Shades8

I thought it was ok to go into the US and activate the visa, but then leave before you get the physical green card if you had to? If I get mine after my interview, I planned to go to the US right away but then I have to take an international trip a couple weeks later. I was hoping that wouldn’t be an issue.

Amazing news!!! So glad you got the passport back and are ready to go. Happy days!

Awesome thank you!! I’m over prepared. I would rather be.

Is there a recent list of all the documents required for the interview? I see one in the FAQ on here but it’s kind of old now, and I have what they tell you to bring, but I was curious if there a recent list of what people are actually bringing? I don’t know want to show up and get caught out for not having some document! Do I need copies of every document I bring?

That’s so awesome. Very happy for you!

Congratulations!! They told him on the spot he was approved?

Oh phew ok. Because I’ve booked a bunch of travel around the interview date they gave me. I’m happy for you though! You’re almost there 😁

Ok wow. I hope mine doesn’t get moved because I’m going overseas for a while and won’t be back in Canada until a few days before the appt. Eeeep!

Do you know why they moved your interview up? Congrats!

Thank you for that. I’ve been reading about this whole AP/DS5535 thing and the stories of what people go through just sound horrible. I feel bad for anyone struggling with this. One thing I decided to do to feel prepared just in case, was get my 15 year travel history together. That’s freaking me out because I’ve travelled so much. Thanks again for the reassurance

Hi everyone. I just did a bit of a read through of this thread to understand what DS-5535 is and now I’m really worried this is going to happen to me. My interview is scheduled for Jan 22 for a CR1 (spouse) and I have 2 red flags that might cause an issue: 1. I used to have an L1A visa, which now is clearly expired and I have a copy of it showing the expiration date 2. I have to renew passport before the interview, it expires in March so it wouldn’t be valid for 6 months at the time of the interview. I plan to bring the old one with me but I wonder if they will make me completely redo my DS 260 because of the new passport. Sounds like it doesn’t take much for Montreal to hand out a DS5535 so now I’m really worried I’ll get one.

Congrats on getting through this process!!! How long did you your appointment take? I’m trying to figure out my flights home after the appointment and wasn’t sure how much time I should give myself. My appt is at 8:15am.

That’s easy! I was thinking I would have to do it on CEAC website before hand or something. Thank you.

My interview has been scheduled for January, but my passport expires in March. I believe for them to issue the visa my passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months, so I’ll need to renew it before the interview. Does anyone know what I need to do to update my application in CEAC and USCIS once I have the new passport? And will this impact the appointment registration I have to do to get my passport mailed/couriered back to me after the appointment?

Oh ok thank you! They make this stuff so confusing. I just tried to register and it says it’s not ready yet so I guess I’m too early anyway.

I’m trying to register my appointment it’s asking for a case number (I have that) but also a DS-260 number. Does anyone know what that is? I only have a case number and an invoice number

Right ok I see that now in the pre interview instructions! My big issue is that my passport expires in March so I’m going to have to renew it before the interview. I assume I just go upload the new passport into CEAC once I have it with a note or something? I’m hoping I don’t have to totally redo the whole DS-260 and resubmit it and that it won’t mess up the appt registration and courier service stuff.

Do we have to register the appointment? I didn’t see that in the email I was sent …

Same here! Just got mine and now can’t sleep. Interview Jan 22 for me.

So much for hoping for this week 😢 I seriously hope next week something happens. This last stretch of waiting and not knowing dates is driving me crazy.

Not for me, I am really hoping it’s this wee though!

Anyone else hoping a round of ILs go out this week? I’m hoping it won’t be end of month like last month.

Oh awesome! ok great, I will have a US residence and bank accounts while I’m gone and for when I return, so hopefully that will solidify things for me when I return.

Thank you for that info! So if i enter and then a week later I have leave the US for a month and half, would that be an issue do you think? Citizenship is not something I’ll be going for in the future.

I am wondering if once I have my interview and am (hopefully) approved for a green card, what is actually stamped in my passport? I assume I don’t really have any visa/residency status until I personally cross the US border and it’s at that point that I am granted residency? The reason I’m wondering is twofold, I need to move my things over to the US shortly after approval, but I need to be able to go overseas for a month at about the same time. I know I have 6 months from approval date to enter the US and get my green card, but I’m not sure if I should enter the US but then have to almost immediately leave the country for a month, isn’t that frowned upon? If I wait though, and only enter after I know I can stay put in the US for a while, I assume I wouldn’t be able to have my things moved into the US? Not sure what the right approach would be here …