applied 2 years ago, now need to pick it up again

[thermophile 0]

I'll try to make this as short as possible. My husband (Canadian) and I (USC) started the US immigration process shortly after getting married fall of 2003. Fall of 2004 we applied for Canadian immigration for me, since I was almost done (I thought) with grad school and was nearly ready to move to Canada. I immigrated to Canada Dec. 2004, a month later we finally got his I-130 approved. We've just let the I-130 sit, since we wanted to live in Canada. but I'm still in school in the US, splitting my time between Canada and the US, and it looks like we'll need to move back to the US at least for a few years while I finish school and start my career. The I-130 is still good, we got a letter from NVC saying that if we don't do anything by June 2007 it will expire.

So, I'm just trying to get back into the immigration mindset. Where do we go from here? Should we send the two things that NVC sent us (I-864 fee and Choice of Agent form) back to NVC or should we switch to DCF? We live in Calgary so going to a US Consulate is really easy, would it be useful to go talk to someone at the consulate? How long will this process take-months or years? or at least how long till my husband could work in the US? (his job is not NAFTA eligible)

thanks

k

*cross-posted on DCF

[meauxna 15]

welcome almost back, thermo--I remember your name! I'll post here instead of DCF because you don't need DCF---you already have an approved I-130. Now you want to get it in line for Montreal.

Sending things back to the NVC will start the Immigrant Visa process. After they receive the 2 you mention, there is also DS-230, the visa application. All docs go to NVC and they set your appointment in MTL.

As for 'how long', it's a job to tell. Check other Canada CR/IR people and ask them---you need the NVC time + the wait on MTL (4 or 5 months at the moment). When your husband has the Immigrant Visa at the end of that process and enters the US, he will be a Permanent Resident immediately. Details in the DCF Guide.

aka: he can work immediately.

[thermophile 0]

ok NVCing we go. thanks

some more questions:

I gather that Montreal is the only consulate in Canada that processes CR1 visas? Also, does everyone have to interview? I ask because we were told that I'd have to interview for my Canadian PR but that interview was waived. Does that ever happen with US immigration? Also, if he does have to interview, can I go to the interview with him? Is the visa issued at the end of the interview or sometime later?

[meauxna 15]

ok NVCing we go. thanks

some more questions:

I gather that Montreal is the only consulate in Canada that processes CR1 visas? Also, does everyone have to interview? I ask because we were told that I'd have to interview for my Canadian PR but that interview was waived. Does that ever happen with US immigration? Also, if he does have to interview, can I go to the interview with him? Is the visa issued at the end of the interview or sometime later?

Yes, Montreal is the only Immigrant Visa issuing post in Canada---everyone goes there. It would be lovely if there was some kind of no-interview porcess, but I've never heard of it. The interview is no big thing tho--more of an appearance. The USC may attend in MTL, but you may be asked to step away for part of the interview (I was, in Athens).

If approved, the visa takes a day or more to be printed. It can usually be picked up, or sent to you. Check the Canada forum or Canadian IR/CR forum posters' history for specifics.