Next Steps -- News from the Consulate

Dated 13 April 2007, we received our "next steps" letter/packet from the Canadian Consulate here in Seattle.

This is what they asked for:

• US$415 for Right of Permanent Residence Fee x2 (for self & spouse) -- submitted today
• Updated Schedules 1 for self and spouse (background declaration, the one that lists your birth/family info, addresses, jobs/activities, organizations, etc.) This is not as bad as it sounds because they were already done for the initial application; there were just a couple of changes and we printed them out again. -- submitted today
• Updated letter from current employer for me. (at least, they didn't say for spouse) -- submitted today (This time I was smart and gave the person all the text of the letter and only asked him to put it on letterhead and sign/date it; he was thrilled and impressed that I had done all the work.)
• Updated proof of settlement funds (current bank statements) -- submitted today
• New FBI clearances for self and spouse (no mention of states at all, including Louisiana which we never submitted because the government there is a mess) because the ones we submitted "expired" after a year. -- I sent away for these two months ago in anticipation of CIC's request and we're still waiting. There was a hasty note added to the materials saying that they (the CIC) understand that the FBI is taking very long these days and to submit everything else and the FBI clearances when they eventually arrive.
• Certified copies from the IRS of my tax returns for four particular years that seemed random at first and then I realized that it made sense that these were the four years for which they were giving me the "experience points" in our application. Use IRS Form 4506 (NOT 4506T because you need a certified copy, not a transcript) and there's a tiny box on item six that you check for certified copies. Cost is $39 for each year, so that was another $156 to a government agency. -- I sent the request today via certified mail.
• Medical exams -- they included a comprehensive list of DMPs (designated medical practitioners) in our area very broadly defined, instructions of what to do and what to bring, and forms with our photos attached to bring to the doctor. Seeing it for myself, I now understand that it really isn't a big deal (in terms of worrying that we'll be excluded for some health issue). There are two docs in Seattle and I was quoted US$380 and US$430. I called a doc in Vancouver (referred by West End Bound) and he's only charging CDN$154! We're thinking that we'll do this up North, but there are some snags to think about. One is that we're still waiting for Alan's new passport to arrive; we sent his old one in to be renewed two months ago. But the check for the passport fee just cleared the bank, so maybe that means progress. Also, the Vancouver doc is not available until the third week of May (at the earliest). And we'd have to take more time off from work than if we have the exams locally.

The CIC says that we have 90 days to respond. I take that to mean that everything has to be submitted in that time frame.

Wow. Is this really happening?

[P.S. I apologize that this post is late; it's been a crazy week and my priorities were recuperation and getting the stuff together for the CIC.]