Timeline/Requirements for Canada DCF

[gallant7509 0]

Background: I am a U.S. Citizen currently permanent resident of Canada. My husband is Canadian.

Situation: We are currently looking to move to the U.S. and looking to do it in the least painless way possible (as I'm sure the rest of you agree)!!!

Question 1: As a US citizen residing in Canada as a permanent resident, what it the minimum time I must be a permanent resident in Canada before eligible to file the I-130 for Direct Consular Filing at the local

embassy (in Halifax). Six Months? One Year? Hoping somebody has direct experience relatively close to 2010.

Question 3: What is the current time frame for having an interview scheduled (They are all conducted in Montreal, correct?) We have seen upwards of several months before an interview can even take place.

Question 2: Once the DCF is filed, how long until it is completed and my Canadian husband will have his case approved?

Thank you in advance for any help/advice you may have.

Please do not response with general reference to websites. Direct experience would be the most helpful information!!

[birdnerd 5]

Background: I am a U.S. Citizen currently permanent resident of Canada. My husband is Canadian.

Situation: We are currently looking to move to the U.S. and looking to do it in the least painless way possible (as I'm sure the rest of you agree)!!!

Question 1: As a US citizen residing in Canada as a permanent resident, what it the minimum time I must be a permanent resident in Canada before eligible to file the I-130 for Direct Consular Filing at the local

embassy (in Halifax). Six Months? One Year? Hoping somebody has direct experience relatively close to 2010.

Question 3: What is the current time frame for having an interview scheduled (They are all conducted in Montreal, correct?) We have seen upwards of several months before an interview can even take place.

Question 2: Once the DCF is filed, how long until it is completed and my Canadian husband will have his case approved?

Thank you in advance for any help/advice you may have.

Please do not response with general reference to websites. Direct experience would be the most helpful information!!

Hi and welcome, gallant.

1) You must be/have been resident in Canada for 6 months before filing DCF. They want you to show proof of residence (driver's license, bills, immigration paperwork, etc.)

Halifax consulate website says: 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.

2) and 3) Are related. With all the new changes to the interview scheduling system, etc., time frames are now kind of up in the air. Some people who filed DCF in Canada last October through January are having their interviews next week, so a number of months. However, people who filed several months later are now getting to schedule their own interviews as soon as they're eligible (after DS-230 is returned to consulate).

Please see our DCF Canada thread for helpful info and timelines.

[gallant7509 0]

Great Info .....

Next Question:

We are weighing the options between DCF (Eligible Nov 1st), or K3.

Will there really be any time saved filing one versus the other?

[birdnerd 5]

Great Info .....

Next Question:

We are weighing the options between DCF (Eligible Nov 1st), or K3.

Will there really be any time saved filing one versus the other?

The K3 is pretty much obsolete these days. It now takes just as long to file for the K3 as it does for the CR-1/IR-1, so now when the two forms reach the same stage, they administratively close the K3.

DCF is really the fastest option. Even Montreal seems to be speeding up and catching up to the processing times of other consulates. Although, as I mentioned above, they recently (as of Sept 1) have now made most of the process sort of automated, so things may be looking up.

If you do end up filing DCF, be aware you will need to prove 're-establishing domicile' for the USC. There's a pinned topic in the Canada forum devoted to this topic. I suggest you check it out.

Re-establish domicile

Edited September 18, 2010 by birdnerd

[gallant7509 0]

Perfect.

So my next set of questions ...

November 1st will be my 6 month mark for being a permanent resident in Canada ...

I'm wondering if I would jeopardize things by getting a job in the states PRIOR to that mark. I would still be considered to have been living as a PR for 6 months (since my drivers license would not change), correct? Because I would have intent of coming back home to Canada to file, OR would I have to tell the employer in the States that I could only begin work after the Nov. 1st mark? I know it would only be a few weeks, but I want to begin work in the states ASAP!!!

Also:

We are a bit skeptical of the timeframe because when I applied to become a PR of Canada, we thought we would be in the shortest timeframe from everything we had read, but somehow it took the longest!! Just curious the likelihood of really having this processed quickly (3 months?). We just do not want to expect it will take 3 months, only to find that it is another 6, meanwhile living separately We have searched and searched for similar cases of those having filed after Sept. 1st for the length it has been taking.

In need of encouragement!!!

Thanks

[birdnerd 5]

Perfect.

So my next set of questions ...

November 1st will be my 6 month mark for being a permanent resident in Canada ...

I'm wondering if I would jeopardize things by getting a job in the states PRIOR to that mark. I would still be considered to have been living as a PR for 6 months (since my drivers license would not change), correct? Because I would have intent of coming back home to Canada to file, OR would I have to tell the employer in the States that I could only begin work after the Nov. 1st mark? I know it would only be a few weeks, but I want to begin work in the states ASAP!!!

Also:

We are a bit skeptical of the timeframe because when I applied to become a PR of Canada, we thought we would be in the shortest timeframe from everything we had read, but somehow it took the longest!! Just curious the likelihood of really having this processed quickly (3 months?). We just do not want to expect it will take 3 months, only to find that it is another 6, meanwhile living separately We have searched and searched for similar cases of those having filed after Sept. 1st for the length it has been taking.

In need of encouragement!!!

Thanks

Sorry, don't know much about the Canadian PR aspect, my husband is a dual citizen.

As for time frame, it seems like the process will be much quicker than before ( ), however I wouldn't expect it to take as little as 3 months. Keep an eye on the recent filers, see how long it's taking them.