ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaVisa granted
Sounds like my experience on Jan 18: lots of security and no one in the waiting room. Lady at window asking for documents and the interview in Room 8. Very few questions ... employer letter and pay stubs were enough. Visa arrives in 3 business days. Yes, thanks to this site, we're prepared and more so! Congratulations on your success!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 22:45:00
CanadaK1 Visa success in Vancouver today!
Yes, you hit the nail on the head: well prepared equals success. Glad to hear more good news coming out of Canada!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 07:48:00
CanadaHome of the Brave, Land of the Free
Hey, Carla, hey's another "Welcome to the United States," and a virtual hug! Glad to hear your POE experience went smoothly. Now you can work on becoming a bride!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-25 07:27:00
CanadaGuess who got the visa?
Alright! I'm cracking a cold one in your honour!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-25 21:50:00
CanadaJust got a job offer!
Fantastic! Go get 'em!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-23 22:47:00
CanadaWant a better job?
Drug screens are fairly common in Jersey. I never had one in Toronto, but can say that there is extensive background checking in both countries for jobs in the financial sector. They check your university degrees, since people are prone to lie about these. And your credit history, since you cannot have been bankrupt if you're in a position where you give financial advice or even write about financial products.

In Toronto, they generally hire you first, and the criminal, credit, and education checks take place during the first month of your employment, often by private detective agencies based in the States. There's rarely a problem.

In Jersey, the month of checking (and drug screens) takes place before you're allowed to enter the building for your first day on the job. There have been so many problems and deal breakers that headhunters recommend you don't give notice at your current job until all the tests are complete. Did you hear of the girl who tested positive for heroin after eating a poppy seed bagel?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-27 06:52:00
CanadaWant a better job?
After 911, many financial orgs moved across the Hudson River to places like Weehawkin, NJ. So it's not so much the case that NJ is competing for talent that would ordinarilly commute to The City. In my opinion, The City is spreading out to Jersey.

Salaries in Jersey are still below those in New York, where people have to pay tax to work there, no matter where they reside. But the closer you get to the Lincoln Tunnel, the more likely you are to see some cabbage.

(No facts; I'm making this up.)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-26 22:04:00
CanadaWant a better job?
Gupt, here's the deal: women make higher salaries in New Jersey than any other State. So get a sex change. :lol:
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-26 21:48:00
CanadaWant a better job?
Yes, drinking H2O can be risky behaviour, but I did it for the money!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-26 21:43:00
CanadaWant a better job?
How hard could it be to give a urine sample for a drug screen? I figured I'd go to the Lab when it opened at 8:00AM, pee in the jar, and be at work by 9:00, no one the wiser I was getting closer to a better job.

I'd kept myself clean of caffeine and alcohol for 48 hours prior, even though I was in Montreal, celebrating a successful visa interview with my husband, whom I hadn't seen for 10 months.

But the test demanded a "split sample," meaning two large vials and I couldn't "give enough"! So I was given three hours and a seat in the waiting room next to the water cooler. I was knocking them back like there was no tomorrow, all the while with a whopper sinus headache and a couple of 222's in my purse I dared not take.

I called my boss and said I was delayed. Two hours later, I filled the jar to overflowing, and we're talking Starbuck's grande size. Afterwards, I popped the 222's and pushed my bloated body into the car to drive to work. I felt sick all day long.

Good jobs in New Jersey? Absolutely. But never let anyone tell you it's impossible to get a hangover from drinking a gallon of water!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-26 21:32:00
Canadafavorite things you'll miss from canada
I miss being able to buy good over-the-counter drugs such as 222's, Robaxet, Allegra and a few others. Prescription drugs are big business in the States and you have to pay for everything, so bring your favourites.

While you're stocking up on Chez Whiz, think about this: the aisles of the supermarkets in the States are filled with junk food. But not to worry, because in the last aisle, there's a pharmacy. That's where your high health insurance premiums will help you pay hundreds a month for pills to keep your cholesterol in check (from eating all that Chez Whiz). You'll get to live another 20 years on expensive meds!

Later, if you're lucky, you'll be in a nursing home so they can keep you alive another few years at $8,000 a month. It's all big business. So have another cheeseburrger and keep the economy healthy.

Edited by Jersey Girl, 04 October 2006 - 07:09 PM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-10-04 19:08:00
CanadaInspired by flames
I changed mine in a particularly paranoid moment when I realized I was showing my own face instead of a cartoon or movie star or sunset like everybody else.

The smiling moron is "Tillie," a weird graphic above an amusement arcade in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The town went to hell in a handbasket but when it was suggested that Tillie be torn down, there was a protest bigger than Save-the-Whales.

I think he does a fine job of protecting my identity while representing a bizarre and sometimes grotesque culture, which I happen to love. Nothing like 38 years in Canada to make you fully appreciate The Shore, Taylor Pork Roll, and the State with the most diners!

Edited by Jersey Girl, 26 January 2007 - 08:49 PM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-26 20:47:00
CanadaK-3 approved!
If you want information that will help you with the interview process, stop reading, because none of this could possibly happen again.

It was a gray, cold Montreal morning when we got to the Consulate at 7:45AM. Our interview was scheduled for 8:15. We were prepared to stand outside waiting, stamping our feet in the snow with other people but there was no one there. After the security check, the guard escorted us onto the elevator. We were the only ones there.

At the first window, a lady collected our documents and asked us to have a seat and wait to pay the fee. We were the only ones there. We paid, went back to the first window and submitted our receipt. A few folks trickled in. We waited five minutes and were called for the interview.

A very nice fellow asked a few questions, and wanted evidence for the I-134. He was satisfied with my employer letter and last paystub, which showed year-to-date earnings for 2006. The visa was approved but he couldn't say when it would arrive. "A few days, perhaps..."

We left less than an hour after we'd arrived. People were starting to line up at the front door.

The whole experience was surreal, as if all Consulate business was suspended while we entered the building privately and had our interview. I was in shock for hours afterwards, drank a whole bottle of wine and suddenly started speaking French.

We were at the Hyatt, which was very comfortable and a deal on hotwire.com. We spent the next two days shopping, eating poutine and smoked meat sandwiches, and enjoying ourselves. We imagine the visa will arrive in Toronto Monday or Tuesday and he'll be entering by next week-end.

I'm still in shock...
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-20 20:50:00
CanadaBuying a metric to imperial conversion chart of caluclator?
Well, you could give him a couple of useful links:

For quick temperatures:

temps

And for everything else under the sun:

knock yourself out
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-30 05:58:00
CanadaCurious about when to file AOS
Thank you for the valuable insights. I've decided to mail AOS and EAD separately, in order to get a 2-year EAD.

Newark is showing processing times of 7 months to a greencard and 3 months for EAD. Posted dates are always a tease, in my opinion, to be taken with a grain of salt. But they're all we have to base a decision on. So I'm forking over $180, hoping an EAD really does come in 3 months.

As for all the forms, I feel like Al Pacino in Godfather III: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-30 06:37:00
CanadaCurious about when to file AOS
Okay, I'm confused. Right now I'm getting ready to send the AOS (I-485) and EAD (I-765) together, listing the category as c (9).

But Reba and riblet -- you seem to be saying to send EAD first. To Chicago? Listing the category as (a) (9)? Because the EAD will last the life of the K-3?

What happens if you send them together? Only a one-year EAD that needs to be renewed?

If I send the EAD first, how soon afterards would I send the AOS (I-485)?

Sorry to be such a dunce today...
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-28 07:09:00
CanadaCurious about when to file AOS
I'm filling out the I-765 (EAD) and it requires 2 photos less than 30 days old. So he'll be getting those on Monday. The Post Office here is open until 7:00PM, so the AOS package may still go out that evening.

As for the bitter cold, well, he never felt a thing in Toronto ... was always warm blooded ... never wore any of the toques or sweaters I knitted for him. His only compliant was that he didn't like to shave when it was cold. We both laugh at the way people in Jersey go nuts when the temp dips to freezing.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-27 11:37:00
CanadaCurious about when to file AOS
My husband will enter tomorrow on his K-3. It's a Sunday. I hope to have his AOS in the mail as soon as the Post Office opens on Monday. The EAD will be included in the pile of docs and it's all going to the Chicago lockbox. Hope I'm doing the right thing...
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-27 07:00:00
CanadaCalling Montreal Consulate
Just be polite when you call. They're generally polite in return. But understand that Montreal is slow, and has instituted new procedures. This could easily be the longest part of your journey, so don't be surprised if things drag on for months. Good luck!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-31 07:52:00
CanadaCanada to US story
MO! What a story! You're like a pioneer who travelled over rough terraine and finally made it! I'm opeing a beer in your honour. (And forwarding your name to the Pentagon because you could probably go to Iraq and solve all the problems!)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-30 23:07:00
CanadaThe gods are smiling down on us :)
Wow! You persevered and won! Glad to hear you overcame a last-minute obstacle and got the visa!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-30 22:59:00
CanadaI'm Outta Here
Good luck and Godspeed. Drive safely because there's no rush!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-03 19:20:00
CanadaImmigrating to Canada
This will not help anyone except to make you smile. Back in 1967, when Montreal invited the world for Expo, my husband and I (both Yanks) flew into Dorval and became landed immigrants on the spot.

They X-rayed us for TB and asked if we had enough money, then sent us on our way as legal permanent residents. We breathed in the fresh air, having just escaped the War in Viet Nam, or so we thought. Then we realized everybody was speaking French. :o

Edited by Jersey Girl, 04 February 2007 - 08:00 AM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-04 07:59:00
CanadaAtlanta Canadians
Thanks Kathryn. There were lots of jumping off points for everyone else living in the U.S. Here's what I found for those of us in the "Tri-State Area" :

The Canadian Consulate in New York City.
http://geo.internati...p?lang_update=1

For Canadians in the Washington DC area:
http://www.connect2canada.com/


Canadian cultural events in NY
http://www.dfait-mae...ide/menu-en.asp
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-04 08:15:00
CanadaFilling out DS-156 - Have you ever been issued a visa
Don't overthink this one. If you've never been issued a visa, say "no." Cross border shopping trips by Canucks don't count.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-04 07:50:00
CanadaThings to do to make my Canadian feel at home.
Cass, don't baby him! He can find Molson Canadian in any good liquor store. What he needs is to be acclimated to American culture. Buy him a gun! B)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-01-30 23:37:00
Canadai got my interview date
Good news! You'll have the visa before you know it. Enjoy the sushi!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-05 21:08:00
CanadaMntrl Pckt 3 checklist
Get certified copies of marriage and divorce certs. That goes for the USC as well as the foreign national. They ask to see the divorce for sure at the K visa interview and may keep a photocopy.

If you don't already have these, arrange now to have them sent since it can take a while to get them. You'll also need to include photocopies if you apply for AOS.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-07 06:26:00
CanadaBeen a while
Ah ha! So you landed near Boston! Go see The Departed and get a point-of-view on the Irish Mafia there! If I may quote Jack Nicholson: "In this country, we don't show up for a meeting with automatic weapons!" (Okay, you had to be there...)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-07 19:00:00
CanadaThe dreaded EA stamp
The sands are shifting. At the border, they used to deal with immigration issues. But post 911, they seem to be dealing increasingly with border crossing issues only. Homeland Security and the FBI seem to be in control of immigration now. Hence, the evaporation of EADs at the border.

We are all legal immigrants being put through all kinds of hoops. It makes me wonder what kinds of hoops they may have in store for illegal immigrants.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-07 18:48:00
CanadaThe dreaded EA stamp
I believe someone recently got EAD at ... The Ambassador Bridge in Detroit? I'm low on estrogen here, so someone with more memory cells can correct me. But it was an unusual event.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-07 06:32:00
CanadaK3-CR1 Debate
A trip to Montreal for two, including airfare, taxis to and from Dorval, hotel, meals, etc. can be quite costly. Although I love the city, it may not be the best choice, financially speaking, to go back for a CR-1 interview. We'll adjust status in New Jersey.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-09 09:44:00
CanadaK3-CR1 Debate
Pour me another glass of Beaujolais, Stacey, and let's compare notes, because my husband recently entered from Toronto on a K3 and we've filed for AOS.

The rules and forms seem to change on a monthly basis, which is why even an immigration attorney can't be up-to-date on all the latest changes!

Hang out here, get the information and real-life experiences, and move forward with your plan regardless of the pompous know-it-alls!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-07 18:53:00
CanadaK3-CR1 Debate
Never a dull moment, eh? You can come on K3 and adjust status. You can also come on K3 and go back to Montreal for the CR-1 interview. It's up to you. Which one is more efficient in terms of time and money?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-07 18:38:00
CanadaMontreal interview Feb. 7
Great! Glad to hear you have the visa. Now. The next time you're in one of the most romantic cities in the world, spend the extra $40 bucks for a hotel with a deep tub, fragrant shampoo, and 600-thread count sheets, so you can celebrate in style! In fact, celebrate "Visa Day" every year as an anniversary.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-09 19:14:00
CanadaCustoms pre-clearance in Toronto?
My husband entered on a K-3 exactly 2 weeks ago at Pearson. It was a Sunday ... uneventful ... the whole thing took about 20 minutes.

The officer did not know how to process the visa and had to ask someone else, who looked it up in a book. Yes, they take you into a room for secondary inspection.

Be sure he gets the I-94 form put into his passport because you'll need it later to adjust status (AOS) and apply for work authorization (EAD).

I'm always a Nervous Nelly, and told him to allow an extra hour and half, on top of the extra security time that's the new normal. As a result, he spent most of the day at the airport reading a book!

Oh yes, tell him to eat well beforehand or he'll be paying $8.00 for a nasty cheese sandwich.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-11 07:16:00
CanadaInterview date for MTL Embassy
Congratulations. After you check and re-check all your documents, you can look forward to the next stage: getting married and getting ready for the next round of forms!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-05 21:12:00
CanadaHAPPY VD
VD can also be seen as Victory Day (or Dance) and that's what we all ultimately will have with our honeys! Have a good day, everybody!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-14 06:30:00
CanadaI'm stressing a little ...
Our K-3 was approved in July '06 and we didn't have the interview until 6 months later.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-13 21:59:00
CanadaTomorrow's the day!!!!!!
Godspeed, jg. Stay flexible! If you get snowed in along the way, enjoy yourself wherever you happen to be! Drive safely, be good to yourself, and let the adventure unfold.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2007-02-14 18:22:00