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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on October 14, 2015: |
Tater&Bugger
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Arrived at 7:15 and there were four people already waiting. My interview was scheduled for 8:00, but I had my three month old baby with me so wanted to be in and out quickly. I had a small canvas bag with me, small enough it could be rolled up and put in my sweater pocket. It contained my papers, diapers and credit card/change. I was checked in by a friendly man at the door a little after 7:30. As I entered the building an overweight security guard blocked me and said I wasn't allowed inside with my "backpack". I told him it was just a canvas diaper bag with two straps since I have my baby, and the instructions said a small diaper bag was ok. I had my son in an Ergo carrier which I could stick into the bag if I needed. He said NO BAGS at all were allowed except plastic grocery bags. I pulled up my email and he said he didn't care and began to speak over me without letting me talk. The guy who checked me in looked a bit embarrassed. I told him it's just a cheap bag for the occasion so I can just throw it out. He said I'm not allowed to in case I have a bomb. I said I don't, the bag is (now) empty he can see for himself. He said no cause I could blow up the entire building. I looked at him like he was crazy at this point and he told me I had to walk to the Eaton Centre and get a locker. I said that was quite far and my appt was at 8, I can just bring it to a restaurant down the road and have them toss it. I really don't care at this point. He began to yell at me and said if he catches me throwing out my bag he will call the bomb squad on me and then I won't get my Visa. If I wanted my Visa I had to get one of those lockers. He claimed it wasn't far.
I walk away shaking because this man was yelling at a woman and her infant, and I was furious but wasn't going to argue. Everything, including the nearby entrance to the Eaton Centre he directed me to was closed. I got into the Eaton Centre and found the food court on the bottom floor, got some change from Mmmuffins and put my empty canvas bag inside.
It was after 8 by the time I got back and my ankles were bleeding because apparently my feet grew since my last pregnancy and my shoes aren't fitting properly. Great. The man checking everyone in waves me inside and the rude guard tells me where to get in line for security. As I'm waiting he starts yelling at the 70-something Asian couple in front of me. "MOVE FORWARD! You! WHATS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU DEAF? WHY ARENT YOU LISTENING? WHATS YOUR PROBLEM ARE YOU DUMB HEY!", then the man in front of them turns and says "obviously they don't know you're talking to them, their backs are to you, you don't have to speak like that"... so the nice man pointed the three feet to their left that the rude guard was so adamant that they fill.
I get inside and notice another guy has a large briefcase. I asked the female security guard inside if bags are allowed. She says yes, as long as they fit into the bin. I tell her what happened with my bag and she looks confused. She asked how big it was and after a bit of discussing she apologized and says I should not have had to bring my bag all the way to the Eaton Centre (my hotel was only ten mins away in the opposite direction).
I go upstairs and wait with everyone. It was fine, pretty typical and moving at a decent speed. I've actually been here for a K1 fiancé Visa before and used to live in the US with a PR card. My husband and so had moved to Canada and were returning to the US due to his job opportunity so had to go through it again. I didn't have to check my small bag back then. Inside almost everyone had bags. Leather backpacks, big Luis Vuitton bags, briefcases, you name it. All larger than mine. The female security guard came up at one point to see how I was doing and apologized again for my troubles. When I walked in the women leaving was behind me in line earlier that morning. After about an hour and a half (I was #16) I got called to counter 1 to submit my documents. I return to the waiting area and get called again about 15 minutes later for my interview. The agent was very nice. He had me say an oath and then asked if my son needed to process any paperwork. I explain he was born in the US so has dual citizenship, just like our daughter. He tells me about his son who is about the same age and we talk a bit. He asks where I will be living, where my husband works and chat about his work for a bit since the agent was familiar with it and was a fan. We joke about me going through this crazy process all over again and he welcomes me to the United States of America, again haha.
We ended up being inside for two hours because of the bag delay. Had we gotten in when I arrived, I would have been out in under 30mins like my first experience. So be early!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #18044