Interview Montreal Feb 9

[Cindy & Greg 0]

So I have my interview in Montreal on Feb 9. I've seen other people post here that they had to bring money and a self addressed express envelope - but I have been instructed to do neither of these things in my letter? Do I need them.

Also do you think it will hurt my chances that my husband is not working - he lost his job last March, but his parents co-sponsored. Even if he's still not working, we're ok right....because of the co-sponsor?

Last question - I live close to the US border, so my plan is to drive there, enter, go visit family nearby for the weekend and then drive back to Canada. Since my husband is not working I will probably need to find a job PRIOR to moving - entering and coming back out again a day or two later ----is that ok? I don't have to stay in the US once I enter, is that correct?

I can't believe it's been a year in processing, and now it all seems so surrel and I feel unprepared. This is it - if I fail the interview, THEN what do we do? Niether of us would be able to live and work in the others country! ARGH!

[Pari 0]

Hello Cindy&Greg!

Yes, the end is near (in a good way), so you should be prepared. You definitely should bring the large envelope in question - I believe they put your stamped passport in it ... We waited an extra day in Montreal and just picked it up the next day. But they may not give you that option (depends on how busy they are). I've forgotten if they even have "extra" envelopes to sell you, so come prepared. Once approved, they may allow you to leave the building to buy the envelopes and come back, but the security/lines inside are brutal!

My husband didn't have a job either when we got approved - your letters of support/etc... should be sufficient. But he had a job he was going back to. An important note: please let them know where you will live when you get to the US. If you don't have that worked out, please work it out soon. HAVE A CLEAR PLAN OF ACTION OF SETTLING IN THE U.S... AND SOON! I don't know what it will do to your chances if you don't have definite answers to "where will you be living when you come to the States?", etc. Their aim is to give Permanent Residence to people who will permanently reside in the US. Make a plan and show them at the interview.

For us, we told them we would live with my husband's mother (which we did for 2.5 months until my husband started getting paid/found an apartment). We reassured them that he had a job waiting for him in the US (we had a letter from his old employer) and good prospects besides. This helped a LOT!

You do have an option of not going to the US right away... Tell them you need some time to prepare for your move (not too much time, mind) and they MAY wait to issue you your Visa for a while. Just let them know you are planning to head down there permanently, not moving back and forth indefinitely.

From my experience, at the time you cross the border they process your Green Card right then and there (takes almost 3 hours). Then they ship it to your residence in the US (the place you chose to have your USCIS correspondences sent to earlier) - you don't receive the card at the border. I received mine almost 3 weeks later at my in-laws' in California... If you go back to Canada right away (sans Green Card), I don't know if you can get back in to the US (your card is being shipped to an address within the US). You have to wait for your Green Card or talk to the interviewer about your options...