lilacvioletiris

@Anwesha -> if you already opened an account on their website, there's an option to suscribe to "alerts" , you can choose if you want to receive an e-mail or text (not sure if you can do both) when the case is touched or the status updated

The email alerts don't tell you when a case has been touched, sadly. But it definitely sends an email when the status is updated (i.e. moved from "initial review" to "post decision activity". The day my petition was approved I had been checking about every hour to see if there had been a touch. There was at about 3:15 in the afternoon. At about 7:15 that night when an email was sent saying my petition was approved. A VERY HAPPY EMAIL IT WAS!

Phase 1 done. Now Phase 2: wait for Montreal :S

We can't set a wedding date beforing we at least have a date for the interview but, ive been trying to find out if we can get married in Puerto Rico which is my native country and a US Territory. i know we can travel there for our honeymoon but in terms of getting married there finding an answer has been like finding a needle in a haystack. A glass needle in a very tall haystack. Ive found nothing online so next option is calling the USCIS. Im expecting to be on hold for a few hours :S

Good luck on waiting for Montreal. My fiance's packet 3 just got back to Montreal yesterday. That is interesting to think of honeymooning in Puerto Rico. I have been there once and LOVED it. It would be fun to take my fiance there once he is my husband

Is your fiance' going to fly or drive to California from Toronto?

The original documents are handwritten or the translation is handwritten or both?

A new "birth certificate" wasn't created with your adoptive parents names listed at mom and dad?

Hopefully it won't be an issue. When you go to the consulate, at the end of the process, you take a copy of your birth certificate in order to be issued your visa. If whatever the adoption papers were that fulfilled a "birth certificate" function for your passport, it would seem they would be "birth certificate" worthy at the Canadian consulate.

My fiance' is at the last step gathering all the documents required to be prepared for his interview. I am sure there is someone else who has been adopted who may be of more assistance to you.

Which service center are you going through? California or Vermont?

My service center was California. I included 4 photos with captions stating date and where the photo was taken (one from our first meeting, one from the night we were engaged, and then another from the next weekend when he gave me my engagement watch and a closeup of him holding my hand with the watch predominately pictured). I included a cover letter explaining the photos in more detail. I printed the pictures in color on cardstock from my home computer.

I also included in the mutual intent to marry section a photocopy of an engagement announcement. In the cover letter of this engagement announcement I provided a web address where the adjudicator could view the announcement online as well.

With this information, my petition for my fiance' was approved in 85 days through California Service Center. I didn't include boarding passes or receipts. I didn't find this site until about a month after I filed and was worried I would get a Request for Evidence. But I got approved without any more evidence than what I supplied.

Good luck!

Well according to the Canada Post tracking system, my fiance's packet 3 was delivered at 7:14 a.m. this morning. Granted at 7:09 a.m. the package was "out for delivery" and it wasn't until about 1:26 p.m. this afternoon where we got the email saying it had been "delivered". Canada Post's tracking system leaves much to be desired. I am so used to UPS, DHL, and FedEx that tell you each time it gets off and on a truck (departure scan, arrival scan, out for delivery, delivered). I haven't used the U.S. Postal Service tracking system though so it may be just as useless as the Canada Post tracking system for interim movement scans. But at least I know it got delivered!

Now to wait some more for an interview date... Come on Montreal, make my dreams come true! A May or early June Interview would suit me and my fiance' just fine!

Maybe someone could anonymously get in touch with Paul Meyer and pick his brain about ANY and ALL documents possibly needed for an average case. Honestly, we're trying to save THEM time too!

Maybe that person who makes the list would update the Canada wiki for IR1/CR1 with the information. Once location is always a good thing. Just a thought.

Thanks!

I'm a little nervous, but have been waiting for this day to happen for a long time(like everyone else!)

It was amazing to see so much family here today so far. So many people I haven't seen for a long time(& probably won't for another while).

I figured by now you would be at a reception or off on your honeymoon! You must be out on the West Coast. Have a great wedding day!

My fiance's address has changed since we filed, and I'm freaking out. I can't figure out how or where to go or who to call to change it and it's already been a few weeks since we got our NOA2 I'm afraid it's too late and it will go to the wrong address. Help!!!

Seems like there was a notice in the letter from the NVC that said what to do if an addressed changed. Did you get that letter let? I would suggest checking it out because the Department of State is who needs to get the right address now so he gets all the forms his consulate will be sending him.

MY PACKET 3 HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED TO MONTREAL! YEAH! One step closer to an interview!

I get married tomorrow! EEEK!!

A few of my family members came over last night & a lot of them are going to be here tonight.

I can't believe how close we are to being husband & wife!!!!

May your wedding day be an awesome one!

Unfortunately American Consulate in Moscow started charging people more and those guys cannot even issue proper notice,they just take pens and charge everything manually on official letters they sent to applicants.So retarded!

That is rude and I would think it would be extortion as well. If it isn't typed in the letter or some official announcement of the increase in fees, then our fiance'/fiancees should have to pay this price that nearly tripled from what we expected. I am still counting on paying $131 when my fiance' interviews in Montreal (whenever he gets a date...) but we are preparing for $350 just in case.

I am so glad my fiance' and I decided not to use a lawyer. I mean the forms have to be filled out from information only we would know. I can type, I can photocopy, and I can put pictures/evidence together. We didn't get an Request For Evidence (RFE) at the first stage at the California Service Center. Once the paperwork got to the National Visa Center, it seemed to move quicker. But still working with Montreal is definitely going to try my patience, but I don't think the wait there for an interview date (at least knowing when the date is) will be longer than my wait for the NOA2. I wish they were faster, like the Manila consulate in the Phillipines, but i fell in love with a man from Canada and I am willing to wait! If I need to I will contact my senator but I don't think it is necessary since every thing seems to be going a little ahead of the "expected processing times".

Hehe, like a couple other people have also said, we totally do this too. I dunno about you guys but when we're talking and the clock hits midnight, we'll cheer and drop the number down. It's so dorky, but it makes us happy.

My fiance' and I totally do this too. He even gets so exact as to say how many hours once the week of our visit comes. I think it is cute. I totally LOVE it that we want to spend the time together and can't wait for the next time we visit.

My fiance's packet 3 materials are as of 7:09 a.m. this morning "out for delivery" in Montreal. Closer, closer, closer. Make my dreams come true Montreal!

Also- if he makes 14,950 on 2008 , and the minimum is 14,570 and as i understood till april 14 we dont need to do taxes of 2009 yet, right? but he works just part time and his checks at the moment not big, but he works on possition with tips and taxes not counting from it, should we be fine without co-sponsor? should we risk or just better try to find somebody somehow? Thank you for your help.

Have you checked with others that are going through the same Lithuanian consulate as you? I would ask this question in the regional forum for Europe and see what people from Lithuania have to say. Every consulate is so different. I wouldn't want to find you get the interview and the Consulate Officer tells you the money isn't enough.

CAN SOMEBODY HELP US...... WE GOT OR N0A2 JANUARY 26 IT HAVE BEEN ALMOST 4 WEEK SINCE THAT AND NVC DOESNT HAVE OUR CASE AND USCIS DONT HAVE AND ANSWER. ..........WHAT SHOULD WE SO.....

u think we should do that, my bf want to wait another week, cuz nvc told him could take 90 days ................thats crazy but its take 90 days we will need an extention ohh my good... thats to much time......why why why

Yeah, I got the "wait 90 days" line from the person at NVC one day and then the next day my paperwork had been processed at NVC and was onto the consulate. Has your fiance' received a letter from NVC? Mine was in a pretty plain envelope. It came about 2 weeks after my NOA2 at CSC. If he hasn't gotten that, I would definitely be calling USCIS to determine when the package was sent to the National Visa Center. The 90 days is how long the National Visa Center has to process it once the package arrives, not how long it takes to get from California to the National Visa Center.

Ah hell..david don't care what i look like as long as we get married!!

I think all our men won't care how we look but if we look great they won't mind.

John just called me - he got through to DOS after 30 minutes and his interview is scheduled for April 12th at 1:00 pm. BOY would we ever have been cutting it close for a May 1st wedding!! HA! He may still try to get an earlier one, as there is some system I remember reading about, if you are willing to be very patient and call multiple times a day for $12 a call. We will see if that is what he wants to do, but at least we are on the home stretch now!

Carla - I hope for a speedy turn around for Ron's packet 3 and you guys have an interview date in hand soon!

Awesome Beth! That is so cool. I just checked Canada Post tracking system and nothing has happened to the "tracking" since Ron took his packet 3 to the post office on 2-16-2010. Expected delivery is 2-19-2010 which is 4 weeks from when Montreal originally received it.

I thought the Vancouver consulate allows next day pickup of the visa? I am glad the DOS was able to tell you a date. That is nice at least you have something to plan around. I figure my fiance' won't even have notice of when his appointment is until mid April and the date will probably be in June based on others time lines for Montreal. One day closer to marriage to my LOVE! Go Montreal Go!

Go Octoberians Go! It will be exciting to see the interview list get longer!

Nothing yet. It was too late when John tried last night, so I'm hoping that he wakes up in time to try again today

I'm glad that you aren't in a rush and that if they do make you wait, it will still all turn out ok. We've changed our "wedding date" and are now shooting for a civil ceremony shortly after he gets to Michigan, then having a wedding ceremony/celebration some time in late August/early September. I'm really glad about that right now, after having done the move into our new home solo this past weekend, I can't imagine throwing wedding plans on top of all that right now. ugh.

Oh, yeah, the DOS does close at 5 p.m. eastern time. But at least they are still open for some part of the days.

I can't wait for your wedding ceremony/celebration! All the waiting is so worth it.

My fiance' sent his packet 3 to Montreal yesterday. Montreal doesn't accept faxes. We sent it via expresspost which is supposed to take 2 days. I am going to go track it again to see where it has gotten to. One day closer!

I have almost everything sorted for the wedding, but OMG how do i get david to get off his butt for his tux fitting?? like i've tried to drag him out to the store 3 times now it's almsot like hes a chicken

i had to exchange my shoes..they were too big /cry and the guy screwed up on my ring../sigh i even had my finger measured..he told me 4.5..so we ordered that..and it wont even fit over the knucle..ARGH! kinda worried about my dress that the soon to be mother inlaw is making. we did the fitting etc in dec. but its still sitting there no liner etc in it yet. and the jacket is not made yet. she hasn't been able to find the "right" fabric..so i'm tempted to just say screw the jacket.

I having the same issue with my fiance'. He is planning to get a suit but hasn't gone in to get it yet and we are planning to have 3 groomsmen with him and they need the suits too. I keep encouraging him to take care of it on the weekend, but when we are together we have been going to see vendors for photography, the pastor, etc, not taking care of his suit which is something he CAN DO HIMSELF! Ugh. I feel your pain.

I hope your shoes can be found in the right size. I have had no luck with that. Your wedding dress isn't done yet? The lining of the dress isn't in it? Yikes. Less than 2 months to go for you. Hopefully it will all get worked out.

Just a quick question, currently we are waiting for our petition to be approved, thus far the have received it and cashed the cheque. our petition was sent out Nov/09, any ideas as to when our petition will get approved and when my interview will be, my lawyer said possibly by the summer, just frustrated and lonely. Thanks, I think that i should have named myself here sitting on pins and needles,lol!

If you click on "Immigration Timelines", and "Add/Edit your timeline" and by adding in your NOA1 date (when you received your first letter from the California Service Center), that will give you a best guess of when your NOA2 will be processed. You will want to change your consulate from Armenia to Montreal, Canada as well.

It has been taking about 7 to 10 days to get from California, to the National Visa Center, and out to the Montreal Consulate (based on other people's experience including my own). Then it takes about 16 to 22 days for the Montreal Consulate to send the Canadian citizen his/her packet 3 (sorry, I am not sure who is where in your case). Then the Canadian citizen returns packet 3 (my fiance' and I had all the forms filled out thanks to the Canada wiki list and mailed the package back the next day with the checklist from packet 3). It has been taking about 4 months (but could take as long as 6 months) from when Montreal receives it to when you get an interview date (sometimes you will find out a month a head of time, sometimes 2 weeks, maybe even 2 months as some of late have been lucky enough to find out). The waiting is HARD!

There is a spot in the regional forms for Canada with others waiting for an interview in Montreal. There are lots of posts there and you may find some of the helpful. But you may be disheartened as well, because it is a long wait. That forum has other people that are going through the same thing though. I have found it helpful.

That is what we did since we hadn't gotten any response.

He could call the Department of State and they can tell him if he has an interview date or not. Takes about 15 minutes of waiting through prompts that you have to listen to other wise it gives some nasty message "that is not a valid response you must listen to all the options".

So now there are 4 April dates! Yeah! I was just checking through the people with NOA2's since October that are going through Montreal.

suzieque3 on April 7

Maggie_Kenyth on April 8

Rocky road on April 14

Amanda2020 on April 16

Yeah! I am looking forward to seeing more!

Go Montreal Go!

I think we checked over the paperwork about 3 different times just to make sure we had everything that the Montreal Consulate needed and that everything was signed properly. Now the wait for the interview date.

Did John get his interview date before the Olympics started or do you have to wait until after the Olympics end to find out?