Consulate Review: Vancouver, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
August 11, 2015 |
| Embassy Review : |
This is my experience getting my K-1 visa at the Vancouver consulate in July 2015, with added info about the medical exam. My memory is a little fuzzy, so my apologies if I can't remember something. Warning: The following account is long.
The medical:
Dr. Cheema's office is in Surrey, which is far from where I was staying. I took public transit, which is easy with Google Maps and online trip planners, but it took about 1hr 20 minutes. The office is in a small strip mall. Be prepared for a bit of a wait. At the front desk, the nurse collected my photos, vaccination records, and checked my appointment confirmation letter (DS-160). I had also printed off the packet 4 confirmation, but she did not look at that. She also checked ID (my passport) and I think she also took a second piece of ID (I used my provincially issued ID card), but I can't remember exactly.
The medical exam itself was very short and perfunctory. Dr. Cheema asked some questions (to which the correct answers were obviously "no") about things like chest infections, lung issues, communicable diseases. One of the questions was about whether I'd ever had surgery. The answer was yes, and I had a doctor's note explaining the situation. Dr. Cheema added it to my file. It did not affect my medical approval. The doctor then did a quick physical exam where he checked my neck, arm pits, and lower abdomen. This was done over my clothing and a female nurse was present for this part. He then did a quick eye test. The nurse gave me requisition forms for the blood test and chest x-ray, which are done in a building 12 blocks north of the doctor's office. I took a bus to the building (I think the #319 going north). I walked north from the doctor's office to the correct bus stop. The nice thing about that area is that the streets are numbered on a grid system, which makes navigating easier. I definitely used my data plan and Google maps that day.
The office for the chest X-ray is on the ground floor, immediately to the right after the main doors. That appointment is quick. For anyone with long hair: bring a something to tie up/back your hair for the X-ray. The blood test office is upstairs. The machine to take a number is immediately to your right once you enter. I missed seeing it initially. There were a lot of people in the waiting room, but I ended up waiting only about 20 minutes.
The Consulate interview:
I arrived about 20 minutes before my interview time (I walked). The entrance for interviewees is around the corner from the main doors of the Manulife office tower. It's a side door with an awning. At the entrance, security looked at my DS-160 confirmation and my passport. There IS the option to check your cell phone at this point. However, I had not brought any electronics (or a purse) with me. All I brought was an accordion folder with all my documents and my book. My personal effects (ID, bus tickets, cash, lip balm, keys but not the key fob) I put in a little sandwich bag and stuck that in the folder as well.
I was given a laminated blue card with "K-1" written on it, lined up outside the door and was then directed to go in. I went some stairs to another security check point, where a more thorough search was done. The security guard went through my documents and my proof of relationship binder (he recognized photos of us at Banff National Park). I walked through a metal detector. It was pretty similar to airport security and not that intimidating. Someone then escorting me and another person up the elevator to the 20th floor, where we were directed through a door.
Because I was K-1, I was directed to go to Window B once through the door (which is indeed to the left and then to the left again). I did not have to flip a switch because someone was already there. The women at the window saw me, and while she was still helping the people in front of me, she took my DS-160, my passport, and the K-1 card, and told me to have a seat and that she'd call me when she was ready. I happened to to sit down next to someone who's K-1 appointment was at 8:30 a.m. At that point I'm guessing it was 10:15, so that gave me an idea of how long I would have to wait.
Basically, the next two hours was a lot of waiting and then getting called up to a window, and then waiting some more. I was called to Window B, where the woman took the documents in the Packet 3 checklist (this call is not done over the intercom, so sit close enough to hear her). For petitioner's proof of income, she took the I-134 form, and duplicates of a letter from my fiancé's employer, bank statements, and a copy of his most recent W2. She did not take any of his investment information. She took copies of my birth certificate and translation of birth certificate, but first verified them against the originals. She took the original of the police records check. She took my finance's letter of intent to marry, but not mine. At this point I was given a number. There is a sign that gives two numbers. Ignore instructions to report to counter 1 and wait for the second (bottom) sign for which window to report to.
After more waiting (and trying to read the book that I had brought), I was called to a window with an immigration officer. This was just an initial check-in, I guess. He brought up my file on the computer, and then told me to have a seat while he went through the documents. He had a folder with our file in it containing the approved I-129F, our proof of relationship package, and probably all the documents related to our case.
After a further wait, I was called up to the immigration window again. He took my fingerprints, and then asked me three questions that I was told to answer truthfully. They were, to paraphrase: 1) Did I swear and affirm that everything I am about to say is the truth? 2) Do I swear and affirm that I am entering this marriage of my own free will? 3) Do I swear and affirm that I will marry my fiancé within 90 days of my moving to the US on this visa?
Then the interview started in earnest. The officer typed notes as I answered, which he warned me about before we started, adding that that didn't mean that he wasn't listening. He asked questions about how my fiancé and I met, when it was that we started dating, what the first date was, how did he propose, what our plans were for getting married. There were also follow-up questions based on my responses, but nothing tricky or that seemed designed to trip me up. He also asked me what my fiancé's salary at his job is. He did not ask to see any proof of relationship (so I had brought my binder for nothing). The interview itself probably took 5 minutes. At the end, he told me that I now had to go back to Window B, where his colleague would explain to me what the next steps were in getting me visa. I responded, "So, does that mean I'm approved?" and he replied "yes". It was a little anticlimactic. The questioning was neutral in tone. I wouldn't say that the officer was friendly, but he was professional and courteous.
On a slightly tangential note, I wish I had worn heels that day. You stand at these windows, and the officers are seated on the other side, but on a platform, so they are higher than you. I am 5'2", and the window and window shelf hit me at an awkward height. I felt a little bit like a child during the interview. Granted, heels would have made it less comfortable to walk to and from the consulate, so I guess that was the trade-off.
I went back to Window B, where the woman who took my documents explained that I would be receiving an email about the delivery of my visa, that I should contact Loomis when I did, and that the package would contain my passport and a sealed envelope that I was absolutely not supposed to open. She said the processing would take 3-5 business days. She asked if I had any questions. And then I was on my way.
I received an email from Loomis on that Friday (three days later), and they contacted me on Monday. I received my visa on Wednesday.
Overall, the consulate experience was straightforward. The office area and waiting area felt small. Everything was really bureaucratic. I felt very prepared and had copies (and extra copies) of all the required documents.
And that's it. Good luck, everyone! |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0