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Canada US Consulate Reviews
Average Rating: 4.2
/ 5
1649 Review(s)
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| Montreal, Canada |  Review #1043 on November 21, 2006: |
DavidandEli
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Visa Interview scheduled on November 22nd 2006 9:30am.
| | | Montreal, Canada | Review #1035 on November 18, 2006: |
Leafgal
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Everything seems to have changed. Got there at 7 am, security is tight so take as little as possible to help speed up the process of getting through security. They only let 2 interview people in to pass through security at a time. Then as they will instruct you, take a seat in the waiting area to wait for security to let you in the elevator (if you try to stand near the elevator they will tell yo through the intercom to take a seat). Once in the elevator, of course you still go directly to the back. When you get off the elevator head to Window 6, which is straight ahead out of the elevator and then turn left and go down the hall. They will ask you for your interview letter, then they will call you up to give your documents. Then they will tell you to go to window 12 to pay (that window wasn't open until 8:15) then take the reciept back to window 6 (someone else was there when I went back so another window asked me to drop in the reciept to her). Then you have to go out to main waiting room to wait for them to call your name (no numbers for the K1 visas). When they call your name you will be instructed which room to go in for your interview. When I got called in was asked how we met each other, was I planning on working in the US, and when I was planning on leaving, then he gave me my card to enter the Consulate the next day to pick up the visa. I was finished at 8:45 am.
Everyone was very nice at the Consulate. I forgot to give the taxes and and employment letter when I gave all the other paperwork so I offered those up and my interviewer said he was going to ask for them and he only looked at 2005 and then went and copied it and gave me back the original.
When I went back for the Visa it was all very organized once again. Arrived to pick up the visa at 2 pm, they didn't let anyone in until 2:20 (and then through security again), and was out of there with the visa by 2:50, again everyone very nice.
I do suggest walking to the consulate the day before so you don't have any problems finding it since it is not marked. It is on the corner of St. Alexander and Rene Levesque, entrance in on St. Alexander. I also suggest when coming back to get the visa take as little as possible to get through secuity quicker. There is no guard to take you up to the 19th floor to pick up the visa so the quicker you clear security the quicker you get upstairs.
| | | Vancouver, Canada | Review #1034 on November 18, 2006: |
Carlawarla
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I went by the Consulate last night, to see where I'd have to go. Got there about 9:45 a.m. today, for my 10:00 a.m. interview. The line up was incredible. But of course, I went to the head of the line, to give the security guard my Consulate interview letter. He ushered me inside. It's much like airport security. Take off your coat, empty your pockets, belt if you have one...then walk through a security screen booth. The guard was friendly, and said it's smooth sailing now, that this is the "easy part". ha
Was told to go upstairs, where a lady ushered me into an elevator and up to the 20th floor. Again, same security situation there. After passing through the security booth, I was given a K-1 visa document sheet, and told while I was waiting to put the following forms in this order for my interviewer.
I was ushered to the K visa interview area, which is really only 4 chairs (ripped vinyl) in front of teller like windows numbered 1-5 with just barely squeezing room in between. There was one lady at the counter, and another lady sitting beside me.
I organized my papers in the order stated. I waited while the other two ladies were taken care of. One didn't have all the papers? The other lady, they told her, her name/case was being "checked", and they didn't know how long that would take, and they'd contact her. Yikes...looked to me like they weren't giving out visa's today??
Then my name was called. I gave all the information to a lady, who thanked me for filling out the DS-156 on-line like I was asked to. She affixed my picture to the form, and gave it back to me with a paper with the visa fee on it, and directed me to the cashier.
Going to the cashier was an experience. I mentioned earlier about the line up's outside? Gosh, there must have been 100 people out there. Inside it was wall to wall people. People sitting, waiting, babies crying. I had to walk the gauntlet to the cashier's office. My application was marked "paid" and I was given a receipt.
Back through the gauntlet to the K visa wickets. (K visa waiting area is adjacent to the other area where all the other people are). By this time, the lady was waiting for me, returned the x-ray to me, a couple of duplicate papers I had given her, and took the "paid" application with her. I waited about 15 minutes and then a man called my name and asked for my forefinger fingerprints.
About another 10 minutes later, a man came and called my name, and while looking at my papers asked me how Gene and I had met. He seemed very interested, but in a nice conversationalist way. He asked me when I was planning to move to St. Louis, and I said ..mid to late January, and he said, oh, well, you'll be kind of rushed then, because you have to get married and use this visa in 3 months.
I said huh??? (Well, I didn't say the word huh??) I just LOOKED like I was saying huh. hehe I said, I'm SURE it's for 6 months, the visa. One entry,90 days after I enter I have to be married....he said, hmmm. I don't think so. My heart by this time was pounding. I mean I'm thinking wtf??? Have the changed the process and I didn't know about it???
He said he'd go check. I felt kind of dizzy at that point. He came back and said, when were you planning to get married? I said, the 7th of April? He said, well, you're right, it IS for six months. Just remember you have to get married before 90 days after you enter. Phewwwwwwwwwwww
He said, just let me see what time you should come back and get the visa this afternoon....when the other lady comes up and said...if you don't mind waiting, I'll do your visa up right now, and you don't have to come back. WOW!! how nice eh? So of course I said yes. With tears streaming down my face too btw.
So I waited about 15 min. and then I was called to the window again, and given my passport back with the visa inside. Oh, it looked so wonderful! I was then given the envelope I'm not supposed to open, and then the lady went on telling me about ajustment of status, advanced parole....I was just nodding at this point, don't know how much I was really hearing either. Then she said, good luck!
I should mention, they requested no additional information at all from me. I came armed with bills, hotel receipts, itineraries, boarding passes, telephone bills, engagement ring receipt, cards, letters, correspondence, and pictures of us together, with familes etc. They asked for nothing. Although I should mention we sent in some of these things with our initial package.
I followed the exit signs out to the street and rushed back to the hotel to phone Gene where he was anxiously awaiting my phone call. I was shaking so bad, I had to dial the number several times before I got it right!
We're so relieved and happy that this day has finally arrived. Our journey began 3 years ago, when we met for the first time in person after chatting for 18 months. My kindred spirit and I will finally be man and wife on April 7, 2007.
Hope any or all of this information is of benefit to others going through this journey,particularly those of you waiting for your interview in Vancouver!
| | | Montreal, Canada | Review #1003 on November 7, 2006: |
QC2CO
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K3 Visa
Hi guys. I did my K3 interview on Wednesday the 25th. I drove to Montreal from Gatineau at 4am and got there at 6am. Had to pick up my medical results at Medisys on Sherbrooke Ouest. Then the fun began. Mapquest had me on a wild goose chase to find the consulate. I walked for at least 30 min in the wrong direction... in the rain. Then after stopping at a hotel to get directions, the Consulate was only 2 blocks away to the right on Rene Levesque, when I went left hehe.
Good advice is to leave cellphone, electronic car door devices in the car. Put your stuff in a plastic grocery bag, all of this saves alot of time when you are being checked at the door. I have seen a guy that was waiting with a nylon shoulder bag, and the office told him that he must leave the building with his bag, and bring it as far as possible away from the consulate. The guy ended up throwing away his bag in a garbage can, blocks away.
Then, when your number is called and you present the documents that they are requesting, this went very well. The woman was very nice. She informed me that when I get my interview for the CR1, I will need to bring another copy of a police certificate, and get another copy of my medical results, if the interview is within a year from when I did my last medical. If it is over a year, then I must do another medical exam. She informed me that the criminal record check can be done at a local police station, as long as it is indicated on the document that it is based on a national wide search.
So, after providing the documents, and paid the 100$ US, I waited to be called for the interview. They have you go in this small room, where the interviewer is behind a glass window. She had me raise my right hand and do an oath. Then she asked me 4 questions.
- Have you ever had any problems with the law or have any criminal records? No
- Have you ever had any problems at POE entering the USA? Yes. Why? Because I could not prove that had any ties to Canada. This happend 3 times in a row, then i was able to succesfuly cross 6 succesful times afterwards.
- Where did you both meet? At work, blah blah.
- Why have you decided that you were moving to the US and not your spouse moving to Canada. blah blah blah.
"Ok, come and pick up your visa tomorrow at 2:30pm". Gave me a ticket that I present at the door when I come and pick it up, and she walked out of the room. Pretty dry.  It sucks that you have to wait until 2:30pm the next day, unless you have an express post envellope. But for me, this option was best.
Then the next day, when you go pick it up, they wont let you in until 2pm (or was it 2:15pm), either way, you go back to the same floor as the interview, you wait in the room that they told you to go to, and you will be with other people waiting for their visas also. The window only opens at 2:30pm, and then this part is pretty quick. When you go up to the window, you give them your name, and they give you your passport/visa and an enveloppe that will only be opened once you cross the border.
I then drove to Cornwall/Messena NY POE. Can't remember how long it took for them to activate the visa, probably 30-45min. And there was a charge of 6$ US for something that I can't remember. I think this was worth doing before my flight, because it saved time the morning that I left by plane at the airport.
The day I took my flight, I just showed them my passport/visa and pretty much walked right through.  and now I'm in Colorado waiting for my CR1 visa interview date.
The end.
| | | Montreal, Canada | Review #967 on October 26, 2006: |
Karly-n-Bruce
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
We arrived at the Consulate at 745 and there were people waiting outside. Bruce noticed that there were also people inside, so we went in and were asked to show my appointment letter and passport (which I already knew about). We went through the security checkpoint fairly quickly and we were sent downstairs to wait until 8 when the guard would bring us upstairs via elevator. We didn't wait long and the guard was ready for us. They packed us in like sardines and we were off to the 19th floor. Once there, we turned left and sat down in front of window 14 (which was still closed). Around 815, the window opened and we were in business. I was fourth in line but third to get a number because the person in front of me was picking something up. My number was C3 which is kind of weird because my last name starts with a C and 3 is my favourite number. Anyway, we were asked to sit in the "immigrant visa waiting area", which we did. We were sitting approx. 10 to 15 minutes and we were called to window 11. Before I was asked to give any documents, the lady on the other side of the window was looking through our file and she said to give her a second because there was a ton of paperwork there. We waited and she asked if we had any photocopies of our original petition (I-129F) because she couldn't find it. I started to panic knowing that I had photocopies of SOME things from the initial package, but not our original petition. I breathed a sigh of relief when she found it attached to another paper. She stapled it where it belonged and then asked me for my documents. I have to give her the DS-156, DS-156K, I-134 (affidavit of support), my birth certificate (with a copy), my medical envelope and my passport. She asked us to go to window 14, pay our 100$ and come back with the receipt. We did and she kindly asked us to sit back down and wait to be called for our interview. The closer it got to my number being called, the more nervous I got. The two interviews before ours were in room 8 and we were asked to go to room 7 (which happens to be one of Bruce's favourite numbers... weird with the favourite number thing). Bruce came in with me because he was told on numerous occasions that he was allowed in the interview room however, once inside, the girl behind the glass asked him if he would please leave. I didn't really think anything of it because I was more focused on answering the questions and getting out of there (preferably with a visa, lol). As soon as I laid all of my stuff on the chair in the room, I noticed an orange piece of paper that was meant for a re-entry into the Consulate and it was signed. The first thing I was asked to do was read the consent thing on the bottom of the DS-156K and sign it. For those of you who have already done the interview, that consent is about swearing to marry your fiancé 90 days after entering the States, blah blah blah so I thought it was odd that I would be signing it before being asked any questions. I'm beginning to think I was approved before going in for the actual interview, but you never know I suppose. Anyway, after signing the DS-156K, she fingerprinted me and I forget if she made me take an oath of truth before or after she questioned me, but she did that too. She said that everything seemed to be in order and she just needed to ask me a few general questions. I said ok and these are the questions she asked:
Have you ever had any problems with the Police/Law?
Have you ever had any problems with the Canadian Government?
Have you ever had any problems with Immigration or US Customs?
How did you meet your fiancé?
When did you decide to marry?
What are your plans for marriage?
I think that was it. She gave me the ticket that would let me back into the Consulate the following day and I was on my way. I couldn't help but smile when I opened the door and saw Bruce standing in the hallway. He later told me that he was glad I did so because he was freaking out in the hall wondering why they would have kicked him out. He thought the worst was going to happen and thinking back now, we're both wondering if it had to do with our age, but that's just an assumption because the other couples we saw both went into the interview and one wasn't asked to leave. So, we headed back to the motel until the following day.
I examined the ticket and it stated that we could re-enter at/until 2:30pm so we decided to get there around 830 or so and attempt to get in early. We waiting in a line outside the building for a good fifteen minutes or so and were ushered in by a guard. She noticed my ticket and asked to see it. She said she would call upstairs to see if it's ready or not (because it had 2:30 written on it) and came back asking for a piece of photo ID from me. She went back into the guard area and came back with "Sorry, but you'll have to come back at 2:15 to pick this up". We were disappointed because we wanted to get back on the road early in order to get home in time for supper, but it didn't exactly turn out like that. We headed back to the motel (which was across the street from the Consulate) and waited there for a few hours (Bruce slept and I watched TV). We headed back to the Consulate around 2 and waited outside in another line until 2:20. Bruce wasn't allowed in with me, so I went through the security checkpoint again and downstairs to wait for the elevator. We were sent to window 12 and I was the third in line (again). It was a matter of hand the person behind the window the ticket and get your visa package/passport back. A really quick and painless thing but it sucks that you have to wait an extra day in order to get it (I don't trust Canada Post, lol). I was out of there within 5 or 10 minutes and that was it.
I can't believe I spent the past few months worrying and really stressing about this! It was so extremely easy and relatively painless.
Thanks to everyone here for the information and for answering my questions. Everyone at the Consulate was very nice, patient and helpful. An all around great experience. :thumbs:
**On a side note: The Hyatt is very close to the Consulate (a lot closer than I thought) about a 5 minute walk and probably MUCH nicer than the Tour Centre-Ville (which is where we stayed). Le Tour served its purpose, but it was kinda smelly and nothing special at all. 
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