AB2CO

Jaden,

I got my approval letter towards the end of May (Date of Decision = 05/20/2013).

Got my shiny new green card about a month later (effective date 06/13/2013).

I'm in CO, so pretty sure I'm going through the CSC.

Congrats on your approval.

Received my greencard in the mail today (Jan 20) . . . I did POE on Jan 1 . . . wasn't expecting the green card this fast.

Still haven't received my SSN card . . . guess I'm off to SSN office next week.

I see. I just bought a brand new car in December so I'm sure it conforms to regulations. I have heard mixed things about duty though. A Canadian friend of ours did the K-1 Visa and apparently had to pay duty when he registered his car with PA. I'm going to look into it more...the last thing I need is to pay duty on a brand new vehicle.

I don't claim to be an expert on this, but I think the compliance letter/EPA stuff is about making sure the vehicle can even be brought into the US without having to do mods to make it compliant. I don't think it has any effect on whether the vehicle is dutiable or not.

As for duty, I think there is no duty in most cases. but I thought I read something somewhere along the line that you had to have had the vehicle for one year to be able to import it as part of your immigration without duty. But as I said, I don't claim to be an expert on this . . . my vehicles were older and I just had to fill out a couple of forms and I was good to go.

I'm here in Repentigy (where Jeff lives). We'll head into the city tonight. I booked us a room at the Hyatt so we don't have to deal with morning traffic into Montreal. I have my binder organized. Everything from the NVC as well as everything from my I-130 process with a copy of each. I organized everything in the order that comes up on the interview letter. I'm definitely nervous, but I'm sure everything will go well. We're planning on getting there around 7ish. I'll see PIxelUlu and jdm2006 there tomorrow!!

J-

I was nervous too . . didn't really sleep on Wednesday night before my early morning flight to Montreal, and didn't sleep Thursday night before my interview Friday morning. But got lined up at 7:00 am., interview was a breeze, and I was approved and back on the street by 8:30 am!

You guys will all do great! Best wishes!!!

Oh you showed up at 7? What time was your interview? I would definitely love to show up earlier!

Also, for a hotel in Montreal. I know there's a buttload of cheap ones if you get them from those websites like hotwire, but I didn't want to chance getting a really shabby looking hotel. I just went with the Holiday Inn which is about an 8 minute walk from the consulate. It was 115 a night, and I booked two nights. I don't mind it one bit. Total with taxes came to $269 (17% tax was $39)

I like Holiday Inn's service. Although all differ with services, I've stay at a few different ones in my life and they were all perfectly fine with me!

I had my interview on Dec 17 . . . my appt was for 9:00 am . . . I got to the consulate shortly after 6:30 am and there was no one around. I wandered around a bit, hit Tim Hortons, and ended up lack at the consulate, first in line at 7:00 am. Doors opened at 7:30 am and I was all done and approved by 8:30 am. So I would say go early.

As for hotel, I stayed at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth . . . it was $140/night after tax, and it's an easy walk to the consulate . . . no more than 10 minutes even if you walk slow. The room was nice, and the hotel itself is over a major train station with an underground plaza so you can go down and have several choices for fast food/early morning coffee is you want, without having to go outside.

Ah. I've been calling the same hotline as you and they said there isn't any update yet and that I should check back again later. ARGH! The only thing I could do today is to keep checking the DHL website since DOS and that number that I've been calling are closed as well as the embassy. But i doubt it will come today. They probably haven't mailed it yet. Their next business day is on the 29th, a day before we're supposed to leave.

I am seeing today that the visa website is finally showing "Applicant Status" (which shows "Picked up") and "DHL Waybill Number". Kinda "who cares?" info at this point.

I thought I would mention . . . once the shipment was in progress, I was able to use the visa website's "Reference ID" on the dhl.ca website . . . using it there in the "Reference Number" box as opposed to the "Waybills Number" . . . and I could see the DHL status of the shipment.

Really sorry that this is running right down to the wire for you.

Here's my story FWIW . . .

Interviewed and approved for CR1 in Dec 17.

Trying to track my passport/visa return on www.usvisa-info.com but no updated info there.

Tried calling DHL on the 21st but without a DHL waybill number the operator couldn't seem to help me.

Called the Calgary number on the "Welcome to the USA" letter yesterday (22nd) to see if they had any info . . . they had nothing and said to be patient.

Early this morning (23rd) I called DOS and they were able to tell me that the visa had been issued and printed.

Then called the Calgary number from the "Welcome to the USA" letter again and this time they were able to give me the DHL waybill number (starts with an "S")

With that I could now go to www.dhl.ca and track the shipment . . . early this morning it showed the package had passed through Dorval the previous evening.

Around 11:30 am I got a call form DHL here in Calgary letting me know my passport was ready to be picked up. (At that time the DHL website didn't show that the package was in Calgary yet . . . still the same info as earlier). Went and got my passport.

The www.usvisa-info.com site still doesn't show any kind of update info . . . so I wouldn't count on it for anything.

Interview this morning . . . in at 7:30 (got the coveted A ) . . . first one done, out by 8:30 . . . APPROVED!!!!

As I posted earlier, had my interview on Friday last week and got approved.

I've posted my little review on my timeline . . . nothing earth-shattering to reveal . . . there was really nothing to it.

I would still recommend the arrive earlier (before 7:30 am) advice . . . the line started forming about 7:00 the day of my appointment . . . I ended up with letter A and was all approved and done by 8:30.

I guess I will echo what several others have said . . . the interview is the easiest part, nothing to worry about.

Now all I have to obsess about is getting my passport back!

Had our interview this morning - approved!

I want to thank Visa Journey and everyone on here for all your advice and tips over the last couple years - we really appreciate it!

Congratulations!

Interview this morning . . . in at 7:30 (got the coveted A ) . . . first one done, out by 8:30 . . . APPROVED!!!!

is there still hope that nvc will schedule more interview for january..

I'm afraid you won't get a good answer anywhere to that question!

I was in pretty much the same boat as you last month . . . a late June case complete, and the early June folks had got their interviews the previous month. The mid-June case completes got their emails on Saturday, Nov 6 . . . and then there was nothing. As it dragged past mid-month I resigned myself to Montreal not getting through the rest of the June case completes in December. Then out of nowhere I got my email for a December interview on Saturday, Nov 20 and it zipped ahead into July folks. So this month some earlier August case completes got their notifications fairly early in the month, and now it has gone quiet again. Unfortunately, only time will tell if that's it for the month.

Hope there's still more to come . . . but don't hold your breath. And don't take anything the NVC operators tell you about whether scheduling has started or finished as definitive either. They generally just parrot the party line . . . "interviews are scheduled in the second week of the month for the following month". Anybody who has followed this thread for a while knows that is not accurate . . last month alone demonstrates that.

Thank you for posting this. My fiancee will be doing his medical there also. Very helpful! Good luck on the rest of your journey!

TJ & Kenny

By the way, there are 3 or 4 other hotels on Burrard within a block of Woking Medical, and a Market IGA store maybe 2 blocks away.

Thought I would take a moment to post a brief review of my recent medical (done in advance of my upcoming CR1 interview in Montreal) . . .

Got my notice of my Montreal interview by email on Saturday, Nov 20 (interview date Firday, Dec 17)

I had decided I would use Woking Medical in Vancouver, as they are closest to Calgary, and they have same day turn-around on getting the results back to you. On the afternoon of Nov 20 I used the Woking web site to request an appointment, with Dec 1 as my first choice and Dec 8 as my second choice (they only do immigration medicals on Wednesdays). I received an email back from Woking late that same evening confirming an appointment on Dec 1 . . . I was impressed with the prompt response.

On Dec 2 I made airline and hotel reservations . . . I booked to fly into Vancouver on the evening of Nov 30, as you have to be at Woking Medical by 6:30 am on the day of your medical. I stayed at the Sheraton Wall Centre . . . it's about half a block from Woking Medical . . . took maybe 2 minutes to walk over?

So, flight to Vancouver, cab to hotel from airport (about $35 with tip), check in, set the alarm, and try and get some sleep.

Got to Woking Medical at about 6:20 and went upstairs to the reception desk and took a number . . . I was # 18 . . . and joined the rest of the folks waiting.

At about 6:45(?) the receptionist gave us an overview of the process, and then shortly after that we lined up to get some forms to review and sign. Got my forms, filled out the section with the questions about your medical history (mostly just yes/no stuff), then took the forms back up to receptionist to sign in front of her and hand in your copy of Montreal appointment letter, evidence of immunizations, pictures, and passport. Doublecheck that the info on the forms matches your info . . . my MTL... number from my appointment letter was incorrect on the form that Woking had partially pre-filled out . . . got that corrected.

Then down the hall to another waiting area, and wait for your number to be called for the blood test. They just draw a single little vial of blood.

Then back to the original waiting area to wait for your name to be called for the xray. Off to a little changing room to take off your shirt and put on the little hospital gown, then the xray tech calls your name and you go get the xray done.

Then back to the original waiting area to wait for your name to be called for the actual examination by the doctor. When you name is called you are taken a little examination room and left, with instruction to disrobe (down to your underwear only) and sit on the exam table. A few minutes later the doctor came in and said "hi" and asked in I was genrally healthy (to which I replied "yes"). The he proceeded to take my blood pressure, check my ears and throat, check my glands on my neck, do the "take a deep breath" thing and listen to my lungs with the stethoscope, then lie down and palpate my abdomen.

And that was it (if I'm not forgetting anything). Off goes the doctor, and you get redressed. (Editorial comment: Only 4 doctors in Canada can do that???!!!)

Then around the corner to see the receptionist, who takes your height and weight, and does a rudimentary eye test . . . read a line on the eye chart with one eye (glasses on if you wear them), then repeat with the other.

After that, she takes your $350 bank draft, and tells you to come back at 1:30-ish for your results. For me (#18), this took until about 10:00 am . . . I think the first folks were down by about 9:00 am.

Off to kill time . . . wandered to a nearby mall, Future Shop, Chapters, had lunch . . . and headed back to Woking . . . got there about 1:15 pm.

They said things were a little backed up . . . I got my results back at about 2:00 pm. I was pleasnatly surprised to learn that my xray was in digital form on a CD (I hadn't been keen on having to carefully lug around the big xray envelope).

So back to the hotel to get my bag from the concierge/bellman. My flight back to Calgary was for 7:45 pm . . . so I decided to try the Canada Line back to the airport . . . walked to a train station about 6 blocks or so from the hotel, got a ticket for all of $3.75 and waited for the train. In about 7 mintues the train came, and off to the airport I went . . an uneventful 20 minute ride to the end of run station at the airport. Train was clean and new, not crowded at all.

Went over to Air Canada to see if there was any chance of switching to an earlier flight . . . it was a possibility, but they wanted $150 . . . I said thanks, but no thanks. So, with 4+ hours to kill, I went and found a comfortable spot and pulled out the laptop . . . free WiFi at the Vancouver airport. Eventually caught my flight home, and my adventure was over.

The End

I don't know how I missed this thread

CR-1 process is almost done (fingers crossed)

I called in and the AVR said Case complete (as of Nov 18th), when I tried to check my fee it said my login failed. (Yay).

Now I'm just waiting to hear when the interview is. Trying now to call and see if an interview date has been scheduled/see if my packet has been sent to the consulate.

Congrats to all

Congrats on case complete!

Don't want to rain on your parade, but you've got more waiting in your future. Montreal has fallen far behind this year . . . I waited from my June 28 case complete until Nov 20 to recieve my interview appt notification email, for a Dec 17 interview. Hopefully Montreal will start to make some progress on their backlog, but I wouldn't expect your appt to happen until maybe March at best, and I'm afraid that may be optomistic given Montreal's history. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news . . . hope Montreal surprises and you get a quicker turnaround. You might want to scan back in this thread a bit and look for the link to the spreadsheet to get a better idea of how things have gone for others.

Me too!!!! Dec 17 @ 9:00 am!! Got the email at about 2:00 pm MST

I'd had given up a December appointment.

We haven't heard anything...

Me neither . . . at this point I'm assuming that Montreal has fallen behind even further and I won't see a December appointment.

How it can end up taking them 3 months to get through the June case completes is beyond me!!!!

I think you guys will hear something within a few days or the even next week. I remember when shewolf and mtlgato got scheduled then noone else and I had given up, two weeks later the rest of us around that same timeline got our dates. Its coming guys

It appears that chrylhltn got an interview . . . info updated in the spreadsheet and timeline . . Dec 10 interview (June 19 case complete).

Maybe there is still hope for the rest of the June folks.

my friend was done with the NVC on june 29th and she got her interview date 3 days ago!

Is she a CR1/IR1 going through the Montreal consulate???

I also called in this morning and was told no interview had been scheduled for us yet but that they weren't done scheduling for November yet. She followed that up by saying she 'hopes we get an interview date soon' and I of course said 'me too'! But like you, am also nervous we are looking at December.

Just talked to NVC . . . supposedly scheduling is done for this month . . . and no November interview for me. I don't see any sign that any other of the mid/late June case completes made it either?

Is there some sort of over/under on how far behind Montreal can manage to fall?

Best wishes for those that did finally get their interview date . . . but I am bummed out!

November 15 for us.

Congrats!!! Looks like all the June 4 case completes have interview dates now . . . the green is creeping down towards me!!!

Unbelievable November 3rd.... :dance::dance: How do I book a medical with no email...?

Congrats Jadenjewel!

You've gone from waiting and waiting straight to "Woah! That's just over 3 weeks to interview!"

Am also on hold!

I got the standard response again!!! still scheduling, call back next week

Yes, that's the correct number. I had to speed dial about 20 times before it finally went through. Maybe wait until tomorrow AM at 7:30 EST to call. I usually get right through at that time.

Congrats CanAmBride!

kaya541 . . . I'm a late June case complete too . . on hold with the NVC as I type this . . took about 20 redials to get through.

Has anybody trying calling yet for this month? Or are we all "patiently" waiting for the 2nd week of the month to see if they are scheduling for November yet? All I get is a busy signal when I try. Getting antsy and the anxiety is kicking in big time.

I called yesterday afternoon . . . got the busy signal several times, but just kept redialing right away and got through on about the 5th try. Then was on hold for about 5 - 10 minutes. Got the standard response . . . you are eligible for an interview, interviews will be scheduled during the second week of the month, try calling back on the 18th . . . blah, blah, blah.

I see that some folks from other countries are starting to get November interview dates . . hopefully we'll see some activity for Montreal soon.

Question: How hard are you finding it to get through to the NVC? I'm calling 603-334-0700 and seem to get a busy signal all the time. Took me about 25 - 30 attempts to get through yesterday; finally got through at about 11:00 PM Eastern time and then was on hold for about 20 minutes.