IR-1/CR-1 Montreal DQ'd private message group goes public part 3

[irisheyes123 66]

Hey everyone, I am planning on coming back to Canada specifically for my medical & interview. does anyone know how many days prior the interview I should get the medical done in Toronto? thanks in advance

[DGF 730]

Friendly reminder, especially to newer people, to please read the FAQ. I'm seeing many questions being asked that it answers. The FAQ exists because having the same questions answered every couple of pages clutters up the threads and makes it harder for people to find information in them later on. 

[Flowergirl 737 45]

48 minutes ago, irisheyes123 said:

Hey everyone, I am planning on coming back to Canada specifically for my medical & interview. does anyone know how many days prior the interview I should get the medical done in Toronto? thanks in advance

They told me it takes 10 days for them to work on it and send it to the consulate. If you have to quarantine I would take that in the count as well. 

So I would say a minimum of 10 business days before the interview. 

[State and Maine 190]

2 hours ago, irisheyes123 said:

Hey everyone, I am planning on coming back to Canada specifically for my medical & interview. does anyone know how many days prior the interview I should get the medical done in Toronto? thanks in advance

I did mine with Dr. Cheema on June 29th and result were sent to the consulate on July 5th which was 2 business days as July 1 was a holiday. A few people have done theirs a couple days before their interview and just expected to be put in AP until the result were sent. I wouldn’t suggest that tho…

[Lois K 121]

Hey all! I haven't swung by in six months. That's such a difference from when I'd be posting here multiple times a day. I love living with my hubby! Just starting our seventh month in the same house (after 8 years of dating and 2 years of being married).

 

A funny thing happened the day he crossed - his passport visa was stamped with the wrong date. He crossed on Jan 1 2021 and whoever was in charge of updating the stamp only updated the day and month, not the year - Jan 1 2020. So his passport looks like his visa was already a year old as of the very same day he got it. Needless to say, we were super anxious to have that green card in hand.

 

Although we got the SS# within days of his arrival, the green card itself arrived at the three month mark. We were delighted that it had been automatically updated from a CR-1 to an IR-1 since the day he crossed was our two-year-and-three-day anniversary. So although the wait was long, the final document was accurate and did not require any additional follow up. Sweet!

 

Now instead of phone calls, texts, zoom chats and eager refreshing of our email accounts, we get to worry about grocery lists and who needs the car on what day. What a difference! Hang in there everyone! It's such an awesome place to be!   

[krisBui 40]

In preparation for our visa interview, I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with bringing a photocopied version of your 1040 tax form to the interview? I am aware that all documents have to be the original ones (birth and marriage certificate, etc.), but I typically E-file my taxes, so  signatures wouldn’t be fresh on the pages. 

[mam521 2,062]

7 hours ago, irisheyes123 said:

Hey everyone, I am planning on coming back to Canada specifically for my medical & interview. does anyone know how many days prior the interview I should get the medical done in Toronto? thanks in advance

Your return to Canada is going to depend on the availability of the medical provider to administer the medical. As soon as you have your interview letter, it is imperative to call and book your medical because the approved providers are not exclusively giving immigration medicals, but rather provide “regular” medical services. Sometimes the appointments are challenging to get. 
 

The next challenge once you have an appointment is flights to get back in time for the medical. 
 

Have you already ensured you have your required immunization records? If you need any of them or a titres test, it’s worth it to do it now, not wait. 

[irisheyes123 66]

19 minutes ago, mam521 said:

Your return to Canada is going to depend on the availability of the medical provider to administer the medical. As soon as you have your interview letter, it is imperative to call and book your medical because the approved providers are not exclusively giving immigration medicals, but rather provide “regular” medical services. Sometimes the appointments are challenging to get. 
 

The next challenge once you have an appointment is flights to get back in time for the medical. 
 

Have you already ensured you have your required immunization records? If you need any of them or a titres test, it’s worth it to do it now, not wait. 

Hey hey!

 

So I'm going with Dr. M in Toronto, I've called them and emailed them a few times, and as per their website appointments are available quickly and regularly. I'm up to date with all my shots, and have had my doc sign off on a declaration for my medical which is awesome. 

 

Regarding flights, I've decided I'm going to drive up from Chicago because that air fare is priccccy lately. I did a practice run going to and from the states last week, and bc I'm COVID vaccinated I was exempt from the 14 day quarantine. So I think I'm just going to drive up the day before my appointment. Thanks for your insight

[Sunshine022 17]

Hi! I’m currently pregnant and waiting for my interview letter. What immunizations do I need to get and not required to get? Thank you. 

[CuCun 10]

10 hours ago, irisheyes123 said:

Hey hey!

 

So I'm going with Dr. M in Toronto, I've called them and emailed them a few times, and as per their website appointments are available quickly and regularly. I'm up to date with all my shots, and have had my doc sign off on a declaration for my medical which is awesome. 

 

Regarding flights, I've decided I'm going to drive up from Chicago because that air fare is priccccy lately. I did a practice run going to and from the states last week, and bc I'm COVID vaccinated I was exempt from the 14 day quarantine. So I think I'm just going to drive up the day before my appointment. Thanks for your insight

Vaccinated people fly in or drive across the border are required to take a PCR arrival test at home. The test kit is given to you at the airport or border crossing. You have 24 hrs. to complete that arrival test. Until that test result come back negative you have to stay in your quarantine place. I flew in Pearson and my test came back 5 days later. Since Canada easing the restriction, travel have been up 25% and obviously the Canada Health system is overload. You only exempted from 14 day quarantine if your arrival test come back negative. I hope Canada drop the arrival test requirement when they open the border but until then, drive up the day before your appointment sound like a bad idea.

[irisheyes123 66]

5 minutes ago, CuCun said:

Vaccinated people fly in or drive across the border are required to take a PCR arrival test at home. The test kit is given to you at the airport or border crossing. You have 24 hrs. to complete that arrival test. Until that test result come back negative you have to stay in your quarantine place. I flew in Pearson and my test came back 5 days later. Since Canada easing the restriction, travel have been up 25% and obviously the Canada Health system is overload. You only exempted from 14 day quarantine if your arrival test come back negative. I hope Canada drop the arrival test requirement when they open the border but until then, drive up the day before your appointment sound like a bad idea.

 

this is very helpful, they never told me at the airport that i had to stay until i received a negative result. i don't even think the flyer the gave me said that! anyways, good thing i'm a hermit and havent left my house thank you!!

[Mikeeastern 81]

1 minute ago, irisheyes123 said:

 

this is very helpful, they never told me at the airport that i had to stay until i received a negative result. i don't even think the flyer the gave me said that! anyways, good thing i'm a hermit and havent left my house thank you!!

I think you can leave to take another test or do it via private Healthcare and get same day results and be done with it. 

[CuCun 10]

7 minutes ago, Mikeeastern said:

I think you can leave to take another test or do it via private Healthcare and get same day results and be done with it. 

The Canada government website https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/ required you register with Switch Health and take the arrival test with a nurse thru a video session. I don't know if you can go and test somewhere else. Like I said, I arrived last week at Pearson and had to go thru all that. Thinking it is ok for you to go test else where could lead you to miss the interview date and that is a costly mistake.

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

43 minutes ago, irisheyes123 said:

 

this is very helpful, they never told me at the airport that i had to stay until i received a negative result. i don't even think the flyer the gave me said that! anyways, good thing i'm a hermit and havent left my house thank you!!

I didn't think either that one needed to quarantine until results of test at border/ airport is received. The official website doesn't say you have to, and you just need to note everyone you have been in contact with and monitor yourself for any symptoms. But then, I do not have actual real life experience.

[irisheyes123 66]

1 hour ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

I didn't think either that one needed to quarantine until results of test at border/ airport is received. The official website doesn't say you have to, and you just need to note everyone you have been in contact with and monitor yourself for any symptoms. But then, I do not have actual real life experience.

 

2 hours ago, CuCun said:

The Canada government website https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/ required you register with Switch Health and take the arrival test with a nurse thru a video session. I don't know if you can go and test somewhere else. Like I said, I arrived last week at Pearson and had to go thru all that. Thinking it is ok for you to go test else where could lead you to miss the interview date and that is a costly mistake.

Alrighty, just got off the phone with the Government of Canada and Switch Health. For reference, I landed in Pearson last week and am on "day 7 of quarantine". 

 

The Government of Canada said that I must quarantine until I receive my negative result. They said that there is a backlog due to increase in travel, however this is new and things are expected to be streamlined soon. All day one COVID tests must be conducted through SWITCH HEALTH. 

 

Switch Health (who have not given me my results yet) said that there is a glitch in the system, where fully vaccinated travelers received emails telling them to do a day 8 test. This is NOT necessary, even if you have not gotten your day 1 test back. They confirmed that their lab is overwhelmed at the moment, but again, they hope to have shorter wait times in the near future. 

 

The more you know