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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on April 8, 2021: |
Cp192019
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
This day was a blur but I'll try my best to recall everything.
I got to the embassy at 0933 and was told to wait outside as my interview was at 0945. So I stood there and waited with my parents. A security guard came out to tell them not to lean on the planters as the owner apparently doesn't like that (random info, but I thought it was funny). The officer came out at 0945 to call out the time. I entered, put my wallet and binder in a bin so that it could be scanned (like at the airport). I walked through a metal detector then was told to put my phone in a locker they provided and keep the key. So I did. Then I went in the elevator, up to the floor I was told to go. It's basically one big room with a lot of chairs and windows. It's dead silent, no one is talking except people at the windows.
I stood at the window the officer from downstairs told me to stand. No one was at the window so I was a bit confused. Someone came eventually, took my passport, gave me a number and I sat down. A few minutes later my number appeared on the screen with a corresponding window to go to. The lady was very nice, took my original documents (police check, marriage cert, birth cert). She asked about my current address and my husband's address, as well as his phone number (for mailing purposes). She also asked what year was the most recent year my spouse filed his taxes, which was 2019, but I did bring w2's for 2020 as my spouse hasn't been able to file 2020 yet, and she took those. Then she gave me a pamphlet about abuse and told me to sit down again.
I sat for about 30 minutes or so, plenty of time to read the pamphlet. I got called to my interview and at first the guy seemed very stern but then he eased up a moment later. He asked quite a few questions such as:
- what is the petitioner's name?
- where did you and your spouse meet and when?
- when did you meet in person for the first time?
- when did you get married and who was at the wedding?
- what occupation my husband has, and then myself (we have the same job)?
- have I ever been arrested?
- have I been denied entry at the border?
- did I read the pamphlet? did I have any questions/concerns?
- what was the longest I've stayed in america at one time?
All very easy questions, with a few light-hearted jokes from the interviewer. He told me on the spot he was approving my visa and gave me the "welcome to america" paper along with a paper about tracking my visa through the mail. I was in at 0945 and out at 1100. Everyone at the embassy was friendly, although anxiety in the room was high, which was exacerbated by the silence. Lots of approvals that day from what I could hear. I stressed a lot about this part when I didn't need to. It was straightforward and a more comfortable experience than I had imagined.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #29463