Canada Immigration & K1 Guide for Montreal

[Steve & Rema 4]

Thank you so much for this guide, I just read through it and I have a few questions.

1) This entire time, before I read the guide, I was under the impression that after they received my packet 3, they would schedule a medical and interview for me. I guess this is not true, I have to definitely schedule them on my own?

2) Can I schedule my medical now? Or do I wait under they receive my packet 3?

3) At my Medical, does the doctor send anything to the consulate? Is there anything I should ask/do?

4) I know I need a police record check for my interview. I went to the police station here in Ottawa, and got one the same day. It's just a form I filled out and the office filled out the last part, stamped it and printed a reciept on it. It's titled Ottawa Records Check and it says "This is to confirm that no criminal convictions nor outstanding charges have been found in the Canadian National Repository of Criminal Records as a result of a search based on the above name and date of birth. The search has not been confirmed by fingerprints." Is this all I need? I was expecting to have to way to get a records check in the mail, but instead I just got this paper when I went in. I'm a bit worried that it's not good enough.

5) My Package 3 was send out to me on June 15, I haven't received it yet. It's ok for me to send in Package 3 regardless of whether I got it in the mail right? (I just want to make sure, I know others have done this)

6) I don't get the whole registering for DHL thing, what is this for and how do I do it?

Sorry for all my questions, I get answers to questions only to have 100 more pop up.

[pocheros 101]

Thank you so much for this guide, I just read through it and I have a few questions.

1) This entire time, before I read the guide, I was under the impression that after they received my packet 3, they would schedule a medical and interview for me. I guess this is not true, I have to definitely schedule them on my own?

You are a K1, I'm assuming? Make sure to fill out your profile info. If you are a K1 then yes you schedule your own interview after your Packet 4 has been logged. Packet 4 should be logged within a couple weeks of Montreal receiving your packet 3. Are you going to Montreal or Vancouver?

2) Can I schedule my medical now? Or do I wait under they receive my packet 3?

Wait until packet 4 has been logged and you schedule and interview before you schedule your medical. At the medical they will need to see either your packet 3 or 4 as confirmation of your case number. Also it is best timing-wise to wait until you have an interview scheduled because sometimes you have to wait 2-3 months before you can get one. For the interview at Montreal the medical needs to be current within 6 months and for adjustment of status it needs to be current within one year, so you don't want to get it done too early. Generally when you schedule a medical exams it's 2-4 weeks from the date you scheduled it.

3) At my Medical, does the doctor send anything to the consulate? Is there anything I should ask/do?

No the doctor does not send anything to the consulate. A couple days after your exam your medical results will be put into a sealed brown envelope that you have to pick up and bring with you to the consulate. You CANNOT open the envelope or it will void its contents. However there are two other things you can get with the brown envelope: 1. an x ray, which you only have to bring to the interview if you have tuberculosis and 2. a piece of paper with your vaccination history on it that the doctor at the medical exam fills out. The vaccination worksheet is VERY IMPORTANT because you will need it to adjust your status- so make sure they remember to give you one of those (you pick it up along with the envelope.)

4) I know I need a police record check for my interview. I went to the police station here in Ottawa, and got one the same day. It's just a form I filled out and the office filled out the last part, stamped it and printed a reciept on it. It's titled Ottawa Records Check and it says "This is to confirm that no criminal convictions nor outstanding charges have been found in the Canadian National Repository of Criminal Records as a result of a search based on the above name and date of birth. The search has not been confirmed by fingerprints." Is this all I need? I was expecting to have to way to get a records check in the mail, but instead I just got this paper when I went in. I'm a bit worried that it's not good enough.

This police check is fine. Fingerprints are not required unless you have a criminal history. Otherwise the check just has to show that your name was searched in the CPIC or National Repository (as yours does.) My police check was just a piece of paper the I filled out my info on and then got stamped by the lady at the police station and Montreal had no problem with it.

5) My Package 3 was send out to me on June 15, I haven't received it yet. It's ok for me to send in Package 3 regardless of whether I got it in the mail right? (I just want to make sure, I know others have done this)

Yes, you can send your packet 3 back now. It is not uncommon for Packet 3 and 4 to arrive extremely late or sometimes not even show up in the mail at all. Therefore it is prudent for you to send out Pakcet 3 as soon as it's logged, which it already has. Then you can call DOS to ask if packet 4 has been logged and as soon as it is you can schedule an interview on the CSC website.

6) I don't get the whole registering for DHL thing, what is this for and how do I do it?

DHL is the courier service Montreal uses to mail your passport back to you after the interview. It is important that you register with DHL before the interview. You can register for DHL any time. Here are the instructions Montreal gives on registering for DHL:

"You may send the documents to the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal using courier services that are offered at no extra cost for the applicant. Please visit http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/us_courier_information and follow instructions for “IV Applicant Needing to Register for DHL” and “Sending Document to the Consular Section”. If you have any further inquiries about the courier services, please visit http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/us_service_options."

You do not have to send packet 3 via DHL (expresspost is better) but it's free to use DHL.

Sorry for all my questions, I get answers to questions only to have 100 more pop up.

Hope this helps!

Edited June 28, 2012 by pocheros

[Steve & Rema 4]

Hope this helps!

Oh my goodness thank you SO much! I feel better knowing this now! Thank you so much for taking your time for me

Edited June 29, 2012 by Rema

[twitchy 2]

Not sure if this has already been linked here, but I found this, and it seems to have pretty clear information and instructions:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4230.html

[Canerican 242]

Heads up, this is the new link to the packet 3 instructions on the montreal consulate general website. http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/visas/visas/fianc-k-1-visas/steps/packet-3---instruction-materials-for-fianc-k-1-applicants.html

If for some reason one can't access the URL, here is a quote from the website for posterity:

Here is also a handy appointment checklist: http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/visas/visas/immigrant-visas/appointment-checklist.html Note that you do NOT need to bring your x-ray with you unless you have tuberculosis.

Concerning the DS-230 & 260...Do you have to do both or just the 260 or 230?

Thank You for your help

[sitwell 1]

I'm trying to view the P3 forms on the montreal consulate's website. It asks you to log in with your "invoice ID number"... what is that? Where can I find it?

This guide has been super helpful for us so far. Starting to feel like I know what to expect, thanks to all contributors!

[bApTizE 0]

Hi all,

Hope someone can help me with this.

1. How long i can drag this before scheduling the interview without losing my I-130 application? we're not yet ready to move.
   
2. If i go ahead and book the interview, how long would it take to get the visa?
   
3. when would the visa expire after we get it?
   
4. If we get the visa and move, can i return to Canada without any problem using my Canadian passport?
   

Thank you.

[Marigo 1]

Thank you so very much for this you don't know how helpful it is. We just got our NOA2 approval today!!!!

quote name='ralyse' timestamp='1314918612' post='4880234']

General Immigration Guide: http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Canada

K1 Montreal Guide:

Put this together with some help from a few other members (JeannieL, pocheros, coconuts, Stuart & Thea) to try and get all the confusing FAQs about the Montreal process in one place. Hope it helps people out!

1. NOA2

Once you’ve gotten your NOA2, it’s time to celebrate! Most people wait a while for this, sometimes even dealing with an RFE... Instead of jumping headfirst into the “What comes next!” Stage, take a minute to relax. If you’re going through Montreal, it’s going to take some time. You’ve got it. Put your NOA2 in a safe place since you’ll need it later on for AOS and relax.

2. NVC

Once at least a week has passed, you can feel free to start calling The National Visa Center (NVC). Their number is: 1-603-334-0700 (Pressing 1 for English and 5 for an Operator). They will want both the petitioner and beneficiary’s names and dates of birth, as well as the receipt number for your petition. (WAC# if you went through California, EAC if you went through Vermont). NVC can’t do very much for you as a typical K1 petition doesn’t stay there very long, but this is the information you’re looking to get from them:

-Has your petition arrived at NVC? If not, there’s nothing they can do yet. It can take time for the petition to get there, anywhere from a week to a month, so don’t worry if you find yourself calling frequently.

-Once it’s arrived, does it have a Montreal case number yet? This number will begin with MTL and if they can provide it at NVC, write it down!

-Has the petition left for the consulate? Once this happens, you’re done with NVC! No need to call them for any further updates.

3. DOS

After you get word that the petition is headed for Montreal, give it a few days (I’d say minimum a week) and you can start calling the Department of State (DOS). Their number is: 1-202-663-1225 and to get to a visa specialist, it’s 1 and then 0. This operator will want your MTL # and sometimes both the names and dates of birth for both petitioner and beneficiary. At this stage, you’ll go through the follow things with DOS:

-Has your petition arrived in Montreal? If it has not, there’s nothing to do yet. Montreal is notorious for delays in its mailroom so even if you think it’s unrealistic it hasn’t physically arrived yet, chances are it’s sitting somewhere waiting to be logged. Until DOS gives the word the petition is in Montreal, you just have to sit tight.

-Once the case has arrived, you can ask DOS is Packet 3 has been sent out. Even if it hasn’t, you can prepare and send Packet 3 yourself, the important thing is to make sure Montreal has your case before you send them anything.

4. Preparing Packet 3

Waiting for P3 to physically arrive can be a fruitless task. Many people never get it, sometimes only the petitioner gets it, sometimes it shows up months later. If you want to expedite the process, don’t wait for it. There’s nothing including in Packet 3 that isn’t available on Montreal’s website: http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3

Since even the website can be a little confusing, this is what you send back (all forms available above at Montreal’s website):

Signed Checklist

DS-160 x 1

DS-156K x 1

DS-230 x 1

DS-156 x 2

US style passport photos of the beneficiary x 2

Many have found it helpful to also include a very brief cover letter summarizing the contents, providing an email address and re-iterating the MTL case #.

(If you are doing a K2 as well, don’t forget the forms for them!)

5. Sending Packet 3

How you send P3 is up to you. It can be done for free via DHL, but many have found it faster to just use an xpresspost mailer from Canada Post and eat the cost themselves. If you are sending it via xpresspost, it goes to the following address:

ATTN: Immigrant Visa Unit

315 Place d'Youville Suite 500

Montreal Quebec

H2Y 0A4

Make sure to again write your MTL case # on the mailer itself.

(You could also just send it regular mail, but it’s usually better for peace of mind to get a tracking number, which means XPpesspost.)

6. Waiting

Once P3 has been sent, for the sake of your own sanity give it at least a week before you start calling about it. Again, Montreal is notoriously slow processing documents so there’s no use fretting if you know it’s physically there and it still hasn’t been logged. At this stage, you’re back to calling DOS. They’re open M-F from 8:30am until 5, except for Wednesday’s when they’re closed from 11:30-12:30.

-You’ll want to ask them if P3 has been logged. If it hasn’t, you’ll have to keep calling.

-Once they tell you P3 has been logged, you’ll ask if Packet 4 has been sent out yet? If it has, you will be eligible to schedule your interview.

Note: There have been a LOT of cases of people getting incorrect information from DOS at this stage. Every consulate is different, so even if a representative tells you that your interview will be scheduled for you, this is not the case for K1s right now. As soon as P4 has been sent, you are about to schedule.

7. Scheduling Interviews

The website (Referred to on VJ as the CSC site) is here: http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/ss_country_welcome

You can register at any time once you have your MTL case #, but do NOT schedule an interview until you’ve been told P4 has been sent out. You’ll be prompted to select your reason for immigrating, and you can chose either of the K1 options (Permanently immigrate or ready to schedule). If you chose “Permanently Immigrate” you will need to pay the $350 fee via credit card before you can schedule. If you would rather pay the fee at the interview (US cash only, exact change!) just choose “ready to schedule”

You will follow the prompts to schedule your interview as well as select the DHL branch you wish to pick up your Visa at.

If all goes well, you will get an interview date. A confirmation email will be sent to you, make sure to hold on to that, as you will need to bring it with you to Montreal.

8. No Interviews Available!

Unfortunately, what seems to happen often with Montreal is a message stating “No Interviews Available”. If that is the case, there’s not a lot you can do except keep checking back. If someone cancels their appointment, a time may open up that you can grab. Sometimes Montreal opens additional interviews in the afternoons or just more dates... there’s no specific time of day or month that these things happen, so it’s just luck of the draw. If you’re stuck in limbo without an appointment date, calling DOS or contacting Montreal won’t do anything, unfortunately. Just keep refreshing and waiting.

If you’re lucky it’s just a day or so, sometimes it can be as long as a month without interviews being available. It’s just luck, sadly.

9. Rescheduling Interview?

Oftentimes, if interviews are available they’re months away. If you log in and that’s all that’s available: TAKE IT. Even if it’s further than you’d like, it’s better to have something booked than to hope for something better. You can always reschedule by logging in and clicking “reschedule”. (Note: If the CSC site says the next available interview day is further away than the one you have: do NOT continue from there. You will lose the one you already have booked as soon as you go to the calendar.)

Also: You don’t need to log in and out. Just refreshing the page that tells you if/when the next available appointment is will work fine.

10. Medical

You’ll need to complete a medical before your interview. There’s only four places in Canada you can do this at and they all have different processes and costs. Once you’ve decided where to have it, your best bet is to search the VJ forums for reviews of that particular place. Typing “Toronto Medical” or “Medisys Montreal” in the search bar will bring up excellent accounts.

The websites for the doctors are:

Dr. Seiden: http://panelphysicians.com/ (Toronto and Montreal)

Medisys: http://www.medisys.ca/ (Montreal)

Working Medical: http://www.wokingmedical.com/ (Vancouver)

Your medical can be done at any time before the interview, but it’s best to keep it relatively close. If done within a year of when your AOS is processed, you can use the same medical. All the locations vary for how long it takes to get the results, so refer to the specific location for the specifics on how much time you need to leave.

11. Interview

When it’s finally time for your interview, the best thing you can do is know what to expect. VJ has plenty of consulate reviews available right here: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Canada&cty=&dfilter=5 and searching “Montreal Consulate Review” on the forums will also bring up lots of tips and tricks.

The interview really is the easiest part of the process as long as you’re prepared with the correct documents.

For the trip, VJ also has threads about hotels in Montreal close to the consulate and information on parking and travel within the city. Again, searching the forums is your best bet.

12. DOS & DHL

After your interview is when Montreal is most unpredictable. They vary so wildly on the length of time to return visas that it’s really impossible to say what might happen. The best thing to do is prepare for a lengthy wait, you might be pleasantly surprised.

There’s four ways to learn what’s going on with your visa at this stage.

-First, you can go back to calling DOS. They can’t tell you when it will be sent, but they can tell you if the Visa has been printed. Keep in mind, it getting printed doesn’t tell you anything about how soon you’ll be getting it, but sometimes it’s nice to have an update. (Also: Don’t worry too much if DOS tosses around comments about AP at this stage, sometimes they say it to just mean Montreal is still working on the case, not true AP.)

-If you signed up correctly for DHL, you should get an email with your tracking # as soon as the Visa departs Montreal. Depending on your location, the shipping time varies but you’ll be able to track it. Not everyone gets this email, even if they signed up correctly.

-Logging into the CSC website: If you log in and see a waybill # printed underneath your DHL location information, you can track that at dhl.ca to get an update. Not everyone sees this on the website, though.

-If you never get the tracking number, there’s a good chance you’ll get a phone call from DHL once you’re able to pick up the package. If you don’t hear anything, you can always stop by your DHL location and ask, but while it’s happened, there’s a pretty small chance it may be there without any notice. (I’d save this option until you’re absolutely at the end of your rope, however.)

13. POE & Shipping Belongings

Once you have your Passport back from Montreal, you can POE at any time within 6 months. All you need at POE is your passport and the sealed envelope that will come with it, then you’re set to go!

If you’re curious what to expect for POE, head to the reviews section on VJ and look up where you intend to cross: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/poereviews.php

If you have questions about shipping belongings from Canada, search the forums. There have been plenty of threads on this topic!

14. Get Married

You have 90 days from POE to get married. Congratulations!

[pocheros 101]

I'm working on a general Canadian marriage-based visa FAQ over here: http://k1canuck.tumblr.com/ There are only a few questions up right now but I will try to expand it daily. The focus is on K1s but might address some things about CR1s/IR1s as well. Thought I'd leave the link here

Edited October 13, 2012 by pocheros

[codygrace 14]

This will be an amazing quick reference tool. As much as I love Visa Journey, sometimes it's hard to pull up some of the information because it is scattered! Nice work.

[pocheros 101]

This will be an amazing quick reference tool. As much as I love Visa Journey, sometimes it's hard to pull up some of the information because it is scattered! Nice work.

Thanks! I'll admit, I created it partly because I have a bunch of canned responses to some questions, so I thought I'd put them all in one place XD

Funnily, I keep procrastinating on my AOS paperwork because it's more fun to write this FAQ!

Edit: Also, there are a couple posts I've collected from VJ that I may quote in this FAQ, with a link to the source thread/post. I hope this is okay. So far I've included Kathyrn41's post about being a dual american-canadian citizen here: http://k1canuck.tumblr.com/post/33483699887/faq-master-post

Edited October 13, 2012 by pocheros

[Waugh1308 0]

Just wanted to send a big thank you to everyone who has posted here. My fiancée and I are submitting our k1 petition in the next couple days, and this site has been a huge help.

I know I have been stressing too much about this whole process. I do have one question in terms of 'proof of relationship'. We actually went to school together in Pittsburgh and both graduated in 2011. If we both submit our diplomas, would that be sufficient? I usually drive to pittsburgh, so I do not have plane or buss passes/reciepts to submit. And our communication is usually over Skype like apps,, so there isn't much in terms of a documented record. I will be submitting pictures of the two of us as we'll.

It is my understanding that proof of having met in the past two years is the most important component at this stage.

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

[pocheros 101]

Also wanted to post this here for quick reference, here is a K1 guide for Vancouver: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/347776-k1-guide-vancouver/

@ Waugh unfortunately it's been awhile since I filled out the I-129F so I can't answer your question, but you might have more luck asking in the general k1 forum.

[Waugh1308 0]

Also wanted to post this here for quick reference, here is a K1 guide for Vancouver: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/347776-k1-guide-vancouver/

@ Waugh unfortunately it's been awhile since I filled out the I-129F so I can't answer your question, but you might have more luck asking in the general k1 forum.

Thanks for your response, I'll be sure to ask in the other forum!

[mapleleafmanny 11]

Since it seems that the visa process seems to change quite often, is there anyone that could confirm that the info detailed in this thread is up to date and accurate? It's a fantastic list and has helped me tons, but I want to make sure I'm not missing some possible new rule.