My interview was on April 21st in Montreal and started at 6AM. My interview time was at 7:40 but thanks to VJ I knew to be there ahead of time to get in early as possible! I left my hotel at 6:45 and I have no idea what time I arrived as I left everything electronic at the hotel. There were already about four people waiting in line (unfortunately in the rain but we all had umbrellas) until the doors finally opened! First few people were sent away due to the bags they were carrying so the woman checking interview letters checked two people in front of me and then mine.
Got to the security and only had my coat, umbrella and binder so got through pretty quick. Was the first downstairs to sit down by the elevator. It quickly got very crowded so luckily I got there when I did. Maybe 20 minutes later the security guy came down and told us we were all going to the 19th floor and everyone crowded all at once to the doors and I very quickly got stuck behind a group of people. Nearly everyone PACKED into the elevator and went up to the 19th floor where a very disorganized line was formed in front of the greeter desk.
Once I got to the greeter she asked for my passport and DS-160 letter and asks if I am registered for Loomis. I got #5 for Immigrant visa, not too bad. Waited about 20 minutes until I was called to window #1 (Hidden behind window #2) and handed all of the things the woman asked of me as well as took my finger prints. She gave me my medical result disc and sheet for my records and told me to wait to be called.
This waiting was a bit longer totaling probably about 45 minutes. The greeter turned on the TV and it was showing some cheesy "Welcome to the United States" documentary/movie thing. I think a little before 10AM I was finally called to window #7 and the guy told me to wait a moment. He seemed to just be finishing up with the last interview case typing up things and such. I was a nervous wreck waiting for him to finally finish! He first asked me to read the oath aloud and then did a little more typing. He did most of the question asking like he was reading from a transcript and I answered all of them honestly.
He asked: How old are you? How old is your fiance? How did you meet? Where did you meet in person and when? What movies do you both like? (He asked this in regards to our blog contents) Where does your fiance live? What does your fiance do for work? Did some more typing and I saw him write an "A" on my file and then he told me "I am going to approve you for your visa today!" And that was the first time he smiled at me haha. I replied "wow, thank you!" He said you're welcome and handed me the Welcome to the United States letter and I left. (Pretty sure I also teared up right there in front of him!)
Headed out of there and went back to the hotel! I got back somewhere around 10:40. My fiance informed me that my visa status was now in "Administrative processing" and read all kinds of horror stories on VJ about people waiting sometimes for week for it to changed to "Issued" about 24 hours later it was FINALLY "Issued". I got the emails the same day with my Loomis number and on Friday I was ALREADY able to pick up my passport! At the end of my interview he said it would take abut 1-2 weeks! Only 4 days! I picked my passport up on Friday and me and my fiance are both so stoked to finally get married this summer and no longer be apart! It's been such a long and stressful (also expensive) journey getting here but the wait is so, so worth it.
Thanks to VJ for all your wisdom and I hope I can help anyone going through the same thing! Good luck and thank you!
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #16715
Review on April 28, 2015:
