Canada FAQ

[DeadPoolX 9]

I have a thought...

Many people -- usually Americans and Canadians -- come to this forum in search of help and answers, right? Well, instead of replying to similarly-themed posts week after week, why don't we make a FAQ that answers the most common questions?

We don't need to reinvent the VJ Visa FAQ or the Wiki. All we need to do is address concerns relating to Canadians and Americans.

If you don't think this is needed, let me ask you this: How often have we seen, "Will I lose my Canadian citizenship if I become an American citizen?" The answer is obviously no. However, most people probably wouldn't know that. So instead of new threads popping up around old questions, let's make a one-stop post for all relevant questions and answers regarding U.S. immigration for Canadians.

I suggest we pool all of the most common questions (with correct answers) in this thread and use that to make one large FAQ. This might mean more work in the short-term, but it'll give people what they're looking for right away and limit repetitive questions to a minimum.

[Carlawarla 1]

Wonderful idea. We could have it pinned. Get rid of that old EI thread as well...it's too long and confusing I think. So, I think we should add a piece on EI. Another heading of moving, with the Uhaul, Upack, and whatever else info too. I'm sure there are others, I'm too foggy this morning to think of what they might be.

[thetreble 19]

Good idea!We should start by making a list of the most frequently asked questions.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Good idea, but many are just too lay to do a search,lol and they just ask away anyhow, but doesnt hurt to try!!

common questions:

1) can I visit the USA while my visa application is pending?

2) What kind of police check do I need? Do I need to get 1 for every place in Canada that I have resided

3)Which consulate do I go for the interview

4) Why are the Maple Leafs the worst team in the NHL?

[thetreble 19]

4) Why are the Maple Leafs the worst team in the NHL?

Can I please answer this question? The name Pat Quinn will be mentioned in my answer.

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

bleh, i thought this was gonna have the secret ingredients to timbits!

[trailmix 77]

Good idea, but many are just too lay to do a search,lol and they just ask away anyhow, but doesnt hurt to try!!

common questions:

1) can I visit the USA while my visa application is pending?

2) What kind of police check do I need? Do I need to get 1 for every place in Canada that I have resided

3)Which consulate do I go for the interview

4) Why are the Maple Leafs the worst team in the NHL?

My question is - why wouldn't we use the Wiki? A pinned thread always becomes old news and no one wants to read 48 pages to get their answer. Even if we pin all the questions at the top, sometimes the answers change and sometimes it may not address the person's situation. Plus people always post in the pinned thread.

Ideally people would go and look at the Canada Wiki and THEN post their questions here.

For example, all of the questions Flames has mentioned above, are answered in the Canada Wiki - except for the Maple Leafs one

If we steered people to the Wiki - when they ask what kind of police check they need - then when they come back with a question that might provide us with information on how to expand it. But we don't, we just keep answering - which is ok, I have no problem with that - i'm just saying I like the wiki because it can be updated at any time.

Maybe instead of a FAQ we just need a nice link at the top of the Canada forum to the wiki page.

Edited December 22, 2008 by trailmix

[Flames9_RN 358]

YEp, not too many know about the VJ WIKI, it needs better exposure

[mary'n'ev 0]

Good idea, but many are just too lay to do a search,lol and they just ask away anyhow, but doesnt hurt to try!!

common questions:

1) can I visit the USA while my visa application is pending?

2) What kind of police check do I need? Do I need to get 1 for every place in Canada that I have resided

3)Which consulate do I go for the interview

4) Why are the Maple Leafs the worst team in the NHL?

My question is - why wouldn't we use the Wiki? A pinned thread always becomes old news and no one wants to read 48 pages to get their answer. Even if we pin all the questions at the top, sometimes the answers change and sometimes it may not address the person's situation. Plus people always post in the pinned thread.

Ideally people would go and look at the Canada Wiki and THEN post their questions here.

For example, all of the questions Flames has mentioned above, are answered in the Canada Wiki - except for the Maple Leafs one

If we steered people to the Wiki - when they ask what kind of police check they need - then when they come back with a question that might provide us with information on how to expand it. But we don't, we just keep answering - which is ok, I have no problem with that - i'm just saying I like the wiki because it can be updated at any time.

Maybe instead of a FAQ we just need a nice link at the top of the Canada forum to the wiki page.

A static, but, updateablt FAQ list that won't reach tens or even hundreds of pages is exactly what the Canada forum needs. When I was going through the K-1, it was a pain in the butt using the search engines VJ provides.

[Carlawarla 1]

Good idea, but many are just too lay to do a search,lol and they just ask away anyhow, but doesnt hurt to try!!

common questions:

1) can I visit the USA while my visa application is pending?

2) What kind of police check do I need? Do I need to get 1 for every place in Canada that I have resided

3)Which consulate do I go for the interview

4) Why are the Maple Leafs the worst team in the NHL?

My question is - why wouldn't we use the Wiki? A pinned thread always becomes old news and no one wants to read 48 pages to get their answer. Even if we pin all the questions at the top, sometimes the answers change and sometimes it may not address the person's situation. Plus people always post in the pinned thread.

Ideally people would go and look at the Canada Wiki and THEN post their questions here.

For example, all of the questions Flames has mentioned above, are answered in the Canada Wiki - except for the Maple Leafs one

If we steered people to the Wiki - when they ask what kind of police check they need - then when they come back with a question that might provide us with information on how to expand it. But we don't, we just keep answering - which is ok, I have no problem with that - i'm just saying I like the wiki because it can be updated at any time.

Maybe instead of a FAQ we just need a nice link at the top of the Canada forum to the wiki page.

I agree trailmix. I was thinking after I posted of this as well. Does anyone remember that Cassie was also updating and was asking for input to revamping the Clearinghouse Thread which was pinned up top as well? She put a lot of work into it. Maybe we could have a Wiki link up there. Someone should see what Cassie has updated and what she has already that could be just placed on Wiki.

[rae_and_scott 1]

Well, whether it's a FAQ or pinned thread of the Wiki, I would suggest that info on importing a car be included, as I see that question a lot.

[Krikit 1,164]

I agree. The Wiki needs to be promoted and updated regularly. I see an FAQ thread going the way of all the other FAQ threads..... deteriorating into pages upon pages of discussion interspersed with good information.

[trailmix 77]

Well, whether it's a FAQ or pinned thread of the Wiki, I would suggest that info on importing a car be included, as I see that question a lot.

Another good one. I also mentioned the other day that we should probably have an EI wiki page.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Well, it doesn't matter to me if it's a Wiki or FAQ. Whatever works.

[Cassie 8]

Good idea, but many are just too lay to do a search,lol and they just ask away anyhow, but doesnt hurt to try!!

common questions:

1) can I visit the USA while my visa application is pending?

2) What kind of police check do I need? Do I need to get 1 for every place in Canada that I have resided

3)Which consulate do I go for the interview

4) Why are the Maple Leafs the worst team in the NHL?

My question is - why wouldn't we use the Wiki? A pinned thread always becomes old news and no one wants to read 48 pages to get their answer. Even if we pin all the questions at the top, sometimes the answers change and sometimes it may not address the person's situation. Plus people always post in the pinned thread.

Ideally people would go and look at the Canada Wiki and THEN post their questions here.

For example, all of the questions Flames has mentioned above, are answered in the Canada Wiki - except for the Maple Leafs one

If we steered people to the Wiki - when they ask what kind of police check they need - then when they come back with a question that might provide us with information on how to expand it. But we don't, we just keep answering - which is ok, I have no problem with that - i'm just saying I like the wiki because it can be updated at any time.

Maybe instead of a FAQ we just need a nice link at the top of the Canada forum to the wiki page.

I agree trailmix. I was thinking after I posted of this as well. Does anyone remember that Cassie was also updating and was asking for input to revamping the Clearinghouse Thread which was pinned up top as well? She put a lot of work into it. Maybe we could have a Wiki link up there. Someone should see what Cassie has updated and what she has already that could be just placed on Wiki.

Aye, the way the ClearingHouse thread was set up was that I updated all the links and information on the very first post on the very first page, so that all the info would be current. As people found links and info, they would post it in the thread and then I would take it and put it all together in categories in one easy place. The idea kinda petered out once VJ was switched over a couple of years ago and all the links were broken. we tried restarting it over again and it just didn't keep going. I brought up the idea of reviving it but no-one seemed to care much about it, so honestly it should come down as a lot of the info in the pinned thread is kinda outdated.

Things I see a lot:

POE experience questions

Medical questions

importing a car

importing pets

moving stuff across a border when activating the visa

moving stuff across a border after activating the visa (someone bring it down for them, like family member or moving company)

montreal interview experiences

hotels in montreal

vancovuer interview experiences

vancouver hotels

where to find Canadian food in the states

access to Canadian TV shows, particularly HNIC

renewing passports while in the US / changing maiden to married name in passports

I'll add more if I think of anything

Edited December 22, 2008 by Cassie