EC&IC

I don't have insider knowledge, unfortunately. I assume it's sent to a central hub in each city, and then gets dispatched from there? My thought was that having it sent to my house, or even to an address listed in a town near me (90 min from Montreal), would add delays. So I asked for it to be sent to one of the addresses listed in Montreal, and I drove to go get it. It was ready two days after my interview! (On a Friday, which seems to be the trend.) (When I got there, at about 3 pm on a Friday, the offices seemed closed and there was no notice or anything... I was terrified that they were closed for the weekend! Fortunately, one lady waiting there told me that they were on their lunch break [!] and after a 25-min wait, they reopened and I got my papers. And crossed the border the next day!) (This is also a reply to @DijonMustard.)

Yes! 🙂

[Oh sorry, didn't see that others had replied already! I can't even find how to delete my post. 🤷‍♀️] It's this step in the process: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-5-collect-financial-evidence-and-other-supporting-documents/step-6-complete-online-visa-application.html

Unless I'm mistaken, what they need to see is proof that you have submitted the DS-260. I had a pdf entitled “Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application Confirmation”, that reads “Thank you—You have successfully submitted an Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application (Form DS-260)”, and has two barcodes at the bottom. It's printed from the confirmation page after you've submitted the DS-260. I don't remember bringing a printout of the form itself. It might be different in Toronto, though...

The question wasn't addressed to me, but we were in the same situation. As my husband and I are freelancers and because of our intention to homeschool our children, we didn't have any “easy” proof, like a job offer or registration in schools. Here are the documents we sent the NVC initially to prove his intention to reestablish US domicile (included with his I-864): Bank statements proving that we moved a big chunk of our savings to our American bank account; Bank statements proving that we had been using our American credit card for six months in order to build credit; Proof that we were acquiring land to build a house on, a quote from our builder, and a copy of our email exchanges with the bank concerning our construction loan; Proof that my husband had voted in previous general elections, with screen captures going as far back as the electronic system allowed. I wasn't asked any more questions about this at our interview, it seems like that was proof enough. But we did have a joint sponsor living in the US, I don't know if that changes anything.

I agree. My husband was living in Canada with me at the time of my interview and he entered the US with me when I finally got my green card. Your husband has to enter the country either before or at the same time as you, he just can't stay behind and enter later. 🙂 As for a US address and phone number, we used my in-laws’, as we were planning on living with them for a little while before finding a place of our own. Good luck!

I think *some* people have had bad luck with a border officer who thought they weren't allowed to enter the US while their green card application was pending, and then at the interview they had to say that they had been denied entry to the US, and while they explained the situation to the interviewing officer, it created some delays after the interview, for some of them, because the officer had to investigate what really happened. Just in case this happens to you, you might want to bring some print-outs from the USCIS website or other official sources explicitly stating that you are allowed to enter while waiting for your green card! That way you could show them to the border agent if there is an issue.

I think that would create big problems and/or long delays—definitely “a big deal”. As I was waiting for my interview, one lady was talking with an agent saying that she needed to make sure she'd have her passport back within two weeks, I think because she also had an international trip planned, and the agent couldn't guarantee it. They need your passport to validate your identity and stick the temporary green card (sorry for my lack of vocabulary) in it. It's the last step before you can cross the border. Personally, I wouldn't want to do anything to create hurdles to that process, especially after waiting such a long time, but maybe someone else will have a good idea! I hope somebody else can offer ideas!

I had my interview on Wednesday, March 22, and my passport was ready for me to go pick it up in Montreal two days later! I saw on a previous post that they usually release them on Fridays; I don't know if that is true, but it was for me. According to the Google sheet, it seems to usually go faster than two weeks, but it really depends on your case—other users had issues at the interview or didn't get their medical results in time, which resulted in delays. We had to leave our house before the interview, and I had reserved temporary lodgings until the 28th. Fortunately that was enough for us! But it's stressful not to know. Good luck!

Oof, a road test too! Good luck!

I got my Wyoming driver’s license last week with only my Canadian passport containing the (stamped) visa, no other form. My license is valid for one year, based on the visa. I'll have to show the actual green card to extend the expiration date of the license. As yours isn't stamped, you might want to print out a few webpages showing that even unstamped, your visa is valid! At least that's what I would do. Also, I had to pass a knowledge test—so did my US citizen husband, since he had left the country for almost 20 years. I did a few tests online and read a few things specific to my state, and I passed (barely!) on the first try.

Thanks everybody—I'm busy and can't reply individually, but I appreciate everyone's input, and we'll definitely research this healthcare sharing ministry concept more in depth. We've also contacted insurance brokers, but we're still waiting to hear from them. In any case, thank you all.

Thank you. It all feels a bit overwhelming, this shopping for coverage during our current medical situation, but we'll take the time to investigate further, thanks for your input.

Thank you! I'd never heard of that option. Although we're in the middle of nowhere, and the closest provider shown on that website is 350 miles away... But thanks for the idea, it's still a possibility. Thank you. We're in Wyoming, everything is far away, but I will look into this option as well!

Thank you. I will look into that, I have only heard good things from members. I also called insurance companies, but I wouldn't be covered either, it would only become effective May 1 at the earliest, with no retroactive coverage. Only Medicaid could have helped pay past bills, if our income was low enough. (As freelancers, it varies a lot, but my husband had a better year last year...) Thank you.

I got my green card and entered the US last week. We are working on getting health coverage (technically, we applied for a healthcare sharing ministry), but it will take at least three weeks to become effective (it would start on May 1). I just learned that I had a missed miscarriage, i.e., the baby has unfortunately died, but my body hasn't “realized” it. The OBGYN recommended a D&C if it doesn't pass naturally within a few days, and the hospital told me it would cost at least $8,000, up to $25,000 if there are complications (although there is a 30% discount for people who are uninsured). I’m trying to see if there is any way I can get some kind of financial help with this procedure, I don't want to miss any program I didn't hear of. I called Medicaid, since they have a program called “Presumptive Eligibility For Pregnant Women”, but I don't qualify because of our income of the last year. They also have a program called Emergency Services for Non-Citizens, but you have to have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years. I will look into whether I am still covered by my (Canadian) provincial insurance plan, but I assume that since I am not traveling but rather moving here, I will not be covered. So I'm looking into US solutions. Does anybody know of anything? Program, NGO, whatever? I understand that we might have to pay, and that it's what happens when you make such big life changes, but I wouldn't want to just be ignorant of something useful. The stress of the move and the sad situation (this is my 4th miscarriage in a row) kind of mess with my ability to think straight. Thank you.

We sold our car to a Toyota dealership in Idaho yesterday!!! 🥳 We were very clear about the importation situation, and it took a while to make it clear that we didn't have a separate piece of paper called “title” as American cars do, but they bought it for even more money than my husband had been promised as a “Kelly blue book offer” in Canada, and we traded it in for an American car. Problem solved! I'm mentioning it in case anybody has the same issue. It cost us a bit, but less than we expected, and at this stage, we just wanted to get it over with. It would be nice, but no. I think it's the same thing as someone who is already in the US having to go back to the border to renew their visa (at least, that's how it works in Canada, I think). You can't have your car already in the US if you're trying to import it, and an airport parking lot is “already in the US”. Here's the thread we had found on this topic—some people have luck with the after-market TPMS system, but it appears most people don't: —

(Please let me know if this should be posted elsewhere.) Had my medical exam today in Montreal, here is my recap. In short, I was missing vaccine boosters despite having reviewed the list over and over again, and a few details could be interesting to pregnant women or women trying to conceive (especially as concerns X-rays and vaccines); otherwise it was pretty straightforward! My appointment was at 7:45am. I arrived about 5 minutes in advance and had to wear a mask. There was only one other person before me. The lady at reception took my 5 photos, passport (she gave it back straight away), vaccination documents (she kept them), and consulate letter. She took a passport-style photo and gave me a few forms to fill out (personal information, medical history and consents to vaccination). At around 8, I gave her back the forms and sat back in the waiting room. I got called for the X-rays at around 8:25, at the same time as another lady. We got into cabins and put on a paper gown. I got done first and came out, leaving my things in the cabin. The technician asked if I might be pregnant, and when I said it was a possibility, I had to sign consent forms. She explained that she would protect my abdomen and that while there was indeed a very small risk of harm, I would actually receive 10x more radiation from the sun in an airplane than from an X-ray picture. She took two pictures, and 10 minutes later I was dressed and back in the waiting room. At about 9:00, I got called by the nurse. She inquired about one prescription that I have, likely because it seems to be an “off-label” use, and then went over my vaccines. I thought I had them all covered (I read the US list many times!), I had got a few at a pharmacy in January and February to get up to date, but she told me that I was missing three boosters: Hep B, MMR, and varicella. (I did know about the varicella, as I got the first shot less than a month ago.) I think one of the shots I got as a child was the “wrong” one for the US. She also said that as I'm trying to get pregnant, I should *not* have gotten a live varicella vaccine at the pharmacy. I got a bit confused about the rest. If I remember correctly, she also said that had I not gotten that dose a few weeks ago, she would have been able to give me MMR and (my first dose of) varicella together today, in a safe form. Also because of the possibility that I'm in the very early days of a pregnancy (or perhaps because I got the live varicella shot less than a month ago), she said she couldn't give me the MMR and varicella shots now. So she gave me the HB shot, but wrote a note that it was not advisable to give me the other two today. She said that I can get them later (I still have time before the interview), but that it wouldn’t change much, since my current vaccine status doesn't prevent me from entering the US. I asked her to confirm this about 32 times! It's really bothering me, but she said I would have one year to get up to date, and even then, the authorities might not even follow up. She printed the updated Quebec vaccine records and gave me a copy, along with my original records that she had kept. Then she noted my height and weight, did an eye test (she didn’t check my glasses but asked me to read a line with my glasses on, one eye at a time), and took a blood test. That part was done at 9:30. At about 9:50, the doctor called me. She went over the form (I verbally added two details about my “ancient” medical history that I had remembered, just to be transparent, but she didn’t worry about them or write them down). She temporarily left the room to allow me to put on a gown (I kept my underwear on), and she checked my eyes, ears, knee reflexes, listened to my heart and lungs, and she lifted the gown to palpate my abdomen a couple of times. We were done at 10. At 10:15, another lady at reception called me to settle the bill. I paid about $440, this includes one HepB shot ($51). She said it would take about 10 working days for the results to get to the consulate, and I would get an email when that would be done, but the consulate already has received notice that my examination was done today. After I left, I was unsure because I remembered reading on this forum that at least one person had a urine sample collected in 2021. So I called and asked if that was an issue, but the man on the phone said that none needed to be collected. So that's it! All in all, it took 2.5 hours, the people were very nice, and the waiting wasn't too bad. Let me know if you have any questions!