scrubbedexpat091

I got the email of instructions today for my US Consulate Appointment in Vancouver next month, there isn't 1 but 2 security check points. To get into the building you have to go through a security check, then once inside the building, you have to go through another security check, guess they don't trust just having 1.

No phone, electronic devices etc allowed inside.


Thankfully they accept Canadian cash, so at least I wont have to go fuss with getting US currency and can just pay with the appropriate Canadian dollar amount, about $150 CAD$. Now just have to hope there is no snow, middle of September can see snow on the mountain passes.

BristolUK

Maybe they think the J might be for Jason Bourne out for revenge and they want to make sure it's really you.

scrubbedexpat091

downside to TV now relying on internet when the internet service goes down so does the TV.

Cable company doesn't even know why the service is out as there is outage in our area.

Tried restarting the router thing and didn't work.

No devices will connect.

caretaker

Occasionally I get community donations stuff from the 2 courthouses in town, and I have to give myself a little shakedown before I set out. Those old Commissionaires aren't cool with a few things I'm accustomed to.

scrubbedexpat091

I am taking nothing with me but the passport application, cash to pay, the old passport and the necessary ID cards, leaving phone and everything else in the car and the required pre-paid Canada Post express post envelope so the consulate can send me the passport when its ready.

From what I can tell, consulate makes sure the passport application is correct, sends it off to the US State Dept in the US, who then sends the passport to the consulate who then uses the pre-paid Canada Post envelope I provide to return the passport to me.

I would rather do it by mail as I really don't want to drive to Vancouver and back for what will probably be an hour visit to the consulate, but they have that stupid rule that the check or money order has to be drawn on a US financial institution, in normal times I would hop the border and get a USPS money order, but I don't want to self isolate for 14 days because I spent 15 minutes in Oroville, Washington, as a 1 hr 40 minute drive to the border is a lot easier, but COVID has made that option not desirable.

In 2010 when my passport was expiring, I happened to be in the US so the renewal was easier and no pandemic....

caretaker

Could someone in the US purchase a money order and mail it to you?

caretaker

This is pretty random, fisherman hauls up a freakish Long Nosed Chimaera; almost enough to put you off fish.... but I suspect if you skinned those fins and punched out discs with a cookie cutter, they'd be a lot like scallops.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...fish-1.5695082

scrubbedexpat091

It's sorted, the consulate finally email me back, according to them US currency checks from a Canadian bank are considered to be US drawn checks.

So I will just get a US currency check form a local bank and hopefully that will suffice.

Although I do wonder if I would get the passport quicker if I applied in person.

USC's residing in Canada have to send their passport renewals to Philadelphia, which is currently in Phase 1 reopening and says this on the State Dept website:

this passport agency entered phase one of our three-phase reopening plan. During phase one, we will continue to prioritize customers who need a passport in the next 72 hours (3 business days) for a life-or-death emergency only.

A limited number of our employees will return to work allowing us to resume processing a limited number of applications we already received. We recommend customers wait to submit new or renewal applications as delays will continue in phase one.

As of the week of August 13 to 19, they received 143,000 applications, have 923,000 waiting to be issued, and issued 209,000 passports.

Maybe applying in person is the best route, but then the US Consulate likely just sends them to the same exact location.

What a year to need to renew a passport.

scrubbedexpat091

Facebook ad today a commercial real estate company had, the company that owns the building we live in, is selling 5 of their buildings on Vancouver Island, some not even done yet. I wonder if they are hurting for cash and need to raise some funds?

scrubbedexpat091

I imagine more smaller independent hotels will end up in the same boat.

Black Knight Hotel in Red Deer closes their doors.

Looks like the hotel employed around 100 people.

scrubbedexpat091

Quebec has their own version of the show Brooklyn 99, I think I will stick with the English version myself.


And seems some of the actors in the US version are not fans.

Danny B

I want

BEVS

Me too.

BuckinghamshireBoy

After some logistical delays, I received my "incoming" from Switzerland, including a few bars of ...



Definitely to be recommended.

And probably added to the list...

caretaker

I got 4 of these when they were $1 at No Frills; probably should have bought more.

It goes nice with coffee and a small Goldschlager.