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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on September 11, 2012: |
Chunger
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
All in all, experience was very good. Get there early and you will get out in time for a celebratory breakfast! I was inside the consulate for about an hour.
My appointment was set for 10 am but I arrived really early (6:30am) due to the recommendation of fellow VJers. I got there way too early and was the only one there for an hour. Then a couple showed up at 7:30am and we waited until they opened the doors. Others have stated there was a line up when they got there early, so it will depend on many factors. Get there early to be safe, so you don't spend the entire day waiting. It's first-come, first-served - you get a ticket and wait. So get there early if you want to get out early.
VJ advice states to have your appointment letter ready - TRUE. It's the first thing they ask for. Have your passport ready too.
It's true - no cameras or large bags including back packs. A man had a carry on piece of luggage and was immediately accosted by a consulate officer - he wasn't intending on coming in, he was the US petitioner for his Canadian fiancé. You can bring your cell phone - they will check it for you and you pick it up once you're done, took no time, so bring it for peace of mind :o) You can bring a small purse, ladies. You go through security scans (yourself plus your small purse).
Then you go downstairs to a waiting area. Advice on VJ states wait right by the elevator - TRUE.
Once you get into the elevator, the opposite doors will open - TRUE. Wait by them. You want to be one of the first ones to get out of that elevator.
You get a ticket at a window - TRUE. The instructions are clear once there.
I've read ladies cannot wear any makeup and they will ask you to wash it off if you have it on - FALSE. I went bare faced but really didn't have to. I don't know where that came from. I wore (light) makeup on all photos submitted to the Consulate, so why not at the interview. Others wore makeup there.
Then you wait. I was the 2nd person to get a ticket, yet I was the 5th one called. Of course I started to get nervous, but it was nothing. You're not all there petitioning for the same visa, so just relax.
At the first window, she took my fingerprints, checked some paperwork, and asked me to sit down again. That took less than 10 minutes.
Then I waited for about 15-20 minutes.
Then you're called to a second window. She was pleasant enough, stated I had a near perfect file (no need to pay thousands of dollars for a lawyer to do this for you, friends). She asked me to tell her how I met my fiancé, asked a bit about his work, and returned most of my packet 3 documents, including the photos I had submitted. She also took my fingerprints.
Then she gave me two sheets of paper (next steps on what to do once you land on American soil, when to file AOS, etc). Swore me in, and that was it. All of this at the second window took about 15 minutes.
All in all, they were professional, courteous and efficient.
I've received a mixed bag of attitude from customs officers at the port of entry so I wasn't sure what to expect here. The Montreal consulate was a great experience overall.
Hotel tip: The W is literally just down the street from the US consulate (about a 5 minute walk along a cute street). They do have a club in the hotel which kept me up until 3 am, but if you're spending an extra night in Montreal after your interview, it's a great location. Just check on when their clubs are open.
Attire tip: no need to be in a suit. I saw a couple in suits but it really didn't matter. And they were held up at the window and I could hear the officer losing patience with them. So in the end, their suits didn't matter. Just be prepared with the necessary paperwork. And dress cleanly. Ladies, skip the heels, no one can see your shoes there but security.
Document tip: remember to bring the original copies of everything previously submitted (birth certificates, etc). I had everything ready in a large, see-through, accordion file, but was not asked for any of it. But better to be prepared.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #10377