Love or Opportunity? Coffee Social

[parker24]

Yeah don't even get me started on the medical system down here....lol
Yeah when it comes down to it we will still be spending less for Canadian immigration, getting our kids Canadian citizenship certificates, passports for all 5 of us, Canadian passports for the kids, move 5000 miles and reestablish ourselves for around the same price as just the immigration to US.....

That's just sad lol. You can tell they are trying to pay off some debt!

 

[mameelynn]

When I got my chest x-ray for $45 I about passed out. An x-ray for $45?!?!?!?! That's a few hundred bucks easy in the US!

Yeah my mom and step-dad just moved up to BC from Washington and he needed to go to a walk-in clinic because he lost his asthma meds (they were going to buy 6 months worth down in the US before the move but would have been $2600ish for them all) and when he said he needed to know how much the cost was for no insurance the receptionist was like "oh your last province will cover you!" when he explained he was from the US and didn't have any coverage she went in search of the costs book and then was all quite and said "I'm really sorry but it will be $53 to be able to go to the walk-in" they almost fell over because their co-pay here was almost that much! In the end he had to get three prescriptions filled and again they were worried about the cost. When my step-dad got back into the car my mom asked how much it was and he said $35 she said oh was that just for the antibiotic and he said no for all 3!!

 

[JimM]

well there are a lot of hoops to jump through. We had to wait a long time to be able to apply and because of that there would have been a large penalty fee for us to pay. Add on top of that the fact that the US has almost tripled the costs in the last few years it would have been around the $10,000 mark for immigration. You also have to sign an affidavit saying you will never receive government assistance ever until you get citizenship(which I never would have gotten!) Plus there is a chance that I could have been deported and not aloud to re-enter for 3-10 years. Also as crazy as the lists of paperwork are for CIC at least you can go to one main page that shows the check list for what forms you need where as the US site starts you off with one link and at the bottom of that it says "to be filled in conjunction with form 1234" and when you get to the bottom of that one there is another link and it just goes on and on. I think I went through one form to the next for over an hour one day and never got linked back to any of the ones I had already been to!!!! Oh and that is just for your "temporary PR"or "temporary green card" status. You then have to go though most of it all over again 5 years later to get your "PR green card" but to keep PR in the US you have to live in the US for 6 months every year or forfeit your green card and if you ever want to move back down to the US you have to go through the whole process again!

The site itself is so disorganized and hard to find just what you need to fill out etc that you would need a lawyer just to tell you what forms you need. I was really dreading dealing with it to bring my wife here, but then when I went to meet her family I fell in love with her home town and we changed plans rapidly

 

[uskyoot]

I was lucky enough to meet someone in the US that works for an immigration lawyer and she helped with my paper work. I then did my daughters and grandsons as well as a friend that has moved to Atlanta. USCIS, (US immigration) neglects to mention things on its website that you need to include. It is very confusing (and I now work for that US Immigration lawyer)The most difficult thing in the US is the income requirement for spnosoring family members (even spouse and children) If you cant meet those requirements then you must have a joint sponsor who is responsible for your family for 10 years.....hard to find,

As for health care.....I was just starting to understand my healthcare and my husband employer changed companies.

My American husband had never been to Canada before we got married...he has been there 4 times and is ready to move there NOW!!!! We are old folks but we have a couple more years until he retires....

 

[amikety]

I've noticed the US government enjoys not telling people what they need to know.

When I moved from Georgia to Ohio, not anywhere on their website did the Ohio DMV state I need my social security card to get my new plates. They told me I needed a picture ID, proof of residence, and a secondary proof of ID which included items such as birth certificate and debit card. I took well over 12 pieces of approved ID with me, including 3 different picture IDs, only to have the lady declare I had to have my social security card. I told her this was not a requirement listed on the website. She didn't care and she was incredibly rude on top of it. (A DMV employee??? I know right!)

Took me two weeks to go order a replacement SSN card, then try to get my new plates. That's when they decided to mention I also needed a vehicle inspection (new since I had moved out of Ohio) to make sure the VINs match. Who the heck was going to steal a 1993 Toyota Carolla? Oh and they didn't do inspections at their office, I had to drive twenty miles east to another branch....... GRRRRR!

By the third time I went in, if that ungrateful wench hadn't given me my plate, she was going to be eating it!

 

[Ms Malawi]

Good Morning everyone!

 

[amikety]

Good Morning everyone!

Good morning! My hubby is getting ready to run over to BMO to drop $1040 and buy a few oversized envelopes!

 

[Ms Malawi]

Good morning! My hubby is getting ready to run over to BMO to drop $1040 and buy a few oversized envelopes!

That is exciting.. I bet it feels like about time! Does that mean everything is ready to go???

 

[amikety]

That is exciting.. I bet it feels like about time! Does that mean everything is ready to go???

He has to fill out sponsor questionnaire (I forgot to give him that link to do) and print off the letter from his dad, which is on his computer. He upgraded to Windows 8 and I couldn't figure out how to search for an item to save my life.

Everything else is arranged nicely. My packet is done, checklist on top, forms in order of checklist, then ID docs, police clearance, medical form, etc.

It was all prettier until the cat walked all over it. Now there's crinkles in all the papers. ;D ;D

 

[Ms Malawi]

It was all prettier until the cat walked all over it. Now there's crinkles in all the papers. ;D ;D

Now it is authentic! Those cat wrinkles are sure to make it move through the process!

 

[amikety]

Now it is authentic! Those cat wrinkles are sure to make it move through the process!

"She said they adopted a cat (yes, that was part of our relationship development) and I see paw prints all over this! It's true!"

"Sir, there's a picture of the cat."

DUN DUN DUN!

Hubby just headed off to the bank. He swears he doesn't need me there to pay. I texted him my client ID and the fee, total and in parts. I hope he can do it!

 

[parker24]

"She said they adopted a cat (yes, that was part of our relationship development) and I see paw prints all over this! It's true!"

"Sir, there's a picture of the cat."

DUN DUN DUN!

Hubby just headed off to the bank. He swears he doesn't need me there to pay. I texted him my client ID and the fee, total and in parts. I hope he can do it!

He's right, he doesn't need you there Tony was there when I paid, but the bank teller barely looked at him haha (Though, I think she might have been VERY nearsighted. Her glasses were HUGE).

 

[Ms Malawi]

"She said they adopted a cat (yes, that was part of our relationship development) and I see paw prints all over this! It's true!"

"Sir, there's a picture of the cat."

DUN DUN DUN!

Hubby just headed off to the bank. He swears he doesn't need me there to pay. I texted him my client ID and the fee, total and in parts. I hope he can do it!

I love it. Best relationship development I can see..and I hope there is at least a good photo of the cat! Should be near the beginning!!

Someone sounds excited! Long time coming I would imagine!!

 

[Ms Malawi]

He's right, he doesn't need you there Tony was there when I paid, but the bank teller barely looked at him haha (Though, I think she might have been VERY nearsighted. Her glasses were HUGE).

But its just another memory to add into the immigration chapter! Now I wish I had that kinda story, not my three attempts online!

 

[parker24]

But its just another memory to add into the immigration chapter! Now I wish I had that kinda story, not my three attempts online!

Some memories I'd like to rub out with bleach and steel wool though!

Oh yeah, I had two photos from our wedding of the dogs, they were flowerdog and ringwoofer when we got the photos back, those two looked like they were handled the most bahahaha! Must have passed it around going "Oh my word look at this! This is adorable!" (Have to admit, my dogs ARE adorable )