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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on December 9, 2020: |
ONtoHOU
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My appointment was scheduled for 8:45am. I arrived at 8:41am and was let in by the security guard. He asked me a series of Covid related questions and then asked me to wait until the person ahead of me was through security before moving through security. It was standard airport security, I didn’t use the lockers. I was directed to take the elevator to the 1st floor. Once I arrived I went immediately to window 5 to provide my passport and then told to sit and wait until my name was called.
There was 12 people in chairs when I first got there. At one point there were 18 of us and no longer any open seats (socially distancing considerations in mind). I think a lot of people had to wait well beyond their interview time to be let in by security downstairs because of that. It also seemed like most people spent considerably more time being interview. The woman who arrived just ahead of me must have been at the window for 20 minutes when it was her turn to interview. They seemed to be really, really behind schedule. I think at least 7 of 12 windows were operational as people were called to windows 1-7.
I had a lot of time to wait because I wasn’t called up to provide my documents until 9:45. I was called to window 6, asked to provide my original birth certificate (I provided the Ontario long form), original marriage certificate (I provided Ontario short form) and police certificates. My police certificate was new (August 2020), it said Privacy Act Other. I also had a foreign police certificate and translation. Next they asked if any of our financial information had changed. My husband got a new job, so I provided a new I-864. He asked for the 2019 Tax Return to accompany it. I had the full return with all schedules (over 50 pages) but he only wanted the 1040. He did not want any income slips (1099 series and W2s). Any documents that were new the officer put a sticky note that said *scan* on them. I was then asked for one photo (2inch x 2inch) he scanned it and then gave it back to me. Next was finger printing on the electronic reader. I was then told to have a seat and wait to be called up. This all took about 10 minutes. 5 minutes later I was called up to the same window again, and he explained he forgot to give me the domestic violence pamphlet. I sat back down and read it.
I then waited until 1030am to be called to my interview window. It was window #2 and the woman was extremely nice. I used the hook to the left on the window to hang my coat. She asked if I was from Texas because of the necklace I was wearing. I explained that my husband was. She then asked me to swear my oath and took one set of finger prints as my oath. I was asked:
when did you met your husband?
Did you start dating right away?
When did you start dating?
What year did you get married?
When was the last time you were able to see him? (She was surprised he could come to Canada - I noted the changes to rules to allow it)
What does your husband do for work?
Have you ever committed a crime anywhere?
Have you ever stayed in the US longer than you were allowed?
Conversationally she asked about my foreign police certificate and why I had it (I lived there 8 months - previous NVC guidance indicated you’d need it). She thanked me for providing it.
Did I have a nexus card? ( I didn’t have to provide it she simply said “thought so†after I answered Yes so I assume they had some extra info about me because of that)
At some point she returned my original birth certificate and marriage certificate - don’t remember when.
She then told me I was her easy case of the day and she would be able to approve my visa, and I exhaled and said that I’d be very happy to be that for her. She laughed. I got my white Welcome to the US letter and a document outlining how to check the status of my visa. She said to expect 2-3 weeks for delivery. She asked if I had any questions and then I went on my way. It took all of 5 minutes with her, I think she had already told me I was approved by minute 3. I was outside the consulate by 1038.
CEAC case status changed to Issued - AP day of Interview and Issued - Final Processing the day after interview.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #28878