Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
August 17, 2017 |
| Embassy Review : |
First and foremost, Thank you everyone for your reviews on this website. It has settled my heart immensely and prepared me for what turned out to be a very successful interview. Those of you preparing, take a look at all these reviews and TAKE NOTE! Be prepared! Know what to expect! This is long-winded, but for the person out there like me who wants to over prepare in order to create confidence, this is for you.
Our interview was on August 14, 2017 @9:30
We flew into Ottawa to stay with some friends, took a bus to Montreal the day before the interview, and arrived at our hotel. We stayed at the Hotel Le Dauphin. I highly suggest this hotel for several reasons (And no, I am not their spokesperson) Firstly, they had the earliest check in from my research, at 3pm. They also had the latest checkout, noon. When we checked out at noon, they stored our luggage for us in a closet so that we could walk around before our flight out, this is a big perk. Second, breakfast is included! It is stressful to wake up and get ready, get all your paperwork then go out and try to find some food- this eliminates all that stress. Third, did I mention it is WALKING distance to the Embassy. The night before we made the walk to get a feel for how long it would take. No lie, it was honestly about 7 minutes from door to door. For those of you who are looking to spend just a little over bare minimum and right below high costs like Marriott, this is a place for you. The fact that we were fed and left the hotel by 9 for a 9:30 interview, made it stress free - because lets be honest, this is the point that you are the most stressed about the interview! The only downfall, which i did not care at all about, was that I had asked for a nice view because I had never been to Montreal before, and they literally gave us a room that faced a brick wall. I laughed when I opened the door, but I did not care once I knew the location, saw a desktop apple TV in the room, a down comforter bed, and a flat screen TV, and nice bathroom. I was sold. Pay a smidge more, settle your heart.
Anyway, we went inside the building at about 9:10. We were met with an officer who asked what we were here for. After we replied that we were here for a Visa application, he pointed to a nice lady behind a counter who then asked for the time of the interview and what our names were. We gave her our passports and she clicked away on an ipad to confirm us. She then gave us a laminated sheet that had #16 on it. On this laminated sheet is the EXACT same documentation list that they will send you in an email (maybe) a week before your interview. No surprises here. This is copied and pasted from the email so that you can get a head start:
-Two passport size photographs on white background (you may not wear eye glasses) and must be dated less than 6 months
- Medical exam from one of our panel physicians in Canada as instructed on your appointment letter
- Original of your birth certificate (version with your parents’ names)
- Original marriage certificate
- Original Canadian police certificate (it should mention that the police search has been done in the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records or CPIC - Canadian Police Information Centre
- Original Police Certificates of countries where you have lived over the age of 16 and Original English translations
- Affidavit of Support (I-864) from your petitioner duly completed and signed
- Photocopy of your petitioner’s U.S. 2016 tax return and respective W2s
- Affidavit of Support (I-864) from your joint sponsor duly completed and signed
- Photocopy of your joint sponsor’s U.S. 2016 tax return and respective W2s
- Valid Canada passport
Bring Photocopies of EVERYTHING. It will help you, and it will impress the person dealing with your case. Its the simple things.
I had heard stories before about people not having enough time, so my spouse and I started scrambling for our paperwork on the first floor and a lady reassured us that we would have time once we got up there... so I let it go. We then walked through the typical airport security, grabbed our things, went down a flight of stairs, into a desolate room, where there was an elevator at the end. The elevator only allows you to push one floor: 19. So up we went.
Once we arrived, it was a busy room. It was now about 9:15. We found a seat underneath the Immigration Visa section of chairs, and the moment we sat down to organize our documents, "Visa applicant #16, approach window 2." My spouse was concerned that we had not put our documents out and in order yet, but I told her not to worry, that the lady at the window will understand (in which, she did). My spouse was up there for about 10 minutes. She handed over everything that was listed above. No surprises. Once she returned, she was a little shaken because it had happened so quickly.
Ironic, because we ended up sitting for an hour and a half before the interview! ha! That was torture. There are some magazines you can pretend to read because you are so nervous, so try that out. Then, they called her number. From what my spouse says, she approached the window to a very nice lady with a big smile on her face. That is a very nice thing to see when you are anxious. So she immediately comforted her. The lady clarified that it was the beneficiary, then asked the following questions:
-Who is the petitioner?
-How did you two meet? Were you friends in the beginning?
-When did you get married?
-What does your spouse do for work in the US?
-Who is the joint sponsor?
-Where do you intend on living once you arrive?
After she asked those questions, she proceeded to tell my spouse about what will happen once crossing the border. She was giving detailed information because she told her that we are about the 3rd CEAC electronic processing case that has gone through. Then she laughed and said, I forgot to tell you - you are approved for your visa! They shared a laugh, then the lady asked about when we plan on crossing and where. Once my spouse said that we had researched similar cases and therefore knew that we had to choose a date and place, the officer was very impressed that there is a community out there that helps eachother. Even, the brand new system. Go VJ team!
The interview probably took 10-15 minutes. My spouse came around the corner with papers stating "Welcome to the United States of America"
And that was that! It has now been 3 days, and her passport is already back in her possession. [Note: If you do not already know, they will take the beneficiary passport at the interview. The beneficiary will then fly back using their drivers license or any other form of travel documentation that you can find on the travel website i.e. AirCanada.ca]
Good luck to all of you. I hope that this detailed review can give some of you anxious people like me, comfort. The name of the game is, Prepare! prepare! prepare! Do not fall short of these things. You've got it, have faith, and God bless!
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0