IR-1/CR-1 Montreal DQ'd private message group goes public

[Flowergirl 737 45]

Hey everyone I found you !!!! Is anyone traveling to the US for the holidays ? Do you guys suggest flying or driving ?

One more question , has anyone had their US spouse come here to visit them for less than 14 days? How did that go with the quarantine ?

[BunyanP 89]

6 minutes ago, Flowergirl 737 said:

Hey everyone I found you !!!! Is anyone traveling to the US for the holidays ? Do you guys suggest flying or driving ?

One more question , has anyone had their US spouse come here to visit them for less than 14 days? How did that go with the quarantine ?

Yes, I’m flying next month. You can’t drive across the border unless your a u.s. citizen or if you’re a PR. 

[Dkw 41]

1 hour ago, Flowergirl 737 said:

Hey everyone I found you !!!! Is anyone traveling to the US for the holidays ? Do you guys suggest flying or driving ?

One more question , has anyone had their US spouse come here to visit them for less than 14 days? How did that go with the quarantine ?

I am planning on flying there for Christmas and have been given 2 weeks off work to quarantine when I return. Not sure how easy it is/if you can drive across at this point. My husband also came here about 2 weeks ago. We put through paper work for the exemption of the 14 day quarantine for compassionate reasons/funeral, so we quarantined or the time he was here but he was able to leave before the 14 days. Otherwise, I don’t think you can do a visit less than the 14 days. He did get pulled into secondary at the airport and had to show the paperwork. The quarantines he (and my parents) have done have been fine, only a daily survey to fill out, no phone calls for them. 

 

[Dbrennan 121]

Do I need to bring my husband (petitioners) birth certificate to the interview? Like the actual copy, not a photo copy?

[fjxs 133]

2 hours ago, Flowergirl 737 said:

Hey everyone I found you !!!! Is anyone traveling to the US for the holidays ? Do you guys suggest flying or driving ?

One more question , has anyone had their US spouse come here to visit them for less than 14 days? How did that go with the quarantine ?

You can't currently drive across the border from Canada to US unless you are a citizen or permanent resident, or if you are crossing for an "essential" reason, which doesn't include spouses just visiting. (There is also an exception if the US spouse is in the military, but I don't know the details of that.) 

 

My understanding with US spouses visiting Canada is that they might not even let you cross the border if your plan is to stay less than 15 days. The rules say spouses are allowed to cross IF they can quarantine for 14 days AND they are staying for at least 15 days. If you are planning something different, you don't actually qualify, so they might not let you cross. BUT once you are in Canada, they can't actually stop you from leaving - so, say, if an urgent emergency came up and the US spouse had to go back to the US, they would be allowed to travel back to the US (as long as you don't go anywhere besides straight to the border, which is allowed under the regular quarantine rules). But if you do leave early, it's possible you will have trouble if you try to enter a second time - they will be able to see that you didn't stay the full 15 days last time. 

 

The exception to this would be if you have some "essential" reason to cross the border or some other exemption, so you aren't just crossing under the regular rules for family reunification. I don't know the details of what is allowed for that, and some of those things require extra paperwork, etc. 

[fjxs 133]

2 minutes ago, Dbrennan said:

Do I need to bring my husband (petitioners) birth certificate to the interview? Like the actual copy, not a photo copy?

Some of the lists of documents to bring include it, so I brought it just for peace of mind. But I was not asked for it, and I don't think any of the other recent reviews I've seen included anyone being asked for it either. 

 

I had my husband send it to me UPS express, which cost about $40 (there was some kind of promo price for paying online with a promo code). It was supposed to be overnight, but it took 2 business days, and they aren't currently guaranteeing delivery dates because of COVID. If I could do it again, I think I would use Fedex. I'm pretty sure they also aren't guaranteeing their delivery dates, but I have found their tracking info in general to be WAY better - they actually scan & let you know where it is everyday, whereas with UPS I find they often only scan at the beginning & the end. 

[fjxs 133]

Also, I just wanna say - My husband spent $40 USD to ship me a piece of paper, and I spent an entire weekend stressing out about if maybe UPS lost it, and he literally lives *less than an hours drive from my house*!!! 😖

 

I could have driven to the border and just had him hand it across a ditch to me, but that is NOT allowed (it would be smuggling...). I could have also gone to Peace Arch Park and gotten it from him there, but I think you still have to declare that & would also be technically entering the US. I did NOT want to risk doing anything wrong or getting a 14 day quarantine so close to my interview date!!!! Sometimes this whole process just feels so absurd. 

Edited November 22, 2020 by eketros

[Flowergirl 737 45]

1 hour ago, eketros said:

Also, I just wanna say - My husband spent $40 USD to ship me a piece of paper, and I spent an entire weekend stressing out about if maybe UPS lost it, and he literally lives *less than an hours drive from my house*!!! 😖

 

I could have driven to the border and just had him hand it across a ditch to me, but that is NOT allowed (it would be smuggling...). I could have also gone to Peace Arch Park and gotten it from him there, but I think you still have to declare that & would also be technically entering the US. I did NOT want to risk doing anything wrong or getting a 14 day quarantine so close to my interview date!!!! Sometimes this whole process just feels so absurd. 

 

4 hours ago, BunyanP said:

Yes, I’m flying next month. You can’t drive across the border unless your a u.s. citizen or if you’re a PR. 

Thank you , I got to fly then !!!!!!

 

2 hours ago, eketros said:

You can't currently drive across the border from Canada to US unless you are a citizen or permanent resident, or if you are crossing for an "essential" reason, which doesn't include spouses just visiting. (There is also an exception if the US spouse is in the military, but I don't know the details of that.) 

 

My understanding with US spouses visiting Canada is that they might not even let you cross the border if your plan is to stay less than 15 days. The rules say spouses are allowed to cross IF they can quarantine for 14 days AND they are staying for at least 15 days. If you are planning something different, you don't actually qualify, so they might not let you cross. BUT once you are in Canada, they can't actually stop you from leaving - so, say, if an urgent emergency came up and the US spouse had to go back to the US, they would be allowed to travel back to the US (as long as you don't go anywhere besides straight to the border, which is allowed under the regular quarantine rules). But if you do leave early, it's possible you will have trouble if you try to enter a second time - they will be able to see that you didn't stay the full 15 days last time. 

 

The exception to this would be if you have some "essential" reason to cross the border or some other exemption, so you aren't just crossing under the regular rules for family reunification. I don't know the details of what is allowed for that, and some of those things require extra paperwork, etc. 

Thank you for the detailed response !!!!

[rafale1973 141]

Hey guys, since I got my interview date I’m a little nervous. I would like to know what do you guys think. 
 

so we applied over two years ago already, my interview date is December 7. My husband was here on a student visa and we both graduated in June. After graduating, he decided to stay here with me, stopping to work in September as his visa wouldn’t have allow him anymore. So he currently doesn’t have a job anymore. But when we first applied we wanted to be 100% sure for the financial stuff so we got both his parent to be co-sponsor. So technically I have 3 person helping financially. (A police officer, a banker and my husband)All documents were accepted at NVC stage so I guess it’s good sign. Do you guys there is any risk of being denied as he doesn’t currently have a job in the USA, although we already have a plan as his old employer in Florida told him to come back whenever and he would hire him back.

So this already more nervous than I usually am, and my husband doesn’t really want to talk about that because he is telling me that I cannot be refuse. 

On top of that, my boss who knew for the last two year that we were planing to go to the USA Know that I have my interview date and he is asking me to tell him tomorrow when we will be leaving. 
 

im so nervous now, what do you guys think? 

[Romans13 130]

This afternoon I drove South in my U-Haul to the Coutts/Sweetgrass,MT poe. Pulled into secondary. “Paperwork” took about 30 minutes. I handed them a typed out list of contents of my truck and approx value. They skimmed through it. They did not search the truck. All were friendly and professional to deal with. Interesting thing said was that greencard would take 8 months. (But recent forum members have received theirs in 1-2 months). 
anyhow: 2700km of driving left to reach destination. 

[Airline Pilot 37]

My wife had her interview Wednesday October 28th. It was very straightforward and she was told she was approved. Tracking number issued Friday October 30 and Visa Received Tuesday November 3. POE Wednesday November 4 at Plattsburgh NY. She said it seemed so strange to see no cars and it so quiet as we have driven back and forth for years when we lived in the US before. It took about an hour and she said mostly because most of the agents said they had not done one of these before. So it became a training event for about 8 border agents watching the Senior Officer. There was also about 20 minutes waiting for the fingerprint machine to work. They looked at her declaration form but never looked in the SUV. 
Arrived Charleston Friday November 6th. Reissued Social Security card arrived November 16. Green Card arrived yesterday Nov 21!

Such a totally different and painful experience from the first time we lived in the USA. In hindsight me coming to Montréal to work was a train wreck on every level. I worked for a very corrupt international organization. When I found another job back in the US I had to leave my wife behind in Canada. Now it’s all over. I wish every Spouse is reunited soon!

Edited November 22, 2020 by Airline Pilot

[ONtoHOU 228]

These POE updates are really helpful thanks @Romans13 and @Airline Pilot.  
 

I’m starting to plan how I will handle my POE, I would love insight on how best to handle this.  My interview is Dec 7, and I’m hoping to be able to cross in time to help my mother-in-law recover from a surgery she is having on Jan 5.  Complicating factors, I have three dogs and my husband will be working offshore leading up to the holidays so he could not get to Canada in time to quarantine for 14 days and support me with the drive and the dogs. Also, I have a private sale of my Canadian vehicle set up to go once I receive my visa. 
 

The best plan we have come up with is to rent a U-Haul Trailer and borrow my parents truck to tow it. I would have a letter from them authorizing me to take it into the US temporarily. For my parents’ purposes I just need to return it to them before May so it gives me lots of options to come back for a visit, quarantine as necessary and return their vehicle. My husband would fly to the US side of wherever I cross (Buffalo or Detroit area crossings - really I could do any POE in southern Ontario) and help me drive the rest of the way.  
 

That part sounds good, what I’m worried about is having to leave my three medium/large dogs in the truck while I go inside for secondary to have all my paperwork processed. Thoughts on how to handle this? 

Edited November 22, 2020 by wordsfromdani

[Prairiegirl3 67]

13 hours ago, rafale1973 said:

Hey guys, since I got my interview date I’m a little nervous. I would like to know what do you guys think. 
 

so we applied over two years ago already, my interview date is December 7. My husband was here on a student visa and we both graduated in June. After graduating, he decided to stay here with me, stopping to work in September as his visa wouldn’t have allow him anymore. So he currently doesn’t have a job anymore. But when we first applied we wanted to be 100% sure for the financial stuff so we got both his parent to be co-sponsor. So technically I have 3 person helping financially. (A police officer, a banker and my husband)All documents were accepted at NVC stage so I guess it’s good sign. Do you guys there is any risk of being denied as he doesn’t currently have a job in the USA, although we already have a plan as his old employer in Florida told him to come back whenever and he would hire him back.

So this already more nervous than I usually am, and my husband doesn’t really want to talk about that because he is telling me that I cannot be refuse. 

On top of that, my boss who knew for the last two year that we were planing to go to the USA Know that I have my interview date and he is asking me to tell him tomorrow when we will be leaving. 
 

im so nervous now, what do you guys think? 

So I have a few questions here: 

1. is your husband currently here legally? Or did you just let his visa expire? 

2. Does he have proof of domicile in the US? (proof of property ownership or rental like a lease agreement, proof of address, proof of employment, bank account records, etc.?) I would recommend getting a signed affidavit from his previous employer as proof of employment for him. 

 

My husband is also currently here with me in Canada but He's planning to leave for the states a month or two before our expected interview date to set up our domicile. We have a place we are going to be moving into, he just needs to go and live there, start working, and he will likely send paystubs my way to prove he's been employed in the US. This was also all detailed on a letter we submitted to NVC stating we would supply all of these things at the interview. 

 

We also have his parents as co-sponsors. My understanding is that when you have a co-sponsor, they are solely financially responsible for you the beneficiary. Your primary sponsor's income and assets are not even considered when you have a co-sponsor, so I believe you are considered to have the primary co-sponsor as your financial sponsor, and their spouse as contributing to the household. To my understanding your husband is not legally even considered in the financial process at the consulate. 

 

 

[rafale1973 141]

20 minutes ago, Prairiegirl3 said:

So I have a few questions here: 

1. is your husband currently here legally? Or did you just let his visa expire? 

2. Does he have proof of domicile in the US? (proof of property ownership or rental like a lease agreement, proof of address, proof of employment, bank account records, etc.?) I would recommend getting a signed affidavit from his previous employer as proof of employment for him. 

 

My husband is also currently here with me in Canada but He's planning to leave for the states a month or two before our expected interview date to set up our domicile. We have a place we are going to be moving into, he just needs to go and live there, start working, and he will likely send paystubs my way to prove he's been employed in the US. This was also all detailed on a letter we submitted to NVC stating we would supply all of these things at the interview. 

 

We also have his parents as co-sponsors. My understanding is that when you have a co-sponsor, they are solely financially responsible for you the beneficiary. Your primary sponsor's income and assets are not even considered when you have a co-sponsor, so I believe you are considered to have the primary co-sponsor as your financial sponsor, and their spouse as contributing to the household. To my understanding your husband is not legally even considered in the financial process at the consulate. 

 

 

Well, technically his visa will expire in august 31, 2021. He stopped working in September and per say an USA citizen  en can stay in Canada 180 days on a passport.  And yes he has bank record in the USA. We are moving back to his parent house, which we have a notarized letter saying so. His drivers license is also stating the same address. 

Edited November 22, 2020 by rafale1973

[Hawk Riders 814]

16 hours ago, Dbrennan said:

Do I need to bring my husband (petitioners) birth certificate to the interview? Like the actual copy, not a photo copy?

Nope.

In all the time we have been participating in this forum, nope...