fiance & me are at a loss and confused, please help

[bunny82 0]

Ok, thank you, can my family doctor just list them off on a piece of paper with aprrox dates or is there a form they want from him? And how does my doctor go about contraindicating specific vaccines (like the Tdap one)? So you don't think they will expect me to get the Hep vaccines? Just those three? (and Flu)

What kinds of proof would I have to show for ties to Canada? I mean, if I did visit I cannot stay super long anyway as I will have stuff to do here to prepare for the visa and also have the interview. Could I just say that?

[LiliBurd 85]

I always bring proof of employment which consists of a letter from my boss and pay stubs, a copy of my apartment lease, utility bills. I usually visit for 1 to 3 weeks at at time and have a return ticket, they've only asked to see proof once and that was when I crossed the border on a greyhound bus, I usually go through preclearance at the Montreal airport and haven't had issues. But as NLR said it's up to the CBP officer to decide... Not sure what your situation is in Canada, but I'd get as much proof as possible before visiting, the last thing you want is to be red flagged.

[Lemonslice 4,852]

Thanks BostonMontreal. How would my Dr go about this? is there a special form or does he just write out a note that says it is inappropriate or contraindicated for me to get certain vaccines that they require? Does the panel physician need to see actual records from all vaccines previously had. I know a lot of people don't have these. I am one of them.

Here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/interview/prepare/medical-exam-faqs.html

What if there is a medical reason for the applicant to not receive a listed vaccination?
Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physician.

So, I recommend you pick the clinic where you will have your medical (I would imagine Medisys in Montreal is the most convenient from Nova Scotia, but look it up) and contact them to know what your doctor should submit as far as proof of your reactions. In most provinces, there is a record of the vaccines you got. Otherwise, you can ask your doctor to do titer test and verify your immunity.

[NikLR 13,227]

Ok, thank you, can my family doctor just list them off on a piece of paper with aprrox dates or is there a form they want from him? And how does my doctor go about contraindicating specific vaccines (like the Tdap one)? So you don't think they will expect me to get the Hep vaccines? Just those three? (and Flu)

What kinds of proof would I have to show for ties to Canada? I mean, if I did visit I cannot stay super long anyway as I will have stuff to do here to prepare for the visa and also have the interview. Could I just say that?

No unless you're under 18, you do NOT need the Hep vaccinations. Trust me.

Also I posted a list from the CBP of items you can use to show that you have ties to Canada. T he CBP doesn't care that you have to come back for a visa interview. In their mind you could just as easily stay and not leave. What's to make you leave? Only your morals and the CBP want real evidence if they ask for it. They may not care and may not ask. But they may. Who knows?!

[Pennycat 880]

Thanks a lot guys. I am Canadian so I wouldn't need a tourist visa to enter during the K-1 process to visit would I Catherine? The refusal of vaccines IS for medical reasons but the waiver only works for religous or moral convicitions so it's something I am trying to figure out.

Liliburd so you are saying I can visit during the K-1 processing for up to 6 months? As for the vaccines, I don't think tetanus is the only one I would have to worry about, there is a big list, more than what you just listed. I did have MMR as a child as well as the other childhood vaccines. I also had Hep B in 2010. Also back in 2002 I had the "10 year" shots or whatever they are called. I don't really have records of all of this though. My health condition came about after this and is the reason I cannot get them now. There are many on the big list that I do not have and cannot get. I am 32 years old.

Right, I understand that *you* don't need a tourist visa, which is why I don't know if/how long you'd be allowed to visit while the K1 is processing. Not being Canadian myself, and not engaged to a Canadian, this just isn't something I've looked into I don't know if having these visas in-process somehow prevents Canadians from entering the US. As others have mentioned, there's no rule, but they could prevent you at the border crossings if they don't believe that you're not crossing to immigrate.

[jfgk1987 303]

Ok, thank you, can my family doctor just list them off on a piece of paper with aprrox dates or is there a form they want from him? And how does my doctor go about contraindicating specific vaccines (like the Tdap one)? So you don't think they will expect me to get the Hep vaccines? Just those three? (and Flu)

What kinds of proof would I have to show for ties to Canada? I mean, if I did visit I cannot stay super long anyway as I will have stuff to do here to prepare for the visa and also have the interview. Could I just say that?

Don't tell CBP more than what they've asked for. Only answer the questions they ask you, nothing more.

Example, DO THIS:

CBP: Why are you visiting the US?

You: To visit my fiance.

CBP: For how long?

You: One week.

DO NOT DO THIS:

CBP: Why are you visiting the US?

You: To visit my fiance, we've been dating for 3 years blah blah.

CBP: For how long?

You: One week, I can't stay very long because we're in the process of applying for the K-1 visa and blah blah blah.

Give them short and to-the-point answers with confidence, no side chatter. Most of the time they'll ask you those 2 questions, and sometimes they'll ask where your fiance lives. Bring your ties to Canada (paystubs, lease, return ticket, etc), most of the time they won't even bother asking for them (my fiance came 3 times during I-129F/K-1, was never asked). DO NOT show it to them unless they ask, don't even have it ready to show but have it easily accessible. Do NOT mention the I-129F/K-1 unless they ask. Travel with only necessary things (pack light).

And most of all don't panic!

[NikLR 13,227]

Packing light is hard to do when someone is planning on staying 6 months. That's why we tend to recommend to stay shorter visits vs one long visit. CBP rarely gave me any issues.. BUT they have asked me where I work, where he worked, how we met etc... I gave short concise answers but still the questions can be asked.

[Erialc 0]

?? thanks a lot ! I'm facing the same scenario where I don't know whether I should postpone my wedding because of visa application

No CR1 and K3 are not the same. They are both spousal visas and they both start with an i-130 petition and after that the similarity ends. Don't even look at the K3 on the comparison, it's generally not worth the time or effort to bother with.

YOU pay for all your expenses. You pay for the petition, the visa fees, the medical fee (which has to be done at an approved panel physician) and any travel expenses etc. And by "you" I mean the beneficiary (immigrant) and/or petitioner. My husband paid for everything. I did all the paperwork pretty much. Where you go for the k1 interview depends on where you live in Canada. Manitoba and west go to Vancouver, and Ontario and east go to Montreal. Everyone goes to Montreal for spousal interviews. The Medical exams cost about $300. You'll also need to get a police certificate which is about $60.

The medical happens before the interview so your doctor would help you with the vaccination waiver. That would likely be submitted at the interview with the closed package from the medical exam.

If you plan on doing the K1 route, then read the guides for that. Your fiance will need some items from you for the petition package. 4 months is optimistic for the petition stage but it does depend on which service center you end up at but I think it's California for Missouri so it would be on the faster side. Texas is painfully slow at the moment. Then you contact the consulate, then you send them confirmation that you've done everything you're supposed to (fill out the visa application and pay the fee for that) then you book your interview, then you get your medical done before your interview.

The K1 is more expensive overall for fees. (petition, visa fee, adjustment of status fee.) About $1335 + medical and travel expenses

The CR1 takes longer but is a little cheaper (petition, affidavit of support fee, visa fee, immigrant fee) About $1030 + medical and travel expenses.

Generally:

K1 is faster to visa

CR1 is faster to green card

Edited February 4, 2015 by Erialc

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Post advocating visa fraud removed along with post quoting.***

[Ms Hogan 295]

I'm on my phone, so I can't link, but google packet 4 Montreal and you can access the full PDF for this consulate, for all details

/ here is a quote:

U.S. immigration law requires immigrant and K visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. Panel physicians are required to verify that immigrant

visa applicants have met the vaccination requirement or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive each of the following vaccinations:

Diphtheria toxoids

Haemophilus Influenza Type B (Hib)

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Influenza

Measles

Meningococcal

Mumps

Pertussis

Pneumococcal

Polio

Rotavirus

Rubella

Tetanus

Varicella

In order to assist the panel physician and to avoid delays in the processing of an immigrant visa, all immigrant visa applicants should have their vaccination records available for the panel

physicians review at the time of the immigrant medical examination. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record, if

one is available. If you do not have a vaccination record, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet the requirement. Only a physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, history and current medical condition

Just two add my 2-cents without starting a vaccination debate (though I'd be happy to if invited) you say you can't afford to even travel for your interview to one side of the country or the other. They're going to tell you that you need to get these vaccinations in order to immigrate. So in the interest of saving yourself money it would be better for you to get them while you're in Canada while covered under your provincial health care rather than having to pay for them in America.

[Ms Hogan 295]

The panel physician will need your medical history. You either have to provide them with a list of the vaccinations you've had (a list from the health clinic or doctor) or proof you have immunity to them which can be done with blood tests. You do this at the medical before the interview. You only need MMR (mumps, measles, and rubella), varicella (chicken pox - can be a verbal declaration), influenza if it's flu season, and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.) You do not need anything else and even if you provide proof of immunity it will be marked on the worksheet as not age appropriate. I brought proof of my Hep A and Hep B immunity and that was marked for both of them. As I was just over 30 when I was in the immigration process I had to get a new MMR vaccine because I didn't have immunity to mumps or measles, I don't remember which.

As for visiting, yes technically Canadians can visit for up to 180 days, HOWEVER, it is within the discretion of the CBP officer to allow you entry or not. Don't lie. And you may be requested to provide proof of your ties to Canada, as I posted before. That means if they don't like your answer, they can deny you entry. Technically when a Canadian visits the USA, we're giving a B2 visa, which is sometimes stamped and written in our passports, but we do not have to apply for one as it's a tourist visa. My daughter has her passport stamped with B2 and an exit date each time she visits me.

After interview, if approved, you have anywhere from 1 day to several weeks before you get back your visa, passport, and immigration package. You then have 6 months from the medical date (which cannot be booked until an interview is booked) to enter the USA. After entry you have 90 days to marry with the entry day counting as 1.

again here is a list of the ties to Canada that I've posted before: https://help.cbp.gov/ci/fattach/get/46680/0/filename/Intentions+and+Ties.pdf

I experienced the same thing with the vaccinations. They tested me for whether I had resistance to (and now NLR made me forget which one) either mumps or measles. One of them wears off over time on some people so I had to do it again. Darn I can't remember! But I had to do that one again and all the others were fine.

As for the visiting, I would be really surprised if you said you were coming for 6 months to visit and they let you in. They may very well believe you are trying to stay and wait out the process... which is exactly what you're doing, no? If you don't have a job or a lease or any other actual ties to Canada to show (check NLR's link) you may get turned around. Just be prepared for that.

This process is frustrating and is a true to test of patience to get through it. But do it properly. Be prepared along the way for everything you will need and you will get through it. It feels like forever while it's going on but when you're an old married lady looking back at your life with your husband this part will be a very small piece of a huge life together!