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Canada US Consulate Reviews
Average Rating: 4.2
/ 5
1651 Review(s)
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| Montreal, Canada |  Review #4970 on September 15, 2009: |
amylou
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Interview date was July 29th, 2009.
Short Version: The staff and guards were friendly, helpful, and I had a good experience!
Long Version:
Montreal is a beautiful city, at least where we stayed in Old Montreal! We were a bit far from the consulate, so we took a cab there and arrived just after 7am. There were 4 people ahead of us already! But I was happy to be close to the front of the line. While waiting, and obsessively going through my things, I noticed that I didn't have my photos. My fiance returned to the hotel just as the doors opened. The security guard told him that they would let him in when he returned. I was processed through and given the letter "E" but so nervous I could barely be happy. I waited outside the elevator. My fiance returned just as the doors were opening, but had not found the photos. LUCKILY! There is a passport photo booth downstairs, by the elevator! You have 4 poses. They are a bit light but they are acceptable. I made use of this machine to my great relief.
We went upstairs and the guard asked for the people with letters, and I went forward. We were directed to wait on the far side of the room. We waited for about 15 minutes, and were called to one of the back windows. The lady we spoke with was very nice, asked for my things politely, and was friendly. She said that everything was in order, and gave us the paper to go and pay. We went to the payment line, and waited for about 5 minutes there. It was a fairly busy day. After paying, we returned and showed our receipt, and then were asked to go back and wait for the interview.
We were called for the interview after about 10 minutes. We entered the tiny little room, and the interviewer greeted us. My fiance had a seat and I went to the glass and repeated the oath. The interviewer was an older guy, with grey hair and a mustache, and he was very friendly. He and my fiance started talking as my fiance works where the interviewer once worked. After a few minutes, he turns back to me and says, "unfortunately I can't approve your visa".....
.....
WHAT!?!!??
He explained that my vaccination record was incomplete. I said that I didn't understand. He explained that as I was 26 years old, I needed the HPV vaccination, which I did not have. I told him that the doctor that I saw, in Toronto at Dr. Seiden's office. It wasn't Dr. Seiden that I saw, it was another male doctor, whose name I don't remember. Anyway, he told me, that since I was on a K1 visa, that I could have my HPV immunization deferred to after I mvoed to the USA. He told me this would be easier, because then I could complete all three shots in the USA. I specifically asked him, if it would damage my visa application. He stated that it would not, and again said that it would actually be easier. SO, I opted to defer it.
The Dr. was WRONG! YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR HPV VACCINE IF YOU ARE 26 and under, and a female!
Luckily, the interviewer listened to me, he took my vaccination record which the doctor had written on the deferral notice, and made copies. In the back I heard him speaking to someone, saying that they needed to call this doctor as he was giving out the wrong information. He returned to the room, and gave me a slip of paper. He said it was a re-entry paper, and that I needed to go to the walk-in clinic, and get the vaccination. He said that I could go and get it later, and reschedule the interview, or go that day, and come back with the proof, and get the visa. Obviously I opted to go straight away. We left the office; it was only about 9:50am. We walked to the doctor's office he had told me to go to, and went in and told them our problem. It was actually the panel physician approved for Quebec, Medisys. THey were very nice, and squeezed me in, and I received the vaccination. I then returned to the consulate and was allowed back through, and let up to the window to show my proof. The lady took it, rechecked a few things, and then.... "Congratulations!"
I was very happy, and relieved! The only bad experience was getting the wrong info from the doctor, who is supposed to be trained specifically to prevent that.
I received my Visa in the mail the following week. Yay!
| | | Montreal, Canada | Review #4949 on September 10, 2009: |
J & J in WI
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
In Point Form:
- Arrive early, 6:30am. My appt was for 9am, was in line at 6:30am, was out by 10am (was the first approval out of the building, could hardy wipe the grin off my face) because I was one of the first in line.
- Bring your Fiance/e if possible. Having the support there makes a huge difference.
- If your fiance/e can't be there, no worries, all the officers who process you from the one who opens the door at 7:30am to the one who approves your visa are super nice people.
- There's a 24-hr Tim Horton's just down the street from the consulate.
- Don't bring the stuff they tell you not to bring. BUT, if you do, you'll get it back afterwards. (I'm not saying I did... just from observations.)
- There's a passport photo stand in the first waiting area (basement), in case those are forgotten. (I didn't have to use it...)
- There are snack and cold/hot drink vending machines in the second waiting area (19th floor.)
- Take advantage of the awesome view of Montreal from the second waiting area.
- If a form is missing, they'll probably let you fill it out there. (I apparently didn't have my DS-156 because I'm a dork. They let me fill it out right there.)
- If you forget to buy the Xpresspost envelope, they'll tell you where to pick one up and let you come back the same day with it. (Not me, someone else...)
- You don't need to bring your chest x-ray, only the medical exam. The x-ray is the awkwardest thing to lug around an airport and around town, trust me.)
- Ask any immigration questions that have been eating you alive, they know the answers! 
| | | Montreal, Canada | Review #4922 on September 2, 2009: |
nathandace
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I went to the montreal consulate for 7:30am (my appointment was at 8). There were only a handful of people waiting to go throguh security before me. Went through security, then sat in a waiting room for about a half hour. A guard came to get the group of people in the waiting room, and brought us up to the 19th floor. We were given two tickets with a number, and waited until our number was called. This took about a half an hour. Once my number was called, I went to the booth, exchanged forms,then the lady pulled out my file, made notes, sent me to pay the fee, finger printed me, and asked me questions. She then gave me the second ticket back, and told me to wait in the waiting room. This took another half hour. Was called in for my interview, the interviewer was very friendly, asked me very basic questions about my relationship, gave me a welcome letter, and a slip to pick up my visa the following day. They apparently dont do that very often, only for special circumstances. I was back in my hotel room by 10:15am. The next day I went back to pick up my visa, was in the consulate for almost two hours. Someone had attached my file with another, I had to be interviewed a second time, wait for the two files to be separated, and wait for the consulate to fix/print my visa. During this time I had missed my train home, and had to pay full fare for two tickets. My experience regarding the interview, and the events leading up to the interview was good. I had no problems. It was the frustrating experience that I had the following day that took away from the 'very good' experience that I had. If that makes any sense?
| | | Vancouver, Canada | Review #4919 on September 2, 2009: |
Jauque
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Really simple, the whole thing took about 3 hours. When we got there the electricity was down so we had to wiat about 30 minutes for it to come back up and then once we got upstairs we had to wait another hour for the computers to come back up. All and all the actual interview only took about 10 minutes.
She asked me:
1) When we first met.
2) When we got enganged.
3) When we first met in person.
4) How we met.
5) What he did for a living.
6) How much money he made.
She then said okay this is all fine take this over to my colleage at window 2. I got there she gave me a paper notifying me to reappear with my medical results. I came back with my medical results the next day and she gave me my visas the day after that.
The worst thing about the interview was where its located. There was a demonstration going on at the time, which I'm sure is normal but the pictures of bloody beaten people plastering the sidewalk was abit alarming for my daughter.
Also it's a pain in the butt driving in and out of downtown vancouver, if I had it to do over again I would figure out the bus or skytram schedule.
| | | Montreal, Canada | Review #4892 on August 26, 2009: |
StephyD
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Overall the experience was better than I thought. I got to the embassy on a rainy morning at about 725am.Doors opened around 745am. Everyone on here said to get there so much earlier, but I didnt want to stand around, knowing no matter what I would be waiting inside eventually. I was 4th in line, and about 6 people came after. The first woman brough a carry on suitcase, so she had to leave and come back. Bumped me up to 3rd. I had my passport ready, and went through security, then down the steps to a dingy looking basement. I was given letter 'B' during the security check. About 5-10 mins later a guard came to take letters a-b which was myself and a couple. Then up we went to the 19th floor with a gorgeous view on Montreal. The guard was so friendly and sat us in an area near the left. I was called up about 20 mins later to give my paperwork. I was organized and prepped and even still the woman was a tad impatient. It was early on a Friday morning, so i'll let that pass. I sat down, called up again, paid at another window, sat again. Evenutally i had my interview in room 8, and that woman was so nice. It took about 10 mins.She asked how we met, what he does, what i want to do, etc. Then she welcomed me to the states. Then i hit the bathroom, which is close to the seating area if you need to run in while waiting, makes it quick and easy if youre stressed about missing your name called. I was done it all by 930am. It was quick and my best advice is to be organized as much as possible, and they'll be happy. I would say it was a painless experience for such a daunting task.
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