Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Questions about NVC stuff, please help	the fee is the same regardless of your country. IV bill is for the application for Immigrant Visa, the DS-230. The DS-3032 is the choice of agent form. The forms required to be sent to the NVC are the only thing that varies by country of origin. http://www.visajourn...wchart_v1-2.pdf http://travel.state..../info_3190.html guess i got the form numbers mixed up (there are sooooo many of them, sheesh!)... damn, this is getting really disheartening, all the stupid fees for this that and the other thing. thx for the info	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-07 20:25:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Questions about NVC stuff, please help	somewhat on topic here... when you say IV bill, is that for the DS-3032? if so, is that fee the same no matter what country the visa applicant is coming from; if not, where can i find out how much it would be for a Canadian citizen? sorry for the questions... thx!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-07 18:14:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	I-134	i know i read it somewhere, but do you think i can find it now? lol i know my honey has to get it notarized, i just need to know how many copies are required. thx!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-23 08:17:00
Canada	Attention Canadian folks...question about Moving and crossing the border	Since we're on the topic of moving stuff across the border, I have a question. I was talking to a collegue yesterday. Her daughter has a K-1 approved and was told that you can't bring across a mattress. Is that true ? Is there a list of items that you can't bring with you listed somewhere ? I searched on http://www.cbp.gov/x..._restricted.xml but didn't find anything. i'd like to know the answer to this too, from someone who has actually tried to take a mattress across. when i called US customs (one of the n. dakota crossing points), the agent said he'd never heard of anything like that and there was no problem taking a mattress with you... i hate conflicting information	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-17 20:40:00
Canada	questions on medical/doctors	thanks for the extra info and pointers everyone, i'll be sure to keep it all in mind (along with everything else, lol) i understand completely about the std issue, and thankfully i have nothing to worry about in that department, or with HIV, etc... that's a really good idea though, to have my doctor write up a brief note about my issues and how they're being managed (and have been for years). honesty is always the best policy.	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-18 13:33:00
Canada	questions on medical/doctors	thank you so much for the quick reply! that's exactly the info i was hoping for. thanks!!!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-17 21:08:00
Canada	questions on medical/doctors	from what i've read, by and large the biggest factors in determining whether you will be denied a visa is if you have a criminal record or if you have any communicable diseases (eg tuberculosis, etc). i have neither of the above, but i do have a couple of medical issues - none transmittable or contagious - and i am wondering for those that have gone through the whole process of getting the medical, what was all involved? just a general questionaire and blood work? was there a set list of doctors that could be seen to perform the medical, or could you see any doctor? did you have to provide medical records at all? would going on short term disability from work potentially affect the visa application (if they even ask or have access to records of this sort)? i'm probably worrying over nothing, but if anyone could offer a little insight, it would be greatly appreciated. thanks	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-17 20:46:00
Canada	Area for medical and interview	does anyone know how much the medical, etc, costs? or does it vary by doctor? i noticed in the attached pdf on the medical exam that any hospitalizations, chronic medical conditions, etc need to be noted by your doctor... just so happens that i've had many, going back to when i was a baby. do they need all of that? will there be a form of some kind outlining what they want so you can be sure of providing the info they want?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-18 14:00:00
Canada	Is there a US consulate in Calgary?	Being from Edmonton- you'll go through Vancouver. Which is good! Vancouver is known to be faster than Montreal. If you were doing a CR1 Visa- Montreal is the only Consulate that handles those. When you reveive your packet 4, that will be the time and date of your Interview. They book it for you. vancouver is definitely better for me, plus my uncle lives in abbotsford so i shouldn't have to worry about paying for accomodations, just the airfare and getting to/from the consulate... still rules out a day trip like i'd hoped for. does anyone know how long the wait generally is from the time you get your third packet from the consulate (to get your medical, etc) to the actual interview date? i just thought of this too... is it a problem that on our application we indicated that calgary was my local consulate? or will they just automatically forward everything to vancouver? thanks in advance	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-18 21:16:00
Canada	Is there a US consulate in Calgary?	well this totally sucks... i guess i didn't do enough reading ahead of time, or look in the right places, but i thought since Calgary has an embassy, that i could do my interview there does anyone know if you can choose which consulate you would like to do your interview at? or is it decided for you? also, and in my reading i haven't come across a clear answer to this, do you set up your own appointment once you've received the package from the consulate, or do they set it up for you? what's the usual timeframe from when you get your package to the interview date? sorry for all the questions, just trying to wrap my head around all of this...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-18 18:38:00
Canada	NOA2 timeline	if vancouver (and the NVC) would move that fast, i would be SO happy but i've learned not to count my chickens before they hatch. since our NOA2 only occurred on May 3, is it reasonable to assume that the NVC would have our file already and have assigned their case number to it? i know the phone number for the NVC is posted in that section, but is the email address indicated to? i don't recall seeing it, but then i've read so much info the last few days it's all a blur to me! lol i plan to make the appointment for my medical shortly, as well as get the police check but i am a little unsure of what's required with the latter... if i go to the local RCMP office (no city police here) and tell them i need my fingerprints and a criminal background check for my move, will they know what forms and info to give me? or will i need to get a specific form from my packet to be filled out? sorry for the questions, i just want to make sure i'm doing everything right.	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-07 12:57:00
Canada	NOA2 timeline	ok, so after doing quite a bit of reading... the NVC will forward things to Montreal, which will then automatically forward everything to Vancouver? i'm in Edmonton, so Vancouver is MUCH closer than Montreal, not to mention appears to have faster processing times. or do i have to specifically request that everything get transferred to Vancouver? if so, how do i go about doing this?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-05 11:37:00
Canada	NOA2 timeline	Might take a couple of weeks. CSC usually sits on the approval for a week or so before they send to the NVC. Then the NVC assigns a case number and then forwards to the consulate. You may want to do a timeline search on CSC and Vancouver to see how long it generally took from NOA2 to Packet 3. that's kind of what i was figuring on... one thing that might throw a curveball into things though is that i specified that Calgary was my local consulate (didn't know only Van and Mtrl did the interviews for the K1's), so we checked with USCIS and were told it would automatically get routed to Vancouver. is this correct? and am i correct in thinking it will be Vancouver and NOT Montreal for our NVC (i'm in Edmonton)? i really hope so because not only is Vancouver a hell of a lot closer, but interviews are scheduled faster there by my understanding...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-03 18:49:00
Canada	NOA2 timeline	i just got the email indicating our K1 application was approved earlier today and i'm wondering what sort of timeline i can expect until i receive my packet from the Vancouver consulate with all the info for getting my medical, etc. i'll be traveling to wichita to see my honey on may 17 and will be gone for about 2 weeks... is it likely the package will arrive during that time?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-03 18:19:00
Canada	immunization records, what is required?	yeah, i'll probably have the blood test done to confirm what - if anything other than the tetanus - needs updating and get it all done at once before moving. like everyone has said, why pay to get it done state-side if i can get it done here for free? thx everyone for the replies, it's greatly appreciated	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-08 10:05:00
Canada	immunization records, what is required?	thanks that does relieve some of the stress, but i'll still have to either get the records or blood test to satisfy the requirements later on... might as well get that started now, who knows how long it will take i swear, by the time this is all said and done, my fiance and i will have a stack of paper 2 ft tall...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-07 21:06:00
Canada	immunization records, what is required?	i contacted the local clinic in town that is approved to perform the medical exam, and was told that one of the items i need to bring with me is my record of vaccinations. went to the local public health office to get these records and guess what? there is no record of ANYTHING!!!! apparently Capital Health only keeps records for 7 years. #######?????? i moved to Alberta from Manitoba in 1990, and started jr high here in AB. i KNOW i had some vaccinations done through school in the first 2-3 years we lived here, but the majority were done in MB. i'm going to hunt for some records at my parents' house and hopefully have some luck, but if i can't find anything there - or get anything from Manitoba Health - what can i do? apparently i can get a blood test that will identify which diseases i have been vaccinated for, but will this be accepted for the medical and/or visa? i don't know what to do and i'm starting to stress pretty bad...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-07 20:42:00
Canada	DS-156K	guess i'll be typing out forms - and copying them - until i go cross-eyed once i get home, lol. hopefully i get a good phone call from my parents next week telling me my packet has been received. hell, i just thought of something. since the forms are being faxed, it doesn't really matter where they come from, right? i'll just fill them out and fax them in from my fiance's while i'm here so that the interview can get scheduled faster. and now that i've found out you can *kind of* indicate the date you want your interview (for Vancouver) that works out well. i want them to move fast but not too fast since i won't be home until June 1 and still have to get my medical and police check done. if i could be moving by the end of June/middle of July, oh how happy i would be!!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-19 10:35:00
Canada	Interview packet that I'm going to send to the boy.	rofl at this thread, some of the comments are hilarious!! hope you don't mind Hannah, but i'm going to be using your original post as my guide (for now) of everything i need to bring home with me from wichita since i haven't received my packet yet. until this is all over, i won't stop stressing!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-20 16:28:00
Canada	Letter affirming desire to marry for K1...	i was wondering this very same thing... but i am also wondering, is this what they mean when they indicate "evidence of engagement" on the DS-230? is anything else required for this? i have a copy of the receipt for my engagement ring - and obviously i'm wearing it - but i'd like to know in advance if anything more is required. thx!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-19 10:24:00
Canada	Edmonton Medical	You should call back and ask them why they only take cash. Ask them if Canada Revenue knows about that. I think you'll get your results in a hurry. hahahaha, you do have a point! i was wondering the very same thing...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-22 12:09:00
Canada	Edmonton Medical	i will make sure to confirm whether it's the royal alex or hys that i have to go to for my xray, etc, when i book my app't AND when i'm there. don't need any mix-ups, that's for sure... not now. could you please post the phone number for dr. chana's office someone? i'm here in wichita visiting my fiance and would like to phone and book my appointment for as soon as possible after i get home. thx in advance! oh, to the OP - what did you all bring with you to the medical? i can't find my vaccination records so i had the titers (sp?) done, so the results should be waiting for me when i get back home. i do remember they said that had to be brought along to the medical, along with proof of an up to date tetanus shot - which i'll also have to book when i get home. argh! so much to do!! lol	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-20 16:20:00
Canada	Edmonton Medical	thanks for the review! i'll be getting my medical done there in 2-3 weeks. i was hoping Dr. Chana would be female, but oh well. one question though, you had to go to the Royal Alex? when i called Dr. Chana's office, they said that they had a contract for the blood work and x-rays at the Hys Center, so i'm a little confused. either way, i guess it doesn't matter - they're all downtown and somewhat close to each other. i was told about a 4-5 day turnaround for the results as well.	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-19 10:40:00
Canada	Things You Wish You'd Thought of Before You Crossed the Border	some good recommendations in this thread, thanks! i know everytime i've thought of something i'll need to do, i write it down - the way things are right now, if i don't, i won't remember!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-22 12:48:00
Canada	I-134 Help Please	His income is more than sufficient to qualify, that's not a worry at all; we just didn't want to not fill it in (or fill in the wrong info) and have it delay things. Thanks for the quick response!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-23 10:39:00
Canada	I-134 Help Please	Where it says, for question 7, "With mortgage(s) or other encumbrance(s) thereon amounting to:" and a line to list the value, what is needed here? He owns a house valued at $125,000 but still has a mortgage on it for nearly the full value as he only bought it just over a year ago. Does he need to put the current value of the mortgage? We're both a little confused, and the example wasn't much help unfortunately. He's trying to get this completed and notarized at work today, so any help would be greatly appreciated!!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-23 10:32:00
Canada	Packet 3 received!	thanks for the info and links! i hope to get all of this done the week after i get home so that *hopefully* i can have my interview by the end of June. what items/paperwork do you have to return to them prior to the interview being scheduled? are you allowed to fax them, or do they have to be returned by mail or courier?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-18 10:27:00
Canada	Packet 3 received!	that's awesome! it also means mine should be arriving anytime now... except that i'm in Wichita until June 1. oh well, it won't take long to get the medical booked or get the criminal check done. while i'm here, i want my fiance to fill out the affadavit of support (I-134, if i recall correctly) and get it notarized so i can bring it home with me. he also has not yet received the NOA2 letter in the mail - and i've heard conflicting reports of whether or not that's needed for the interview. could you either scan or post what exactly is on the checklist to have/bring to the interview? this way we all know - at least for vancouver - up front the exact requirements. thx! and good luck for a speedy interview!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-17 12:32:00
Canada	did i goof?	done!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-03 12:40:00
Canada	did i goof?	whew! thanks!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-03 11:59:00
Canada	did i goof?	got my packet 3 on tuesday last week, went through the checklist to make sure i had/was easily and quickly able to get all the required info and documentation, and faxed it back on wednesday along with the requested DS-230 part 1. i did not include the DS-156 or DS-156K. should i have? the way i read it, i just needed to complete the forms and bring them along with me to the interview. did i make a mistake in doing this? do i need to fax these two forms as well?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-03 11:36:00
Canada	Why did you choose the US?	No-one mentioned the weather yet? we both hate the cold and snow, so i'm all for a 3 month (max) winter that only gets about 5-10 degrees Celsius below freezing. what i'm not looking forward to is the summer heat and humidity. at least we have a brand new a/c system in the house...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-03 11:07:00
Canada	Why did you choose the US?	For us, while it was a hard choice, it was decided that I should be the one to move. I have a few medical issues that make staying in Canada more than attractive due to our health care system, so this was a very large factor in the decision; luckily his benefits through work are quite good. I am very close with my immediate and extended family, even though they are spread out across western Canada; he isn't very close with any of his family, but his dad and step-brother live in Wichita as well, his mom lives in Pennsylvania. I made decent money with my job, but with Alberta's booming economy, it's not enough to support the both of us; he works at the McConnell AFB and makes very good money. Unfortunately, with the type of job he has (intell initially, and now cyber-security), his skills are not very easily transferable; any job he might qualify for here in Edmonton would entail more than a 50% pay cut. Once he has a few years in with his new position, he will have the qualifications to get a high-paying IT job pretty much anywhere in the world. I currently rent a basement suite and buying a home is several years off, mainly due to the insane prices on housing; he already owns a home. All in all, it was pretty obvious who should move. I know it will be difficult, mostly with leaving my family and getting used to the US-style health care system, but I was ready for a change and I just want to be with my honey finally. He has said all along that if for some reason my visa gets denied, he'll happily move here, but it's just financially better at this point for me to move to Wichita. That being said, we are definitely considering moving back here - either Edmonton, or elsewhere in western Canada - later on or when we retire. We went to Canmore for New Year's eve (a little B&B, so romantic), and he has said several times since then he would love to retire there...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-05-31 10:23:00
Canada	Interview Scheduled!	my mom and i are booked at the Days Inn just down from the consulate - $170 for the night (yikes!) but that was the cheapest rate of any of the hotels in the area. also found out that the shuttle to the airport leaves every 20 min from the Pan Pacific (i think i'm remember that correctly), and it's like a block from the Days Inn. the shuttle is either $13.50 one way, or $21 round trip, so that is definitely cheaper than any car rental would be. i'm getting nervous, even though i'm trying not to be. just have to get pictures printed out yet (for proof of ongoing relationship) and my police check, and then pick up my medical results, and i think i have everything...	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-07 21:04:00
Canada	Interview Scheduled!	thanks for all the info everyone, and for the well wishes i hope to book my flights tonight (yay airmiles). i know there are some hotels close to the consulate, which ones did you guys stay at (stacey, misa, etc)? would you recommend them? i think i'm going to rent a car as well; it will be much cheaper than trying to get cab rides, especially since i want to stay the extra day just in case i don't get my visa on the tuesday.	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-05 10:38:00
Canada	Interview Scheduled!	Be at the Consulate about 12:30, 12:45, you will be let right in. I'm not sure if you get the Visa that day when it is a 1 oclock appointment. You can always bring a self addressed expresspost envelope if you don't want to stay overnight there. I am glad I stayed an extra day, Dr Chana's office had to fix an error they made on my forms and I picked up my Visa the next day. I was more comfortable with having it with me as opposed to being sent in the mail. And Congrats!!!! Make sure you don't have any large bags or any electronics with you- no cell phones, nothing. If you do have anything you are not allowed to bring in, there is a cafe called Goodfellows across the street that will hold things for you. I brought a really small purse with me and that was fine. Thanks for the info Stacey, that's sort of what I was thinking as well (ie, getting there early and staying the extra day). Yeah, I expect to only have the basic stuff with me, in a small purse, along with all my paperwork. Thanks for the congrats everyone btw Stacey - what sort of questions were you asked during the interview?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-04 19:16:00
Canada	Interview Scheduled!	woohoo! just got the email saying my interview is June 19 @ 1pm in Vancouver. from what i've read, 1pm is a little late for an interview; aren't most scheduled for the mornings? also, am i also correct in recalling that visas are usually issued around 2pm in the afternoons? i'm so excited, but also a little nervous now too, lol. my medical is this week thursday, i just need to get my police check which will only take a few minutes, i have my birth certificate... i think i just need to make copies of some of the documentation, and i will be set. right? am i forgetting anything? lol i want to book my flights as soon as possible, but in order to do so, i have to know how early i have to be at the consulate, if i can expect to get my visa that day yet, etc... if i can fly in early that morning and then leave late evening, i'd prefer to do that and not have to worry about hotel. buuuut i also don't want to do that if there's a chance i will only get the actual visa the next day. argh! for those that have recently gone through this process in Vancouver (for the K1), could you please lend some insight? thanks! and wish me luck!	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-04 17:07:00
Canada	visa denied due to medical issues?	before anyone jumps to any conclusions, i have not been denied; i haven't even had my interview yet. i'm just asking because i'm nervous. on what grounds can your visa be denied due to medical issues? i know it will automatically be revoked if you have HIV, syphillis or TB, but are there any other health reasons why they would deny the visa? i have a couple medical issues (non-contagious/transmittable) that i've had for years and they really are no cause for concern these days. when i went to my medical, i took letters from my two doctors regarding the issues, and they both stated that things were going well, had been for some time, and they didn't expect things to change. i didn't mention it at the medical, but i already have a consulting physician in the US (and have for years actually), so that's a non-issue... i'm probably worrying for no reason, but it does concern me. has anyone else been in a similar situation? if so, how did it go?	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-11 11:58:00
Canada	Payment for K-1 interview in Canada	The reviews I've read of the K-1 interviews at the Vancouver consulate describe paying the $100 fee during the interview process. The checklist here (posted last February) just says that the application fee is $100 USD per person. However, on the checklist I received yesterday (for Vancouver), it says this: FEE: A $100.00 US non-refundable application fee for EACH applicant. Individuals applying for U.S. visas at Consulates in Canada must first deposit the fee to the bank. The deposit slip for your visa application fee consists of 3 pages. A separate set of deposit slips is required for each applicant. Take all three pages of the deposit slip(s) to any branch of Scotia Bank and pay the non-refundable U.S. visa application fee of US$100.00. The bank teller will stamp all three copies of your receipt and should return two copies to you. You must submit two validated deposit receipts with your visa application. The special pre-coded deposit slip can be downloaded from http://amcits.com/deposit.pdf. The Consulate cannot accept applications that do not contain two copies of your deposit receipt. Has anyone else paid this way before? Also, if this is the required way to pay now, I wanted to post about it because I almost didn't notice it after reading all the reviews describing paying in person. when did you receive your checklist? i'm guessing you have not yet received your letter for your interview in Vancouver? i just find this odd, like the others... i got my packet three - with the checklist obviously - on May 22 and mine says (looking at it right now): "FEE: A $100.00 US non-refundable application fee for EACH applicant. The fee can be in the form of a money order payable to the US Treasury, or in US FUNDS in exact change no coins. Personal checks are NOT accepted." and in my letter from Vancouver for my interview - the letter is dated May 31 2007 - it says (again, looking at it right now): "On the day of your appointment, you must have with you all required documents including the medical examination results, a valid passport, and the $100.00 US (cash only in US funds) Machine Readable Visa (MRV) processing fee per person. This non-refundable fee will be collected whether the visa is issued or denied." there is absolutely nothing about having to deposit at a bank first, so i don't know what to say i'm just going to bring my $100 US cash to the consulate with me and hope that they take it, since that's what all the documentation they've sent me tells me to do.	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-11 11:22:00
Canada	Making the move with your pets	if you're bringing food with you, make sure the bag says that it's manufactured in the US or they will NOT let it across. i had the same question when i called the border the other day (i plan to cross at pembina, north dakota) and the lady i spoke with greatly emphasized this. i'd also keep the food in the bag (obviously), and easy to get at so you can prove that it is legit to go across with you. just wanted to lend this piece of knowledge	AndreaK	Not Telling	Canada	2007-06-13 21:20:00