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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on March 1, 2009: |
SK&SP
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I arrived at the consulate at 6:30am, I was fortunate enough to have a friend from my home city that took the trip with me and stood outside the consulate to keep me company. About 15 min. after arriving a woman and a man both for their visas showed up at 6:45 so I was glad to be the first one there. Sure enough by 7:15 there was a long line of people. At 7:35 the lights inside the building turned on and the guard took the chain off the front door. Said goodbye to my friend, he wished me luck and the guard stepped outside. He asked who was first in line and he told me to enter the door, I handed him my interview letter, and was told to enter the building. Once inside, there was another guard that asked for my passport and to put all my belongings into a bin to go through the x-ray machine. Was told to step through the metal detector and then was told to go downstairs and wait. After spending about 10 min. in an awkward basement room with 4 other people also applying for their visas, the guard came down and took us to the 19th floor. Once upstairs we were told to take a seat in a large room until our letter was called. Even though I was given the letter A, both B and C were called before me to the windows.
After about 15 min. my letter was called and I went up to the window (reminded me of a bank teller window) she seemed very polite, asked me how I was, I did the same, she asked me for my short form birth certificate and a copy (which I didn't have because I had the LONG form and a copy) but she photocopied the short form one for me. She also asked for my pre-paid envelope, affidavits of support, passport photos and she asked me if I had filled out the DS-160 and I gave that to her also. She gave me a form and told me to go the the cashiers window at #14 which is the only cashier window. By this time many people had been let in to apply for different things, passports and such, so I had to wait in line for the cashier. I paid my fees and went back to her window to give her the receipt. She handed the photos that we originally submitted with our I-129F to me and told me to have a seat in the waiting room and that my name would be called shortly. Shortly.........it was anything but. I sat in this waiting room for just under 2 hours, that was the bulk of the time I spent in the building. I was so insanely nervous that my stomach was actually flexing, lol. And I had to run to the washroom so bad, but I was afraid that I would miss my name being called, because if they called a name and no one answered they went right on to the next one.
Finally after the longest wait of my life...my name was called and I was told to go to booth #7. Once I was in the room I was told to close the door. Standing in a 4x4 plain white room looking at a woman behind a teller-like window I was told to raise my right hand and I swore to tell the truth. Immediately she began by asking me how we first met, when we first met and when we first met in person. She asked to see some pictures and I handed her the pictures that we originally submitted. She asked me about all the pictures, there were approx 6 or 7. She said that she understood that Amy has a daughter and how I got along with her. I told her that I spent 3 months in California with Amy and her daughter and we had an instant connection and that she loves me and I love her. She then asked what draws Amy and I together as a couple. That was the last of the questions, then she asked for Amy's recent letter of intent. She then asked me to sign a form saying that I still wished to marry Amy. And said congratulations, everything seems to be in order and I'm going to go ahead and grant your visa.
She handed me a form of things that you do after you get your visa and asked me if I had my long form birth certificate. I went to hand it to her and she said no, I don't need it, just hold on to it for any possible further processes. She told me to keep all my important information with me as I may need it later as well. I thanked her and walked out of the office still shocked how short and easy the interview was. I went into the washroom and cried I was so happy, now that it had set in that I actually was approved and that I was coming home!
I ran back to the hotel and called Amy and gave her the wonderful news, that was a GREAT phone call!!.
NOTES:
There is 4 to 5 hotels within 5 blocks of the consulate, the cheapest I found was a Travel Lodge that was $70 a night.
I would say it is KEY to be organized. I was thanked several times for being so organized.
There is a LONG list of things you can't bring into the consulate, so try to bring as LITTLE with you as possible, it will make it so much easier to get through the security check.
Make sure you triple check all your important documents before hand, be as sure of yourself as possible, it helps with the nervousness.
The streets signs and lights are super confusing, so if you are driving to the consulate the morning of, give yourself plenty of time, and even if you are walking there do a pre-walk just to make sure of how long it takes and where the consulate is.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #4018