CBM

I responded to a similar post in the Canadian forum you made earlier in the week. It took a week for me to see the waybill number appear, and maybe even 8 days. You are right on track. Unless the CO told you that you required further documentation, there is more than likely no problems and it just takes a week or so.

I know it's tough, but be patient! The waybill number will appear.

Good luck! Are you still trying to convert your teaching licence?? I've basically decided once I move (in 31 days!!) and get EAD, I'll work towards converting mine, but in the meantime, also apply for lab/health jobs (my undergrad is in biology) and will hopefully get a teaching job shortly down the road.... everyone keeps telling me I'll find a job teaching in CA... eeeeeek

Anyway.... GOOD LUCK! let us all know how it goes :)

Yes. Above all, they want your money. Your NOA1 is basically a receipt from receiving your payment & petition. Just like in a store, they take your money then give you a receipt after they've assured your payment goes through

I start teaching Kindergarten today. It's my last placement in teacher's college before I move on April 30th!

I saw that earlier this month (I receive emails about AC promotions)! I got a great deal on my POE flight!

Thanks for the link

I interviewed on March 8th (also a Tuesday) and my waybill number didn't show up on the site until the following Wednesday. One of the papers you received should be DHL instructions, and it has a handwritten note at the top that says to wait about 6 - 7 business days for the waybill to appear.

Some people are lucky to get their passports earlier than that, but I think 6 - 7 business days is more the norm.

You should expect to see your waybill number in the next couple of days. The consulate sent me an email when DHL picked it up, as well.

Congrats on your approval!

I did my medical in Toronto in January. I had the exam on Monday morning and the results were fed ex'ed to me by Thursday. Very quick.

That is great news to hear.Thanks so much for that info!! This is why I love this site, so many helpful people

No problem at all. I'm glad I could help. I started a thread about it in the Canadian forum so no one else would make the mistake we did. I was very happy and relieved when I found out I could have it delivered to my door! I put better instructions in the thread, if you want to check it out

Okay, so I thought I'd start a thread to let people who are interviewing soon know: You don't have to drive 3 or 4 or 5 hours to get your passport from the DHL location you chose!

I know I'm not the only one who thought I had to go to that location to get it, because I just saw someone in another thread worrying about it.

The day of your interview, assuming you are approved, you get a "congrats" letter with a few FAQ on it. On the back, there should be instructions regarding the waybill and all that. If there's nothing on the back (there wasn't on mine), ask the receptionist on the way out. She is very nice, and willing to help.

All you have to do is go to the website that you booked your interview at, and go to the DHL part of it. It will give you an email address to email (csc.deliveries@dhl.ca) and all you do is email them with your Full name, as it appears on your passport,your passport number, your waybill number, and your mailing address. There may be something else, but there is a list of instructions. Also provide a phone number you can be reached at during the day.

Then, within 2 days, a DHL rep will call you, and you have to confirm all the info you emailed previously, and give them your credit card number to pay for the shipment to your house. It's $16-something. It takes an extra couple days, but to me, it was WELL worth the 4 hour round trip to London, ON to get my passport.

I didn't have it shipped to my house until it had already arrived in London, so it's not a big deal if you don't change it right away. You can't change it until the waybill number shows up on the screen, which may take a week or so.

And, for K-1s (not sure about CR1s), you will get an email from the consulate saying it's been sent.

Anyway, hope this helps some of the people who are interviewing soon! No long trips needed

That would be an awesome thing if they could!!! For I am sure I am not the only one that has to travel almost 4 hrs one way to get their passports back after the interview.

You don't actually have to travel anywhere to get it. That was my misconception, too. I thought I had to travel 2 hours to London, ON to get it. But, as it turns out, you can have your passport re-routed to your house for $16. It was a bit of an annoyance for me, because they messed it up the first time they attempted delivery, but the 2nd day, I got it no problems.

All you do is go onto the website that you schedule your appt at, and then send an email to csc@dhl.delivers.ca (or something like that, you'll have to check it online to be sure)... anyway, and send them the list of info they ask for. It's all on the site where you schedule your interview. I know my instructions are really vague, but I swear, it's all outlined really well online. I had it delivered to my place, for $16! So much more convenient!

Oh, and you'll get instructions on the back of your "congrats" letter at the consulate. No 4 hour trip for you

Unfortunately the process does not work that way. He will be denied the B2 because it requires he disclose past criminal history therefore he is not eligible without the waiver. It makes no sense to file the B2 request without the waiver its a waste of time and energy to file without the waiver paperwork.

Oh okay. I've never had to apply for any visa to visit the US, so I guess I was mistaken. Maybe OP's dad can apply for the B2 and waiver simultaneously.

Good luck to you

You have 6 months to endorse your visa from the time it's issued... so let's say it will expire Sept. 30th, since your interview is in a week.

Your dad could easily apply for the B2 NOW (start the paperwork tonight!), and if it's granted, great. Go ahead with your plans. It may only take a while to approve. If it's denied, apply for the appropriate waiver, and pray to God he gets it. As JVP pointed out, if it gets to within a month or so, you could hop on the plane and not waste the visa.

I understand your reasoning behind not wanting 2 ceremonies. My fiance and I have essentially been forced into getting married legally and having our actual wedding 7 months later. It's not what I wanted, in any way, but due to cost and medical reasons for my future FIL, this was the best option. But I do understand what you mean. To me, it feels like a waste of time, in a way, because we're already married, and will be living together as husband and wife....... and then over half a year later, we're going to have this "pretend" wedding. That's just my opinion. I know a lot of people do this, and love it, and that's great. At this point, I just want to be together and get married. The details can sort themselves out.

Dads are important. I'm sure he would appreciate that you gave him the chance to apply for the B2 and subsequent waiver, if needed.

Good luck with your interview, in any event.

pushbrk, I'm with you.

I'll be providing my fiancee with IRS tax transcripts (3 years), pay stubs (6 months), and throw in copies of W-2's although it may not be needed since I'm providing tax transcripts.

Thanks!

Thanks for your congrats.

Sounds like your fiancee will be well prepared with your info. You're probably right that W2s may not be needed, since you are providing transcripts, but you're better safe than sorry. Good luck

They don't always take everything you offer but if you had only the pay stubs and no employer letter, they would have gladly kept the pay stubs as evidence of current employment and current income.

You may be correct, but my point to the OP was simply that I was asked for a letter from my fiance's employer, and it wasn't such a wild request that he should just not bother with one.

pushbrk, that is music to my ear The last thing I need is to go beg HR for a letter. In today's economy, an employer's letter is no guarantee that I'll have a job tomorrow, next week or next month. So I agree with you that recent pay stubs are as good or better, although they don't guarantee anything either.

When the time comes, I'll give my fiancee my IRS tax transcripts, W-2's and pay stubs.

For what it's worth, I just had my interview a few weeks ago, and they wanted my fiance's 2010 tax returns & W2s (I offered them this when they asked for 2009 tax transcripts, and they gladly took it but informed me they couldn't demand it, since taxes aren't due until April 15th), plus a letter from his employer. I also had pay stubs, but they only wanted the letter and tax returns & W2. Just a heads up.

That was in Canada though, so it's probably quite different to China.

In any event, good luck to you.

OP - my fiance is a dual citizen of the UK & the US. We sent a copy of his British passport as our proof of having met, as several years ago, he was not naturalized yet, and still travelling on his British passport. We also included a copy of his naturalization (US!) certificate and US passport. It was never a problem that we included both.

While the US may only recognize that he is now a USC, they did not take his British passport stamps as being less genuine proof. It was the passport he used at the time.

Hope this helps.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no. A round trip ticket isn't required for a flight, so I don't see why it would be to take the bus.

Congrats on your move.

I did essentially the same thing you're doing now... visit the US for as long as I could, then go back to Canada for a while, then visit for another long period. On my last visit (January 2010 - end of March 2010), I was pulled into secondary as well and grilled for 1.5 - 2 hours as to my intent. It was really intimidating and they are not kind to young women who don't have full time jobs or own homes, etc. I even had applications/acceptance letters for my 2nd degree (that would start in September) in my suitcase, and in the end, I think that was what sealed the deal, and the CO allowed me entry, but it took a while to convince him we were not getting married and I was coming back to Canada. He even threatened to call the bank and check on my funds.... I sort of laughed to myself since it was 6 am and I knew the bank wouldn't be open, nor would the hotline, but gave him permission to do so anyway (I think it was just a scare tactic, since I'm not convinced they can just call up the bank and they will give them the info without a ton of verification). Of course he didn't, but he threatened to. So you're not alone! I've been where you are, too.

In the end, we decided it wasn't worth me getting denied at the border, so I stopped visiting, and my fiance started visiting me instead. It's been hard, because he works full time with very little vacation, but it's still better than getting denied at the border.

Anyway, just an idea for you - maybe he could visit you. I know it's tough when he's working and such, but you can make it work.

And, as all the others have said, try to bring as much proof of residence in the UK as possible. As I said, CBP was interested that I had papers for my upcoming next degree that would start after my summer job. Maybe even enrolling in a couple classes or something for the summer would help?

Anyway, my reply was more of a moral support thing. It sucks when it happens, but just keep your chin up and tell the truth. It was very degrading to be accused of lying and accused of going to get married, but in the end, they're just doing their jobs.

Good luck

Delta may have the same feature Air Canada does - you can request proof of flights in the past. I requested several, and within a day, they had emailed them all to me as PDF attachments. Air Canada does provide the year, I believe, so we used those as well as stamps in my passport to prove all my trips to the US.

Look around Delta's website to see if they have something like that.

haha it really wasn't a line; it was the truth! I figured I may as well tell him that

If your fiance can go with you due to being expedited, great, he is there for moral support. If not, no big deal at all. I had my interview a couple weeks ago, and the Officer asked, "where is your sweetheart today?", and I told him he was still in bed, since it was 6 am in California, but that he would be on his way to work shortly. He chuckled at that, and moved on. No big deal at all!

And although moral support would have been welcome, it just wasn't worth the trip from LA for a 5 minute interview. I laughed in the elevator on the way down about how much I had built it up.

Bottom line - no big deal if he can't attend. Safe travels to him

I have my visa & passport in hand, and my case status, as of last time I checked it (which I admit, was quite a while ago, since I don't care what it says now), still said "Initial Review".

Don't give it too much merit, as others have pointed out.

I remember having a similar problem, from what I can recall from November-ish. I think in the end, I just filled it out all in one go, rather than trying to come back to it later, and that worked.

One hint - print the confirmation page, and a copy of the entire thing, if it lets you. I just explained at my interview that I was filling it out when all the new changes were happening in Montreal (booking the interview online), and he seemed happy with that, and took the confirmation page, as it wouldnt let me print a copy of the actual form. But if you can print the copy, they asked me for it!

1. Yes $340 to USCIS but name it completely, dont use the acronym.

2. Yes you will send your k1-packet to Dallas not in Vermont or Cali. It should be Dallax. Though your k1-packet will be routed either to Vermont or Cali depending on where you at.

3. Digital photos are good.

4. Large envelope will do and just label everything. The main thing is, you need to make it neat and easy for anyone who will adjudicate your case.

The cheque should actually be made out to United States Department of Homeland Security, unless things have changed since my fiance petitioned in May?

Oops, sorry, just saw that someone else said that right above me.

I had my interview 2 weeks ago, and I answered "Yes" to the question, and said I had a BSc in Biology & worked in a Chemistry lab.... it wasn't an issue. Not a big deal at all.

Edited because I just realized this was my answered I had prepared... but I don't actually think I filled out the DS-157. I did packet 3 almost 6 months ago, bc Montreal takes a while.... but they changed to DS-160 online, and I honestly don't remember if the question was on it. But, on one of the forms, I had to list all my education/degrees, so they were aware, either way.

I would just give as much info as possible. Don't overthink questions.