Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Canada	Renewing Canadian Passports in the US.	My mental health finds it an absolute necessity to go back home at least once per year. I don't see my family otherwise. And I think my lungs go thru smog withdrawl er summat	Reba	Female	0	2007-01-26 20:41:00
Canada	Renewing Canadian Passports in the US.	You can just mail it to Canada, whichever office it is. Or go home for a 2 week visit and get a new one while you're there.	Reba	Female	0	2007-01-26 20:29:00
Canada	I-134 or 1-864? Need info for packet 3	I am hoping that someone can post the most up-to-date documents required for packet 3 and 4 K-1 Visa only. Some of the information that I am finding is outdated or pertains to spousal visa. I also am wondering if I can start prepping my packet 3 and if I can send that information to the consulate beforehand even though I haven't received the packet 3 or instructions from the consulate yet. The only reason that I know that Montreal received our K1 from NVC is that I called DOS and asked if Montreal received our information from NVC. The operator confirmed that the consulate did receive our K1 application/approval but that they had not sent anything out to me yet. Any advise my fellow VJ'ers. The lady at the DOS told me not to send anything to Montreal until I received Packet 3. Do not send Packet 3 until DOS says it has been logged. Despite what a DOS operator may say, you do not have to physically receive packet 3 in the mail before sending it, but it DOES have to be "logged" in the system i.e. Montreal is in the process of sending it out. Montreal is notorious for sending packet 3 and packet 4 very late or never sending them at all, so if you wait to get in the mail it will set you behind. Keep calling DOS a couple times a week or so until they tell you that Pkt 3 has been logged. Same for Packet 4, just call to find out it's been logged and then you can schedule an interview. Packet 3 is just a letter that directs you to their website to print out the forms and send them back, so it's not any new information. Please check out this thread for info on K1s: http://www.visajourn...guide-montreal/ The last page has recently updated information on packet 3 and documents to bring to the interview, but some other questions are answered throughout the thread. Edited by pocheros, 17 February 2012 - 03:55 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-17 15:51:00
Canada	I-134 or 1-864? Need info for packet 3	I find this I-134 vs. I-864 thing confusing as well- I wonder if they just forgot to include I-134 in the checklist as they also lumped some things only spouses need in there too? But if they made the switch, maybe it'll be easier on K1s since part of the adjustment of status forms will already be done... I do recall reading somewhere that technically Montreal can ask for a K1 to submit and 864 if they feel there is insufficient evidence, so maybe they're just trying to kill two birds with one stone. Edited by pocheros, 17 February 2012 - 02:16 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-17 14:15:00
Canada	Getting US visa?	No because the US doesn't recognize same-sex marriage at a federal level. Some states allow it but because immigration is a federal thing it doesn't work that way, unfortunately. Ugh, that's such ^%&*ing bullcrap!	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-14 18:14:00
Canada	Getting US visa?	This is a little off-topic, but if a same sex couple were married in Canada, one American and one Canadian, would be the Canadian be able to apply for a CR1 visa to move to the USA? I'm just curious... If you can't then that sucks horribly	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-14 18:07:00
Canada	US citizen pulled into immigration at Canadian Border	Disgusting... aren't we talking about people getting married?	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-27 15:34:00
Canada	Nervous!	Regarding DHL: yep, that's all you need to do unless you want them to deliver it to his house specifically (add an extra 2 days to the delivery time, and I believe it costs extra.) Unless the DHL branch is really far away it's easier to just pick it up I'm sure he'll be fine! Did he review the security procedures for the consulate? No cell phones, electronics, large bags etc. are allowed inside. Good luck	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-27 15:25:00
Canada	K1 POE Tomorrow!!	Congrats and good luck with your POE! So happy for you	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-23 14:10:00
Canada	Packet 3 Questions	The financial support is the I-134 which you bring to the interview. The DS 156 also lists things like birth certificate etc., those things you also bring to the interview, DO NOT mail them with packet 3. Packet 3 consists of ONLY this, as quoted from the official Montreal consulate website: Packet 3 provides instruction materials for immigrant visa applicants once the case file has been received at the Consulate, but before an interview can be scheduled. If you have received a "Packet 3" letter from the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal, please follow the instructions below to send to the Consulate the required forms and checklist. NOTE: You are NOT authorized to make an interview appointment at this time. All unauthorized appointments will be cancelled without notice. If you are a Fiancé (K-1) applicant: DS-230, Part I only ? one copy per each applicant, including children. DS-156 ? 2 copies. DS-156K (292KB PDF) ? 1 copy. Confirmation receipt regarding Form DS-160 - one copy, available online at ceac.state.gov/genniv. Checklist of documents to gather for the interview ? one copy per family is sufficient. 2 color photographs (Photograph Requirements) Photocopy of the biographic data page of the applicant's passport. You may send the documents to the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal using courier services that are offered at no extra cost for the applicant. Please visit the Visa Services website and follow instructions for "IV Applicant Needing to Register for DHL" and "Sending Document to the Consular Section". If you have any further inquiries about the courier services, please visit the U.S. Visa Services website. So basically JUST the forms, two 2"x2" passport photos, and a photocopy of the biographic page of the applicants passport. That's it. Everything else you bring to the interview. Check out this link for a K1 guide for Montreal: http://tinyurl.com/7ug3drs It's stickied at the top of the forum if you need to find it later. Edited by pocheros, 28 February 2012 - 02:54 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-28 14:53:00
Canada	problem with medical	Yes, she is fine. No, you do not need to send the x ray. You can throw the x ray out now. Or frame it and hang it on the wall	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-28 14:19:00
Canada	problem with medical	I need to correct that: Most people get the following boxes checked off "vaccination history is incomplete" "applicant may be eligible for blanket waivers because vaccinations not medically appropriate" THIS IS OKAY! It simply refers to a few vaccinations (for example, rotavirus) which are either only given to children or those over the age of 65. If she was approved at the interview her vaccinations are OK. Unless there is concern for tuberculosis which isn't the case with most Canadians, you should be fine. Many are approved without going to a civil surgeon, it's pretty much unnecessary. You can also ditch the x-ray unless there was something specifically wrong with her lungs... Edited by pocheros, 28 February 2012 - 02:15 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-28 14:13:00
Canada	problem with medical	ok this helps! what I have in my possession: x-ray a paper from the doctor labeled CML Healthcare and it gives my wife's name, info including the doctor, type of exam, date of exam, passport #, film number completed vaccination documentation medical worksheet two - this lists all the vaccinations and checks of my wife and the doc's signature. The exam was in July, 2011 so it is within the 1 year timeframe. Does this help at all? what to do from here? This is good. You do not have the medical exam in your possession, just a few sheets that your wife was supposed to get back anyways. I also got a cover sheet stating the name of the doctor, type of exam etc. and I recommend you also include this in your AOS packet. You can proceed with AOS normally. You do not have to get the medical exam re-done. Not completely sure on how to to fill out the I-693 though (you don't need to fill out the entire form, I believe) so hopefully someone else will chime in. Edited by pocheros, 28 February 2012 - 01:51 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-28 13:46:00
Canada	problem with medical	The physician was merely supposed to give you a copy of the DS-3025 which is titled as "Vaccination Documentation Worksheet" (it may not say DS-3025 on it); most Canadians only get this sheet and submit this with AOS since if the medical exam is still less than one year old you are not required to get a civil surgeon to fill out anything. I have not done AOS yet so I'm not sure how it works exactly but I believe you're just supposed to fill out the first part of the I-693 yourself and then submit the vaccination sheet. It's also handy to submit the part of the instructions that says a new medical exam is not required if it's valid within one year. It's odd, however, that her medical exam was not sealed and yet she was still approved at the interview. Normally this invalidates the results. I wonder if it matters, though, because it gets opened at the interview and then sent to USCIS, so how would USCIS know that it wasn't opened at the consulate? My guess is you can proceed with AOS normally. Edit: yeah, you didn't state if you have the medical or not. If it's in your possession, then it's trickier and you might have to re do something. If USCIS has it, it seems alright. If the medical was handed back to you fiance at POE it was an error that the border crossing made, unfortunately. Edited by pocheros, 28 February 2012 - 01:41 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-28 13:37:00
Canada	passport photos & do you attach any to forms in packet 3?	2 with packet 3 (not attached to the forms), 3 for the medical, 2 for the interview. It says to bring 2 photos on Montreal's official interview checklist Also, it's helpful to print your case number in ink on the back of the photos as well as the date they were taken. Edited by pocheros, 28 February 2012 - 01:32 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-28 13:31:00
Canada	Police Certificate in Canada?	A full background check is unnecessary unless he has a criminal history. You just indicate that you need something showing that the "Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) or the national criminal records repository was searched using the applicant's name and date of birth." When I had mine done they also asked for all the addresses I lived at in the last 5 years.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-10 12:24:00
Canada	DS 156 / DS 160	Hi everyone, I am working on getting PC 3 organized as we got our NOA2 last week. So, can I fill out DS 156 any time or should I wait till Montreal receives my petition? When I finish can I just click on printing it twice? or 2 copies of it? When is the most appropriate time to start filling out DS 160 (the trouble maker ) ? Thanks a lot! So long as the information on the forms isn't going to change soon (for example, your phone number) you can go right ahead and fill them out. It's been awhile since I filled out packet 3 but yeah you should be able to print out the form twice just by clicking on print twice. If that fails for some reason you can always photocopy! In fact I recommend you make an extra copy of the packet 3 forms just for yourself because they're handy later on since they list your past addresses, employers etc. and it makes it easier to streamline all your information.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-02-29 21:03:00
Canada	WoW'ers stand up and be counted!!!	We didn't meet on WoW but we did meet on a forum for video games. He tried to get me into WoW but I just can't enjoy MMOs most of the time I wonder how often the consular officers hear that their interviewees met on WoW... hehe	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-02 17:50:00
Canada	I saw this on TV yesterday..	After married we will process our I-30 with our immigration lawyer. Lawyers are a waste of money and the immigration process itself is already expensive. Unless you have a complicated case with felonies or something they are unnecessary. They basically just fill out forms that you can fill out yourself and often are not familiar with the most up-to-date information and often have misinformed other VJers before. There's nothing they'll tell you that you can't find out for yourself on visa journey. Just ask the VJ members here who hired lawyers and then realized they spent a whole bunch of money for nothing :/ Edit: Also that video is horrible and saddening Personally, I LIKE it when people move to new places from all over the world because they bring something new and different and unique to offer that country. Homogenous societies stagnate! Edited by pocheros, 03 March 2012 - 12:36 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-03 12:31:00
Canada	No appointments in Montreal	Anyone know why the DOS doesn't schedule K-1 interviews automatically like it does CR-1/IR-1 interviews? Just curious. Maybe it's because they're technically non-immigrant visas? Just a guess.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-03 15:36:00
Canada	APPROVED!!	CONGRATS!!!	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-03 12:27:00
Canada	Going to Montreal soon. Ohhh man.	I'm sure none of this will cause a problem, but my fiance is kind of a ...well... *facepalm*. I just got his overnighted portion of the paperwork. He sent me his 2011 transcripts only, his letter of intent had a rip at the top and he forgot to fill out part of the i-134/i-864 (luckily, I know all of the information and it's signed, and the parts he forgot on one form are on the other form in his hand writing so everything matches up)...but still. But hey, at least his letter of employment is notorized! :| If it makes you feel any better, my fiance also sent me incorrect stuff the first time and he did it really late because he's a procrastinator. He spelled both our names wrong, typoed a bunch of important information (like important dates etc) and didn't have his tax returns ready. Oh and he didn't sign it. I called him and had him immediately FedEx a re-done copy of everything- it cost him $70 just to mail it quickly, a couple days before my interview. He drove me up the wall throughout the whole process and does not to this day comprehend the kind of anxiety I was put through and the hard work I did to make sure all the paperwork was filled out right. It was madness, to say the least As my sister in law says, my husband is the King of Last Minute Everything. However, it seems like you have a sufficient amount of paperwork. The letter of employment I gave to Montreal wasn't notarized, and many people are only requested to give the last year's tax return although 3 years is recommended. The rip isn't an issue so long as it isn't through the whole page Edited by pocheros, 05 March 2012 - 02:12 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-05 14:07:00
Canada	Police Check.. can someone put my mind at ease?	As long as it says your name was searched in the national database or it's a CPIC check it's fine. By the way although a K1 is technically a nonimmigrant visa you still treat it as an immigrant visa in some cases. For example at POE you say you'll be immigrating, obviously. On my interview day in Montreal they instructed immigrant visa applicants only to get in the elevator but that included K1s as well. On any forms you fill out if it asks you what your intent is you say immigration, etc. etc. Edited by pocheros, 05 March 2012 - 11:56 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-05 23:55:00
Canada	i-134 evidence	Montreal only kept the most recent year at my interview but they looked at 2008 & 2009 and then handed them back to me. So if something happened the day before your interview and you ONLY had the most recent year's return you'd probably be okay but it's better to have the most recent 3 year's. As Kimbear and nycheryl said, transcripts are free & easy to obtain and you can get extra copies for when you do AOS. Also for anyone else looking at this thread Montreal still wants the I-134 for K1s, not the I-864. CADreamer asked Montreal in an email and that was their response. I posted it in the K1 guide thread. Edited by pocheros, 06 March 2012 - 01:41 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-06 13:40:00
Canada	i-134 evidence	You're welcome! I actually asked the same thing before my interview (thinking I didn't need the W2) but everyone said I should bring it. It's just like how you're supposed to keep your T4s for seven years, since that's considered the most official document if you get audited and you could lie on your tax return, I think. Edited by pocheros, 05 March 2012 - 11:49 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-05 23:47:00
Canada	i-134 evidence	The Montreal consulate interview appointment checklists includes "photocopy of IRS transcript or photocopy of the most recent Federal income tax return;" the tax return automatically refers to both the forms AND the W2 since it would not be considered a full return without the W2. I brought a photocopy of the W2 along with the tax return forms and Montreal kept both and I would highly recommend your fiance sends a copy of his W2 because yes it is considered the norm if you are using returns instead of transcripts. The I-134 instructions don't even ask for tax returns unless you're self employed but Canadians who didn't bring ANY tax information before were RFEd so even though it's not officially listed anywhere Montreal still wants to see that stuff. USCIS only lays out the guidelines for the individual consulates- they can request documentation above and beyond what USCIS requires. If your fiance is picky about seeing official proof before photocopying a W2 for you tell him his laziness will result in an RFE Not saying he would do that though Edited by pocheros, 05 March 2012 - 06:48 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-05 18:47:00
Canada	K1 interview fees/visa fees..? kids	If they are getting visas then they you also need to pay for their fees, and it's the same for each person. $350 x 3. Also be prepared for the medical exam fees which are expensive as well.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-06 13:50:00
Canada	Approved!	Never POEd through Detroit but I've crossed through it a few times and each time it was okay. The officers were still a bunch of old crabby men but they didn't give me trouble. Edited by pocheros, 06 March 2012 - 01:46 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-06 13:45:00
Canada	Approved!	Yes!! Maybe we'll pour out a cup of Tim Horton's coffee when we get over the border It was totally worth it, but I've been a stress ball since last year Your posts have been so incredibly helpful - a million thank yous again! I plan to stick around and pay it forward. You're welcome I'm glad to help! I wouldn't have made it without visa journey	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-05 14:54:00
Canada	Approved!	Congratulations!!! Finally the long wait is over, eh? Make sure to have a bottle of champagne ready on POE day! Hehe.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-05 13:45:00
Canada	Passport Pictures	I got mine done at Costco but I had to try about 4 other places before I found someone who knew what the heck they were doing. It's difficult for some people to take photos that aren't ridiculously off centre or off colour for some reason	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-04 16:05:00
Canada	just curious	Yes, they will.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-07 16:19:00
Canada	understanding loomis	Hmm... you should be getting a call super soon telling you to pick up your passport! When I got a call from them they gave me reference number in the voicemail (NOT the waybill) and they asked for this number when I went to pick it up. I got the phone call shortly after I got an e-mail similar to yours (saying that it's been delivered but is not yet ready to pick up). Of course if it's not too far you can try driving over there and checking it out. I got the phone call about 3 hours after the e-mail so it shouldn't be too long now...	pocheros	Female	Canada	2011-11-10 12:27:00
Canada	frusturated & confused	When I made an appointment with Dr. Seiden's they asked for packet 3 or 4, however you wouldn't be the first person to go there without either of those things. They just need to see your case number and some sort of proof that you have an interview or will be scheduling an interview at Montreal soon. When you schedule an interview on the CSC website you will get a confirmation page with your case number and interview date and this should work in place of packet 3/4. You wouldn't want to schedule a medical exam before you have an interview date set anyways. If you are unsure you can try calling or e-mailing them (they tend to respond quickly to e-mails) explaining your situation.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-08 23:01:00
Canada	frusturated & confused	Yes, you should be calling DOS daily to see if pkt 4 has been logged. As soon as it's logged you can book an interview. Packet 4 itself is not that remarkable- it's just a letter that tells you to go the CSC website to book an interview, so no need to physically receive it first.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-07 07:49:00
Canada	K-1 Fiance Interview	Hi everyone, We filed for the I-129F petition, was approved. Sent back Packet 3 yesterday. How long does it usually take between sending Packet 3 and receiving Packet 4? (Montreal). Also, one more question... Are K1-Fiance visa interview booked by us? Or booked by the consulate or whoever (lol). Just because i've read different things with different people.. Unless they don't have the same K1 as me.. So frustrating waiting and waiting.. ALSO! I booked my medical for next week, Medysis indicated they just need a letter with my name and our MTl case number, which we have from the letter they sent my fiance to tell us the Packet 3 was coming. Is that ok? 1. The time between Packet 3 and Packet 4 was about a week for me. 2. K1s book their own interview. 3. If Medisy's told you they just need your name and case number and the letter has those things then it should be sufficient.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-09 14:40:00
Canada	visa approved..	Congrats! When your passport is almost ready to pick up you should get an e-mail from DHL/Loomis, and then when it is ready a call. The waybill number tends to show up after DHL contacts you, and it should appear on the applicant summary page of the CSC website. The amount of time it takes can vary. Give it a few business days	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-09 14:42:00
Canada	Canada GST Cheque	Just checked the mail and I got a letter from them saying I owe. I'm guessing that they simply sent this out before processing my mail, although their letter is dated March 2nd and I sent the cheques back on January 16th. Guess I'll give them a call on Monday. Also, the CRA website said the international tax office moved to Ottawa and the lady on the phone told me to send my cheques to Ottawa, but the letter is from the old Quebec office.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-09 21:18:00
Canada	Canada GST Cheque	No, the CRA actually got it right for me I was waiting to get confirmation of my address change and cancellation of future cheques before I sent mine back. This makes it easier for me in the long run. This way, they will get their money back for sure and I will have record of it once my personal cheque clears. Oh, I didn't notice that They didn't put interest on the amount you owe? Edited by pocheros, 09 March 2012 - 02:36 PM.	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-09 14:36:00
Canada	Canada GST Cheque	So, in the mail today I got a notice stating that I am not eligible for OSTC sue to residency requirements, and a bill for the last 2 GST cheques I received. Thankfully, I have yet to send them back. Now, I am just going to cash them and then pay it back. That way I know for sure it goes to the right. Pocheros, have you received anything in the mail like that yet? Nope, nothing in the mail. I mailed back my cheques and spoke to them on January 16th, too. Sorry to hear that the CRA didn't get it right for you :/ Whyyyy is it so hard for them to get this right?	pocheros	Female	Canada	2012-03-09 01:09:00