Hidden Costs and Visa Application Fees- Canadian

[Galateia 1]

My first post-- this site's guides and information has been a sanity saver.

My American FI and I are both poor (me a recent student, him a grad student) and I'm trying to get a handle on all the costs, hidden and otherwise, that I need to start saving for. I keep getting told that all that info will be sent to me at the time, but I need to start budgeting/saving NOW, or I won't be able to afford it 'at the time'.

I have a few questions, if someone out there knows the answers:

How much is the fee to file the k-1 visa at the US consulate here in Canada? I searched in the forums and someone said USD $100, but I'm hoping there is a Canadian out there who's been through this and can answer definitely.

Also, I apparently need to go to the Montreal consulate, not the Toronto one, to have my interview. Do I have to go to Montreal to apply for the visa as well, and then go later again for an interview?

I am really worried about this, because the cheapest ticket to Montreal is $300. If I have to go once for the interview, that's bad, but if I have to go twice? YIKES!

So if anyone out there can answer my questions, I'd appreciate it enormously.

The 'hidden' costs I'm aware of so far are:

Medical Exam by a Panel Physician

Travel to Montreal 1 time

Vaccines

Police Record Check

Passport Photo

Is there anything else expensive that you found snuck up on you?

And how long did it take for the US fiance's petition to be approved, on average? I ask because I need to know how long I have to save up the $$ for the aforementioned fees.

Thanks!

[Galateia 1]

Any Canadians out there who have been through this?

[john_and_marlene 162]

My first post-- this site's guides and information has been a sanity saver.

My American FI and I are both poor (me a recent student, him a grad student) and I'm trying to get a handle on all the costs, hidden and otherwise, that I need to start saving for. I keep getting told that all that info will be sent to me at the time, but I need to start budgeting/saving NOW, or I won't be able to afford it 'at the time'.

I have a few questions, if someone out there knows the answers:

How much is the fee to file the k-1 visa at the US consulate here in Canada? I searched in the forums and someone said USD $100, but I'm hoping there is a Canadian out there who's been through this and can answer definitely.

Also, I apparently need to go to the Montreal consulate, not the Toronto one, to have my interview. Do I have to go to Montreal to apply for the visa as well, and then go later again for an interview?

I am really worried about this, because the cheapest ticket to Montreal is $300. If I have to go once for the interview, that's bad, but if I have to go twice? YIKES!

So if anyone out there can answer my questions, I'd appreciate it enormously.

The 'hidden' costs I'm aware of so far are:

Medical Exam by a Panel Physician

Travel to Montreal 1 time

Vaccines

Police Record Check

Passport Photo

Is there anything else expensive that you found snuck up on you?

And how long did it take for the US fiance's petition to be approved, on average? I ask because I need to know how long I have to save up the $$ for the aforementioned fees.

Thanks!

With this financial condition, you should also consider the income requirements for the sponsor. Does the USC have the required income? If he doesn't have adequate income, is there someone else willing to contribute to the household that does? It's not good enough to just eventually save enough to cover filing fees and immigration costs. You will have to show that your household is financially qualified.

[KarenCee 3]

My first post-- this site's guides and information has been a sanity saver.

My American FI and I are both poor (me a recent student, him a grad student) and I'm trying to get a handle on all the costs, hidden and otherwise, that I need to start saving for. I keep getting told that all that info will be sent to me at the time, but I need to start budgeting/saving NOW, or I won't be able to afford it 'at the time'.

I have a few questions, if someone out there knows the answers:

How much is the fee to file the k-1 visa at the US consulate here in Canada? I searched in the forums and someone said USD $100, but I'm hoping there is a Canadian out there who's been through this and can answer definitely.

Also, I apparently need to go to the Montreal consulate, not the Toronto one, to have my interview. Do I have to go to Montreal to apply for the visa as well, and then go later again for an interview?

I am really worried about this, because the cheapest ticket to Montreal is $300. If I have to go once for the interview, that's bad, but if I have to go twice? YIKES!

So if anyone out there can answer my questions, I'd appreciate it enormously.

The 'hidden' costs I'm aware of so far are:

Medical Exam by a Panel Physician

Travel to Montreal 1 time

Vaccines

Police Record Check

Passport Photo

Is there anything else expensive that you found snuck up on you?

And how long did it take for the US fiance's petition to be approved, on average? I ask because I need to know how long I have to save up the $$ for the aforementioned fees.

Thanks!

How are these "hidden" costs? Not sure why you would have to travel to MTL twice as there is only one interview. All these things are mentioned as being needed for the K1 visa. This is not an inexpensive journey by no means. Nothing snuck up on us...we were very well aware of the costs involved, mainly because we read and read everything as well as asked questions here.

The time involved varies from petition to petition. Looking at timelines of those that went through MTL will give you an average time. Ours took 7 months from start to finish. We are now at the AOS stage, which will take a while too and there are fees involved. It's part of the process that we all have to do.

Best of luck on the journey.

[Galateia 1]

With this financial condition, you should also consider the income requirements for the sponsor. Does the USC have the required income? If he doesn't have adequate income, is there someone else willing to contribute to the household that does? It's not good enough to just eventually save enough to cover filing fees and immigration costs. You will have to show that your household is financially qualified.

Yes, his father will be his joint sponsor, and does make enough money to be eligible to be a joint sponsor. We need he'd need someone because he technically doesn't have 'income' as he is a grad student on scholarships.

[J&K 0]

You'll also need a certified copy of your long form birth certificate for the interview. It's basically a copy of what your parents filled out when you were born in order to be issued your 'little' birth certificate (the one we all have). It cost me $35 and I did it all online and had it within a few days.

[Galateia 1]

How are these "hidden" costs? Not sure why you would have to travel to MTL twice as there is only one interview. All these things are mentioned as being needed for the K1 visa. This is not an inexpensive journey by no means. Nothing snuck up on us...we were very well aware of the costs involved, mainly because we read and read everything as well as asked questions here.

The time involved varies from petition to petition. Looking at timelines of those that went through MTL will give you an average time. Ours took 7 months from start to finish. We are now at the AOS stage, which will take a while too and there are fees involved. It's part of the process that we all have to do.

Best of luck on the journey.

Well, for starters I didn't realize I'd need extra vaccines, and I didn't realize I had to go to Montreal. I thought I could go to the Consulate in Toronto, which much closer.

Having my projected expenses suddenly bumped up by $300 really threw me for a loop. I know this seems like a small amount for people in the 'real' world (it sure would have been back when I was working full time) but for a student like me, it is a shock.

As for going to Montreal twice:

When I apply for the visa, do I have to do that in person? If so, can I do so at the Toronto Consulate? Do I have to go to Montreal to file the visa in person?

Thanks

[zyggy 9]

How are these "hidden" costs? Not sure why you would have to travel to MTL twice as there is only one interview. All these things are mentioned as being needed for the K1 visa. This is not an inexpensive journey by no means. Nothing snuck up on us...we were very well aware of the costs involved, mainly because we read and read everything as well as asked questions here.

The time involved varies from petition to petition. Looking at timelines of those that went through MTL will give you an average time. Ours took 7 months from start to finish. We are now at the AOS stage, which will take a while too and there are fees involved. It's part of the process that we all have to do.

Best of luck on the journey.

Well, for starters I didn't realize I'd need extra vaccines, and I didn't realize I had to go to Montreal. I thought I could go to the Consulate in Toronto, which much closer.

Having my projected expenses suddenly bumped up by $300 really threw me for a loop. I know this seems like a small amount for people in the 'real' world (it sure would have been back when I was working full time) but for a student like me, it is a shock.

As for going to Montreal twice:

When I apply for the visa, do I have to do that in person? If so, can I do so at the Toronto Consulate? Do I have to go to Montreal to file the visa in person?

Thanks

Check out the Canada forum..

But to answer your questions.. you only have to go to Montreal once... for the interview. You apply for the visa at the interview.

Expect that you will spend a minimum of $2,000 to $3,000 for this process from start to finish between the two of you. It is by no means cheap...

[Cygnet 0]

I didn't go through K-1 but I'll try to answer some of your questions.

You only need to go to Montreal once... and that's for the interview. Everything else is done by mail. The cheapest way to go there is to take the bus. The bus terminal in Toronto is on Bay and Dundas. I think you can get a round trip ticket Tor-Mtl for $ 93.00 if you buy it 14 days in advance. It's about a 7 hour drive depending on traffic. VIA also has some good rates but they go really fast. If you still have a valid student ID card, ask around for a student discount.

Medical: Depends where you go. Probably between $ 180 - 210.

Vaccines: You can get this at your own doctor which will be cheaper (or maybe it's covered by OHIP). If not, MMR is $ 55.00 and Tetanus is $ 25.00 (here in Quebec).

Police Record: It depends where you get it. Mine cost $ 25.00.

Passport Photos: Again, it depends where you go. I needed 5 passport photos.

As J&K mentioned, you also need a birth certificate.

You also have to figure in cost of mailing things out. Are you going to send things by snail mail, Fedex or Xpresspost?

Good luck!

[Canuck Carrie 1]

Don't forget applying for a passport, passport style pics for various forms & the interview, photocopying everything, accommodation in Montreal (the bus does run overnight but you'll get there really early, around 5am if I remember correctly).

[Linababe 0]

As for going to Montreal twice:

When I apply for the visa, do I have to do that in person? If so, can I do so at the Toronto Consulate? Do I have to go to Montreal to file the visa in person?

Thanks

The USC applies for the visa - the k129f, they send that to the service centre which covers the area they live. So there is no need for you to go to montreal twice - you only go for the interview and then the medical whevere they are in canada

Lina (UKC)

[ceriserose 1]

If you have had your vaccinations already, your regular doctor can arrange an 'antibody titer' blood test that will show you are currently inoculated/protected. Those results can be used instead of getting new vaccines. They took my verbal word that I'd had chicken pox.

After you arrive in the US and get married you'll also have to adjust status. That's a whole new bunch of fees and if money is indeed this tight for you and your SO, you may want to look up those in the Guides above to get an idea of costs.

[no one 0]

I am really worried about this, because the cheapest ticket to Montreal is $300. If I have to go once for the interview, that's bad, but if I have to go twice? YIKES!

From where are you going to Montréal? I'm going there tomorrow from Toronto via Coach Canada and the round trip tickets are just under $100. Will be staying in a dorm room at McGill's, which charges around $50 a night. There are also hostels where you can find beds for $25-$30 a night.

[Galateia 1]

Really? The bus tickets I was looking at came out to $299. Hmm. Perhaps I should call greyhound and see what I can do.

I've got a list of all the expenses I am looking at, according to my research:

Medical Exam: 180

Vaccines (2) : 200

Record Check: 35

Transportation/Lodging cost for Montreal: 50

Passport photos: 35

Mailing docs. to FI: 20

Long Birth Cert: 35

14-day Ticket: 91.00

(Thank you for the info! I just called greyhound and asked about the 14-day 'special rate', and found the place to order the long certificate online)

The vaccines are a nasty bit of business: they aren't covered by OHIP because I didn't get them in my teens. Luckily I did get chicken pox as a child, but I might be in trouble if the 'Influenza type B' vaccine they list in the PDF (which I got from here-- have I mentioned this site has saved my sanity?) is in fact HiB, because apparently Public Health can't even procure that for me anymore.

Anything else I should be warned of? What bumps the overall cost up to 2k?

[ceriserose 1]

Look at the guides tab above and have a look at the USCIS website. There are fees to filing the forms...I-129F being the main one for a K1.

The 2-3K comment was made in reference to the whole cost for the both of you. You may not be paying the form filing fee yourself, but it's part of the overall cost.

edit: Oh, there's a fee for the visa itself. It was $100 US when I went through the Vancouver embassy last June. And if you need to have them photocopy things because you didn't bring them copies, it's a $1.00 a copy.

Edited July 11, 2006 by ceriserose