Hello Canuks!

[CristyH 0]

It is great to be back here, I was here back in 05/06 when we did K1 for me and my kids to go to the US. We moved back to Canada 3 yrs ago and now are headed back to the US for good (I hope). I guess we are doing the IR/1...or is it CR/1....confusing lol. Anyway, I look forward to getting to know all of you. I recall what fun it was watching everyone go for their interviews and the great advice I got for hotels in Vancouver. Awesome forum for great advice!

A little about me, we married in Phoenix in 2006, I have 3 teenagers, he has 2 adult kids and we have a 3 yr old. I am happy to be heading back to the Valley of the Sun! I love Canada for so many reasons but I truly left my heart back in Phoenix!

Cristy

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Welcome back Christy! You;ll be pursuing an IR-1 as you have been married more than 2 years and won't need to have a conditional green card. You'll also be processing through Montreal as they are the only US Consulate that does spousal visas. Good luck with the process and I'm sure you'll find lots of support and advice here from others going through the process as well.

[CristyH 0]

Welcome back Christy! You;ll be pursuing an IR-1 as you have been married more than 2 years and won't need to have a conditional green card. You'll also be processing through Montreal as they are the only US Consulate that does spousal visas. Good luck with the process and I'm sure you'll find lots of support and advice here from others going through the process as well.

that is what I thought but then I got the other one in my head lol. So Montreal, that means my interview will be there? Does my spouse have to interview there too?

[Flames9_RN 358]

that is what I thought but then I got the other one in my head lol. So Montreal, that means my interview will be there? Does my spouse have to interview there too?

Nope! Mine and many others were not! Some other things have changed---Montreal now mails out ur Visa! Which can take a few days or weeks! Best of luck

[CristyH 0]

Hey I remember you! I wish I remembered my old u/n pw but I did find my old timeline lol. So are you saying there may be no interview? Or it will be somewhere else?

[Flames9_RN 358]

Hey I remember you! I wish I remembered my old u/n pw but I did find my old timeline lol. So are you saying there may be no interview? Or it will be somewhere else?

Ur IR-1 interview will be at Montreal. All Cdn Cr-1/IR-1 interviews take place at MTL, it is that simple,lol. Just that ur spouse does not have to attend. In some other countries it is highly recommended that the spouse attend--not the case for Canada.

[CristyH 0]

Ok gotcha that makes sense. Thanks!

[Colleens 40]

Can I hijack your thread a little and ask you a couple of questions? My husband and I have decided to move back to Canada. Did you apply while you were still living in the US? We can't apply until April, so we are just starting to do some research now.

Thanks!

[CristyH 0]

We came here for me and the kids to return with the plan for him to go back and apply. We decided once we got back that he would stay. So we applied from here and it was slow. Almost a year for an open work permit, almost impossible to find an employer willing to hire so you can get a work permit. Then it seemed to go ok but we had a mess up with his eldest son who was not coming. Got denied, lost the work permit. Got a lawyer, that sucked cuz nothing went faster, then the lawyer got disbarred. So that is where we are at. We either had to reapply for him or go back to the US.

I will tell you from all I have heard it is tough to immigrate to Canada, not imposible just harder than the US was. I would just say be prepared for a long wait until both of you can work/get healt insurance/drive. Not fun for us at all.

[Colleens 40]

We came here for me and the kids to return with the plan for him to go back and apply. We decided once we got back that he would stay. So we applied from here and it was slow. Almost a year for an open work permit, almost impossible to find an employer willing to hire so you can get a work permit. Then it seemed to go ok but we had a mess up with his eldest son who was not coming. Got denied, lost the work permit. Got a lawyer, that sucked cuz nothing went faster, then the lawyer got disbarred. So that is where we are at. We either had to reapply for him or go back to the US.

I will tell you from all I have heard it is tough to immigrate to Canada, not imposible just harder than the US was. I would just say be prepared for a long wait until both of you can work/get healt insurance/drive. Not fun for us at all.

Thanks!! We are going to apply outbound and from what I hear it is a lot faster. We would not move until he got his PR so that he would be able to start work right away. And since our daughter has dual citizenship we won't have any issues with her. There are 2 things that I am worried about tho. I am sure that you will have to provide some sort of domicile (which I can do no problem...my sister has a 2nd home that they will let us live in)but I am not sure if they expect that I have work lined up for when we move, and how I would possibly time that with getting the visa. I guess I would just have to move back ahead of time and get a job. Also, my husband had a brush with the law nearly a year ago, but his record will be expunged in April, so that is why we have to wait. I am just a bit worried that somehow that is going to be an issue...his record will be cleared and he was never ever charged or had to appear before a judge, but the way our luck has gone since I have moved here......I worry about every little thing now.