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CanAmBride

Approved! Few pieces of advice...

By CanAmBride in Canada

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CanAmBride Explorer

CanAmBride   5

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

We were approved. Piece of cake. All of the procedures were the same as previous posters. A few things I noticed:

1) We got there at 6:45 and there was 1 couple in front of us. The other CR-1 interviews got there around 7:15-7:20. We were all let in the same time, and they probably only finished 15 minutes after us. Advice: If your interview is in winter, there is no need to stand in the freezing cold for almost an hour.

2) The couple in front of us brought their documents in a laptop bag. They were stopped at security and had to leave to go put their bag back in the car. They ended up getting the last spot for the CR-1 interviews because of this. Advice: Take all of your paperwork in a plastic bag and leave everything else in the car

3) Xpress Envelope: They asked us if we had picked a DHL location. I took an Xpress envelope along and I said "yes, but the closest location is 2 hours from us and we were hoping to use Xpress instead." They accepted the envelope and said they would mail out our paperwork within a week. Advice: Definitely try to do Xpress if DHL is inconvenient for you.

4) Parking at meters in front of the embassy was empty when we got there, and the meters don't start until 9 am. So we got to park for free, yay!

Everyone was very friendly, especially the interviewer. It was a great experience, minus driving a total of 20 hours out of 36 hours for a 5 minute interview!

Tater&Bugger Community Regular

Tater&Bugger   3

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

I can't believe they didn't let them take the bag! I had a canvas bag, no pockets. However every other woman had a honking purse. Anything else that was too much the security just held for people. I guess they may have changed the rules.

I also agree with the not arriving so early thing. Big waste of time since they practically preset when you get interviewed. Everyone I read from before got there early and said they got to go first, we got to go first and were interview over 5 hrs later, even though we were first called to a window. They have it mostly planned in advance. I say go 15mins early. No more.

Edited by Tater&Bugger

See profile for our K-1 Visa/AOS story from 2010-2011Apparently we love USCIS/NVC so much we left and are doing it again! This time giving IR-1 a whirl. Rock on immigrators.

07/09/2014 sent in IR-1 packet to Chicago Lockbox

07/16/2014 NOA1

07/17/2014 check cashed by USCIS

10/01/2014 found out we are expecting baby #2 June 2015!

12/15/2014 NOA2

12/30/2014 Case received by NVC

03/23/2015 Received Case and Inv # from NVC after many calls and bogus excuses.

03/24/2015 AOS payment accepted by NVC

04/09/2015 IV payment finally accepted by NVC after the set the wrong fee and took weeks to correct it.

*many more delays thanks to the agency processing my fingers prints to the RCMP and the post office losing our mail*

05/20/2015 Packet sent to NVC via UPS, eta May 28.

06/16/2015 Baby #2 due - homebirth in Scottsdale, AZ

CBM Community Regular

CBM   14

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats! :dance::dance::dance::dance::dance:

Thanks for the helpful tips :)

May 25th, 2010 : Filed I-129F at CSC

June 1st, 2010 : NoA1

June 7th, 2010 : Touch

October 19th, 2010: Touch

October 20th, 2010: NoA2! (141 days)

November 8th, 2010: Received Packet 3 from Montreal

November 10th, 2010: Sent Packet 3 back to Montreal

November 25th: Received Packet 4 & Scheduled interview!

March 8th, 2011: Interview in Montreal - Approved!

April 30th, 2011: Move to CA

May 6th, 2011: Married <3

May 31st, 2011: Filed AOS

June 6th, 2011: NoA1

June 13th, 2011: Received Notice for Biometrics

July 7th, 2011: Biometrics

August 22, 2011: AOS Interview - Approved!

August 29th, 2011: Greencard in hand!

marklovetina Mentor

marklovetina   52

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted
:thumbs::dance::thumbs:
N-400:
May 9, 2017: N-400 packet was sent
May 15, 2017: NOA1 
June 05, 2017: Biometric Done
June 19, 2017: Case is in Line for an Interview
June 25, 2018: USCIS Scheduled an Interview
Aug. 02, 2018: Interview Date- APPROVED!
Aug. 09, 2018: Oath Ceremony

My Group

My Blog

canadian_wife Grand Master

canadian_wife   1,824

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats! And great tips for those waiting for their interviews

:thumbs:

USCIS
August 12, 2008 - petition sent
August 16, 2008 - NOA-1
February 10, 2009 - NOA-2
178 DAYS FROM NOA-1

NVC
February 13, 2009 - NVC case number assigned
March 12, 2009 - Case Complete
25 DAY TRIP THROUGH NVC

Medical
May 4, 2009

Interview
May, 26, 2009

POE - June 20, 2009 Toronto - Atlanta, GA

Removal of Conditions
Filed - April 14, 2011
Biometrics - June 2, 2011 (early)
Approval - November 9, 2011
209 DAY TRIP TO REMOVE CONDITIONS

Citizenship

April 29, 2013 - NOA1 for petition received

September 10, 2013 Interview - decision could not be made.

April 15, 2014 APPROVED. Wait for oath ceremony

Waited...

September 29, 2015 - sent letter to senator.

October 16, 2015 - US Citizen

Abby62 Collaborator

Abby62   23

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Congrats, I'm so envious!!! :thumbs:

Feb 14, 2010 - Engaged :-)
Apr 17, 2010 - Married
May 24, 2010 - I-130 Sent to USCIS
Oct 20, 2010 - : I-130 NOA2 APPROVED..GOD IS GOOD!!!!! smile.png
Oct 26, 2010 : NVC Received
Dec 06, 2010 - Case Complete at NVC
Jan 24, 2011 - Medical exam
Feb 24, 2011 - Passed, welcome to USA
Mar 04, 2011 - POE - Detroit, MI
Mar 14, 2011 - SSN# Rec'd
Mar 24, 2011 - smile.png GC and Welcome Letter
Sept 19, 2011- Filed I-130 for my son (his step son)
June 14, 2013-APPROVED, 10 YR GC IN THE MAIL

Mar 3, 2014- N-400

May 12, 2014 Interview for Citizenship- PASSED!

June 12th, USA citizen - Oath Ceremony...all done here!!

Flames9_RN Grand Master

Flames9_RN   358

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Like everything else--prob depends who is working security that day!! back in 2004, they didnt let big bags of any kind in. Saw people turned back because their bags were too big! Congrats

Canadians Visiting the USA while undergoing the visa process, my free advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3) keep ur response short and to the point, don't tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5) Pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isn't going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) Have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didn't lie! Refer to #1

Neal851 Community Regular

Neal851   3

Posted
Filed: IR-5 Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

Congrets!!!

IR-5 for Parents

02-28-14 -> I-130 sent to Chicago Lockbox.
03-03-14 -> USCIS received. (Priority Date)
03-09-14 -> NOA1 received.
06-04-14 -> NOA2 received. Approved.
06-18-14 -> NVC Received case.
07-03-14 -> NVC Assigned Case#(Got Case# & IIN Over the Phone).
07-22-14 -> DS-261 Completed.
07-25-14 -> AOS fee Payment.
07-29-14 -> AOS fee shows PAID.
07-30-14 -> AOS Package Sent.
07-31-14 -> AOS Package delivered.
09-15-14 -> IV fee Payment.

09-17-14 -> IV fee Shows PAID.

09-18-14 -> IV Package Sent.
09-20-14 -> IV Package Delivered.

10-20-14 -> Case Complete.

10-28-14 -> Case Complete Email Received.

Canadiandggal Proficient

Canadiandggal   49

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

congrats

:dance:

~~~Marriage : 2009-07-10~~~

~~~I-130 Sent : 2009-11-24~~~

~~~ Medical : 2010-09-28~~~ ~~~ MTL Interview : 2010-10-20~~~ ~~~ APPROVED~~~

~~~POE Date :2010-10-31~~~ ~~~Received SSN's 2010-11-08~~

~~~Welcome Letter/Notice Receipt :2010-11-30~~~ ~~~Received Our Green Cards 2010-12-06~~~

~~~ ROC :2012-08-20~~~ ~~~NOA1 :2012-08-28~~~ ~~~BIO :2012-09-25~~~~

age.png

age.png

event.png

~~~Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.~~~

OBX Mentor

OBX   51

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted
:dance: Congratulations!

USCIS

NOA1 08/19/08

NOA2 01/20/09

NVC

Received 01/26/09

Completed 02/13/09 (19 Days)

Interview Assigned 03/27/09 (6 weeks after NVC completion)

Medical

04/14/09 (Toronto)

Interview

Montreal 05/12/09 (88 days after NVC completion) **APPROVED**

POE

06/16/09 Buffalo

07/02/09 Welcome Letter Received

07/07/09 Applied for SSN

07/10/09 "Card production ordered" email received

07/13/09 SSN received

07/14/09 "Approval notice sent" email received

07/17/09 GREEN CARD received

Removal of Conditions

03/21/11 I-751 mailed to VSC

03/23/11 I-751 received at VSC

03/29/11 Cheque Cashed

03/30/11 NOA1 received (3/24/11)

04/11/11 Biometrics appointment notice received

05/05/11 Biometric appointment

12/13/11 **Approval date** (5 days short of 9 months!)

12/19/11 Approval letter and green card received

Naturalization

05/16/2019 Filed online (estimated completion February 2020)

05/18/2019 Biometrics scheduled

05/21/2019 Receipt notice and biometrics notices posted to online account.05/23/2019 Hard copy of NOA1 received

05/24/2019 Hard copy of biometrics appointment received

06/07/2019 Biometrics appointment (estimated completion January 2020)

12/31/2019 Email received "Interview scheduled"

01/01/2020 Interview date notice posted to online account (02/19/2020)

01/05/2019 Hard copy of interview appointment received

02/19/2020 Interview (**Approved**) and same day Oath Ceremony. 

 
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