ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaPolice Certificate older than 12 months
I believe that you are required to have a police certificate for every place that you have lived for 6 months or more since the age of 16, and those certificates must not be older than 1 year. I would suggest that you look into getting a current one, as it can delay you by months with the current processing times in Montreal if they ask for a current one at the interview and you do not have it, as well as the additional time that it will take to obtain a new one from Australia. A little bit of hassle now can save you a lot of grief in the future!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-10 20:36:00
CanadaHow did you meet?
Si and I met through hot or not. He was deployed in Iraq at the time, and we both liked going through and rating people to pass the time. We started chatting on yahoo and talked pretty much every day for the last 3 months of his deployment. Our first in person meeting was his Welcome Home Ceremony when he returned from Iraq. I looked like a fish out of water trying to spot him among the 200 or so soldiers all dressed in their combat gear (kevlar helmets and saftey glasses included) out on a parade field in the dark!! Luckily I stood off to the side and he spotted me. 2 weeks later we went on a trip to the Dominican Republic with a bunch of my friends and the rest is history!!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-05 19:54:00
Canadamontreal embassy?? taking long?
It would be nice if they would schedule the interview and send that date (even if it is 5 months in advance) when they recieve and approve the P3. This would at least give people a timeline and allow them to plan their lives a little bit more
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-10 10:13:00
Canadamontreal embassy?? taking long?

how long would you suspect it take to transfer everything to the vancouver embassy?

Since I didn't end up doing this I am unsure, but I am somewhat certain it would have taken less than the 5 months I had to wait for an interview!!! I know there have been a few instances where a file was sent to the wrong consulate and had to be transferred. Maybe a thread asking for people who had experience with this might yield you an approximate answer.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-08 18:51:00
Canadamontreal embassy?? taking long?

Hey everyone, sorry to butt into your conversation, but I saw you were on the topic of the Vancouver consulate and I had a question. I live in Alberta, would I automatically be directed to the Vancouver consulate for the interview, or would I have to request to be there?

If you are a K1 you would be automatically directed there. On the I-129f Question 20 asks what consulate your canadian fiance(e) will apply to. You will put Vancouver in this box. There have been a few cases when NVC has accidentally sent the package to the wrong consulate, but generally an e-mail to both consulates asking for the file to be re-directed takes care of this.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-08 18:48:00
Canadamontreal embassy?? taking long?

can you have it transfered to vancouver even if you don't live there or don't know anyone that does?

You would need to have a mailing address in one of the Western provinces for this to work. I was living in Ottawa, but all my family lived in Alberta, so I could have easily used any of their addresses. And it would have to be an address where someone would be recieving mail ( you couldn't just rent a PO box for this) in case you recieve an RFE or some other sort of corrospondence from them. You would need someone to forward it off to you!!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-06 19:29:00
Canadamontreal embassy?? taking long?
Outstanding! I wish I could just say I was moving to a friends and do that... but like you said it takes them so long to respond to the request its almost not worth it. I would pay to fly to Vancouver for an interview over waiting 4-6 months like packet 3 says.
[/quote]

Since you have just submitted P3 recently, I think it still would be faster to have it transferred to Vancouver. I think I still had over a 2 month wait from the time my interview was scheduled until my interview!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-06 16:24:00
Canadamontreal embassy?? taking long?
I ended up having to wait 6 months from the time I got my NOA2(sept 2009) and interview (Mar 2010). About halfway thru the wait I enquired to see if I could get my case transferred to Vancouver (I told them I was moving to my parents home in Alberta). It took them about 11 weeks to respond (and I had recieved my mtl appt by that time, so I decided to wait it out) but they would have done it. So if you have a relative in the west that you could "move" in with, there is a potential of speeding up the process. I only wish that I had made the request sooner. I know that this is not the proper way of doing things, but it will speed up your process and that of others since there will not be as many people waiting for montreal!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-06 10:34:00
CanadaApply for SSN right away or wait after married?

A few years ago another VJer decided to wait until after marriage and then was too close to the end of the I-94 and they denied it. Unexpectedly, they found out she needed a SSN to be added to her husband's health insurance - they wouldn't budge - so wasn't able to do that until after her AOS was approved - which took a number of months - long enough in fact for her to become pregnant and have the baby - all without medical insurance because she didn't get the SSN early enough.

There have also been horror stories here of SSA not accepting the marriage certificate to change a name after marriage even when the I-94 is still valid and by the time the problem was worked out (a lot of back and forth) the I-94 was no longer valid and they also weren't able to get the SSN until after they got their EAD or green card.

Life happens. Unexpected stuff happens. A lot of things here in the US revolve around having a SSN - unlike in Canada where only the government is allowed to use or access your S.I.N, for example - a Driver's License. In many states a SSN is required to get a DL along with an unexpired immigration status with a finite date (EAD or green card).

I would say get your SSN when you arrive then go back in and change the name after you are married. If they refuse to change the name until after the green card is processed, you still have your SSN and can still use it if it is required for things like health insurance, bank accounts, etc.

Great points Katherine. I was required to have my SSN to be added to insurance as well. I waited until after we were married and I had my marriage certificate with me and they would only issue it in my maiden name still. To me it wasn't worth the hassle of going back and forth to try to change it, so I decided to just wait until I get my EAD and need to have the notation removed off of it, then I can change my name at the same time. But since my SSN number was in my maiden name, I had to get my DL isssued in my maiden name as well. For the bank I was able to take my marriage certificate and have accounts set up in my married name.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-19 11:19:00
CanadaDoes EAD/AP/AOS take extra long...

All applications are processed in the order they are received - the sooner you do it, the sooner it will be processed.

I disagree with this. I applied for my AOS at the end of May, and still do not have my appointment letter for my biometrics while some other people who applied within a day or so already have their EAD. Their file may be entered into the system in order that it is recieved, but I think it depends on how busy the local office is when it comes to processing time.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-20 13:44:00
CanadaOHIP and Health Insurance coverage
I took a chance and ended up needing to go to the ER one night. I now have a few thousand dollars in medical bills to pay and no income coming in. I thought that I would have been covered by my husbands insurance right away (we got married soon after POE) but we didn't realize that because he was only part time, that I would not be covered. I would suggest investing in some kind of "emergency" insurance. A few hundred dollars is a small price to pay compared to what it could be!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-22 09:42:00
CanadaRenewing Passport
I would get my new passport while still in canada, but my visa and I-94 will still be in my old passport which has to be given back when I apply for the new one. My AP is in my married name, so I am not worried about the names not matching. I am also travelling with my marriage certificate just in case!!

I was just unsure when returning to the US using my AP if I was required to still have my I-94.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-29 20:12:00
CanadaRenewing Passport
I know there have been a few theads on this, but I have limited access to the net and not a lot of time to search through to find my answer.

I am in Canada and thinking of changing my name on my passport. I am only travelling on my AP so I am not sure if I still need to have my visa and I-94 when I return to the states. Does anyone know if I can get my new passport now or if I have to wait until I have my GC.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-08-29 16:14:00
CanadaAOS Question
I called around and I couldn't find a civil surgeon who would just transcribe my vaccinations without doing the full medical. Also I never recieved the worksheet from the panel physician (Dr. Seiden in Mtl) but did contact them and they told me that the worksheet would have been included in the package that was in the sealed envelope. I wrote a note and added a copy of the I-693 instructions that said if you had a medical overseas you are not required to submit the I-693. SO far I haven't had an RFE, but I am still awaiting my biometrics appt, so not sure if they would have got that far in processing my application.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-12 19:33:00
CanadaPOE

You will have to go to a PoE to import your car, before the DMV will register it. If your PoE is close you can do it there, but if there is an international airport closer you can call the CBP "Deferred Inspection Unit" at the airport. Make an appointment and bring your car (plus compliance letters and proof of ownership) and they can import your car and give you the paperwork the DMV will need to register it.

You'll want to look up the blue book value of your car before you go. They'll need it for one of the import forms.


You will need to fill out an HS-7 form, and a customs delcartaion form at the border. You will also need to give them your compliance letter. They will stamp them with a big red stamp and give them back to you. The CBP guy who did mine suggested that I make color copies of them and give those to the DMV when registering so if they keep them (my DMV did not) you still have the originals if you should ever need them.

At Ft Drum you are not too far to go back to the border and have this done. It took me about 20 mins to get mine done when I did it. I think that I had to provide the mileage on the car...can't quite remember....Just remember to have it converted from Km to Mi if they do!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-21 07:58:00
CanadaPOE

congrats on the move!

although I am wondering about the car thing because from what i read on here I was under the impression you had to do something at the border to import your car...


I agree...did you tell them that you wanted to import your car? There should have been a form you filled out and they should have stamped for when you want to register your vehicle. You had to fill out an HS-7 form, and then they gave me a customs declaration form as well to fill out. They stamped the customs declaration, HS-7 and my compliance letter with a big red Department of Homeland Security stamp.

At least if you are in Ft. Drum, you don't have that far to go back to do the import!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-20 13:15:00
CanadaMontreal Embassy, Transportation, Hotel ?

Book on hotwire or priceline, we got our hotel at the Delta Montral, walking distance to the consulate, for $55 a night

Good luck

I did the same thing and stayed in the same hotel. It was a very nice hotel, and only about a 5 min walk to the consualte from there. I can't comment on transport from the airport to the hotel as I drove, but generally there are shuttle services that go from airports to the downtown hotels for a fairly reasonable price.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-24 09:52:00
CanadaAnyone feel like they've made a huge mistake?
I so miss the bulk barn as well. I do some cake decorating and they were the best for buying things for that. They carry a different brand of fondant, and IMO it is a lot better tasting and better to work with than the wilton stuff....and half the price!! They generally have a big selection of pans as well, a lot more than Michaels and again....better prices. They also carry a small selection of British foods, and have this Yorkshire pudding mix that is the BEST. I stocked up on a bunch of stuff when I was home last month!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-27 13:53:00
CanadaChildren
I am 37 and soon to become a first time parent. So far all the tests indicate we have a healthy little baby girl on the way!! I am still awaiting my EAD so we are only living on one income, and unfortunatley hubby is working his way up the ladder and doesn't make that great of a wage right now. It is tough to make ends meet, but luckily we have a supportive family who has helped us out when we really needed it. We currently live in a 2br apartment as well. We know right now that things are tough financially, but we will make it through.....and things will only get better financially once I can work and as hubby gets promoted. My ex was always worried about having enough money so we always put off having kids, and it ended up being one of the larger issues that lead to us getting divorced. It has meant that we have had to sacrifice some of the things we enjoyed doing ( we now go to the movies once a month instead of every week, rarely eat out, don't travel as much as we would like) but we know that the joy and happiness we will get from having a family will far outweight that of movie night!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-18 06:35:00
CanadaFinally going to Canada!
Have a great time. Be careful of all the yummy canadian foods that you have been deprived of!!! I know I came back from my recent trip a few pounds heavier :(
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-28 17:50:00
CanadaEating Differences
I like a McD's cheeseburger or a quarterpounder with cheese every now and then, but I have never been able to eat a Bic Mac because of the sauce....ick!! I also have never been brave enough to try a filet o fish....they look nasty!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-29 10:53:00
CanadaEating Differences

i put mayo on just about everyting, hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches. ketchup i dont use on sandwiches but i do add it to the mayo on same items. most meat like roast beef etc its' mustard.

lately i've been putting bbq sauce on most of my stuff...i have no idea why. lol. maybe it's been too long since i had a bbq meal?

although what i miss..is good old HP Sauce...:( A1 just is not the same.

I find here that Kroger's and some Food Cities have a little british food section, so I can usually find HP sauce there. If not we have a World Market not too far away.

Pretty much all of the grocery stores here carry Clamato juice (some even have their store brand versions of it), which I was somewhat shocked to see. I could see that in states closer to the border, but not in TN. It would just be nice to be able to order a Ceaser when we go out for a meal :(
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-28 13:20:00
CanadaCivil Surgeon for Med Docs
I did not go to a CS when applying for AOS. All the ones in my area required me to do the whole medical over and they wouldn't just transcribe my vacinations onto the I-693. And the instructions for the I-693 state that if you have had an oversea's medical and if the DS3025 was completed correctly and inculded with your medical that was submitted to USCIS, you are not required to have the info transcribed or another medical. I included a letter as well as the section of the instructions that states this with my AOS package. I did not recieve a vaccination worksheet when I had my medical (I think because I provided titre results and I had a copy of those) but I did confirm with Dr Seiden that the DS3025 was submitted as part of my medical.

I am 4 months into my AOS being processed and I have not had any RFE's yet (fingers crossed). I know that several people from Canada have done the same thing. If you want I can send you the letter that I inculded with my package.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-29 10:42:00
CanadaWant Credit?
We went the route of getting a secured credit card and within about 2 months I started recieving credit card applications in the mail. Most are for capital one...sometimes I get 3 a week from them!! But have got a couple others....can't recall what ones tho.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-09-30 16:46:00
CanadaA Place to Get Passport Photo Taken?
I just got ones done at Costco, then cut them down to 2x2. I used these for my I-129f, medical and interview and had no issues.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-03 13:44:00
CanadaAOS interview Monday, job interview Tuesday - tomorrow first day of work!
Congrats!! That was nice and fast. Too bad it can't be quick like that for everyone searching for a job!

Wow - how awesome is that!

Of course now your Cinderfella can't make dindin every night :)


Well...she did say he only works until 3:30....that is PLENTY of time to still make dinner!! :lol:
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-06 05:51:00
CanadaOHIP
I have health care so it is not an issue for me...it was more a hypothetical question, as one of the responses was that since you are not paying taxes, you do not qualify, but you can still be paying taxes in certain situations. It is more out of curisoity if anyone had ever enquired about this. And you could still own property in Ontario as well (a rental unit). So I think if you are considering trying to use OHIP it is defitinely worth calling to clairify if you fall into one of these situations. I think it will be that you have to currently be residing in Ontario in order to use it, regardless if you pay tax or not!!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-07 08:52:00
CanadaOHIP
What if you have paid taxes tho? I recieved a severance package from my former employer and it was paid out this tax year and it was for 6 months, so technically I was paying taxes on income that would have been earned past my POE date. And what if you collect EI...you pay tax on that as well? Not that I would claim anything on OHIP since I have insurance here. But would it be possible in a situation like this?
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-06 21:26:00
CanadaTRANSFERRING CND DRIVERS LICENSE TO USA LICENSE

I've never heard of a state that requires a copy of your driving record, so I think it's safe to assume you won't be needing that.

I needed to have one in Tennessee!!! I thought I was being smart and had one done when I was home in Canada for my interview, but by the time I got around to getting my SSN and my DL....it was older than 30 days, so I had to get another one :(
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-10 15:54:00
CanadaTRANSFERRING CND DRIVERS LICENSE TO USA LICENSE
I am in TN and didn't have to do a driving or written exam, but they did ask for a drivers abstract from Canada. I had to have my SSN and proof of residency as well (lease agreement, bills with name and address etc). They didn't take my canadian DL either. Best to check with the DMV where you are moving to.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-10 12:49:00
CanadaBrining food products into the US?

Random but your Ketchup Chips (had to google them) are called Heinz Big Red Tomato Sauce chips here and I LOVE them. Have a huge back sitting in the pantry as we speak. Can't waste them :)

I have bought the Heinz ones here, and the taste is no where comparable to the Lay's ketchup chips!!! I LOVE ketchup chips and I had a hard time getting through a bag of the Heinz ones, they just didn't taste quite right. :(
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-11 11:47:00
CanadaCanadian Thanksgiving
I am going to make a thanksgiving dinner. I had invited my in-laws and I think that the SIL and family are coming, but unfortunately my MIL has to work all weekend :( Even if it were the 2 of us I think I would still do a small turkey. I can freeze the leftovers...and they come in handy for a quick meal!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-04 11:39:00
CanadaHow long does the mail take?
It has been taking about 10-14 days for mail to get from Ontario to Tennessee for me.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-12 09:44:00
CanadaPolice Clearance certificate

Depends on where you are. In Ottawa it said it can take months. Which is crazy because it is just a quick check. I got mine same day because I have a family member on the force. I have been told its quicker with the RCMP, but either way I would go ahead and get it now. It's only $15.

I had mine done in Ottawa (at the Kanata OPP office) and had it in 15 minutes. I think it cost me $30.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-14 08:57:00
CanadaEI Report card question

Just make sure when you leave your work it's close to when you leave.
If you quit your job weeks before and try to claim, they give you a hard time.

Or if you have a good working relationship with your bosses and want to leave earlier, you can ask for a layoff. Then you can get some extra time to pack and tie up loose ends. And EI doesn't question that, just ensure that you still apply for benefits within the 4 week period.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-14 09:34:00
CanadaEI but no EAD Yet?

Your EAD card was approved in August but you didn't get the EAD Card till recently?...and when was your EI/Maternity to start?

I had to wait 4+ months for my bio appt, and they had approved my EAD during that time but couldn't issue the card until they had the biometrics to put on it. The effective date on my EAD card is Aug 9th, so as far as EI is concerned that is when I would have been able to work. I knew that my chances of getting a job would be pretty slim being 7 months pregnant at the time, so I didn't start a job search, and that my EI claim was set up to flip to my Maternity benefits asap (8 weeks before your due date is when you can start claiming maternity benefits). I became eligible for mat benefits starting this week. I still have the 2 week waiting period before I start receving my benefits, but at least it will finally be some income coming in!! Had I started a basic job search when I filed my AOS (or shortly after) I would have been able to submit proof of that ti EI and they would have paid my claim back to the point when my EAD was effective.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-20 14:19:00
CanadaEI but no EAD Yet?
I called about something that is similar to this issue. My EAD was approved in Aug, but I didn't receive my card until this past weekend. I was looking into whether I would be able to back date my claim to that date. If I had started a job search (and could prove it with supporting documents) they would have back dated the claim. Since I knew that my claim was going to flip to maternity benefits starting this week, I didn't really bother with the job search, but now I wish I had at least put my resume up on monster and sent a few resume's off while I was waiting....it would heve been an extra couple thousand dollars in my pocket :(

It is not often that you get such a big discrepancy between your approval date and actually getting the card, but I would advise people to at least start a very basic job search when applying for AOS. That way if you are in a similar situation your claim can be back-dated.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-20 13:55:00
CanadaWhoa....

It totally sucks donkey balls! I'll need my passport to travel soon!

I would definitely get your husband (or even you can do it yourself....as I did) to contact the congressman for your area. They have immigration liasons that will look into your case for you. With it being election time in a few weeks....it is amazing how fast they can/will look into something for you!!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-20 14:04:00
CanadaCan someone explain the EI thing to me, in simplified terms?

Colleens, I worked in Canada from September 2009 to April 2010. Do you think I will be eligible for EI?

You will have to look on the service canada website and see if you meet the minimum hours required for a claim. The minimum is based on the area you lived in and the unemployment rate in that area. Check out the "How many hours of work do I need to qualify" bullet in this linkfor more info. If you have any questions after that, give them a call....they have always been very helpful when I have had any issues.

Did you work full time during that period? If so you should qualify for benefits. The amount you get depends on your salary. The only issue you may have is that generally you have to apply for EI within 4 weeks of leaving your job (even if you will not be collecting benefits immediately). I think that you will need to give them a call and see if you can still put in a claim.
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-20 19:20:00
CanadaCan someone explain the EI thing to me, in simplified terms?
This EI is through Canada. As you have worked and paid into the fund you are able to claim on it provided you meet the requirements (hours worked etc)
Here is the link to the Service Canada website it will contain all the information on how many hours you needed to work in order to qualify, how to apply and how to go about your claim once in the US. Service Canada

You will want to look into the "Employment Insurance Regular Benefits" bullet as it will have info on how many hours you need to qualify as well as the "Employment insurance and workers and/or residents outside Canada" bullet as it will explain that you need to legally be able to work in the US in order to claim (have your EAD or Green Card). There is also a pinned thread at the top of the forum with a lot of EI info in it....have a read through!!
ColleensFemaleCanada2010-10-20 06:29:00