ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada
hmmm talking about all of this food makes me want to drive across the border and get some tasty Canadian snacks. I feel lucky since I'm only a 48 minute drive to Niagra Falls.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-24 11:54:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

I used to help with the chicago marathon about 12 years ago!

Lucky you! I'm jealous. The whole race is so well organized and to run in a city like that was amazing. I loved how the crowds would go 30 people deep at some points. Great, great city!
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-24 10:57:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

No, not me. I've been here six years. Four in Florida and two in DC.

Aah okay.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-24 09:44:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

I've been told that the Wegmans in Hamburg is the best, though I've never been to it. In Buffalo, I usually go to the one by Boulevard Mall. It has a good selection.

Boo that sucks..thanks for the tip. I will check out both.

By the way, when did you go for your interview at the consulate? Was it on the 25th on April? I seem to recall chatting with a girl who was moving to DC so I am wondering if that was you?
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-24 09:34:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

I'm from Chicago, we're all by far very very offensive drivers.
But i'm also extremely defensive.
Also, my husband has names for all of the road signs

I LOVE CHI-TOWN and am a Bears fan...my poor hubby is a Bill's fan. I always tell him that he should cheer for a winning team instead of a bunch of losers like the Bills. There is no better place than CHI-TOWN...ran the marathon in 06,07 and 2010...loved it and they know how to do it right! Unlike Toronto where cars and drivers just yell at you to get off the road.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-24 09:26:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

Our Wegmans carries a large array of Canadian cheese, as well as european. I find the Collier cheese from Wales has the best bite and flavour, and is less expensive than the Canadian cheese.


The medical attention I have received in the US has been excellent. The health insurance boggles my mind and has me totally confused. This co-pay thing is mind-boggling.

CBC radio.... is on Sirius/XM so I sometimes listen to that.

I am very happy to now be living in an area where there are miles of walking trails. Where we lived in FL I could only walk the neighbourhood or get in the car and drive somewhere to walk. :lol:


I am so sorry, Canadiandggal. (F)


I know exactly that feeling. And so does my husband because he says Canada has a different (better) feel to it as well.


No, PC began in its own right, quite separate and apart from Walmart. The concept began as a way to brand items which were higher quality than the no name generic brands.

Krikit, what Wegmens location do you shop at? The Wegmen's that I have been to in Buffalo and Rochester don't have the best selection of cheese so I would like to know which Wegmen's does...don't mind driving even if it is 2 hours away just to get my cheese fix

Bahaha, OMG it's true. The difference between Floridian drivers and Torontonian drivers is INSANE. My fiance HATES driving up here because he says we're the worst drivers in the entire world. And they also hate when Canadians come down there - they have nicknames for us! LOL.

HAHHAHA KT I agree with you about Canadian drivers, they are the worst especially in Ontario on the 401...hello the left hand lane is for passing only!
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-24 09:19:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

One of the only things I miss is Chinese food. Especially seafood Chow Mein. I don't know why, but I've had the same type of crispy thin noodles with the right type of squid and sauce in restaurants in Windsor to Toronto and they're always so freaking amazing. Here no matter what state I am in, I have yet in 15 years found one single restaurant that can do it anywhere close to how they do it up there in Canuckia...



ooh remember Mr. Pongs back in the day in TO? You would be out late at nite and would be starving and then walk out and would see a Mr. Pong's truck parked outside on Queen St. W.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-23 10:22:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

Oh, Canada!:D

I definitely miss peameal bacon - what they call Canadian bacon certainly doesn't deserve the name! The cornmeal coating is so much part of it too!



-CBC TV and radio - Canadian programming just has a different flavour and I miss it;


Ok - have to stop now or I'm going to make myself homesick all over again!

Aww Kathryn...didn't want to post this to make you homesick..sorry :(

I do agree with you about what they call Canadian bacon down here. It sucks. Luckily I was able to go back to TO on Friday, bought 4 packs of it and brought it back with me where I promptly stuck 3 in the freezer and made eggs benny with the other one on Saturday....it was gooood!!

I also miss CBC TV as well and was a news junkie back home. Remember when CBC had the rights to broadcast the Olympics? I definately missed Canadian Olympic coverage during the games down here. I had no idea how many medals that we won and I had minimal access to the internet.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-23 10:18:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

Ikea is not canadian by far. They are actually swedish.
I have (2) of them by my house in illinois.
I think you mentioned you live in south dakota? None there.
Lots on east and west coast and in illinois.

I am a USC, but whenever I go home I miss the canadian milk.
It tastes SO much better than american milk!


Yeah I know that Ikea is not Canadian and that it is Swedish but I still miss it.

Do you think Canadian milk taste better than American milk? I think the other way around. I did notice that when I moved from Winnipeg to Toronto, that the milk in Toronto tasted different and would go bad alot faster then product that I would buy from Safeway in Winnipeg.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 13:35:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

Things I know I will miss:

1. My family/friends
2. Bluffers Park
3. Being able to walk or ride my bike to places nearby
4. Good tasting milk
5. Canadian Tire and Princess Auto lol
6. The city streets with random stores and restaurants (Bayview, Yonge etc.) - I feel like I've ripped myself off by not exploring these sooner.

I say I hate the city now, but I am going to miss being able to get my city fix whenever I want to!

I miss going across the streets to get my Starbucks fix that and McKewans grocery store at the Don Mills Center (Super expensive but some great tasting goodies in there)

I miss running in the Bayview/Yonge area especially that hill at Hogs Hollow
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 12:35:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada
Katchoo, if you walk anywhere here in Medina, people look at you like you are from outer space. I had no car living in TO. I either ran, walked, rollerbladded or used public transit to get where I was going...people just don't get that here.

Saylin next time you go by an Ikea, make your husband turn around and drag him in. I did that with mine and he finally got it. In fact it was his idea to drive to Pittsburgh (4 hrs away) to buy our kitchen from there. His passport expired so that is why we went there instead of the 1.5 hr trip over the border to purchase it.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 12:21:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada
I also forgot about Ikea.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 12:13:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

Like you, moemac, I come from a big city (Montreal) and moved to some 25k population city in the middle of South Dakota Posted Image

Cherry Nibs (Twizzler's just aren't the same thing >_< )
Poutine
La Belle Province hot dogs
Public transportation!!! (not one single bus in this goddamn town)
Oreo cookies (they have them here, but they just do NOT taste the same)
Hockey (yeah, I'm sure I can find somewhere to watch it online, but not the same thing)
Canadians in general, lol

I'm sure there's a lot more, but that's all I can think of right now...

Saylin, I forgot about public transportation...I'm in a village of 5k and your right no public transportation. At least I am only a 48 minute car ride to Niagra Falls so I can walk over the bridge and catch a bus or VIA to TO for the day.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 12:11:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada

Quebec's cheese rock !! I am still in Montreal and I already know that I will miss all the "ethnic" grocery store we do have here ! Oh and poutine too !! :D


MMMMMM poutine...yummy and I also forgot to add Montreal smoked meat sandwiches..ooh and Chez Cora's (my fav breakfast place)
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 12:07:00
CanadaWhat do you miss most about Canada
I thought that I would start this topic for fun to see what some fellow VJ Canadian expats miss about the homeland. Being that I am living in a very small town in Western NY and coming from a city as big as TO, I never realized that there would be alot of things that I would miss but do :crying:.

Here is a list of things that I love from Canada but cannot buy or find down here:

Cherry Nibs
Pealmeal Bacon - the ####### that they sell at Tops cannot even compare and this bacon can rock it out of the park when it comes to eggs benny
Fresh Squeezed OJ - no one sells it here and I have tried everywhere...Tops, Wegmans but to no avail
Woody's pink grapefruit vodka coolers - yummy nuff said
Robaxecet and Gravol - again no where to be found
Glysomed hand cream - this stuff is awesome and again cannot find it at Riteaid or Walgreens
International Eggs benedict sauce - nothing compares to it
The Mercer Report and CBC...I know, you can watch on-line but not the same thing
CBC News, again see comment above
My running group from York Mills Running Room!!!

And last but not least - decent soft cheese especially Bleu Brisse and La Savergine...hmmmm La Savergine...the best sofest cheese from Quebec ever.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 11:42:00
CanadaMoving to NY - Can I exchange my Ontario driver licence to NY one?

Actually it says 30 days of becoming a resident , but you aren't technically a PR until you get your green card. I wonder if the state sees this differently.

DOH!! :bonk: If I had know that I would have just kept my Ontario drivers license until I got my GC...Serves me right for not reading the fine print!!
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-12-05 10:49:00
CanadaMoving to NY - Can I exchange my Ontario driver licence to NY one?

I'm still in Toronto but moving to NY soon.

Kobiams, what will your status be when you move to NY state? I came in on a K1 visa and applied for AOS once I got married. When I went in to exchange my license I received a temporary one that has visitor on it. I cannot get my permanent license until I receive my temporary GC. The visitor notation on my driver's license expired back in September but the license itself is valid until 2017. It did not matter that I brought my marriage certificate in or my NOA 1, the DMV would not issue me a permanent license until I received my GC.

NY state law says that you must change over your DL withing 30 days of moving. It is such a catch 22. I also live in a small town but it may be different in a bigger city.

Hope that this answers your question.

Regards

Moe (former Torontoion now NY state resident)
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-11-26 11:32:00
CanadaPOE POrt Huron/Sarnia
Congrats to you both. So nice to see that something good finally happened for you and him after the cluster f@#*-up with DHL. Again congrats.

[quote name='amberlynnloves' timestamp='1356552444' post='5889203']


He went on his first grocery shopping trip this morning after I left for work and was so excited to get paper bags instead of plastic for the groceries. Must be an Canadian thing! :)

Uggh do not miss those plastic bags or paying the 5 cents at the grocery store for them.
moemac59FemaleCanada2012-12-26 15:39:00
CanadaMoving my Stuff...Twice

hello everyone,
My fiance cannot help me to move(not allow to cross the border, rehabilitation papers is on process) . I will move using my small car, so I cannot take all my stuff with me. Then after, I get my AP we will go back to canada to get all my belongings,thats the plan. . Question: Will I need to pay duty or will run into problems if I will do the second move?( furnitures and lots of small appliances)

You might want to call US Customs as well and ask this question. They should be able to give you more information
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-01-11 10:02:00
CanadaNexus Card

worth trying to do before I immigrate do you think? Or should I wait until afterwards?

Get it now!! It is so worth it. I travelled every weekend to the US to see my husband when we were engaged. I was especially grateful after one Thanksgiving weekend when I had to go back to Canada. The Queenston-Lewiston bridge had a 2 hour wait to get back in. I drove to the Whirlpool (Niagra Falls) bridge (which is Nexus access only) and was waved right thru. No wait whatsoever.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-01-18 13:40:00
CanadaProblems, Advice, and Stories on Border Crossing

I would love to tell you my horror stories. I am not sure why, but I do not have good experiences at the US border. I make sure I pack light, I always have current pay stubs with me, my work schedule to show the days I am off, and when my next shifts are. I used to bring my school schedule (not anymore though since I graduated) and my student card. I bring my bills, bank account records and things like that. Even though I bring what little evidence I have, they have never more than glanced at it. Normally, they don't even look at it at all. I have never been in the states longer than 6 or 7 days. I don't have a record, (unless you count 2 speeding tickets, which I'm sure they don't). I am polite and courteous, I answer their questions directly. I only visit once every 2 to 3 months for a couple days at a time, also. I don't smoke or drink, so never cross with it. The odd time I bring a present, but I never wrap them and they're not worth much. Sometimes, I cross a tad more frequent (around holidays), but then don't visit for a long time. I have never ever lied to an officer about how long I intend to visit, or who I am visiting, but 9/10 I get pulled into secondary.

Secondary isn't so bad, they are very down to business, not necessarily friendly, but not rude either. They look at my ID, make me wait, they ask me questions (where I live, where I work, where Cody lives and works) and they let me leave. I get back to my car and I always have to pack my stuff back up. Even the officers who toss my stuff everywhere are pretty nice. Once I brought my nice bicycle down with me, and the gentleman brought me out of secondary to have me take it out of my car because he recognized that it was a nice bike and he said he didn't want to damage it. I thanked him for his courtesy.

You should look into getting a NEXUS card. It is very easy. You can apply on line and will then be interviewed. The interview is easy. They scan your iris and take your fingerprints and you are done. If it is going to take awhile to get your visa, I would suggest this as they do a thorough criminal check and it may cut down on any hassle that you get at the border.

I drove over numerous times and never really had a hassle with this card.

My trouble is with the initial officers at point of entry. I don't know how many times I have broke down crying. I honestly have had so many bad experiences, that I prefer Cody to come here now. I also don't remember all the stories, only the worst ones stick.

One of the times I crossed, the border officer was at the computer and asked me if I had any drugs. I told him no (obviously). The officer came out, had me unlock my doors, and take the key out of the ignition and started searching my car himself. Then he started asking me where I kept my marijuana, and if there would be any residue in my purse and saying things like that (statements, not questions). At first, I didn't get nervous or scared because I know they're just doing their job and that I am not doing anything wrong. I told him, "no sir, there is no marijuana here and there would be no residue because I don't smoke it." Then he started asking me if I had other drugs, cocaine, etc. He started using street names I had never ever heard of. That's when I started getting intimidated, he opened my bag, went through it carelessly right in front of me. He found nothing, yet still drilled me. Eventually, my face went red (like a, I'm about to get emotional kind of response lol), so he stopped what he was doing and came around to my door, got right in my face and started telling me all the penalties for illegally residing in the US, for drug trafficking for this and that. I started choking up right then and there, I was like, I know sir, but I assure you I am not doing that and I tried to show him the photocopy of the USCIS paperwork and he wanted nothing to do with it. He continued ripping the panels off and tearing the carpet up and looking for stuff that wasn't there. Eventually, he came back around, and said, "you know, I could refuse your entry and **** up your chances of getting a visa." That was that, I started crying. Then all of a sudden, he's like, you know I am just holding you up because there's a radioactive scare and I can't let you proceed right now, (yeah right), and then he started trying to calm me down. He's like, if you can stop crying, I'll let you go. I wish he just pulled me to secondary like everybody else does, because since then I have been petrified of pulling up to the border.

Another time I crossed, the man asked me the normal questions, then after a while proceeded to tell me that my passport (I cross with my EDL) had been carried by a lady who had assaulted somebody and went to prison and when she was incarcerated, she surrendered my passport, (impossible, it's been sitting in my drawer since I got it). I told him that it was impossible that MY actual passport could have been used because it was in my drawer at home. He said I looked a lot like the lady, he asked me my height, my weight, etc. He asked me all the other times I have traveled, etc. He got kind of like the other border officer, very rude, and treating me like I am actually a criminal. After what seemed like forever, he pulled me into secondary. I get to secondary, I am FREAKING out on the inside because I think this guy is being serious, when in fact he's just working me up. Secondary says nothing about any passport and when I asked what was wrong with my passport they said nothing was wrong with my passport, and that I was just there because I cross often and they wanted to verify my ID. They let me go without any wait that time. So, since this is the only time they've bothered me about my passport, I have to assume that his story was fanatical. Wouldn't somebody have contacted me about this "passport issue" prior or since? If it had been frauded, I am sure somebody would have told me by now!

Then another time I crossed, they were nice to me, I got pulled into secondary for just a moment, they searched my car quickly and let me go.. However, they did not close my hood and while I was driving on the I-75, it popped up. VERY terrifying.

Another time, I crossed with ease, no secondary, yay! Until I get pulled over by a border officer on the I-75 moments later.

Now the last few times I have crossed, I haven't been pulled to secondary or been "harassed," but I also come down maybe once every like 4 months or so. I have made Cody come up here and carry the burden because I can't handle the mini heart attacks at the border. This is why I am so concerned about moving on my K1 with all my household goods. I'm obviously flagged, but I don't know for what, or why they feel they need to go out of their way to intimidate me to the point of tears. I guess this is what honesty gets you sometimes.


moemac59FemaleCanada2012-10-22 12:54:00
CanadaFiling Income tax return

You were a Dual Status Alien for 2012. The only way you can file a joint return with your husband is to make the election to treat yourself as a Resident Alien for tax purposes for 2012. If you do that then you are taxed on your worldwide income which includes your Canadian unemployment benefits. You will have to take the foreign income exclusion in order to avoid double taxation.

Thanks for the info. Very much appreciated.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-02-08 06:59:00
CanadaFiling Income tax return
Just want to know what to do. I am currently collecting UIE from Canada. It goes into my Canadian RBC account in Canada and is taxed.

I know that I have to file my income tax return in Canada as I was working there until June of 2012.

I am obviously not working here. I just received approval on my AOS

Question is - My husband has to file jointly for us correct? Does he have to tell his accountant that I am collecting money from UIE in Canada as it is already taxed there?
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-02-07 16:26:00
CanadaMedical tomorrow morning in Toronto
I would get there a little bit earlier as it gets really busy right away. I think that I got there at 7 am and just waited in the lobby. Good luck. The doctor there is super nice and friendly.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-02-12 17:10:00
CanadaTD canceling my Visa becase moving to the US?

Has anyone else successfully kept their TD Visa while moving to the US? It's my longest standing credit source, so I kind of hate to close it down. I opened an RBC account that can still access my Canadian credit, which is why I even care. I didn't get a CC through RBC yet though. Now I'm considering it.

It came about when I called to change my address with TD (POE is Sunday!!) and she says "we're going to have to close that on you, sorry. You can't have it living in the US". She was "nice" enough to not cancel it on the spot and let me keep it for a few months but what the hell? Now I'm not changing my address for my other CC for fear they'll do the same thing. Anyone else had success in keeping their cards or am I delusional and SOL?

Thursdayschild, that sucks b|||s! I still have my account with RBC and my RBC Visa account plus my line of credit. They just changed my address and I was good to go.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-02-23 20:09:00
CanadaMoving furniture... Boxes full of stuff from Canada to U.S

Hello :)

I was really hoping someone on here has moved their stuff across the border using a k1/k2 visa. I'm hoping to save money on movers so thought I would rent a u-haul and drive my stuff over myself across the border from Canada. I'm also hoping to get through the border with the least hassle :) is there a special way I should be packing my boxes? Should I make a list or mark the boxes a certain way? Also... Is there anything I'm NOT allowed to bring across other than plants and illegal stuff of course :) All tips would be much appreciated!!

Thank you!!

I drove my Uhaul over. I made an itemized numbered list that corresponded with all my boxes. I also had the 3299 customs form filled out (see link below)
http://forms.cbp.gov...p_form_3299.pdf

When I crossed over at Lewiston-Queenston, the CBP guy opened up my Uhaul and just peeked in. I asked him if he wanted my list, he just laughed, shook his head and said no. Just told me to go in and wait while they processed the big yellow envelope. 45 mins of processing my K1 and I was on my merry way.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-02-27 11:02:00
CanadaPolice certificate

You do not have to go through the RCMP unless you have a criminal record in which case you'll need a fingerprint check done. Otherwise your local police department is fine so long as they search the CPIC or national records repository with your name(s) and date of birth. You can also use commissionaires: http://www.commissionaires.ca/ I went to my local police station in Mississauga and got a police check done in 5 minutes. It cost $45.


If you live in Toronto, you can go to Metro headquarters on College street. Cost $22 and you receive it in the mail 5 days later.

Pocheros, correct me if I am wrong but should everyone who is K1 status make a photocopy of their police certificate so they can include it in their Adjustment of Status (after marriage) application?
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-05 11:53:00
CanadaConfused about where to line up at Consulate

You think your confused now... wait till after you get in the doors... Your worried about the easiest thing.... Parking was a nightmare.. I was half our early to find 20 people already in line in freezing rain.... You go one person at a time through the door, I was out side for 30 minutes to find out you can't bring a purse, no phone.. NOTHING BUT YOUR PAPERWORK, there is a board of what you can't bring.. the board would be smaller if you put what you could bring...lol I had a purse.. so I had to go ALL THE WAY to the car and put it in the car , then I had to go back in line again... there was a girl there who asked for your information,.. letter, passport...etc.. she put a sticker on your passport.. then you go through security.. you go into an elevator... then go into a room and register.. then wait..... then they call you to a window.. speak to them for a few minutes.. then wait some more... then go to another room... talk to an agent standing up... then he will tell you if your approved or not for the next step then head home, all you get is a photocopied letter "WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES... I the trip was 10 hours EACH WAY... hotel was over a hundred dollars.. food.. and we know montreal is soooo expensive... then traffic.. horrible weather.. mean french people... so I can see the two immigration officers for a grand total of 20 minutes... wow !!!! I was there for a total of 3 hours.. you can't bring NO ONE but an interpreter.. don't even bother asking to have your finance go... unless you can't speak english NO ONE ALLOWED IN -



But... finally from day one.. Dec 1, 2010.. to today. March 2, 2013... I am finally a temporary permanent resident ( Feb. 28, 2013) and waiting for my green card to come in the mail. (make sure in the adjustment of status interview you ask for a stamp so you can cross the border..


Make sure that you have your appointment letter and your Loomis confirmation page with you for the interview. Without it, I have heard that they will deny you entry into the consulate.


When it comes to filing your Adjustment of Status after marriage, you should review the forum for that. If you file for Advanced Parole (AP)/Employment Authorization Document (EAD) at the same time of filing the I485, you will receive a combo card in the mail which will allow you to go back and forth to Canada and you won't need the stamp in your passport if you get this card. It usually comes about 3 months after you file for it. Filing for these at the same time of i485 is included in the application price 1080.00 USD.

If you do decide to file for AP and receive it before your greencard, make sure that you have that card as well as your passport if you go to Canada. Once you cross back over into the states, CBP will take your card and passport and you will have to be paroled in. They will give you a new I94 in your passport as well.

Good luck in your interview.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-04 00:18:00
CanadaConfused about where to line up at Consulate

Saylin, you're awesome! That is so perfect. I thought that the doors on St-Alexandre St. were the right ones and now you have confirmed it. I didn't even know that there were doors on Rene-Lev St. Thanks for the excellent photos! :)

Nina, you should scope out the location the day before your interview so you know exactly where the enterance is. Saylin is a rock star!! I know when I had my interview, her thread was super helpful
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-04 00:03:00
CanadaNew Potential Land Border Delays

Yeah I think both of you made a good point. Once I get AP and can go visit family, I'll pop by a Nexus office to ask them about eligibility. I'll be there anyway so why not right? Although I have to wonder if you approach the Nexus office by the CDN or the USA side and if you have to cross the border first or after. Guess I'll find out once we get there. You'd think I would know after crossing so often!

It will be the US side. When I applied for my Nexus card, I had to go to Pearson airport and do the interview with US Customs
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-06 13:39:00
CanadaNew Potential Land Border Delays

Thanks for the info moemac. Sounds like you could use it but you still had to go into the office. I am guessing waiting in a different line sped things up. My situation is a ltitle different since I don't have a Nexus card to use but was hoping to apply for one. I am thinking that they will just tell me to wait until I have my greencard since everything is 'pending' now. I never did get ahold of the US side of Nexus. The phone number I found for them online was fully automated and just repeated itself in all options, and the phone number the Canadian Nexus agent gave me just rang and rang and no one ever picked up. I tried it several times and days too. I think we are just going to have to wait until later when I have the greencard to apply. I don't really want to waste time and money to be denied the first time.

At least it kind of worked out for you! This whole time I got to know my now husband I kept thinking "if only I had a Nexus, if only I had a Nexus" --- too bad I didn't apply before I met him! Back then I rarely crossed the border though so it never even occurred to me.


You are so welcome. Next time you cross over, maybe you can pop into the office that has a Nexus location and or even try to apply. It might not hurt..you never know.

Yeah, my Nexus card has been a real blessing. I remember one thanksgiving when I was down here and there was a 2.5 hour wait at the Lewiston-Queenston border. Thankfully, I had my Nexus card and used it at the Whirlpool bridge in Niagara where there was no wait, only took me 30 seconds to go thru customs.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-05 15:38:00
CanadaNew Potential Land Border Delays

Found the answer to my question:

http://www.visajourn...role-questions/

Took a lot of searching but seems like I can't use or apply for NEXUS while having AP and have to wait until I have my greencard. That information was given by a VJ member who was a former border agent so am pretty sure it's valid. That's frustrating. I guess it makes sense but still! :(

Vee,

I used my Nexus card to come back into the US from Canada when I had my AP card. I let NEXUS know what my immigration status was (IE. going into their office at the Whirlpool bridge to show them my card). I was informed by the CBP guy there that I could not use a NEXUS only bridge such as Whirlpool as they do not have immigration officers there who can parole you in, but I could use the NEXUS lane at Niagara Falls. I would usually gave them my NEXUS card along with my passport and AP card. The CBP guy would take my AP card and passport and send it into the office. I would then have to go into the office to be paroled back into the US.

I visited Canada every month until I got my GC last month.

Hope this helps you out.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-05 12:09:00
CanadaToronto Police Clearance Letter

So for those of you who don't know, my wife is Japanese and lived in Toronto for one year, so she needed to obtain a police cert from Canada. With the help of some of the fine members of this site, it was brought to my attention that instead of having to go through the RCMP and wait 5 months for a police certificate, we could request a police clearance letter instead through the Toronto Police Service. So far, it has worked out great. Here's my question/situation...

My wife got mail from the Toronto Police yesterday. She believes it is the clearance letter she applied for (her friend in Toronto was kind enough to apply for the clearance letter in person on my wife's behalf at the Toronto Police HQ). However, she is not sure if she should open the envelope. The reason being is the police certificate she obtained from the Tokyo Police in Japan came sealed in a brown envelope with instructions written on it saying it is not to be opened by anyone other than the Tokyo Embassy.

For those of you who got a police clearance letter from the Toronto Police Service, did you open it or leave it sealed in the envelope? If it was opened, did you have any problems? I have no doubt what she got in the mail is the clearance letter because she never broke the law in Canada. But we're not sure if it is better to not open it since the Japanese one has to stay sealed. Or if we should open it in case it is not the clearance letter and something else like a request for more information.

I got mine from Toronto Police and it is fine to open it. Make a copy of it. She will give the original to consulate as part of her package 3 or 4 (sorry cannot remember what goes in what package as that was a year ago for me)
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-15 08:00:00
CanadaWaiting for package 4
I booked my interview for Montreal before receiving packet 4. I got packet 4 after I had my interview
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-24 13:45:00
CanadaDHL or Xpress Post for Montreal

Awesome, that sounds great. As my fiance wants to get it done and out the way, she will have her medical about a month or so prior to the Montreal Consulate interview. Thanks again, Pocheros. :-)

Make sure that you do your research regarding her vaccinations. She will want to make sure that those are up to date before she goes for her medical. You can find out what you need thru the DOS website.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-28 11:13:00
CanadaDHL or Xpress Post for Montreal
I found our thread about trying to book the appointment at Montreal. Warning: it is a very loooonnng one but hope it helps out.

http://www.visajourn...al/page__st__75

Good luck. Once she books the appointment, she can relax and breath.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-26 09:20:00
CanadaDHL or Xpress Post for Montreal

Thanks for the link. This will be very useful. :-) My fiance has been trying to book an interview since yesterday but the page keeps saying that there are no appointments available... Is this a normal thing for Montreal?

Yes!! Just tell her to refresh the page constantly for Montreal. I stalked that site night and day every day for a month before interviews opened up. There were a few of us from this site that were trying to book at the same time. We started a thread about that and kept each other updated when interviews opened up. She will have to be dilligent about this because those slots fill up fast.

Tell her to book her interview as soon as those appointments become available. Just an FYI, if she is on the site and it says that it is down for maintenance, that is usually a good sign that they are updating the site and interviews usually open up after that.

If I find that thread, I will post here.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-26 08:58:00
CanadaDHL or Xpress Post for Montreal

Thanks for this information. I really appreciate it. :-)

Frankie, check this out also. It will give you more info regarding booking the interview. I followed the instructions in this post and had no issues during my 5 minute interview.

http://www.visajourn...e-for-montreal/
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-26 07:05:00
CanadaDHL or Xpress Post for Montreal

Hello all,

Is the US Consulate in Montreal still accepting Packet 3 forms via Xpress Post? The reason that I ask is because my fiance mailed of off through Xpress Post and it tracking shows that it has been delivered. However, we both received an email about a week later from the Montreal Consulate for packet 3. Within the email it states the following:


Please return the forms and checklist to the U.S. Consulate via the DHL courier location that you previously selected. This service is provided to you at no additional cost. Courier services are provided within Canada only.


The weird thing is that my fiance received the packet 3 via mail 2 weeks ago, and they sent the packet 3 email just a few days ago. Do we have to re-send everything via dhl?

Call DOS, give them your case# and see if the consulate has logged receipt of packet 3 into the system. Montreal is notorious for sending out packet 3 instructions after packet 3 has been received. I received my instructions for packet 3 after I sent it out.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-03-25 10:33:00
CanadaEI entitlement

I also collected EI after I received my EAD card, great program, really appreciated it after paying in for years!

If you do end up collecting EI call Canada Revenue agency to see if you're eligible for a tax credit for income tax the following year, even if you filed an exit tax return - in my case it was the only income I earned for the 1st year I was in the US so I filed in Canada as a US permanent resident and was credited about 2/3 of the taxes they deducted!

Kool Brenda! Thanks for that juicy nugget! I will have to check that out. I love the fact that we can claim UI even though we are living in a different country. I have been paying into since 1981 so I figure I might as well make the most of it.
moemac59FemaleCanada2013-04-17 21:05:00