amberL

It seems that you hear more and more stories of Canadian visitors being harassed at the border these days. Why would any Canadian bother visiting if you're going to be treated like a criminal for the privilede of spending foreign money in the US.

~ Catherine

I had a horrible time while entering on my K1 visa at the peace bridge, and I made a comment similar to this. Surprisingly they don't care. Previously I always defended the border patrol, but after my experience realized that a lot of them are cruel and heartless just like the people that are employed at the US embassy. If anyone is thinking of complaining to someone I dont know who about how they were treated at a border crossing let me know, I will add my experience.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/an...orts_pets.shtml

I was directed by a delta representative to this site.

I worked at Tim Hortons a long time ago when I was in highschool , back when the minimum wage was $6.85 it was that long ago. TH makes me very bitter. I shuddered when I saw one in Ohio. Many people have a lot of favourite moments about TH, But I truly feel for anyone who has decided to take a job there at any point of their life. I have worked as a server while going to university and since I quit have never had any customers who were any where near as rude to me as the customers at Timmy's.

I reserved my spot for my cats on DELTA, they are coming on as carry-on luggage and do not require a clean bill of health. I think that is only required if you are shipping them as cargo.

Everyone gets that same 3-4 month response from the consulate, some wait less, take a look at the 1 year plus for NOA1 to NOA2 thread and it will make you realize that it could be a lot worse.

Well my interview was July 8th. Not impressed at all with the "customer service" I recieved at all at the embassy, the interviewer was cool, but the person I had to hand my forms into and get fingerprinted with was well, I dont have anything nice to say about her that doesnt involve any foul language. I did recieve my visa tho Tickets are booked and I'm moving in 3.5 weeks, and we are planning an October wedding.

OMG I have the same cat too!

YES!! i get home today from montreal and picking up my medical and i have an email stating my interview dates and time!! im not sure if others have gotten that but they gave me 9am as my interview time on august 10th? im going to show up early anyways to line up unless they changed it?

Be there around 7 am , the embassy actually opened at 7 45 when I went.

Canada hires a lot of Students to act as Border agents during the summer!! Sorry about ur bad incident

Really!? You'd think the amount of time to train a BG would take the whole summer. I can't believe that!

I actually applied for a position like this when I was an undergrad. I declined because I did not want the commute. Blaming the crappiness on the border guard on being a student really isn't fair, its kinda derrogatory to students. A lot of people who get in a position of power become total jerks - I had one at the Embassy.

Hey everyone,

So I take it that having the most recent tax return, letter from employers and a couple of paystubs will suffice? Someone said to bring three years of tax returns, W2's and 8 paystubs, but I didn't see that on a sample packet 3. Thanks a lot!

TiNa

That's just people being overly prepared and slightly paranoid. We brought the last 3 years to be safe, but there is nowhere that specifically says you need them. We had like 4 paystubs on top of the tax into, an employer letter and a letter from the bank with account information.

bring it all, it can't hurt. I brought the same as above, just one year of tax returns tho. Just hope that you don't get the mean lady :S

I just checked my status at 1 pm and it says :

2009/07/09 09:32 MONTRÉAL Item accepted at the Post Office

YAY its on the way!

No, it's not covered. The first shot cost me $275!!!!

Wow where did you get the shot from, cause you got ripped off. Mine were $186 each.

I haven't been able to track mine either, but my interviewer said they were mailing them that day or today at the latest.

Amber: What a bloody b1tch!! I hate people like that. Don't take your miserable mood and attitude on others. GRRRR well at least you were approved

Lol i know eh, I think it was window 10 and not 9 now too.

My review (from the perspective of someone on the receiving end)

It's been said again and again that the interview is the easiest part of the visa journey and after being through the experience yesterday, I can attest to the truth of that statement; there's really nothing to worry about as long as you do as your told and perform like a robot. I saw some other folks (not from VJ) on the verge of a nervous breakdown and I completely understand how the mind can put a person there - most of you know how helpless I felt a month ago thinking about every horrible scenario that could happen. Strangely enough, after 8 months of paranoia and worrying, I was the calmest I've ever been throughout the whole process. We had done everything we were supposed to do - there was nothing left to do but go through the motions of the interview.... Kristin mentioned here that she was nervous, however, I think it was due to the fact that she wanted to leave the x-rays back at the hotel since most VJ'ers say they don't need it for the interview. When we got to the elevator with our little check-list, it read "separate your x-ray report from your x-ray", which implied that they would ask for it. Well, that document was inside the brown envelope back at the hotel!!! Nonetheless, they never asked for it at the booth nor did they want the x-ray. However, I would still suggest you bring your x-rays regardless what other VJer say. DON'T TAKE CHANCES! Should you have any medical history worth questioning or further investigation, it is the consuls right to ask for the x-ray. The doctor wouldn't have given it to you if there wasn't a remote chance you'd have to submit it for whatever arbitrary reason.

As long as your paper work is perfect order and you answer their questions like a robot (bleep, bloop, bloop) you will not have a problem. From my perspective, I don't think my interviewer was nice, rather, he was neutral. He barely talked to me as he conversed with Kristin the whole time. His tone of voice was different with me then her; to her, he was like an old comrade - to me, he was direct, straight, and to the point. It made me feel "less than" but don't forget what they say, "having a K1 visa is a privilege - not a right" - that was a perfect demonstration of that concept. The lady who did my paper filing was fairly decent; she greeted me with a smile. All she did was fire off commands and paper ID forms and I shot them back through the booth at her quick and fast. The guards at the door were straight up typical security officers: no smiles, commanding, linear, "do this - do that" etc... All in all, nothing was warm and friendly about the interview, it was a cold and bureaucratic environment. I don't think being a warm fuzzy care-bear is part of their mandate so my suggestion is not to expect that. Just do as your told and you'll be fine.

On my way out, I made sure to smile and thank the guard to remind him that even security guards can show their humanity. I think he cracked a smile too...

I'd like to hear AmberL's story in more detail as it sounds like she had more of a bad experience with someone there.

IMO the only thing that anyone has to worry about is that they do not get called to window 9.

Srsly I am /cowering just thinking about it.

Ok so I was 4th in line and called up to window #9. I smilled and was very polite to the "lady" who never identified herself by name and who wasn't wearing a nametag. She was short, maybe 5 feet tall, slim, had long dark hair which was kinda wavy. Right away she told me to put all my documents that were listed on the checklist that they gave us when we came in through the window so I did. She yelled at me because I put the expresspost envelope through the window at the same time as the rest of the documents. So I removed the envelope from the pile and pushed the pile into the slot. Then she yelled some more because I didn't give her the envelope. GRRR I was thinking to myself.. umm ok. So then she asked for the affidavit of support and the supporting documents, so I handed her:

1) 2008 tax return

2) Letter from employer

3) letters from his banks

4) 2 different paystubs from his job and from the National Guard.

She made a snotty scrunched up face and made some comment about it being so much papers. But the questions I had e-mailed to the embassy were never really answered, my only reply was " Documents will be evaluated at the interview, goodbye" So I wanted to be safe. Then she asked for a copy of my passport. I had stapled my copies all in order so that the front of the book was on the front. Well of course that was wrong. She said " your biographic form needs to be on the front!" So I ripped off the front cover and put it at the end of my passport copies. Well apparently " your biographic form needs to be on the front!" means to fold over the front page because she had a fit because I ripped off the front page. it's not like I tore it up in her face or anything, I just tore if off in the corner by which it was stapled. So then she says "Why would you rip it??? I dont know why you would rip it????" and is muttering under her breath. Then I didn't have the 156 supplement form. So she gave me one of those to fill out, and a dead pen. I asked her if she had another pen because this one is dead and she snapped " THERE ARE ALWAYS 2 PENS!!!" I said well both the pens, the one you gave me and the one on the string are dead, So she gave me another dirty look and threw a pen through the window. After she had everything she told me to go pay, come back in this room "sit infront of her window, face forward, do not approach the window until she calls me even if there is no one at the window and she is standing there and to not talk to anyone." So after I waited for her to come back with a coffee and stand there for 5 mins before calling me , then went out to the waiting room as instructed and waited and waited to get fingerprinted. After nearly an hour, muffintop went to go and look for her because no one had been called to her window for nearly an hour and the people ahead of me were fingerprinted soon after providing their reciept. I was way too scared to go and look for her, and assumed she was likely in another room back there eating babies, because she already had a coffee. So the second time muffintop went to look, she came back and asked me if she was wearing a yellow shirt, I said no because when I had seen the mean lady she was wearing a brown button up shirt. I guess she changed because right after muffintop sat down, I was called to Window 9 for Fingerprinting. Well she was just as miserable while doing the fingerprinting as she was before. First she reviewed my and Charles' contact info and yelled at me because she couldn't hear me, but it wasn't my fault there was a girl in a green shirt sitting by her window who apparently didn't get the dont talk to anyone lecture because she was very loud. The mean lady was all like "OH YOU HAVE TO TALK LOUDER , THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT STUFF AND YOU WANT US TO HAVE THE CORRECT INFO." Then she turned up the volume on her side. She asked me for Charles's phone number and I was like "... I have him saved as a contact in my phone, I think I have had to actually physically dial his number all of twice." Of course this resulted in another disapproving look. So then the fingerprinting was done, she instructed me to read the instructions and when she tells me "when I say go, put your hand down right away like in the picture and press down." Well stupidly I expected her to say "go" because she said she would say go... instead she just said "left" and yelled " I don't see antyhing on the screen." Finally I was finished with her and called to interview room 7. The interviewer I had was about 65, wearing a black suit, yellow shirt and yellow tie. He was very very nice. When I walked in he asked me if I was alone or if my fiance was with me, I said something like unfortunately I am all alone After a little bit of chit chat, he looked at the employment letter and said," Oh your fiance works for the government." and that was it. Never asked me what he does, and I'm glad because I have a rough idea but I don't really know because of the security clearances. I was asked how we met and how many times I have been there, and he asked me to tell him something about the first time we met, so I told him about going to the South Carolina Aquarium and seeing a fish species named " Slippery ####### " and how that resulted in many laughs the entire visit, and how it became our own inside joke and how it was quite possibly the worst fish species name ever. Then he asked what I did for work and if I had any potential job leads, I told him I recently graduated and have a volunteer position lined up at the aquarium and that was it. I think my interview lasted a bit longer than most, but only because I went off on the slippery ####### tangent. Then when I got out of the interview room, I was like did I really tell him about the fish, but it was ok because he was laughing. The lady who I handed my documents was just so nasty, I really hope that not that many other people have to deal with her, or maybe she was just having a bad day, or they ran out of babies for her to eat... She made it seem like I was disorganized, but I had everything lined up together and knew exactly where everything was and no way had 4 copies of this mystery form. And interestingly when she came back from her hour whatever she was doing, she had a stack of 10 files and there was no way that she had seen 10 people, only about 5 people had been processed from what I could tell at that point.

yea , I had the southeast asian kinda looking woman who was in the middle, not the blonde one, but then i had the guy in the yellow tie for the interview and he was super nice.

Congrats Kristin! That's wonderful news! Small world it is. I was suprised too to see the interviewer in regular clothes, but like Krikit said, it is just a normal office! Then once you get through the POE, you won't be able to relax until TOGUY gets his Green Card

Thanks Jill! Maybe I'll relax when the conditions are removed... or he becomes a citizen... guess it will be a loooong 12 years...

I guess it is just a normal office... but it sure is an imposing building down there in downtown Montreal.

12 years?! Wow, you guys must move slow!

Congrats on the approval!! Doesn't it feel great? Where are you guys crossing? We used the Peace Bridge and everything went great!

Thanks!!

However long the process takes to citizenship... Isn't it 10 years after removal of conditions?

We are crossing at Peace Bridge as well. I have no idea what time we are leaving Toronto...

I'll write my review when I get back to Ontario, OMG I have a lot to say about the mean lady that prolly was gone for an hour eating babies.. since she ALREADY had a coffee. My interviewer was in a suit and tie, so maybe they just have a really lax dress code. I spent a lot of the afternoon trecking around with my dad and I also went to see the Under the Sea IMAX movie, it was in French but still worth it! But srsly I feel pity to everyone else who had the document check lady that I had. She was most positively the meanest person I encountered along the process. My favourite was when she told me to come back with my reciept, sit down facing her. look straight ahead , don't talk to anyone and don't approach the window until she calls me back to the window! Anyways the interviewer that I had was super nice and almost made up for the nasty lady, he even laughed at my slippery ####### story. And he told me that they will most likely mail everything tonite, or tmrwm

Hello all you VJers!

Toronto Guy & I have been enjoying our long visit together, and have been busy dealing with all types of real life. Its funny, now that we don't have an internet-based relationship, I am not on the computer as much in the evening ;-)

Last night we were up til 1230 booking hotels and planning out route... I'm the only driver and it looks like a long road. He has promised to entertain me and Fiona (my 4 y/o)... we're looking at a trip to Atlanta (from Asheville, NC) to get my dad's truck, and then back to Asheville to sleep, and then from Asheville to Montreal - via the Adirondacks ;-) I'm glad that the truck has satellite radio!!

We are arriving in Montreal Monday afternoon/evening/night and will be staying right downtown ($48 a night, found through Kayak.com). Tuesday will be working/touring/finding the consulate and mapping our route, including potty breaks and 4 y/o 6 AM meltdown preparations Wednesday is the big day (guess the 4 couples will be racing to see who gets there first? :lol) and then we are staying til checkout on Friday - then on to Toronto, where we are staying in N. York at a really nice hotel ($34USD/night THANK YOU Hotwire). Hopefully we'll have the visa by the next week and will be on our way.

Papers are almost together, just need to finish assembling/copying my I-134. We're starting to pack and sweat ;-) Assembling some evidence, just in case my presence is not convincing enough

We can't believe our interview is next week!!!!! But we are so glad to have spent so much time together while waiting, it's been truly amazing and rewarding. :dance:

So, refresh the memory - who all has an interview on the 8th?

Best of luck to everyone who has an interview next week!!! :dance:

I am staying with a friend that lives pretty close to the consulate, which works out so well, I will be able to walk there in the morning. I am already soo excited tho, I will prolly be there waiting while its still dark! I have all my evidence and papers ready too, but I made the mistake of copying everything at the post office, I thought I might as well since I am there to get the envelope but ... 20 cents a page!! AHHH thats my little rant for today!!! And wow you found some really cheap hotels O.O

Is it bad that I'm almost relieved?

No, I dont think so, my first response was to be optimistic for his kids, sure they will have to live without their dad, but 2/3 of them do have a mother who has made efforts to have some custody of them. Their life with Michael was prolly very far from normal - they are wearing stupid mardi gras masks as well as very strange clothing in a lot of the photos ... Maybe now they can have some hope for a normal life which is likely impossible in their previous circumstances. The new stuff about his pain killer addictions makes me sad for his children because no child should have to feel the pain of growing up with an addicted parent.

Call DoS or e-mail them, con firm that the documents did get there, most people dont get p4 after a month only a luck few do, some people have to wait about 3 months.

I looked into UPS and realized that paying for an extra bag on my flight would be cheaper, but I believe I would've had to ship it after me. They needed a form.

Its weird how they price things, i have a bookcase I absolutely love from ikea and I dont really want to part with it, and there is no ikea by where I am moving and anyways ups quoted me $80 to ship it

I'm suggesting that you work on the 134 as fast as you can, at least with gathering the evidence. I waited until the beginning of the month and it has been a hassle and a half trying to get the bank letters. I tried to contact MTL and ask if they were necessary based on the evidence I have already gathered, but their e-mails are about as useful as boobs on a bull sometimes. The branches where my fiance has his accounts are in a different state, he didn't transfer them when he moved from KY to SC so the letters must be sent mailed to him then he has to send them to me. We are still waiting on one, and the other bank is well for lack of a better word stupid. He called and said he needed a letter drafted saying the date he opened the account, the balance and a summary of the deoposits over the past year. They said ok no problem. An hour later the manager from the bank said they could not comply with his request and that he had to call INS if he wants to file an affidavit of support... I

m crossing my toes that he can get through to someone today.. the interview is in 3 weeks today AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I have been flying to see my SO for a year now and everytime I go I bring a suitcase and a carryon and the suitcase has been loaded with clothes and stuff so that I have to ship less when I move. The longest I have stayed is 2 weeks and last time I went for 4 days and had a suitcase full. I crossed at the Peace Bridge by bus and no one gave me a hassle about what was coming in with me. And my suitcase contained way more than what I needed for 4 days.. lol I even brought my rollerblades and a vase. And as for saying fiance/boyfriend I will explain what happened to me the last time I crossed.

Q. Where are you going and why?

A. To SC to visit my bf.

Q. How long will you be gone?

A. 4 days.

Q. Have you ever been to SC before?

A. Yes. ( I listed my most recent trips)

Q. Do you intend to live in the States?

A. Eventually yes, we have a K1 visa pending, and I am waiting on an interview date.

Q. Well are you going to visit your boyfriend or your fiance?

A. My boyfriend, we have talked about getting married but he hasn't bought me a ring yet.

Q. You don't need an engagement ring!

A. I do too!!!

Q. Do you have any paperwork with you pertaining to your pending K1 case?

A. Yes here it is.

looked over my p3 for 20 mins and explain that I cannot enter the US to live without the visa.

Q. Are you bringing in any food, smokes or alcohol?

A. No

Q. Enjoy your visit and bring your paperwork with you everytime you enter the US.

And I came back with the ring

Keep e-mailing Montreal and ask them to resend a new P3, a few of us, myself included did not recieve their first p3s and had to request new ones. Delivery time should be no longer than a week or so anywhere in Canada. While you are waiting for the new p3 get together the police certificate and copies of birth certificate etc if you havent already, then you will be ready to send the p3 back the same day you get it and make sure that when you send it back you get a confirmation code and signature on delivery

tprtgurl, I would e-mail the consulate and explain your situation, but don't get too discouraged by the reply you will prolly get. I as well had a delay which was not my fault and the replies I have gotten have been nothing more than " we will inform you by mail when an interview is scheduled." Hopefully you wont have to wait another 3 months to get a date scheduled.