ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaMTL Timeline to Interview

I can't believe how nutty that thread got; O Canad(ian subforum) how I love thee.


Yeah, no kidding. Talk about tipping the monkey barrel over! :P

liz_legend: glad that you and your fiance can joke about each other's mistakes without getting into hissy fits. Take our advice with a grain of salt, we just want the best for you. :D
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-06-14 11:52:00
CanadaLive Views of Canada Coast to Coast-
Of course Vancouver isn't on the list! *cries*
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-07-06 11:44:00
CanadaWhat do we do???
*hugs Laura*
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-10 15:58:00
CanadaIn need of your real estate help!
Congratulations Amanda! That's awesome news. Now the question is, when do you move in? biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-23 17:43:00
CanadaInformation sharing.
Oh wow, that's terrible news. sad.gif

I really do wonder about how doctors are chosen for immigration medicals - whether it's up to USCIS or the doctor. I suspect that it's USCIS, because there are many more doctors here in the US that are willing to perform immigration medicals, and their costs vary from expensive to stupidly expensive.
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-26 22:44:00
CanadaHave we talked about Wegmans yet? I think we have...
QUOTE (thetreble @ Oct 29 2008, 08:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
We had some wet snow yesterday and every one in Jersey and PA went bananas. laughing.gif They actually closed down whole sections of major routes.


Hey now, it was only raining in my lil PA suburb! And I wasn't going bananas so much as burying myself under a bazillion blankets laughing.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-29 09:34:00
CanadaHave we talked about Wegmans yet? I think we have...
If they have Cadbury Wunderbars, it'll be even better. biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-25 18:18:00
CanadaHave we talked about Wegmans yet? I think we have...
Aero bars at Wegman's? I think we need to do a shopping trip. It's about a half-hour's drive from us, but clearly it's worth it biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-25 15:34:00
CanadaVisa mailed, FINALLY!!!
Oh, that's wonderful news! Better start packing! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2008-10-24 21:37:00
CanadaP-H-E-W!
Congratulations on the interview date! I don't have any relevant advice for you, but keeping my good thoughts for you just the same! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-03 14:16:00
CanadaBoarding passes and Pictures
Bee and I ended up putting all the boarding passes together on one page (we had a total of 4), and the photos in a separate Ziploc bag. I don't think USCIS cares as to how the petition is put together, as long as you can prove that you've fulfilled the 2-year meeting requirement. That you've done eightfold smile.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-10 21:35:00
CanadaOur Montreal Interview.........
I'm sorry that you had such a bad night in your hotel. But great review! Congratulations biggrin.gif

Now all there's left is packing... oh right, that reminds me that I still have some of my life to put into more boxes. *totters off*

Edited by Nini & Bee, 07 October 2007 - 01:22 AM.

~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-07 01:21:00
CanadaWeddingMoon in Florida!
What a great deal on airfare! I'm crossing my fingers for you! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-03 19:22:00
CanadaHow do you know you got the visa
I wasn't asked to raise my right hand... or my left, for that matter. Though, the consular officer could've asked me to dance on one foot like a monkey because I was that stressed at the interview laughing.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-10 16:38:00
CanadaBall is in Washington's court
Just wanted to throw my best wishes out of there. It's been a long and arduous process for you both, and you guys only deserve good things after all that you've done for all of us here. smile.gif

PS. I like filet mignon wink.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-10 12:12:00
CanadaMy Divorce....
I think overall you should do what feels right to you, but if I were you I'd file right after your divorce is final. You know best what your relationship is (not a rebound!) and why wait? biggrin.gif

PS. I'm with Len on this one - watching your back with some very sharp shuriken for the unnecessary negative comments! happy.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 15:49:00
CanadaHello Canada!
QUOTE (Toronto/New York @ Oct 14 2007, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
also, may i apply for a social security number before i enter the us on our k3 visa?


Hey and welcome to the Canada forum!

Unfortunately K3s aren't allowed to have SSNs unless they're work authorized, so you'll either have to apply for an EAD or wait for your green card after AOS.
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 15:46:00
CanadaWoohoo!
QUOTE (~Laura and Nick~ @ Oct 14 2007, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So you didn't need a SSN card to get the marriage license? smile.gif


I guess not! We looked at the Chester County website and it said that applicants who have a SSN needed to bring it, but after Bee searched high and low for his SSN card, all they wanted was photo ID. The lady looked at my BC DL and was like, "Where is this from?" laughing.gif

QUOTE (Krikit @ Oct 14 2007, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congratulations Nini & Bee!!! Can't you just do a walk-in and get married at the courthouse? (Or am I missing something? LOL)


Hehe, I would've done it on the spot if we'd been allowed to! It wasn't until we were in the car that we looked at the license more carefully and saw that it was valid three days from the issuing date sad.gif

That, and my mother-in-law would've had a huge cow if we'd gotten married at the courthouse without her... my brother-in-law did that with his wife, and ever since then she's been a little sensitive about that kind of thing laughing.gif

QUOTE (jg_am @ Oct 15 2007, 12:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats! Welcome to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania! Again, the offer is there for a get together if you and Bee want to.


I'll definitely shoot you a PM once I've talked to Bee about it. Either that, or I'll brave the highways by myself! biggrin.gif

QUOTE (autumnchik @ Oct 15 2007, 11:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
And another congrats on finding shoes at Target!!! LOL smile.gif I LOVE Target!


I love, love, love Target! biggrin.gif I'm already trying to convince Bee to take me back this week happy.gif I don't think I need any more shoes, but we just received two Target gift cards from Bee's aunt, and we're deciding on an XBOX 360 or a Wii for the den. Geek alert!

Edited by Nini & Bee, 15 October 2007 - 02:20 PM.

~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-15 14:18:00
CanadaWoohoo!
QUOTE (vanee @ Oct 14 2007, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So did the officer bring up the EAD stamp? Can people really get EAD stamps at Infopass appointments?

Also, how long did all that take?


I'm not sure whether people can get EAD stamps at Infopass appointments. Either he's wrong about that, or he's referring to applying for a regular EAD before AOS. tongue.gif

All in all it took about 15 minutes - the POE officer was really nice and tried to make me laugh, probably because he saw the remnants of leaving my mom and little sister at the gate sleep.gif

Edited by Nini & Bee, 14 October 2007 - 03:43 PM.

~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 15:42:00
CanadaWoohoo!
I think I've finally come down from cloud nine. laughing.gif

In all seriousness, the POE in Vancouver was incredibly painless on Thursday - the CBP officer was really helpful (I suspect though it was because I was all blotchy from crying with my mom and little sister at the departure gate) and answered all my questions. Funny thing was when he told me that I could apply for a temporary EAD stamp, he said, "Make an Infopass appointment" and I said, "But that's only valid for the duration of the I-94, right?" Ah, that close to a temp stamp. He also kept hammering the point in about not being able to leave after I got married within 90 days and how I wouldn't be allowed back into the country if I left... it took me a lot of restraint not to blurt out, "My VJ buddies have my back!" laughing.gif

Flying itself was pretty awful, since I've been steadily getting worse with traveling as I get older, and the trip itself was pretty strenuous with several crying babies and a delayed stopover in Chicago O'Hare. I arrived after midnight and fourteen hours of travel time in Philadelphia. But it was worth it just to see Bee at the arrival area biggrin.gif

Bee and I applied for our marriage license Friday afternoon at the Chester County courthouse - we sure weren't going to waste any time! blush.gif First thing that the clerk told us was, "You're going to leave with a license in your hands today." blink.gif We were expecting to wait three to four days, so that was a surprise! (Turns out after we looked at the marriage license, it's not valid for three days... shucks.) Then she asked us the legal questions under oath - one of the questions that made us all crack up was "Are you related in any way?" (Ben's a white Jewish boy, I'm a tiny Asian girl.) laughing.gif

One of the things she emphasized was that I had to obtain certified copies of the marriage license for my AOS and any other stuff (SSN and DL) since our portion of the marriage certificate shows my maiden name and won't stand up by itself. However, she did mention that the county's portion of the marriage license could be returned in person and I could obtain copies at that point on the spot.

We're going to call a few judges on Monday and see what dates are good for the family - until then, I've been filling my time with conquering Target. Among other things, I've already bought a pair of stunning brown shoes for $17.99! laughing.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 04:15:00
CanadaGC arrived!
Wahoo! Congratulations! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-15 14:04:00
Canadaimporting the husband
Wahoo! About time! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-08 19:54:00
CanadaOct 10th is a busy day in Montreal
Good luck, all of you! We'll be waiting to hear back with fingers crossed biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-08 21:21:00
CanadaI got my drivers license today!!:)
QUOTE (Earmuffs @ Oct 13 2007, 08:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If you have your license already you should be able to transfer it right over with a valid I-94.. They treat canadian licenses as out of state... My problem was I had a canadain class 3 with air brakes and they wouldnt give me a cdl.. just a regular license.


Again, it does really does depend which state you live in. Pennsylvania asks for a SSN regardless of whether you're applying before or after AOS (they have two sets of requirements for both K1 and AOS status, believe it or not!).

http://www.dmv.state...ts/pub195nc.pdf

The lady at the DSC in Vancouver told me that my CDL would transfer right over and I shouldn't need to take the road test again, thank heaven. whistling.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 03:44:00
CanadaMontreal Interview Experience - 10/9/07
Woohoo! Congratulations! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-12 17:45:00
Canadagetting married on halloween
I laughed so hard at the thought of a bride and groom in wedding finery, with two clown noses. biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-16 14:08:00
CanadaI got a new job!!!
Congratulations on the new job and increased pay! smile.gif

Both my fiance and I have worked while we visited each other in our respective countries - unfortunately that just comes with the territory. Enjoy what time you have with each other, and focus on the end of the road!
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-16 14:12:00
CanadaOnline Conversion
QUOTE (charlesandnessa @ Oct 17 2007, 01:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Stacey33 @ Oct 17 2007, 11:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I don't think I have had any problems with conversions. I know once Mel and a few friends were trying to figure out something in milliliters- one of his friends found the answer poking around the net on his blackberry. I wasn't really paying attention to what they were doing at the time but I later said- "why didn't you just ask me?"

With converting Celsius to Fahrenheit my father taught me a simple trick- take the number in Celsius, times by 2 and add 30.

So if it is 25C then it would be 80F. I don't know how precise this method is, but if it at least gives me a rough idea, then it is good enough for me.

it's good for a ballpark figure. although the method i learned was x2 add 32.


That's what I do too! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-17 14:10:00
CanadaPre-moving homesick jitters
Thank you all for your good thoughts. It really means a lot and it's comforting to know that I'm not the only person in this kind of situation. smile.gif

The first week has been quite busy. I've been settling in the house quite well, except for the fact that I've been nursing a cold which might or might not be due to Bee's parents' cats. I love them all dearly, but we need to get an air purifier from Target happy.gif

I don't a car, but my mother-in-law lets me borrow hers whenever she comes home from her teaching job in Philly. Last night I went to visit Bee's brother and family over in Paoli, so took the car over there. Driving in a city is way different than driving in the hilly suburbs blink.gif needless to say it was a little interesting, but I didn't get lost biggrin.gif

Today the UPS man arrived with my boxes of stuff, including my computer and monitor (WOOOO!). Unfortunately we haven't been able to get me a desk yet, so I can't set up quite yet sad.gif but at least nothing was lost, which is a huge relief!

Best of all, we were at the liquor store today and at the checkout was a display of Canadian icewine. That really made me smile inside. smile.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-17 14:30:00
CanadaPre-moving homesick jitters
It's so ridiculous, but today was such a mopey day for me (and not because my Thanksgiving dinner is tomorrow, hehe). A couple of my good friends came by and we went to visit the store where we all used to work at. Naturally the topic of "hey, what are you up to now?" came up and so I mentioned that I was leaving on Thursday to Philadelphia. I guess it just really hit me that I'm going to be leaving the city soon, and I've been pretty emotional since then. Over the weekend my mom and I spent time together, and she kept getting weepy at random moments.

I guess I'm just nervous about moving to a new place where the lifestyle is completely different... from being able to walk/bus everywhere to being completely reliant on the car in Bee's area, missing all the restaurants that I love in Vancouver, sugar to HFCS, etc. I'm just worried that I'm going to be incredibly unhappy for the first few months due to the fact that I'll be sitting at home with a thumb up my #######, bored out of my mind and isolated because I don't have a way of getting around, and entertaining myself with video games and horrible soap opera telly for twelve hours while Bee is at work.

/rant - Anyone else feel/felt like this, or other thoughts?
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-08 22:59:00
CanadaNVC
You can certainly have your medical and police check done now! The panel physician might ask for proof of your case number from MTL before they'll allow you to schedule the medical appointment - you can always call and confirm whether they need that or not. With the police certificate, if you're getting it done at your local RCMP detachment they might also ask for a case number. Every RCMP detachment is different, but I know in Vancouver they asked for my Packet 3 before they would process one for me.

I'm not sure whether your daughter will require a police certificate, but I'm sure someone will answer that for you. smile.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-15 20:20:00
CanadaNVC
I totally understand that feeling - I used to pester Bee all the time for news. And it's Nini, everyone gets that mixed up all the time laughing.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-15 20:11:00
CanadaNVC
QUOTE (BH45 @ Oct 15 2007, 09:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just wondering - which one of us will receive the notice that NVC has our application and is ready to forward it to Montreal?


The USC fiance will receive the NVC notice. smile.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-15 20:03:00
CanadaPics for Medical and Interview
I got my pictures taken a month or two before my medical, and they were roughly four months old before my interview at the Vancouver consulate. They weren't dated at the back since at that point I hadn't received a Packet 4 yet. They definitely would've given me hassle at the Canadian passport office though. I looked washed out and much too happy laughing.gif

Edited by Nini & Bee, 14 October 2007 - 04:20 AM.

~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 04:20:00
CanadaAPPROVED
Congratulations on the approval! biggrin.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-17 17:22:00
CanadaThanks to all on VJ
Wow, you sold your house already? laughing.gif Congratulations!

Best of luck for the incoming road trip!
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-14 03:45:00
CanadaHE HAWWWW--I'm Rich!!!
I didn't get it - clearly I'm not talking to the right people laughing.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-18 14:57:00
CanadaRogers to Verizon cell phone Q
Keep in mind that you still have 30 days of cellular service after the day that you cancel your account. Damn Rogers sleep.gif
~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-18 15:05:00
CanadaRogers to Verizon cell phone Q
Well, you've got a few options:

1) Get your phone unlocked in Toronto, go to the US and buy a SIM card from AT&T/T-Mobile.

GSM coverage: http://www.gsmworld....fo/cou_us.shtml

Motorola SLVR L7: http://en.wikipedia....otorola_SLVR_L7

Seems like they're compatiable!

2) Buy a new phone, which means you have more options in terms of plans, pricing, and coverage. I've been looking at Cingular AT&T's plans because I've got an unlocked Nokia phone on Rogers right now, but the plans are pretty pricey and since Bee is on Verizon we might go for a family plan.

Edited by Nini & Bee, 08 October 2007 - 11:18 PM.

~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-08 23:16:00
CanadaRogers to Verizon cell phone Q
The problem with Verizon is that they're on a CDMA network, which means that they don't use SIM cards. Rogers is on a GSM network - in a nutshell, GSM networks utilize SIM cards, CDMA networks don't. The other problem is that any phone company (whether it's Rogers, Telus, Bell, Fido, or Virgin) program their phones to lock into their specific network, so even if you purchase a SIM card from somewhere like Cingular AT&T or T-Mobile, it might not work in the phone.

A way to get around that is to get the phone "unlocked" for use in any network, in which case you can just buy a SIM card from AT&T or T-Mobile. But even then it's iffy as to whether you can use it, since the phone you're wishing to use may not be compatiable with the network's band frequency.

(Can you tell I worked at my electronics job for way too long?)

Edited by Nini & Bee, 08 October 2007 - 11:06 PM.

~Nini~FemaleCanada2007-10-08 23:04:00