jstriders

Hi everyone, this is my first post but this topic has helped me a lot so I thought I’d post our experience. My wife had her interview yesterday was thankfully approved! We received the tracking number today. I posted a review of it but thought I’d post it here too:
 
My wife’s appointment was at 10:15am. She got there a little early and was told to come back as they were backed up (about 45 mins behind). She was let into the building around 11am where she waited in the lobby. Only 3 people were allowed in the lobby at a time. She was in the lobby for about 10-15 minutes before she was allowed to go through security. After going through security, she took the elevator to the first floor and was told to take a seat until one of the windows were clear. After 5 minutes, a security officer directed her to an empty window (it was either window #6 or #7). When she was called up, she gave her passport. She was asked to provide the following:

- Confirm Canadian and US address (I moved recently so she provided my updated address)
- Confirm Canadian and US phone numbers (you won’t have your phone so make sure you have this memorized!)
- Original Marriage certificate
- Original Birth certificate
- Police check (she had an updated one as the original one we submitted was over a year old. She only took the new one)
- Updated financial information (my wife gave my tax transcript from 2019 as well as an updated I-864 Affidavit of Support)
- Confirm lawyer’s name
- Fingerprints from both hands

Nothing was mentioned about her medical. (I know some people completed their medical in time but were told the consulate had not received it yet). She was given a pamphlet on domestic violence and then told to take a seat. After about an hour she was called up for her interview. The woman she interviewed with was very nice and conversational. My wife was then asked to give her oath and then provide fingerprints again as a digital signature. The interviewer asked the following questions:

- When did you get married?
- When did you meet your husband?
- How did you meet your husband?
- What does your husband do?
- What do you do for work?
- What do plan to do in the US?
- Have you been out of the country in the past?
- Have you read through the pamphlet? Do you understand it?

After these questions, she gave back the marriage certificate and birth certificate. She then told my wife she has been approved and handed her a white Welcome to the United States paper! The interviewer apologized a lot for the delay and that the system was running slowly. The interview portion lasted about 15 minutes, the majority of which was the woman entering things into the computer. The entire process took about 90 minutes and everyone was very nice. 

Her advice is the interview process is very easy so just try and stay calm even though all the waiting can cause your nerves to build up. As long as you’ve prepared all the necessary documents, you should have no issues.

Thanks for sharing. The EN version regarding office's restriction is available here.

See below today lockdown's restriction for office spaces.
Office space
In all regions, teleworking is mandatory for people working in offices from December 17, 2020 up to and including February 8, 2021, except for workers whose public- or private-sector employers deem their presence necessary to pursue the organization’s activities.
 
During the previous lockdown (Dec-17 to Jan-11), it stated that non-essential businesses are closed and all office workers in the private and public sectors are required to work from home, however the US Consulate remained operational. I believe today's new/extended lockdown is not different. We shall see in the coming days if the Consulate pauses their operations despite today's announcement. 
 
 

Before office staff had to work from home unless needed to deal with customers and now they said all office staff work from home. /shrug it is so hard to know at this point if this lockdown would affect consulate or not. With them opening schools on Monday im starting to lean towards no since it seems like they are trying to stop people from shopping or gathering more than something like the consulate but at the same time maybe it will include them. Like I said if they are closing and cancelling interviews we should probably know by Friday. I hope not.

Hello Everyone! I had my interview this morning @ 9am and thank god I was approved! Thank you everyone for all your support, even though I didn't speak much I was always reading!
 
Here is my review:
 
I stayed at the Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel, it was less than a 5 minute walk to the consulate so I highly recommend it!  I arrived at 8:50 outside the consulate, however I was told to wait outside, at 8:59 the security called out that anyone who has an appointment at 9am can come inside, so I did. It was airport style security, they took my cell phone and placed it in a locker and provided me with a key. They direct you to go upstairs and drop your passport off at window #6 (someone may already be at the window, you're then directed to sit down, wait for that person to leave and then give them your passport once the window is empty). After handing in your passport, you're then expected to sit and wait for your name to be called. Once your name is called you're asked for necessary documents. They asked me for my original birth certificate, marriage certificate, police certificate (which was the new one with 'other', it was accepted) and they scanned my fingerprints. I had uploaded all my financial documents, an address change and updated I-864 prior to the interview, so they did not ask for any of those documents. You are then given the domestic violence pamphlet and directed to sit and wait for your name to be called again. Once called again, I was directed to another window. There I took my oath, and scanned my fingerprints again. The lady asked me how long I have been married for, how long I've known my husband, how we met, tell me about your relationship and what my longest trip to the US was. She also asked me what the pamphlet was about. She stated that everything checked out and I had all the necessary documents. She then returned my original marriage and birth certificate and told me I was approved!! She also gave me a welcome to USA letter. By the time I finished and picked up my phone on the way out it was 11:20.
 
Thank you again everyone, I hope they continue processing quickly so we can all be reunited with our significant others faster!

We were just talking about how last time they cancelled interviews they gave a day's notice and how much that  must have sucked for the people that had already booked flights/arrived in Montreal from all over the country ready for their interview. I'm hoping we have more information tomorrow about what exactly the lockdown is. Being kept in limbo is the worst feeling and it seems like until you're a citizen, it doesn't stop. We all know the media likes to report the worst of stuff for click bait. Seriously hope you get to have your interview. 

Haha I read in a rush reading we will find out about IL. Funny..... Definitely don't have fingers crossed for then shutting down again lol. I think they might have been miserable coming out of lockdown and doing so many interviews which the consulate wouldn't want to repeat. So let's hope they don't shut down. But yes to that, we will find out very soon if they were to. 

Fingers crossed for that  and good luck to everyone who gets the letter. 

We won't have to wait until mid January to know. Will be announced this week if happening.

I have a good feeling that they will continue the interviews. U S. Consulate is considered essential services I think. Plus they are better prepared now with the new layout in the office. So let's hope that they keep scheduling interviews. The anxiety until mid Jan to find out is killing me. Ugh

Fingers crossed. Although I noticed on twitter, a lot of K visas are putting pressure on the consulate. Hoping consulate keeps sending the spousal interview appointments...fingers crossed
 

Late next week or week after that 🤞

I believe I stand corrected. Apologies. 
Per DoS:
Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued. If at the time of your interview the following three items are all true, you must bring a new police certificate to your visa interview:
You are more than 16 years old; The police certificate submitted to NVC was obtained more than one year ago; and You still live in the country that issued the certificate.

Forgive me if I'm wrong here, but if she hasn't been back to India, shouldn't it be valid indefinitely in the eyes of the DOS regardless of when India determines it expires? 
 

Current closure is Dec 25 - Jan 11. My interview is January 11. I contacted the consulate and it is still on. Also, someone had their interview Dec 30. 

I didn’t import it, we planned on importing it later on and just doing the temporary import for now and going to import it soon after I arrive, it just ended up working out that the officer didn’t ask about importing my car. But I assume he knew it met all the US car guidelines because it’s a newer year and a common car (2018 civic)

Hello everyone!! I crossed the land border today at the pembina/Emerson POE (between Manitoba and North Dakota) and activated my IR1. Honestly it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Felt exactly like a normal land crossing, besides going into the office part for 30 mins. I went with upack to bring the majority of my stuff over the border but I did have some stuff in my car, the border agent asked me to roll down my back window so he could see what was back there, and asked me if I had any food or alcohol to claim. I think he also asked me if I had cash over $10 000 on me. They didn’t ask me anything about my car either. Now I’m just waiting for my husband at our hotel and in a few days we’ll be driving back down to california!!

I had been following this forum for months (Congratulations to everybody who finally got to reunited with their spouses) and finally decided to register after seeing this post. That also happened to me in Toronto at Pearson. Long story short, I am from Toronto and my spouse is from Miami. We got married while I was on a B2 visa and made the mistake of not filing for adjustment of status right away (a very costly mistake). Instead, I flew back to Toronto and when I tried to come back to Miami, they took me into secondary and put DENIED in my passport and gave me a form with a checklist for next time that shows I have ties to Toronto. I should mention that at that point, we had not yet filed for spousal visa. So, I gathered the documents they asked me for and re entered again on a B2 for another 6m and when that was up and I left the USA, we filed for spousal visa right away. After that stressful event we hired a lawyer who has been guiding us through the process and he basically told me not to try to enter the USA until the process is finished and I get my green card. That being said, it has been 2 years since I have visited my wife in the USA and 1 year since weve seen each other. So to everyone on here, please please do your research and even speak to an attorney  before just to be sure as misinformation can cost you so much lost time and $ and potentially affect your futures.
I also see people posting here all the time how they go back and forth from Canada to the USA during the pandemic and in general while waiting for their interview etc and having no issues at the border and it does hurt and makes me a bit frustrated because our lawyer specifically advised us against it and we have been doing everything by the book and waiting and waiting which has been emotionally draining. I am now at the stage of waiting for my interview in Montreal , which who knows when will happen given the backlogs I had been reading about and we just got DQed beginning of September. 

On the brink of the year's end, I want to wish us all a better 2021!

My husband was able to pick up his passport today and has crossed the Blue Water Bridge to activate his visa. It took 28 months, but we are finally able to start our lives. Thinking of you all in AP, I can imagine how deflated you must feel. All the best to all of you, and may your visa journey end soon!! 

Completed POE at the Ambassador Bridge today.  I was driving across with my three dogs in a borrowed vehicle (my Canadian parents) and a rented Uhaul Trailer full of my personal and household belongings and my husbands motorcycle (still registered in Texas just never made it back from a visit to Canada).  I pulled up in the car lane (there was no bus/RV/trailer lane open) and handed over my passport turned to my visa and informed the officer I was entering to activate my visa. He asked to the liscence plate number of the truck (he couldn’t see it because of the trailer) and the UHaul rental agreement.  He also asked if I had an immigrant packet to which I responded that it was electronic.  He then asked me to open up the uhaul and he had a quick look inside.  He asked how much cash I was carrying, who sponsored me and when I did for work. He then asked me to pull into secondary.  It was a tight fit with the trailer so he moved the barricades for me - it was much appreciated.    In secondary I was asked the same things again, I opened up the trailer again for a different officer and was asked a few simple questions about what contents I had (they didn’t want to see the list I had prepared). I was asked another two times if I had a packet, to which I responded each time that it was electronic. They told me to wait in the car, I’m not sure if that was a covid protocol or because I was alone with three dogs - regardless I really appreciated it.  It took about 45 minutes for them to come back with my stamped passport. They explained it was good for a year and that if I didn’t get my physical green card within a year to call USCIS.  They then moved some barricades and helped me get the trailer turned around and on my way. 
 
I’m not well on my way to my final destination of Houston, TX. This journey is over after nearly 26 months. 

Congrats on your appointment. Did they ask for the 2019 tax transcript or did you just give it to them? Because I have the w2 and 1040 but not the transcript

I’m Jan 20th also Yayyy 

Yes, I responded on Friday but maybe you missed!  They said it still stands; but we will hear if anything changes before then.

Husband had his interview this morning and is approved!!! They said to expect the passport in 2-3 weeks. We were expecting to receive it sooner than that, but are thankful everything went well. 😊

Entered US via Peace Bridge today. Took about 30 minutes. The officer was great. Overall a smooth experience!