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

[legendqueue 163]

I'm home.

 

Arrived at Peace Arch around 5:45pm on Thursday Feb 18.  Day was sort of an avalanche of delays and minor things going wrong but nothing really major, so showing up at the crossing was a few hours behind schedule.  I rolled up in a 10 foot uhaul towing my car.  Said I was activating my visa, was asked if I was moving which was a fun question given that I was *driving a moving truck*, and got sent over into secondary.  After a while I got asked the usual declaration questions, answered them, and presented my list o' stuff and what boxes they were in.  The list was treated like it was on fire so I guess nobody wants to have to actually review the list and they may figure that if someone actually went to the trouble of preparing such a list that they're not playing fast and loose with the rules, which was true for me.  Chilled in the truck for about 30-40 minutes, tried to distract myself from randomly crying or whatever about being on the very last step of this 908 day journey, messaged my wife who relayed a message from our 6-year-old that he thought it would be a good idea if they came to the border to help, since I was taking "for ages", etc.  Eventually another officer came to check the visa and told me to come inside.  I recommend the restroom inside the Peace Arch CBP building for its exciting 30-second-long flush, incidentally.  Anyway I sat on the bench in a very empty building (5 or so officers and me) and admired the Chihuly glass-blowing stuff.  Got called up and answered a few questions and had a photo taken, which I didn't see but is quite possibly the worst photo ever taken of me as I was exhausted, my hair was a wreck from loading the truck and hooking up the tow dolly in the rain, and I'd been randomly tearing up for the last hour or so.  The officer stamped my passport and said congratulations and I sputtered some sort of thank you and said "I'm just gonna go cry in the truck a bit" which I did while messaging "I'm coming home" to my wife before driving the last 15 minutes to get to her and my step-son.

 

She'd made spaghetti and meatballs.  It was the most delicious meal of my life.

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by legendqueue

[NimF 119]

Looking for advice - it has been said in the past that uploading your documents to CEAC prior to the interview date can sometimes help expedite/ease the interview itself once you're at the consulate. Does anybody recommend uploading the documents they specifically require (e.g. tax transcripts) or ALL extra financial documents to be thorough? in our case my wife (petitioner) and I are using a joint sponsor, and in case our interview will be after the 2020 tax deadline it will also include an I-864A since our joint sponsor got married in 2020. Do we upload just the tax transcripts or should we also upload 1040, W2's, pay stubs, etc. whatever we can to establish financial support?

[Mzamour 47]

Update:

I received my passport today at about noon.

Timeline:

Wednesday, Feb 17 - Interview

Wednesday,  Feb 17 - Issued (Necessary admin processing)

Thursday, Feb 18 - Issued (Final Processing)

Friday, Feb 19 - Tracking Number received

Monday, Feb 22 - Passport with original Canada PCC delivered home 

 

Note: I am a Canada PR with a different nationality and I have only lived in Canada for about 2.5years. Based on my experience,  I don't think it's standard practice that all PR holders are placed in administrative processing. Prior to this journey, I got a B1/B2 visa when I first moved here and I received the visa in regular time - No administrative processing.

I just thought to mention the above as I have read some comments here that it's practice that PR holders are subject to further checks. I hope this helps someone.

 

Thanks again everyone and Goodluck to us all in remaining part of our journeys.

[Mzamour 47]

1 hour ago, NimF said:

Looking for advice - it has been said in the past that uploading your documents to CEAC prior to the interview date can sometimes help expedite/ease the interview itself once you're at the consulate. Does anybody recommend uploading the documents they specifically require (e.g. tax transcripts) or ALL extra financial documents to be thorough? in our case my wife (petitioner) and I are using a joint sponsor, and in case our interview will be after the 2020 tax deadline it will also include an I-864A since our joint sponsor got married in 2020. Do we upload just the tax transcripts or should we also upload 1040, W2's, pay stubs, etc. whatever we can to establish financial support?

I'll advise you upload all documents that have changed and also take copies along with you. Sometimes, they do not see the uploaded documents so they will ask for copies from you at the interview. Good luck!

[acmanu 68]

21 minutes ago, Mzamour said:

Update:

I received my passport today at about noon.

Timeline:

Wednesday, Feb 17 - Interview

Wednesday,  Feb 17 - Issued (Necessary admin processing)

Thursday, Feb 18 - Issued (Final Processing)

Friday, Feb 19 - Tracking Number received

Monday, Feb 22 - Passport with original Canada PCC delivered home 

 

Note: I am a Canada PR with a different nationality and I have only lived in Canada for about 2.5years. Based on my experience,  I don't think it's standard practice that all PR holders are placed in administrative processing. Prior to this journey, I got a B1/B2 visa when I first moved here and I received the visa in regular time - No administrative processing.

I just thought to mention the above as I have read some comments here that it's practice that PR holders are subject to further checks. I hope this helps someone.

 

Thanks again everyone and Goodluck to us all in remaining part of our journeys.

That's amazing, I am in the same boat, Canadian PR and travelled to US a dozen time on B1/B2. Thank you for sharing the review, really appreciate it!

[sjb17 192]

4 hours ago, Cammabear said:

Hopefully I'm worrying for nothing. I don't have my husbands original certificate of live birth, or a certified/notarized copy. Just a photocopy. I have my original documents but not his. My lawyer suggested attempting to bring a notarized copy and we can resubmit if this is not accepted, the NVC website says to bring original or certified copies of the documents. My interview is Wednesday and I leave for Montreal tomorrow. Have any of you had the same issue with submitting regular photocopies of this? Thanks in advance. 

They typically are interested in the original birth certificate of the beneficiary (i.e. the spouse who is seeking the visa), the original police certificate, and original marriage certificate. The petitioner's birth certificate can be a photocopy.

Edited February 22, 2021 by sjb17
typo

[Anand Chatterjee 11]

Good Afternoon,

 

I have been following this forum for over a year now and it has been extremely helpful. Thank you to the creators and individuals that took time to respond to questions.

 

DQ date: May 28th

Interview date in Montreal: February 12th (Approved!)

Immigrant Visa in Final processing: February 16th

Tracking number for Immigrant Visa: February 19th

Immigrant Visa received via Purolator in Toronto: Today!!!!!!!

 

My question to the group is about this $220 USCIS Immigrant Fee. I do not see an 'A number' or 'DOS case number' in the immigrant Visa as was indicated in the Welcome to the United States of America letter. It's driving me insane lol. Any help appreciated. Thank you and good luck to everyone here.

 

[sjb17 192]

8 minutes ago, Anand Chatterjee said:

Good Afternoon,

 

I have been following this forum for over a year now and it has been extremely helpful. Thank you to the creators and individuals that took time to respond to questions.

 

DQ date: May 28th

Interview date in Montreal: February 12th (Approved!)

Immigrant Visa in Final processing: February 16th

Tracking number for Immigrant Visa: February 19th

Immigrant Visa received via Purolator in Toronto: Today!!!!!!!

 

My question to the group is about this $220 USCIS Immigrant Fee. I do not see an 'A number' or 'DOS case number' in the immigrant Visa as was indicated in the Welcome to the United States of America letter. It's driving me insane lol. Any help appreciated. Thank you and good luck to everyone here.

 

CONGRATS! The A number is the registration number listed below the IV case number on your visa. If your A number is less than 9-digits, you'll want to add a "0" after the "A" and before all the other numbers. Read more here: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/uscis-immigrant-fee/immigrant-fee-payment-tips-on-finding-your-a-number-and-dos-case-id#:~:text=You can find your A,(for example%2C XYZ0123456789)

Edited February 22, 2021 by sjb17

[Anand Chatterjee 11]

Thanks sjb17. Appreciate it. 

[BunyanP 89]

There seems to be a little disparity with financial documents given or asked. 
 

I do not have tax transcripts for my wife nor my co-sponsor. The people handing the transcripts, were they uploaded to nvc prior to getting approved?

 

we have 1040s and w2s which had been approved at NVC. 
 

Interview is Friday Andover course I’m running though every scenario possible. 
 

getting transcripts is not possible for my wife (Canadian address prior, and IRS still hadn’t processed 2020). Seems little late to try and get my co-sponsors (MIl). 
 

thanks. 

[bort_s 63]

For the people who have had their interview in Montreal what did you find was the easiest for getting from the airport to downtown?  Uber, taxi, Metro?  With my interview Monday I am just planning ahead.  

[legendqueue 163]

27 minutes ago, bort_s said:

For the people who have had their interview in Montreal what did you find was the easiest for getting from the airport to downtown?  Uber, taxi, Metro?  With my interview Monday I am just planning ahead.  

I used Uber and it was the same as Uber anywhere else (easy to book, efficient). The trips cost me $39 airport to hotel and $34 hotel to airport, with my hotel being 2 blocks from the consulate. I called the first Uber when I was by the airport exit doors and had to wait maybe 2 minutes, and from hotel I called as I was getting my shoes on in the room and it was there a minute after I got down to the lobby.

[Dbrennan 121]

Hello everyone!!

got my SSN in the mail today, 9 days after my appointment at the social security office (there was a holiday within those nine days also). Happy that I can get a bank account, credit card, insurance, etc! 

[Dbrennan 121]

58 minutes ago, bort_s said:

For the people who have had their interview in Montreal what did you find was the easiest for getting from the airport to downtown?  Uber, taxi, Metro?  With my interview Monday I am just planning ahead.  

Definitely Uber! I like being able to see the name and details about the driver that you wouldn’t get if you were in a normal taxi. I also didn’t personally want to risk contact with a bunch of extra people by taking public transportation due to COVID 

[Mzamour 47]

2 hours ago, bort_s said:

For the people who have had their interview in Montreal what did you find was the easiest for getting from the airport to downtown?  Uber, taxi, Metro?  With my interview Monday I am just planning ahead.  

I took the 747 bus from airport to Lionel-Groulx station which is the last stop for the  bus. Then, I took the Metro (subway) at the station into downtown. The entire journey was about 35 - 40mins and cost $10. I used same ticket on my return journey next day (Ticket is valid for 24 hours and can be used on both bus and Metro). 

If you plan on taking the bus/metro back to the airport, ensure you leave ample extra time because the bus runs about once or twice within an hour.

Goodluck with your interview.