IR-1 Inteview in Montreal

[EmilyRugBurn 0]

If the consulate won't issue your visa that day, it's not the end of the world. you don't have to have a passport to get back into the US if you are driving, bc and drivers license is good till sometime in the summer. but you may want to make copies of the face sheet of your passport and of your K3 visa, just incase you get pulled into secondary and they want to see proof of your status.

I would not feel comfortable crossing back into the US without my passport (avec K3 visa) -- if they'd even let me. And I certainly wouldn't want to just use my birth certificate & license because it does not acknowledge my status in the US. They could easily turn me away and that would be a *huge* inconvenience as my husband will be with me and will need to get back to the US asap for his job. If they will not issue it same-day, I will see if the consulate can issue me something that will allow me entrance back into the US without my passport/visa. Or, I will have to mail it to them upon my return to the US along with an XpressPost envelope addressed to my dad (in Canada) who can then forward it to me.

varicella=chicken pox

perussis did you mean pertussis=whooping cough part of the DPT

pneumococcal-I didn't know that there was a common vaccine for pneumococci, they can cause meningitis but that's not required for immigration

Yes, sorry it was "pertussis".

"Pneumococcal" was on the list of required vaccinations. Not sure if people in my age bracket require it though -- hopefully Dr. Seiden's office will return my e-mail early next week and let me know what/if I need any new vaccinations prior to medical #2.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

If you're going through Montreal, then you need to get your medical done in Canada and S & J has given you the link to Dr. Seiden's website. Immunizations come from the CDC recommendations so if you go to their website, they have everything you would need to know about immunization.

Yes, thanks, I figured as much. I'm familiar with Dr. Seiden as I had my K3 medical done at the Toronto office.

The link, although helpful, does not mention some of the other immunizations that are listed on the letter I received. I have e-mailed Dr. Seiden's office to find out which are required of me (based on my age) and if I am missing any, since they have my records from the K3 medical.

Go to this website, www.http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm. This is where all the information for what vaccines you will need comes from. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta are the ones responsible for determining the immunization requirements for admission and immigration to the US. All doctors doing immigration medicals (including Dr. Seiden) must follow their rules. There's even an interactive quiz on the website to help you and the actual schedule itself. You don't need wait for the e-mail, you can get the answer immediately, from the source itself.

Edited December 15, 2007 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[EmilyRugBurn 0]

Hey Em!!!!

Hub had his Cr-1 interview on the 6th. He also is living in the U.S. on a K-3.

Thanks for responding here!! I was wondering if I'd hear from someone in the same position! Congrats to you and your hubby!!

Anywho , i emailed the consulate to inquire as to whether they could issue the gc the next day and they replied with " no guarantees". So of course we didn't make arrangements to stay over .....low and behold the interviewer said we could pick up the visa the next day UGH!!We opted for option B ...delivery to an address in Canada , which is the only place they'll mail it.It was mailed this past Monday, the 10th, to MIL's in Barrie and arrived on Wednesday. You're going to need to have the IR-1 activated/processed at a POE I would think.....dunno how you'll accomplish that if you have it mailed to you in the states.

Oh, yes of course -- I completely forgot about the activation. This may be more than a one-day trip after all. (January in Montreal does not sound like fun driving weather!) Based on your experience (assuming Montreal will tell me the same thing about not making any guarantees), I will plan on staying over two nights, and hopefully I can pick it up next day.

Since you're driving back across the border like we did , then you can ask the lady who collects the paperwork at the consulate to give you a copy of your appointment letter with a note saying your passport/gc will be mailed. Also I spoke with an agent at the border(before going) and he suggested making a photocopy of the K-3 and having the birth certificate ready as well as hub's Michigan drivers license. When we crossed the agent didnt seem to have any issues with what we offered him , including our explanation.

Wow, good to know they will take accept photocopies if I have to have it mailed to me. They are so strict at the border I wouldn't have thought it possible!

Also , he didnt require a 2nd medical since his was done in the past year. Cant imagine how it'll work if you needed additional immunizations......again I emailed to confirm that a 2nd medical wasn't required. You may be pleasantly surprised if they say just an updated immunization record will be ok.

Regardless of whether or not I require these new immunizations, since it's been more than one year (Nov. `06) since my K3 medical, I imagine they'll want new paperwork... and I am so beyond fed-up with this process that I will do pretty much anything to make it easier! Since I'll be in T.O. over the holidays, I'll take a couple hours out of my visit to get poked and prodded once more.

I have to say the people from security to the interviewer were awesome. Very easy to deal with and quite flexible.

All the best to you and good good luck come interview time!!!!!

Andrea

Thank you SO much for this, CutienPurg! Glad to hear your journey is over! (Until 2017, at least!)

[EmilyRugBurn 0]

Go to this website, www.http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm. This is where all the information for what vaccines you will need comes from. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta are the ones responsible for determining the immunization requirements for admission and immigration to the US. All doctors doing immigration medicals (including Dr. Seiden) must follow their rules. There's even an interactive quiz on the website to help you and the actual schedule itself. You don't need wait for the e-mail, you can get the answer immediately, from the source itself.

Thanks for the link! It's helpful, however I see only "recommended" vaccinations, and not "required for immigration" vaccinations... I'll do a little hunting, but yes, Dr. Seiden's office will ultimately know what I need.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Go to this website, www.http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm. This is where all the information for what vaccines you will need comes from. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta are the ones responsible for determining the immunization requirements for admission and immigration to the US. All doctors doing immigration medicals (including Dr. Seiden) must follow their rules. There's even an interactive quiz on the website to help you and the actual schedule itself. You don't need wait for the e-mail, you can get the answer immediately, from the source itself.

Thanks for the link! It's helpful, however I see only "recommended" vaccinations, and not "required for immigration" vaccinations... I'll do a little hunting, but yes, Dr. Seiden's office will ultimately know what I need.

I'll let you in on a secret (trade secret gathered by my bro, the MD), "recommended" vaccines are the max you need, it is up to the individual doctor how much from the list he wants to give you. (within limits of course, but I guess it depends on whether baby needs a new pair of shoes.)

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Sorry, I forgot to add that there's really no such thing "required for immigration" vaccinations. The actual INA only states what is required by the Department of Health and Human Services. Oytherwise, it would mean that the USCIS would be intruding on the Department of Health and Human Services and the AMA. But I totally agree with what you're saying, it's all in Dr. Seiden's hands now. Good luck!!!

[EmilyRugBurn 0]

I just spoke with Dr. Seiden's office. In regards to immunizations, all I require (I'm assuming based on my age, which is late 20s) are:

* I have had the chicken pox, so no vaccination is required.

- Measles

- Mumps

- Rubella

+ Tetanus & Diphtheria: I need to have had 3 shots in my lifetime; 1 of them in the past 10 years.

I asked her if there was any difference between these immunization requirements and those I needed in order to obtain my K3 visa and she said no, and she was nice enough to squeeze me in during the week I am in Canada over the holidays. PHEW!

She also reminded me to bring the following with me to my appointment:

- Letter indicating interview date & case #

- passport

- 3 passport photos

- $185 CAD (cash or money order only)

- copy of immunization records

Anyway, thought I'd post this here for the record in case anyone finds themselves in the same boat.

Cheers & Thanks to EVERYONE for all your help & input! Happy Holidays, VJ-ers!

~ Em

[CutienPurg 0]

I totally forgot the other item we offered at the POE .......the I-94.....that was the other thing the officer suggested to have along. Just pull it out of your passport before leaving it in Montreal , if that's what you end up doing.

Again good luck and Happy holidays!

[EmilyRugBurn 0]

I totally forgot the other item we offered at the POE .......the I-94.....that was the other thing the officer suggested to have along. Just pull it out of your passport before leaving it in Montreal , if that's what you end up doing.

Again good luck and Happy holidays!

Thanks, CutienPurg, but I don't actually have one of those. When I crossed to activate my K3, all the officer did was stamp the visa. When I applied for employment authorization, they wanted a copy of the I-94 along with the rest of the paperwork, so I had to explain that all I had was a stamped K3 and they accepted it. Weird, eh?...

[CutienPurg 0]

Initially the hub didnt get an I-94 either. The guy processing his k-3 said they didnt use em anymore. He just stamped the passport. I called Detroit and they said " uhhh yeah we do " sooooooo he crossed a couple times at the Bluewater and they didnt ask for 1 ......then came the 3rd time and he got reamed by the booth guard and sent in to get it. Just goes to show ya , the right hand doesnt know what the left hand requires or even if there is a right hand !!!

[kimmbo 0]

(January in Montreal does not sound like fun driving weather!)

...Hey Emily!, so nice to see you..we will be in Montreal on the 24th, 25th.. Im more nervous about the drive than anything!...LOL.. Good luck to you!!

Edited December 18, 2007 by kimmbo

[EmilyRugBurn 0]

...Hey Emily!, so nice to see you..we will be in Montreal on the 24th, 25th.. Im more nervous about the drive than anything!...LOL.. Good luck to you!!

Hey, kimmbo! Yes, me too!! And best of luck to you, as well!!

~ Em