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Caladan

In need of a bank...

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My fiancé and I just became engaged. He's the Canadian, I'm the USC. In preparation for his move here, he and I would like to start a separate savings account into which:

1) he will put the money (Canadian dollars)

2) I will withdraw the money (US dollars)

for things such as wedding expenses & set-up costs for once he moves down. Obviously too early yet, but once it's closer to the time, he wants to help pay without the hassle & surcharges of money orders.

Does anyone here have experience with a good bank or money-transferring type place that would help with something like this?

AOS

-

Filed: 8/1/07

NOA1:9/7/07

Biometrics: 9/28/07

EAD/AP: 10/17/07

EAD card ordered again (who knows, maybe we got the two-fer deal): 10/23/-7

Transferred to CSC: 10/26/07

Approved: 11/21/07

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

A joint account from a Canadian bank will work as long as you get a bank card. When you put it into an american bank machine american dollars come out :) There are some fees attached, but there is no way to get around that. Check which banks will give you the best exchange through ATM's. Paypal also works, but can get expensive.

K-1/K-2 Visas

April 20 2006 ~NOA1

July 05 2006 ~IMBRA RFE

Aug 14 2006 ~RFE (further proof of meeting)

Aug 18 2006 ~Approved NOA2 (Day 120)

Oct 10 2006 ~packet 4 received

Nov 14 2006 ~Montreal interview (expedited due to child aging out) SUCCESS :)

Nov 15 2006 ~Pick up visas

Nov 16 2006 ~Fly to San Francisco from Mtl

Nov 18 2006 ~Wedding

AOS/EAD/AP

Dec 18 2006 ~Documents filed

Dec 22 2006 ~NOA1

Jan 10 2007 ~Biometrics appointment

Mar 07 2007 ~AOS interview San Francisco-SUCCESS :)

Mar 19 2007 ~Received Green Cards

I-130 for Daughter

July 28 2007 ~Documents filed

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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
A joint account from a Canadian bank will work as long as you get a bank card. When you put it into an american bank machine american dollars come out :) There are some fees attached, but there is no way to get around that. Check which banks will give you the best exchange through ATM's. Paypal also works, but can get expensive.

Not sure how easy it would be to do the joint bank account thing. You usually have to have ties to Canada like SIN # or job here. I guess he could always give you the card bank card,...or you can always have him send you US money orders...where the exchange is done the fee is nominal. Or for larger some he could always wire they money. Check it out I could be wrong the bank account thing.

K1-Journey

[*]March 9,2006 finally sent K1 Package to Nebraska

[*]March 24-NOA1

[*]July 17/06 -IMBRA RFE

September 13/06- 3 Emails stating we got NOA2, APPROVED!!! Dated September 8,2006.

[*]October 20th/06-Received Packet 3

[*]October 31/06-Medical Exam

December 6,2006-Interview in Vancouver APPROVED!

Arrived in US- December 14, 2006

January 3,2007- Applied for SSN got within 7 days in the mail.

February 17,2007- MARRIED!

AOS-EAD-AP Journey:

March 2, 2007-Started AOS paperwork

March 12,2007- Filed AOS, EAD, AP Docs.

March 22, 2007-NOA1 for AOS,EAD, AP

March 23, 2007-Receive "Biometrics Appointment"Letter

April 4, 2007- Biometrics Appointment...done..

April 19,2007-Notice in Mail saying transfered to CSC..not sure what is up with that...

May 21, 2007- Touched and email saying case pending at CSC.

May 23,2007-AOS Touched!

May 25, 2007-AOS Touched-Again

May 29, 2007-Email AP APPROVED.

May 29, 2007-EAD touched

May 30,2007-AP and EAD Touched

May 31, 2007-Email stating I-485 Card Production Ordered!!! WOOHOO!

June 1,2007-Email EAD Approved

June 2, 2007- AP Received.

June 4, 2007 -Welcome New Permanent Resident letter received.

June 7, 2007-EAD Card Received..no GC yet..

June 9, 2007-GREEN CARD IN HAND!

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

https://vantage.customhouse.com/cgi-bin/Login.cgi

I transfer money froma Cdn account to my USA acct using the above. Takes a bit to set up, but not long. One does a phone interview as well for security purposes. Get a better exchange rate than most banks will give you. Cheers

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

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
https://vantage.customhouse.com/cgi-bin/Login.cgi

I transfer money froma Cdn account to my USA acct using the above. Takes a bit to set up, but not long. One does a phone interview as well for security purposes. Get a better exchange rate than most banks will give you. Cheers

:thumbs:

I learned about Custom House from VJ and have been using it for over a year to transfer $$$ between our US Savings account and Derek's Canadian Checking account. Takes a few days to complete a transfer but works great and no fees!

Hi Scott!

canadaC.gif - Derek usaCa.gif- KJ

TIMELINE

Civil Ceremony - 02/19/2005

I-130 Mailed Out - 02/25/2005

I-130 NOA1 - 03/04/2005

I-130 Approved - 04/07/2005

Pay I-864 - 05/13/2005

Return I-864 - 07/22/2005 *We mailed in the wrong birth certificate which led to a month or so delay*

Family Ceremony - 10/22/2005

Interview in Montreal - 12/22/2005

Activate Visa - 12/25/2005

Move to Virginia - 04/06/2006

Mailed I-751 - 11/02/2007

Received in Vermont - 11/05/2007

Check Cashed by VSC - 11/09/2007

Received NOA 1 - 11/10/2007

Biometrics - 01/10/2008

Card production ordered - 09/10/2008

Card received! - 09/17/2008

Now on to citizenship...

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Excellent. Thanks for the advice; I'll be sure to check it out.

AOS

-

Filed: 8/1/07

NOA1:9/7/07

Biometrics: 9/28/07

EAD/AP: 10/17/07

EAD card ordered again (who knows, maybe we got the two-fer deal): 10/23/-7

Transferred to CSC: 10/26/07

Approved: 11/21/07

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

Once you do a transaction, takes 3-4 business days!! Very simple to use. Near the end of the process onlien you wil see the exchange rate, you can wait for it to change, or just cancel it all together!! Very easy!!

I sent you a PM Derekki!!

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

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Filed: Other Timeline

Some Canadian banks (Scotiabank for example) have agreements with Bank of America so that you can use your Canadian bank card in BoA machines with no service charge. You could get a US$ bank account at Scotiabank and withdraw funds in the US at BoA machines.

divorced - April 2010 moved back to Ontario May 2010 and surrendered green card

PLEASE DO NOT PRIVATE MESSAGE ME OR EMAIL ME. I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT CURRENT US IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES!!!!!

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

I was able to cash Cdn cheques at Wachovia with no service charge, but the rate they gave wasnt the greatest!

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

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My husband and I have been depositing my Canadian (Royal Bank) cheques into our Bank of America accounts without any problems. (Just need to remind them the cheque's in Canadian dollars so they put a special stamp on it.)

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ukraine
Timeline

In college (t Arizona State Univeristy) I opened an USD bank account in Ottawa at a Toronto Dominion bank and just used an ATM card to pull cash as family members (thanks Grandma!) filled it up. No problems there.

Joel

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Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Scotland
Timeline
1) he will put the money (Canadian dollars)

2) I will withdraw the money (US dollars)

I use an offshore account - I can pay in or withdraw US dollars or UK pounds without getting charged any fees at all. The money is in 2 seperate accounts, but you can transfer between them for free. Bear in mind the exchange rate.

I know HSBC can offer Canadian dollar offshore accounts, but I'm sure there are others too.

Edited by Adam M
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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline

I just use my Canadian bank card, gives bank exchange rate plus a $2.00 per transaction charge. Worth the two bucks not to worry about it.

Feb. 15/ 07 --- GC approved

Nov. 17/09 -- I-751 sent (Day 1)

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