Got the Visa!!!!!!!!!!!

[incanada1234 0]

Hi everyone, we're back! Here's our little story.

We left Tuesday afternoon and stayed in Cornwall, Ontario (didn't want to stay in Montreal since we had heard bad things). I slept 2.5 hours that night because I was totally nauseous with nerves. Cornwall's about an hour from the US consulate in Montreal so we were up at 5AM and on our way by 5:45. We didn't have breakfast because quite honestly, there was no way we could have held anything down.

Anyway, the traffic was really almost non-existent even in downtown Montreal (maybe because it was only 7AM by then). We found the consulate almost right away (ALMOST. we actually passed the street and had to turn around but it only set us back about 5 minutes). There were about 4 people standing outside waiting for the doors to open. No one was really in any sort of line so we just went right up to the front and waited by a guy standing against the door. When the security officer unlocked and opened the door at 7:30ish, we actually were the first ones inside because the guy in front of us didn't have his interview letter or passport ready and we did (nyah nyah! lol).

Hubby and I made sure we brought almost NOTHING into the consulate. We brought our wallets, car keys, and a grocery bag full of papers, that's it. Security is quite strict and tense, they check EVERYTHING. I was surprised they didn't slap a latex glove on and start feeling us up They used a metal detector on my hubby but not me, I guess I look so innocent. hee.

We were told to wait downstairs until about 8AM. We sat in the first row of chairs closest to the elevator and sure enough, we were the first people in line for the elevator once the officer came down to take us upstairs. The elevator was PACKED, it sucked. You could tell everyone was nervous and I whispered to my husband, "Not tense at ALL in here." He smirked and couldn't look at me for the rest of the way up because he was going to burst into laughter. As soon as the elevator opened, I immediately turned left and made a U-turn to window 14 (they tell you which window to go to, so don't worry if you can't remember on your way to the interview). Once again we were the first in line waiting for the window open. At that point we had been first in line for everything, so I turned to my husband and said quietly, "I love visa journey!" He just laughed and agreed. The window opened and the lady gave us our number, C1, and told us to have a seat.

Pretty much ALL the "A" numbers (fiancee visas, I'm guessing) were called before ours, even though were first in line. Oh well, I have to admit they were pretty quick.

Finally after about 30 minutes of waiting, C1 popped up on the electronic sign! Good thing we hadn't eaten breakfast because at that moment I would have definitely been seeing it in regurgitated form on the floor of the US consulate. We went to the window and the guy started asking us questions; he talked quite fast and you can't hear all that well since they're behind a glass window. Almost right away he asked, "When were you married?" And I triumphantly declared "August 12, 2002!" My husband said, "Uh, no. OCTOBER 12, 2002." I felt so BLOODY stupid, hahahahaha! I was running on so little sleep, NO food, and I was nervous as hell, so I think the guy understood. He replied, "Gee, I ask you one question and you can't even get it right, Marissa!" hahahahahah crikey, it was an embarassing moment. He was pretty nice though; he had a deadpan humor so it was sometimes hard to tell if he was joking. He took hubby's medical stuff, his passport photos, passport, my mom's 2005 tax info, and my 2005 tax info and then told us to wait again (yay ).

More waiting, this time hubby feeling like he wanted to vomit, more counting the tiles on the floor. 15-20 minutes later we were called into room 8 (small room with a door) and had our official interview.

Ok, here's where it gets easy, guys. The interviewer was sooooooooooooo SO goshdarn nice. He immediately put us at ease. I really wanted to hug the man. He asked the basic questions (how did you meet? what do you do for a living? what will you do when you get to the U.S.?) and then, seriously, we all just started talking about stuff as if we were friends. We asked where the Americans that worked there lived (since it's so close to New York) and he said Montreal. Said they all get restationed every two years. Told us he was from Wyoming and that he loves Utah. It was like we were sitting at a diner having lunch and a nice conversation, LOL. He was totally great. He took hubby's fingerprints and that was it. We were like, "No seriously, that's it? You'll just mail the Visa then?" He replied, "Yep. You guys don't seem like criminals, you're fine."

It was the greatest experience! All that worrying and nausea and lost sleep for nothing! We didn't even meet any rude Montrealers! Seriously, all in all we had an easy time. Not stress-free - but easy. Best part of the entire immigration process, ironically enough.

Good luck to everyone on their upcoming interviews!

[grass 0]

Glad to read your story. Congratulations. My interview will be next Tuesday

[Cygnet 0]

Congratulations!

I'm so happy for you. Thanks for sharing. I know I will be really nervous the day of our interview.

[Buttons 0]

Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!

[amarceau 0]

WTG !!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!

It's great to hear good news every now and then

[Sharon 1]

Congrats, Marissa!

You didn't meet any rude Montrealers because they aren't all like me.

[Cassie 8]

Congratulations!

[incanada1234 0]

Congrats, Marissa!

You didn't meet any rude Montrealers because they aren't all like me.

Haha Then again, we only met TWO Montrealers at a cafe afterwards. They seemed nice.

For those of you with interviews coming up, I know you're most likely going to be nervous but honestly, it was quick and painless. The worst part of course is the waiting. THAT'S when your nerves kick in. Otherwise, unless you're a big criminal or something, you'll do just fine.

[mozplay 28]

Congrats and thanks for posting your experience!

[no one 0]

Congrats! I wasn't able to get a good night's sleep the entire time I was in Montréal too.

[reddiablo 0]

Congrats! I wasn't able to get a good night's sleep the entire time I was in Montréal too.

are you glad all over cos its OVER

sorry you missed my fave canuck city , I have had lovely times

in montreal since coming to canada in 1976.

my destiny has been intertwined with montreal and barcelona.

never thought hogtown was for me, and soon I will depart for southern climes.

hopefully "bound for glory"

have no nerves at all except that medical results are not known till envelope is open.

but dr at seidens reckoned all was a ok.

just heard from montreal that it is required to bring x-ray

and a portfolio is permitted

laters red

thxs for your story ,it was a good one.

[grass 0]

do you have to pay some fee for the fingerprint or anything else?

[incanada1234 0]

Nope, no fees for CR1/IR1. I mistakenly thought there was a $100 fee but apparently it's just for fiancee visas. It was nice to learn that we "saved" $100

[blahblah 0]

CONGRATULATIONS!

my hubby has his interview tomorrow, so we really appreciate the update. so glad you guys got the visa; we hope to be doing the happy dance this time tomorrow!

[Marilyn. 340]

everyone seems to get that same guy for the interview in Montreal.....

glad your interview went well and congrats on your visa