misa

No, I never had a work permit as my case never reached first stage approval (which means no work, no ownership of property, no medical, nothing). After sitting in Alberta for 9 months, my file was transferred to a local CIC office in Toronto where it sat untouched until I gave up. Even the MP was baffled but unable to help.

Hmm... interesting. Well hopefully they will get your refund to you soon and good luck with the U.S. process!

At least there's the option for a refund which is way more than what USCIS will give you (which is nothing if you withdraw a petition/application or if you are denied).

The U.S. process may or may not be faster for your husband. It will be faster if he doesn't get caught in namechecks/security check holdups but if he does, there's no telling how long it could take. At least you were able to live there with him through it which is still a bonus.

For clarification, were you able to get a work permit while your application was pending? Because if you were, it sounds like you were in a similar situation as those here in the U.S. waiting years for AOS approval. They are able to work with an EAD.

If you're stuck with Montreal regardless of K3 or IR-1 (since you've been married 2+ years), go with the IR-1.

If I was doing this all over again, I'd stick with what we did (K3 then AOS). I went through Vancouver though and my entire process was really fast compared to many others (8 months - 4 for K3 and 4 for GC).

thank you for the information you helped me with on the k1 work info. do you have any more details on how i can prove to an employor that my fiance is authorized to work? any suggestions?

If your fiance did not get an EAD stamp at the POE, then they're out of luck and have to wait until they file for and receive either an EAD or GC which they can't file for until after you're married*. See the I-9 I linked.

*Well they can file an EAD now under the category for a K1, but processing is around 90 days and the EAD will only last until the expiration date of the I-94 which is why it's not advisable to file it now and to wait until they can file it AFTER you're married along with AOS.

Yeah, I'd get something from your family doctor clearing you. You may want to call up the panel physician again to ask them if they can write you a note or whatever confirming your family doctor's assessment. The last thing you want is your visa to be delayed because the consulate may wish to see something further from the panel physician. Never hurts to be proactive when dealing with the consulates!

Ah, you should keep all employment & financial stuff for at least 6 or 7 years (or longer if you're paranoid like me). Hopefully it'll all get sorted out!

Apparently The Box are still around... http://www.theboxband.com/en/index.html

Anyone remember Northern Pikes? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Pikes

Hopefully your old sketchy employer actually filled out a ROE... I've heard of sketchy places (mostly telemarketing places) who take the taxes off the employee's cheques but never reported it to Service Canada (i.e., keeping those deductions themselves). You have proof of employment with them like official paystubs and whatnot?

Here ya go!

http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/ei/empl...duplicate.shtml

I *totally* thought you got your interview date!

Here is a link to the I-9 and required documents: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf

I didn't know that we could do telephone reporting .. hmmm .. do you have more info?

I don't, but I think several others (mephys comes to mind) do telephone reporting. I think... maybe emancipation did?

Have fun!

I don't envy the position of the girlfriend. I know I was really worried when I met my mother-in-law for the first time. It was under less than ideal circumstances and we were already married and she already had some concerns about that since my husband and I hadn't known each for that long. But we hit it off and she loves me (and vice-versa!).

Carla, I know that you worked in a really specialised field in Canada, but you may also want to look at places like monster.com for semi-close out of state jobs to add to your list.

While it would have been nice to get special treatment, I didn't expect after reading up on the process.

Best to go through the process grateful with what you do have, rather than what you think you should have.

I agree with this! I was always grateful that the Vancouver and Montreal were never considered "hard" consulates to get through. And by "hard" I mean consulates like Casablanca or Lagos or Ho Chi Minh.

Now the CA fires are raging. I am going insane. At this point I don't even care when I am approved. It's just getting silly.

If you don't get an interview letter for your I-485 by November 11, go back to Infopass. There's not much they can do in the interim since you've been given the standard line of 60 days after they resumed processing when they received your RFE. But hopefully they'll schedule you soon. Is your local office a busy one? Maybe that's why there's been delays in getting an interview scheduled. I doubt very much you'll be approved without an interview since you adjusted from a visitor. Looks like the only ones really to get approved without interview are those adjusting from K1s.

I don't fit into a formula, unfortunately for me for this process.

Due to being turned back at the border in Washington ("voluntary withdrawal") for trying to mail some boxes from there (the guy at customs there thought I was moving I guess), and dug around and uncovered an ancient criminal charge I thought had disappeared. (I wrote about this in another thread.)

So I have been advised to sit on my hands and wait....do nothing.

Ah, gotcha. I must have missed your previous post. That sucks.

Ah!

But anyway, yeah, make sure you write down "Canada" on the return envelope!

My police certificate was like that too (no seal but had signature, etc.). It was fine. I think they are used to seeing all the different types of police certificates.

I cannot visit the U.S. and have had to give up something (the racing) I've been a part of for the last 3 years (this has nothing to do with my honey).

Why can't you visit? Plenty of us visited during the process.

Does anyone have experience with this?

I cannot seem to find any clear info on whether I need to order a marriage certificate from my previous marriage.

Depends on whether you're going through Vancouver or Montreal. Vancouver requires it along with your divorce decree/whatever it's called but Montreal (someone correct me if I am wrong) only requires the divorce decree.

From the Vancouver checklist (for K3, I'm sure it's the same for K1 but probably says, "if you or your fiance"):

Divorce and Death Certificates: If you or your spouse were married previously, obtain one certified copy of your marriage certificate(s), and one certified copy of the divorce decree, annulment, or death certificate to prove the dissolution of each such prior marriage. The certificate must show that it is an extract from official records and must bear the seal of the issuing authority.

USPS doesn't know where Ontario is??

sounds like they're in the wrong business if they don't

Says Belleville, ON (ON could be anywhere in the world). It's not really their job to guess where "ON" is. It's the job of the person sending the letter to make sure it's compliant to their standards.

If you sent something to say... NM or CA or VA through Canada Post that didn't specify USA on it, I'm sure it wouldn't get their either.

For those applying for or already applied for EI... I posted this in the pinned thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=1273347

I know I can do telephone reporting, but I'd rather mail it in so that there's an actual papertrail.

EI tip... the envelope that they supply you with to return your info and cards to Belleville, Ontario does NOT have "Canada" on it. My first few things sent to them (cards, info, etc.) never arrived there... then I had a look at the self-addressed envelope in the next set of correspondence and no country listed on it! No wonder why it never arrived. How the hell would USPS know where to send it?

Anyway, write down CANADA on the envelope they provide you.

Now this is interesting. Hmmmm....

Being I'm not versed yet on what exactly happens after marriage and the onslaught of paperwork, how does this differ from paperwork of applying for AOS if married within 90 days of entering the U.S.?

Although I can be quite spontaneous at times, I do not want to be rushed into "the wedding".

This is not to say I have a single doubt about my love for my Chicago-ite (?) sweetheart, nor his love for me.

It is as great as the universe, nay, the multiverse!

I know I know I have 6 months to enter the U.S.

This is not the same thing as being together for 6 months + the 90 days. Now that would be humane!

If you don't marry within the 90 days, as already mentioned you'll have to file the I-130 along with your AOS paperwork. I-130 = more money & proof of bonafide marriage.

Also in the time that your I-94 expires and before you file for AOS, you will be out of status (which may or may not be important to you). You won't be able to file for advance parole if you need to travel, you won't be able to file to work and depending on if and where you travel within the U.S. (e.g. southern border states) you may run into problems at immigration checkpoints along highways. Actually that goes for anyone out of status.

Just some things to consider.