Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	During the K-1 process	Hi everyone, I had a few general questions about the fiancée visa process. I am from Canada and I have a job that I can work remotely. My fiancée is goIng to apply for the fiancée visa and I am wondering if I am allowed to visit the states during the time of the process? I am also wondering if it's illegal and I'm going to have issues getting accross the border if I work for a Canadian company who has Canadian clients remotely in the US on a visitor visa. I'm not taking work from any Americans so I imagine it would be okay? Also, I was in the states on a visitors visa for about 5 months until April 30th. Am I allowed to go back in for 4-5 months? Also, I don't have to be in Canada until near the end of the process for my exam and interview and what not right? Thanks for reading. Thanks, Chris	Extrix	Male	Canada	2011-06-05 11:38:00
USCIS Service Centers	The recent CSC data shows why no visas are out.	As many have noticed, a lot of I-130 cases got transferred this week from CSC to Texas for processing. Finally, CSC has done something to balance out the processing delays in other areas. With less cases to process, lets hope that things will either continue to get processed within that 5 month timeframe, or if we are really lucky, they might speed up a little. Not getting my hopes up for the latter though.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-11-06 20:37:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	anadian Marrying American Citizen - What are our options?	My boyfriend and I met over the summer last year in the USA. We know that we want to spend the rest of our lives together and intend on getting married very soon. After we get married, we are hoping to applying for me to become a US Resident. We do not wish to go the K-1 route, because of the conditions placed on travel. Some general information about our situation: - not yet married, planning on marrying in the next 4-5 months - He was born in the USA - He is a student part-time and he works full time in retail management. - I was born in Canada - I am a student in Canada with government student loan debt. - We currently live apart, but visit each other monthly. I have kept all documentation of this. We currently do not share any utility bills and do not have joint accounts as I am living in Canada. (Not sure if that is even possible because of us living in different countries). - I wish to move to California when I finish college in June 2010. I want to work in the USA as soon as possible after I move. - The closest US Embassy/Consulate to me is Vancouver, British Columbia. Not sure if any more information is needed. If it is, let me know and I will indulge you I am seeking information about our options and what the cost/timeframe would be for each option. So far we have narrowed it down (in our opinions...) to the I-130 option - waiting for the whole thing to process, or doing the K-3 option. I would like to be able to travel home to visit family when I please. Any information is appreciated. Heather	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 20:09:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Do I need a co-sponsor?	I know this process has its certain requirements and then another aspect is somewhat subjective (as in the case of the interview). I make currently about 30,000/year income. But my previous tax return only shows about 2 months worth of income when i filed, due to the fact that I was a full-time college student prior to starting my job, hence no income. So my concern is, that since my income tax shows a income below the poverty level will I require a cosponsor? Even though I have about 10 months of pay stubs that can substantiate my claim and plus a letter from my employer stating my yearly salary,good standing of employment, and a continuing desire to provide full-time employment. I'm sure I'm just being a little obsessive, but of course this process causes worry and stress beyong reason.. Anyway, thanks for your help and replies. They do not use current employment records ONLY. They take the last few years of employment into account. They are generally looking for a steady form of employment that pays you enough to support both you and the beneficiary. Steady means over 1-2 years generally. Of course, we all know that things happen and this isn't always possible. The letter from employer is a good bet, and if you are on a contract with your job, that would probably help as well. As a backup, def have a co-sponsor lined up in the event that they don't trust your income will be enough. As we all know, it comes down to the bottom line, and if there is even a doubt that your foreign fiance will be a public charge, they will request additional guaranteed support. My fiance and I hit up his dad for this task, just in case. Not everyone has that luxury though, so I would start looking now if your family isn't an option. co-sponsors are also required to submit the same information as the primary sponsor (tax receipts, letter from employer, etc).	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-26 22:13:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Birth Certificate Question...	I got a response from the Vancouver Consulate (In two days!) via email re this question. Here it is... "You do not need to add your father in your birth certificate. If his name was not added in your birth registry then let it be. Father can be blank. K Unit Vancouver, BC"	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-11-08 18:01:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Birth Certificate Question...	consulate topics bes t posted in the consulate forum moving thread This is not a consulate topic.. this is a K-1 requirements topic. I simply mentioned Vancouver as that is the site I got the packet from. The packet requirements should be the same for all US Consulates. Edited by hithalynn, 07 November 2010 - 12:17 AM.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-11-07 00:17:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Birth Certificate Question...	After reviewing Packet 3 from the Vancouver Consulate, page 1 states "BIRTH CERTIFICATES: The certificate must show that it is an extract from official records and must bear the seal of the issuing authority. The certificate must state the names of both parents." I have emailed the consulate about this and will post any further information I receive.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-11-06 21:05:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Birth Certificate Question...	Well...I wouldn't worry about this too much. Nothing else you can do...he is not on the birth certificate. Just be honest with everything and shouldn't be any issues. Ok, it has been ordered. Let's keep our fingers crossed.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 17:59:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Birth Certificate Question...	I am in the process of ordering my long form Birth Certificate from Vital Statistics in Canada and I have received a letter back from them stating that only my mother's name is on the records, father is blank on the certificate. I was a ####### child and now know my father, but we are not on speaking terms. I did include his name in my biographical information (G-325A) but it will not be present on the certificate. Is this going to be a problem? I can clearly explain that I did not know my father until much later. Any advice is appreciated. I want to make sure I have the right info on there before moving forward with having it sent. In order to have him added, I need to have my mother and father both sign this sheet of paper, and have it notarized - not going to happen basically as they both live over 3000 miles away, in different provinces. Advice!!!???	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-26 21:58:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Paid wrong amount for Visa	My Fiancee went to our country's local bank (BPI) to pay the VISA fee. However, she was misinformed by the employee of the bank and made her pay only half of the $350. What do we do? Do I ask her to go to the bank and have her pay the difference of the $350. She did receive some kind of receipt for the amount that she paid. Can we pay the difference at the US Embassy in Manila? Please advise. Thank You. I would suggest going back to the bank immediately and paying the remainder, and be sure to get another reciept.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-12-15 00:59:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Sponsorship question--Help Please	My fiance and I have the same issue. We are both young, students and in love. USCIS is not at all leniant. They look at the facts only. We ended up having to ask my fiance's father who has his own business if he would sponsor us. Even now, I realize the impact of this decision. If you can find someone you trust, who knows you well and who isn't a random person, you probably won't have an issue. Read through the I-134 and take a look at the stipulations. Find out the poverty line and you will need %125 of that. We are above it, but are cutting it very close, so we chose a co-sponsor. As for the comment about adult decisions, love isn't always a decision. I think most people would choose not to have to go through this process if they could choose, but in many cases love chooses you! As adult as you may be, we all have the capacity for love and are required to deal with its consequences. Waiting might be the consequence in this situation. If not, you can always try moving to Canada, which is really not that difficult, especially with a Canadian co-sponsor. I wish we had that option! Then I could keep my free healthcare	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-12-15 01:06:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Taking forms Consulate	I would say a mailing envelope would be fine, or a clear plastic folder (you can get heavy duty ones that snap shut). If totally paranoid, you can always email the Vancouver Consulate. They are quick to respond.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-12-15 21:10:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	DS-156K Question...	I was checking out the sample forms for DS-156k to be given to the embassy at the time of my interview. The form asks for proof of engagement... I have no idea what this means... I realize an engagement ring would be proof, but we cannot afford rings (filing with co-sponsor) and do not wear jewelery. What other proof of engagement is there? Want to be fully prepared for whatever they throw at me at the interview. Edited by hithalynn, 07 February 2011 - 11:56 PM.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2011-02-07 23:56:00
Canada	Mving... where to begin!?!?!	Sacramento is still nice. I completely understand about the upack thing, I was fortunate enough to have a terminal located in the city I moved from. The main reason I went that way over uhaul is cuz the price for the truck was the same, but upack included gas and all that, where the uhaul gas would have gotten rediculous. Oh, and paperwork wise, just so you know, it was super easy. Photocopy of my bio page and visa, that was all they needed, as well as a packing list which I had to make for taking my stuff across anyway. I had mine medical in Toronto, but I would recommend getting the list of vaccines needed for your age, and getting them done at your GP before hand. The only thing I have heard is the medical ppl can be a bit picky on the Td/Tdap - requiring ppl to have the Tdap, so if you are due for your booster you might look into that. One of the people who has had their medical more recently might be able to say whether this is still the case, as my info is from someone who had their medical last fall. You might get more info on that if you make a seperate post as well, not sure how many ppl will see it buried in this topic. In general for the interview, my best advice is to just breathe. I know thats a lot easier said than done, but I promise the whole ordeal just seems scarier than it really is. Once its all over you will look back on it and laugh. And don't feel bad for having questions, we all did at some point, thats what we're here for! (Not sure if its still the same, but VAN was scheduling interviews in about 2 months last year when I was going through MTL. Our NOA1-2 process took about 3.5 months last year. I would generally say anywhere from about 5-7 months was what people going through VAN were looking at when I went through, compaired to the 8-10 at MTL) I am heading to my family doctor next week for a physical, so I will make sure to get her to update everything then. I actually have my TDAP, which I got about 2 months ago after getting bit by a dog in the USA. So that should be fine. Otherwise I have not had vaccines for about 15 years, so I probably have a nice list to acquire. YAY! 5-7 months approx sounds excellent. I think we timed things nicely (minus the change in fees - could have waited to pay less for I-129f!). Originally we were going to get a lawyer but I could just not figure out what they would be doing with our case that would warrant $2500 so we opted to do it ourselves. I think we are coming along nicely with it all Has anyone had to do a co-sign for the affidavit of support? Any issues there generally? We are going to have my future father in law co-sign so we have no issues. My fiance is a part-time student at the moment.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-01 12:08:00
Canada	Mving... where to begin!?!?!	i chose the downsizing / spring cleaning method LOL. and was left with a carful of stuff. and i bought new once i moved. I should consider that. I have a tiny car, but even if my fiance brought his own small truck we could probably manage. I fit it all into a bachelor suite last year, so I should be able to get rid of all the furniture and manage quite nicely. I hate to lose the value of furniture though, when selling used. Especially in May when the school season is ending for University here in BC. Good suggestion! Craigslist will be my best friend in all of this	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-01 12:03:00
Canada	Mving... where to begin!?!?!	Thanks a ton everyone. Upack or Uhaul sounds like the way to go. My fiance just informed me that his dad has a cargo van, so for what I need to bring, that could work as well. I guess we will see closer to the date if his van is available, otherwise these are excellent suggestions. I got a quote from upack today and they estimate about $1270 USD, but the downside is it has to be loaded at the terminal on the mainland in BC (van). I live in Victoria, so the difference in overall cost would make Uhaul the more practical option. A 10 ft van is about the same price, excluding gas of course, but my things would be with me and no nasty paperwork for movers at the border. Excellent suggestions everyone. It is nice to find so many friendly people on here To answer your question 'Danu' I am moving to Sacramento. Not as nice as SoCal, but still better weather than Victoria! To recent Visa holders who did the K-1 - what is the time-frame looking like right now for NOA1 to Visa? I know it is impossible to plan, but I would love to hear from people who filed this year about their experiences. Also, does anyone have experience with the medical and interview in Vancouver? Any tips/comments? And for vaccines, are these included with MSP, or additional? I am full of questions... sorry guys!	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-09-30 23:46:00
Canada	Mving... where to begin!?!?!	word of advice? Start down-sizing now! 7 months or so before I actually moved I started down sizing -- packing, having garage sales going through all my stuff and getting rid of all the junk -- basically by the time we were waiting for the interview I was ready -- I even started packing up boxes and stuff. Way less stress when you do a little bit at a time and then, by the time you have to go, all you need to do is pack your U-haul. I used a relo-cube, google it, very VERY handy. they drop off a cube at your home, you fill it at your leisure and then they pick it up and ship it to your American destination. It was around 800 bucks for a fairly large cube. I took none of my big furniture. Seriously... start down-sizing now. I was one girl in a two bedroom apartment and i had a lot of stuff. A garage sale, many, many trips to Goodwill and places like that droppping stuff off and having a place that took furniture as donations come and pick up my stuff and even on the day of, I ahd a few things I had no idea what to do with. Start now, make it easy. IMHO. Good luck to you and hope it all goes well. OH, you need to have your visa before your stuff can cross the border -- your moving company will need a photo copy of it. I just moved into a new place in May, so a lot of my things have already been downsized, and I have been weeding things out weekly pretty much. I don't know why we accumulate so much as humans. Hmmm. I plan to start selling my furniture about a month prior to my move, and by then I should have all of my things in boxes. I don't know when my K-1 will be approved, but I do know that my lease ends on April 30, so either way I will be moving on that day - to a storage unit or to California. Only time will tell	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-09-29 23:00:00
Canada	Mving... where to begin!?!?!	Congratulations on your filing. The bad news is that there is a lengthy wait to get the K-1; the good news is that it gives you time to take care of finding out matters like the ones you are asking about here:-). There have been a number of moving to the US from Canada threads in the past and there are a number of different ways to accomplish it. First - I do want to clarify that you know you can't move to the US before you get the K-1, that you are "asking about how to do it" prior to getting the K-1, and not planning the actual move? When you move to the US on a K-1 you are allowed to import your personal belongings free of duty. Items that have been in your possession for at least 1 year are considered your personal belongings and items you have owned less than that amount of time are considered dutiable - but I have not yet heard of anyone who has had to pay duty on those items. I even separated them out when I entered, but the border authorities could not have cared less about my personal belongings You actually are allowed to import your personal belongings for up to 10 years after you cross the border, as long as they meet the criteria of being your personal belongings. This helps if you inherit things from your parents that were in your childhood home - they are still considered part of your personal belongings and do not require duty to be paid. There are a variety of means to import your belongings. U-haul is one option - and yes, I believe they are the only one who does allow one way trips into the US. You may also want to look at U-Pack, which is another option where they drop off a container at your place in Canada, you pack it, then they pick it up and deliver it to your address in the US (or a holding area, whichever you prefer). It is reasonably priced and saves a lot on the personal wear and tear. If you have a lot of things you want to move, then you might want to look at one of the professional moving services like Allied Van Lines, etc. They charge by the weight and by the distance and you should be able to get free quotes. You are not allowed to bring in any of your items before you cross the border on your K-1 (although people have brought smaller items in). If they accompany you when you cross the border, you just need to have an itemized list of contents by box, eg. box of dishes, box of summer clothes, box of toiletries, etc. If someone else is bringing your items across the border after you have crossed, they need to have a copy of your approved K-1 along with the I-94 document that is placed in your passport when you cross the border. There is also an official inventory form that needs to be completed and presented at the border. (You have time to look into that, so don't worry about it yet). It is basically an official form listing things the same way you do for your own entry with your belongings. The moving companies have copies of this form. Cars may or may not be a problem. All vehicles need to have a letter of compliance from their manufacturer stating that they need US Emissions and Safety standards. Some manufacturers provide this free of charge; some charge for it. If your vehicle isn't compliant then you are required to make it compliant within a specified period of time after entry, but you may find it easier just to sell it in Canada and buy something to replace it when you get to the US. Making a car compliant may cost more than the value of the car, depending on what needs to be done. Registration, getting a DL, etc. all vary by State so the best advice is for you to look up the Department of Driver's Services ( or whatever it is called in the State to which you are moving because that also varies state by state) and see what they say. Most States now require a SSN and dated proof of your immigration status before they will issue a license - and even then the license is only issued for the same length of time as the immigration document (90 days for the I-94). Most people need to wait until after they are married and have received their employment authorization document (EAD) before they can get a DL. You may be allowed to drive on your Canadian License for a certain amount of time - it can vary from 30 days to 1 year depending on the state. It is very unlikely you will be 'stranded' in the US for 6 months before you can travel. After you marry along with applying for your green card (AOS), you will also apply for the EAD and a travel document known as an Advance Parole (AP). The EAD and AP are currently taking about 60 days to be processed although they were taking 90 days until recently. The AP allows you to leave the US and return without 'abandoning' the green card application so basically allow 2 months after you apply for AOS to be able to travel. If an emergency comes up before the AP is approved you can also request an emergency AP which you can often get in a day or two, as long as you have filed for the AOS and as long as you have proof of the emergency. Anyway, there is a wealth of information available on all of these topics here on VJ and in the Canada forum, so don't hesitate to jump right in and ask whatever questions you have - there will be someone who will have the information you need. Good luck. Thanks so much for all this info. It definitely gives me an idea of what I need to do! I can find more specifics when the time comes. I do plan to move once the K-1 is approved. I am just trying to get everything sorted prior to then so I am ready to go when given the ok. I don't mind the wait as I am finishing up my degree which I will complete in May, and we are hoping for acceptance around May or June (Giving us 8-9 months for processing). I will likely sell most of my belongings and just take what I want to hold onto, to avoid too much of a hassle. I will definitely look into Alied as well as UHaul. Great information. Thanks again!	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-09-29 21:14:00
Canada	Mving... where to begin!?!?!	I am a Canadian engaged to an American who has just recently filed the I129f for a K-1 Visa. I live in British Columbia and my fiance and I are trying to navigate the moving process to the USA prior to the K-1 Approval to save some stress last minute. I have not yet found a general thread for moving from Canada to the USA, but if someone knows of one, please direct me! Otherwise, let's get one started to help Canadians moving to the US navigate the process. Some general questions to start: -Bringing a used vehicle to the USA.. are there duties on used vehicles? What documentation is needed? If co-owned with someone else (but paid off fully) is it necessary to take that person off the vehicle ownership? -Moving belongings across the border: Duties for these? Any tips or suggestions for things to avoid bringing or methods of moving? Uhaul seems to be the only company I could find that rents one way trucks.. -What are the procedures and timeframes for changing over a drivers license, car insurance, etc? Any tips, suggestions and comments welcome! I am looking for any information I can get at this point so I am fully prepared for the border check and the 6 months I will be stuck in the USA before travel is permitted on K-1! Thanks all	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-09-29 18:10:00
Canada	Vehicle Letter of Compliance Question...	I'm doing this with my honda. They have to issue the letter within a month of you entering the country. I'd wait till you have your interview date- Honda said they can issue the documents within 5-10 days of receiving my information. Faxing them tomorrow, my interview is Oct 26th, and I want my POE to be nov 7th. Hope this helps! Awesome, thanks. I am going to submit the request for the letter now so I receive notification of whether my vehicle is compliant or not, and then I will know what it will take to make it compliant if not. A month wouldn't give me time to do that if I waited. I have read that a lot of vehicles cost a lot to become compliant, even coming from Canada, so I want to have time to work on this. I will then submit another request once I complete the interview for another if needed. Edited by ArtGeek, 19 October 2010 - 08:03 PM.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-19 20:02:00
Canada	Vehicle Letter of Compliance Question...	I am requesting a certificate of compliance from Toyota for my vehicle to import next year when my K-1 process has completed, and they are asking for the date of departure from Canada. I currently do not know, and will not know until the k-1 is approved what that date will be. Does anyone have experience with this? Will telling them that the date is unknown cause issues with the form on their end or at the border?	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-19 14:38:00
Canada	Can I visit the USA for Christmas (forms just sent)?	You need to be honest about your relationship. If you prevaricate by saying 'visiting friends' or 'visiting girlfriend/boyfriend' and they ask for more details you are then faced with the situation of either lying (NOT a good thing to do at all) or admitting the relationship is something 'more'. Then, they will become suspicious because you tried to hide the nature of the relationship and what else might you be hiding, so yes, you could indeed come in for a grilling, and possibly a turn back at the border. When we were working through our K-1 I always mentioned visiting my fiance and always carried my file of proofs, which included copies of all of our immigration paperwork to date. I was sent to Secondary Immigration twice and in both cases as they were going through my file, they came across the copy of the I-129f petition and various USCIS/Consulate documents and closed the file, telling me I could go on my way. Most of the border officials do know what K-1s are and by showing you do as well you are providing them with good evidence that you are not going to be an immigration risk on that visit and have undertaken the appropriate immigration process. Having a copy of your K-1 application with you is almost always going to work in your favour and not against you. I will make sure to be totally up front from now on. Should my fiance (petitioner) also carry this information when visiting Canada, and explain the situation, or does it matter? Canada is pretty picky when it comes to grilling you with questions. Also, would you just include the I-129f copy in your file for POE, or any additional documents as well? I know my entire application was massive with proof and all. Any advice is appreciated	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-19 19:49:00
Canada	Can I visit the USA for Christmas (forms just sent)?	I have been told by friends who have gone through the process to avoid mentioning the application pending thing, as they will grill you about coming back. Is it a good idea to avoid the question (not really lying) by calling your fiance your boyfriend, or is it best to put it all out there? It scares me being totally willing to give up information because I fear that I would get the least intelligent border agent who has no idea what a K-1 is... Any advice on this? FIY, we just started the K-1 process, sent I-129f in Sept, NOA1 received.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-19 00:50:00
Canada	Medical in USA during K-1 Period	If he is with BlueCross/BlueShield they covered me from the moment I had my visa endorsed at the POE. We just had to provide them with our marriage certificate and my SSN when that information became available. He is with Kaiser I believe. I will have him call the HR department for his job and if that doesn't work, we will get in touch with higher ups. I can't see how they would turn down money from us considering the premium rates for Kaiser.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-20 12:56:00
Canada	Medical in USA during K-1 Period	I have been blessed with the joy of an American hospital bill in the past (luckily, with travel insurance to boot) and I am trying to figure out my options during the K-1 period. My fiance (petitioner) has been looking into his health care benefits through his job, and they require that we are married and require a SSN for health care enrollment, as far as he can tell. We do plan to marry within 2-3 days of my arrival, but the SSN isn't so quick. I am curious if anyone has dealt with these issues in the past. I know travel insurance in its most normal sense won't suffice, as the trip would have no end date and I would no longer be covered by MSP in BC once leaving the country. Can anyone provide info about my options? I definitely want to have coverage before stepping foot on American soil and 2-3 months without healthcare is a frightening thought. Help!	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-19 00:09:00
Canada	Can someone explain the EI thing to me, in simplified terms?	Thanks to you both. I won't be eligible as my hours don't meet the minimum. Darn.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-20 12:53:00
Canada	Can someone explain the EI thing to me, in simplified terms?	I am probably ineligible, but I would love if someone could explain the process/eligibility to me for EI. Is this EI through the USA? Not through Canada? I am a full-time student who is working part-time at a temporary job (ending April 30). I am hoping to have the whole process done for May 1 so I can move once my lease ends. I am not sure if I would be at all eligible for EI based on this. Nor have I filed before, so I have no idea what the criteria is. Anyone want to help a newbie?	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-19 23:55:00
Canada	Moving companies any RECENT thoughts and prices and reviews	So I've read the past thoughts on moving thanks Krikit for having that in the forum.I'm hoping for some new reviews or experiences. Has anyone got some some current reviews and or prices. Also companies to AVOID. Oh how to watch money fly out the window!!!! I posted a note like this about 2-3 weeks ago. Here is the link: http://www.visajourn..._1#entry4214911 Keep in mind that costs will depend on many factors: What you plan to bring, how far you are moving, the size of your house/apartment. Keep in mind that you can only move your items without facing duties by doing so at the POE, or after you enter the country. Shipping via Canada post would not work unless you have a relative ship the items after you enter the USA and can provide documentation with these packages to avoid duties. You will want to look into the specifics for this method further. You shouldn't face any duties on personal items (items you have owned for 1 yr or more). Upack seems to be the general consensus, but I was disappointed to find out they don't have a location where I live, so that option didn't work for me. If you want to drive the items yourself, U-Haul (as crappy as they are) is the cheapest option. Moving companies like Allied will charge in excess of $2000.00 at the very minimum, but they include fuel. These moving companies (not self-move) would also not be able to ship items across the border until you are across and can provide them with paperwork for customs. Let us know if you find a cheaper option out there! Happy hunting! So I've read the past thoughts on moving thanks Krikit for having that in the forum.I'm hoping for some new reviews or experiences. Has anyone got some some current reviews and or prices. Also companies to AVOID. Oh how to watch money fly out the window!!!! Also forgot to mention, if you go with U-Haul, make sure to call them a couple of weeks in advance to confirm your booking, and again a couple of days before. They conveniently like to not have trucks available when they are needed, reservation or not. You have to get on their case about it and try to get to their locations first thing in the morning of your booking.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-25 18:43:00
Canada	MEDICAL REVIEW	Thanks a ton for this! I will be doing my medical in Vancouver and was a bit nervous about the process. Great tip on the parking, and arriving early! I want to be within the first 5 people there so I can spare some time to eat before going to the interview! (Although, this won't be for a while yet...) Edited by hithalynn, 27 October 2010 - 12:34 AM.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 00:33:00
Canada	Visit Vancouver	Hi, I am going to visit my friend in Seattle in November and he suggested we go to Vancouver. I am a LPR and my passport is expired, and I don't want to renew it. He told me that we can drive without a passport, just the GC. Is it true we can drive to Canada and back into the US without a passport or can it become problematic if we go? thanks! If you drive, this is what you need: http://www.cbsa-asfc...admiss-eng.html "When you enter Canada, a CBSA officer may ask to see your passport and a valid visa, if one is necessary. If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to enter Canada. However, you should carry proof of your citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, as well as photo identification. If you are a permanent resident of Canada or the U.S, you should bring your Permanent Resident Card with you." By air, you definitely need a passport.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 00:09:00
Canada	licenses in the US	Yup yup Technically we have 10 days from becoming residents, which is 20 days after getting your EAD to get your temp license. That said, I would make sure you drive carefully, I've seen a few cases where people got stopped for something and the police took them as already residents because their address/whatever on the insurance was from the states. With yours from BC you should be fine, I never had an issue while I was driving around before I got my temp stuff done. If you have all the stuff for your DL, Passport and insurance with a canadian address on it there shouldn't be an issue at all If there is you can always tell them you are waiting on residency documentation. Yay!!!!! Thanks so much haha BC is pretty good with stuff like that. I think I will paying a whole lot more for insurance when I move, but it will be worth it. Especially if only for so many months. I will make sure we take my fiance's vehicle for any longer trips, and have him drive just in case.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 22:12:00
Canada	licenses in the US	It is not possible. In CA they require your EAD. Most states where they do allow it before hand only issue it for as long as your I-94 is valid, which makes it pretty much not worth it. I was able to get the insurance here to cover me while I was waiting to get my EAD on the promise that as SOON as I got my EAD I would go get my temp license, and upon providing them with my drivers abstract from ontario (you can get it at the MTO, $12 bucks and you can get it the same day at actual offices, or order online) and a letter from my insurance saying I have been covered since XXXX and my history of claims. If your insurance in Canada is anything like mine they might cover you for about 2 weeks to a month before you need to get insurance down here. You can register your car without your DL (which I learned when I registered mine...same date I did my temp permit). HOWEVER - the CA rules for registering your car are based on having documentation showing your arrival date..so you won't pay any late fee's if you show them your EAD starting on X date (you need to get it registered within 10 days of getting your EAD though or you will get hit with late registration charges). Hope that helps you! Wow, they really force immigrants to be completely useless upon arrival, don't they! No work, no car, no license... ugh. I have insurance with ICBC and they sent me the following information regarding maintaining my registration and license after moving to the USA: "It will be up to the driver licensing authorities in the state to which you are moving to say when you will be required to get a driver?s licence there. If you move outside of BC during the term of your Autoplan policy, the coverage will be in effect until the expiry date of the policy, provided that you change the rating territory to Territory Z before your vehicle leaves BC. This is our territory for vehicles operated outside of the province and an Autoplan broker can make this change for you. While coverage will continue to be in force, you will still be subject to the registration and licensing requirements of the state to which you have moved and may be subject to fines and/or penalties for not following those requirements. Therefore, it is important that you follow the laws of that state. Once you register your vehicle outside of BC, Autoplan coverage will no longer be valid. If your coverage is still current at that time, you should cancel it and apply for a refund." With this information, is it technically possible for me to keep my license and BC insurance and registration until I am able to register my vehicle in the USA? That is what it seems like anyway. At least for the registration and insurance portion of things. Does anyone know how soon California expects you to stop driving under your Canadian license? BC doesn't seem to care either way... Do they really have a way of knowing that you are in the USA on a Visa if you simply provide you Canadian DL and Passport, with Canadian registration? Technically this would not be a lie...because I would still be registered and licensed according to Canada... Edited by hithalynn, 27 October 2010 - 09:36 PM.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 21:35:00
Canada	licenses in the US	They needed my Passport with my info in it, my marriage cert to show the name change, my EAD. I also had to go back in becuase though I passed and got everything done and my license was approved and such it got stuck in legal presence checks, so I had to take my greencard back to the DMV to show that yes, I was legally present. Do you know if it is possible to get the DL prior to getting your green card and EAD? My fiance has been put in charge of getting the information from the DMV about how long my insurance is valid for, when I have to register my vehicle, and of course, how soon I can get my DL. He hasn't gotten to doing it yet.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 20:01:00
Canada	licenses in the US	On the plus side the test you do is like 32 questions and you are allowed to get up to 6 wrong as a new CA licensee. The drivers test was just very basic, no parallel parking, no highway driving, just some minor stuff like pulling over to the side of the road, backing up in a straight line, and other than that it was just driving. Took maybe 10 min with the traffic lights. Very simple compaired to the Ontario DL tests I had to take Edit - thought I should thrown in here as well, incase anyone is moving to the Orange County area. The Santa Ana DMV is one of the fastest ones. Even when the line snakes around the building you are usually inside within 15 min. They have like 36 counters so they tend to go super quick. What sort of documentation did CA require for you to obtain your DL? Anything I can get underway now so I don't need to do everything last minute?	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 17:58:00
Canada	licenses in the US	oh and when you do take the driving test make sure that the car you use has everything working right on it like the lights etc... I had got sent away a few times.. once because the lights were the wrong colour.. the person who had the car before us had changed the lights to a light green.. I can't remember why they sent me away the 2nd time but the 3rd time i just took my FIL's car.. oh and I had to wait a few weeks between appointments too... They couldn't just go through the whole checklist the first time, no, that would make it to easy on you.. they disqualify you with the first wrong thing they find ... Yuck. Dreadful California, lol. They make everything so difficult!	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 00:39:00
Canada	licenses in the US	in Cali you need to take the vision test, the written test and the driving test.. Seriously? Ewww.... I was hoping for a smooth ride on this one. :/	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 00:11:00
Canada	domicile proofs - feedback please	Can someone explain this domicile thing to me? I think it is the one aspect of the process that I do not understand...	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 00:38:00
Canada	Vancouver Consulate	Thanks to you both. I am a student so I am a bit stressed about having to miss classes for the interview. My teachers don't seem to be overly understanding, regardless of the reason. I will try to request a wed so I will only miss one day of school/work. Otherwise, I will just make do with what I can get.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-11-06 19:20:00
Canada	Vancouver Consulate	If medicals in Vancouver are only done on Wed, are interviews schedule for other days of the week? I will be making a trip to Vancouver come medical/interview time and would hate to have to shell out more money for more than one night, not to mention missing University. Eeek. Can someone advise? I am a bit worried about the interview scheduling as I am in school and working, and will have exams around the estimated time of my interview based on timelines.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2010-10-27 00:36:00
Canada	Police Check	We are hopefully about 2-3 weeks from our NOA2. We are going through the Vancouver Consulate in Canada which seems to run quite quickly after the case has been forwarded (quick being 3-5 weeks from NVC receiving case in some cases). Does anyone know how far in advance I can request my police check? It takes about 1-2 weeks from date of ordering... Any advice appreciated.	hithalynn	Female	Canada	2011-01-22 02:08:00