ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaEvidence of domicile in the United States
Are you a US citizen? Your child should also be able to get citizenship based on yours even if they were not born in the US and you were naturalized.

I don't understand why you need to file for a visa.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-18 11:12:00
CanadaWhen did you tell your employer you're moving?
I gave my employer 6 weeks notice and already had my visa in hand (I got my visa in March, but waited until June to move to save more money and get ready for the move).
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-18 09:25:00
CanadaChange of Address, Proof of Domicile
I'm assuming that your fiance was already living in the US, correct? If so, they know that he's already established a place of residence in the US and has a job. When he's filling out the I-134, income taxes and paystubs will also prove that he's in the US.

Domcile is really for the I-864 form, which K1s don't need to complete until the AOS process when you're already in the US.

I'm pretty sure packet 3 is somewhat generic for both K1 and CR1, so just follow the instructions for what you need as a K1 and you'll be fine.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-19 14:53:00
CanadaChange of Address, Proof of Domicile
K1s are not required to provide proof of domicile.

You would just need to provide a change of address for the US Petitioner.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-19 12:57:00
CanadaAfter interview can you Travel to U.S. without passport

You can fly in Canada (eg: Montreal to Nova Scotia ) without a passport. You cant fly from Canada to the USA without one.


Obviously. The topic is about travel to the US, not domestic travel.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-14 14:14:00
CanadaAfter interview can you Travel to U.S. without passport

It's probably safe to say if the OP is just finishing the interview stage of a K-1 visa they don't have a green card or US license yet.


Exactly. If you read the original post, she's waiting for her passport that will contain her K-1 visa, so it's safe to say she does not have a greencard.

Even still, you cannot FLY without a passport for sure. So, if for any reason you had to fly home in an emergency, you wouldn't be allowed so I'd say it's not smart to travel to another country without a passport.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-14 11:36:00
CanadaAfter interview can you Travel to U.S. without passport
No you can't travel into the US without a passport.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-14 08:35:00
CanadaAnyone ever drove to Montreal from Toronto for Interview?
We contemplated driving but then just ended taking the train since it would take us right into downtown Montreal and would allow us just to relax and not worry about having to get through traffic or be tired.

If you live in downtown Toronto and have access to Union Station, I'd recommend looking into the train!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-13 12:37:00
CanadaStarting ROC.....
You do not have to file for AP or EAD - once you file for ROC you will receive a letter (your NOA1) that will act as your temporary permanent resident status until your new card arrives. You are free to continue working and travelling with this letter.

In terms of taxes, I know that joint taxes are a good piece of evidence, but if you don't have them, then you don't have them. Just try to include as much evidence as you can, a joint lease or joint home ownership is good, co-mingling of finances is good, the more you have the stronger your case. Just be prepared for an RFE for the tax returns if you get one, which is a possibility. I would definitely include a letter explaining why you don't have joint tax returns.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-18 14:27:00
CanadaWhen can you legally work in the US after POE?
In general, i'd say budget 90 days from when you file. It's technically supposed to take 90 days max, but as you can see from this thread, it can get delayed for various reasons.

Enjoy your time off! I'd love to be be forced not to work again!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-21 08:31:00
CanadaVisiting US "after" K1 issued
It's really up to the individual border guard. I asked about this when I got my visa back in 2009 and the person who interviewed me at the consulate told me that I was not allowed to enter without using the K1 visa, so i didn't. But, others have done it, so you could potentially try if you live near the border and can drive across for your visit. I never risked it since I always flew for visits and didn't want to waste the money if I wasn't going to get in without using the visa.

It's really one of the negatives to the K1 visa for sure.

Good luck with finding insurance!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-25 08:48:00
CanadaOk VJ friends, I need some advice,

On a weekend trip to DC we got married, and luckily VA hands out the marriage cert the next day, we started the CR-1 paperwork within days of the marriage! I then returned back to Canada. No reason to wait to file, the process can take up to a YEAR!! Then even after you have the visa in hand, one has like 6 months to use it, if its a timeline issue for u. One can have other proof other than immigration paperwork (return airfare, lease, letter from employer stating he is expected back on a certain date, etc etc etc)


If you read her initial post, they cannot afford the application financially, that is why they would need to wait to file.

I'd personally try to dig up the money to file the paperwork.

Married or not married, your bf could run into issues at the border, so I would do whatever works best for you.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-20 07:09:00
CanadaAffidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence and Support
I think you need to be more specific. What form are you referring to? The DS-160?

If so, I filled out all of the exact dates that I had spent time with my fiance in the US (I had a calendar that I used to write down when I was away, so I was lucky... it was not planned tho!) and then juts wrote, "Multiple family vacations and day trips prior to 2003 (the year we had started dating).

If you travel a lot, I'd just include your last 5-10 trips and then say something to the effect of "Multiple trips taken weekly/monthly due to close proximity, not exceeding allowed limit" or something like that.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-27 08:29:00
CanadaBuy a house get a green card free!!

I get that..but how is that going to happen if these people cannot earn money here? how are they going to spend something they are not getting? you dont just buy a house move here get a residency card not work and live a happy live. none of what they are proposing makes sense to me unless they are allowing the kings queens princes richest people in the world etc to buy homes here.


And what aobut the tourist industry? rather than these people visiting here and spending money in hotels etc. they wont be ..thats a loss right there.


If someone has $500,000 sitting around, I'd be shocked to think that they have to work a typical job. I'm sure many of them own businesses that would allow them the flexibility to live in the US 180 days/year OR are priviledged not to work at all due to smart investments. Or, this could be a good fit for retired people. My in-laws purchased their retirement home in full cash and will eventually move to that home and live off their retirements and savings without needing to work, so I'm sure there are other people outside of the US who can afford to do this too.

And in terms of the tourist industry - $500,000 cash investments into the economy are much better than short trips where I'm sure people aren't spending that much, even within a couple of years.

There are a lot of wealthy people in the world that aren't royalty. I say let them in and spend spend spend!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-26 16:06:00
CanadaBuy a house get a green card free!!
The US needs more people to SPEND lots and lots of money to boost the economy. The economy is really suffering and Americans, even ones that can spend, are not spending and this is really hurting everyone. Unfortunatly the few thousand we spent to get here is small pennies in the grand scheme of things. And, if we aren't bringing large savings to invest when we get here, we're just adding to the population.

Getting people with the cash flow here and spending, especially in such large amounts, poses no risk and also stimulates the housing market and the economy.

I say, let the people who want to spend, spend! Essentially, it IS helping the people who already live here and it will lead to more jobs, more taxes being paid and a better economy.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-26 12:54:00
CanadaCrossing border to the US to visit bf
I would just say boyfriend or friend. There's no point in lying, it'll just make you look like you're hiding something.

The question that is going to prompt a red flag is "how long are you staying?" and when you say 5 months, they'll start to wonder what reason you have to come back.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-29 11:36:00
CanadaCrossing border to the US to visit bf
Two suitcases in my opinion is a red flag and will cause more harm than its worth. When I moved here on a K1, I only brought 3 suitcases and I was moving! Have someone mail you a box of extra stuff if need be, but I would pack as light as possible.

A letter from your employer would be best, but even as a temporary employee/supply teacher that doesn't tell me anything either. You need to show reasons for coming back to Canada and out of the list of everything you've shown, you're not convincing me in any way that you are coming back or need to come back for any reason.

The travel insurance is good though, and your return ticket.

This is one of those things where you could get in no problem, or you could have some trouble. It's really a toss up.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-29 09:02:00
CanadaTax Returns required for K-1 Interview (Montreal)
We only supplied 1 year and were fine. His salary and savings were pretty substantial though. If his salary is closer to the minimum, I would say supply 3 years. Otherwise, one year should be sufficient.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-31 07:09:00
CanadaPregnant and hoping to travel home to Canada for Christmas
You likely will not be able to fly back. The airlines have rules on that, not sure what they are but if you plan to fly, I'd call the airlines and understand their process.

If you're driving, I don't think you'll have any issues with being pregnant.

I would look into healthcare though, your OHIP is likely no longer available to you, so you might be required to pay Ontario for whatever healthcare you receive. Unless your insurance covers you, which I'd look into.

Personally, I don't think I'd go, especially if it was my first and I had no idea if I was the type to go into early labour. Too risky.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-01 06:49:00
CanadaI want to go back to school! (this is a long story, be weary)
I don't know if its the same when tranferring to a US school, but I transferred universities in Canada (and then back again) and the actual grade of the class didn't count towards my GPA at the school I was transferring to. It just counted as a credit. It just has to be C- or higher to be counted. Although, I had a D+ in one of my classes and they still took it as credit after evaluating the course and deeming it at a high difficulty.

I'm not sure your entrance into a US school is even based upon your grades from your Associates. I would call the school you're interested in getting a BA from and figure out the entrance requirements. I think you'll be surprised at how helpful schools will be to help you figure out how you can be accepted and how easy it can be (depending on the school of course).
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-04 08:43:00
CanadaLooking to be with my boyfriend but not ready for marriage...

This is iffy at best. I have my bachelors degree and two years of college that I am completing now to be an educational assistant (often listed as a paraprofessional in the US). These jobs aren't particularly high paying and so the fees alone associated with hiring me could easily mean being instantly declined. The school board in the area I want to work had four or five openings in mid-October whereas none of the school boards in my area have any positions open at all and it is rare that these positions are posted at all beyond the end of August so that leads me to believe there is at least *some* need (but not necessarily enough), but the number of EA's needed in a given school can change drastically from year to year so even that is pretty shaky. I do some one-on-one work now in terms of experience, and I have some volunteer experience as well, but I will also have about four months of co-op experience where we have to have met a bunch of objectives and show that we are capable of handling a spread of situations. I can make it look good on a resume, but it's pretty clear that I'm essentially straight out of school.


Unfortunately your profession doesn't qualify under the TN Visa categories. So the TN Visa is not an option at all. I don't think you;ll qualify for any work visa to be honest since most job (other than private schools) would be government jobs and government jobs do not do visa sponsorships.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-23 20:30:00
CanadaLooking to be with my boyfriend but not ready for marriage...
First off, do you qualify for a TN Visa? Do you have the proper skills and education required? Do you have any work experience that correlates? You'll have a very difficult time getting a TN Visa unless you have a mix of skills, experience and education AND can find a job in your field willing to hire you on the TN Visa. My husband is an HR person at a hospital and they don't even sponsor Doctors and Nurses anymore, a skill set that's always been in demand. The economy is very different from Canada. But, if you qualify and have a job waiting for you, then by all means, can't hurt to attempt crossing and getting a TN visa.

That being said, I feel you I really do. I was in the same position and wanted to live with my then boyfriend before we made the commitment of marriage and unfortunately it's very very difficult, if not pretty much impossible in the US. If visiting for months at a time and not working is not an option (wasn't an option for me either) and him moving to Canada is no an option, then I would suggest you plan to stay in Canada, get a job and some work experience when you graduate and then date long distance for a little while longer. It sucks to be apart but there are a lot of pros to this situation. You can save money, get some work experience before jumping right into the US economy, and you can still get to know each other better.

I dated my husband long distance for SIX years before I moved to the US on a K1 visa. We started dating when we were in undergrad, and of course I wanted to move to the US right after I graduated and be with him. BUT, I followed my head and not my heart... I went to grad school for another year AND then got a good job in Toronto and worked there for two years.

When I finally moved, waiting was definitely the best decision I ever made. I had an easy time finding a job because I had experience and wasn't entry-level anymore. And, my then boyfriend and I were much more financially stable.

Good luck with whatever you decide but know that your options are pretty much limited to marriage in order to immigrate to the US.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-23 09:38:00
CanadaFrustrated with trying to get money to the US!

With the RBC accounts thing.. say I get a physical US cheque err check, how would I deposit it into my account? The nearest branch is probably a 20 hour drive. I know this is probably a lame question.

For student loans.. guessing it's them not wanting to accept american checks? Could just money order it maybe?


I'd call them and see if they take money orders. I know that OSAP doesn't take US checks but I've never asked about money orders, I find them extremely inconvenient since I do all my banking online.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-27 06:44:00
CanadaFrustrated with trying to get money to the US!

yeah.. i was worried about this as it appears from the website that all the RBC branches in the US are all east coasty and I'm going to be in California.


I'm having the same problem trying to figure out what to do for banking. I don't have anyone I can leave an extra bank card in Canada. I'm tempted to just close my accounts, dump most of my savings onto Student Loans that won't be interest free anymore and open a bank account in the US/ get added to my fiance's. I checked with my fiance's friend who works for Chase, and he said they will cash Canadian cheques, but it takes extra processing time. But yeah, little nervous about doing that.


You can't pay student loans with a US account, I have both OSAP and a Line of Credit and they both need to be paid through a Canadian account. Just something to keep in mind.

I use customhouse.com - it was a major pain to set up, but it was soooooo worth it. I highly recommend you look into it again. It's worth the effort.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-10-26 16:16:00
Canadagetting upset 204 days
Hang in there, you're SO close.

I always tried to remind myself that in the grand scheme of things, a few more months didn't make a big difference. There's nothing that you can do but wait though.

Try to make the most of being in Canada and with family/friends. I spent a lot of time missing my fiance, when in reality, now it's the opposite and I miss Canada :)
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-07 17:13:00
CanadaVenting...
I know the exact feeling. I got my visa in March 2009 and didn't move until June 2009. It was a LONG 3 months, almost longer than waiting for the entire process!!

I don't regret it thought at all. I saved a ton of money, got to spend a lot of time with my family and friends in Canada and just in my case waited for better summer weather for the move and then had the summer off while I waited for my EAD. It was glorious. Timing wise it was also a lot easier to find a job once I got my EAD because I got it in August and September is the busy season for my industry.

Hang in there for sure! The Christmas season will get a lot busier for you so hopefully that will help take your mind off of things and then you can move knowing that you left your employer in a good place and they'll give you a really good recommendation because of it.

Try to just make the best of Canada now while you can and save as much as possible!!

If your fiance can visit, try to do that. My fiance visited me almost every month while we waited and it helped make the wait easier!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-08 07:40:00
CanadaWanna use Rental Car for POE - Pickup in Toronto and drop off in the US.
I would call each individual car rental company and ask. I have a feeling though that by the time you pay for the car, insurance and gas, you might as well just ship your stuff and fly or get some large luggage and pay extra for extra checked baggage.

I priced it out a few years ago from Toronto-New York City and it wasn't worth it, it was cheaper for me to fly and buy a couple of giant duffel bags in Chinatown in TO and just pay extra to check them on my flight.

The POE by airport is fine, just need to give yourself enough time, which isn't that hard to do.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-06 18:20:00
CanadaMedical/Blood Pressure

oh no.. I will make sure to check the time limit. He asked them about what we were required to provide and they said SSN and marriage certificate.


I think just knowing the basics will be fine. They just asked me if my husband has insurance through his employer and if i qualified right after we married. They just needed to know I had it, they didn't want specifics or anything. Can't hurt to look into it now anyways to be prepared!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-10 12:44:00
CanadaMedical/Blood Pressure
They may ask you about medical insurance at your interview.

The doctor at my immigration medical thought I had a heart murmur (which I don't, just an extra heart beat!) and told me to get it checked out by my regular Dr. before I moved. At my interview they asked me about what kind of medical insurance I would have and it was probably related to the note about the heart murmur, although they never connected the two or mentioned it so I'm assuming that's why they asked.

Good luck at your interview!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-10 10:30:00
CanadaTo those of you finally home (US side)!
^^ Totally agree about the sales! We mainly do our shopping to align with the sales for the week. Luckily we're not very brand loyal, so we buy whatever yogurt/bread/cereal/meat/veggies/fruits are on sale for the week. I also agree with going to a butcher for good meat. We also stock up when there's a good sale on meat and just portions it out for two into ziploc bags and then freeze.

And yeah, bulk stuff is no where to be found. I stock up on things at Bulk Barn when I go home that I can't find here (like sprinkles for baking :) )

I LOVE Trader Joes. It doesn't carry many brand names at all (the only brands I've seen are Kashi and Dare)- they carry solely Trader Joe brand everything, but it's pretty much all great quality and reasonable, if not cheaply priced! No high fructose corn syrup! They have a really good cheese section, good grains like cous cous and rice, and a good frozen section. Oh and great bread and lettuce. I don't do all my shopping there, but there are some good key items that remind me of Canada there.

Whole Foods is a safe bet for anything. But, you pay for it. I avoid it, personally, because I think it's a bit of a rip off, but it makes me feel better knowing that if I really needed something I couldn't find anywhere else, they'd probably have it.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-09-21 09:17:00
CanadaTo those of you finally home (US side)!

You should learn not to be a jerk.




Wow! She was just trying to be helpful. Udella is one of the most sincere and helpful members of this board so your comment is really uncalled for. If you had posted your own thread, you would've probably received more answers, that's all she's trying to say.

Pocheros - congrats on the move! I just got back from North Las Vegas. My in-laws have a house there (they plan to retire there) so we go at least once a year, I'm sure we'll go more eventually too once we have kids and they live there for good. My husband and I really like it there! If it wasn't for our jobs in NYC, I could totally see us moving there as well. We went on a hike at Mt. Charleston and totally recommend it if you haven't been! Even just to get away from the heat (it was 70 degrees in the mountains, vs. 100 degrees back at the house!). I'm also from Mississauga, and see you're from Brampton :) Small world! Compared to NYC, the grocery stores in Vegas are much better haha! The produce is soooo much cheaper in Vegas compared to NYC. My husband and I were sooo jealous of how cheap the avocados were, LOL. You might want to check out the filipino grocery store, Seafood City for rice and other things. I haven't been in awhile, but you might find some things you're looking for. I miss No Frills too. And, the Bulk Barn.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-09-19 07:58:00
Canadarenting an apartment in the u.s. - credit checks for canadians?
We just used my husband's credit when we got our apartment. The only negative is that only his name is on the lease, which is annoying for Removing conditions.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-08 21:03:00
Canadacan i still pay off my credit card in the USA from canada?
I found signing up for customhouse.com much easier than switching banks. All you have to do is sign up for an account with them and do a verification process and then you can transfer money between US and Canadian accounts (usually takes 4-5 bus. days) for free. The exchange rate is also good.

I like this option because I like using Chase Bank in NYC (there's one on every corner!) and have a line of credit/credit card with TD Canada Trust in Canada that I need to access online anyways.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-09 12:22:00
CanadaGoing Back to Canada for a visit
You should be fine.

Usually issues with AP are a result of the person having some kind of overstay or ban. If you filed for a K1 and are now just AOSing, it's easy! Just leave some extra time for going through secondary just in case!
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-10 11:50:00
CanadaEmergency Return to Canada before AOS
Sounds like a good plan Frostiana. Hopefully you won't have to look much further into this, but having the AOS underway will make things a lot easier.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-13 16:57:00
CanadaAOS talk.. Form 131..

Thanks! but I"m still looking for an example of what to actually fill in if I'm not taking a trip. Also if you know of a really comprehensive list of what to include in this bundle, I found one but I think there's more. Example, 2 passport pictures?? Isn't there more?


I would recommend reading the instructions for EVERY form you're filling out. So the 131, 485 etc. They all say they require two photos from what I remember. I wouldn't just follow the guides, but use the guides to supplement the actual official instructions on the forms.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-16 07:17:00
CanadaMarrying a Canadian Citizen (in the US)

She can't work until the EAD comes in and cannot leave until the AP is done. Both are separate documents that do not arrive at the same time. Once the EAD comes in, they can leave the country even if the EAD has not. And one can work if they have received the EAD, even if the AP has not arrived.

Generally neither one takes too long in most cases...


Actually time are a changin' there is now an AP/EAD all-in-one card that everyone gets now. Time to update your brain files :)
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-16 13:21:00
CanadaKeeping $ 100,000 in Canadian savings account while leaving in US

I have a little question... Does this go for everyone who has a Canadian bank account even if there's only $10 sitting in it?


I'd be intersted to know. I didn't do this last year and I had a few thousand sitting in an account. I don't keep money in Canada anymore, but have an account that I transfer money to pay student loans with.

In my opinion, it doesn't seem like it matters all that much. The IRS has bigger fish to fry.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-17 09:55:00
CanadaKeeping $ 100,000 in Canadian savings account while leaving in US

Do you have to submit this form as soon as you land in the US? Or can it wait until you adjust status? Just not sure what the timeline to declare foreign bank accounts is. And do you have to declare foreign bank accounts for Canada too?


You would only declare it if you're bringing it with you. You have to declare anything over $10,000. If it's staying in Canada, you would just include the interest on your taxes.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-17 08:00:00
CanadaProving domicile while IN the US?
No harm in checking :)

It's easy to over think this stuff at the interview stage.
SapphireDreamsFemaleCanada2011-11-18 12:19:00