Received PCC from Wife's Home Country

Today is a happy day for us. My wife finally received her Police Clearance Certificate from her home country. She also received her PCC from New York.

Now, we have all the PCCs here. All we need to do is print the CIC forms again with current dates and sign them and include all the supporting documents and send the package to the CIC Buffalo.

We also need to obtain a cashier's check of worth US$1190 (465+465+130+130). Adults $465 per person and children $130 per child. Hopefully! I can mail the package by the end of this week (Saturday, April 4, 2009).

Utah Police Clearance Picked Up

Today, my wife and I drove with kids to Taylorsville, Utah and picked up our Utah PCCs. It took us less than 10 minutes in their office and paid $10 each. It is the best looking PCC so far. The worst looking PCC was sent by Alabama.

Still waiting for wife's NY PCC and PCC from her home country. We were expecting them to arrive today, but they did not. Hopefully! tomorrow.

PCC from Alabama is Here

I received a mail from Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI). There was a page inside the envelope and it looks like an e-mail header (from, to etc.). It also has my name, social and it says NO IDENT. I am guessing this is the police clearance from Alabama, but it really does not look like it. The page does not even mention Alabama anywhere. Only term they have used is ABI. ABI can be Arizona, Alaska etc. I sent them two fingerprint cards. I wish they had returned one of the cards with the search result stamped on the back (like the FBI and the State of New York). As long as the CIC Buffalo accepts it and does not ask me to get another PCC from Alabama, I am fine with that. Hoping for the best.

Now we need to receive PPC from my wife's home country and her New York PCC. After that, I am ready to send my package. Can't wait to do that.

Received PCCs from New York and Illinos

Today, my wife and I received our State Police Certificates from Illinois and I received mine from New York. My wife still needs to get her from New York and I am still waiting for mine from Alabama. I mailed all these requests on March 11. My wife is also waiting for her police certificate from her home country, which should arrive by this Monday. Getting close to being able to send my application package to the CIC Buffalo.

Faxed a Letter of Intent to Alabama

This morning, I faxed a letter of intent to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation explaining why I am immigrating to Canada (they wanted to know). I wanted to say a lot of things, but I decided to keep the letter short and make it a little more positive, so I wrote this:

"The reason I would like to immigrate to Canada is for a better future for me and my family. I want to live and raise my children in a country which is peaceful, provides a quality education with an affordable cost, and most of all, provides a better medical care for its citizens with a minimal cost. Canada is the perfect country for me and my family."

I hope the ABI lady is not pissed off with my response and hopefully she will send my background check result soon.

Police Certificate from Wife's Home Country

Just learned that my wife's police certificate from her home country has been picked up by her mother this morning (March 23) and she will mail it to us tomorrow morning. It should be here in 5-7 days. Mother-in-law had applied for the certificate 2 weeks ago. So, they make you wait 2 weeks before you can pick up the certificate.

Today, I also received a letter from the Alabama Bureau of Investigation saying that they need a Letter of Intent from me and the letter has to include "a reason why you are immigrating to Canada". I thought that was pretty funny and made me a little angry too that they need to know a reason why I am moving (I do not even live in Alabama anymore). They are acting like the Canadian Immigration and Citizen people. Anyway, I am going to write a short letter tomorrow morning and fax them tomorrow. Good thing they are accepting fax.

Timelines: U.S. Visa Holder Category (H1B)

10OCT08-E-mailed documents to AINP for pre-assessment
17OCT08-Received confirmation e-mail saying the received the docs
10NOV08-Received invitation-letter dated Oct 31, postmarked Nov 3
24NOV08-Mailed full application package to the AINP (via USPS)
28NOV08-AINP received the application package (USPS confirmation)
17DEC08-Received the file number (xxxx-08-43x)
10FEB09-Received nomination-letter dated Jan 20, postmarked Feb 4

10FEB09-Received PCC from my home country (thanks to bro & sis)
17FEB09-Signed, dated and mailed the PN Acknowledgement to AB
17FEB09-Mailed the fingerprints and cover letters to the FBI in WV
28FEB09-I received my FBI fingerprint card back
02MAR09-My wife received her FBI fingerprint card back

11MAR09-Mailed documents for State Police Certificates (AL, NY, IL)
23MAR09-AL sent me a letter and wants to know why I'm immigrating
24MAR09-Faxed a letter of intent with an explanation why I'm moving
26MAR09-My wife and I both received IL and I received my NY PCCs
28MAR09-I received my PCC from Alabama (I hope it is a PCC)
30MAR09-My wife and I picked up Utah PCCs from their office
31MAR09-My wife received her PCCs from her home country and NY

06APR09-Mailed the complete application package to the CIC Buffalo
08APR09-CIC Buffalo received the application package (USPS conf.)
21APR09-Buffalo returned the appl. due to not writing 'present'
22APR09-Resent the application to CIC Buffalo (Happy Earth Day!)
23APR09-Buffalo received the application package signed by M. O.
07MAY09-Cashier's Check cashed/cleared (glad, no package back)
02JUL09-AOR and Medical Request arrived (postmarked June 29)

15JUL09-Medicals done of the entire family in Utah (4 people - $976)
22JUL09-Medical sent to Ottawa via DHL and tracking no. provided
23JUL09-Medical package is delivered and signed by MAILROOM

26JUL09-Change of address requested through an e-mail to Buffalo
28JUL09-My file transferred to New York from Buffalo (e-CAS)
03AUG09-My New Address is showing on e-CAS with a minor typo
10AUG09-Received the letter from Buffalo on file transfer to NYC
11AUG09-Submitted case-specific-enquiry to correct address error
31AUG09-Sent e-mail to NY Office to fix the error in my address
07SEP09-e-CAS updated with medical received and address fixed

01OCT09-Sent an e-mail requesting Case Status & PPR via e-mail
19OCT09-Received Passport Request, dated 10/15, mailed 10/16
21OCT09-Passports sent to the Consulate General of Canada-NYC
22OCT09-CGC-NYC received the passports signed by D. Chao
28OCT09-CGC-NYC mailed the passports back (per USPS Tracking)
29OCT09-Received passports back with PR visas in them (Hurray!)

15NOV09-Landed and became Canadian PR in Coutts, Alberta POE
19NOV09-Came back into the US using AP via Sweet Grass, MT POE
14DEC09-PR cards arrived for the wife and kids in Calgary
21DEC09-PR card arrived for me in Calgary (was mailed late)
23DEC09-PR cards and other documents mailed from Calgary (UPS)
28DEC09-Package arrived to Utah with PR, SIN, Health & Bank cards