lovetimhortons

thanks dave. sounds like we'll go ahead and request a tax transcript.

that sounds like a good list for you...in the middle of compiling documents: wish i had just put them all in a box over the last couple years.

Hi All: Had a question for some other recent filers for I-751. Plan to submit I-751 later this month...thanks in advance for your replies, would love to know your thoughts.

Regarding Tax documents: what documents did other recent I-751 filers send in with I-751 application? wondering whether I should order a tax transcript, or whether other documents will do (ie, 1040 and state tax equivalent of 1040)?

Does anyone who recently filed have a list of documents (specifics, ie, how many bank statements, utility bills, etc) they sent in?

Thanks again for your thoughts, much appreciated.

great thanks for the replies!

9 months?! yikes. glad to hear traveling with the GC and NOA doesn't present any problems.

overall it seems that the process is easier (at least the paperwork) than AOS.

Hi All: We are due to file for ROC (i-751) in January (conditional GC expires in Apr 2013), and I'd like to start getting prepared. I think I have a good idea of which documents I need to send in, and have downloaded the i-751 as well as i-751 instructions just now.

3 Quick questions:

1. Can anyone comment on how long ROC is taking (we'll be out of VSC) now?

2. Am I correct in assuming that I should use expired conditional GC + NOA from filing I-751 until ROC is approved (to work, renew driver's license, etc)?

3. Will I be allowed to travel with NOA + expired GC in that period during which GC is expired until ROC approved?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

we took everything you (the OP) listed above.

if you have the tax transcripts (each year is about 10-15 pages or so, double sided), you don't need the other tax related documents you mentioned.

we are well above minimum income requirements but we had bank statements done anyways. they took them at our interview. to get them, it took about 2 days, and there was a small fee for each letter (10-20 dollars or so).

it seems you have some time before your interview, why not make sure you have the bank statements to avoid any kind of preventable delay in terms of getting the visa once you reach the interview.

make sure you make a photocopy of all documents, and don't give them the originals at the interview, as some of them (ie the tax transcripts) you will need again for AOS

good luck with everything and congrats on the noa2.

thanks for your replies!

We did same and it was fine. Just in case make sure to take all travel documents (state driver's license, passport, AP document, copy of marriage certificate and NOA1), but i just used my state driver's license as ID.

Have fun!!

Just an FYI: not sure if Hawaiian cruise is okay, and make sure that you don't stop over in any other countries (it would be really unlikely to happen going from california to hawaii...).

I feel nervous carrying it around because I don't want to lose it. I've lost my wallet once on the train about 5 years ago, and since then, try to carry as little as possible with me. I'd feel safer if it was in the safe at home! Good idea about the photocopy.

Hi all: I received my PR card (AOS-ed from a K1) several months ago. Do I really need to carry around my PR card at all times? It just seems excessive. Is it really the law like it says on the letter that came with it??

I almost always have my state driver's license on me. Isn't that enough to prove legal status (I doubt I'd ever be asked except to renew driver's license, etc).

My state does not have any of those laws like Arizona, that if I'm pulled over in my car for speeding/etc, then they can ask me for legal status.

Would love to know what other people are doing. Thanks for your answers.

since you are taking a domestic flight, you can use your state driver's license as ID, so you can use whichever name is on that to book your plane ticket. i did that on a trip to hawaii recently and it was fine.

at the border INTO canada (via land), you just need to show them your passport....they'll just welcome you home. at the border INTO the US (via land), you can show them your greencard + passport (they always ask for passport).

you should take your passport, greencard, driver's license, and a copy of your marriage certificate (in case on the way back there is a name discrepancy between any of the 3!). you'll also need your marriage certificate for passport canada anyways, if you are renewing in married name while you're up there. also, don't forget to fill out the full passport application (the renewal one won't do if you're changing to last name), and passport photos for canadian passports are easiest to get done in canada (6 dollars or so at costco).

good luck!!

Did you get your passport back yet? Hopefully you did!

My POE (on a Thursday not around any major holidays at the end of 2010) took 3 hours. I arrived 3.5 hours ahead of flight departure time, and ended up at the gate with exactly 30 minutes to spare before departure. I flew Air Canada through Terminal 1...It seemed to be a busy day at the airport (I arrived around 11 AM at the airport).

My experience:

Air Canada Counter Lineup: 20 minutes (to get bagtag to check bag)

Customs Lineup: 30 minutes

K1 Processing: 90 minute wait (there were about 6 or 7 people ahead of me) + 30 minutes to process K1 (most of that time was spent waiting after I filled out my name on the I-94 and another form).

Having flown through Pearson at least 20 times in the past 3 years, I don't really think there is any rhyme or reason to why certain days/times are busier than others for flights headed to the US. I've always thought the lines at Terminal 1 are longer than the ones at Terminal 3 for CBP, but it's hard to say... I just happen to like Terminal 1 because it's newer and I like the restaurant selection, and I prefer Air Canada as I like to watch TV on my flights for free

Good luck!

I don't know why, but I get chills whenever I see someone use a term like "POE" as a verb. Don't take it personally. It's just me.

hi there: back at the end of 2010, when i received my K1, they were using 2 day delivery (ie, 2 full business days)...at least that's what it said on the package from DHL i picked up. i was in ontario too.

mine was sent after business hours on a friday evening, and i received a call from DHL bright and early on the following wednesday morning telling me they had my package. my DHL tracking number never showed up on the website.

so to answer your question, it is possible that saturday POE may happen, but you may risk losing money on the ticket, and just cause additional stress. i waited till i had my visa in hand, and then booked a ticket.

good luck and congrats

for heaven's sake: it's toronto (as long as you cleared customs in toronto airport, which you did).

i POE'd in toronto as well and put that on my AOS paperwork and did not have any issues receiving my greencard.

good luck.

i waited a month before going into the social security office, and they still did not have my K1 info.

the good news is that they sent me a letter telling me they looked into it and i should receive my card about 1 week after i visited the office, and then a couple days later, my card came in the mail.

i think you'll have your card by the end of the month. good luck.

your POE is toronto, if that is where you went through CBP.

there are at least 5 airports in canada that do pre-clearance to the US (ie, you clear CBP in the airport), and toronto is one of them.

you just need one person to sign and give their personal info that they've known you for a certain number of years, and then need a few references (no signatures needed). it's really not that much more work at all to get it issued in married name. i'm mainly doing it because i'm tired of carrying around my marriage certificate whenever i take a flight. i doubt in your case it will cause much trouble at the interview. hopefully someone knows the definite answer here.

the passport won't be the last time you deal with the name change thing. btw: canadian passports are issued for 5 years (i wish they would just do it for 10).

agree: passports, US immigration, everything = expensive.

not sure if the interview would have an issue with it (seems doubtful they would care). was her CR-1 paperwork done in her married or maiden name? i guess ideally the two (passport/CR-1 paperwork) should match up. as long as you have marriage certificate to prove name change, it never seems to be a problem for me.

why not just renew in new married name? i plan to do it on my next trip to canada. the application form is a little bit longer, and it requires a trip to the passpot office, but you can pay a rush fee, and get the passport done within 1 business day.

i think you have to put a definite amount of time (ie, you can't type in "indefinitely," although wouldn't that make sense!). i believe we put "5 years" as we weren't sure what to write. at the interview, we asked the lady who reviewed our documents, and she said it doesn't matter what you put there.

i took all my documents (passport with K1 and i94 inside, marriage certificate, completed application) 4 weeks after i POE'd, and they still did not have my info in their system, so had to verify my immigration status. it wasn't a problem though, i just got my card in the mail about 10 days later. the card did say "authorized to work with DHS authorization only," so i should probably go get that changed soon. just make sure you go to the social security office between 2 weeks after POE but before 2 months after POE.

good luck with the wedding!

it's confusing because the K1 visa is considered a "nonimmigrant" visa but the instructions they give you at the consulate are for "immigrant" visas (ie, the CR-1, IR-1).

isn't the canadapost strike in montreal right now?

empathize with your situation.

this is the thing with immigration: it certainly doesn't allow for wedding plans exactly when, where, and how you want it! it's frustrating. we set a date in the US of 1 year and a couple weeks post engagement (we filed about 1 month post engagement) for our wedding in the US, and i was still pretty stressed the timeline was not going to work out! (it ended up working out perfectly).

for the interview paperwork, you/your fiance will be required to submit affidavits saying you are free to marry. if you are already married to each other by a religious ceremony in canada, i'm not sure if that means you are legally free to marry or not.

you may want to consult an immigration lawyer to ask this question.

good luck.

it took a few days short of two weeks for me, back last november.

i'm no expert on this either, and had the same questions during our K1 process. i did some research, and asked an immigration lawyer, who told us that canadians can't get B2 visas (at least the kind you apply for in advance ahead of your trip, stamped into your passport). this is b/c canada and the us have a special agreement where we are permitted into each other's countries as tourists (ie, to do touristy things only) without a visa. he also told us that you can't have an application for a B2 (tourist visa) and K1 at the same time (for other countries).

that being said, while visiting (and i crossed at pearson several times), i always had a return flight, and took proof of ties (employment letter, car/taxes/utilitybills/deed to house/etc), as well as my K1 papers (NOA1/NOA2/etc) with me. i was never asked for any of these documents, and never had any problems, but it's always good to be prepared.

good luck! agree that the lack of certainty about some of these things can be frustrating perhaps you should consider a consultation with an immigration lawyer to ask further questions.

you can renew canadian passports within 12 months of passport expiry. for example, if your passport expires jan 1, 2013, then the earliest you can renew it would be jan 2, 2012.

passport canada is pretty helpful. they have a toll free line you can try as well as website with all the application forms.

good luck!