Amy and Adrian

My husband and his two teenagers have been here since the end of January. It's too long to explain but essentially my husband's son wants to go back to live with his grandparents in Canada. What is the process for this ? They are here on a CR-I and due to remove conditions January 2011. Do we need to notify someone or is there paperwork for this ?

TIA! I hope everyone is doing well......

Has anyone encountered the situation of being informed that you can no longer receive the child tax benefit once moving to the US? I dutifully informed Revenue Canada at the time of the move which was January 30th, 2009, having received a bonus benefit check that was for the time period of January 2009 to July 2009. I told Revenue Canada about my move and asked about the bonus check and the person informed me that it did have to be returned which I did. Now in the United States, Revenue Canada is continuing to send me checks to my new address. They have my new address because they are informed of my move. This is not mail that is forwarded, but direct mail to my US address. I cannot speak to a representative because the line is always busy with no option to wait until an operator becomes available. I emailed them but with no response. And now the first letter has arrived that I owe the bonus check from the month of February which they should receive any day now returned in the mail. How do I get them to stop sending me checks? Has anyone encountered this situation before? IT seems to me that this process is a direct manipulation of the circumstances to lure someone into depositing the checks and then owing them back at a later date. With the economy the way it is... no one can afford such a circumstance. How does one get a hold of Revenue Canada to speak to a representative when email seems to be ignored and the numbers are futile to get a hold of anybody?

Great review! Thanks for the details about what the MD actually does at the medical as well. The more we know the better prepared we will all be when we get to that stage. Best of luck in the future.

Best of luck to you too !! I was under the assumption that the doc would do a more thorough exam... ie external genitalia exam etc--- I know some have had that done at their medicals... not sure why it wasn't included but we aren't complaining ! LOL

Great review! Congrats

Thanks Flames! We are so happy and relieved--- I can't believe this day is finally here. My family will be home forever next Tuesday !!

The visas arrived today and as promised- here is Adrian's review of Montreal. Thank you again to everyone who has shared information- this website has been invaluable to us.

The trip to Montreal is perhaps the most significant hidden expense of the whole Immigration Visa process. We were fortunate that airfare came to less than what we expected it to be and our accommodation at the La Tour Centre Ville was reasonable. The La Tour Centre Ville is at the corner of Boul. Rene Levesque and Rue De Bleury. Our Medical Examination was on Monday January 12th at Sanagex Inc. Address is at 5345 boul. L’Assomption, suite 115 which is upstairs on the second floor on the left. We required our passports and Interview Confirmation letters and records of immunization shots up to date. The examination itself was easier than I thought it might be. Nothing humiliating or invasive. My son and I required x-rays of our lungs to check for tuberculosis and blood work but my daughter being under age did not. The initial examination on us by the doctor started with a list of yes or no answers to a battery of questions pertaining to knowledge of personal family medical history. All he did after that was check our thyroid by poking around our throat. Used the stethoscope to check the four quadrants of our lungs and our heart. Then we had to lie down while he pressed on our liver, kidney, spleen, and lower quadrant of our abdomen, I guess to ensure there was no swelling in these areas. None of this took long at all and we were free to go.

Wednesday late afternoon we were able to pick up our sealed examination envelopes and the x-rays. Note that my son and I required three American passport sized photos for the file while my daughter only required one photo for being underage.

The interview itself was on Friday at the American Embassy which is on the corner of Boul. Rene Levesque and Rue St. Alexandre. Note it is not the main doors into the building but around the side street on Rue. St. Alexandre. Sign is above the door like a plaque that cannot be missed. We made sure to get a head start by arriving at the doors shortly after 6:30 am to await for the consulate to open at 7:30. We required two American sized passport photos, passports, the Interview Confirmation letters, the sealed examination envelopes and one Express post envelope that is 394 mm x 314 mm for the interview. Note there is a pharma prix drug store up the street from the consulate on the corner of St. Alexandre and Saint Catherine where one can get more photos if need be. Entering the Embassy is similar to airport security. The guard asks for the Interview Confirmation letter and then paperwork and jackets are sent through a scanner. I carried my binders and envelopes in a large shopping bag which they approved as acceptable. Then we had to step through a detector. Note that no electronics is allowed such as cell phones, ipods, mp3’s or anything of that nature. Had to empty pockets into a tray before stepping through detector. Once through we were given a card with the letter “A” on it. Then we were directed to walk through a door and down the stairs to sit before an elevator. An instruction sheet was handed to us to remove the stapled sealed envelopes of the examination papers from the x-ray envelope. Make sure the seal on the examination envelopes remains untouched.

Note in this area where we had to sit and wait there was a photo booth which one could obtain photos from. I am not sure about this and will assume nothing but I did find it peculiar to find inside this the embassy.

A guard came to us and called out for those who had letters A, B, C, and so on. He opened the elevator doors and we gathered inside. The elevator took us up to the 19th floor and this is where the interviews take place. It was only about ten minutes before the kids and I were summoned to window 9. He wanted to see our Interview Confirmation Letters which I gave him. Then he asked me to affirm our personal information in the files. Such as name spellings, birthdays, and address. Passport and medical examination envelopes were requested in turn. The only issue he wanted addressed was a document signed from the kids’ mother to show that she had knowledge of where her kids were moving. I told him that was included with the original documents that they already had. I did however have copies of this with me which I gave him while searched for the original. He finally found it after it after a few long minutes and all was well. So it was a good thing we did get that document signed and notarized by their mother. Note this document was not a formal document just a statement made by myself which their mother signed before a Commissioner of Oaths stating she knew her kids were moving to the United States. Finally he asked for the Express post envelope. He asked me to fill in my address on it and pass it through the window. I enquired about the tracking number which he pealed off the flap and gave to me. That was the end of the first part of the interview. We went back and sat down to wait to be called again.

Forty minutes later we were called back to window 9 where my son and I had to have our fingerprints done by an electronic scanner. That took all of five minutes and then we were to go sit back down.

Another thirty minutes passed and we were summoned to booth 8, which is a door on the left just before one enters the room where window 9 is located. In this booth was a different individual who wanted to make sure our fingerprints were in the system and photos. He tested one finger for my son and myself to make sure it would pull up our files. Next we all had to raise our right hands and swear that everything in the files and everything we told them that day was the truth. After this he returned all of my original documents including the extra passport pictures. They would keep our passports, he explained, and the visas would be printed in the middle of the passports that day. The passports with the newly stamped visa page would arrive to us in about a week along with our files in sealed envelopes. He cautioned us to make sure the envelopes were to remain sealed and unhampered. They would be opened by customs at the border when our visas are activated. He told us we were done and were free to go.

Overall, the interview did not feel like an interrogation at all. The gentleman in booth 8 had a light hearted sense of humour that had all three of us chuckling. This really broke the stress down to almost nothing at all which was a relief. This is our lives in their hands and although the process is arduous I believe that they handled it well. Our visas arrived today only a week after the interview and we are flying in a few days.

We want to thank all who posted their own reviews and progress on the review board. The information was very helpful and it is the least we can do in posting our own review in the hopes that others may find it useful in their own journey.

Adrian says once he has the visa in his hand- he'll write the review. LOL That should be any day now. Just wondering if Jenni/Bo got their visa yet- they interviewed the day before Adrian and the kids.

Congratulations to both of you!!! What a tremendous weight off your minds!! Now you can relax and enjoy life.

*unlike me...that is already worried about everything!! *...LOL

It's definitely a HUGE weight off our minds. I think someone needs to pinch me. I can't believe he will be here with me forever in just over a week. The next week will probably be the longest one so far... LOL

This website and all of the people here have been so much help to us. Anything that you could possibly be worried about has probably been addressed on the site and if not there are lots of people here willing to help and put your mind at ease. Good luck on your journey ! I hope it goes fast for you !!

Jen/Bo- I'll go read your post after I post here ! Sounds like everything went okay for you -- congratulations!!!

Adrian and the kids had their interview and everything went great ! They will be home by the end of the month! I am so happy and so relieved..... but I'm still processing that it's for real. Thanks to everyone- I know our journey would not have been as short or as easy had it not been for all of the wonderful and helpful people here. We are forever indebted ! We will post a review later--- I don't know all of the details yet. Adrian did say that the male interviewer was extremely friendly and made them feel very relaxed. He did not feel as if he was being interrogated. He said the hardest part about the interview was waiting in the horrendous cold this morning.

Interview in the morning.... just wondering how things went for Jenni and Bo today.

Congratulations! What wonderful news !!!!!

Okay- the medical is over. WHEW! LOL Everything went fine. Adrian said the office was very efficient and they were in and out within an hour. The office will call Adrian when the paperwork is finished on Wednesday.... hopefully the paperwork will be just as efficient. Hubby can't remember the name of the Dr. who did the exam but said he was very friendly and down to earth and made them all feel very comfortable. Blood work and xrays were done right there so that was nice. I guess they didn't even have to undress-- just hubby and son had to remove shirts for a brief exam.

That's all I have for now. If anyone has any particular question about the medical- I'll try and answer best I can.

Thanks again everyone! Getting really excited knowing that my family will all be reunited very soon!

Thank you everyone for the well wishes.... my family is in Montreal and the medical is this morning. I will post when that is finished to let everyone know how it went. I'm actually feeling pretty calm now considering. I think it's a huge relief just knowing that they are there and everything is almost done. I understand it's supposed to be really cold Friday- the day of their interview.... the coldest day while they'll be there. Good thing they packed their long johns.

Jenni and Bo- my family is also staying at La Tour. Not exactly a high end motel- but hubby says their room is clean just out-dated. We definitely couldn't beat the price which helps since we are on a pretty strict budget. Adrian says there is an IGA close by so they stocked the full sized fridge in the room with groceries. The staff has also been really nice and even changed out the tv in the room to a newer model so our teenage son could hook up his playstation. HAHA

Thanks again- I'll update later today. Their medical is at 0900.

Best of luck, I'm sure it will go just great!!

Thank you---- I'll be so glad when the interview is over and we can all breathe again- LOL

My husband and step-kids are getting ready to head out to the airport soon for the red-eye flight to Montreal. They have their medical on Monday and interview on Friday. We'll post a review once they get back. We've gone over everything they need a million times- I sure hope we haven't forgotten anything ! Anyone else going next week to Montreal ?

Never brined a turkey- but I can tell you deep fried turkey is also excellent. Be prepared for NO leftovers !

Thanks for all of the replies. We did contact the airlines and was told there shouldn't be any problems. We did forget that we have the short form birth certificates- so we do have ID for the kids.

Thanks again- VJ has been such a huge help for us during this entire process....

Happy New Year!

My husband and step children will be going to Montreal for their interview in January. I'm curious about their return flight since the consulate will have their passports. Is this a problem? Hubby will have his driver's license but I'm not sure if the kids will need some other form of ID. (consulate also has their original birth certs etc)

Also- if anyone has to go to MTL for their interview and needs to spend more than a day or so - Hotel Centre-ville has a special- get 25% off of four nights or more-- there are also some other discounts. This helps us out immensely since they will be there several days for their medical as well. I don't know anything about the hotel- but reviews I've read here weren't bad-- just not a high end hotel. Check under promotions for the different discounts being offered. www.hotelcentreville.com

Thanks! Helps us out alot! I honestly don't know what I would do without you all and VJ.

Just curious to know how much time was spent at the consulate on interview day and was the appointment on time? My family has an 830 am interview on the 16th... I'm trying to coordinate travel plans.

Happy Holidays!

Yes, it can all be done in Calgary

Thanks everyone! Seems like something is working in our favor -FINALLY ! LOL I was afraid they'd make him fly to the most northern point in Canada and go to some remote outpost... hehe.. parts of this journey have been that ridiculous !

Adrian and the kids have their interview on Jan 16.... thinking ahead about them coming home and their POE. The plan is for them to fly home and we'll go back for the rest of their belongings in the Spring when driving will be safer. They usually fly out of Calgary.... can all of the POE stuff be dealt with here- or does it have to be done someplace else? Didn't have to worry about this until now - so I've not done my homework on the procedure yet. Any help would be great! Merry Christmas everyone !!

Congrats! Hope mine comes soon too

Sly

It should be any day for you--- have you tried calling NVC ? Probably a silly question huh?

I noticed that your case finished before ours--- if you haven't called NVC- call them! I bet they will have some info for you !

I called the visa center just a minute ago and found out our interview is scheduled for 1-16-09 ! I was told our letters were mailed out this week so I'm expecting that in the mail anyday now. I just need to figure out how to schedule the medical before the interview - we can't afford 2 trips.

Does anyone know how close the medical office is to the embassy? I don't know a thing about MTL. If it's too far- I'm thinking my family will have to stay close to the med office and then relocate closer to the embassy. I could sure use some advice - anyone else had both the med and interview scheduled in the same week ?

Good luck everyone- I hope you all hear some good news soon too !

Where are you from?? i went to my exam locally and just brough results to montreal?

I'm in Ohio but my family is in Alberta-- about an hour and a half from Calgary....

I called the visa center just a minute ago and found out our interview is scheduled for 1-16-09 ! I was told our letters were mailed out this week so I'm expecting that in the mail anyday now. I just need to figure out how to schedule the medical before the interview - we can't afford 2 trips.

Does anyone know how close the medical office is to the embassy? I don't know a thing about MTL. If it's too far- I'm thinking my family will have to stay close to the med office and then relocate closer to the embassy. I could sure use some advice - anyone else had both the med and interview scheduled in the same week ?

Good luck everyone- I hope you all hear some good news soon too !

I'm so happy to hear your good news ! Congratulations!