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Frequent_Flyer

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    Help!!! - Visa Paperwork Lost in the Mail

    in Canada

    Posted

    Hi VJ,

    Has anyone here experienced this? The package was scheduled to arrive on the morning of April 1st and did not show. I've started an inquiry with Canada Post and they are doing a trace on it but haven't turned up anything yet.

    I haven't lost hope since we just had a four day holiday but I thought I would ask about what steps I should take if they aren't able to locate it just so I'm not scrambling. I would obviously need a new Canadian passport but how would I get the replacement packet.

    Any help you can offer would be great.

    Thanks,

    FF

    Thank you for having me...

    in US Citizenship General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello,

    I just want to thank all of you for helping me pass the time during my citizenship journey.

    Today I took the oath in Concord NH- in a very emotional and suprisingly warm ceremony.

    Wow, am I glad it's over... now beginning a new chapter- and somehow I will miss my good old "oh, you Americans!" exclamations.

    Good luck to everyone- and "God Bless America"

    Rebecca

    Congratulations! Looking forward to starting that leg of the journey.

    CR1 Interview - March 25th

    in Canada

    Posted · Edited by Frequent_Flyer

    Thanks so much for your review.

    What would be really helpful is if you could include a list

    of the documents you were asked to show the Domicile of your wife (is she the the US citizen?)

    My Canadian citizen husband and I had our interview in Montreal and were denied the Visa because

    of Domicile. If you don't mind posting a list of the documents you showed to prove her Domicile.

    Congratulations and many thanks,

    Sunny

    In all honesty, I wasn't asked in depth domicile questions other than, where does your wife live and work. I had our lease from our apartment but was not asked for it. I also provided a letter of employment that stated the office location of her employment but that was submitted in evidence of the I-864. Maybe that served a dual purpose. I should also be clear that my wife has been living in the US for the past 2 years and not maintaining an address in Canada. With the pay stubs and W2 all reflecting a US address, I think this provided sufficient evidence.

    Can you provide some further information on the exact reason they felt a lack of domicile?

    Congrats to you guys !! can you comment on what you thought of the Hyatt and also give more information on this window 14B issue? Be so kind as to expand on that please....thanks.

    With respect to the Hyatt, the service was fantastic and everyone was very helpful in terms directions, suggestions of restaurants and even a late checkout. I would say that this location is in need of some reno work in comparison to some of the Hyatts I've stayed at but it was absolutely well maintained and very very clean. Overall, I enjoyed my stay and would come back.

    With the 14B issue, this window acts as reception basically. You won't be asked any questions other than to present your appointment letter. The lady reviewed my appointment letter and gave me the ticket number. What I'm curious about is whether or not the numbers are handed out on a first come first serve or did she assign the number according to the appointment time. My gut tells me that it was first come first serve. I certainly don't want this to cause a mad dash for the line. Rather, don't get so stressed out about where you are in the initial lineup outside or when you're going through security. My advice is once you go down the stairs, sit close to the elevator and keep in mind that the doors open at the rear (as Flames mentioned) when you get to the 19th floor. Then when you exit the elevator, turn to your left and you'll see the line for window 14B. There are yellow arrows on the floor showing you the way but it was very entertaining watching everyone exit the elevator and be in a daze trying to get their bearings. Once you have your ticket, the waiting game begins.

    CR1 Interview - March 25th

    in Canada

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I thought I'd share my interview experience with everyone in case it may help somebody out there.

    I stayed at the Hyatt around the corner from the US Consulate on Jeanne-Mance. I arrived at the consulate at 7AM for my 830AM appointment. There was no organized lineup and a few people cut in front of others who were there before them. At 730AM, the guards opened the doors and began letting people in. Two lines were formed, one for immigrant visas and the other for other issues. People were then ushered through security where we took off our coats and emptied our pockets. Once through the security check, I was told to go through a door and down the stairs to a waiting room where a guard would come to get me and take me up to the 19th floor where I was to look for window 14B.

    I was the first to sit in the room to wait to be taken up but was later joined by everyone who was waiting outside so I don't quite understand the point of us being split into to two lines immigrant vs. non immigrant. The guard later arrived in the elevator and then he told us ALL to get into the elevator and to take a deep breath and squeeze together so we can do it in one trip.

    When we arrived at the 19th floor, I quickly found window 14B and was third in line after fellow VJer Bluenoser77 who I met there. She was interviewing for her K1. We each got our turn at 14B where we were asked for our appointment letter and were given a purple sheet of paper outlining the procedure for the day as well as a number that would be called when it was our turn. I was C3 and Bluenoser77 was C2.

    We then took a seat and waited our turn. It was great to have a fellow VJer to chat and make the time go by since it does seem like an eternity. When I was called, I went to window 10 and spoke with the visa assistant who was very nice. She pulled up my file and collected my documents (birth and marriage certs, police check, ds230, photos and financial evidence). The visa assistant reassured me that I had nothing to worry about since I was well organized and had everything I needed. She then took my fingerprints and told me to have a seat and wait to be called by the CO.

    I got that call and went to room 8 where the consular officer was waiting. I hung up my coat and the consular officer was very nice. He began with taking the oath to tell the truth and then asked the typical questions of how I met my wife and whether I had any troubles crossing the border. He reviewed all the documents, asked me about where I lived, what I did for work, what my wife did, where I was moving to and where/when we got married. There were a couple of other questions but nothing out of the ordinary.

    After returning some of the original docs to me he mentioned that based on what I provided, he was going to issue me the visa. Woohoo! He explained the procedure of receiving the visa by mail and gave me the information on point of entry.

    All in all the interview itself lasted about 10 minutes but I didn't get out of there until after 11AM that morning. It seemed that the appointment time didn't matter at all but what did matter is the order in which you got to the line up for window 14B so just keep that in mind.

    Hope that helps! Now to make the big move!!!

    Thanks,

    FF

    Interview finally scheduled... A couple of questions

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    My wife finally received her interview date for Montreal,(CR1) May 13th.

    So now we need to prepare for that. One question I had was about the doctor exam. There are 2 in Montreal, does anyone have any insight into which one might be best to use and why?

    Second, going through the list of documents it looks like NVC received everything, (although we will take copies of everything we sent in anyway).. What about the birth certificate? My wife just has one of those wallet cards, will that suffice or does she need to get a certified copy of the original?

    The interview is on a Thursday so we plan on getting there well ahead of that time to make sure we get the Dr stuff squared away, any other advice that anyone has to prepare would be appreciated!

    Thanks

    I did my medical in Toronto so I can't comment on that but with respect to the documents, I too did electronic processing.

    While the NVC received electronic copies of all the docs, the originals were required for the following:

    Police Check Certificate

    Birth Certificate - I read on the guides that the long version was required so I obtained that from Service Canada

    Marriage Certificate

    Financial Evidence - this consists of the supporting docs for the I-864 so tax returns, letter of employment, W2...whatever you submitted in support

    Passport Photos (Qty 2)

    Immigrant Visa Application (DS-230) - they will need this and you will have to sign it at the time of the interview

    Hope that helps.

    FF

    IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

    in Canada

    Posted

    Hi VJ,

    I have my interview in Montreal on Thursday morning at 830AM. I have to say I'm a little nervous...

    I have all the documents on the checklist that they have asked for but wanted to confirm a couple of things.

    How many passport photos are needed? I've taken so many this year I can't remember.

    Also, I've read something about having an ExpressPost envelope with me. Can someone explain?

    Thanks again VJ! Fingers crossed!

    FF

    Cheap calls to Canada and USA

    in Canada

    Posted · Edited by Frequent_Flyer

    Google Voice, if you can get an invite, has a setup where you log on to the website to place a call. Google calls you actual phone, then connects the call to your party. Your call is then (within the US and Canada) free, outside of whatever you pay to receive phone calls (probably just use of minutes on a cell phone, and often free on landlines).

    The trick is getting to the front of the line for an invite. :P

    I'm with Pauley. Google Voice has been miraculous for my wife and I. I'm able to have a San Francisco phone number and my wife calls me for free. The added benefit was that I was able to put it on a resume too while job hunting and it really helped get past the initial stage for those companies who were not looking for someone relocating. The key is indeed the invite as Pauley mentioned.

    Otherwise, my wife and I use Google Talk and video chat that way. I find it's a little more stable than Skype but that's just my 2 cents.

    FF

    What is the process after the interview?

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    You should receive your visa within the week. Some have had luck requesting a "next-day" pick-up in Montreal but it's not the norm. I interviewed on a Tuesday and had my visa by that Friday. (I was in Ontario.) Once you have your visa you have 6 months to apply for entry to the US. Once you enter the US and your visa is activated your passport will be stamped and that will serve as a temporary greencard allowing you to travel until your receive the actual card (I received mine a month after POE).

    Good luck. :thumbs:

    Thanks OBX!

    IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

    in Canada

    Posted

    OK I don't know if this is going to piss anyone off or make ppl happy here.

    But my jar dropped when I just received an email from the NVC and MY WIFES INTERVIEW IS MARCH 3rd!

    I thought it was going to be 4-5 months!

    I have nooooo clue what happened!

    My Case was complete at the NVC on Dec 11th, electronic processing.

    Guys,

    The same thing just happened with us!!!!! We got March 25th for our appointment!!!! This is incredible!!! Totally unexpected! :dance::dance::dance:

    IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

    in Canada

    Posted

    Hahaha...I know! It was sort of the same with my wife. I was talking a mile a minute, saying, "And one of the people was only complete ten days before us...and she was scheduled...and others were scheduled...and they're not done scheduling...and we might still make February...and if not, March...and...and...and..." And of course she just said, "Honey, just wait for YOUR email." :lol:

    Hey, it's different when you're the active one in the process! And judging by how few husband AND wife posters there are around these parts, I'm guessing that most of us are the "active" partner in the process, with the other there more for moral support (and calm voicings of reason...)

    Hahaha just had the same conversation with my wife!!! :lol::jest::P

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