OBX

Sure. Just follow the CR1 guide. The affidavit of support will be dealt with months from now but if you're going to keep your job in Canada after you move to the USA, your own income can be used. Read the I-864 instructions. They are excellent. This is a "do it yourself" message board, with emphasis on the "DO" and "SELF". Start by clicking on the word Guides at the top of any page here. When you've studied your guide and form instructions, we're here to answer remaining questions.

You can contact the Consulate and ask but you may find your simplest solution is just to take a short trip to the USA. You can return to the UK the same day if you want to. The endorsed visa will serve as a temporary green card for a year and the real card will be mailed to the address you provided on your DS230.

Please don't rain on someone else's parade to complain about your own situation. Derailing someone else's thread in order to complain is rude and disruptive; please confine your complaints to the appropriate threads where the issue is already under discussion.

The lawyer is right... They do need the original / certified marriage and Birth Cert. they dont need your passport BUT you need to send a copy of the biometrics page of it.
Required Documents
Original documents, photocopies, and translations (if required, as explained above) of the following documents must be submitted to the NVC for you and each family member immigrating with you to the United States.

Birth Certificates Court and Prison Records Deportation Documentation Marriage Certificates Marriage Termination Documentation Military Records Petitioner Documents Photocopy of Valid Passport Biographic Data Page Photographs Police Certificates Adoption Documentation source. - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3195.html
*** you can also select each of the above links that will take you to the source. **

YES ! use the address in the IV coversheet.
When done this way, shaves off 2 to 3 weeks of silliness.

Absolutely not correct. When USCIS asks about "living together" they mean "residing". If you are only a visitor in a country, you don't live there, "so even if visiting your spouse's home, you are not "living together". In this situation, an appropriate answer is, "We have visited but have not yet resided in the same country." or something to that effect. If you say you lived together, they might ask you for evidence such as joint lease or rental agreement, business mail etc.

She can go to the US get married and leave back to Canada but she wont be coming back into the US. She will be stuck in Canada while you file for a CR-1 and you guys wait for another year+ to be together again.
She must file for AOS and AP after marriage. She must have either the AP or the Green Card before she can leave with the ability of coming back into the US.
-- The K-1 is valid for 6 months so maybe you should change the wedding, she should pack her things but stay in Canada, finish the 3 months of school then move and get married after she gets to the USA.

The US Citizen is the petitioner. The foreigner is the beneficiary. Study the actual forms and instructions in addition to the guides and study the example forms as well.
Read carefully, interpret literally and respond accurately. For some, this is too much to ask. If you're one of those, I suggest you hire a professional to assist you. We're here for remaining questions AFTER you do your homework.

When I first filed, it was California that was working at a snail's pace while Vermont was speeding ahead. This happens every few months. It fluctuates. Sitting here, obsessively watching Igor's List is not going to change that.

CR1 results in green card and can "travel freely" as long as they maintain permanent resident status. My wife has a green card and we're in China for 12 weeks but she "resides" in the USA. Google, "maintaining permanent resident status USA". You said you want your husband to visit but you'll both remain living abroad. Not the same animal.

The best advice anyone ever gave me during this process was 'stop obsessively pouring over the "statistics"'. There are definitely people in this thread who are spending way too much time trying to make sense of these numbers. This will get you no where. Just wait until the 5 month mark and bring your senator into the mix if you don't have your NOA2 at that point. In the meantime, find a hobby.

As long as the information on the DS3032 and DS230 isn't going to change, there's no reason not to do them now and date them current to when you send them in. However, for the financial documents, you'll want to provide current information and tax returns. Since the I-130 isn't approved yet, you may well need to use the 2010 tax return information, so I would wait until after you file the 2010 return(s) to do the affidavits of support.

Well, it was only a matter of time before this thread took this turn. Unfortunately, simply congratulating someone (who never even asked for an expedite, so everything is completely out of their control) seems to be impossible.

Yes, unfortunately contacting either USCIS or the Consulates are usually not very helpful. Please read these links:
http://www.visajourn...ling-explained/
http://www.visajourn...rginia-you-can/
This is in the DCF forum here on Visa Journey and is about doing a Direct Consular Filing in Canada Basically,it means your wife files the I-130 petition with a consulate in Canada rather than through the service center in the US. She is allowed to do this as she has been legally living in Canada for more than 6 months. This will save you some processing time but you will still have to expect a wait of a number of months.
The other dangerous advice you received is his suggestion that you enter the US as a visitor and then apply to adjust status to become a permanent resident while in the US. What he told you to do is illegal and is considered visa fraud! Do NOT do that! You are not allowed to use a visa issued for one purpose- a visitor - with the intent of using it for a different purpose- to adjust status. USCIS views this as an attempt to bypass the legal immigration route and depending on the circumstances can lead to deportation and a ban that can extend up to life. So - don't do that! The staff who answers phones for USCIS and in this case the Consulate are notorious for giving wrong information.
The other wrong information was telling you that when the I-130 is filed you are not allowed to enter the US. You can enter the US as a visitor although it will be up to the border authority each and every time you enter to decide whether or not they will allow you into the US. As an intending immigrant they are vested in making sure you don't try to bypass the proper immigration process - like coming in as a visitor and applying for a green card like the person on the phone told you to do! So, in order to visit the US during this process you need to maintain strong ties to Canada and have proof of those ties that you can present to the border as evidence. Those ties include property ownership, a residence in Canada, a job, ongoing financial liabilities in Canada and things like this. Planning to retire to Florida and having a house in Florida already does show immigrant intent so you will need to overcome that presumed immigrant intent 'for that visit'.
Yes, the only way for a non-American to visit the Consulate is with an appointment. A US citizen is allowed to visit the Consulate but if it is for immigration related purposes for a non-citizen they too need to go through the process. They can get access to consular services that are available to US citizens but they can't get walk-in immigration services.
There is a lot of information and reading you need to do right now before you really start the process. It is a time-consuming one, mainly because of the backlog for scheduling interviews at the Montreal Consulate - and yes, you do need an interview. You will also need an immigration medical that can only be done by one of the approved Panel physicians (located in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) as well as police record checks (Canada wide name search to show you have no criminal record) - and if you do have any sort of a record then you need to have a fingerprint check done. Your wife also needs to address the Affidavit of Support as she is sponsoring you as her husband to come and live in the United States.
The form involved is I-864 and you do need to read that over as well as the instructions to determine where your financial situations fit. What you will end up with by the end of this process is a green card which means you are a permanent resident of the US and allowed to work and live in the US. The card will need to be renewed every 10 years, although 3 years after getting permanent residence status you are allowed to apply for US citizenship as the spouse of a US citizen (Canada recognizes dual citizenship so it will have no impact on your Canadian citizenship).
Finally, come and join us over in the Canada Regional forum as well. You will meet a lot of other American Canadian couples who are in various stages of the different immigration processes to the US.

Speaking as a moderator who has just read over this thread from beginning to end I find myself rather appalled by some of the heartless, selfish and inconsiderate comments made here about immigrants and other applicants here on Visa Journey. While we all wish this were a perfect world and everything we wanted came to us exactly when we wanted it, it is time to recognize that life is not like that. There are a lot of people in this world all who face their own journeys and challenges - and yours are no more important - or less important - than theirs. You are not 'entitled' to anything in immigration - regardless of what you think; having your foreign born partner immigrate to the US is not a right - it is a benefit you are requesting. The process is a long one and those of you who want instant gratification are in for some very hard times over the next few years of this multiple year process. You may even find that your demanding attitude will become a liability in your relationship - I've seen that happen a number of times here on VJ. Throwing insults at everyone who tries to point this out to you or who is taking a more compassionate approach that includes recognizing that there are others who are waiting as well as many other types of visas being processed is a sure way to make this whole situation harder on yourself, on your partner, on your family, on your colleagues - in fact, harder on everyone in your life - and it won't make anything go faster.
The next person who makes personal attacks or insults at another VJ member in this thread will be thread banned from this thread..

I dont care who you are or how long it takes: when you get your approval, I am happy for you. I am not a completely selfless person, but saying you aren't happy for others just goes to show how this process makes some people extremely selfish. As shown in examples of people saying they don't care if Haitians return to poverty, sickness, violence and even death in Haiti... hat they would rather their fiance visa processed first.
Yes, I am envious.. but I am still happy for those that got good news.
Sorry, but some of you people amaze me.

I don't expect popularity points here but we ALL made a choice and that choice was to engage in this process. As adults we have been exposed to "the system" more than once so this whole thing should not be a surprise. It's the way of this country we live in. Accept it or be miserable for the rest of your life.
What good is it to CONSTANTLY complain about how VSC is ruining your lives? It's healthy to vent every now and then but when it becomes the ONLY thing you do, bitterness begins to sour you. You are no longer the person your fiancé(e) fell in love with once that happens. Why give someone or something that kind of power over you? It is a choice YOU make. Shoot, for every other choice that's taken away from me in this process, I'd much rather grab hold of what I can control myself.
No I am not the least bit happy that I have been waiting over 5 months but in the grand scheme of things this is but a minuscule amount of time. For THAT I rejoice.

Please stop arguing with people. This thread is for support and you are free to vent but it is unhelpful to everyone to deliberately attempt to quash anyone's positivity.
VSC and CSC alternate constantly. It's the way things go. VSC sucks but does not deliberately keep your petition because they hate you and want to make you, personally, suffer. There will be an end to this. We are ALL in the same boat. Driving yourself insane over VSC is not going to change immigration and the way it works. Step back. Try not to come to this website or Igor's List for a few days. Direct your attention elsewhere and give yourself a break from this to work on other things in your life until you are at a point where you can contact USCIS. Having a positive attitude does not equate approving of the way things are right now.
I gave you a lengthy explanation of all of my reasons for this and all of the reasons why you're viewpoints are based in as much "fact" as anyone else's around here. I can link back to that post if necessary.
And if you're simply unwilling to do that right now, then agree to disagree but please don't turn this into a bickering thread. Everyone doesn't have to agree with your attitude.

There is no need to be so overly dramatic. They aren't ruining your life. They are going to do EXACTLY what you want them to do. But because they aren't doing it as soon as you snap your fingers and they aren't doing it on your schedule, suddenly they are an enemy. To be so angry this early into the process isn't going to make it any easier.

Nonsense.
The Immigration Officer gives a rodent's behind where you live and how little you pay for rent.

You can definitely include things that HURT your case, specifically, so use some common sense. Including too much, can obscure the important evidence, so don't listen to idle recommendations like the above. They are misinformed and misleading.

But as she is already married, surely she cannot enter the US and AOS as there will be clear intent to immigrate...
OP, its fine to file while youre in the US, i did!
However on the I-130 make sure you put down HOW you entered, as well as making sure on the question that asks about AOS, you write N/A and that you will be interviewing at the Montreal consulate!
Good luck and congrats on getting the process started!

The USCitizen can be best prepared by downloading the forms needed for NVC Processing -
please review?
DS-230 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html
I-864 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3730.html
General NVC stuff - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html
--
Waiting for Mail is the kiss of death, don't do it.
Instead, be proactive, based on stuff happening at the online payment portal -
please review -
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/221785-ds-3032-slowdown/page__view__findpost__p__3560467

I saw this online this morning. I can't believe all of the fuss over a single Kinder Egg! I know that they are not sold in the US but didn't realize it was such a serious issue to bring one in. Too funny!
Banned Kinder Surprise
I love this part: "As trivial as the border seizure may seem, Bird said the U.S. government has sent her a seven-page letter asking her to formally authorize the destruction of her seized Kinder egg."

Unless there has been a recent change the beneficiaries birth certificate is NOT needed for the I-130 petition. It is, however, required at the NVC stage.