edsotherhalf

 Little background. I am Canadian but a US Green card holder since 2010. I have lived in the US with my USCitizen spouse ever since.  I was just going to keep renewing my green card and had no intention of becoming a Citizen. Then in October 2018 my husband died of a massive heart attack. My world then crashed and seems to continue to go downhill. I went to Social Security to report his death and filed to receive the survivors benefit. I was told no as I was still working and made too much money but to come back when I retire. I had decided because I had no support here (my entire family including kids and grandkids all still live in Canada) I just wanted to move home. When I told social security that I was told I may run into problems with just being a Permanent Resident and that I would do better with Citizenship. I phoned immigration and was told that if Under Permanent Resident status I could go to Canada but have to come back every six months and maintain a residence and employment. Well #######! I almost had my house sold and notice in at work. So now I have all the forms filled out for naturalization and will be sending in within next few days. I now have to find out if allowed to travel back to Canada to visit during process and was told the timeline is 14-18 months!! Anyone else under similar situation?

I will be probably today or tomorrow. Just need to get a money order.

I am trying to get an appt through infopass. I need to go back to CAnada on the 16th of this month. My green card was stolen last month. I sent the I-90 paperwork and money on March 25th. I had my biometrics done on April 16th. Now I am being told it could be months as they are working on August 2013. My license will expire in June also. The soonest appt showing is the 21 of this month. I dont' get why it takes so long to get a replacement. Its all the same. I just got the 10 yr card last November.

Actually when I got my green card it said to not carry it with you at all times, only when you travel. I have a Arizona DL and other ID so don't need it.

HOw do you find different dates. I can only see one date on my inforpass calender?

Wow it has been like forever since I have been on here. I was a CR1, now a IRI with a 10 yr green card. Or I was until my wallet was stolen. Tip for you all DO NOT LEAVE YOUR GREEN CARD IN YOUR WALLET!!!! It has been a nightmare trying to get a new one. Anyway my problem is I have to go back to Canada for my mother's 95th birthday this month. I figured I would have my new card by now. I sent in the new application I-90 on March 24th, had my biometrics done on April 16th. Now they tell me to make an appt to get a temporary pass to leave the country. Now when I go to make said appt I get a all but one day blank calender. Its shows available only the 21st (which is too late), everything before and after is black. Is that how it should look? Can I choose another date? I need a date before the 15th as I plan to fly out on the 16th. My husband and I were in Canada for first two weeks of April and I was loaded with paperwork in case they gave me a hard time at the border. No hard time at all. But don't want to push my luck. Getting the replacement card cost us another $450.00. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks. I am giving it to the end of this week and if not on Friday I am going to the SSN office. When I called the number I was given at the border they said I had to wait and it would get confusing if I went and applied myself as I could end up with two SSN numbers. She had no record that I had even been entered yet.

Grats on your green card!

And actually, I've seen some people get the SSN first, before the green card.

And if it's been more than 3 weeks from POE for you, I'd suggest going to a local SSA office and applying. Don't wait more than 3 weeks for the SSN to arrive by mail. I waited 3 weeks and when mine didn't come, I went straight to my local SSA office and applied. Got the SSN in the mail 10 days later.

Received my green card in the mail on Friday. It only took 3 weeks from crossing and they had told me it could be 6 months. Glad something went fast. Now they also said my SSN would be here in three weeks. Still waiting for that. Still can't look for work without the thing. Apparently the green card comes first, then the paperwork is sent to SSN for processing.

From what I understand they are all picked up around 4-5 p.m. at the Consulate. Most emails come in the evening when they get back to the warehouse and are entered in.

Have those who have gotten the waybill emailed to them from the consulate generally received them in the evening? I know there were a few who received them around 6pm, was just wondering if thats generally the case so i can stop checking my email religiously... haha

They are picked up every day. I was there on a Weds and the reception girl was also there with a stack of passports. Mine was picked up on a Tues and I got it delivered the next day, Weds.

I found out some interesting info today when i called DoS. Apparently the consulate (Montreal only?) only sends out packages by DHL on fridays. Can anyone else confirm if they have heard anything like this? I can confirm that when i was in for my interview (Friday August 5th) the receptionist did have a bunch of visas on her desk and she was putting them in DHL envelopes.

Similar here, I called DOS after the two week waiting period. They said it was sent out the week previous. Then it was trying to track it down. I finally got an email from the IV Unit 26 days later saying it would be sent out the next day which it was. They just said "unforseen circumstances regarding delivery service". That just clears everyone from blame. I never got the notice on CSC site until after I had picked the thing up from DHL.

I have been in this situation. The first time, the DOS agent couldnt tell me when the visa had been printed. The day after, another DOS agent was able to tell me when it had been printed. strange...

It took 2 more days to get an email from DHL.

I never managed to get information from DHL with the reference number. And I understood why when I saw how different the waybill number was. If your passport has been printed, you shouldn't wait too long.

Just to mentally prepare for more wait, I waited 9 days after the visa was printed to get it. And I have no idea why!

Good luck!

I actually emailed to IV Unit Supervisor at Montreal.IV.DV@state.gov. Put your casenumber in the subject line. I basically just wrote and told them exactly what was going on, that I had been accepted at the interview, told from DOS it was sent out but could get no where on tracking it down. You will get an auto response and its a long one describing that the IV Unit can do nothing with the cases etc but don't sent another email. Wait a few days for a reply.

I might try that as well, I am more than tired of waiting...

Could you give more information on the number to fax and the name of the supervisor - if you have it ?

What did you say so that they answered you?? Any magic words?

Thanks a lot!

I got an answer from them saying that due to circumstances beyond thier control BS, my passport would be sent out that night and it was. I was wrong on the 20 days, it was actually day 26. I had my interview and approved on June 29, received "lost" passport on July 26th.

When you say that you got the answer, you mean they replied to your email or they sent out your passport?

I did that also and got the answer two days later. I emailed him after the 20th day of waiting.

I ended up faxing the supervisor at the consulate and begging for his help to push this forward faster.

In the instruction sheet that comes with your passport/visa it says you can ship items of personal use up to 10 yrs after POE. Says to write Used Personal Belongings on your declaration form.

I'm curious about this procedure as well, since I don't have that much stuff and it needs to be mailed.

I listed the big ones, like to Hawaii and my first couple of trips to visit hubby. I had crossed numerous times growing up so just put from date A to date B numerous crossings. They accepted it.

I had to use a DS-230 and a DS-156. Both forms wanted, in slightly different formats, a list of all trips to the US. What I, and many others, have done is simply list every trip you can remember or have documentation for, and then include a line item of "Numerous trips to the US between <year> and <year>, all less than 48 hours." Because Canadians can enter the US visa-free [and until 2009, passport-free!] and even now do not typically get their passports stamped if it's at a land crossing, the US consulates in Canada know it's fairly normal for Canadians to have made many day or weekend trips to the US over a typical lifetime that have little or no extant documentation.

You will get the message from DHL before the Consulate. Hope it comes in timely fashion. I got the message from DHL about 7 p.m. All you can do is wait now.

So I called DOS this morning. She said it was printed and that I should hear from DHL soon. After reading VJers, I'm not sure if I can believe her or not? What do you think?

I remember when I talked to someone at the call centre at the Consolate (oh I found they are no where near the consulate), I told them I had talked to DOS and she asked me "who the DOS was and why I would be calling them?" Seems like one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing.

Hey Guys!

Even I am still waiting for my passport back from Montreal. I had my interview date on July 26th. I called the DOS this afternoon and they said the visa was processed for me on the 27th of July. No waybill or tracking number has appeared on my CSC profile page. :/

My wedding is scheduled for August 19th. I am hoping to God that I somehow do not get screwed over.

We went through CR1 and I had put on my application that they apply for my SSN. I was told it should arrive within 3 weeks of POE which was only a week ago tomorrow. Also at the POE they took my fingerprints and said they send in the paperwork for my green card which should arrive within 6 months but once I receive my SSN card I can use the stamp in my passport and SSN to apply for work.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why one persons visa takes weeks and another persons visa is there in a few days. I swear they are like the POE's and they have to pick one person a week to screw with their heads. When I phoned DOS after two weeks I was told it was "sent out July 7" but wouldn't say where or how. We got our Senator on to it and it was received 4 weeks after approved interview. All the consulate said was "due to unforseen circumstances with the delivery courier, your package could not be delivered to the appropriate location". That was their was of saying we screwed up so now you can't blame anyone. All you can do is wait. Oh we never heard back from the Senators office to say they had anything to do with finding my lost passport. No explanation. But we finally did receive it and I am finally down in the States. Hope you get it soon.

2 weeks after interview today. Still no passport in sight.

I called DOS and they couldnt say whether the visa has been printed or not. It most likely hasnt been issued yet. I dont understand why it's taking so long...

Good Luck on your medical today Lise!! Almost done the journey.

Yeah!! Another step done for you!

I am doing a semi-whirlwind medical in Toronto on Aug 2nd. I guess from what I have read I will have lots of time to kill between my medical and flight back home!

Just reread your quote. I think you were asking where I was before the move. I was in Edmonton.

I was mildly curious about this as well. I am about as far away from Quebec as one can be (British Columbia) so I assume I'll wait longer than 1-3 business days!

@edsotherhalf: where about's are you?

I am in Glendale, Arizona. Where are you moving to??? Oh it took 20 business days for my passport to reach me but it was printed July 7, had my interview June 29. Somehow it got lost somewhere with DHL then back to the Consulate. Received it July 27.

I was mildly curious about this as well. I am about as far away from Quebec as one can be (British Columbia) so I assume I'll wait longer than 1-3 business days!

@edsotherhalf: where about's are you?

Sorry I missed your question. I see you have already had your medical. Time in the office was about 1.5 hours.

Hi, I'm doing my medical tomorrow in Montreal - August 1. Since I live in Ottawa, I'm driving there and back in the same day. Just curious to know about how long you were at the Doctor's office?

Thanks

I am not sure about the still working in Canada thing. I guess if you haven't actually made "the move" yet you should be okay. I think its cool that now I can go back to Canada and stay as long as I want with no hassles and can come to the States and stay as long as I want to with no hassles. Hubby is restricted to 6 mos in Canada at a time with a lot of questions. HEHEHE.

Edmonton to Arizona is a big change. It is so flippin hot here that I am restricted to staying indoors. May get cabin fever. I have been told that is like season changes. At home we stay in in the winter, here you stay in in the summer. You put flowering pots out from Jan to May rather than May to Oct.

The girl doing out border crossing was very friendly and wanted to make sure she had done everything right. Apparently there is 8 steps she had to do. They took my one finger print and they are the ones that generate my green card. Now waiting for my SSN to start looking for work which won't happen until after I return to Canada the end of September for the birth of first grandchild.

Congratulations! Glad to hear you are "landed" :-)

I went through Coutts on Friday, the long weekend Friday of all things and we were through in 45 minutes. No wait except for our turn. It is a smaller port but the officer knew his stuff and was very friendly.I asked him if he was going to officially welcome me to the USA and he smiled and did,,, haha We were a bit happy to say the least....

I find they are more lax at smaller crossings, the biggers ones tend to go more by the book. At least that's my experience, I have crossed here for the last 1 1/2 yrs with no hassles, tried to cross at New York whilie we were in Montreal to see my stepdaughter and her family and got turned back because they wanted 48 hrs notice to give me a parole.

I am going back home tomorrow, I work until Sept 15th and then I will move permanently, I still have a house to sell so can leave my furniture there until then. Apparently you have an indefinite time to do that. I think I will sell my car too, too much paperwork to bring it over and it's not worth it..

I do wonder now that I am officially in the US am I breaking the law by working in Canada until Sept 15??

Anyway, enjoy Arizona, big change from Edmonton Wow!!

I'm just 4 hrs south in Helena, not a big change just a different country!

It is all finished!!!! I am already in Arizona. We got he email on Weds morning that my visa was available for pickup. We also found a truck at last minute so drove for 2.5 hours to get the truck, back to Edmonton, I went and picked up my visa and pkg, loaded truck and crossed border the next day. We went through Coutts. They never opened the truck or asked to see anything. We waited the 1.5 hours for a officer to do the paperwork. This was her first immigration so she wanted to make sure everything was done properly. No hassles. We arrived in Phoenix today. UHaul was great, no breakdowns at all. It took a long time to get that visa back and still have no explanation as to why.

Wasn't asked any questions on health at the interview. Just took my pkg from medical, handed me back my exray and carried on.