Bunch of questions on Packet 3 for K1

[pocheros 101]

Hello everyone,

I am a Canadian citizen residing in Ontario and have a fiance who petitioned for me under the I-129F. We received NOA1 & NOA2 (my petition was approved on April 12th). Then my fiance received a letter from the bureau of consular affairs dated April 22nd that listed our case number and states that "within a week the petition will be forwarded to the appropriate visa-issuing post where your visa interview will take place." The interview will be in Montreal.

So now for my ridiculously long list of questions!

1. How long does it usually take to receive packet 3 from Montreal? Should I be calling them to inquire about my case since it's May 10th now? Or should I just be patiently waiting for it to arrive in the mail?

2. Is there anything I should be doing in the meantime besides gathering the stuff I'll need for packet 3? (i.e. any phone numbers I should be calling, anyone I should be emailing?) I already got my vaccination record updated and I'm putting together evidence. I've also asked my fiance to fill out the affidavit of support and gather supporting evidence.

3. I've seen mentions of DHL in a few places. Should I be registering for that now? (I'm not exactly sure what it is...)

4. Is it too early to do a police check? That is, when you do a police check do you usually have to wait a few weeks, or do you just give them your name and some ID and they give you the certificate the same day that you come in? I will be going to my local police station for it. Should I wait until I get packet 3?

5. Should I wait until I get packet 3 to schedule a medical appointment? I will be using Dr. Howard Seiden & Associates in Toronto (http://www.panelphysicians.com/index.htm). Does anyone know if there's issues with scheduling a timely appointment with this doctor?

6. Regarding the DS-156K: It asks for evidence of engagement. Is the "letter of intent signed by the petitioner within 30 days of the interview date" considered sufficient evidence? And does the petitioner refer to ME or my fiance? Lol. My fiance didn't propose to me, we just talked about living together for awhile and then decided we'd get married. We don't even have evidence of this in e-mails because we communicate primarily through the phone.

7. Regarding DS-230 part 1: a) It asks for the name, date/place of birth and current address of my mother and father. I have been estranged from my parents for 2 years and am unsure of their current address and my mother's place of birth. (I'm pretty sure my mother was born in Montreal- I know she was born in QUEBEC, for sure- but I don't know if she was born in Montreal 100%). How should I handle this? Without going into detail I do not want to contact my parents even just to obtain this information.

b) It also asks "in what occupation do you intend to work in the United States?" Do I leave this blank since I'm not immigrating on an employment visa? I DO intend to work, of course- after I get married and get my work permit- but I'll just be working at whatever job I can get, I obviously don't know where or what I'll be doing. (The only jobs I've had were minimum wage cashier-type jobs.)

c) Again, the petitioner refers to me now, right? (It asks for the petitioner's address.)

8. Regarding the DS-156: a) It asks "when do you intend to arrive in the US? Provide a specific date if known" with a drop down box to put in the day/month/year. I don't know when I'll be arriving, just that it'll be soon after I get my visa. So how do I answer this question? My I-129F "expires" in early August (although I've read you can extend if if you just keep calling the embassy), so should I just add 6 months to August and say that's when I intend to arrive? Should I leave it blank since I don't know?

b) It also asks "how long do you intend to stay in the US?" Should I just write "indefinitely" (since I intend to follow the legal procedure of marriage then AOS then green card)? Should I write "indefinitely" and make a note about how I intend to get married within 90 days and then apply for permanent residency?

c) Again, it asks if I intend to work and study in the US, which I do, but I don't know anything specific. (It says if YES, provide name and current address of employer/school). So I'm guessing I should check "no?"

9. For Montreal, packet 4 just includes instructions on how to obtain the medical, right? When do I schedule my interview- after I return packet 3, or after I receive packet 4? Does packet 4 arrive after you've made your appointment online (so it includes the appointment letter?)

I know a lot of these questions may be dumb or seem obvious but I'm confused about some things and a bit anxious. ANY information is greatly appreciated! I'll be sure to come by these forums after I've received my visa so I can help out similarly confused people! lol.

Thanks again guys

Edited May 10, 2011 by pocheros

[pocheros 101]

Well, after checking out the stickied thread "Canada Immigration Guide" I see that the police check only takes 1-2 weeks. I would've edited this into my post except the edit button seems to have disappeared? ¬_¬ Sorry for the double-post...

Edited May 10, 2011 by pocheros

[ralyse 31]

1. Call DoS and ask if it's been sent. You don't physically need it to send everything back as long as you know what's required. We're authorized to book our interview and I still haven't physically gotten P3.

2. Other than calling DoS for updates, no? I can't think of anything, anyway.

3. DHL is a courier service Montreal will use to return your passport to you. I waited to register until today when trying to book an interview.

4. I did my police check about a month ago (right before NOA2 actually), no problem getting it early!

5. You have to wait until you've scheduled an interview to book the medical.

That's all I've got offhand

[pocheros 101]

Oh, so I can start booking my interview now? I guess that makes sense since my petition expires in August. They don't care that you've booked an interview even if they haven't received your case yet? Since it's possible they haven't received it... 202-663-1225 is the number I should be calling, yeah?

[ralyse 31]

No, you need to have sent back P3 and DoS needs to say P4 has been sent and you're authorized to book I sent the P3 stuff in as soon as DoS confirmed P3 had been sent to me, so while I don't physically have it yet, it's sped things up a bit

[pocheros 101]

Ohh, I see! That makes more sense. Hmm, I thought I'd be calling the embassy for updates since they're the ones handling the paperwork, but it's actually the Department of State I call? So what you're saying is I can call DoS, and when they confirm that they've mailed Packet 3 to me I can start mailing packet 3 forms back to them (since the stuff for it is available online). Then before you even received packet 3, they already mailed packet 4 to you and thus you became authorized to book an interview. When you mailed your packet 3 stuff, did you attach your birth certificate, evidence of engagement, evidence of financial support, and police check to DS-156K? That is, will I have to mail all those documents along with the forms for packet 3? Or do you bring that stuff to the interview?

Edited May 10, 2011 by pocheros

[ralyse 31]

I only sent the forms themselves! And you call DoS for updates from now on.

This is the thread I used to confirm my P3 stuff, if that helps at all: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/305085-montreal-process-recap/

[pocheros 101]

Oh, AWESOME! I'm going to call the DoS today! That thread is useful too, thanks. Although in your thread it says you don't need photos, but this link http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3 says you need photos and a copy of the biographic information page of your passport. I include those things as well, right?

[pocheros 101]

I also see we have similar timelines. Good luck with getting an interview date!

Edit: OMG! I just checked my mail and packet 3 was in there today! Haha awesome! I'm on cloud nine

Edited May 10, 2011 by pocheros

[ralyse 31]

Congrats!!

and no, I didn't send anything except the forms and checklist and it was enough, so...

[pocheros 101]

I have yet another question regarding the wording of packet 3. For police certificates, it says "Police certificates are required from (1) the police authority of your present locality issued within one year of the date of your visa interview, (2) the police authority of each locality, other than those in the US, where you resided for one year or more since attaining the age of 16 which certificate covers the entire period of residence in the locality"

I have lived in my current town for 2 years, and in a different town before then (between 16 and 20, approximately), so do I have to get a certificate from my old town? The wording is a bit confusing.

Thanks again for the help guys! And if anyone has any answers for questions 7 or 8 it would be much appreciated, as I am going to be filling out those forms ASAP and I am unsure of what to write for some of the questions.

[ralyse 31]

It's a Canada-wide police check, so I think that's only referring to countries you've lived in, not cities.

[Shorah 2]

Theres aa bunch of us that have been posting on here alot recently that have just had our interviews and dont worry we were all asking the same questions as you.

Read through the forums there are a few longer threads on here that we were all posting in about the same things.

They were very helpful to me, and I'm sure they would be for you as well!

Also check out the reviews for the Montreal consulate, I read those alot and they helped me to be super prepared at the interview.

Good luck! And dont be shy, ask away!

[pocheros 101]

Ah, okay, that's what I thought, as I believe I had read something similar to what you said somewhere else. God, I'm so excited! Thanks for your help ralyse

I've read the reviews for the montreal consulate, and know all about sitting close to the elevator and getting there at 7am, hehe.

Edited May 10, 2011 by pocheros

[Shorah 2]

I'm not sure about question 7 but I can help with question 8.

I thought I would be having my interview in Aug so I put a date down to enter that was in Aug.

I ended up with a date in April so I'm crossing on Friday.

I didnt have any problems with this. When you get the Visa you have 6 months to activate it so youre fine if you do so within the 6 months.

It has an expiry date on it so you can be sure.

The part about how long, I put 50 years lol.

There was alot of talk about this question in a previous thread and we all had different answers ranging from 25years to 50years.

All of us who did that didnt have any problems, and we have all since been approved.

The school one, I also put no as I don't have any immediate concrete plans.

That doesnt mean I won't ever do that and I'm pretty sure there are no rules against it.

Also get your police check done now.

I did mine back in Jan and interviewed at the end of April and again didnt have any problems.

Keep in mind you fiance letter of intent has to be dated within 30 days of you interview date so be careful with that one.

Um.....I cant think of anything else right now.

Let me know if you have any more questions.