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

[Mel and Deb 46]

So I was approved yesterday.

 

So what can I add to be helpful?

 

If you are seeing Dr Cheema for your medical you are going to Life Labs after your appointment with him  for a Blood AND Urine test. You need an appointment for this lab (no walkins currently) and fortunately Dr Cheema has reserved appointments and they will get you an appointment time for your lab work after your medical exam. You also need a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray is taken across the street from the lab so you can park and walk between the two. 

I had 45 minutes after leaving Dr Cheema's until my lab appointment and easily fit my chess x-ray in before my lab appointment.

I had my appointment with Dr Cheema on Tuesday Apr 6 and received an email Friday that my medical had been sent to Montreal. My interview was on Apr 14th and they had my results at my interview. No problems with that.

Dr Cheema will mail you a CD with your Chest x-ray image. This is just for your personal record and you should keep it as part of your medical history. 

 

My advice for your interview is just made sure the documents they ask for namely your Passport, Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Police Certificate, Certificate of Divorce (if needed) are NOT expired and are the right ones. Your Birth Certificate needs your parents names and their place of birth on it. I also had my wife's Birth Certificate (petitioner) which is on the list but was not asked for it.

They will ask you for a passport/immigration photo and will scan it. 

 

The Interview in Montreal was for lack of a better word relaxed.  The lady that interviewed me was very nice.

They will ask you how you met your spouse which will lead to other questions like how much have you seen each other how long did you date before you were married.

They will ask where you plan to live in the US.

They will ask what  you plan to do for work in the US.

We are retired.

My wife is the petitioner and moved back to the US in 2019 I just brought a print out of her 2019 1040 with schedules which was about a quarter inch thick because of the move from Canada back to the US in 2019. The lady just kept the first two pages of the 1040 and was totally fine with that. We have substantial assets and I had bank  statements etc uploaded to CEAC before my interview. I had a thick folder documenting our assets but was not asked for any of it.  She just looked over what I had already uploaded and was fine with that.

The interview took about 10 minutes in total.

 

Best of luck to everyone!

[Sparkie 3]

11 hours ago, DGF said:

Are they willing to send it to Canada if you cover the additional postage? 

They said no because it's a government document and they can only verify who receives it in the U.S. (since it should only be delivered to the party it's being sent to and nobody else). We have the copy so I think what we may have to do is wing it and hope for the best (carry copy, and as another poster said, show the receipt from when it was shipped out and the voicemail left from the city explaining that it was sent but got returned). I'm hoping those will help confirm that 1) it does exist and 2) we've been trying to obtain another certified copy. Will also give them the number to the city clerk in case they want to call to verify anything.

[Mel and Deb 46]

Well that was speedy. Issued and in final processing. Somehow the link they give to the tracking number is dead  (404)

Edited April 15, 2021 by Mel and Deb

[JandTK 40]

Hi All,

 

We have finally made it to the end of this leg of the journey.  Now we wait for 3 yrs to apply for citizenship.

 

Here is a summary of our key dates for those interested:

 

Started process: Jan 24, 2019

DQ date: May 29, 2020 

interview: February 22, 2021 

Visa received: March 1, 2021

crossed border: March 1, 2021

SSN card received: March 10, 2021(checked on DS260)

Green card received: April 15, 2021

 

Thank you to everyone who has provided information on this site!  I learned more here than from any other source including our lawyer.  I wish everyone on here a smooth and speedy process to the completion of their journeys! 

[i5love 42]

I wanted to share my POE experience at Peace Arch on April 9th, since I know others may be planning this shortly. My husband is a US Customs Broker, so he was able to help me get prepared well and get me into the mindset of a CBP official. 

 

I packed up my 1 bdrm apartment and drove the U-Haul on a one-way rental to avoid the 14 day quarantine. Due to a Dept of Transport Safety Standard, I had to sell my car in advance of the move and couldnt import it. That made part of my entry and preparation easier as I didnt have to tow the vehicle or deal with the car import.

 

As I packed, each box was numbered and contents were identified in some detail but not itemized detail (for example: Box #5 - plates and bowls. NOT: Box - Kitchen or Box - Kitchen, 5 bowls, 2 plates. Value $12.). I printed the manifest list and included a header with my name, date, and a-number so that if the list was taken by CBP it would be tracked back to my passport. 

 

When I pulled up to the booth, I was the only vehicle at the border. As expected, I was directed to secondary and instructed to wait inside my vehicle. Two CBP officers approached the vehicle and looked at my passport. I informed them that I was also travelling with my cat (beside me in a carrier) and had his rabies certificate. They didnt take the rabies certificate or ask to see the cat. The CBP officers looked at my manifest list, opened the U-Haul, and looked inside. They didnt open boxes or get into the back of the truck. I declared the 6L of alcohol I had with me, and indicated where to find it on the manifest list. The alcohol was itemized including type, volume, and brand name. As part of my preparation, I found an exemption on state tax, not federal tax, for alcohol for new residents. Its pretty straight forward. Just email them in advance, and they send you back a PDF to print that exempts you from any state tax if you qualify. 

 

All in all, I felt reasonably prepared. 

 

After inspecting my passport, the CBP officials that came to my vehicle did not take my passport inside. After waiting 45+ minutes in secondary, seeing other vehicles getting cleared by other officers, I was still waiting. The officer whose booth I drove through, came off his booth rotation and saw me sitting there. He approached my vehicle and asked if anyone took my passport. No one had. Eventually, he took it inside. Then he came out a second time to confirm the address of my US residence. After even more waiting, a new officer came out and returned my passport with CR1 stamp in it. I was finally free to go after about an hour - almost all of that time was waiting. 

 

My US residence is relatively close to the Peace Arch crossing, and so I was surprised to see a CBP sedan drive by the house as my husband and I hugged in the front yard shortly after I arrived. I dont live on a main street, so it isnt common to see their vehicles drive by, but we are close enough that it isnt entirely unusual. My husband shrugged it off, but I wasn't thrilled.

 

Now to wait for my SSN and Green Card.

 

Anyone in Whatcom county need boxes or bubble wrap? lol

 

[mizzem 144]

14 minutes ago, i5love said:

I wanted to share my POE experience at Peace Arch on April 9th, since I know others may be planning this shortly. My husband is a US Customs Broker, so he was able to help me get prepared well and get me into the mindset of a CBP official. 

 

I packed up my 1 bdrm apartment and drove the U-Haul on a one-way rental to avoid the 14 day quarantine. Due to a Dept of Transport Safety Standard, I had to sell my car in advance of the move and couldnt import it. That made part of my entry and preparation easier as I didnt have to tow the vehicle or deal with the car import.

 

As I packed, each box was numbered and contents were identified in some detail but not itemized detail (for example: Box #5 - plates and bowls. NOT: Box - Kitchen or Box - Kitchen, 5 bowls, 2 plates. Value $12.). I printed the manifest list and included a header with my name, date, and a-number so that if the list was taken by CBP it would be tracked back to my passport. 

 

When I pulled up to the booth, I was the only vehicle at the border. As expected, I was directed to secondary and instructed to wait inside my vehicle. Two CBP officers approached the vehicle and looked at my passport. I informed them that I was also travelling with my cat (beside me in a carrier) and had his rabies certificate. They didnt take the rabies certificate or ask to see the cat. The CBP officers looked at my manifest list, opened the U-Haul, and looked inside. They didnt open boxes or get into the back of the truck. I declared the 6L of alcohol I had with me, and indicated where to find it on the manifest list. The alcohol was itemized including type, volume, and brand name. As part of my preparation, I found an exemption on state tax, not federal tax, for alcohol for new residents. Its pretty straight forward. Just email them in advance, and they send you back a PDF to print that exempts you from any state tax if you qualify. 

 

All in all, I felt reasonably prepared. 

 

After inspecting my passport, the CBP officials that came to my vehicle did not take my passport inside. After waiting 45+ minutes in secondary, seeing other vehicles getting cleared by other officers, I was still waiting. The officer whose booth I drove through, came off his booth rotation and saw me sitting there. He approached my vehicle and asked if anyone took my passport. No one had. Eventually, he took it inside. Then he came out a second time to confirm the address of my US residence. After even more waiting, a new officer came out and returned my passport with CR1 stamp in it. I was finally free to go after about an hour - almost all of that time was waiting. 

 

My US residence is relatively close to the Peace Arch crossing, and so I was surprised to see a CBP sedan drive by the house as my husband and I hugged in the front yard shortly after I arrived. I dont live on a main street, so it isnt common to see their vehicles drive by, but we are close enough that it isnt entirely unusual. My husband shrugged it off, but I wasn't thrilled.

 

Now to wait for my SSN and Green Card.

 

Anyone in Whatcom county need boxes or bubble wrap? lol

 

Congratulations on completing your journey and finally joining your husband!  I am interested in the link you provided regarding the exemption on state tax however when I click on it there's nothing there. Would you mind providing the actual web address? Thanks and best of luck to you!

[i5love 42]

7 minutes ago, mizzem said:

Congratulations on completing your journey and finally joining your husband!  I am interested in the link you provided regarding the exemption on state tax however when I click on it there's nothing there. Would you mind providing the actual web address? Thanks and best of luck to you!

 

Strange. The link works on my end. Either way - here it is again: https://lcb.wa.gov/licensing/individual-importation-alcoholic-beverages-personal-use

[DGF 730]

3 hours ago, Sparkie said:

They said no because it's a government document and they can only verify who receives it in the U.S. (since it should only be delivered to the party it's being sent to and nobody else). We have the copy so I think what we may have to do is wing it and hope for the best (carry copy, and as another poster said, show the receipt from when it was shipped out and the voicemail left from the city explaining that it was sent but got returned). I'm hoping those will help confirm that 1) it does exist and 2) we've been trying to obtain another certified copy. Will also give them the number to the city clerk in case they want to call to verify anything.

That's too bad, they certainly don't make it easy do they!

 

I expect they'll put you in AP pending receipt of an original certificate, even with proof that one was ordered. While they are willing to overlook missing documents in situations in which they are simply unavailable or producing one would be an exceptional burden (not wanting to be apart doesn't count), in this case it is available you just can't get it because the USC is in Canada (if I'm understanding the situation correctly). If there is a reason that the USC can't leave Canada (e.g. caregiver) then I'd bring proof of that, otherwise, I'd come up with a plan to get the original.

[gavinski91 102]

2 hours ago, i5love said:

 

Anyone in Whatcom county need boxes or bubble wrap? lol

 

I might actually take you up on the bubble wrap offer - my wife and I should be in the June interview batch and we will be moving from Aldergrove to Nooksack as soon as she gets her visa. 

[Kai G. Llewellyn 837]

2 hours ago, i5love said:

My US residence is relatively close to the Peace Arch crossing, and so I was surprised to see a CBP sedan drive by the house as my husband and I hugged in the front yard shortly after I arrived. I dont live on a main street, so it isnt common to see their vehicles drive by, but we are close enough that it isnt entirely unusual. My husband shrugged it off, but I wasn't thrilled.

 

I'll be moving to Birch Bay to live with my husband and we see CBP Border Patrol in the area all the darn time, as a result I was always careful to be in possession of proof of status when I was visiting. We'd joke that half the neighborhood around us are families of CBP officers. xD

[AnkitShah20 32]

Has anyone done RT-PCR test in Montreal? If you can please share any locations that do the tests. My spouse will be traveling to states within a week or so and we are in search of testing sites in Montreal. 
Any help will be appreciated. 

[Flowergirl 737 45]

Where are you guys getting your pictures done for the interview? Everything is shut down in ON.

[Mikeeastern 81]

41 minutes ago, AnkitShah20 said:

Has anyone done RT-PCR test in Montreal? If you can please share any locations that do the tests. My spouse will be traveling to states within a week or so and we are in search of testing sites in Montreal. 
Any help will be appreciated. 

You can do it in the airport.  https://www.biron.com/en/yul-traveller/

[Meghan.brooke 60]

42 minutes ago, Flowergirl 737 said:

Where are you guys getting your pictures done for the interview? Everything is shut down in ON.

Have you tried Canada Post, Ted smokes or UPS? Postal offices are still open

[Flowergirl 737 45]

35 minutes ago, Meghan.brooke said:

Have you tried Canada Post, Ted smokes or UPS? Postal offices are still open

OH I did not know Canada post does picture or UPS, thanks I will try.