A question

[yourcdnangel 2]

I'm almost thinking it'd be easier if I just moved back to Ontario and do it out of Montreal. I'll have to talk to my Soldier boy >.<

Edited December 12, 2009 by SCP2009

[Danu 19]

Just a word of advice, vancouver is a lot faster than montreal, so its probably worth staying out there. usually people through VAN get their appointments within 60 days of their P3 getting back, where MTL has taken up to 5 months at some points. There were quite a few of us who wished we could go through VAN till they caught up a little while ago but its very unpredictable as to how caught up they will stay.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Danu

[kizza 1]

Just a word of advice, vancouver is a lot faster than montreal, so its probably worth staying out there. usually people through VAN get their appointments within 60 days of their P3 getting back, where MTL has taken up to 5 months at some points. There were quite a few of us who wished we could go through VAN till they caught up a little while ago but its very unpredictable as to how caught up they will stay.

yes!! I absolutely agree.

Who knows how it will be in the future, but so far, Ive seen people wait for months for an interview date.

[yourcdnangel 2]

Hmm, well, definitely something for discussion. I should map out the drive to see how long it'd take.

Edit: 15hr drive to Van from here, as opposed to 8hr drive to Mtl. However, the extra wait time does outweigh the drive length immensely.

Edited December 12, 2009 by SCP2009

[Malrothien 6]

It's 16 hours from Calgary to Vancouver.

[minnew 4]

Ew, so I have to fly from SK to BC for the K-1 interview. Will I need to do my medical while there or will they be able to find an appointed physician in my town?

Hmm, well, definitely something for discussion. I should map out the drive to see how long it'd take.

Edit: 15hr drive to Van from here, as opposed to 8hr drive to Mtl. However, the extra wait time does outweigh the drive length immensely.

Welcome to VJ!! There is a panel physician in Vancouver, unfortunately he is the ONLY PANEL PHYSICIAN in western canada....it really sucks!! They also only do immigration medicals on Wednesdays. I spent 3 days in Vancouver because of that, interview & medical all combined into one! It's doable though! Many other VJ'ers have done it! The medical was $350 but the results are available SAME day unlike the eastern canada physicians.

I too had to make travel arrangements from SK to BC. Trust me its NOT worth moving back to ON, I got my interview date so quickly and scheduling my medical around that date was a breeze. Also because you probably will have some notice (about a month or more) for the interview its a great time to catch a great seat sale from WestJet or AirCanada. I think my round trip ticket was around $250. Vancouver is also alot more flexible in their scheduling, their packet 3 includes a line that you can request what interview date would work for you. Not always guaranteed or granted, but if a certain day of the week works better for you its that much better.

Anyways, good luck to you and your fiance and I hope the K-1 visa route is speedy for you!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

It's 16 hours from Calgary to Vancouver.

Well it appears SOMEone is a slow driver!

I've made it to Calgary in 12 hours in a U-Haul truck before.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Vancouver is also alot more flexible in their scheduling, their packet 3 includes a line that you can request what interview date would work for you. Not always guaranteed or granted, but if a certain day of the week works better for you its that much better.

If only they could do CR-1 visas out of Vancouver...

Sigh.

[Malrothien 6]

It's 16 hours from Calgary to Vancouver.

Well it appears SOMEone is a slow driver!

I've made it to Calgary in 12 hours in a U-Haul truck before.

Eh, that's according to Google Maps.

[trailmix 77]

Probably driving the speed limit! It would probably take us at least 18 hours.

[yourcdnangel 2]

According to google maps from Swift Current to Vancouver it's 15hrs 40 some minutes.

So we'd have to drive up Tuesday, do Medical Wednesday and hope for Interview on Thursday and then come back Friday.

Here's hoping my employer gives me those days off.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

According to google maps from Swift Current to Vancouver it's 15hrs 40 some minutes.

So we'd have to drive up Tuesday, do Medical Wednesday and hope for Interview on Thursday and then come back Friday.

Here's hoping my employer gives me those days off.

Wow...that would be quite the drive. No flights from Swift Current to Vancouver?

And yes...the medical needs to be done at the crack of dawn on the Wednesday, so if you're doing a 16-hour drive, I would hope your partner would drive most of it so that you can sleep. Also bear in mind the weather conditions on the roads (especially through the mountains) etc.

It's certainly not an ideal situation for you.

I'm bummed that I have to fly to Montreal for an interview...but at least I can have my medical locally.

When you factor in the cost of gas for you though (round trip), plus the sheer amount of time it takes to drive to and from Vancouver...I wonder if it wouldn't be better to fly out of Regina or Saskatoon instead. There's a transit system in Vancouver that will take you from the airport to within a few blocks of the medical clinic and the consulate.

[minnew 4]

SCP since you say you live in Swift Current, you could drive to Calgary and take a flight to Vancouver from there. I know you said you are thinking of driving, but like others have said once you factor in time, driving through the mountains, gas, hotel rooms its alot cheaper to fly to Vancouver. You could probably get a better deal flying out of Calgary than Regina. I flew out of YQR and had to stop in Calgary & Edmonton.(The more expensive flight was non-stop & only 1x a day). When I was in Vancouver the Skytrain did not connect with the Airport, apparently now it does. The medical is within walking distance of the consulate so no worries there. I have a cousin who lives in Burnaby who thankfully let me stay with them, the Skytrain was a great help! Anyways just a suggestion as I know the travelling to Vancouver is a headache for the Visa and expensive.Good luck!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

When I was in Vancouver the Skytrain did not connect with the Airport, apparently now it does. The medical is within walking distance of the consulate so no worries there.

Yeah, it's really quite convenient! I just used the new Skytrain line to and from the airport a few weeks ago. The Skytrain terminal is actually connected right to the domestic airport terminal, so you don't even need to worry about getting rained or snowed on. You take it straight down to Waterfront Station (26 minute trip), which is the end of the line, then you get off and transfer to another line that is only about a five minute walk (indoor) away. Then you hop on that train (which you don't need to pay for, since you'll have the transfer from the FIRST train) for about five minutes until it hits the Burrard stop. And then you're literally about three blocks from the consulate, and the Woking Clinic is very close as well. Plenty of hotels are near various Skytrain stops too.

As one who has spent his entire teenage and adult life in the Vancouver area, this is undoubtedly the best option, in my opinion. A Skytrain pass will cost you $3.75 at peak hours (with 1.5 hours of validity), or $2.50 or so otherwise. A day pass will cost you only $7.00, as I recall. Sure beats 32 hours of driving, seven tanks of gas, ridiculously expensive Vancouver parking, extra meals from the road trip and the sheer exhaustion of a journey like that.

Can I ram my point home any harder?

[Malrothien 6]

It's 3.75$ (for a 2 zone pass) until 6pm, so not just during peak hours.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Malrothien