Fly in for IR1 Visa Interview from US?

[neluciubuc 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a L1B Visa holder living and working in the US. I got my appointment for end of November (finally!) as we were DQ'ed in early March 2021.

Not sure if anyone else has a similar situation but I have a few things I'm not clear about:

1. Can I fly in the day before the interview from US? I believe there was a requirement at some point (may be wrong) to be IN Canada for 14 consecutive days prior to the interview - so kind of like a quarantine after travelling. If true, is this still the case?

2. Passport/Visa collection upon Approval - The embassy says there is no pickup available, only mail. Does anyone know if they have exceptions for those currently already living in US? I no longer have an address in Canada, so if required I supposed I can use friends address etc

3. Any other surprises I should prepare for?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Boiler 45,579]

1 Canadian Covid regs I do not know

2. I would go by what they say

3. AP

[pushbrk 12,911]

You'll need to work out the logistics of navigating both the Canadian entry and quarantine regs along with completing your medical exam all BEFORE the interview.  Otherwise, no problem flying in for the medical and interview, per se.  Any address where a courier can deliver is fine, but note you will be without your passport until the passport and visa are issued and delivered.

[Redro 4,611]

Maybe ask to have your question moved to the Canada forum.

They can answer questions about waiting times for the medical and passports, possible surprises, and might be more knowledgeable about potential quarantine. 

They also have a megathread on wait times between DQ, interview and passport delivery.

 

[genghee 5]

My parents had their MTL interview this Monday 11/1. I drove from the US the day before to assist as their translator.

 

I was also nervous about the 14day rule. I emailed the consulate and they responded that as long as I adhered to Canada's COVID entry requirements, I can enter the embassy.

 

On the morning of the interview, I was happy to learn that security no longer asks whether you have been out of Canada for the last 14 days. Now, they ask "Have you been following Canada and Quebec's COVID regulations". Good luck!

[Mjc2021 8]

Hey! I am a Canadian Citizen who is living in the US with an L1A visa (now have my temp green card). My interview was in Montreal on October 25th. I arrived in Montreal on October 23rd from my home in California. I was at the consulate for about 2-3 hours. No surprises. It was all straight forward. First, someone reviewed your docs. Second, was the interview.
 

They told me it didn’t matter that I live and work in the US with my L1A. I had to wait my turn in line for my passport to be returned.  They said 2-3 weeks at the time of my interview.
 

 I flew to Toronto after and received my passport back on November 1st (exactly week!!). I flew home to California on November 2nd. No issues at Pearson but I did have to wait for an hour in immigration in Terminal 1 for them to review my case. It only took a few minutes when they got to me. 
 

I hope that helps! 

Edited November 6, 2021 by Mjc2021

[Mjc2021 8]

3 minutes ago, Mjc2021 said:

Hey! I am a Canadian Citizen who is/was living in the US with an L1A visa. My interview was in Montreal on October 25th. I arrived in Montreal on October 23rd from my home in California. I was at the consulate for about 2-3 hours. No surprises. It was all straight forward. First, someone reviewed your docs. Second, was the inter.
 

They told me it didn’t matter that I live and work in the US with my L1A. I had to wait my turn in line for my passport to be returned.  They said 2-3 weeks at the time of my interview.
 

 I flew to Toronto after and received my passport back on November 1st (exactly 1 week!!). I flew home to California on November 2nd. No issues at Pearson but I did have to wait for an hour in immigration in Terminal 1 for them to review my case. It only took a few minutes when they got to me. 
 

I hope that helps! 

I should note I was fully vaccinated and after I entered my data into the ArriveCAN app, I was exempted from the 14 day quarantine. I’ve been fully vaccinated with Pfizer for 6-months and had a negative PCR test upon entry. 
 

I’ve traveled to Canada twice (Vancouver for my medical in Sep) and didn’t have issues either time. 

Edited November 6, 2021 by Mjc2021

[Mjc2021 8]

Oh, for passport delivery…. I selected Purolator. I didn’t pick a post office. If you do pick the post office, you will need ID with an address that matches the delivery address. You can use either a Canadian or US drivers license. 
 

Purolator was fast. I was there when they delivered. It was easy. I’d do that again rather than the post office. 

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from IR1/CR1 Process & Procedures to the Canada regional forum, for country-specific input ***

 

[neluciubuc 0]

21 hours ago, Mjc2021 said:

Oh, for passport delivery…. I selected Purolator. I didn’t pick a post office. If you do pick the post office, you will need ID with an address that matches the delivery address. You can use either a Canadian or US drivers license. 
 

Purolator was fast. I was there when they delivered. It was easy. I’d do that again rather than the post office. 

Hello thank you for all your comments! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with L1 visa and I'm glad everything worked out for you! 

I just have a clarifying question - since delivery to an address is not applicable to me (I don't have anyone in Montreal and no plans to visit Ontario where I have a few friends). When I pick up at post office, which address do I have to match - the one I have in my NVC profile or an address I indicate upon registration for the interview? For now I have my Canadian license - which goes to the house I sold a while back - and a temp US license that I may or may not get the full plastic version by the interview time.

BTW I'm also going up to Vancouver for the medical, as I'm in Colorado  Flying in to Seattle then driving across the border in a rental in 1 week. 

[Mjc2021 8]

21 minutes ago, neluciubuc said:

Hello thank you for all your comments! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with L1 visa and I'm glad everything worked out for you! 

I just have a clarifying question - since delivery to an address is not applicable to me (I don't have anyone in Montreal and no plans to visit Ontario where I have a few friends). When I pick up at post office, which address do I have to match - the one I have in my NVC profile or an address I indicate upon registration for the interview? For now I have my Canadian license - which goes to the house I sold a while back - and a temp US license that I may or may not get the full plastic version by the interview time.

BTW I'm also going up to Vancouver for the medical, as I'm in Colorado  Flying in to Seattle then driving across the border in a rental in 1 week. 

So, my lawyer told me that the courier address has to match the address on the ID. I’m not too sure because the lawyer also told me I had to retain an address in Canada as an L1 holder. We sold our Toronto house, and I changed my Canadian residency to my brother’s house. My Ontario license has his address on it.  She had told me L1 holders couldn’t sever ties in Canada, so that’s what I did in winter 2020 when I got my L1. 
 

I used Purolator though and they never asked to see my ID. They just asked for me when they came to my brothers’s door in Toronto. 
 

Maybe someone here can share their experience picking up from a post office. 
 

Safe travels! The medical in Vancouver was very easy. I ended up being able to take a same day flight back to California.  The longest part was waiting for the x-ray. Medical and blood work was fast. Everything was quite close together but it was good to drive (had a rental in Vancouver). 

[Sarpor4 28]

Hi everyone,

 

I’m trying to get an estimate when my interview will be. My current employer is not the happiest I’m leaving and therefore is making my life hell. Demanding to know when I will be leaving my job. I was wondering if anyone has any insight when I possibly could be getting an interview based on current timelines?
 

DQ’d August 30th 2021

[neluciubuc 0]

16 hours ago, Mjc2021 said:

So, my lawyer told me that the courier address has to match the address on the ID. I’m not too sure because the lawyer also told me I had to retain an address in Canada as an L1 holder. We sold our Toronto house, and I changed my Canadian residency to my brother’s house. My Ontario license has his address on it.  She had told me L1 holders couldn’t sever ties in Canada, so that’s what I did in winter 2020 when I got my L1. 
 

I used Purolator though and they never asked to see my ID. They just asked for me when they came to my brothers’s door in Toronto. 
 

Maybe someone here can share their experience picking up from a post office. 
 

Safe travels! The medical in Vancouver was very easy. I ended up being able to take a same day flight back to California.  The longest part was waiting for the x-ray. Medical and blood work was fast. Everything was quite close together but it was good to drive (had a rental in Vancouver). 

Thank you for your comments, much appreciated! My lawyer never mentioned anything about retaining an address in Canada as L1 - I'm not even sure that's a legal term as I'm only familiar with legal residence (for tax purposes etc) and you can only be resident in one place  - where you currently live and work. A residency could be re-established at any time in Canada as a Canadian citizen after I believe 3 months or so. All the best!

[neluciubuc 0]

6 hours ago, Sarpor4 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I’m trying to get an estimate when my interview will be. My current employer is not the happiest I’m leaving and therefore is making my life hell. Demanding to know when I will be leaving my job. I was wondering if anyone has any insight when I possibly could be getting an interview based on current timelines?
 

DQ’d August 30th 2021

hello,

For what it's worth, I was DQ'd on March 6th 2021 and I got my interview scheduled in Montreal Nov 29th. I am not sure what your job has to do with this - are you on L1 in US or still in Canada? If you're on L1 there's not much you can do except dealing with the situation or going back to Canada. I never heard of an employer demanding when the the employee will quit - if things are so bad, they will just give your 2 weeks notice and terminate the employment. If in Canada - have you considered changing jobs? 

[Sarpor4 28]

1 hour ago, neluciubuc said:

hello,

For what it's worth, I was DQ'd on March 6th 2021 and I got my interview scheduled in Montreal Nov 29th. I am not sure what your job has to do with this - are you on L1 in US or still in Canada? If you're on L1 there's not much you can do except dealing with the situation or going back to Canada. I never heard of an employer demanding when the the employee will quit - if things are so bad, they will just give your 2 weeks notice and terminate the employment. If in Canada - have you considered changing jobs? 

Thank you. 
 

no, I’m just working in Canada. I think he is just low key mad he is losing me eventually. I’m leaving as soon as I get my visa in hand and he just wanted to know an estimate of when so he can re hire. It’s a position that I would need to train the person before I leave so there an immediate replacement.