I129 on way to montreal...what should I get ready?

[mozplay 29]

Hi Monica and welcome to the waiting game. CutenPurg said it all, but I wanted to stress that you do not have to have everything asked for on the checklist to send it back. Send it back iASAP after recieving it and then start working on your stuff.

What I did during this period was stress, practice filling out all the forms for this stage and the AOS stage (unfortunately I did not practice gathering the information from my co-sponsor and have gotten delayed), stressed some more, and came here for support.

Make sure you have a valid passport, a long copy of your birth certificate, and if you have a criminal record then you will want to get started on your police check now. Also think of all the things you will need for your big move. University transcripts come to mind.

The other thing you can do is buy a bottle of whatever you like best. Hell.. if it's only chocolate milk it wil do to have some on hand for those moments that you just need some comfort.

Monique

[monicatony 0]

Hi Monica and welcome to the waiting game. CutenPurg said it all, but I wanted to stress that you do not have to have everything asked for on the checklist to send it back. Send it back iASAP after recieving it and then start working on your stuff.

What I did during this period was stress, practice filling out all the forms for this stage and the AOS stage (unfortunately I did not practice gathering the information from my co-sponsor and have gotten delayed), stressed some more, and came here for support.

Make sure you have a valid passport, a long copy of your birth certificate, and if you have a criminal record then you will want to get started on your police check now. Also think of all the things you will need for your big move. University transcripts come to mind.

The other thing you can do is buy a bottle of whatever you like best. Hell.. if it's only chocolate milk it wil do to have some on hand for those moments that you just need some comfort.

Monique

thank you. The support from you all is invaluable. My husband has neither the time nor the patience to research and obsess so it's left to me and at least I have others who can relate!

Monica

[Lance27 19]

mozplay is right. What I did was take a copy of the checklist for myself, check everything on the list which was applicable and put a N/a on items that didnt apply and sent in the checklist back along with the DS-230 and the DS-156 2 copies (filled out online) and sent it in last week. I called Montreal and asked about the interview date and was told the same thing as everyone on here. It will take upto 4 months to schedule an interview, so going on when I sent in the checklist, I am hoping end of June. This seems to be the hardest part of the wait and its only been 3 days since I sent in the checklist

Lance

Hi Monica and welcome to the waiting game. CutenPurg said it all, but I wanted to stress that you do not have to have everything asked for on the checklist to send it back. Send it back iASAP after recieving it and then start working on your stuff.

What I did during this period was stress, practice filling out all the forms for this stage and the AOS stage (unfortunately I did not practice gathering the information from my co-sponsor and have gotten delayed), stressed some more, and came here for support.

Make sure you have a valid passport, a long copy of your birth certificate, and if you have a criminal record then you will want to get started on your police check now. Also think of all the things you will need for your big move. University transcripts come to mind.

The other thing you can do is buy a bottle of whatever you like best. Hell.. if it's only chocolate milk it wil do to have some on hand for those moments that you just need some comfort.

Monique

thank you. The support from you all is invaluable. My husband has neither the time nor the patience to research and obsess so it's left to me and at least I have others who can relate!

Monica

[Lance27 19]

P.S If you want to have a look at the checklist, I have it scanned. Im gonna try upload the file here.

mozplay is right. What I did was take a copy of the checklist for myself, check everything on the list which was applicable and put a N/a on items that didnt apply and sent in the checklist back along with the DS-230 and the DS-156 2 copies (filled out online) and sent it in last week. I called Montreal and asked about the interview date and was told the same thing as everyone on here. It will take upto 4 months to schedule an interview, so going on when I sent in the checklist, I am hoping end of June. This seems to be the hardest part of the wait and its only been 3 days since I sent in the checklist

Lance

Hi Monica and welcome to the waiting game. CutenPurg said it all, but I wanted to stress that you do not have to have everything asked for on the checklist to send it back. Send it back iASAP after recieving it and then start working on your stuff.

What I did during this period was stress, practice filling out all the forms for this stage and the AOS stage (unfortunately I did not practice gathering the information from my co-sponsor and have gotten delayed), stressed some more, and came here for support.

Make sure you have a valid passport, a long copy of your birth certificate, and if you have a criminal record then you will want to get started on your police check now. Also think of all the things you will need for your big move. University transcripts come to mind.

The other thing you can do is buy a bottle of whatever you like best. Hell.. if it's only chocolate milk it wil do to have some on hand for those moments that you just need some comfort.

Monique

thank you. The support from you all is invaluable. My husband has neither the time nor the patience to research and obsess so it's left to me and at least I have others who can relate!

Monica

[monicatony 0]

P.S If you want to have a look at the checklist, I have it scanned. Im gonna try upload the file here.

mozplay is right. What I did was take a copy of the checklist for myself, check everything on the list which was applicable and put a N/a on items that didnt apply and sent in the checklist back along with the DS-230 and the DS-156 2 copies (filled out online) and sent it in last week. I called Montreal and asked about the interview date and was told the same thing as everyone on here. It will take upto 4 months to schedule an interview, so going on when I sent in the checklist, I am hoping end of June. This seems to be the hardest part of the wait and its only been 3 days since I sent in the checklist

Lance

Hi Monica and welcome to the waiting game. CutenPurg said it all, but I wanted to stress that you do not have to have everything asked for on the checklist to send it back. Send it back iASAP after recieving it and then start working on your stuff.

What I did during this period was stress, practice filling out all the forms for this stage and the AOS stage (unfortunately I did not practice gathering the information from my co-sponsor and have gotten delayed), stressed some more, and came here for support.

Make sure you have a valid passport, a long copy of your birth certificate, and if you have a criminal record then you will want to get started on your police check now. Also think of all the things you will need for your big move. University transcripts come to mind.

The other thing you can do is buy a bottle of whatever you like best. Hell.. if it's only chocolate milk it wil do to have some on hand for those moments that you just need some comfort.

Monique

thank you. The support from you all is invaluable. My husband has neither the time nor the patience to research and obsess so it's left to me and at least I have others who can relate!

Monica

thank you for the peek at the checklist Lance. I think I understand that you don't have to actually send the birth/marriage/divorce/police certificates in with the checklist ....just check that you have them. Is that correct? Do I bring them to the interview or do I send the originals back with the checklist right away? Also... I read elsewhere that a nationwide police certificate from the RCMP is okay....rather than the checklist suggests.. having something from every local police service where you've lived since 16.

thanks Monica

[Flames9_RN 358]

Yes 1 Canada Wide background check by the RCMP or thr city police will suffice!!

[Lance27 19]

That is correct. I just checked off everything on the list that was applicable to me and sent it in along with the DS-156 and the DS-230. I have all the original paperwork with me and my medical is scheduled for March 12. Police certificate from the RCMP is good enough. Here is the website where you can contact the office closest to you. I was told it would take 5-7 business days to obtain one. http://www.fingerprintingservice.com/index.html I must say however that you do not need to get fingerprints done as this is taking about 120-150 days to get. Just ask for a police clearance based on your name check. Tell them it is for US immigration and take your checklist and letter you receive from Montreal.

It said take originals along with a copy to the consulate on the interview date. I am assuming that they verify the copies with the originals and keep the copies, but I am not sure, someone who has been to the interview may be able to help on that point.

P.S If you want to have a look at the checklist, I have it scanned. Im gonna try upload the file here.

mozplay is right. What I did was take a copy of the checklist for myself, check everything on the list which was applicable and put a N/a on items that didnt apply and sent in the checklist back along with the DS-230 and the DS-156 2 copies (filled out online) and sent it in last week. I called Montreal and asked about the interview date and was told the same thing as everyone on here. It will take upto 4 months to schedule an interview, so going on when I sent in the checklist, I am hoping end of June. This seems to be the hardest part of the wait and its only been 3 days since I sent in the checklist

Lance

Hi Monica and welcome to the waiting game. CutenPurg said it all, but I wanted to stress that you do not have to have everything asked for on the checklist to send it back. Send it back iASAP after recieving it and then start working on your stuff.

What I did during this period was stress, practice filling out all the forms for this stage and the AOS stage (unfortunately I did not practice gathering the information from my co-sponsor and have gotten delayed), stressed some more, and came here for support.

Make sure you have a valid passport, a long copy of your birth certificate, and if you have a criminal record then you will want to get started on your police check now. Also think of all the things you will need for your big move. University transcripts come to mind.

The other thing you can do is buy a bottle of whatever you like best. Hell.. if it's only chocolate milk it wil do to have some on hand for those moments that you just need some comfort.

Monique

thank you. The support from you all is invaluable. My husband has neither the time nor the patience to research and obsess so it's left to me and at least I have others who can relate!

Monica

thank you for the peek at the checklist Lance. I think I understand that you don't have to actually send the birth/marriage/divorce/police certificates in with the checklist ....just check that you have them. Is that correct? Do I bring them to the interview or do I send the originals back with the checklist right away? Also... I read elsewhere that a nationwide police certificate from the RCMP is okay....rather than the checklist suggests.. having something from every local police service where you've lived since 16.

thanks Monica

Edited February 25, 2007 by Lance27

[Flames9_RN 358]

1 only requires fingerprinting if they have ever had a criminal record. No criminal record, NO fingerprints. And each RCMP/police detachment is different. Some charge a fee, some do not (fee varies as well) some you get the cert on the spot, some take a few days, other longer. And the cert appearance varies as well, even among RCMP detachments!! Soem include ur pic, some do not!! No such thing as uniformity!! lol But it is a fairly easy document to get.

[monicatony 0]

thanks guys.

the police check I'm working on. I need to renew my passport as it expires in Sept. Waiting for this mad rush of spring breakers, trying to get a passport to fly to the US, to die down a bit. And to further complicate things, I've moved since filing everything so now I need to tell someone my new address. I am going to visit hubby tomorrow and will try to phone NVC or customer service, from the US to give them my new info. Always the drama....

[kristenm 0]

Personally, if I had to do it again, I would ask from file to be transferred to the Vancouver Embassy ASAP!!!!!!!! They are SO MUCH FASTER with appt's its crazy.

It will cost more in terms of travel etc... but from what I've seen, it cuts down the wait from 4 months (MTL if your lucky) to apprx. 1.5 months (from the date that they recieve your hard copy file).

But that's just my two cents. Maybe it has changed but I doubt it. They said your Packet 4 very quickly.

[misa 2]

Vancouver is still really quick (see my timeline).