Canada Post Moneyorders Not Accepted

[ontheroadagain 7]

Well I submitted my I-130 with a Canada Post US$ money order on 7/15 to Chicago. Just got the whole packet returned today because they said they CP moneyorder doesn't have a US routing number on it and they won't accept it. It's funny because I have used CP US$ money orders for all sorts of things with no problems but appearantly the government doesn't like these checks. I bet the IRS would take it

Soooo, now off to get another money order from my bank.

When I went to the post office to get my CP money order refunded, they said we have to wait 45 days after the issuance and then they'll send me a check I can deposit at the bank.

Lesson learned, don't use CP money orders anymore!

[CaizLurol 36]

Well I submitted my I-130 with a Canada Post US$ money order on 7/15 to Chicago. Just got the whole packet returned today because they said they CP moneyorder doesn't have a US routing number on it and they won't accept it. It's funny because I have used CP US$ money orders for all sorts of things with no problems but appearantly the government doesn't like these checks. I bet the IRS would take it

Soooo, now off to get another money order from my bank.

When I went to the post office to get my CP money order refunded, they said we have to wait 45 days after the issuance and then they'll send me a check I can deposit at the bank.

Lesson learned, don't use CP money orders anymore!

Correct. On the USCIS website, they explicitly state "Bank drafts, cashier's checks, certified checks, personal checks (See Check Instructions below), and money orders must be drawn on U.S. financial institutions and payable in U.S. funds."

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3850a99ba78af110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

[ontheroadagain 7]

Yeah, pretty dumb on my part. I missed that last bit of the sentence that says "money orders must be drawn on U.S. financial institutions".

Oh well, it's only 2 weeks wasted so not that big of a deal. I'm hoping that since I'm a USC filing abroad with dual citizen kids that we might find our way to the elusive expedite pile.

[ontheroadagain 7]

Just a follow up question...when filing your initial I-130 application from Canada, how did you pay the fee?

I was thinking I would open a US$ checking account with TD or RBC and write a check from there. Are there any issues with doing so?

Thnx

[NikLR 13,232]

It was super easy for me to open up an RBC Canada and RBC USA account while in Canada. You can even apply for a US credit card while in Canada so they can use your Canadian credit to help build your American credit! (Wish I'd done it before I moved.)

I do all my banking online so it hasn't been much of a hassle for me not having a bank near me. I did have some cheques from Canada that I ended up having to mail them, with my account number, to the branch and they deposited for them for me.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

My then Fiance (US) paid the fee from his checking account

Yah - I wouldn't ever bet that any US banking institution or financially related type of thing will accept a Canadian check or money order - their either flat out refuse or make such a hullabaloo about it and charge fees that it isn't worth it.

[angeldaemon13 42]

Ugh. No wonder I haven't recieved my NOA1 yet. Lockbox received it Nov.1 and was getting frustrated with hearing nothing. We went with a Canada Post money order because when we had our son's birth recorded in Winnipeg, they wouldn't accept a personal check drawn from our bank but accepted a postal money order. When my USC hubby renewed his passport while in Canada, we used a Canada Post money order and was accepted.

I just called to verify if it was cashed and no. Dammit. So now I have to wait 45 days to receive the money back?

[Ms Hogan 295]

Ugh. No wonder I haven't recieved my NOA1 yet. Lockbox received it Nov.1 and was getting frustrated with hearing nothing. We went with a Canada Post money order because when we had our son's birth recorded in Winnipeg, they wouldn't accept a personal check drawn from our bank but accepted a postal money order. When my USC hubby renewed his passport while in Canada, we used a Canada Post money order and was accepted.

I just called to verify if it was cashed and no. Dammit. So now I have to wait 45 days to receive the money back?

All instructions clearly state that the funds need to be drawn from a US account.

Do you have friends or family in the US who could write the check for you if your spouse isn't in the US or doesn't have access to their US checking account for whatever reason?

Also, to clarify, they don't actually cash a check, they change it into an electronic funds transfer by using the routing information available on the check. That's why they can't use anything from non-US accounts.

[angeldaemon13 42]

My husband's family are going to be myco-sponsor. So, do I send my in-law's the money, how would I attach it to my file?

[angeldaemon13 42]

USC lives in Canada...".If you live outside the United States or its territories, and are filing your application or petition where you live, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for instructions on the method of payment.".

How does this work when we file with the Lock Box? I checked the Montreal Consulate page for how to pay the filing fee and all it gives me is the info under Immigrant Visa for the Interview process, no mention how to pay the fee abroad.

So if I send the money to my in-law's in Cali, they write a cheque with their name on it, how do I attach it to my petition and will it affect me with their names on the cheque and not Hubby's?

[angeldaemon13 42]

One more question, I just opened an account with TD for US account, but based in Canada, will that work if he gets a cashier check? How would that work for US routing when the account is U.S. in theory but not actually? Arghhhhh.

Thanks for your reply btw! :-)

[NikLR 13,232]

All US bank accounts have the correct information on their checks. Order checks for the account and they'll have everything you need.

[burnabrenna 19]

One more question, I just opened an account with TD for US account, but based in Canada, will that work if he gets a cashier check? How would that work for US routing when the account is U.S. in theory but not actually? Arghhhhh.

Thanks for your reply btw! :-)

I'm living in Canada and when we applied my husband got a money order from TD. They draw their US money orders from Wells Fargo, which is a US based bank. It was accepted with no problems.

[Ms Hogan 295]

USC lives in Canada...".If you live outside the United States or its territories, and are filing your application or petition where you live, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for instructions on the method of payment.".

How does this work when we file with the Lock Box? I checked the Montreal Consulate page for how to pay the filing fee and all it gives me is the info under Immigrant Visa for the Interview process, no mention how to pay the fee abroad.

So if I send the money to my in-law's in Cali, they write a cheque with their name on it, how do I attach it to my petition and will it affect me with their names on the cheque and not Hubby's?

They don't care who pays, as long as they get money! Get them to mail you a check and attach it to your application. Easy.

All US bank accounts have the correct information on their checks. Order checks for the account and they'll have everything you need.

Precisely! The routing number is similar to what we had on CDN cheques in the form of a transit and bank number with our account numbers. Routing numbers just direct them where to pull the money from in the same way!

[angeldaemon13 42]

Alright. Thanks so much for all the help!!