Immigration Progress - Exciting News!! Dust, please?

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 8:34:08 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 1/12/2009 8:07:13 AM
Author: neatfreak
Spark that is so exciting! Congrats!

As for the passport, I don''t know if the process is different in your case, but when you apply for a US passport in general it takes a few weeks (at least) to arrive. So you might want to call wherever you are going for your interview (the Consulate I assume?) and ask them directly to make sure it''s an instant thing for you.

Yes, so be sure to check on that.

And I''m holding good thoughts for you!!

Ellen - Thank you for dittoing that ... Absolutely sound advice! I''m thankful that that is not my scenario yet grateful that I have wonderful PSers looking out for my interests if it were. Can you imagine what kind of a mess I would be in if I had left it to this time ... (shudder) I don''t even want to think about it!!

Thank you so much for the good thoughts! I can definitely use them .... You wouldn''t, by chance, feel like dancing with me, would you?? I''m just that excited and really trying to distract myself from being anxious!

I figure dancing might be a better route to go than this --->

My neigbours are sick of seeing me in my pirate outfit.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 10:44:55 AM
Author: onedrop
Sending tons of dust your way!! DH and I have been through and are kind of still navigating the immigration process, so I know exactly what you are going through. I am sure everything will go well so don''t worry. I know....easy to say right?

As far as your passport, you should be able to pick it up within that 24-48 hour time after the interview. All they have to do is emboss the visa into your passport, it doesn''t take weeks for that process to happen. DH was approved on a Tuesday and was able to pick up his passport from the consulate on Thursday. Good luck!!!

Just FYI, I don''t think Sparkalicious is seeking US Citizenship at this point (I may be wrong) so she won''t be getting a US Passport issued. Instead, she is getting an immigrant visa, which is then placed in her current passport, so that is why the turn-around time is shorter.

Oh onedrop! Thank you so much for the well wishes!!

It''s nice to have someone who can relate. Did your DH enjoy that marathon medical as much as I did?!

Great ... thank you for the reassurance. Phew!

I was having nightmares thinking maybe 72 hrs etc! I have a flight to catch to NYC on Jan 23. The interview is on Jan 21 at 8:00 or so and I figure that 48 hours later catching a flight at 3 ish on the 23rd should be safe, right?

Thanks so much for the good luck. I will be biting my fingers waiting to receive the wonderful goodness that will be that embossed visa in my passport!!

and yep ... you''re exactly right! I am looking to get an immigrant visa not seeking US Citizenship ... yet.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 10:47:22 AM
Author: Kismet
When my husband had to get his passport at the Canadian consulate in Boston I believe it was a 2 day process. I think if a consulate arranges your passport it''s pretty darned quick. Good luck with your interview!

Thanks Kismet!! I appreciate the luck!

Is it the same sort of process you guys are going through? Canadians looking to have immigrant visas for the US?
Good to know about the 2 day turnaround for the passport as well ... that would be nice, huh? If they can do a passport that quickly then a visa should be easy peasy ... fingers crossed!!

I love your kitty in the av pic, by the way ... what was he/she grabbing for?

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 11:24:49 AM
Author: onedrop

Yup! I think she''ll have no problem there. There is a lot of red tape in this process, but getting the passport back is the most efficient part of it, at least from what I have seen.

Oh one drop, pls say it is so!!!!

LOOOOTS of red tape, huh?! How has the process been for you guys?

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 11:58:24 AM
Author: AmberGretchen
Ooh - tons of dust - how exciting

AG - Thank you! I''m sure that that stunner of a tsavorite & diamond ring you just got has a ton of dust power!

I appreciate it!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 1:55:22 PM
Author: musey
Very exciting!!

dustdustdust!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks musey!

That''s a lot of dust!! I''m loving it!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 2:12:29 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I have no advice but just wanted to send you lots of luck!!!

Thank you, Tacori! As long as it''s coming from you and the darling little Ms. Tessa - I know that I should be all good!

I appreciate it!!!

Thanks so much for stopping in to send me some dust!!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 2:50:22 PM
Author: Alienor
Congratulations!
I just finished the immigration process not too long ago, myself (though a different visa).

You should be able to get your visa within 2 days... Don''t forget to marry within 90 days of entry in the US, very important.

I am not sure if we are allowed to link to other forums, but there is this immigration forum that was a tremendous help for me. You will be able to find people in the same boat as you and it will help you with the next part of the process, your AOS.

By the way, if you visit New York with the K-1 visa in your passport. Do not activate it if you are planning on going back right away to Vancouver, BC! If you do, you won''t be able to leave the States without an advance parole document or the green card in hand. Be very adamant on that!

Alienor - You are a wealth of info! Thanks for sharing your resources ... I appreciate that!! Also - appreciate the reassurance about the 2 days. I''ve been stressing about that. Actually ... What is AOS? I''m not familiar or just brain dead right now.

I''m actually applying via the F2B visa, which is the unmarried child of sponsor visa not the fiancee visa, thankfully, so ... as far as I understand it, I don''t need to get married within 90 days of entry.

Good point about not activating the visa right away ... I have planned to say "It is not my intent to immigrate on this trip", hopefully this will suffice! I will be sure to be adamant. I hope that I don''t have to beat it into them! I don''t want to do it now ... ya heard?!

or maybe that''s not such a good plan?

Congrats on being through to the other side! Has it been a pretty seamless and relatively easy process for you?

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:29:38 PM
Author: TravelingGal
I''m always happy to give dust for immigration issues, as I am quite sympathetic to it!

Galateia on this forum is a canadian who went through it. I recommending visajourney.com to her and she found it helpful. I see another poster found it helpful as well. I have no experience with that forum, as I found a greencard lottery forum, but they all ask pretty much the same questions.

Good luck!!

Why - Thank you kindly for the dust, TGal! It''s nice to have a sympathetic ear!
Thanks for recommending that website as well ... I had come across a post where you had mentioned it previously but I just couldn''t for the life of me, remember it!

I wonder how Galateia fared through the process ... Well, I hope!

Greencard lottery - you are so lucky. I''m sure that that process was a lot easier! Did you find that it was not too bad?

Thanks so much for the good luck!! How is your lovely daugther doing??

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:32:19 PM
Author: 777_LDY
Sending lots of dust your way, Sparks!!!!

Luck from the lucky lady herself ... How wonderful!!

Thank you, 777''s!!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Dust, dust, dust! This is great news!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:46:47 PM
Author: bee*
Best of luck Spark!! Woohoo!

Thank you muchly, bee*!!

Woohooo, indeed!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:47:19 PM
Author: Burk
Dust, dust dust from me!! Good luck!!

Thank you, Burk! I love the dust!! Love it!

It just has to work!!!!!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:54:00 PM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 1/12/2009 3:29:38 PM
Author: TravelingGal
I''m always happy to give dust for immigration issues, as I am quite sympathetic to it!

Ditto!! Sending TONS of dust your way, Spark!!

Thank you, Ms. Gwen! Love it and soooo oooo appreciate it!

Are you having immigration issues or have they all been sorted already?

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 1/12/2009 9:45:51 PM
Author: SarahLovesJS
Dust, dust, dust! This is great news!

Thank you Sarah!!! It is great news and I''m so looking forward to not having to worrying about it anymore!!

 

[pjean]

Yay and Dust! I''m also a Canadian, but I''m in the US on a student visa, and now working on switching over to a green card. So I have huge sympathies!

Seems that there are a lot of us going in one direction or another, here on PS!

 

[TravelingGal]

Spark, AOS is adjustment of status. In greencard lotto lingo, it''s kind of a bad word, but in regular visa lingo, I think it''s fine.

Galateia did very well with the process, with the help of visajourney, I believe. TGuy went through the greencard lotto process and it was probably a bit easier, but most of it was the same thing you will be going through. We went through the Kentucky Consular Center, which processes the lottery and found them very organized and accesible. So that definitely helped.

Congrats again!

 

[chiapet]

From one immigrant to another, lots of dust and good luck!!! Let us know what happens.

 

[pocahontas]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, there goes our opportunity to have a cross Canada GTG

Just joking Cougs, I'm sending lots and lots of dust your way

What exciting news! I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for ya!

 

[:)]

Dust and hugs!

 

[Gayletmom]

Spark, that is so very exciting! It sounds like this has been and long time coming and I feel certain things will go well for you. Sending you gobs of dust!

 

[onedrop]

Date: 1/12/2009 9:08:07 PM
Author: Sparkalicious

Date: 1/12/2009 11:24:49 AM
Author: onedrop

Yup! I think she''ll have no problem there. There is a lot of red tape in this process, but getting the passport back is the most efficient part of it, at least from what I have seen.

Oh one drop, pls say it is so!!!!

LOOOOTS of red tape, huh?! How has the process been for you guys?

The "process" is nearly over for us thank goodness! DH just has to file to lift the conditions on his permanent residency, which we do in a few months. After filing it''s just a wait. It''s taking nearly a year for the LOC to be approved.

The medical was kind of an arduous task as I recall. Lots of running around between Drs. and labs. I wasn''t there for all of that, but from what DH told me, there was a lot to be done! You are holding up really well with it all...keep your sense of humor and you will be fine. By red tape, I just meant all of the paperwork and documents that need to be submitted, plus the waiting to have things approved.

As TGal suggested, you should check some of Galateia''s posts. She went through the same process that you did. Please let us know how it all turns out! If you have questions, I am happy to try and answer.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Pjean - You are a smart lady! I should have gone to school in the US and I''m fairly certain that all of this would be behind me by now. Good luck with your process ... I hope that it moves smoothly and quickly for you!

It''s weird ... everytime I need to go and get something done, i.e., innoculations, medical etc., the people always inquire, rather snidely and with a touch of disdain - why are you going there?! I just don''t get it. I find it annoying that they are so openly condescending intonating that I am making a poor life decision. Obnoxious, huh?! I don''t know why but I usually try to brush them off and say that I am getting married and that seems to be acceptable to them, however, this was in the works loooong before I was ever getting married ...so what would be an acceptable response then??!

Have you experienced anything like that from fellow Cdns?

 

[Sparkalicious]

TGal - Thanks for the explanation!

Organized & accessible is a good thing. I can only hope that the Montreal US Consulate is much the same. Thanks again for the forum info. I will be checking it out for any inquiries I might have ... I''m going to dig up some of Galateia''s old threads and see what I can find out as well.

Ohhh I just cannot wait!! Today is literally a week and a day away from changing my/our lives forever!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Chiapet - Hello fellow immigrant to the US!

Thanks for the dust and after all of your wonderful well wishes, I will absolutely keep you updated! Thank you for being interested!! When did you go through/complete this process? Similar scenario? If you are not comfy sharing, please don''t feel obligated.

Pocahontas - Are you kidding me?! I''ll be in Montreal from Jan 21 - 23 ... Come on over!

Wouldn''t that be fun? I have a friend/bm coming over from TO to keep me company in Montreal but she is leaving on the 22nd soooo .. I''ll have a whole day to get into trouble. I hope that there are no fab jewelry stores near the hotel.

It would be great to connect with any PSers who are in the area ... Hey - Why not just have that crossCda GTG sooner than you thought?!!

- I love your new av pic!! tee hee... Thanks so much for the dust and hugs! Much appreciated!

Gayletmom - You feel "certain" - That is fantastic! Thank you! I''ll take your certainty, if you don''t mind, and use it to bolster my confidence! Thank you for that and for the gobs of dust ... That combo has just got to work!!!

Hey onedrop! Thanks for stopping back in! A big phew to that ... nearly over is awesome! I''m really glad for you both. The waiting does get kind of tedious ... especially if you life is kind of on hold in the interim!
Yes - it was arduous ... You are lucky that you missed out. I remember laughing to myself when I left and my mom asked me how it went and I said "I don''t have syphillis or tuberculosis!" ... I was being tongue in cheek and, in true mom form, she was like ... "Were you concerned?" <---

Jokes, mom. Just jokes.

Alas, I guess I''m just not funny.

Yes - I''m off to do some PS research and dig up some of Galateia''s posts because I''m certain that they should be helpful & informative. I''m just nervous anticipating their questions ... Do you recall what types of questions they ask in the interview ... I would feel so much more comfortable being prepared and knowing ahead of time. From what I gather though, there is no formula for their questions. It''s more of a conversational inquiry process that is individual to each applicant. Any idea if this an accurate assumption?

Thank you for your kind offer of assistance. In true PS fashion going above and beyond!

Thank you!! and .. yes ... I will absolutely keep you updated!!

 

[pjean]

Ok, I think I''m sad that you guys linked to visajourney.com - now I have another forum to obsess over.

 

[Alienor]

Sparkalicious,
Duh! I dunno why I mentionned the K-1 visa as it doesn''t apply to you!
I am not familiar with your F2B visa, do you receive your green card within weeks of entering the US or do you have to file additional paperwork (AOS)?
Good luck for your interview!!! It will be a walk in the park!

Pjean,
Are you switching to a green card based on marriage to US citizen or work? Visajourney is addicting!! My AOS is done and I still go there, lol.
Like you, I was on a F-1 visa and adjusted while in the US. Good luck!!!

 

[Sparkalicious]

pjean - I know, huh?!! I''m treading lightly for fear that there won''t be enough hours in the day to eat and sleep with all the time I spend on the computer!

alienor - Don''t even worry about it ... all of this stuff is so confusing!

With the F2B visa ... as far as I understand it ... you recv your visa after the interview, providing everything is to their liking and then you activate when coming into the US. It should be easy peasy. I''m not sure about this AOS business yet but up until now I haven''t heard anything about it yet. Thanks for that bit of encouragement ... I need it to be a walk in the park. It''s always so intimidating sitting in front of somebody who holds your life in their hands. I hope that I get a nice person who has a sense of humor ... Should help me feel less like passing out!

 

[pocahontas]

Date: 1/13/2009 2:02:03 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Pocahontas - Are you kidding me?! I'll be in Montreal from Jan 21 - 23 ... Come on over!

Wouldn't that be fun? I have a friend/bm coming over from TO to keep me company in Montreal but she is leaving on the 22nd soooo .. I'll have a whole day to get into trouble. I hope that there are no fab jewelry stores near the hotel.

It would be great to connect with any PSers who are in the area ... Hey - Why not just have that crossCda GTG sooner than you thought?!!

- I love your new av pic!! tee hee... Thanks so much for the dust and hugs! Much appreciated!

Ohh Cougs, how awesome would that be?! Montreal's an amazing city, you lucky girl. I wish we could meet 'cause I have a good feeling about ya

But alas, I'm not available soooooo I guess we'll have to wait until you visit your friend in T.O

 

[blondebunny]

OMG I didnt see this! I have been wrapped in our own thread! heehehe!!

TONS AND TONS AND TONS of dust for you!!!!************ dust dust dust dust dust dust dust!