Rose416

I am a permanent resident in the US, and had a baby a few months ago.

I'd like her to become a Canadian citizen also, and am wondering if anyone else has gone this route.

I have some questions:

1) Is it easier to apply in person, or can I do it all via mail? We'll be visiting Canada in a couple of months, so I was thinking we could take care of it then.

Also, 2)I'll be travelling with my Canadian passport and my baby's US passport. The name on mine is still my maiden name, so it is different from my baby's. Do you think this will be an issue with customs?

Thanks for your help!!

Hello August crew! I don't know if you remember, but I am one of you too!

I've been kind of busy lately...we had a baby in December.

I have no idea when I sent my paperwork in for ROC, but I had my biometrics on February 14th (an easy date to remember).

Hope you are all doing great, and have settled into the US smoothly!

Congrats Vero!!!! Time to celebrate!

:dance: :dance:

Congrats Tater & #######! Now you can relax and enjoy married life (:

Vero, I only brought a photocopy of my medical records (the one I was handed at my examination). I wasn't even asked for it. You should be fine.

I received my Green card on the 19th. I'm so glad it's here.

After receiving it, I went for my drivers license. Apparently I have to pass a physical driving test? I thought I was done with all of that );

Things are coming together! My husband and I are in the midst of moving, so I won't be on VJ for a while. Best of luck on your interview Vero!!!!!!

Congratulations Valerie and J&J!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Vero,

The officer wanted cards signed and dated by relatives. My aunt always writes the date in the top right corner of the card, so that we'll have it for years to come. I showed him a bunch of 'congratulatory' cards, but they had no date.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your prep. I had my birth certificate, but the officer didn't ask for it. Bring yours though!!!

Oh, another reassuring thing is that the officer recognized the short amount of time we have been married. He flat out said that 5 months isn't enough time to gather all of the recommended evidence needed. He mentioned that 2 years from now we may be asked to show more proof, but that by then we should naturally have it. He also said that we might not even have to be interviewed again, but that we should be aware of the possibility.

I don't think all officers will be as nice as ours was, but you guys have honest relationships, so you needn't fret!

Thanks everyone! It feels good to be done with USCIS for the time being.

Good luck with your interviews Vero and T&B. I think you'll rock it!

As for paperwork, I had mine all nicely organized, and dated from K1 petition, to Montreal interview, to AOS application. The officer didn't care to see any of that. All he wanted to concentrate on was present proof of a genuine marriage. I had our joint bank account information, my husband's most recent pay-stub (his status is still 'single'..I wasn't too pleased with him for not updating his employment information; as the officer drew a big circle around 'single'), rental agreement and dog adoption paperwork. He wanted more information, but we explained to him the reasons why I don't have health insurance, or why we don't have utility, or phone bills in both of our names. It's a good idea to gather up as much of that stuff as you can, and if don't have it, explain why.

The officer began the interview asking me for my name, address, phone number, and parents' first names. I was nervous and almost blurted out my old Canadian address. There really wasn't any reason to be nervous however. By the time we all get to this interview, I reckon we are all pretty much in the clear.

That being said, I was kicking myself for not bringing more photos. I brought pictures from our marriage, but nothing past that (Christmas, New Years..) Also, any cards from relatives should be dated.

Our officer didn't care too much about keeping photos, but kept photocopies of our paper evidence instead (rental, adoption, bank info). I had copies of our marriage certificate and legal documents, but he didn't keep those.

What else.....??? I wrote a little affidavit, signed and dated, declaring my position as a Canadian non-resident married to an American citizen. He kept that.

He asked if we had our cell phones on us. I'm not sure why. We didn't, as the building prohibits them, however, we saw several couples with cell phones in the waiting room?!?! Oh yeah, I had read that showing up early is discouraged. We got their at our scheduled time, but still had to wait 30 minutes.

So yeah, it wasn't the smoothest interview, and there were times (in the really short, 10 minutes it took to get through it), when I thought we were in trouble, but at the end our officer smiled and said 'the truth is - you're Canadian, so no problems here.' He congratulated me and said my card should arrive in 10 days.

My husband and I were both sick, so I joked about sharing a cold..I was nervous and not funny at all (:

Good luck guys! Just bring photocopies and originals of evidence and you're good to go!

Just a quick note as I'm off to work to start my new job (at a cafe, till school starts...)

We were approved today! I am now officially a U.S. Permanent Resident and my card should be in the mail soon.

It feels good. I'm actually a little shocked; like, now what??? No USCIS for 2 years?!?

I'll write a review tomorrow. Nothing major..it was an easy experience.

The officer actually said 'no pressure here; you're Canadian and we're not worried about fraud.'

That is a grotesque number Nickbits! You have insurance, right? I know I am playing with fire, and I plan on getting insured soon. I'm looking into getting covered for emergencies only. When I become a student I can use the school's doctor and dentist for everything else.

Anyone know of any reasonable insurance plans covering emergencies only?

Wishing, I applied for my SSN in my married name and it took about 6 weeks for it to arrive because of security checks. It sounds like you did the right thing by going back there. Apparently we all have to return to have our Social Security conditions removed. Right now mine says 'valid for work with DHS authorization'. When I have my Green Card I can go back and have that removed. The number won't change.

Thank you for the advise Vero. I will read your forum and make sure we file as a couple. More money is fantastic!

Spanish is a great idea! I have been studying on my own and find it so easy, especially with a previous knowledge of French. I'm in California and there are lots of Spanish speakers meeting up for conversation clubs. There might be something like that where you are. Good luck getting your documents translated. It might be worth the expense in the long run. It just seems like immigration adds on so much extra cost. I have to pay to have my university transcript 'authenticated' for California schools, AND I had to pay to have my biometrics taken again for admission. So much bureaucracy.

Tater, Arizona will be a nice move. Weather will be gorgeous! I never used to get why west-coasters complained about east-coast weather so much. I was like, 'there's no such thing as bad weather - just bad clothing', but now, living in California, I understand completely. Our worst weather consisted of one week of rain.

I'm studying for my CBEST exam right now. It's a teaching subject matter equivalence test I have to take before being accepted by my school. I hate math, always did, and now have to force myself to study it. UGGH!!!

Hope you all manage to have a better weekend.

Sounds like we are all settling into our new lives nicely! I had a couple of weeks of panic, like 'why the heck did I leave Canada?!?!', but California is starting to grow on me (especially this gorgeous January weather), and my husband's patience and support has helped calm my nerves.

Congrats on being approved Wishing! My interview is coming up and I am only just starting to think about it. I am getting a little bit nervous, but feel prepared. I have all of the originals and photocopies of my documents, and proof of our relationship.

Does anyone know how important it is to show proof of Health Insurance? My husband works for a non-profit and it's expensive to add me to his plan. I've gone without insurance for 5 months now, and it is always stressing me out. Is having no insurance a big no no?

Also, I've decided to go back to school. I've been having one heck of a time finding work here. Even bar/restaurant jobs are super competitive in LA. I am competing with actors and models!! I am applying to university to complete my teaching credential, but am nervous about bringing this up at the interview. I don't want them to suspect I moved here only to pay resident tuition to become a teacher! Teaching in Canada is way more lucrative!!

One more question....TAXES!!! I have no US income to report, so I don't think I'm going to file for the US this year. Is this OK? My husband will file his taxes separately. I am going to file for Canada however.

OK. That's all for now! Where would I be without VJ?!?!

Happy New Year August Crew!

Today, in the mail, was my much anticipated interview date. For a second I thought they'd skipped it and decided to assign me my card instead. Oh well..my interview is Monday, February 7th. Hopefully I'll have a job by then! I've applied to over 20! There seems to be a lot of opportunity in LA, but of course this also means there is way more competition. I'm optimistic however.

Hope you all are doing great!

Great news! Your appointment is very soon too! Be ready for a very intense 5 minutes appointment!!!

User .......... AOS sent .... NOAs ...... Bio. App ... AP Result ..... EAD Result .... Inter./Transf. .... AOS Result ...... Card Revd.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

mandaNchris ... xx/xx/xx ... xx/xx/xx ... xx/xx/xx ... ----------- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

Rose416 ....... 09/25/10 ... 10/08/10 ... 10/28/10 ... 11/22/10(a) ... 11/23/10(a) ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

Vero and Chris. 10/06/10 ... 10/18/10 ... 11/24/10 ... 12/14/10(a) ... 12/17/10(a) ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

J & J ......... 12/06/10 ... 12/13/10 ... 01/05/11 ... ----------- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

Wishing ....... 10/11/10 ... 10/20/10 ... 11/12/10 ... ----------- ... ----------- ... Int: 01/11/11 ..... ----------- ..... ------------

Alaba ......... xx/xx/xx ... xx/xx/xx ... xx/xx/xx ... ----------- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

Valerie78 ..... 11/17/10 ... 11/24/10 ... xx/xx/xx ... ----------- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

nickbits ...... 09/16/10 ... 09/24/10 ... 10/28/10 ... 11/16/10(a) ... 11/16/10(a) ... Int: 12/13/10 ..... -Approved!- ..... ------------

Brenda2010 .... xx/xx/xx ... xx/xx/xx ... xx/xx/xx ... ----------- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

Tater&####### .. 10/08/10 ... 10/19/10 ... 11/09/10 ... ----------- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

ken and kate .. 11/15/10 ... 11/23/10 ... xx/xx/xx ... --- N/A --- ... ----------- ... ------------- ..... ----------- ..... ------------

I have a question for nickbits and Rose416... After having received the e-mail of approval for you EAD and AP, did you receive another e-mail the day after or so stating 'post-decision activity'? I got one for each form, and I'm a little worries as to what it means...

Hi Vero,

I don't remember getting an email from USCIS letting me know about my EAD. The day it arrived, my landlady was close to accidentally throwing my mail out! I almost never got my card! I just checked the USCIS site, and my status is still 'post decision activity.' So, don't worry about your situation. Your card will be in the mail before you know it.

I'm still waiting for my AOS. No status changes as of yet. I'm starting to panic....Is it possible to get an RFE but still receive your EAD and AP?

Congrats on your wife's approval Nickbits!

Happy holidays everyone! And happy 2011!

Vero, I forgot to tell you that I received my EAD and AP in the mail. AP arrived November 22nd, and EAD on the 23rd.

Actually, I almost never got it!

My landlady accidentally grabbed it in her pile of penny savers ads. She was about to throw the ads away when she noticed a white envelope poking out. I couldn't believe it when she told me! Of all things to lose, that is probably the most important to me right now!

Sorry to hear about your RFE Tater & #######. I hope it gets sorted soon. I really don't understand how this could happen, especially after being approved in Canada. Sometimes this immigration system seems a little ridiculous. Good luck with every thing!

I would like to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving! We are so lucky we get to celebrate twice! Have a wonderful holiday (:

I just checked the USCIS site and it looks like my EAD was approved and a notice is being mailed to me today (Nov. 19)

Still no word about AOS, but at this point I am so grateful for my work permit, everything else can take it's time.

All I need now is to find a job.

Wow! Congrats on getting your EAD approved Nickbits! I hope mine comes along soon. I've started job hunting... slowly.

Anyone have any advice on sending money back to Canadian bank accounts? Someone mentioned Customhouse to me, but it is no longer free. Western Union owns it now and they charge quite a bit. I was thinking that my best bet is PayPal.

Thanks for all of the great info. I'll give the DMV a visit as soon as I get my EAD and hope for the best!

You are certainly entitled to do what you want. Just be aware of the fines and other fees that can occur if you get pulled over. If you get pulled over by an officer, he or she has a lot of discretion as to what to do. They can just give you a warning all the way up to cite you for operating a vehicle without a valid license (vehicle code 12500). If they go with the operating a vehicle without a valid license, your car will be towed and impounded and the violation is a misdemeanor. If you don't think people get tickets and or arrested for it, you are wrong. BTW, I work for a police department 10 minutes from you.

OK..As someone who works for a police department, you are telling me I am not allowed to drive with my Canadian Driver's License?

Because my I-94 is expiring, I have to wait for my AOS to arrive, right? My EAD is not validation enough?

I am very confused about all of this. I certainly do not want to break any laws, or condone illegal behavior, but I was under the impression that Canadians are allowed to drive with their Canadian license in California.

Is my best option to not drive until I am able to get a California license? This whole area is so unclear. I wish it had been in the little welcome letter the USCIS gave me!

Anyway, I hope to visit the DMV soon.

Hey Rose416 -

I'm in Cali too and have not yet gone to get my Driver's license for multiple reasons (and reading on other VJ forums....)

-the 10 day requirement in California is true BUT what will happen is that the only proof they will accept before you have your EAD or AOS is your I-94. They will issue you a license that will EXPIRE on the day your I-94 expires. Also they will likely take away your foreign license. So if when your I-94 expires you do not yet have your EAD you are SOL (S&*^ outta luck!)

-So I've decided to wait until my EAD arrives to go get my California driver's license...

If anyone else has any insight its welcome:) California seems to by pretty annoying about these sorts of things tho and have different rules then other states...

Thanks Wishing. I think I am going to wait until I get my EAD and see what happens. My husband actually has to visit the DMV to renew his license in December, so I'll send him with some questions to ask. Saves me having to wait in line for a denial.

Thank you for the advice.

As far as I know, I am allowed to drive in the US with my Canadian license, but I will go to the DMV as soon as I get my EAD and see what information they give me.

The biometrics appointment is really easy. They don't even ask you questions - just take your fingerprints and photograph. I was in and out in 5 minutes.

I juts went to the bank today with my hubby. We opened up a joint bank account. All I needed was my passport, SSN and I brought my marriage license just in case. Another super easy transaction. Now all I need is a job so I can put money into my account!

I am working on my resume and patiently waiting for my EAD.

I posted a topic on the forum concerning applying for a drivers license. I wonder if it's better to wait for my AOS to arrive? The DMV site says 'apply within 10 days of receiving residency or special privileges.'

Anyone attempted to get their license yet? Vero, I know you were denied, and a girl I know had to retake her driving test before she was accepted. I hope this isn't the case. I had a heck of a time passing the driving test in Canada (teenage nerves!!!) and do not want to go through that again any time soon!!