My Montreal Interview CR1 Review

[biglos 0]

Hello Everyone!

Sorry to take so long for my interview review but we had a night of Foie Gras at Au Pied De Couchon Restuarant in Montreal last night as our CELEBRATION!

Here's my review step by step:

Woke up SUPER early, set my cell phone clock wrong and woke up at 345 am...haha...couldn't sleep anyway...

Got to the US Consulate at 645am to line up and not a soul in sight, yay I was first in line! My sister lived 4min away from the consulate by car so we are lucky!

It was cold, thank God for my parka, us westcoast Vancouverites aren't used to this kind of cold, but considering the weather I was lucky it was this mild.

Sent my wife and my sister to Tim Hortons (1 Block away) to get some coffee and a breakfast sandwich.

Just after 7am a few more people started showing up and by 715am the line started to grow.

745am: Security Guard came down to unlock the doors told us to line up on the left side of the doors (the side where the driveway/garage door is) so my sister took our junk and headed off to Tim Hortons to wait for us, I told her we should be out of there just after 9am, as pre-determined time according to LGG - thanks!

750am: Went in the doors, security guard asked who are you with, I said my Wife and I, he asked to see my interview letter and both our passports and gave us a checklist cover sheet of things to prepare to have out - PLEASE NOTE: we had sent ALL our paper work to the NVC prior our interview so this may not apply to some people!

1. Passports

2. Photos (please print names on back) - They didnt ask for any from me

3. Medical Report ( please remove the report from the x-ray) - They take the envelope separate from you so pry it off the x-ray.

4. Update Police certificate - they didn't ask for mine

5. Updated Evidence or support (I-864, most recent taxes, I-134 or job letter) - they didnt ask for any of this

6. Return Envelope / Xpress postmailer (please add your return address) - glad to stop holding that

and gave us the letter "A"

Next: went to the next set of doors, 5 steps away, and the next security guard asked us to come in and put all our junk on the counter and empty our pockets into the trays for them to be x-rayed, as well as to remove our jackets and everything in our pockets and directed us through the metal detectors.

Next 8am: We were directed to go down the flight stairs to the next waiting room (just a room full of chairs and an instant photo booth, in case you forgot to get photos) and wait for another security guard to take us up to the 19th floor to another waiting room, where he said to wait and they will call you.

Next 810am: My wife and I were the only ones up there, it was kinda funny...we waited and watched an elevator FULL of the others in line come up, however they all went to the other side of the waiting room - maybe K-1 visa'ers? Seemed like we were the only CR1's so far, but who knows

Next 835am: They called my name to come to window 11, where they took my passport, got me to verify and sign that the info on my previously sent in DS230 Part 1, then the lady took my fingerprints and then asked for my Xpress postmailer and the Medical Exam Envelope (without the x-ray)

Next 845am: The very nice lady asked us to go and sit again to wait and they will call my name for the actual interview

Next 9am: They called my name to room 7, an actual room with a nice lady behind some glass, asked us the raise our right hands and take an oath.

She asked me:

When you did you meet?

Where did you meet?

You have been together ever since?

When did you propose?

When did you get married?

What do you do for a living and do you plan to do something similar in the US?

Where do you live?

How far is it from where I live?

Asked my Wife:

What do you do for a living?

Do you have medical insurance and can your husband be put on it?

Where do you live?

How far is it from where you live?

and that was it ...she then stated she had nothing else to ask but to say Welcome to the United States of America.

I asked if she was gonna take my x-ray and she said no, its yours, you paid for it so you might as well keep it. I dragged to all the way from Vancouver! hahaha

9:10am outta there! Other than that, that's what I can remember, if there's anything I forgot I will post it.

Thank you all for your tips, support and direction, the journey has been worth it all!

We are spending a couple more days in beautiful Montreal to spend time with my sister and her husband and we are back to Vancouver on Friday to await my Passport in the mail and prepare for my POE.

I'll check back in....gotta get over my Foie Gras hangover....best meal ever!!!!

[trailmix 77]

Hey biglos, great review and congratulations! Glad it went so well for you

Just a question, did they give you back your originals at the interview?

[Revenesque 2]

Congrats on a successful interview, Biglos! Thanks for the review. Note to self: try Foie Gras when in Montreal.

[Lyn & Lisa 0]

Great Review, Thanks!!

[birdnerd 5]

That's awesome!

Don't know how everyone remembers such detailed accounts of the process - I'd be so frazzled I wouldn't be able to remember my own name by the end.

Glad you had a nice meal at PdC, I've heard very mixed reviews.

Congratulations

[biglos 0]

Thank guys! Very happy to finally be able to share the experience!

Trailmix: I received my original Birth Certificate back, the Certified copy of our Marriage Certificate and the AOS my wife sent. That was it.

Good Luck to you all!

[lgg 2]

Hey Biglos!

A BIG congrats to you! That is amazing news!

Good thing you got there early, eh?

Best wishes to you and you both...

[trailmix 77]

Thank guys! Very happy to finally be able to share the experience!

Trailmix: I received my original Birth Certificate back, the Certified copy of our Marriage Certificate and the AOS my wife sent. That was it.

Good Luck to you all!

Oh that's interesting, they gave you back the affidavit of support - so I assume they gave you back the photo copy you sent and kept the original?

Sorry if my questions are annoying, just think it helps the folks that interview to know what to expect in terms of documents being returned

Thanks!

[biglos 0]

No not annoying at all!

Our lives and relationships are at stake and we are all WELL invested into the process and its our main purpose to happily share what we can to make the journey easy and informative for others

Original Birth Cert, Certified Marriage Cert and AOS (possilbe copy) was given back to us.

Anyone else wanna add their returns?

Oh that's interesting, they gave you back the affidavit of support - so I assume they gave you back the photo copy you sent and kept the original?

Sorry if my questions are annoying, just think it helps the folks that interview to know what to expect in terms of documents being returned

Thanks!

[ZansGirl 0]

YEA!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS Number One!!!

For me this is really exciting because I have actually met you!! See you in Washington!! lol

[biglos 0]

Thanks number 3!!! Puyallup Fair! Earthquake burger!!!!

[Bern. 3]

CONGRATS BIGLOS.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I say only a so-so review!! Would have been a stellar review, BUT you did NOT mention which way the elevator doors open!! lol Congrats!!

[biglos 0]

Hahahaha!

I say only a so-so review!! Would have been a stellar review, BUT you did NOT mention which way the elevator doors open!! lol Congrats!!

[ZansGirl 0]

Don't forget to post on this thread when your passport and Visa arrive from Montreal!!! THAT timeline is definatly somethng we are all interested in!!!