Visa in hand! - Vancouver Review

[Ecalos 0]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for all the well wishes! It wasn't painful at all

My mom and I stayed at the Days Inn that's like... 3 buildings down from the consulate. The morning of, we arrived there at about 9:40. I waited outside the door until the security guy on the inside noticed me. He asked what I wanted, I said I was there for a K-1 interview. He said ok, wait here, and left me outside in the rain for a few minutes until the person in front of me cleared security.

The girl inside checked my name off a list and made me empty my pockets and take off my jacket. She then rifled through my expandable folder of goodies (paying a LOT of attention to the letters between Rob and I) and then told me to go upstairs. Once there, the elevator is pretty much the only place you can go. There's a door to the right but a security guy asks why you're there, and then calls the elevator for you. Off the (stupid fast; it made my ears pop) elevator and to the left is more security. Same procedure except they paid a lot less attention.

Security guy waved me through to the right and then left around the corner. If you get lost, seriously just wave your interview letter and shout "K-1" with a panicked look on your face. Like, 9 people will unanimously point in the correct direction.

I sat down in the little K Visa section. It's a small hallway with crappy blue chairs, and so narrow if someone needs to get by you have to squish. I was joined shortly thereafter by a K-3 couple and another K-1.

I didn't get the list of documents. Instead a really nice younger guy called me up to the window and asked for them all in order. There was some confusion over the Affadavit of Support... I don't think he heard me say we had a co-sponsor because he was saying something about not enough proof for Rob's affadavit. That got cleared up in short order when I passed him Rob's dad's stuff.

If I recall.. he asked for (in this order) Passport, DS-156 (2 copies), DS-156K, my birth certificate, Affadavit of Support and "supporting documents", Medical.

A note: He didn't specifically ask for W2s, he DID ask for a letter from employer. I gave 2 yrs income tax, some mutual fund things and a letter. He didn't ask me for anything else and I didn't give paystubs (although I had them with me). Also, again no, you don't need your x-rays, but mine were all stapled together so I couldn't really separate the medical and the x-rays. He also asked to keep the mutual fund papers.

By the time he was done all of this, it was maybe 10:10. I was asked to go down the hall and pay my $100.00 fee, and then come back with my reciept and sit down. He didn't ask me for the reciept back. I didn't have a watch and, of course, no cellphones. The husband of the other K-3 couple was kind enough to give us the time. We all sat and waited and chatted til 11:00. Then we were all 3 called up for fingerprinting (digital) and told to go sit again. At maybe 11:15 I was called to Window 3 around the corner for my "interview".

He asked first whether my fiance was with me (no), and then when we met, how we met, how often we had met in real life, what the longest period of time I'd stayed in the U.S. with Rob was, whether I'd ever worked in the U.S., and what Rob did. He mentioned that even though Rob was planning on working right after graduation (which I had told him), that his income probably wouldn't be enough for the I-864. I said I know and we were planning on having his father co-sponsor again. I also said his parents were great and had offered to fly out to Vancouver in case I needed them. He smiled at that and said "well that's really great." Then he said that everything looked in order, and I was to return at 2:00 to pick up my visa. He asked for my cashier's reciept and took half of it, gave me the other half, and told me to show them that at the door.

My mom and I went for a walk and for lunch, then to the bank, and then back to the consulate. Outside there was now a little sign that said "No Loitering. Return to pick up Visas at 2:45pm." I stared at that, somewhat dismayed, and then walked in anyway. The woman at security told me K-1s "are whenever you are told, ignore the sign, that's for everyone else." So I went up again, the security guy recognized me and we chatted. I went back to the K-1 area and was given my package of "DO NOT OPEN" goodies and my shiny new Visa

All in all, it was SO painless lol. YES I IGNORED EVERYONE THAT TOLD ME THE SAME. But the people at the consulate were SO nice, and being so well prepared (THANK YOU VJ!) made it sooooooo easy. The other K-1 may have been in some trouble; she didn't have an original copy of her divorce certificate. I left before I found out the results of that though.

Anyway that's it! Time to head home and finish packing. If I forgot anything I'll try and edit-to-add it.

[vanee 13]

Congratulations! And thanks for the detailed review. I'll be going through there myself later this year, so I'm interested in all the details.

[mercy 1]

Yay!! Glad to hear you got the visa and things went so well!

[misa 2]

Congrats!

[Autumnchik 6]

Congratulations! Thank you so much for the review. I am in the beginning stages of UCSIS anxiety (interview is next Tuesday)

[Buttons 0]

Congrats !!!!!!

[cdancer 0]

YAHOOO!!!! CONGRATS KIDDO!

[Amanda-Lise 0]

congrats to you!

[Jersey Girl 2]

Great news! Glad everything went smoothly for you!

[CutienPurg 0]

Congrats!!

[Ecalos 0]

Thanks everyone! I'm so shocked now that I'm actually (Ohmagawd) LEAVING on SATURDAY. WOW.

(I love you Canada, *kisskiss* Call me!!)

A few more things I remembered for those looking for details:

The K-3 Couple didn't have the DS156 (?? do K-3s do this? I swear it was from the glance I got but I could be mistaken) done online with the barcode. I believe the guy behind the counter wrote it out for them and verified it. Wow? I was impressed by that, but the guy working that day was freakishly nice. I've never met someone more benevolent.

K-3 couple were smart and brought in a newspaper, which I recommend doing because the wait can be kinda long.

There is a Starbucks on the main floor ofo 1095 W. Pender. This is the side of the building you exit to. 1075 W. Pender is the little foor on the East side of the building that you go in for your interview.

Like everyone else says, use the washroom before you go up. There ain't no bathrooms up there.

If anyone at your hotel tells you you have to be there way early to line up? They're full of s*** The guy tried that with me this morning and got my mom all worked up and freaked out. She tried to get me to line up and I nearly had to shout at her to be quiet lol.

No food or drink.

Remember to smile! I smiled, everyone smiled.

The floor is comfortable. I had to sit on it when the other visa people decided to spill over into the K area all sneaky-like when I was handing him my papers.

And last but not least! If you're a VJer, you're in for some smoooooooooth sailing. The K-3 couple and the K-1 were asking all these questions (when do we pick up the visa? and things like that) and I knew the answers to most of them. They kept asking how I knew and I referred them to VJ.

Also last but not least CASS DARLING! I'm so sorry I didn't catch you tonight, but BEST of luck on the interview, you will do just fine!

Sorry I'm a little hyper

Edited January 24, 2007 by Ecalos

[Ecalos 0]

For some reason it wont let me edit? But obviously "foor" is door, and "ofo" is of

[billsgirl 0]

congrats and all the best

[Carlawarla 1]

I can tell you're excited! As you should be...

Glad your interview experience went so smoothly.

Congratulations!

Carla

[Jasman0717 8]

Congratulations, nice post