Switching Consulates

[Delicia 1]

So, some of you may remember that I am investigating switching the final interview for my husband's IR-1 from the Montreal Consulate to the Santiago Embassy. Unfortunately, I can't find many VJ members applying for an IR-1 through Santiago with any current history, so perhaps this is new ground. Anyway, I emailed the Santiago Embassy and inquired if there is a possibility of having the interview conducted in Chile instead of Canada (my husband is a Canadian LPR and a Chilean citizen). Here is there response:

As your spouse is a Chilean National, we would be able to process him in Chile. In order to do that, we need to receive his approved petition. If the petition is at the NVC, you need to contact them in order to request them to send the file to us for processing. We do not have the exact information regarding the time processing since the NVC completes its part, and the final interview is scheduled in Santiago. The NVC is scheduling final interviews.

So, question 1 down, the possibility exists. There still remains the question of the time frames and if Santiago is really significantly faster than Montreal (but at this point, I haven't seen many Embassy/Consulates be much slower than Montreal) as well as the other questions I have regarding the medical exams. I found this time line of a Santiago K-1 (yes, I know, K-1 is a completely different beast from an IR-1, but its the best I can find right now) and they have their interview already scheduled for April 30 so perhaps this might be worthwhile in pursuing.

I fired off another response to Santiago trying to pin them down a bit more on their wait times as well as inquiring about if the Santiago Embassy would accept a Canadian Panel Physician medical exam or if the exam would have to be performed in Chile. Anyone have any clues where I could investigate the medical exam question?

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

So, some of you may remember that I am investigating switching the final interview for my husband's IR-1 from the Montreal Consulate to the Santiago Embassy. Unfortunately, I can't find many VJ members applying for an IR-1 through Santiago with any current history, so perhaps this is new ground. Anyway, I emailed the Santiago Embassy and inquired if there is a possibility of having the interview conducted in Chile instead of Canada (my husband is a Canadian LPR and a Chilean citizen). Here is there response:

As your spouse is a Chilean National, we would be able to process him in Chile. In order to do that, we need to receive his approved petition. If the petition is at the NVC, you need to contact them in order to request them to send the file to us for processing. We do not have the exact information regarding the time processing since the NVC completes its part, and the final interview is scheduled in Santiago. The NVC is scheduling final interviews.

So, question 1 down, the possibility exists. There still remains the question of the time frames and if Santiago is really significantly faster than Montreal (but at this point, I haven't seen many Embassy/Consulates be much slower than Montreal) as well as the other questions I have regarding the medical exams. I found this time line of a Santiago K-1 (yes, I know, K-1 is a completely different beast from an IR-1, but its the best I can find right now) and they have their interview already scheduled for April 30 so perhaps this might be worthwhile in pursuing.

I fired off another response to Santiago trying to pin them down a bit more on their wait times as well as inquiring about if the Santiago Embassy would accept a Canadian Panel Physician medical exam or if the exam would have to be performed in Chile. Anyone have any clues where I could investigate the medical exam question?

My understanding is that the panel physician has to be in the country of the interview. I looked into this a while back(Mom could have had an examination by a civil surgeon in the US), so unless they've changed the law in the last six months, DH will need to do his medical in Chile. Much more straightforward than trying to figure out s.179 of the tax code and whether or not the full amount of purchase can be claimed in the first year even if the equipment takes five years to pay off.

[Delicia 1]

Use accelerated depreciation

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Use accelerated depreciation

Thanks. I figured as much but I could never figure out if you could take the whole purchase price in the first year or wait and only claim the actual amount paid each year. It might be nice to not worry about claiming the future payments (i.e. 0% over five years).

Edited March 27, 2008 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[Carlawarla 1]

Can't speak to your question about the medical Delicia, but was really interested in the response from Chile. That could be great news! When you did your search, and found some members, but not current, that had gone through Chile, I'd have used the email button, just in case they haven't been here lately, but would still come back or respond to your email. Hope you find out some good news!

As far as the medical, I would think the Embassy in Chile would be able to tell you whether he's need a medical from there or Canada.

Best of luck and keep us informed!

[knowledge 0]

I remeber, when it was the 6 months waiting for an interview a Romanian lady, canadian citizen went to Romania for the interview; she bassically was told it will take 2 months but she got the interview in 2 weeks. So checking the Chilean timline will be useful in my opinion. Sorry i can not recall her alias on here but it was on this Canadian thread last year somewhere. Maybe somebody remembers.

[Cdn_Ali 11]

I'm not sure if all foreign US embassies follow the same rules, but when I emailed the embassy in Australia about accepting a medical done by a Canadian panel physician, they said no - no exceptions. My medical needed to be done in the country I was having the interview. I would get an email confirmation from Chile before you spend any money on this.

[Delicia 1]

Ok, now that I know this Embassy responds like instantly to my inquiries, I am inclined to go the Santiago Embassy. Here is my response regarding the medicals:

The medical examination done in Canada would not be acceptable. Once the file is received, if a Chilean address is included, we will contact the applicant by sending by mail instructions along with medical examinations. We will give him enough time to be ready with the medical exams.

We are not able to estimate, how long will NVC to schedule his final interview, once they are notified about the file transfer request. After the final interview, immigrant visas (if everything is ok) are sent within a week to his Chilean local address.

Before traveling to Chile, the best thing to do is to make sure that we have received the file; otherwise, your husband could be stuck here waiting for the file to be received

.

My husband and I were thinking if he flew to Santiago and planned for about 3 weeks around the time the interview is scheduled, would be more than enough time to get things done. His grandparents still reside there, so he can provide a local address and he can even schedule the medical before hand. I would fly down (because I have always wanted to visit anyway) and spend 1 week there around the time of the interview and then return to AZ to go to work for a few weeks while he lags behind waiting for his visa.

I find it funny that the Embassy employee responds refers to being in Chile as 'stuck here.'

[Flames9_RN 358]

Thats all good news!! I would love to live in Chile!! Wife was born there. Hopefully in a few yrs we can find our way there. Congrats on some hopefully good news

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Hey sister, looks like things are moving. Now the question remains: when the blip could NVC transfer -how soon- hubby's case to Santiago????

[Delicia 1]

Thats a good question... but perhaps I should worry about something a bit more immediate, like when the h3ll CSC is going to issue a NOA-2. *sigh*

[Delicia 1]

This is going to be crazy logistically, but my husband and I have decided to forgo Montreal and head on over to Santiago (ya, I say that like its between going 2 blocks in one direction or 3 blocks in the other). Anyway, I think the best way to go about this is to submit a request for change of venue with the DS-320 and from there on out use my husband's grandmother's address as his Chilean address. Other than that, I will be the agent and in charge of calling NVC to utilize James' shortcuts. My husband is planning on spending 3-4 weeks in Chile as soon as the Chilean Embassy gets the paperwork from NVC and getting his physical and stuff. He needs to renew his passport anyway and the Chilean Consulate in Toronto will only renew for 5 years but he can get a 10 year passport in country.

I get to spend 1-1.5 weeks in Chile and I am so excited about that.

Now, if I could just get California to approve that cursed I-130, its been long enough already!

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

This is going to be crazy logistically, but my husband and I have decided to forgo Montreal and head on over to Santiago (ya, I say that like its between going 2 blocks in one direction or 3 blocks in the other). Anyway, I think the best way to go about this is to submit a request for change of venue with the DS-320 and from there on out use my husband's grandmother's address as his Chilean address. Other than that, I will be the agent and in charge of calling NVC to utilize James' shortcuts. My husband is planning on spending 3-4 weeks in Chile as soon as the Chilean Embassy gets the paperwork from NVC and getting his physical and stuff. He needs to renew his passport anyway and the Chilean Consulate in Toronto will only renew for 5 years but he can get a 10 year passport in country.

I get to spend 1-1.5 weeks in Chile and I am so excited about that.

Now, if I could just get California to approve that cursed I-130, its been long enough already!

OK Californicators, you heard the lady, now hurry up already!!!!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Hopefully the new game plan is effective! Best of luck