siamnet74

Purulator showed up while I was out running errands...eventhough I was home all day yesterday (initially they stated that it would arrive yesterday). Now, I'll have to go pick it up tomorrow from Puralator.

I'm not sure if this info from Purolator is correct but it stated that the label was created this past Friday (Jan 17) and it's in transit to my wife's house in Cambridge, Ontario. And that it should arrive tomorrow (Monday Jan 20). I will update thist thread if it's true (arriving tomorrow) or not.

I'm almost in the similar situation as the OP. I am US citizen but I have Canadian PR (30 more days until i can apply for Canadian citizenship, woot !!!). My wife and daughter were just rcently approved (IR1 and IR2) to immigrate to the US. I was thinking of taking a bit of small stuff from my wife's house in my SUV across the border to my US house (2 hours drive) on a regular basis. For example, taking frequent trips back/forth every weekend by myself. I'm not sure if I need to declare anything at the US border that it's her stuff or my stuff to the CBP folks? Or is that allowed (moving a bit stuff here and there)? We plan on getting a moving company to move our furniture and heavy stuff which I understand that we need a list of inventory plus various duty forms, etc. to give to the CBP folks. Thank you.

What option did you pick that was the fastest? I opted for the "premium" where the courier delivers the passport/packets to my wife's address. I'm just waiting on tracking numbers and emails since my wife and kid was just recently ISSUED a few days ago.

I can only speak to issue of custody since there is no seperation agreement in place. The consulate would need either a court order or signed permission from the custodial parent (mother in this case) because they need to establish which biological parent has sole custody/permission to immigrate. For example, my Canadian wife (IR1) has sole custody of her 9 year old (IR2) but access right from the father and most folks on the forum stated that even if you have sole custody (either by court or seperation agreement), you "may" still need a signed permission from the non-custodial parent to immigrate. We were probably lucky that the Interviewer in Montreal didn't ask for any of that (I uploaded the seperation agreement to CEAC prior to the interview but had it printed it out just in case). I would think it would be easier to ask the mother to sign a permission (have it notarized) allowing her child to immigrate. If she says no then you'll have to go the court order route.

Since, I'm super old, there is a 80s movie with John Candy called "Planes, Trains and Automobile" and was our exact situation this past Monday. We flew from Toronto to Montreal for our interview on Tuesday and took the train back and then car home to Cambridge, ON. The roundtrip flight per person was going to cost ~700 CAD per person. Yes, the train was super easy/economical. There was free WIFI so you're not as bored.

Thank you. Is this the correct Serbinski?

Any Canadians that moved to the US, did you consult with a cross border CPA (for financial planning and not necessary just tax filing but tax implication as well) and if so, can you recommend one since there are so many? My Canadian wife has: retirement account from her work collegel account for our kid (RESP?) investment account(s) contemplating selling her house before moving She is trying to figure out some implications with those Canadian accounts prior to moving into the US: minimize taxes to either US and/or Canada she hope that any mandatory monetary conversion of those Canadian accounts into US funds can be delayed until USD/CAD exchange rate is more favorable for her. Thank you.

Update on this particular topic as it relates to Canadian (Ontario) parenting decision (i.e., sole custody) and access right (i.e., visitation right). My wife and stepkid had their interview yesterday(1/14/2025) at the Montreal embassy. I had already uploaded a bunch of docs relating to the custody: 1) signed custody/separation agreement granting my wife sole custody of the kid and scheduled visitation by the child's father 2) proof showing that the custody agreement was filed and accepted by an Ontario court (from 2021) 3) letter from the Ontario lawyer that drafted the separation agreement(2019) for my wife stating that my wife had sole custody. I also included more docs just in case since most people on this forum stated that EVEN if you have sole custody, you still either need 1) court order granting the move or 2)notarized/signed permission from the other parent: 1)printed out from Justice of Canada website on the difference in "relocation" vs "change of residence" - arguing that the other parent's access will not be altered thus no permission is needed. 2)I wrote my own legal memo on the same topic of relocation vs change of residence - (I'm a licensed Ontario attorney in addition to being licensed to practice law in the US but I do not practice family law or Immigration law) 3)printed out case law to show Ontario Supreme court granting international move as long as access isn't severely affected. The interviewer didn't ask my wife anything related to the custody of the child nor did she asked to see the separation agreement. She was concerned about two things: 1) my divorce decree from Georgia since it wasn't an original - had to ask a 2nd person since my wife told them that in county (Muscogee), the divorce parties only received stamped copies from the court and you can ask for a certified copy but not the original. The 2nd person said that was fine (my stamped copy from the court which was a scanned color copy). 2) my wife's youth criminal arrest (theft under $1k which was discharged) from 20 years ago. - This would be a problem if she was actually convicted (said the interviewer). The entire interview process took almost 2 hours and the interviewer told my wife that they were approved !!!

Quick update - My wife stated that the first officer asked for it (original divorce decree) and she told that officer that she didn't have an original and explained why. My wife was sent to a second person who said that the stamped copy (not original) of my divorce decree was sufficient. However, we shall see since my wife was verbally affirmed her IR1 today after the interview but CEAC status still says "Ready". Fingers crossed that they still don't need a certified copy of my divorce decree from Georgia.

For my wife (applicant), the Embassy send two emails, the cancellation email and another email with a new date and time. Now, the new date and time doesn't match the AIS website. The website still shows the original date. I kinda have given up using the website since it's not very accurate and doesn't even show my minor stepchild (IR2)'s interview date of tomorrow, just shows that I need to schedule her interview for available dates in Feb. Good luck.

I am sorry to hear about your cancelled appointment. Wouldn't they (Embassy) reschedule your interview if they cancelled it? I'm limited with knowledge and experience since the Embassy reschedueld my wife's interview without us having to do it ourselves. I'm sure someone with more knowledge can chime in on this.

Here is what CEAC's website suggested but doesn't work for me since all of my docs have already been converted into PDF. I will try renaming the pdf files. The size of each file is under 4MB and I would think size isn't my issue.

I was mistaken in thinking that my ex-wife had the original, but I re-read her email from 2014 (from her lawyer). The original decree is kept with the court. We both only received stamped copies. Certified copies must be requested in person from the courthouse. So, this entire time, I kept thinking that my ex-wife had the original divorce decree.

Well, if we request a new interview date, it's going to be nightmare since I had to contact my congressman's office twice to have Montreal merge our kid's interview with my wife's. I'm hoping to have the kid moved to the US to start a new school year (August). I don't mind a "couple" of months but not 6+ months to process (kid would miss a new school year). Fingers crossed and appreciate your response.

Yeah, I read that part about needing the "original" but I had less than a month to prepare since they moved up my wife's original interview date of Jan 29 to Jan 14. Then we had an issue trying to get them to merge my stepchild's interview with my wife...that's the only thing that is not original and I didn't think much about my divorce decree as not being certified or etc. I guess I'm keepign my fingers crossed since its' too late for me to go down to Georgia's courthouse to do so...I don't even know if my ex-wife is willing to do it or still has the original. I already messaged her.

It's a copy that my ex-wife's attorney made and sent to me as a pdf. It's in color. According to the courthouse in the state (Georgia) that my divorce was finalized (2014), to get a certified copy, you have to come in person. Otherwise, they can email or mail you a regular copy of the divorce decree.

I received a phone call from my Congressman's office just now. They told us that our kid's interview was successful merged with my wife's new interview date. However, my congresman's office didn't have enough time to inquire about the error being displayed by the website. As I'm typing this, I just received an email notification from Montreal stating my kid's date (merged with my wife) !!! Fingers crossed, the only original document that we don't have is my divorce decree. My ex-wife filed for divoce in 2014 and she kept the original (signed by the judge, etc.). My ex-wife scanned it for me to show me that it was finalized. Let's hope I don't have to go all the way down to Georgia to ask for a certified copy.

Does the Montreal embassy require an original divorce decree (of the Petitioner)? I only have a copy of my divorce decree (State of Georgia) since my first wife filed for divorce and she has the original. Would my copy of my divorce decree be sufficient?

Thank you for mentioning the timeline thing. I tried to figure out how to create that timeline thingy on this website but seems a bit convulated for me at the moment and I just created an unofficial timeline on my signature for everyone else to see. Once time permits, I'll try to tackle on how to create an official timeline. To answer your question about my stepchild's interview schedule: No, not reflected on the website at all even though I received an email from Montreal embassy stating that my stepchild's interview was merged/granted with my wife's original interview date of Jan 29 2025. The website shows my wife's original interview date. (I feel/could be wrong that there is some delay/disconnect with the Montreal embassy and the 3rd party that runs that registration website). The second email from Montreal about my wife's new interview date but still doesn't display on that new date on the website. My child's interview date on that website is "non-existence" (displays System Busy all the time for my child).

My wife is IR-1 and my minor stepchild is IR-2 (9 years old). The both have their own case number (e.g., they had their own I-130 apps, DS260s). Both have been DQ since August 2024 for each of their DS260s (CEAC's website). Their interview date of Jan 29 (original) were already merged (mid December 2024) after an expedited request from my Congressman. However, Montreal hasn't responded (since Dec 30 2024) to my email requesting merging for this new interview date (Jan 14). Montreal gave a notice to my wife around Christmas time of her new interview date (earlier than origianl date). I became desperate and emailed my Congressman's office yesterdy and they sent a request to Montreal embassy and awaiting response about the merge.

The email states "Dear lastname of my wife (no comma) and firstname of my wife (no comma)" The body of the email was in English and French. And the closing of the email is from an address that I have never seen before: However, from the interview website (https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ca/iv), still shows my wife's original Jan 29 2025 appointment. I've emailed the Montreal consulate about our child's interview date (originally same as my wife) since we haven't received anything about our 9 year old's updated interview schedule yet. No response from the Montreal consulate. Thus, I hope that email stating the change to the interview date is LEGIT but the website doesn't show the update or are we supposed to "cancel" and re-register? I cannot get any IT support/answer for the website (tried calling and emailing). However, my wife received another emailing confirming the new date change and it seems LEGIT: (again not reflected on the website, "https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ca/iv" of the date/time change)

Thank you for your kind words. And thank you for the explanation about Jan 9 - former President Carter's state funeral.

OMG, I am sorry to hear that. Did they give a reason?