Case Complete! Any Idea When The Interview in Montreal Will Be?

[alexjtowell 7]

So.....the moving vehicle saga continues.....***sigh****

The smallest moving truck is going to cost me $2000.....using a moving company with my stuff well under the minimum weight is over $3000...and I can't even get a one-way car rental from Ontario to Colorado. I don't want to import my rattle trap of an SUV that may or may not get me there, but that may not be an option.

We thought about moving companies and a moving truck, but we decided that we would tune up our two trucks and drive from Edmonton to Montreal, then to Arkansas. We have an '86 F-150 and an '85 Dodge that both have caps on the back. We invested quite a bit into getting them ready for the drive, but when we get to Arkansas we'll both have running vehicles. We brought our Ford up from Arkansas when we came to Canada, so we don't have to worry about importing that since I've only been a visitor up here, but my husband will have to import his Dodge. But since it's old, it'll be a lot cheaper to import.

[sask2nevada 0]

honestly I was looking into moving my stuff to from saskatchewan to nevada but after all that headache I just said screw it and am selling most of my stuff, Im filling up my impala with clothes, my daughters toys, and her bed and the whatever my parents can fit in their truck they are bringing during christmas break

[oncefuturealien 45]

MonicaCO, would it make sense to rent a vehicle in the US close to where you are and then bring it up here to get your stuff, then drop it in CO when you're done with it?

[MonicaCO 0]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.... I tried that idea already thinking to get something from Niagara Falls or Buffalo and a) can't get a cargo van and b) almost everything is based on a mileage rental and not unlimited miles.

I think what we're going to do is Mom and I will fly down... one way for me and return for her. Then I can have up to 4 suitcases (times 50lbs each) at a very reasonable price. I will continue to get rid of the excess that I don't really really love and start mailing down lighter items. I can leave the largest and most fragile stuff here with my Mom until sometime next year and do a drive up with hubby to pick up the rest.

I sent an inquiry to Fedex to see what sort of shipping charges would apply for me to send boxes/tubs of household items. The reply worked out to something like $1.47/lb which isn't totally awful, but then saw a statement that Fedex doesn't ship household goods. I'm not sure what to make of that statement really.

I also got a quote from Pods which was really really disappointing....I'd have to take my stuff to their storage facility to load a pod there since they would charge me mileage to bring it to me here. A 7' pod with a one month rental would work out to just over $3000. Renting a 10ft. uhaul truck would be cheaper at $2000 but then add on gas/hotels/food for 3-4 day drive.

That's my drama for the day. I'm going to stop thinking about it for now and focus on my medical on Tuesday (yaaay!) and then start getting organized for the interview (15th) and focus on packing when I am back from Montreal. Still can't book a flight until I have my passport in my hand since I'm not a very good gambler and won't hazard a guess when it will be back in my hands.

[MonicaCO 0]

I emailed the address on the website this morning to say that I haven't been able to register my appointment and just got an email back saying to go ahead.... so now the appointment is registered and I've chosen the courier location.

My doctor's appointment is tomorrow afternoon and I have all the paperwork ready to go for that. OOOOOOOOOOO...this is getting exciting now.

We've decided that my Mom and I will fly down with about 4 suitcases and I hope to come back up in the spring to pick up the heaviest, awkward and fragile stuff that I can't bring down this trip. Only the essentials go with me now and that's all I'll need.... what remains of my clothes, my knives, computer and files.

I hope everyone else is progressing well.

[MonicaCO 0]

Good luck everyone on the interviews this week. I leave for Montreal tomorrow and mine is Thursday morning. Hopefully we are all done and wrapped up very quickly.

[jhondhrey 4]

Interview letter (P4) just received by e-mail.....and naturally, LOL, my printer cartridge just died. Anyway, I'm very very excited. Now I can go ahead and book the medical in Toronto and gather all the paperwork and continue to patiently wait (HA!) for the interview. I booked my rental car and hotel yesterday.

I hope everyone else gets their letters very very soon too.

Hey what time was your interview. I had my interview today October 15 @ 10am

[MonicaCO 0]

Hi jhondhrey.... I may have missed you by only a little while. I was on the floor for my appointment time of 8:30 and was completely astounded that I was going back down the elevator.....WITH APPROVAL!!!.... at 9:30. I didn't expect to be done so quickly. How did yours go???

What a rollercoaster ride of emotions this last week has been. Surprisingly, once I got to the hotel I became extremely calm and was very very calm this morning until he said "I'm going to approve your application"....then I just sobbed for a few minutes. What a great feeling....like a ton of weight has been lifted. This process has been overwhelming at times but I'm so glad we found this site, stuck it through and did everything by the book.

That's the key....this site has the best information to follow. It's from people who have made the journey and are sharing their first-hand experiences. If you read the reviews and follow the guides you will be very well prepared. All the information you need is on the site and as long as you are prepared and organized, I think it should be very successful.

I will say that I am absolutely appalled at the way security treated some people. For the most part, I, myself was treated well. But, we are told all the way along...NO BAGS in the consulate....yet I arrive and see women ahead of me with purses being allowed in which surprised me. Yet here comes a man a few people behind me....he's using crutches and has one leg and has a small backpack and he gets turned away for it. He's an American citizen coming to request an emergency passport (you can't help but overhear every conversation it seems) and they won't let the man in with his backpack. He was directed to walk or get a taxi to the Eaton Centre and get a locker. I can totally understand the level of frustration this poor man was in. I saw him later arrive and go to a different window than ours but then I got called and didn't see him again. That's just sad.

And now, the big relief of knowing that I'm approved and can move ahead with my moving plans and hopefully leave within the next two weeks. My husband is very much looking forward to our finally being together, as am I. I can't wait to be back in the mountains again and not have to leave this time.

Good luck to everyone. I can't wait to hear your stories.

Monica

[alexjtowell 7]

My husband's interview did not go well yesterday. Even though we paid $500 for his medical and included his court documents as well as additional blood tests to check for signs of alcoholism, Dr. Mascarenhas made an error and checked a box that said that my husband did not have a criminal history. The interviewer was incredibly rude to my husband and called him a liar because of the medical error. I am completely devastated. We were told that we would have to get an all-new medical examination. I also included proof of domicile with a bank statement with my address back in Arkansas, as well of receipts of payment for my truck taxes. I also included my truck registration and insurance with my Arkansas address. Despite all of this, the interviewer told my husband that I would need more proof of domicile including a job offer and a lease agreement with my mom (we would be staying at her house).

For now, we are having to settle in the Ottawa region because we had to leave everything in Edmonton just to be able to afford the trip to Dr. Mascarenhas and the interview.

Also, my husband has one criminal conviction for a DUI (means to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated), but he has been arrested before without being charged and the interviewer told my husband that he would have to get records of all of his arrests. We opted for the police check without fingerprints because my husband was told by the USCIS that we wouldn't need to fingerprint police check unless he had more than one conviction, so we will have to send that in when it comes (they say it takes 2-12 months to get this, so I'm trying not to rip out my hair).

For the record, my husband hasn't had a drink in over 4 years and the blood work my husband sent to Dr. Mascarenhas proved this.

Has anyone else gone through this situation???

[MonicaCO 0]

I am so sorry to hear that you haven't gone through. I hope that you can get your paperwork together quickly and all will proceed very soon.

My interview was on Thursday and I have notice this morning that my package left Montreal last night so I should have it tomorrow or Thursday I would think. I've just done the letter to Revenue Canada and I'll have to deal with taking my truck to the wrecker and sign off at the MTO and turn in my plates and inform the insurance company to cancel my policy. Other than that, I should be on the road by Saturday. I ended up getting the offer from a friend to drive me and my stuff in her minivan to Colorado and she would drive back on her own.

I hope that everyone gets their paperwork soon and gets moved and settled and we all can move on with our new lives.