Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
April 25, 2016 |
| Embassy Review : |
Arrived 30 mins early before our appointment time (10am) to stand in line outside. Any earlier and they send you away. They take you in batches into security screening. We showed our interview letter to the check-in guy at the front and waited in line for security. It was very similar to airport security. No large bags or electronics allowed. So it was funny to see everyone carry their life in papers in plastic bags with them. I had a fabric tote bag and it was fine. They give you a ticket (the size of carnival prize tickets, super small, careful not to loose it) for your electronics. I brought granola bars with me (cuz I get hangry and we didn't have time for breakfast and we didn't know how long it would take) But the guard almost confiscated them and asked if I was Diabetic. I told him I get low blood sugar and he reluctantly let me through with them. We down some stairs, walked through a hallway and took the elevator up to the 19th floor. FYI - There's a photo booth that takes passport photos for $10 CND near the elevator if you for some reason need new photos asap once you get there which I thought was pretty convenient.
You get upstairs, and sit in the designated section and wait for your number to be called. The view of MTL is pretty cool. I suggest bringing a magazine or a book or a colouring book. There are vending machines that take loonies and twoonies for the basic water, coffee, and candy bars. There is also a water fountain by the bathroom. We waited about an hour and 10 mins before our number was called. Pay attention to the numbers being called, they're pretty fuzzy on the speakers. "Number 22 go to window 2" for instance...
You walk up to the numbered window they tell you to go to, and give them the required documents they asked for in the P4 letter. I had brought our entire application with us including proof of relationship and extra tax stuff and was extra prepared and we didn't need any of it. Just my original civil documents (marriage cert, long form birth cert, passport, police cert) and new passport photos (they gave me back the old ones cuz they expire after 6 months) and my sealed medical exam. The guy takes all your finger prints and gives you back your x rays (mine were in cd form) and tells you to wait for your number to be called again. I went to the bathroom thinking this would be another hour wait, but when I came out five mins later, my husband said they already called our number to window 8.
"Sorry I was in the bathroom"
officer: "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"
me "no, no, I'm here, I'm ready" *smile
Then he put me under oath, took my finger prints, cracked some jokes about the computers and technology being slow, and asked me:
"Where does your husband live?"
"NYC"
"What does he do?"
"Filmmaker and Motion Graphics Design."
"Oh that's quite a combo!"
"Yea!"
"Have you ever lived anywhere outside of Canada before?"
"Yes in the US for school."
"On an F-1 [visa]?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever been in trouble with the law over there or at the border?"
"No."
"..Never been caught?" *smirk*
"Nope."
"Are both your parents from HK?"
"Yes."
...type type type...
"Ok you're Approved!"
"YAY! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"
The officer then hands me a welcome to USA letter and retained my passport. He also gave me another sheet about how to track my passport for pick up.
I walked back to my husband in the waiting area with a big dopey smile and thumbs up and we gathered our stuff and made our way to the elevator. On our way back out through security we traded the little ticket for my cell phone back.
I was shaking cuz I was so happy. This has been a LONG process. For all those still going through the waiting, hang in there. Thank you to all the previous VJ reviews that helped ease my anxiety about being over-prepared and what to bring and what to expect.
Also my husband and I both dressed up in business formal. The previous review about someone wearing his poopy sweatpants cracked me up. If you look nice and are put together, you'll feel more ready. Like you're going for a job interview. Minimal makeup. Neat hair. You get the drift. I was surprised how rare people talk about this on the thread. The whole time I was packing I was like like, WHAT DO I WEAR!? I ended up with black slacks, heeled boots and a forest green blouse (channeling the greeeeeeeeencard) with a blazer on top. My husband wore a suit. We felt slick. 
Good Luck to all future interviewees! You're almost there!
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| Rating : |
Good |
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ver 5.0