ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaOff Topic Part Cinq
There is a heat advisory for MI today as well. Ugh, and my dear husband thinks that air conditioning makes him sick. Great.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-07-23 08:36:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Cinq

yes lila we are and it is still costing over 100/month on tolls. we live near rockford right now and some of the tolls are 1.60..which is ridiculous if you ask me, and david works in des plaines. i'ts only70 miles at most..but with traffic..seems no one knows how to drive on a damn hiway here or merge..grr i miss ontario hiways..at least they were in better condition too :(


Yikes, yeah, 70 miles I am assuming each way would be a killer. Yes, the roads in Illinois suck for the most part. You would think that all the tolls would mean better roads! Unfortunately that is not the case.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-06-30 10:05:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Cinq

yes they are fha approved, in fact the letter we got says it's for an fha loan and that in order to even get 70k mortgage it would require over 4k to cover the closing costs along with downpayment etc. They said if we could come up with more down payment we'd get a bigger possible mortgage. Unfortuneately, living with his parents is not working out cheaper, with the 2hour drive to work (including wonderful chicago traffic) and the soo expensive gas, and the illinois tolls, we end up loosing money each month. For the price of that plus what we chip in for rent it would work out the same to us having and apartment in the NW subburbs. And David needs over 500$ repairs on the car from the tractor trailers tire that flew off and nailed him right before his exit on the highway :( /sigh.

I really wish i could work or do something. Right now David is contemplating picking up 2 more jobs...on top of his full time one..but As it is i never get to see him hardly.


Sort of an off note, but are you using the I-PASS for "open road tolling" in Illinois? It means the tolls are half of the stated cash price and it makes it easier to get places without having to stop. You can purchase them at Jewel-Osco and the kiosks at the oasises on the I-294 and I-90. I use I-Pass to drive to visit my family in the Chicago area and in Wisconsin.

Hope your housing situation can get remedied. Hopefully your EAD comes through soon!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-06-30 08:39:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Cinq

so...living with in laws since April, been two months..and they are already driving us crazy..so we are moving again..probably this week. just waiting on an answer for an apartment. in the end it will cost us 150 more than living with them. i'm a bit worried as to how tight money will be david thinks we'll be fine.

at least i wont have to put up with the heat being on and the house at 75 degrees....and the deaf old people listening to tv til 1am while we have to get up at 5 am...among other annoying things..lol.

i guess having a place of our own will be better than being cramped into a tiny bedroom, me david and the two dogs.


Have mercy! I hope the apartment comes through for you guys. Some alone space that isn't shared is an absolute necessity!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-06-28 10:13:00
CanadaWhere are the Canaliens?
Just put my mark on the Canalien google map! Very cool. Seems that Danu WAS just a few blocks away from my fiance' but she is now happily married in the U.S. and there was another VJer from Kingston, ON too.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-01-22 07:04:00
CanadaHave ya'll told your boss about your US immigration??
My DH had been talking about his impending marriage to me, a U.S. citizen, but he had left the "where are you living" up in the air until after he had his approved visa. He told his boss that he would be leaving 7 weeks later to join me in the U.S. He figured he didn't want to burn a bridge at his job, if for some reason, he had been denied at his interview. We were approved for our K-1 visa, then he gave notice.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-07-29 09:27:00
CanadaDon't you love it when...
Your flower girl says, "Yes, I walk down the aisle and spread flowers for you!" even though she hasn't been a flower girl before! I am so glad. I really didn't have another little girl who could fit the bill!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-01-14 11:46:00
CanadaNaturalizing in the next couple of months?
My DH and I want to get naturalization over and done with as soon as we are able. Today I opened the envelope telling my DH that his ROC was approved so I am looking into the Naturalization a bit more. We have another 7 months before we will be married 3 years, but I want to know that if I decide to be a Stay At Home Mom, the government isn't going to make a fuss over my financial sponsorship of my husband. He is gainfully employed so that isn't a worry as far a money goes but still. We are saving our money for Naturalization so that like Kathryn says we won't have to pay more when USCIS raises their fees and then we can just be done with immigration in the U.S. We might look into getting Canadian citizenship for me if we were to move back to Canada.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-12-15 14:29:00
CanadaMoney Transfer from Canada to US Using TD?
That is a bummer! I guess my DH hasn't paid attention to the emails from CustomHouse. I guess we will have one more free transfer as we will do it before April 1st.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-03-23 20:42:00
CanadaMoney Transfer from Canada to US Using TD?
We transfer funds using EFT every month and there isn't a 5 fee unless that is from your bank receiving the EFT. We have used CustomHouse for the last 2.5 years and have been happy with the service.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-03-22 18:40:00
CanadaTravel health insurance for OHIP covered Ontario resident in laws
My parents in law have not come to visit DH and me since our wedding in 2010 because they fear they will have some sort of medical emergency while they are in the U.S. in Michigan. We are 2.5 hours from the border with Canada.

Confounding factors include my MIL having recurrent cancer that is currently being treated and is in remission. While read the the OHIP website, the ministry of health in Canada does say get additional health travel insurance even if a person is planning to spend a few minutes or an extended time out of Canada.

Taken from http://www.health.go...hip/travel.aspx
Should I obtain additional insurance coverage for my absence from Canada?

Yes. The ministry strongly recommends that you do, whether you are absent from Canada for a few minutes or for an extended time. OHIP does not insure or pay for all out-of-country medical services. Also, the amount of funding provided by OHIP will not usually cover the full cost of any health services that you do obtain outside of Canada. You should therefore, obtain supplementary health insurance from a private insurance company to provide you with additional coverage during your absence. It is also recommended that you understand the terms and conditions of the additional insurance coverage you have purchased and the implications of any pre-existing health conditions on your insurance coverage. To obtain private insurance contact a private insurance company of your choice.

Question: What companies have any of you used to get travel health insurance? How much were the premiums (my in-laws keep telling me a horror story of $5000 premium for an elderly couple who planned to spend a month in the U.S.)? Since my MIL does have a pre-existing condition of cancer would that negate her from coverage most/some plans?

Some first hand experience would be great. My in laws are not planning to immigrate and most of the threads I have seen on VJ are about K-1 visa holders concerned with the break in coverage between arriving and marrying their significant other.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-04-06 11:12:00
CanadaInterview today
Congratulations!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-04-19 19:43:00
CanadaCanada - Where we take our Ketchup Seriously
USC here, ketchup is for french fries, tator tots, and hot dogs. When my Canadian DH puts it on eggs, Kraft dinner (try the cheddar explosion version of Kraft mac and cheese), or his meatloaf I just shake my head. To me the flavor combination doesn't work well on those items.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-04-19 19:42:00
CanadaUS Consulates in Canada
Have fun in MTL. Remember to face the back of the elevator when you go up to the floor for the consulate and have the cash for the visa fee whatever it is now. DH still talks about "Gaston" the security guard who kept a couple little old ladies from coming under the door awning when it was raining even because it wasn't their turn.

From what I understand my SIL used her parents address in Ontario so she will likely be going to get her medical in Toronto and then to MTL for her interview.

When did you initially apply for your K-1 and when did you get your NOA2?




lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-05-25 16:51:00
CanadaUS Consulates in Canada
My sister in law is thinking she will be going to Calgary because she lives in SK. Seems she is still misinformed. I am the USC and my dh is Canadian and now my SIL has been approved for her K-1 visa to her man from Missouri. Thanks for confirming that some things never change like the fact MTL and VAN are the only K-1 visa interview locations.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-05-24 18:20:00
CanadaWhy did you pick K1 vs CR1? (for Canadian beneficiaries)
We choose the K-1 because we didn't want to be separated after being married. The LDR was enough separation.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-06-29 18:55:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..

Weirdest (and happiest) day today - our 10 year green card arrived in the mail. The weird part is that we only sent in our ROC package in Nov and did our biometrics at the end of December. My hubby is active duty military and we included a copy of both is military ID and my DEERS card along with a letter from his command saying he's scheduled to be deployed in 2013. But we did not ask for an expedite and the command letter did not have a specific date on it.

Not complaining or anything, we are VERY happy but I feel like this is not real because I didn't expect to hear anything from USCIS until May (if then).

God has blessed us today. I am beyond grateful.


So glad you got an early surprise!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-01-28 05:43:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..

i dunno. i'm tired of giving the government money. done rant

:blush:


I know I want to give the government just one more collection of money for my DH's citizenship. Now that ROC is over it just motivates me more to save that money and get ready to ship off naturalization paperwork asap. good luck with your ROC. Hopefully it will move quickly.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-01-21 18:53:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..

As expected, got an RFE in the mail today...


I hope you can get whatever the RFE asks for so you can move on with your life - I saw your post in the ROC filers thread about you moving too. Hopefully you can get everything that the adjudicator wants and get on with your life here in the U.S.

I am curious like Kimbear to hear what the RFE asked for. You mentioned not sending affidavits - I know I sent three just because I was afraid not to given the fact that our housing wasn't in both our names and in fact is in my maiden name because we can't refinance the house yet.

Good luck with your move.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-01-12 15:05:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..

I got a letter yesterday that I will have to have my biometrics redone as the FBI couldn't read my fingerprints ... new appt for Jan 8th 2013. Frustrating I thought I was done with that!Posted Image

Bummer, but at least it means they are looking at your file rather than letting it collect dust somewhere. Good luck at your new biometrics appointment.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-12-21 16:48:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Yeah, ROC went awhole lot faster than I had expected. Another person from the July 2012 filers got an RFE so maybe we were all on the same desk of someone who was processing applications a bit faster than everyone else. I am excited about starting Naturalization for my DH this next summer once we have been married 3 years.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-12-17 21:15:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Now I have to say that getting tax transcripts and 3 different affidavits from a friend, coworker, and pastor probably made a difference for us. My DH just got his letter saying his 10 year green card was approved. It has probably been sitting in our "junk" mail box for a couple days. Crazy plain looking envelope and plane paper with no letter head specialness to speak of. We got approved on 12/10/12 after sending our information in on 7/31/12. We weren't expecting anything until March or April. We are definitely going to do the Naturalization next summer once we have been married 3 years because I want to be done with ever having to pay USCIS any money. This approval was a great Christmas present!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-12-15 09:19:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Congrats lgg and darkchilde on your green cards. I am hoping that my DH is moving through the ranks for getting approved, eventually.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-11-05 20:05:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Yeah this waiting and not knowing is annoying. My DH went and did his biometircs today so now we will wait for an eon. At least he has is letter to extend his green card. My DH even picked up the little pamphlet about becoming an American citizen without me pushing him too it. He made me laugh when he said, "Yeah, I will probably apply for my citizenship before I get my 10 year green card."
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-09-07 17:33:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Received DH's biometrics letter came today. It was dated 8/10/12. The date is September 7, 2012 for an appointment but DH is going to try a walkin this Friday since we are already planning to be up in Grand Rapids, MI anyway. The WAC number now works from the ASC appointment notice. Looking forward to being done with this process sometime next year.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-08-13 16:35:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
I saw a thread that answered my question about the USCIS website: "You need the number on your Biometrics appointment notice" to use with uscis to check for status updates. Bummer. I don't have that yet for DH. Hopefully in the next couple of days.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-08-13 09:01:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Should I be worried that my DH hasn't gotten his biometrics letter yet? His NOA1 was July 31 and every time I try to access information online it says "Your case can not be found at this time in My Case Status. Please check your receipt number and try again."

How long did it take to receive your biometrics letters? Anybody from Michigan have a length of time between NOA1 and biometrics for ROC?
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-08-12 20:19:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
cdneh, Yeah for your husband's liver transplant. When my dad died unexpectedly in 2007, we donated his liver and 2 kidneys to three different men. Organ donation is close to my heart because I know three people got to lead longer lives because of my dad's gift of life. I see your ROC is at VSC. I am amazed how the times for processing can be so different depending on where the ROC package is.

I am so happy. I was worried about my DH's ROC package, which I sent out Friday. It finally arrived in Laguna Niguel at the CSC today at 10:48 a.m. Looking forward to getting my DH's NOA1.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-07-31 15:26:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Well, my package still hasn't been delivered yet. I am hoping that sending this package "certified mail" won't screw me up.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-07-30 17:33:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..

Oh god, I know right? Missed my stamp at POE, lost my medical, etc etc. And this time I'll probably get an RFE for missing a copy of the green card though (at least this one is actually MY fault... lol).

There's been a lot of BS going on overall really... haha I'm about over it! Crossing my fingers I at least get a 10 yr card in time for Christmas. That'd be a nice present.


I hadn't been back in several months - but I saw your note about hitting each other in the face for forgetting something in our packages. Made me laugh. Yeah, I get so focused on all the items I need to have in the package, I forget something, but the birthday was on the original AOS, not ROC. I remember your saga of immigration woes back two years ago. I hope you just get the RFE and can send in the copy of the green card without incident.

Friday, July 27th, I mailed off my DH's ROC to the CSC. Now to wait for them to cash the check and send us our NOA1. Seriously the wait for approval is ridiculous. As I look at the ROC forum for July, there are 20 people going through CSC and 19 people going through VSC. I can only imagine that in real life the numbers to both service centers are equal as well. Why the difference in wait times? I know it is a question that will never be answered, but I ask it anyway.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-07-29 07:22:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
Wow, why is there a 9-10 month wait for ROC? Glad to hear that the NOA is a 1 year extension of the GC because my husband needs to be able to still work while he waits. Getting ready to send out our paperwork the day after our 2 year anniversary. Unlike the GC, I will not make the mistake of the wrong birthdate for my husband. I still face-palm when I think of the error where I married my husband before he was born.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2012-05-26 19:32:00
CanadaFellow Canadian VJers removing Conditions..
I am starting to think about the ROC and getting as many ducks in a row as possible. DH and I still need to go to the water utility "in person together" with "our marriage certificate" to get his name added to the water bill. Been married almost 1.5 years and haven't had an opportunity to take care of this but I want to have it done for ROC.

So if the green card expires while we wait for processing, it shouldn't be a big deal for my DH to keep working and getting paid? We did the K-1 visa and the interview officer said we needed to wait until 2 years of marriage had passed, then apply, but how can I find out how long processing is taking for a ROC from Michigan?
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2011-12-28 08:36:00
CanadaRescheduling Interview
Wow my sil just sent her paperwork with police report and everything last week. The thought that it will be Oct before she likely gets a K-1 interview is crazy. Goodluck as you wait! It is so worth it in the end.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-07-13 13:15:00
CanadaWhat did you do?--Original I-129F packet for interview??

I took everything I had with me in a three ring binder sorted by using plastic sleeves just in case they were missing something. Montreal didn't need anything but it was just for my peace of mind when my fiancee interviewed.


lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-08-24 08:14:00
CanadaBuffalo Wild Wings has....

DH went to Buffalo Wild Wings on Tuesday night for their poutine. Sadly, he said it wasn't worth it at least not at the place he went. He said the gravy was more of a tex-mex flavor with jalepenos peppers and such. His poor stomach rocked and rolled all night :( I think I just need to buy some fresh cheese curds and make some yummy gravy and make it at home.


lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-09-12 08:40:00
CanadaBuffalo Wild Wings has....

DH might just have to make a trip to Grand Rapids. We live down in Battle Creek, MI.  He got all excited when I told him Buffalo Wild Wings has Poutine.


lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2013-09-07 19:32:00
CanadaThe Vent Part Quatre

Ahhhhhh, It's insomnia time again for me. I didn't hardly sleep on saturday night and sunday night, and stayed home from work on monday because I was just too exhausted to go. I've tried just about everything over the counter and nothing seems to have any sustained results. I've missed 4 days from work in the last 3 months because of insomnia and I'm going to have to get some sort of diagnosis soon as this is really becoming a problem. I'm just afraid that they will prescribe me with some sort of tranquilizer or other chemical medication. I know how addicting they can be, and I'm not about to start taking chemical prescriptions for it as I have a bit of an addictive personality. Hopefully the doctor will have some sort of remedy that I can take.


Another thing to try is to reset your circadian rhythm using blue light therapy. Check out this phillips website and this website. It is amazing how helpful 15 minutes each morning has been to helping me wake up each day and feel tired at night and go to sleep. Lots of research backs it up and there is no nasty side effects. It was worth the $150 for the light (I bought mine off ebay).
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-09-28 19:55:00
CanadaThe Vent Part Quatre
Waking up in the middle of the night because it is just too hot and finding out that yet again someone who said, oh yes, I will do that for your wedding, is backing out 3 days before! I made a list of to dos so that maybe just maybe I can actually fall asleep - a list for me, a list for the fiance' and then the list that we must do together. Yesterday, bless him, my fiance organized all his boxes and all our gifts we have gotten already into the attic, garage, and on top of the cupboards - divide and conquer worked well.

Oh, then the vent of my fiance's brakes deciding to make atrocious grinding sounds - another chunk of change spent to fix breaks!

Man I just need to sleep!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-07-07 23:57:00
CanadaThe Vent Part Quatre
UGH! Of course today would have to be one of the hottest days so far in Michigan and we would have to get our stuff out of the ABF moving truck today, because tomorrow we have appointments, oh, and the people who said they would help called in and said, oh, sorry, we have appointments the wife booked so I can't come! Thankfully a great friend with a pickup came to our rescue as we melted in the back of a semi trailer! At least the stuff is at our house now, but man oh man there is still so much to do before the wedding on Sunday!
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-07-06 17:54:00
CanadaThe Vent Part Quatre

I work for an insurance agency and all of our carriers run credit scores and adjust premiums based on that score. Your insurance credit score or "insurance score" is 100% different than the credit score you will see when applying for a credit card or loan. It is based on a number of factors, one of the biggest things being your insurance history. The longer your insurance history is, no matter with what carrier its through, you will be given a more preferred rate. Also, if you have a lapse in coverage (no matter if you stopped driving, sold your car, had your license suspended, etc) your score will generally be lower. With that said, different companies put different emphasis on credit. We only write with 4 major carriers, but in those 4 companies I see a really wide range of how credit can effect ones score.

Education level is actually a discount, not a surcharge. Or, it is suposed to be that way- I can't speak for every company. Some companies will give you a discount for a higher level of education. It's generally very marginal, and you hardly notice it in the grand scheme of things. We normally avoid asking our customers that question, since people can be rather touchy about their education level. If you ask their occupation, and some other questions, you can sometimes get there without coming out and asking. Some companies also give a discount for being a member of a college alumni association, which is just another way of them asking you your education level. But, most of our carriers don't go there at all. We're you quoting with Progressive Trailmix? Because Progressive was one of the first companies to start doing it. The funny thing is, they don't ask you to prove your education level. So, there really isn't anything stopping you from saying you have a PhD to maximize the credit. They don't bother checking! It's based on the "honor system"


Very interesting! And I suppose like the credit score based on loans, credit cards, etc, it doesn't transfer from Canada to the U.S. either. Blargh! Ugh, why does moving from one North American country to another have to have so many unexpected hurdles that involve outlays of money.
lilacvioletirisFemaleCanada2010-06-29 05:29:00