When do I get a medical for DCF @ Montreal?

[sophiemeister 0]

Hi , I married an American in December 2006 and applied at the Vancouver consulate in mid December, the application for my CR1 visa was sent to Montreal at that time. I sent the checklist away in mid January and called the Montreal consulate two month ago, in April, to check on my case. They looked up my case # and said I would be getting a phone call to come for an interivew in 5 or 6 months (that would be September, October 2007).

My question is: when and where do I get the medical done? Will I be given any instructions in regards to what type of checkup and or immunizations I'll need? I haven't read or heard anything about getting a medical and am a little confused and concerned. I'm from Vancouver if that matters.

Thanks in advance for any guidance anyone may have, S.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

sophie,

My quick advise is call MTL TODAY. Why? Because you sent in your checklist in January so your interview should be in July or so - better call them pronto and find out what's going on. Experience in VJ tells us that if we don't keep on top of our applications, they do 'get lost'.

As for your medical - check out who in Vancouver is authorized to do them and go ahead with them - in Edmonton they only needed a letter from MTL with my case number to do the exam.- It takes circa 1-2 weeks to get it back, in case your immunizations are in order (I think you need a tetanus refresher or the like).

You may want to check out the Canada forum as well for more info.

Welcome to VJ!!!!

L.

[sophiemeister 0]

Thank you Len and Bren. I called Montreal today and they confirmed that they have my application, everything is good and said they would be sending an appointment letter between now and the end of July. So i guess from your and other peoples timelines I'll be getting the interview possibly in September

I will go ahead and get a medical in Vancouver, and take the paperwork I have with my case # on it.

Thanks for the info, it's greatly appreciated.

Sophie

[Darryl 0]

I would check with Montreal - call them and basically keep asking them to check into your case - they are very good at putting people on hold...for a long long time. Keep on them.

As for the medical - when they send you the packet 4 with your interview letter it will list all the places to go for the medical and what information to bring. from my experience and from what I've read on here it doesn't take long to get the medical booked and over with so it's not something you really need to book way ahead of time unless you ust feel like getting it done.

Hope this helps

Darryl

[umngmc 0]

Hi , I married an American in December 2006 and applied at the Vancouver consulate in mid December, the application for my CR1 visa was sent to Montreal at that time. I sent the checklist away in mid January and called the Montreal consulate two month ago, in April, to check on my case. They looked up my case # and said I would be getting a phone call to come for an interivew in 5 or 6 months (that would be September, October 2007).

My question is: when and where do I get the medical done? Will I be given any instructions in regards to what type of checkup and or immunizations I'll need? I haven't read or heard anything about getting a medical and am a little confused and concerned. I'm from Vancouver if that matters.

Thanks in advance for any guidance anyone may have, S.

Hi Sophie

I recently completed the CR1/IR1 process from Vancouver. You should receive a package from Montreal after your interview is scheduled. Like some of the other responses above, you need to continue calling montreal on the 15,16, or 17th of every month to find out your status. When I called on the 15th of May, they told me my interview was on June 13th! Less than one month to get everything organized. I didn't receive the packet until the following week which would have given me even less time.

In Vancouver, the doctor is Dr. Ian Morgan located on Burrard Street downtown. He will require that you have updated tetanus and MMR boosters, within the last 10 years. You have to call to make an "appointment" with him, and he only offers them on Wednesday mornings. If you call him the week before, they can slot you in. It's on a first come first serve basis. IF you get there by 6:30 AM, you'll be done by 8:30 AM. If you get there after 7 AM, expect to be there all morning. THe results will be ready for you to pickup that afternoon.

I wouldn't recommend getting your medical done prior to receiving your interview notice. You should be getting your interview notice late summer or early fall, but you never know...... You don't need to get it any earlier than you have to.

Things to get in order while you're waiting:

1) vaccination record showing MMR and tetanus, this may be harder than you think......

2) if no record within the last 10 years, go to your GP and get the booster shots. the tetanus booster is free from your BC doctor. some will even do the MMR booster free.

3) get your updated financial information in order. if you have not read my earlier posting on my montreal experience and darryl's montreal interview, find the postings and read them. they can be found in this forum DCF.

4) you will need to fill out a new DS-230 and I-864 affidavit of support.

5) you will also need 5 passport pictures total (in BC). 3 for the medical, 2 for the interview in montreal.

Good luck, and I hope you get your interview notice soon!

Matt

[mkenney 0]

Hi,

I disagree with the advice to call Montreal because your file has been lost. I have been waiting since September and still have no interview date. I know some people who have been waiting that long already have their dates or have already had their interview. When I asked Montreal about this they said they're still scheduling for those who sent their last packet in September or October. In other words, I think the timeline they gave you (September/October) is correct and maybe even a little optimistic given the backlog. I also agree with Matt that I wouldn't get a medical until you get your interview date. Something like Adam Walsh could happen again and your records would be really out of date.

Hang in,

Martha

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Hi,

I disagree with the advice to call Montreal because your file has been lost. I have been waiting since September and still have no interview date. I know some people who have been waiting that long already have their dates or have already had their interview. When I asked Montreal about this they said they're still scheduling for those who sent their last packet in September or October. In other words, I think the timeline they gave you (September/October) is correct and maybe even a little optimistic given the backlog. I also agree with Matt that I wouldn't get a medical until you get your interview date. Something like Adam Walsh could happen again and your records would be really out of date.

Hang in,

Martha

mkenney,

From VJ boards, right now MTL is scheduling interviews for July for people who sent in their packet 4 in February - check other members' time lines and interview dates. I will continue to call MTL every 2 weeks.- But then again, we can leave soon enough. I guess if you have time and are not in a hurry you can let MTL take their sweet time and schedule other people who sent their stuff after you before you get an interview date.

So both sophie's and your interviews are waaaaay overdue - and calling MTL is in order, in my humble and well intentioned opinion.

And also, it helps us all.

Good luck, L.

[mkenney 0]

Hi,

I disagree with the advice to call Montreal because your file has been lost. I have been waiting since September and still have no interview date. I know some people who have been waiting that long already have their dates or have already had their interview. When I asked Montreal about this they said they're still scheduling for those who sent their last packet in September or October. In other words, I think the timeline they gave you (September/October) is correct and maybe even a little optimistic given the backlog. I also agree with Matt that I wouldn't get a medical until you get your interview date. Something like Adam Walsh could happen again and your records would be really out of date.

Hang in,

Martha

mkenney,

From VJ boards, right now MTL is scheduling interviews for July for people who sent in their packet 4 in February - check other members' time lines and interview dates. I will continue to call MTL every 2 weeks.- But then again, we can leave soon enough. I guess if you have time and are not in a hurry you can let MTL take their sweet time and schedule other people who sent their stuff after you before you get an interview date.

So both sophie's and your interviews are waaaaay overdue - and calling MTL is in order, in my humble and well intentioned opinion.

And also, it helps us all.

Good luck, L.

I slightly resent your implication at any of us are not in a hurry and "letting" Montreal take their time. We all want to be with our families. Unfortunately it seems that Montreal has its own way of doing things and these are not fair. For example judging by people's timelines they don't assign interviews in a purely chronological fashion (i.e. first come first serve). I call Montreal just as often as you're suggesting and I had my Congressman's office write a letter to Montreal asking for a speedy interview. In other words, I don't believe we should sit back and let Montreal do whatever it wants, but on the other hand it appears that their crappy system is going to go forward whether or not we bother them. I'll second your advice to keep calling Montreal (because even if it doesn't help it makes you feel like you're doing something to help the process along), but what I didn't appreciate was the suggestion that you made to sophie that her paperwork was somehow lost and that she should worry. One thing that I have learned in this awful process is that holding the immegration process to imaginary deadlines or others people's timlines will just result in undue frustration. If I had taken their word that all of this would be finished by December 2006, my blood pressure would have risen higher with each month past that initial date. Because I knew that the immigration process is never smooth and always hits these unexpected detours, I've been able to take all these setbacks in stride (although of course I was enraged with the tactless of Adam Walsh implimentation, etc.). I do everything I can to help the process along, but I also know that no matter how much I do it's still up to a flawed system. It isn't worth it to let it get to me; I have better things to do with my psychological energy. In conclusion- Sophie, hang in there. I'd be proactive but not worried and especially not alarmed. This thing could take a while.

All my love to the rest of you going through this awful process,

Martha

P.S. Timeline (not too much to it)-

Filed for DCF in Toronto late August 2006

Sent packet 4 late September 2006

Montreal tells me our file was "cleared" March 2007 and we should get an interview soon (and that my file is definately not in the "wrong pile")

[mkenney 0]

correction- I sent packet 3 in Montreal in late September

[Chica Yeyé 41]

mkenney,

I am sorry you feel like that, it was not my intention at all my friend . Ask around, I'm all about supporting people in the boards -and telling people to back off when they are being azzzhoooolly -. I try to stay on topic and give the best advise and support I can with the information I have. I do not entertain, condone or start personal attacks - it's not why I am a VJ member. I'm here to cheer others and help when I can.

Most of us are indeed in a hurry to get this done, but it is also true some have more "time to spare" so to speak while being in Canada together (I'm talking only about DCF'ers). I did not suggest that sophie's paperwork was "lost" as in really lost - but I did/do suggest a phone call. Like you said, these MTL folks are when it comes to scheduling and they "jump" people - more than enough reason to stay on top of things.

And yes, it is not worth our sanity! I was insane enough to begin with .

Peace, L.

Oooops - just realized that sophie is NOT doing DCF but CR1! You may be able to find even more answers in that forum sophie!!!

L.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Len_and_Bren