CdnMN

Finally! The company I work for has been blocking access to this site for over a month. I'm finally able to get back in!

Is anybody else going to be in Mtl for their interview on the 29th?

CdnMn

My Canadian fiancee has 3 young children who will be coming here with her. She has sole custody and sole guardianship so a letter from their fathers wont be required. They have no involvement with the kids at all and don't want to so we shouldn't have a problem there. However, the packet 3 checklist states in bold letters that both parents must be listed on the birth certificate but they are not listed on the ones that she has. She doesn't even know where one of the fathers is anymore. My questions are, how strict are they at the Vancouver consulate about this requirement? Will we have a problem if the father's names are not on the birth certs? Has anyone dealt with this issue before?

Thank you in advance,

Doug

Does she have the "Long Form" certificate? The wallet sized certificates don't have that info on them. You need to have the long form that has a lot more info on it.

Congrats!!! I got my e-mail yesterday as well. Montreal is on a roll...wohooo! I sure felt great to at least have a date to work around. Have fun planning!

CdnMn

Hey All,

We got an E-mail from Montreal late yesterday and my son has his IR-2 interview scheduled for July 29th. I have a couple of questions, if anybody could help, it would be appreciated. Here is a list of the documents that They either want/have or don't need.

Document Name Document Status

CORRESPONDENCE INSTRUCTIONS C

IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION S

DS-230-II F

PASSPORT Y

BIRTH CERTIFICATE S

ADOPTION F

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE F

MARRIAGE TERMINATION F

COURT RECORDS F

FINANCIAL EVIDENCE S

CUSTODY PAPERS S

MILITARY RECORDS F

CANADA POLICE CERTIFICATE F

FEE PAYMENT $

PHOTOGRAPH S

PETITIONER MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE F

PETITIONER BIRTH CERTIFICATE F

C = Direct inquiries to your consulate / embassy

1) What are the Correspondence Instructions listed first in their document list?

2) Someone mentioned to me that there was some sort of fee I need to pay at a Scotia Bank and that I need to bring some sort of receipt from the Bank. I see no mention of this anywhere. Does anybody know if there is something I need to pay at a Scotia Bank?

I'm sure I'll have more questions, or maybe this is now the simple part of the process. Thanks to everyone here for your previous help. I'll keep you posted on how things go. Now, off to see about arranging for a medical.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

CdnMn

Hey Smurfette,

This really sucks...and is totally crazy.

I'm in the process of bringing my son to the States. He is 12. I was told by DOS that all I would need is a notarized letter from his mother saying she gave her permission. I have that and submitted it and it was accepted by NVC.

If the consulates can't standardize what is required, how is a person supposed to prepare?

Your denial really has me worried now. I actually sent an e-mail to my Senators office, explained what happened to you and also what I was told I needed by DOS. I have asked for written clarification of what they will want when we go to our interview.

I notarized letter and all that you provided should have been more than sufficient. Immigration really needs to get their act together.

CdnMn

How about a monthly postcard post? This thread gets a little bit big to sift through.

CdnMn

Do you need to wait for Montreal to contact you with your interview date before you fill out the DS-160 online or can I go ahead and do it ahead of time?

NVC has completed the case and it has been sent to Montreal.

Thanks

CdnMn

NVC completed the paperwork for my son on April 16th. He is getting an IR2 (Minor child of a US citizen).

Anyway, The recorded msg on NVC still says "You case was completed blah blah blah...please allow 6 to 8 weeks blah blah blah."

I guess we're all in the same life boat wiating patiently (or not) for Montreal to arrange for us to come in for a chat. All this waiting for what is normally an interview lasting no more than a few minutes.

Cdnmn

Just got the e-mail that they have completed the review of documents for my son. Now the agonizing wait for the interview. One step closer!!!

With any luck at all, I'll be flying to Toronto to pick up my son and then I'm thinking of taking the train from TO to Montreal. I've never taken the train to Montreal, so I thought it might be a bit of an adventure.

Cdnmn

just a really quick question, everyone keeps talking about contacting DOS after the interview and finding out information on their status. What is is the DOS and how do I contact them, my interview was in Montreal. I had to send in more paperwork (proof that my sons father had been notified of move, even though I had a legal document stating that he knew but anyhow...) I had to send in information with my passports and now am waiting (not so patiently) so I was wondering how to contact them besides email, they don't seem to respond (except for automated response) So if anyone can let me know, I would greatly appreciate the information.

Thank you

What info did they need regarding your son as far as proof that his father was aware of the move? I'm in the process of arranging for my son to move and I was told that all I needed was a notarized letter from his mother. Please don't tell me thay want more than this.

Cdnmn

So tell me, CdnMN. Is this thread going as well as you'd expected it to?

Ummmmm, you are assuming I had expectations. Throw it against the wall and see what sticks...that's my motto.

Actually, a fun diversion from everyday life is kinda good....And the Americans probably envy us after seeing all the neat things we had back in Canada.....they all thought that all we did for fun was dog sled races and melting holes in our neighbors igloo.

Wiffle ball!!!!!

No matter how hard you hurl the wiffle ball, you still can't hurt your little brother.

Which REALLY takes all the fun out of it.

Then there is "speaking Minnesotan."

My wife will say stuff like "Do you want to come with."? And I'm left standing there waiting for the end of the sentence.

How about chewing tobacco. Until I moved here, I never knew there were so many brands and flavors.

When I was a lot younger, I was on a fishing trip and saw REDMAN in one of the corner stores...so I naturally had to try it. After turning 3 shades of green (and that was the mild side effect) I never touched the stuff.

CdnMn

Will NVCElectronic accept a jpeg file? They are a bit vague about what format they want the passport photos sent as.

Thanks

CdnMn

I met with two immigrant friends - one Canadian, one British - yesterday for lunch, and this is exactly what we were discussing. All of our husbands are up in arms over the health care debate - "It's not MY responsibility to pay for someone else to visit a doctor!" - meanwhile the three of us feel it as being almost a civic duty to provide basic diagnostic care for anyone who needs it. We all obviously come from backgrounds where this is a common thing.

One of the things that amazes me is the vitrolic statements that people post. When I read an online news story and then read the comments people submit, it almost scares me that people think the way they do.

And the love of "conspiracy theories" is unbelievable. Pres Obama isn't an American? I can't imagine the Supreme Court, the Senate, Congress or the Republican Party would allow him to serve as President if there was any possibility that he was not American, yet so many people seem hung up on this idea.

And yesterday I read that Oklahoma could institue an armed militia to protect the State from the Federal Gov't?

I find, in many conversations, that I seem to be exactly opposite of many good friends here in the US.

For example, the latest furor over health care seems to be a non-issue to me. So many of my friends rail at the idea of publicly funded medical assistance, yet I take it for granted because of my Canadian background.

Just curious what other people find themselves at odds with as a result of the culture we are used to in Canada.

I don't want to start a pro/con fight or any sort of political arguement. I'm just curious about the cultural differences and how they shape our view as opposed to others.

Do any of you find yourself feeling like you're at the extreme oposite in your views?

CdnMn

I am a US Pastor...we make a distinction between religious ceremonies and legal ones. A legal ceremony where you are married by "Elvis" in Vegas hold more validity.

In Canada there are several facets that make a marriage legal.

1) The couple must obtain a valid marriage license

2) The must be a minimum of 5 people present - the couple, two adult witnesses and a legal officiant

3) The couple must orally declare their consent to marriage.

4) There must be a way to object (either posting of bans or the ever populare "If anyone can show just cause why this couple should not be joined together...)

5) The couple must be pronounced husband and wife in public

6) The officiant, in declaring them husband and wife, must state under which authority he is acting. (By the power vested in me by the province of ....)

If none of this is included, it is technically not a legal marriage....however...there is a sticky point. Something about if people attending where led to believe it was an actual marriage, there could be problems.

This was the law as of about 5 years ago and may have changed.

I can't see a non-legal ceremony being an issue...or even needing to be brought up. The couple is NOT married. A civil ceremony could easily be done in Canada at a later day at almost any city hall...providing the couple gets a valid marriage license.

CdnMn

Yeah, I have heard that ROC isn't so bad.

Got my second welcome to the US letter today! Those guys is funneh!

Gee, was one in French...just in case?

Anybody have an idea of the average wait time from the time you submit the I864 and DS230 until they complete their review and send it off to Montreal? (IR2? for child under 21 of US citizen)

Thanks

CdnMn

Great photos!!.

We live in Northern Minnesota next to Lake Superior and enjoy, among other things, going to Gooseberry Falls State Park.

WOW!!! Another Minnesota VJ'er! And from one of the nicest areas too. I love Gooseberry...as well as Splitrock etc. We love hiking the Superior Trail too.

Must be northern Minnesota...the lakes are so beautiful there! Good thing too you're enjoying the outdoors before the mosquitos start buzzing around a lot too

We camp a lot in southern MN during the summer...hardly any mosquitos and no Ticks.

We went up near Duluth last July and the ticks were super bad. They said last year was really bad for them...and a few people came down with Lyme Disease. This year isn't supposed to be any better and might be worse. Ticks here think of DEET as a marinade.

CdnMn

The weather here in MN is almost unbelievable. My wife and I are going on our first camping/hiking adventure this weekend. Just thought I'd share some of the scenery from this neck of the woods.

There is nothing like being outdoors!

My wife and I will keep Tim and you in our thoughts and prayers.

So, late yesterday afternoon, I received the follow e-mail from NVC....just to add more comedy to the whole process.

United States Department of State

National Visa Center

________________________________________________________________________________

*MTLxxxxxxxxxx * EP NLH PM P3U April 7, 2010

NVC Case: MTLxxxxxxxxxx

Dear Sir/Madam:

The National Visa Center (NVC) has received all required fee payments for the immigrant visa case of Namexxxx. Each applicant must now complete an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration (form DS-230).

Please go to the Department of State website at www.ImmigrantVisas.state.gov, open the Applicant

Document Processing page and follow the instructions for submitting the form(s) and supporting civil documents. Pay particular attention to the requirements for police certificates. In some cases specific

forms must be used to request and obtain required police certificate(s) based on your residence history.

Each applicant must send the completed form DS-230 and supporting civil documents to the NationalVisa Center.

If electronic processing HAS been chosen for this case the required form(s) and documents MUST be scanned and submitted by e-mail to NVCElectronic@state.gov.

If electronic processing HAS NOT been chosen you MUST RETURN THIS PAGE with the required form(s) and civil documents to:

National Visa Center

ATTN: CMR

31 Rochester Avenue, Suite 100

Portsmouth, NH 03801-2914

Etc Etc Etc

When I first saw the E-mail in my inbox, I thought they were confirming receipt of the documents I sent them on Monday - the documents they say I should now send.....which are the documents they said I should send in the first e-mail....