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Four Years and Waiting. ..
March 5, 2007 - 10:36am — norpole
I am blogging today hoping to find answers. My wife is a Canadian citizen and we have been trying to get an immigrant visa for her since March 3, 2003. We have traveled many hundreds of miles, met with a lot of people and paid thousands in fees, yet we are still waiting. We have tried to get a lawyer to handle this, but there are none in town. From what I have read, most lawyers who do this are a 50/50 proposition at best because they are tied by the same federal bureacracy that my wife and I are bogged down with. I was hoping the Journal could look into this for us and we would be forthcoming and honest in telling you the whole story. It just seems to me that a border town that handles so many crossings a year and sees both Canadians and Americans marry one another would have some resources to alleviate the suffering (oh yes, real suffering my friend!) of dealing with the United States government. My wife, Leslie, is a highly intelligent, respected woman who currently works in the Fort at Wal-Mart. She has had jobs in the past where she worked for the government of Canada, had to be bonded, and helped others make a better life for themselves. I am 49 years old, Leslie is 44, and with this stress on us, we are missing out on the simple joys that the Falls-Fort area brings, namely, fishing, camping, hunting and just being together. She cries every day and asks me, "When can I go home?" and I have to tell her it is Okay with me, but the people at the border will just send us back. To say it is straining our marriage would be true, but the one thing we have learned through all of this is that we do have each other. We just want to be there for our kids, Joshua and Melanie who live in far away towns and miss their mom and dad. Currently, we are waiting for a ruling from the Vermont Service Center on a petition we filed last May. We have been misled by their website and then by the person on the phone, (which takes forever to connect to, by the way). If they rule in our favor, then Leslie will receive an immigrant visa. Vermont will send the paperwork to Montreal (which is the closest U.S. Consulate for Canadians to immigrate into the U.S.) and then we might have to drive there (again) and get the visa. Or they might mail it to us. We have already paid for the Canada Post envelope for that. I will continue this blog tomorrow and until then, peace and love from the both of us, as we have learned, love is all with really have. . .. |
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If you are a U.S. citizen...
Back to page topIf you are a U.S. citizen and your wife is a Canadian citizen, you should be able to get her a visa which would make her a resident alien and able to live in the U.S. Have you contacted the Immigration service at the border. They would be the best place to start.
norpole, My brother retired...
Back to page topnorpole,
My brother retired from Immigration a few years ago, and did this kind of work in the "Vermont" Office, so he knows alot about this and who to talk to. He currently lives in the Falls and would probably be able to help you. I have opened my profile so you can email me if you want to and give me some info and I will see if he can help you and your wife.
BPARS, thanks for the info....
Back to page topBPARS, thanks for the info. I am a U.S. citizen, naturalized at birth by my parents, and she is a Canadian. We have been in close contact with the local office since that fateful day of March 3, 2003. As to helping us to gain a visa, you have to remember that they are primarily the detection and enforcement arm of Homeland Security. They have a difficult job with parameters that change daily. They have been for the most part very helpful and the events of 9/11 changed their ability to help locals like they would like to. As to my blog entry, I wish to add that I relate this to a nightmare. I fully understand that rules must be followed, but do the aliens crossing the southern border follow them. Do they do the right thing and voluntarily process themselves to enter the country? It seems that over 12 million of them have not, and they get credit cards, federal assistance and with fradulent social security numbers, but as to our problem, my wife has lost her mother to cancer, learned that her daughter has a very serious heart attack and is now estranged from her father. She is worried about me and my son, a young man who she cares for as much as her own child. She herself has had a mild heart attack, and I was off work for three months with a nervous breakdown (go figure!). She cannot drive in Canada because she does not have a car. She cannot even drive our truck because she is an Ontario resident and she must drive a vehicle with duty paid to the province. To bring her home for a holiday, I must pay a $65 fee and she is processed at the border office and given a card that she must return at the due date time. If she does not bring it back then I am in violation as much as she is, and I could be charged with a federal crime of harboring an illegal alien. She cannot cross anytime she wishes because she has committed the intent to immigrate and it isn't allowed. My grandparents from Poland crossed the Rainy River on the ice, and I can only think it must have been easier before the world went crazy. More tomorrow folks. ..
Immigration Matter, My wife...
Back to page topImmigration Matter,
My wife and I used Serotte Reich Wilson, LLP. to secure my "Green Card". I just received my "Green Card" last week. It only took 11 months and the process was seamless. Andrew Wilson (Partner) literally wrote the book on Canada/U.S. immigration. From start to finish our total cost was approx. $4000 USD. This included legal costs, the immigration physical and USCIS application fees. Call Nancy Hagen for more information. If you call her please let her know her favorite and only client in International Falls referred you. Nancy and her boss Andrew Wilson are great to work with and very responsive when you want a status update. There wasn't a single problem we had that they didn't address and take care of right away.
It's not too often one gets an opportunity to say nice things about lawyers. (Local lawyers excluded of course.)
Here's the firms contact information.
Nancy M. Hagen
Sr. Legal Assistant
Serotte Reich Wilson, LLP.
300 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
Ph: 716-854-7525
F: 716-854-0294
nhagen@srwlawyers.com
www.srwlawyers.com
NOTICE: "It's not too often...
Back to page topNOTICE:
"It's not too often one gets an opportunity to say nice things about lawyers. (Local lawyers excluded of course.)"
This line might read to some people like I'm saying local lawyers aren't nice. That was not my intent.
- Thanks
IntlSOS, congratulations on...
Back to page topIntlSOS, congratulations on your success with the arrival of your green card. We are not quite at that stage yet but we hope that is one of the items we will be applying for this year. Thanks also for the address and info on the immigration attorney. Unfortunately, we do not have that kind of money to hire one. We barely get by and that is by the grace of God. Since my wife has relocated in Fort Frances, she has lived in three apartments, one house, a tent for nine weeks in Pither's Point Park and now at a downtown hotel, who by the way have the nicest people in the world if you are in trouble like we are. We had thought it would be a few months,tops, to get her home and as it is now, over four years. We got our first petition approved after 20 months, the second one after 9 months. Then we had to go to Montreal for our interview, I say "our" because I am her sponsor. Montreal is an international city that speaks French. It was a bit of culture shock for us. We learned there that the police certificate that we obtained in the Fort was not complete as they needed it to be. Trying to help us, the U.S. Consulate sent us to the local RCMP and we tried to get this certificate straightened out, but alas, they could not. Also, we learned that Leslie had an offense on her record that she had believed to be pardoned. It was not in the eyes of the U.S. government. So that is why we are petitioning the Office of Homeland Security to allow her an immigrant visa. It was something she did as an 18 year old and she received a Queen's Pardon. I will not divulge the nature of the offense, but she was not totally at fault, yet she is still sorry for what happened and had no idea that it would cause us this type of suffering. The old saying "If we didn't have bad luck, we'd have no luck at all" is our motto. We see our neighborhood from Highway 11 east on the Ontario side, and we wonder how long and who can help us end this unfortunate nightmare. We admit our mistakes and errors, but they were ones of omission and not commission. We must give our thanks, though, to the professional and friendly officers at our local border and their counterparts at Canada Customs. They have one heck of a job and all of us must acknowledge the job they do for us. More later... . .I hope. ...
Norpole, Have you ever...
Back to page topNorpole,
Have you ever thought of moving to Canada?? I heard they have Hillary Clinton's health care system over there and it's great. Why would your wife want to come over to this country, when maybe it's easier for you to go over there? I wouldn't want to live over there, the Canadian's hate us, but still they want to come live in our country. Maybe just the Canadian leadership hates us. Just wondering.
Thanks roj2000 for your...
Back to page topThanks roj2000 for your advice. Yes we have considered having me move to Canada. If I move before I am 55, I will be eligible for their old age pension, on top of what my work pension and my social security and whatever we have saved, so it is an option. But like you say, you wouldn't want to live there and I have found as many appealing things about Canada as I have found non-appealing and one of them was their united distaste for Americans. I just can't abide by that and I was born in the Fort all these many years ago. My wife's wish was to live in the U.S. with me and be as she says "a Minnesota housewife", which sounds old-fashioned but to me is a slice of heaven. We thank you for your insight and help and we hope you can put a word in with the big guy upstairs to help us achieve our dream.
Norpole, I don't know if you...
Back to page topNorpole,
I don't know if you read my previous entry, but in it I said that my brother now lives in the Falls, and is a retired immigration officer, who worked on these issues on the Vermont border. He handled many cases like yours, and was very successful! If you want, I can try to hook him up for you, and see what he can do. He knows the system inside and out. And somehow maybe your wife can come live in the Falls, and your nightmare can finally be over.
Thanks roj2000, I do...
Back to page topThanks roj2000, I do appreciate your kindness but we are past the immigration stage at least for now. It is in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security. Apparently when a person who is young and foolish and makes a mistake that her country forgives her for, must pay for that mistake for the rest of her life, and she must suffer for it, and she must be forgotten, as she has been in this case as it is almost one year since we filed our latest petition, and she must wonder where is the great compassion and caring and freedom that America boasts but only is but lip service, and she must see the injustices that surround her when latin-americans enter the country illegally and are allowed to stay with jobs, services and more and when she sees political forces lie stagnant like a pool of bad water and when she sees the tears on her face as she cries each day for the tomorrow she hoped she would have with her husband, in his country, the United States of America.
I know this doesn't have...
Back to page topI know this doesn't have anything to do with your problem but I would like to forewarn others that might be thinking of doing what I did... years ago, my husband and I decided to have our first child in Canada. After she was born, we tried to get her home and customs needed proof that she actually was our baby. That was interesting because she was only a few days old and no, we had no birth certificate for her yet. And, it took FOREVER to get her an American social security card to become "Daddy's little tax deduction" if you know what I'm saying. Then her citizenship papers were accidently washed and it took $1000 and a lot of red tape and paperwork to replace them. Can't get a job without them. They needed all of OUR information (which was a real joy because her father was born in Canada to a Canadian mother and an American father). Oh, please, if you are an American citizen and you are going to raise your child in America, do not have that child in Canada!!! Needless to say, the next two were born in the good ole USA,
Norpole, This is the United...
Back to page topNorpole,
This is the United States Of "Mexico"!!
This is beginning of a major...
Back to page topThis is beginning of a major headach for all the children that we born in Canada to American parents. I received a letter a day or two ago stating that I have to prove my citizenship because my husband and daughter receive Social security and he gets medicare. I called to see what my citizenship had to do with their benefits. They tell me it is red tape because of homeland security and that I will need to have all those papers together when it comes time for me to collect social security benefits at age 67. I have no papers never did and lived and worked here all my life. I tried back in the late 70s to get proof of citizenship to join the Navy because of red tape back then I never could. But my dog has papers and that only took a couple weeks.
I just wanted to keep all of...
Back to page topI just wanted to keep all of you updated and also to thank you for keeping this blog going as I believe that whether it is the problem my wife and I have or the one that Tammy faces or the latest headline in today's Journal that says the system is a mess despite what Michael Chertoff says, we all have to be vigilant to continue to go back and forth for family, work and leisure. Today we received word from Rep. Oberstar's office and they apologized for being so late in getting back to us but they have contacted the Congressional Affairs Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration on our behalf. They said that it was extemely unusual for a case to go on for four years, and that there will be a congressional inquiry of that office and also of the St. Albans service center. Thanks again and I will keep you updated and we'll all have a big party when she gets home. Sometimes it pays to be the squeaky wheel asking for grease.
Congratulations Norpole,...
Back to page topCongratulations Norpole, That is good news. That will be a wonderful "HOMECOMING"
Sounds like things may be...
Back to page topSounds like things may be going your way, finally! Best of luck to you. It is a shame things have taken so long, and they are not cleared up yet. But soon, hopefully!
Norpole, Tell her not to...
Back to page topNorpole,
Tell her not to look back when she leaves that Socialist Regime!
Thanks roj2000! My wife...
Back to page topThanks roj2000! My wife once told me that she liked the way I loved my country. She said that not many Canadians think that way. Her daughter truly loves her country but she wants to make it better and hopefully she will. But other than rooting for Team Canada hockey, she didn't see the same love and respect out of most Canadians like we see in most Americans. We take great pride in what we have done, but we also take responsibilities for others when they are needy and that is a true sign of a great nation. Again, thanks to all and if you have similiar problems, let's work together to get things back to normal.
Norpole, Hearing that you...
Back to page topNorpole,
Hearing that you and your wife's nightmare might be over, really made my day, week, month and maybe my year. But I consider your wife a hostage, and until she is safely in the U.S., I won't rest. It is so refreshing to hear that some elected officials are actually getting something productive done. When she is safely living in Minnesota, then you can have a real "blast on the border"!!
Norpole, I have one question...
Back to page topNorpole,
I have one question for Norpole.
Did your wife first get deported because she was in the U.S. illegally?
The reason I'm asking is because the situation you first described seems to me to be a bit more complicated then a simple visa problem.
Yes, IFallsSOS, she was, and...
Back to page topYes, IFallsSOS, she was, and we did not know any better and that was our fault. Still, how do you account for four years out of our lives to get an immigrant visa for a Canadian? But that is in the past, she received her approval the other day for our latest petition, after one year of waiting. She should be back in the U.S of A. shortly and thank you all for your help and your interest, I believe in our town and all the people who make it great.
Congrats to you and your...
Back to page topCongrats to you and your wife!
Norpole, Even a Republican...
Back to page topNorpole,
Even a Republican like me is VERY happy to hear the good news, you and your wife have received. Remember, tell her not to look back, UNTIL she is safely across the border.
Thanks, roj2000, I just got...
Back to page topThanks, roj2000, I just got word that she is to have an interview in the near future in Montreal. Our contact with Rep. Oberstar's office in Chisholm will be getting the date and time of our next step (hopefully last for now!) Again, thanks dear friends and yes, roj2000, she will have a hard time containing her glee as we drive across the border with immigrant visa in hand. Stay tuned for more updates!!
As to the time of our...
Back to page topAs to the time of our interview, we have to wait thirty days past the day she received her approval letter to inquire when or if we go to Montreal to interview. Rep. Oberstar's office in Chisholm advised us to wait at least that long. I called the U. S. Consulate in Montreal this week and they had not received anything from the Vermont Service Center as of yet. I did not say it to the woman on the phone, but I was wondering if they used sled dogs to deliver the mail or the pony express, then I realized that I was being critical of dogs and ponies. She was quite rude, but then again, she receives a lot of phone calls every day from people as anxious as us. I will let you know more when I get it. Thanks to all!!
Hi to all of my friends and...
Back to page topHi to all of my friends and thank you so much for your interest in our case. It's been a while but the latest news is we were to receive a letter detailing new instructions on what to do next. That letter was mailed from Montreal on April 27. It went to the address in Fort Frances that Leslie first lived at, but the family there said they never received it. So we faxed the current address to Montreal on May 22 and so far, we have had no response. I called the other day to see what the hold up was and the woman said that all faxes go into the mail service then mailed out when they get them. So we are back to waiting again. We were hoping to get Leslie home before her birthday in July but that seems out of the question now. We probably have to get another police certificate and another physical examination and send that in before getting an interview in Montreal. We cannot see Dr. Helleloid for her physical and must go to Winnipeg. It becomes very frustrating and we need your prayers to get through this time. Thanks again to all for helping us!!
Remember the Canadians HATE...
Back to page topRemember the Canadians HATE us, therefore don't expect them to bend over backwards to help one of their citizens move over to the BEST country in the world. Good luck, and just remember that no matter how long it takes, it will all be worth it, when she can look back at Canada and say goodbye with her middle finger or however you wish to do it. Since they have Hillary's socialized medical plan in Canada, how long a wait is it to get a physical??
As a Canadian, I would like...
Back to page topAs a Canadian, I would like to say we don't HATE all Americans, just the ones who are presumptuous jerks(for lack of a explicit word). If Canadian's hate Americans so much, why is it that she married him? Was it out of spite, to teach a lesson, maybe to gather intel about the USA so that she can provide her homeland with explicit details about the corrupt and democratically confused USA.
Speaking of making assumptions, this is like anyone who uses the label "African American", which happens to be the dumbest, most persistently used phrase in our vernacular. Every time you call someone an "African American," you're making at least two assumptions about the person:
1. That the person is an American. For example, if you saw this guy walking along on a street, you would probably think:
African American.
...which is fine, except for one tiny detail: this man is British, which makes you a presumptuous jerk, yet again.
2. That the person is African (because it's inconceivable that black people could come from Haiti, India, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Australia, or Jamaica).
Not to mention that every time you give a black person the distinction of being "African American" out of a mixed group, you're making an assumption about an entire continent; not everyone from Africa is black. I guarantee all you politically correct morons out there have never called a white person an African American. Of course you could avoid all these problems by using the same standards on blacks as you would on whites by simply assuming that all whites are from Africa just as you do for all blacks, but that might be too forward, and in a polite society like ours, people would be all too pleased to point out which of the 192 countries you didn't guess they were actually from.
I guess the point I'm really drilling here is, don't assume. Maybe I could have said that and skipped the diatribe? Nah, I enjoy being long-winded and a realist.
And you all in the Falls...
Back to page topAnd you all in the Falls thought I was "something else"!!!! I actually am busy now, but will explain more (later) why I think the Canadians have such a "disdain" for us Americans!! Most of my living relatives, reside in Canada, and my sister and brother were born in Canada, but opted to become Americans. Pretty country (Canada), but filled with looney toons!!!!
You didn't read my post at...
Back to page topYou didn't read my post at all, did you? :(