Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Canada	April Montreal interviews	I agree - it shouldn't affect us (haven't we suffered enough??) but if this thing goes through, it probably will anyway. I'm so trying not to think about it, but during the last federal gov't shutdown, no new visas were issued, and consular services were put on hold GLo, I really, really hope I get to see you in Montreal on Wednesday!!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-07 13:54:00
Canada	April Montreal interviews	The doctor asked me if I'd "lived a healthy lifestyle" and then rattled off a list of vices. He did ask if I'd ever been charged with drinking and driving, or been through AA or counseling for substance abuse. To me, it seemed quite flippant, a necessary formality, but he's got a list of boxes he's got to check off, or answer yes/no to. The whole discussion about past medical history and current health status took less time than the first station where the lady collected my passport, pictures, and money.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-06 14:46:00
Canada	April Montreal interviews	April 13 Just did my medical yesterday in Toronto. Got there at 6:45am and done by 8:10am. It was faster and much more friendlier than my regular doctor's office. Then again, I live in Toronto. I moved mine up so now I'm going on the 13th as well. Good info on the medical - I'm going to try to get back to work for lunch time so that timing works out quite alright	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-29 20:01:00
Canada	April Montreal interviews	Excellent! I'll see you there	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-25 19:40:00
Canada	Does Crossing US Customs at Pearson Count as "in America"?	If you are really wanting to attempt a border crossing, and it has been six months, you could try the letter from your MP and your other evidence and take a friend shopping at the Walden Galleria or the Outlet Malls on the American side in Niagara Falls (if you're living in Toronto anyway). Driving across may be easier, having a friend along may ease suspicion, and a shopping trip is short term... It might allow you a chance to chat with a border guard too, ask some questions about your previous 'denial'. But I do think the safer bet is to wait until July, bring proof of the conference expecting you and your intentions to return to Canada right away and leave the border alone as much as possible.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-15 18:36:00
Canada	Should I book my medical now ?	Well, when you call to book the medical, they'll ask if you've been given permission to book your interview, so I'd say, yes, you're in the clear. I think the last page of the papers you got will tell you which Packet # you got - under your name and case number?	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-18 16:15:00
Canada	Time between medical and interview	One girl at my interview came back from the first or second window saying her medical results hadn't been couriered over yet - it sounded like she'd had her medical in Montreal recently...	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 16:25:00
Canada	Time between medical and interview	Right - you'd need to collect the medical results the day before the interview (though it seems like maybe results are couriered from the Montreal medical - there was some chatting about this at my interview, though I'd check with the doctor's office when you book). I had my medical on a Tuesday, was told results would be ready for pickup after noon on Thursday.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-18 10:50:00
Canada	Medical review.......Toronto	Yes, I also got that sheet of paper with the same statement. I wouldn't worry - the paperwork is just a confirmation that all is in order	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-20 10:54:00
Canada	Medical review.......Toronto	I printed off this website and took the list to my local walk-in clinic though you should really use your family doctor if at all possible. That very afternoon, I got 3 shots in the arm (MMR, DTP, flu) and am glad they were all up to date for the medical. My medical in Toronto went just as the OP described (minus the husband by my side ) and I drove back in to pick the results up on Monday as well. The huge x-ray is kind of annoying (it'd be SO much easier to just tuck a disc into the envelope!) and I brought it to the interview, taking care not to bend or fold it while on the train and everything, and as mentioned earlier, no one asked to see it, or the piece of paper inside. A gentleman sitting beside me had a moment of panic because he realized most of the people in our group had their x-rays but he thought it was just for our own personal records, and the interviewers couldn't read them anyway, so he hadn't brought it. At the window where they collect the medical envelope and the one where they take other originals, they didn't ask him for it so he was quite relieved. The waiting and the nerves for the medical and the interview were the worst part of the whole experience for me!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-14 07:23:00
Canada	Medical - Toronto	I also called and left a message in Toronto, but I got a call back within 2 hours, and my appointment was within 2 weeks.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-20 16:32:00
Canada	Can I transfer to Vancouver?	Nope.. unless you physically move and change your address to a location that Vancouver Consulate serves. ^ sad but true It's really not right.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-20 10:51:00
Canada	administrative processing!!!!!???	I gave my passport to the consulate at my interview, and they held on to it, congratulated me, gave me my welcome letter, and said I should receive my passport back "in about a week". This morning's phone call to the DoS might've been a mistake though because DHL just emailed me to say they have my passport and it'll be ready in the next few days. I was born in Holland and have a Dutch passport, and Canadian permanent residency.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 20:17:00
Canada	administrative processing!!!!!???	I called the DoS this morning and was also told I was in AP. I guess I should've known... I was born in Holland.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 08:40:00
Canada	No Appointments Available in Montreal	It could take 2 or 3 weeks for Packet 4 to get sent to you but Montreal won't tell you that - the Department of State will! Call them and do it every day if you can! 202 663 1225. About the appointment scheduling, who knows, but keep trying! Maybe try during off-peak hours, like late, late at night or early in the morning...?	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-15 16:04:00
Canada	Girlfriend denied at POE. Canada to US	I read all these stories about people being denied and consider myself extremly lucky because when I flew I never had any ties to Canada (at that point I had not found VJ and we were just dating). When I/we started driving across I still did not bring any ties. Same here - I crossed back and forth countless times without preparing any kind of evidence, never having been asked any questions, until I was caught entirely unprepared and told I'd been risking denials all these years. Every time I cross, I worry I'll learn about some other rule I've been breaking unknowingly.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-02-13 14:17:00
Canada	Wait time between sending Pkt 3 and Interview?	The DoS number is 202.663.1225 - hit 1 then 0 - they open at 8:30am EST - call early for no wait times!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-12 20:20:00
Canada	Wait time between sending Pkt 3 and Interview?	So you've sent them an email letting them know you submitted Packet 3 paperwork which was received in Montreal February 24th? I would send it again, track it again, and give it another 2 weeks - they're obviously not THAT behind if others are getting through in 3 or 4 weeks... What a rip... I feel terrible for you ** sorry, as an additional thought, your NOA2 date is from September 2010? It's possible, maybe, that you left the Packet 3 too long, and your case has expired... The NOA2 usually has an expiry date on it four months from the date of issue - so that would have meant if you hadn't had any communication with the consulate by January, they might have thought your petition was dead and you didn't wish to pursue it... Maybe this is something to ask the DoS about? Edited by iampatricias, 12 April 2011 - 11:26 AM.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-12 11:23:00
Canada	Wait time between sending Pkt 3 and Interview?	Hi Iampatricias!!! Silly question perhaps, , but can I ask why you are checking for interview dates when you have one booked on the 13th? are you so sweet checking for everyone else? Aah, well, I wrote that message on March 12th - I signed up with the website after I heard P3 had been sent, and then couldn't help but check, even though I wasn't allowed to book. I didn't book my date until the last week in March. Actually, I go back quite often to see if earlier or more convenient dates are available.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-10 15:34:00
Canada	Wait time between sending Pkt 3 and Interview?	Well, I signed up here: https://usvisa-info....lfservice/login - right up to the point of booking an interview (I don't have permission yet ) and it tells me the next available date and time. From what I understand, there's no calendar to look at and pick a date from - it merely tells you the one earliest available date. Also, it seems like once you book, you can reschedule and at that point, the system might show you earlier dates based on cancellations that don't seem to be available to first-time bookers... I think... Anyway, don't sign up for an interview until the DoS has told you Packet 4 has been sent... rules rules rules...	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-12 18:32:00
Canada	Wait time between sending Pkt 3 and Interview?	Well, what you've read are all possibilities, I suppose, but what you can do in the meantime is call the Department of State (1-202-663-1225), give them your new case number and ask for an update for your case. As soon as they tell you Packet 4 has been sent, you are allowed to book an interview. It really shouldn't take six months - maybe 3 weeks is more realistic. The interview dates are depressing though - when I checked yesterday, the first date offered was July 6th	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-12 09:43:00
Canada	Packet 4 - Montreal	So, I have been checking like I described above and booked a new interview for April 20th! It looked like there were fewer than 5 days that were NOT available in April all of a sudden this morning... I so so hope those of you on the verge can hear about your Packet 4s today!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-25 10:38:00
Canada	Packet 4 - Montreal	You can view the calendar: - choose "Reschedule Appointment" --> Applicant, Purpose, Consulate, DHL Branch, Next available date xx/xx/xxxx - would you like to reschedule based on this exact information above? - choose YES --> the calendars should appear with the option of choosing the time and the date (right now, July 18, 8:00am) - if you don't want it, just choose BACK or close the window or log out, or whatever you'd like. Just not SELECT. This is how I've been checking availability...	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-24 10:29:00
Canada	Packet 4 - Montreal	Oh yeah, I signed up with the "Permanently Immigrate (Ready to Schedule)" option, but then decided I'd rather pay now instead of carrying all that cash to the consulate, so I went back and chose "Permanently Immigrate (K1/K2)" paid with my credit card, and then couldn't figure out how to avoid rebooking the July 18th date... Anyway, I think both are valid options - whatever works for you	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-24 08:38:00
Canada	Packet 4 - Montreal	Yeah, about 11 days (7 business days, if you're counting ). Canadiana013 also had just under 2 weeks between her P3 delivery and P4 being sent and she booked about 2 weeks before me, I think. Rescheduling is quite simple, as it turns out. Yesterday, I originally booked July 15th. About half an hour later, to 'practice' the rescheduling procedure, I clicked on "Reschedule appointment" and before realizing it, had rescheduled to July 18th. In the evening, July 13th was suddenly available, so I rescheduled again. Of course, now I'm desperate to catch any earlier openings at all considering the huge variety of dates available TWO WEEKS AGO. Hmph. Anyway, it's all good and I am feeling optimistic about getting something sooner Happy, you can sign up to this site now, just don't book an appointment until P4 is sent to you! https://usvisa-info....country_welcome - your turn is coming up!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-24 08:32:00
Canada	Packet 4 - Montreal	About every 3 days, I talk to the same lady at the DoS about whether Packet 4 has been sent yet or not, and she's been very patient. I think the emailing is a great idea though - our lawyer emailed Montreal last week about why I hadn't received Packet 3 yet, and they emailed him back right away with an electronic version of the instructions. I don't get why they didn't just do that in the first place...	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-03-22 09:28:00
Canada	Montreal Process Recap	My interview went smoothly and great! It was painless and I wish I didn't worry so much. Excellent! Glad to hear it!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-23 21:55:00
Canada	Montreal Process Recap	I've got everything ready to send as soon as I hear that Packet 3 has been sent, I just wasn't sure where the DHL part fell into the timeline. Thanks for clearing that up! As soon as Packet 3 is sent you could *technically* sign up for the CSC website to scope out interview dates (though lots of folks seem to be getting the "no appointments available" line) but you should not book a date. When you go through to confirm an appointment, the system will have you pay (if you choose the K1/K2 option) and also sign up for DHL. Actually, the Packet 3 I received instructed me to send my paperwork to Montreal with DHL, but by then, I'd already sent it all with ExpressPost... didn't seem to hurt the process much...	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 20:15:00
Canada	Montreal Process Recap	The other thing you can ask your family doctor for is a "titer test"... what I'd do is bring in the required vaccines for the medical/immigration as a print-out (this page, here) and see if your doctor can test you for immunity for those key illnesses. For some, a verbal declaration is enough (have you had chicken pox? Yes? done.) Others, you should be getting boosters of anyway (like DPT - that's only good for like 10 or 15 years, but most adults don't get boosters because they're not so dangerous when you're an adult, though they can be very serious if you get them when you're little). If you print the page in the link out, you'll see that for many of the immunizations they accept either record of immunization or a titer test. It's good you're looking into this now because getting results back can take a little while. I'd get it taken care of as soon as possible.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-17 16:55:00
Canada	Montreal Process Recap	I also went to a walk-in with my immunization record and a print-off of the required vaccines, and the doctor I saw gave me all the shots I needed (either updates or all new ones) for free. I did that about 2 weeks before the medical and it was really reassuring to know that there wouldn't be any problems. I also had him write a little note about my prescriptions (from the same clinic). We'll help you get through this!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-14 12:11:00
Canada	Montreal Process Recap	Jeannie's got it right - I submitted a DS160 and did not do a DS157 (approved yesterday!). I followed the same procedure as you've got listed there. Remember that the updated Letter of Intent to Marry should be dated within one month of the interview. Good luck and great plan to stay on top of things by calling the NVC and DoS!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-14 07:31:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	Excellent! Glad to hear it!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-29 08:08:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	So, the DoS was probably confused - DHL says they've got my passport and gave me a waybill number in an email. Just a few more days	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 20:09:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	They didn't ask for the separate MVR receipt - the account page shows a reference number and the amount I paid...? It's the only website print out I brought for proof of my appointment at the main consulate doors, and proof of payment at one or two windows... No passport yet The DoS said I was in AP this morning but I hope they're just confused.	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 16:23:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	I also got email confirmations each time I cancelled an appointment and booked a different date. I never thought to print the emails off - I just chose "My Account" on the CSC website and printed the whole thing off because it had my date, the address, and the proof I'd paid already. This is the form I took to the interview - parts got circled and highlighted at a few different windows but it looked like it was enough...	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-19 14:05:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	Nice! Let's hope these openings keep coming! I just posted my much too detailed review of Montreal in the Reviews section! I hope it helps calm your nerves and get you ready!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-14 13:27:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	AHHH I just booked an appointment for May 18th ahhhhhhhh YAY! Nice work!!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-14 12:13:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	So I had my interview today and the worst part was that the basement elevator wasn't working so wandering through the building toward another elevator, our order was so mixed up couple #2 got #11 by the time we sat down. That was the worst part. The best part: I was APPROVED! Woohoo! I'll write a review for y'all tomorrow, but it was really quite like all the other reviews (except for the broken elevator). For now, sweet, sweet sleep!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-13 18:33:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	I sure will!! It turns out ViaRail now offers free internet... you guys, I am on a train! And also on the internet! I didn't think Via would ever get so generous. Anyway! I'm going home Thursday afternoon so I will have a good block of time to let you know how it turned out. My biggest fear is that my Dutch police certificate hasn't been requested and is not in Montreal - NVC or the consulate must request it from the Amsterdam consulate, and though we've been after the consulate a few times (and NVC too) to make sure they're taking care of that, we haven't heard anything back. I had almost forgotten about it, to be honest, until my ride to the train station mentioned it... 24 hours to go!	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-12 06:41:00
Canada	k1-ers waiting for Montreal	And the online payment option appears if you choose "Permanently Immigrate (K1)"	iampatricias	Female	Canada	2011-04-11 19:47:00