How to Start

[Quatchi 1]

Ok if me and my wife im Canadian she is American decided to do DCF. What are the first steps, do you start by filling out the I-130. Were do i do this. I hear Montreal is the only place in Canada that processes them. But i live in Nova Scotia so does that mean that mean that i file the I-130 in Halifax? Should i start by setting up an appointment or what?

[TOM&Riz 4]

Ok if me and my wife im Canadian she is American decided to do DCF. What are the first steps, do you start by filling out the I-130. Were do i do this. I hear Montreal is the only place in Canada that processes them. But i live in Nova Scotia so does that mean that mean that i file the I-130 in Halifax? Should i start by setting up an appointment or what?

Might want to get the ins and outs of canadian DCF from Trailmix, has your wife lived with you there in NS for over six months with documentation to prove that ?

[Quatchi 1]

Might want to get the ins and outs of canadian DCF from Trailmix, has your wife lived with you there in NS for over six months with documentation to prove that ?

We will have lived in NS for 6 Months as of this week. Before that we taught English in Korea for 5 Months and before that we lived together in NB our first year of being married for over a year. Before that she was in Canada for 4 years on a student visa. She has been on a Work Visa since July 2008 which she is still on and is valid for 3 years. What kind of documentation might qualify. We are renting a place here currently, both have NS medical cards.

[Quatchi 1]

We've decided to go the route of DCF but were just trying to figure out were to begin. Been able to find out allot about general DCF but nothing about what i need to do to get it started.

[birdnerd 5]

We've decided to go the route of DCF but were just trying to figure out were to begin. Been able to find out allot about general DCF but nothing about what i need to do to get it started.

Sounds like you want to put together the documentation to submit with your I-130, which you can do at the consulate in Halifax (however you will have your visa interview in Montreal). Here are some directions from the Halifax consulate website:

The U.S. Consulate General in Halifax has limited authority from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to accept I-130s from petitioners on behalf of beneficiaries (spouse, unmarried children under 21, or parents) only when both parties lawfully reside in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, or St. Pierre et Miquelon. Halifax does not process immigrant visa applications. Immigrant visas in Canada are processed by the United States Consulate General in Montreal.

To submit your application for an I-130 at the U.S. Consulate General in Halifax, please call (902-429-2480 ext. 2991) in advance for an appointment. More information on Immigrant Visas can be found at http://www.amcits.com/immigration_usa_relative.asp.

Follow the instructions for what's needed to submit with your I-130 form. This includes: G-325 form for each of you, US passport-sized photos, evidence of residence in the province (driver's licence, health card, etc.), evidence of immigration status in Canada (work visa), evidence of petitioner's US citizenship, etc. See the link above for full details.

Good luck.

[Quatchi 1]

Thanks Birdnerd, i found that last night after posting and it helped allot. A question for you or anyone else who can answer. We are filling out the I-130 right now, and are stumped as line 18 says "18. Address in the United States where your relative intends to live." Right now we live together in Canada and do not have a place in the States right now. What should we put for this?

[birdnerd 5]

Thanks Birdnerd, i found that last night after posting and it helped allot. A question for you or anyone else who can answer. We are filling out the I-130 right now, and are stumped as line 18 says "18. Address in the United States where your relative intends to live." Right now we live together in Canada and do not have a place in the States right now. What should we put for this?

You can put the address of any family or friends who live down there, we used my husband's parents' address, even though we don't plan on living there. I believe it's the address they will send the Green Card to (which you can always change during the process).

[Raenfalle 0]

Thanks Birdnerd, i found that last night after posting and it helped allot. A question for you or anyone else who can answer. We are filling out the I-130 right now, and are stumped as line 18 says "18. Address in the United States where your relative intends to live." Right now we live together in Canada and do not have a place in the States right now. What should we put for this?

Hi Quatchi,

It sounds like you are at the same stage as my husband and I with this process. He is American & I am Canadian. We're filing our I-130 next Monday in Calgary.

We don't have an address in the US yet, but we know what city we are headed to so we contacted the Consultate for assistance with this question. The answer from the Consulate is that we do not need a street address for this line, and that further information will be determined during my husband's appointment next week. We filled the line in with the City and State, and then wrote "To be determined" for the street address.

I understand we'll need to supply a street address in subsequent paperwork, but hubby is moving down ahead of me so we will have that information when the time comes.

I hope this helps! Good luck!