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| Vancouver, Canada |  Review on September 6, 2012: |
Terosset
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Medical Exam:
I booked my medical for 8:45 AM on Tuesday, September 4th, 2012. I arrived around 8:30 after finding the correct medical clinic among the dozens located in the two adjacent parking lots on the corner; it has Dr. Cheema’s name on the outside and is in the first parking lot on the corner. I gave them my paperwork after waiting in the lobby for a while and then had to wait a while longer until the doctor called me in. It was probably between 9:15 and 9:30 when I was called in.
The exam was quick and super easy. He checked my weight and height, had me read a quick line from an eye chart, glanced in my mouth and ears, checked my pulse and blood pressure, listened to my heart and lungs, asked me a series of questions to which all my answers were “no”. Finally he had me put on a paper gown and had one of the receptionists come in with him since I’m female, and checked the lymph nodes, checked my skin and made sure I’m female.
He was very friendly and courteous through the whole thing, asking me about my job/studies, where I’ll be going, where I’m from, what sports I do, etc.
After that was done, I went back to the front desk and was given directions to the building where the chest x-ray and blood test are done. My dad had dropped me off and taken the rental car for the day so I had to walk, which is doable in around half an hour, although it was a hot day. It’s 12 blocks away from Dr. Cheema’s office.
You can choose what order to do the two things in, but the x-ray clinic is on the first floor of the building and the blood test clinic is on the second, so I did the x-ray first. I had to wait maybe 10-15 minutes before being called, then another 15 or so after I had changed into the gown and was sitting in the changing room. After the x-ray, I was free to go and they sent the results to the doctor.
Next I went upstairs for the blood test (room 201), took a number and sat down. They went through the numbers quickly and I only waited perhaps 10-15 minutes for my turn. They took a quick blood test and I was free to go once again.
We chose to stay at a hotel in Surrey pretty close to the medical clinic since you have to go there twice (once for the exam and once the following afternoon for the results). We stayed at the Best Western Plus King George Suites which is a short drive from the clinic and also relatively close to the x-ray and blood test clinic. After being dropped off at the medical clinic, I did walk everywhere from there and it was a 30-45 minute walk to each location, so only plan to walk if the weather is good and you’re feeling up to it!
Visa Interview:
My interview was scheduled for 10:00 AM on Thursday, September 6, 2012. My dad dropped me off at the Skytrain station on King George Boulevard in Surrey, a bit north of our hotel and I took it all the way to Burrard Station in downtown Vancouver (around half an hour’s ride), about a block from the consulate. I arrived early at about 9:25 but they let me in anyway. At security outside they asked for my passport and interview confirmation (don’t forget to print this out when you book the interview!). They also looked at the sealed medical envelope. Then they looked through my belongings (just a big stack of paperwork and a book) and I left my phone in one of the small, mailbox-sized lockers.
Inside, I walked through a metal detector and someone else looked through my belongings. After that, I was instructed that this was the last chance to use the bathroom and then we got on the elevator to the 20th floor where I realized I didn’t have a number like other people seemed to. It turns out that K-1 visa applicants go straight to counter B on the left and flip the light switch to get assisted. A friendly man asked for everything on the checklist and gave me my number then told me to have a seat.
The room is small and didn’t have enough chairs for everyone waiting; it was also very warm and stuffy. I was number 71 and they were currently calling up number 45 or so for interviews. Counter 3 was calling up people first to get their fingerprints taken before the interview, but once I was called up there, I was told K-1 fingerprints are done during the interview and to sit back down. All in all I waited about two hours for my interview (from 9:45 to 11:45). I recommend bringing a book!
The interview itself was very easy. The lady took my fingerprints, asked me to raise my right hand and say the oath, and then she basically skimmed through the required documents and asked me a few basic questions:
- Where and when did you meet?
- When did you first meet in person?
- When was the last time you saw him? And before then? Have you visited him?
- Where does he live? What does he do? When does he graduate?
- What do you do? What school do you go to?
- Have either of you been married before? Have kids?
- When will you move?
She looked through our photos we had sent with the I-129F quickly and asked about us being in Georgia when she saw a picture of us at the Georgia Aquarium. She didn’t ask to see any of the evidence I had brought such as newer photos, phone bills, chat histories, boarding passes, etc. In fact, she didn’t even thoroughly look through the required items on the checklist, just scanning everything for the essentials I guess.
Soon after she said she didn’t see any problems and congratulated me on being approved. I was then sent to wait a few more minutes until being called back to window B to talk to the first man that took my documents. He gave me instructions on picking up my passport with the visa inside through DHL and said I was free to go.
All in all, both the medical exam and visa interview were straightforward and easy. Best of luck to everyone going through Vancouver in the future.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #10339