ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaOur interview and Montreal Review
Congrats!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-11-27 12:26:00
CanadaWOW Interview on Tuesday VISA in hand on Thursday
GRATS!!!!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-11-29 20:14:00
CanadaPOE review at Montreal/New York
congratuations!

Glad to hear all went smoothly!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-03 11:14:00
CanadaFlying to US -- border tips please
<INSERT GROUP HUG>
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-04 10:23:00
CanadaFlying to US -- border tips please
I agree with everyone else above...Flames9 hits the nail on the head.

Lawyers don't speed up the process. They are really there to do all the paper work for you if you don't have the time to do it yourself but as Flames9 says this board (VJ) is really helpful and you could easily get it done yourself to save the $$$.

Don't lie! Lying is never good. Last thing you need is that....the truth is always a better alternative no matter what.

Definitely do not volunteer information. Only answer their questions. Do not elaborate unless they ask you more questions or else you could end up digging a hole.

Think positive thoughts!

What's that saying...hope for the best, expect the worse that way you won't be disapointed. =)
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-03 11:24:00
CanadaShortest quickest route?
QUOTE (Meridien @ Dec 3 2007, 08:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Agreed - my fiance and I discussed some of these other options originally, but decided that we wanted to do things the 'right' way and filed the K1. It just seems like there's alot of grey area when it come to the whole idea of 'intent' when you visit and 'spontaneously' get married. I know the K1 takes time, but this is the rest of our lives were talking about and it's too important to risk problems down the road. I'm sure most people on visajourney would agree.


I completely agree. The best way is to do things the simplest way...the last thing we wanted was to give anyone an excuse to deny us of anything...even seeing each other!

Granted we have waited almost a year from start to interview date and although it has been a long road, we weighed the pros and cons and going K1 was the best way.

I have only had one instance when I returned to Canada when Customs asked me who I was visiting in the U.S and I told them my Fiance. They asked "how does that work?" and I just said we are in the process of our K1 and we met through work. No other questions, she just waved me through.

What ever you decide, better safe than sorry. Again, I would hate for anyone to be denied seeing their SO.

Good luck on whatever you decide!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-04 10:18:00
CanadaElf time!
love it! Thanks!

Did one of me, the fiance and doggie! lol
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-14 16:41:00
CanadaMandatory to change surname when married to US Cit?
Great feedback and insight....gave me a good chuckle on some of your stories....LOL
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-14 16:40:00
CanadaMandatory to change surname when married to US Cit?
ba ha ha ha yea I know about the socks and underwear...LOL 'for better or worse'????

Just wanted to make sure for the sake of the whole Fiance Visa and all the subsequent paper work that will follow.

I think my gf was teasing me when she told me in order to show seriousness about your U.S husband, you'll have to take his last name legally.
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-13 16:03:00
CanadaMandatory to change surname when married to US Cit?
Does anyone here know if it's mandatory that I have to change my last name (maiden) to my Fiance's after we get married in the U.S?

I'm CDN and he's the U.S. citizen.....

Thanks!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-13 15:53:00
CanadaPeep toe pumps - what kind of nylons?
Just went to a Christmas party last weekend work related.....I wore peep toe pumps no nylons....The whole purpose of peep toe is to see your toe and the beautiful nail polish... just my two cents!

Other people wore them and my friends and I found that it looked wierd.

In all honestly, wear what you are comfortable in?
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-13 15:48:00
CanadaGOT OUR INTERVIEW IN MONTREAL!
congrats!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-12-14 16:35:00
CanadaHoneymoon outside of U.S after entering with K1?
Hmmm never thought of Arizona....that's a great idea! Thanks! good.gif
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-11-29 20:50:00
CanadaHoneymoon outside of U.S after entering with K1?
Thanks for everyone's feedback.....

This is a topic that we will definitely be discussing further in detail.....

Hawaii is nice don't get me wrong...definitely would be more interested in the smaller surrounding islands...Molokai,etc.

Puerto Rico huh? Interesting...who would have thought.....

QUOTE (LadyJane @ Nov 27 2007, 03:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm rooting for you to go to Hawaii! I've been to Maui, the Big Island and Oahu. You can find small out-of-the way places in any of those islands and you'll have a great time. Look for the "Maui Revealed" or "The Big Island Revealed" books at your library-they are GREAT resources to help you plan. IM me if you'd like more Hawaii tips.

smile.gif


Thanks! I'll definitely check out those books! good.gif
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-11-27 21:25:00
CanadaHoneymoon outside of U.S after entering with K1?
Thanks for all the replies....

Yes the key to this is like you guys said, I can go anywhere for the honeymoon BUT coming back for re-entry is the issue. Point taken. he he he

Re: U.S. Islands for honeymoon - I've heard some ppl have had problems coming back in because it wasn't part of the mainland? I wouldn't mind the U.S Virgin Islands....Hawaii seems a little too commercial...we wanted something very intimate.
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-11-27 12:50:00
CanadaHoneymoon outside of U.S after entering with K1?
I've heard different answers on this topic so I thought I would pick everyone's brain here:

After we get married in the U.S. (he's a U.S Citizen and I'm Canadian) we were wondering how we could go about having a honeymoon outside of the U.S. Such as the Bahamas.

We've been told different stories i.e. you can't leave the U.S. until you get your Green Card, etc.

Any info would be great!

Thanks!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2007-11-27 12:30:00
CanadaReady or Not
Bonne chance! <--- good luck en Francais!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-04 17:53:00
Canadaapproved!!!
Yay congrats!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-06 09:13:00
CanadaSo I'm leaving for Canada in less the 48 hours
honesty is the best policy!

Short and straight to the point your answers should be! You'll be fine.
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-06 09:08:00
CanadaAPPROVED!
Congrats!

I hope we get Movie Guy too! he he he
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-08 07:29:00
CanadaBonne fête a toi! FLAMES9
Happy happy day Flames!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-08 07:29:00
CanadaGood Luck mwinburn & T.O 2 FL Feb 13th Montreal Interviews
QUOTE (kimmbo @ Feb 13 2008, 09:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats!! Have a safe drive back to TO!

Did you see Mike and Amy (mwinburn) there?


Yes we did but we weren't sure when we were there....they were right after us!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-15 10:13:00
CanadaGood Luck mwinburn & T.O 2 FL Feb 13th Montreal Interviews
Thanks all! Just got back in the hotel room (now 923am) and was there at 710am! down pour of snow! AHHHHHHHHHH

Will write review soon! Going to rest a bit...huff puff (from walking in snow)....thanks for all the well wishes....

oh yea....one more thing...







































APPROVED! kicking.gif

Edited by T.O_2_FL, 13 February 2008 - 09:25 AM.

T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-13 09:24:00
CanadaT.O 2 FL MTL Consulate Review
Ok guys and gals! Get your reading glasses on and coffee in hand!

we stayed at Hotel XIXe on 262 St. Jacques in old Montreal. It was a 15 minute walk to the U.S. Consulate from the hotel. Very nice I must say! Can you say uber high ceilings! Must have been at least 15 feet! Boutique hotel-ish and we booked via hotels.com for just under $115/night. We wanted to make the best out of our few days stay to catch some sights, etc after the interview. Especially since it was Valentine's!

Consulate review:

Arrived at the door of the U.S Consulate at 710am. No one was there yet. We huddled in the corner of the doorway since it was snowing quite heavy. Around 730ish, they opened the doors and before letting us through, asked to see our appt letter and to have our passports ready for inspection. Showed him the letter and we proceeded to security where we were asked to remove all items from our pockets, coats, jackets, etc that would go through the x ray machine. I was then given a plastic chip with the letter A and window 9 on it. 'Don't lose it' said the security guy. One by one we went through the metal detector and we both got the standard wand-check. They did take away a little compact dental floss that my Fiance had as well as my garage fob for my condo.

'Go through those doors and head downstairs to the waiting room. In about 10 minutes someone will come down and take you upstairs' said the security guy after we retrieved all our belongings. Down the flight of stairs, we could feel the sterility of the place. Typical goverment building is what we both surmised. In the waiting area in the basement, there were 4 rows of plastic chairs and a photo booth for adhoc passport photos. No background music, nothing. Just the sound of your own heart beat.

10 minutes later a Custom's guy came into the waiting area and removed the rope infront of the elevator stating that only people with the letter A,B,C and D should follow him. There seemed to be a little bit of confusion and perhaps an air of desperation because the whole room got up and wanted to follow us. We enter the elevator that has doors on both ends. He tells us that we will be exiting the other side, so we all turn around. We finally get to the 20th floor and exit. Dead quiet as we are the first ones to arrive. We are ushered into an inner waiting room where windown 9,10,11 and 12 are. The man tells me and my Fiance to wait infront of Window 9 while the other sit down right behind us in the row of chairs for their turn. We stand infront of the window for about 10-15 minutes and a gentleman appears asking me for the appt letter, the letter A tag and gave us an invoice for $131 to pay for the Visa. He then told us that he was going to clear this waiting room first and then would call us back. In the meantime, he told us to pay for the Visa. We headed outside into the larger waiting room and straight to the cashier window #14. At this time, the room was starting to fill up and the elevator brought up people non stop.

We paid and took a seat. I heard my name called in about 10 minutes to go back to window 9. Back we went and this time we provided our documentation. Here is what we actually needed:
  • xpresspost envelope (314x394)
  • My canadian passport & 1 copy of the bio page (they took both)
  • 2 Passport pics (they were affixed to my application forms)
  • $131 US & gave them the receipt for having paid it
  • Packet 4 appointment letter
  • Sealed Medical (Seiden) File
  • My birth certificate (full length version) & 1 copy (they took both)
  • RCMP Police Certificate & 1 copy for your own records
  • I-134 (AOS) notorized & 1 copy for your own records (Affidavit of support)
  • Fiance Letter of Employment & 1 copy for your records
  • Fiance W2 photo copies (past 4 years which they took)
  • Fiance Letter of Intent & 1 copy for your records
  • DS-156K (unsigned) & 1 copy for your records
  • Tickets: plane, bus, train (did not look at)
  • Photographs of us together (did not look at)
  • Phone Bills (did not look at)
  • Wedding invitation (did not look at)

some questions: when do you guys plan on getting married? do you know how to use the K1 Visa?

He said everything looked good and wished us luck for the interview which we would be called to in a few minutes. "Just wait back in the main waiting room and wait to be called....good luck!" he said. Back out we go and this time I can actually go for a potty break! So far so good, everyone has been pleasant!

10 minutes later we get called to room #7. It sounds like Movie Phone Man! Into mini closet aka interview room #7 we go and we see this tall dirty blond man in a suit with the Movie Phone voice! I told him that he sounded like that guy and he laughed. He said he always gets that comment. Anyway down to business, he asks a few questions:

- so I see you guys met through work? how do you guys keep in touch? how often do you see each other?

Then he told us to raise our right hands and take an oath that everything that we have said and completed is true. He also asked me if I was ever in trouble with the border, etc. No, no and no was the answer. 'OK you're all done. Congratulations you qualify for a Visa, you should get your passport in about 1 week and here is an FAQ sheet with some more information.'

That was it!

Although we weren't asked for all of the stuff we brought, there is no harm being over prepared than under.


So really it wasn't so painful, it was really all the anticipation leading up to the event.

All the VJers on this board really helped and I can't stress enough that you don't need to worry about things. I have found out the hard way that I have worried about a lot of things unnecessarily only to stress myself out.

Can't believe that everything has taken a year! WAHOO! Finally it's done! What a great Valentine's present!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-15 10:11:00
CanadaAffidavit question..
I don't think ink color makes any difference unless the form specifically says to use a specific ink color.
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-16 01:25:00
CanadaValentine's Day
mmm lobster! what sauce is that? bernaise?
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-15 19:03:00
CanadaValentine's Day
We both spent it in Montreal since our K1 interview was on the 13th....it was chilly but worth it! Approved Visa from the Consulate and spending time together...what else could one wish for! wink.gif
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-15 10:33:00
CanadaValentine's Day
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Feb 8 2008, 06:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Seeing as how I've given my wife long-stem roses the last two years, I decided I'd do something different. She's been very stressed out lately, so I put together a "relaxation kit" of my own for her, which contains:
  • One Valentine's Day card.
  • One tabletop fountain (that I researched heavily, in order to make sure it won't splash and cause a watery mess).
  • One satin heart-shaped box of high-quality "artisan" chocolates.
  • One scented candle (vanilla & sandalwood) made from "essential oils in a vegetable wax blend."
  • Two leather-bound hardcover books (both with attached gold satin bookmarks) covering two of her favorite topics.
  • One large heavy-duty Macy's shopping bag with easy-to-hold handles.
You might ask yourself... WHY the Macy's shopping bag, right? Well, since we're not living together yet and she obviously works during the day, I'm having the package sent to her office so she's sure to receive it. My wife lives downtown and doesn't use a car (just trying to find a parking spot would probably take more time than it would to walk), so I figure she could use some assistance carrying whatever items she chooses to bring back to her apartment. That's where the bag comes in -- it'd be a lot easier to use that than heft around a large cardboard package or worse yet, attempt to somehow carry multiple boxes at once.

Anyway... I may have gone a little overboard, but it really wasn't about Valentine's Day as much as it was about helping my wife relax and feel better. I would've done it with or without this holiday; having it come around now just gave me a convenient opening. wink.gif


gotta love the Macy's shopping bag! he he he

I think that any token is great! It means that you put some thought into it. =)

During the week of Valentine's, we'll be in Montreal for our interview. It will be on Feb. 13. I guess the next day we'll be celebrating and perhaps do a romantic breakfast in MTL since we'll be making our way back around noon to Toronto.
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-08 07:21:00
CanadaIntroducing...
what a cutie! Congrats!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-20 12:39:00
CanadaGood luck trailmix!!!
CONGRATS!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-20 13:00:00
CanadaEmergency!!! PLEASE HELP!!!
Have a glass of wine or some beer! It will be ok! No x ray was ever asked even though I brought that darn thing all the way with us through the snow!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-20 18:25:00
CanadaMTL PK3 - Plz Confirm (sorry for the re-post)
I found an e mail that I sent the Montreal Consulate when I got my Packet 3:

Dear Sir or Madam;

Am I required to submit the single copy of the Form DS-156K or is that only required at the interview?

As I understand, I will need to submit the DS-156 (2 copies completed from the website with the bar code) and DS-230 Part 1. Just wanted to clarify if I also need to send in the DS-156K as well.

Thank you!

Their response:

Just 1 copy of the DS-156K is necessary- you may keep it until your appointment day.



Thanks.

Operator 2

Hope that helps!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-20 21:38:00
CanadaInterview in 56 minutes and counting!
good luck! I'm sure all will go well!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-11 18:48:00
CanadaMontreal IR1 interview review
entertaining review! Gotta love the Tim Hortons in the cold Canadian weather!

congrats!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-20 19:30:00
CanadaGoing home for Easter
he he he I'm trying to pack up as much as I can on my move down to the U.S food-wise! All non perishable stuff of course...he he he
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-25 14:26:00
CanadaGoing home for Easter
Congrats! Stock up on the Ketchup chips! he he he wink.gif
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-25 14:10:00
CanadaNational ID Number
I didn't fill out that part and left it blank....that DS 156 form is used for other things besides the K1 Visa and what not....

Btw, there were a couple of fields I left blank in my DS 156K when I sent it in....they just got me to fill it out at the interview. =)
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-26 14:33:00
CanadaWe got our interview date!!!
congratulations!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-26 14:28:00
CanadaFiancee visiting in May
ohhh picnic at the beach...that's always a winner!
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-26 14:31:00
CanadaFiancee visiting in May
Spend time together of course!

But for me, when I went to visit my Fiance in FL, I enjoyed when we went to Winter Park (since I noticed you're in Orlando) and ate there. Walked a bit in the park and whispered sweet nothings in each other's ears. =)
T.O_2_FLFemaleCanada2008-02-26 13:25:00