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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on February 1, 2016: |
sean.law
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
I had my interview on Jan 28, 2016 at 8:30 am.
I arrived around 7:30 and there was already a line of about 10 people. By around 7:45 they started letting people in. A couple were refused probably because they were too early. I entered and a woman to my left took my appointment letter and asked to see ID. She then gave me a number (#10). This was my number for the day.
I went up a short section of stairs to the security area where I emptied my pockets, etc. Then downstairs to the elevator room. I sat near the elevator as some suggested but that doesn't seem to matter anymore. The number that you get when you first arrive is the number they call out for throughout the day.
After a short wait an officer came and let us onto the elevator. Once we got up to the 19th floor, another man told us where to go if we were immigrant or nonimmigrant.
I sat and waited until about 9:30 and then I was called to counter #1. A lady was there and asked me for the following:
- Appointment letter
- Passport
- 2 passport photos
- Medical results
- Original birth certificate
- Original marriage certificate
- Original police check
She entered information into her computer and I saw her open up the pacakage they received from NVC. That was pretty cool. My whole file was there. She looked over it to make sure all the signatures were on the I-130 and the I-864. Then she took my fingerprints and handed me a pamphlet on domestic violence.
I sat back down and waited about 45 minutes until I was called to the next room. The room was very small. There was a chair to put my coat down and the officer was standing behind a counter. He was the really nice one that I've read reviews on before. He had short brown hair, glasses, and seemed to be in his early-mid 30's.
He asked me for my name, DOB, asked me my wife's name. He asked if I ever got in trouble at the border, with the law, with my wife, with my parents (he was joking at this point and I told him I'm always in trouble with my parents). We laughed and then he asked where I live. I told him Vancouver and he looked at my birth certificate and said I'm a long way from home (Montreal). He asked where my wife lived. I told him Washington. He asked DC or state (state). He asked where in WA, I told him Bellingham. He smiled and told me he was from Bellingham. We laughed again and mentioned how small of a world it is...He asked where she worked. Then he asked about my co-sponsor and how we know him. Since everything was in good order he mentioned that I was probably going to be the easiest case all day and said "Welcome to the USA!" and handed me the welcome sheet.
I was done in about 5 minutes. He was such a nice guy and made me feel very comfortable.
I was worried that my education (MSc in biology) might be cause for a more intensive background check but it never came up. This was our first marriage, and we were both born in Canada or the US.
On jan 29 my visa status changed to "issued" then on Feb 02 I received the waybill. I'm expecting any day now.
Thanks VJ!!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #18873