Our Montreal Experience!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

First, I’d just like to say that you were right! Montreal wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought. It’s actually a pleasant city to be in! And people address you in English, like they know you’re confused tourist… We didn’t get to stay long, but It definitely exceeded my expectations. We arrived at 4:30 on Tuesday afternoon, walked over to the consulate which was very easy to find (especially given the protests occurring outside) and then walked over to the mall for some window shopping and food. We stayed at the Hilton in the Bonaventure center, so It was about a 15 minute walk. It was worth the extra distance to sleep in a Hilton bed! Its like snuggling with a cloud.

On Wednesday morning we left our hotel around 6:30 and got to the consulate around 6:45. I thought we were way too early and we were going to be standing outside in the cold like losers, but there was already a mini line. Two people were in front of us, which was perfectly fine, I didn’t really want the added pressure of being numero uno anyways. While we were standing in line, we met up with a fellow Vj’er, Sarah (Denverbound) and spent most of the waiting time talking. Ironic that we met at the medical back in March, got the same interview date and we are both headed to the same place!

The doors opened promptly at 7:30 and the security guard started letting people in. I feel bad for saying this, but I had a very hard time understanding what he was saying! He had a very interesting accent, and I had to try really hard to listen to what he was saying. He made a gesture towards my fiancé Bill, so I told him, this is my American fiancé and he nodded. He then asked Bill what he did for a living… Bill answered and the guard replied, “good, because we aren’t letting attorney’s into the building anymore.” So there is the answer to the confusing discrepancy between the information in the packet 4’s and the information provided on the consulate website.

We were led through security, and a very nice man helped us through. I expected the guards to be very intimidating and rude based on previous reviews, but he was actually very kind and helpful. We then went down some stairs and waited for the guard to come and lead us up the elevator. I tried to get all my paperwork prepared in order (as it asked for on the sheet the security guard had given me) but I didn’t have enough time! I was just frantic trying to organize everything and I ended up getting a little snappy with my fiancé who was just sitting there (sorry darling!) In the end, It didn’t even matter, the list meant nothing.

We got up to the 19th (?) floor at 8:10. Around 8:30 people began to be called to have their paperwork taken. My name was called about 15 minutes later, and I went up to booth 9. The lady there was nice, but not as helpful as I would have liked. She greeted me and then said, “ok give me all your documents.” I said, “everything? All the forms and everything?” and she told me yes, that she wanted everything all at once. So I just grabbed all my documents and sent it under the window. She handed me back all the copies I had included (apparently she didn’t want a copy of anything except my passport bio page and my birth certificate). I forgot to give her the second copy of my DS 156 and I completely forgot the DS 156K, so I handed that to her separately and she took a look at everything one by one, and completed a checklist to insure I included all the documentation I was required to. She made me a little nervous, as she took a lot of time imputing information into the computer. She’d look at the computer, look down at the paperwork, look at the computer, look at the ceiling, start talking to a coworker, look back at the computer, and I started to get really concerned! Like there was something terribly wrong and the computer was rejecting me! But all was well… She asked a couple questions to confirm my phone number and my e-mail. She laughed at my silly e-mail address (i_luv_democracy) and I explained to her how nerdy political science students really are. She then told my fiancé to go pay the processing fee and that I should wait at the window and prepare to get my finger prints taken. After greasing up in some purel hand sanitizer, I had my finger prints done. Now CSI will be able to find me.

After document hell was complete, we went back to the waiting room and waited for our name to be called into an interview. After seeing two successful interviews completed, my name was called to room 8 (the only room being used on this particular morning, I’d hate to be one of the people who actually came at 9am). As a lot of people have said, the room is tiny! Literally smaller than my closet. There was an older lady dressed really casually sitting behind the door and she gave me a warm smile, I knew right then it was going to go well. She swore me in, but not my fiancé. Then she asked me to confirm one thing on my application. She asked that, since I’m in school now, if I would be studying in the US (probably because I said no on the DS 156) and I explained to her that I am graduating in June, so no. She then flipped through our original I-129F petition, and started reading the page about how we met. She seemed really interested, and very surprised that we have known each other since 2005. She then asked my fiancé how far of a drive it was from North Carolina to NY State (not sure why, probably just small talk). Then she turned to the list of trips I had included with the DS 230 and she thanked me for providing such a helpful list, and that it made things easy for her. She then asked if I had ever spent 5 or 6 months at a time in the US, and I told her no, that the longest I had ever spent at one time is 2 weeks. Other than that, she asked us when we were planning on getting married, who was coming and where in Colorado it was going to be! Very simple. No serious questions at all. We were all finished by 10am!

After I was thinking: Why did I need to come all the way to Montreal for a 5 minute interview?! There’s gotta be a better system!

Thank you everyone for all your help and support! I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders.

An interesting side note: We were called to window 9 and our interview was in room 8. Today, there are 98 days left until our wedding.

Edited April 30, 2009 by Hugglebuggles

[minnew 4]

Great review Hugglebuggles! Congratulations! Good luck on the rest of the wedding planning!

[atk_721 0]

Congratsssss

[Reeena 0]

Congrats!!

[beans 7]

Congratulations!!!

[KristinL 0]

Congrats! :dance:

thanks for posting an awesome review!

[mjk1 0]

Congrats!!!!!

The question about have you ever stayed 5 or 6 months concerns me though. I have spent 1, 4, and the last time 6 months in the USA. My fiancee works, and I don`t right now, so it seemed like a good idea at the time...

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Congrats!!!!!

The question about have you ever stayed 5 or 6 months concerns me though. I have spent 1, 4, and the last time 6 months in the USA. My fiancee works, and I don`t right now, so it seemed like a good idea at the time...

I think they are just looking for overstays. So, if you've never stayed for more than 6 months, you're fine... Just answer the question honestly.

Thank you everyone

[mjk1 0]

Oh, good then. I was careful to not overstay the limit of 6 months...esp after we decided to marry, as I knew it would cause trouble!

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Excellent review. Congratulations

[OBX 51]

Great review Congratulations.

[Flames9_RN 358]

It is an ok review, id give you a lot stronger review if u had stated the elevator opens from he rear,lol Nice job, and congrats!

[Carlawarla 1]

Congratulations!

[Krikit 1,163]

That's an excellent review, Huggles. Congratulations!

[Emancipation 2]

Yeah.. congrads on the success!