and I no longer have coverage. He will be able to get medicaid - I won't. Yes, it frightens me.

i take canada's system over usa..ask a retiree about prescription costs.,...

Good point almaty. My Mother is retired and she has 3 or 4 prescriptions she takes. While drugs are not covered for everyone in Canada, for seniors in Alberta covered by blue cross (no cost to the senior) they are subsidized. Therefore each prescription only costs her $25 a quarter.

She also needed a blood test for something recently. As she was not feeling all that great, the Dr was contacted and someone is coming to her place today to take the blood test.

I don't think it has been mentioned that as well as health coverage for all in Canada there is also a vast network of other organizations that people can access at no or very limited cost - whether for home care or home cleaning for seniors.

Did you guys know that many drug companies will give patients free meds? You can look online or ask your doctor's office for an application to apply for free meds. Many major drug companies have lists of the meds they provide on these programs. And Target and Walmart (and other big chains i'm sure) have many common meds available for $4 a month or $10 or a 90 day supply? It might be worth checking out to save some money. I hate to see people struggle to pay for their meds. In the clinic where I work we frequently help needy patients out in this way or by giving them samples so they don't have to fork out all that money. Also, if your med isn't on your insurance's formulary your doctor can do a prior authorization which states to the insurance co. that the generic isn't effective for you or that there isn't an equivalent med on their formulary and these are often approved (in my experience) and the patient then can pay the lower copay. I know it's not perfect, but there are some things that can be done to help.

plz don't flame me, i'm trying to be helpful.

Congratulations!! I enjoyed your review and am glad it all went so well for you.

I didn't mention it in my letter of intent to marry. I simply sent a copy of my divorce papers. I had no problems or questions about it. There's a part on the i-129f that asks about previous marriages...I also filled this part out appropriately. That's all. My timing was close too with the divorce date and filing of i-129f (also hasn't been an issue, nor questioned by uscis nor my fiance's k-1 interview at the consulate).

Good luck!

not that i ate but FRUITY PEEBLES

They don't make Fruity Pebbles anymore?

Yes, they do. I bought some recently for my daughter (she had a craving for them).

The bottom is the consequence of polio!

I do have to agree with penalizing the Doctor; however, removing the license permanently is unfair. Not only that, they work nearly 80 hours/week. Mistakes happens all the time. With a Doctor of any speciality, their mistakes are less. Every humans mistakes happens. All of us drive. The speed limit is at 65 mph, yet people drive 80 or 75 mph. All of us have neglected these safety more often than we even think about. Hence, more people suffer more accidents compared to the operational room.

Well, not all doctors do 80 hour weeks...

I think he deserves to have his license taken away. Not only cause he fcuked up and has probably taken away that patient's chance of survival, but because he LIED about it afterwards. That's what p!sses me off more.

It was probably all due to the x-ray being read backward, it's totally avoidable IF he had been paying attention.

And what this has to do with driving a car at 80 mph I have no idea!

I agree, take that license away permanently. Yes humans make mistakes, but this guy doomed his patient to death and then lied about it (yes this poor patient will die if they have only one lung left now that has cancer-they need a miracle). The lying is the worst because it shows what his character is made of. What's to stop him from lying about future f-ups and who knows what else he's done in the past that he covered up or swept under the rug. Who would ever trust this guy again? I'd have more respect for him if he had owned up to it and surrendered his license.

Exactly as the above poster said...just use the driver's license if he has that. For a "domestic" flight that's all they need. He won't be asked for a passport even though the driver's license may be from another country. I'd bring it just in case, but don't offer it up front. I've traveled with my fiance from WI to FL before and also asked the airlines about foreigner's traveling within the US. No problemo.

Good luck and have fun!

Sara, I don't even know what to say other than I'm so sorry they said that to you. Hopefully as others have mentioned it was just another uscis employee spouting off their canned response of "6 months". I look here every day for your post saying you''re finally approved and every day my heart goes out to you when I don't see it.

dbears, your post is very touching. nice

I hope to join you guys! We're getting married July 18th and will file our papers asap after that. Not sure how long it takes to get everything together afterward or if it's right away. I haven't researched this leg of the journey enough yet cuz we were stuck in the first part so dang long. It'll be good to have a place to bounce my questions around.

Congratulations!! I wish you a short journey. Where do you cross the border when you visit? I'm in WI so I wonder if we take the same route.

How can I find out where our AoS interview will take place? Is there somewhere to look this up on the USCIS website?