EandL

did this include an expedite letter due to one of you been deployed over seas in the military? if not this is remarkably fast considering that the CSC has not approved all the November and October filers yet?

No, I guess we are just really lucky. We should go out and buy a lottery ticket!

Green Card received today (1/23/2010)!! We just can't believe it!!

Yay! We've been approved! 01/15/2010!!!! It says that my card should arrive within 30 days!!!! Could someone please update for us?

Thank you!

We have our biometrics appointment at the Seattle office and were just wondering what parking is like in that area? Is there a parking lot or do we have to find parking on the street? Anyone been there before?

Thank you!

Good luck. It looks like you are all set!

We got our biometrics appointment today! Our appt. is on 01/08/2010, annoying because we will both have to miss work that day, but oh well. Could someone possibly update the list for us? I screwed it up last time. Can't for the life of me figure out how to change the font to rich text editor! Thanks!

Thank you! Yep, we have to go to Seattle.

Is there a list somewhere of the ASC office locations? I am just curious because I'm thinking we will have to go to Seattle for our biometrics appointment. Does anyone know if they ever do the biometrics at the port of entry? We are like 20 minutes away from the border. Just waiting for our appointment letter!

Hmm! That's weird. I added our NOA1 yesterday and now it's gone.

California Service Center

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

EANDL..............12/02/09..........12/04/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

JAYZAR.............12/04/09..........12/04/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

Vermont Service Center

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

BORA BORA..........11/23/09..........11/30/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

UDELLA&WIZ.........11/30/09..........12/02/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

IAN + ANNE.........12/01/09..........12/07/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

MONABELLE..........12/03/09..........--/--/--.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

ALBDEN.............12/04/09..........12/07/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

JAMES AND TRACY....12/02/09..........12/07/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

MIKEANDLANI........12/07/09..........12/09/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

IMPORTANT!

*Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

*Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

*Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

*When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly*

*If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

California Service Center

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics.....Approved....

EANDL.................12/02/09..........--/--/--...........--/--/--..........--/--/--....

Vermont Service Center

VJName...................Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics.....Approved....

UDELLA&WIZ..............11/30/09..........--/--/--...........--/--/--............--/--/--....

IAN + ANNE................12/01/09..........--/--/--............--/--/--............--/--/--....

MONABELLE................12/03/09..........--/--/--...........--/--/--............--/--/--....

ALBDEN......................12/04/09..........--/--/--..........--/--/--.............--/--/--....

JAMES AND TRACY......12/02/09..........--/--/--..........--/--/--............--/--/--....

IMPORTANT!

*Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

*Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

*Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

*When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly*

*If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.*

I noticed this, too! I have to start putting my package together, also. I guess I'll wait a few days and check to see if there is an updated form. Maybe they haven't updated because it is the weekend? In the meantime, I guess I'll start putting together the evidence. Ugh!

I enjoy McDonald's Bacon cheeseburgers, but now they took them off the dollar menu! Chocolate-covered pretzels. I absolutely love to watch Scare Tactics on the SciFi channel and sometimes Cheaters!

I didn't know I had to declare my ring and ended up eventually being asked about it by a Canada Customs officer (after at least a year of going back and forth wearing it in complete ignorance). I ended up paying $300 duty on it and they were being lenient with me on it's value.

Congratulations on getting your ring!

I have personal experience with this because I was forced to pay duty on my engagement ring at YVR when I was returning from a visit from the US. I had had the ring for about one year and one day an officer started asking me about my earrings, watch, camera, and then finally my engagement ring. He asked me where I had gotten it and I said my fiance bought it in the US. He asked me if I had declared it and paid duty on it and said no. I honestly didn't believe it, especially since we were making plans for me to get my visa and move to the US! I got sent in to secondary where they asked me what the value of the ring was. I told them I didn't know and they gave me three choices: one, leave the ring with them and we'll appraise it and then assess the duty on it, two, contact my fiance and get him to tell them the value, or three, they would cut me a break and estimate it's value. I went with option number 3. They 'generously' assessed my ring and I had to pay $300 duty. Then they told me I needed to carry the bill with me when I travelled to prove I'd paid the duty on it.

I got by for a year going back and forth from the US without anyone noticing or asking about it, but I got nailed in the end (right before Christmas, too)!

I agree with Flames9 that you could run into some problems with the US for being out the US for so long. I usually stay 3 days or less in Canada. My parents in Canada live only 40 minutes from my residence in the US. Calgary to LA is a much longer distance and they may have a problem believing that you actually live in LA. The US border officials have never given me a hard time about working in Canada. When they ask about my status, I tell them I am a Permanent Resident. The Canadians are very easy to deal with. I just tell them I live in the US, work in Canada. I am sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

I work in Canada, live in the US. I use my Nexus pass to cross into Canada, usually stay with my parents for a few nights while I am working, and then drive home for the weekend. I applied for the Nexus card after my CR-1 was activated and my PR card had arrived. (I thought it would be easier this way, but I have no basis for thinking that.) The only thing they told me was that when my conditions are removed, I must go to the Nexus office and show them my 10 year greencard. Most of the time crossing is seamless, but sometimes I get asked about my status. Good luck with your visa and Nexus application.

Have a safe trip! I hope your visa activation, etc. goes smoothly.

Congratulations Linda! Doesn't it feel great to take a little breather from worrying about immigration paperwork? I told myself that I was going to be really organized and start putting together evidence for the I-751 removal of conditions, but I just can't face it. I'll probably be scrambling to get everything together when my time to file comes! It must feel great to overcome these last few hurdles (the SSN card, license, etc.).

Thanks for that hilarious response, Cattatude. That really cracked me up! I do need to clean house. My mom says I should boycott that particular "friend's" wedding.

This is my first time posting on "The Vent." Since moving to the US (I am living within 30 minutes of Canada and still work there), I have been subject to constant badgering by family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and people I don't even know that well, to: 1) let them use my US mailing address to avoid paying Canadian duty on goods and 2) bring items such as duty-free liquor across to Canada with me. It is getting out of hand and driving me crazy because our house feels like a UPS depot and I have to be really careful at the border so that I don't lose my Nexus pass. One particular "friend" never phones or emails me unless she has wants one of these 2 things. Or, one time she said, "I need to buy some stuff for my wedding, can I stay at your place for 48 hours so that I will get the larger customs deduction?" No, I don't feel at all used... People just don't get it that I have to be so careful at the border! Then, I feel like a jerk when I have to say "no, I am not comfortable with that." This is driving me crazy!

Congrats! I enjoyed reading your review. You are so lucky to be moving to Hawaii!!!

It sounds like you are all set! Good luck Cattatude!