Heatherd29

Hello Everyone,

Well it has been exactly one week since my interview in Montreal and I'm happy to report that I was approved! I've been back in Vancouver since last weekend and I'm waiting on pins and needles for my flippin passport to come back! I don't think I'll be able to relax about this whole process until I've actually crossed the border. I've contacted the consulate and they can't give me any info on when I can expect my documents. I had really been hoping that they would arrive this week, but since it's already Friday, it appears that I have no such luck. Do any of you know roughly how long it has been taking to get the docs returned? I'm guessing that because of the holiday this week, things are taking a little longer than usual. On top of waiting to get into the States, I feel very unsettled not being in posession of my passport!!

I'll write a review in the other section as soon as I can find a few minutes, but overall the experience in Montreal went fine. My advice to everyone is to bring EVERYTHING. Every document, every photo, everything. I was asked for all of it, and because I'm really #######, I had it all - but much of the stuff my lawyer had actually told me I didn't need to bring as he thought the consulate would already have it. He was dead wrong, and if I had showed up there with only the info he told me I needed to bring, I surely would have been denied and the whole process would have to be started again. So bring everything, even if you think you won't need it, or if someone tells you you won't need it, or if you think the consulate already has it. Bring it anyway, and bring copies of it! Better safe than sorry!!

I'll update again once I get my passport and documents back and I've actually crossed the border!

Cheers,

Heather

Hello Everyone,

I haven't read these forums for a while, but my interview in Montreal is this coming Friday (Nov 19th!!) I know we have a pretty airtight case, but I'm starting to get nervous anyway. My husband is not coming with me to the interview, as the flights to Montreal are not cheap and he doesn't get a ton of holidays anyway. Our lawyer told us it will all be fine, since our case is very straightforward.

I'm wondering how long it normally takes to get your passport back?? I'm in Vancouver. My lawyer told me I could ask them if it would be possible to get my passport back from them in person - the same day!! He said they may not be able to do it but it wouldnt' hurt to ask - has anyone heard of this??

My interview is less than a week before US Thanksgiving, and I'm nervous that because of the holiday the processing may take even longer, and I'm going to be so anxious to get down to Seattle! How long does it usually take to get your passport back from DHL?

Also, I'm curious about what actually happens at the time you actually cross the border. We'll be driving across. But because it's so close to Christmas, I will definitely be coming back to Canada within a week or two of my entering the US to see my family, etc. My lawyer told me to ask them (at the border) for an I-551 stamp in my passport, which will allow me to cross the border easily until my actual green card arrives in the mail in a few weeks. Has anyone heaerd of this?

I can't believe it's almost here! I have butterflies in my stomach already!

Hi Everyone,

Another question for those who know the ropes with the Montreal Consulate:

Is my husband (the US Citizen) allowed to come with me to the interview? In my Packet 4 hard-copy letter it says any US Citizen can accompany me, but in the email I got confirming my interview date and time it says that only official translators and helpers for those with disabilities can accompany you into the interview - no lawyers or anyone who isn't specifically named in the confirmation. The letter goes on to explain that due to time and manpower required to screen for security, they can't let un-necessary people into the Consulate. We had been told (anecdotally - nothing official) that it looked better for the interview if he came with me - to help establish the validity of our relationship, but if he's not allowed to come then that shouldn't matter. We've been together for 6 years, married for 4 years and have a son. We lived together in Canada for 5 years before he got a new job in Seattle and moved back to the States. It should be fairly clear to the interviewer that our marriage is no hoax just so I can get into the states...

I'd rather not have to spend the money for my husband's airfare to Montreal - the flight from Van isn't cheap!! And I'm actually secretely craving some "me" time - we have a 20 month old son and I feel like I haven't had more than 5 minutes alone for the past 2 years!! Just the thought of a 5 hour flight where I can read or watch a movie or do whatever I want while being completely unreachable gives me shivers of excitement!! But I digress... Ahem....

Any advice would be appreciated!! Thanks!

Heather

Congratulations, Dawn! How exciting!

I have a question for all of you, I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask, but here goes anyway.

My question is regarding the medical - I'm a little stressed about it! First of all - vaccinations: I had my vaccinations updated last week, I got the MMR shot and the Tdap (Adacel). I also had a blood test proving that I have had chicken pox (Varicella), and I will bring that proof. The medical office website seemed to indicate that those are the only shots I need for my age group (I'm 37). Have any of you heard anything different?

Also, I have struggled with minor depression for many years. It's completely under control now, I take a low-dose antidepressant, and have for a few years. The letter I received said that I if I had been "treated for" or hospitalized for any mental illness I had to bring a letter from my doctor stating my diagnosis and prognosis. I've never been hospitalized, but since I'm on antidepressants I assume that's considered being "treated for" mental illness. Has anyone else had to provide such a letter? I feel like I need to give my doctor some kind of guidance about what to write... Can anyone give me any advice on this?

Thanks!

Heather

Hi, I just received my pkt4 last week. My wife is a US citizen and we have three kids (ages 8, 4 and 2). On the first page of the packet it says "each family member planning to immigrate must appear on the appointment date, subject to the exceptions noted in the personal appearance instructions at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html. To request a waiver of the personal appearance of a child under the age of 14, please contact http://canada.usvisa-info.com. I have been looking but can not find out any additional information about this. I would love to not have to bring the 3 kids from Vancouer to Montreal. Does anyone know any additional information about this?

Hi Sean214 - has your American wife lived down in the States for at least 5 years? If she has, your kids can claim their US Citizenships, and then they don't have to go through the whole Immigration process. We did this for my son (my husband is a US Citizen). It's MUCH easier than dragging them through the whole Immigration process. Getting his US Citizenship was fairly straightforward. My husband had to provide his birth cert and proof that he lived down there for at least 5 consecutive years (things like high school or University transcripts and tax returns are good proof). You need to have originals of your kids birth certs, and they'll want to have a look at your Canadian passport. We took all of it down to the Consulate in Vancouver and they looked after it all there. The whole process didn't take more than a few weeks for us. I can't remember the exact website we went to to find all the info, but if you Google "claiming US Citizenship for children" or something of that sort, you should find the info. If you run into a problem let me know and I can look back through our files to get more info for you. If you get moving on it quickly I bet your kids could have their US Passports before you get your process completed!!

Good luck - and I hope you don't have to drag all those kids to Montreal!! I'm VERY grateful my parents will be able to look after my son while I go out for my Interview in November... A 5 hour plane trip each way with a toddler is NOT my idea of a good time!

After trying a million times I still couldn't get into the system, kept getting that login screen, even from 3 different computers. I was able to get my appointment scheduled by calling the Vancouver number. You'll need to provide all the info in your letter, but the lady I spoke to was great. I then received an email confirming the date. I'm headed to Montreal for a November 19th interview!!

YAY - The light at the end of the tunnel!

Has anyone run into a tech problem while trying to schedule your interview in Montreal online? I got my letter and Packet4 authorizing me to schedule, and I've been trying for a few days. I go through the process, enter my case number, passport number, and choose my DHL Courier location and I get to the point where the system tells me the next available appointment time(currently it's November 9th, 2010), but then I get bounced out to a Visa Information Service login page that asks for a Username and Password - neither of which I have. I've asked my lawyer to look into it, but thought I'd ask here as well, as it's depressing watching the interview date move further and further into the future...

Thanks,

Heather

I'm having the EXACT same problem!! I've been trying since Friday to schedule my appointment - and I keep watching the date get further into the future.. on Friday the first appointment was November 2nd, and today it's November 9th...

I don't know what to do either! Is there a phone number anywhere that we can call to get more info? I can't find one... I've asked my immigration lawyer for help but I'm not sure he'll know what to do either...

help!!

I'm new to this forum, and I'm still not familiar with all the acronyms and the paperwork names just yet, so forgive me if I sound like I don't know what I'm talking about!! We're still at the beginning of this journey!!

I'm a Canadian and my husband is American. We have been married for over 3 years and have a 14 month old son. We have been living in Canada (Vancouver) throughout our marriage (he has been in Canada on a work permit for 5 years). Recently he got a new job down in the States, so we are moving to Seattle. He had to start work right away, so he headed to Seattle last week. The company he works for has provided temporary housing for a few months until we are able to get settled. My question is, does anyone know if it will be a problem for me to enter the US to visit him while I am going through the process of getting my green card? I will be maintaining my permanent residence here in Canada until I get my Green Card. (I will be moving to my parents' house after our house is sold). My plan is to keep up my BC medical and all my bank accounts, my car and car insurance, etc here in Canada in order to show that I am definitely planning to come back to Canada, and each time I enter the States I am really just visiting. We are simply lucky that he got a job so close to home, and driving back and forth a couple of hours to visit isn't a big deal.

We filed the I-130 at the Vancouver Consulate on Friday, March 5th. We were told that it simply gets mailed to Montreal and I will receive a letter from Montreal in a few weeks with instructions on next steps. We do have some guidance from company lawyers with this process, but they weren't really clear on how hard it would be for me to visit the US during the process.

Any help would be MUCH appreciated. I'm hoping to drive down with my son to visit my husband for a couple of weeks later this week.

Thanks in Advance!