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| Vancouver, Canada |  Review on June 23, 2009: |
BluesTraveler
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Following along with what others have advised about the Vancouver consulate, it really hasn't changed from what other people have posted before me.
The entrance is on the side of the building, look for the security guard in a white shirt. There is a Starbucks in the bottom of the building. If you arrive early you can kill time there. Since it was summer time, we waited at the park on side of the building. Not really a park, but there are some benches were you can sit. It allowed us to see the entrance door and keep an eye on things.
Arrived at 12.30pm for interview at 1.00pm. The security guard asked if we were there for a K1 interview, told us to come back in 15 minutes. We sat on the benches and then 10 minutes later the security guard waived us offer.
She had to take off her light jacket, the security guard fumbled through the pockets. Put everything and I mean everything in to the plastic bin before stepping through the metal detector. The security guard was kind enough to remind us there is a second screening upstairs and not to put on our belts.
Walked up the small flight of stairs to the elevator. Another consulate individual was waiting in the elevator and pressed the button for the 20th floor. Went upstairs to the small lobby went through the second security screening.
We were able to bring in larger than normal portfolios filled with all the documents. Security guards on the ground level and inside the consulate were very friendly. The security guard for the consulate spoke Russian - even though we were in Canada. He was from Bulgaria.
Went into the waiting room and took a seat. It looks like a doctor's office waiting room. The security guard informed us that they will call her name when they were ready. There were some people waiting to process their interviews from the morning sessions. I am guessing tourist interviews.
At 1.05pm they called her name. We were the first people there for the K1/k3 interview. Walked over to the window, it looks very much like a bank teller window. Small dividers between the windows. You will first go over to the windows that don't have numbers, on the left side of the room, if you are standing at the entrance door. There are 3 windows on the left side. And there are 6 windows on the right side that have numbers.
A very nice, middle aged, Asian man took the packet of information from her and just checked things off as he found them inside the packet. Super polite and no problems with him. He told us to wait about 45 minutes for the finger printing to occur.
1.50pm just like he said, she got called up to be fingerprinted. The small scanner - no ink - scanned her fingers, both hands, into the computer. Super easy. Asked to sit down in the chairs and wait again.
2.30pm Her name was called again and we met with the consulate officer. The consulate officer said that we cleared the database checks - "her favorite type of person". She then slide a paper through the window which my fiancée needed to read and sign. The consulate officer was checking things off and stamping them while my fiancée read the paper. My fiancée then raised her right hand and read the oath aloud.
The consulate officer then asked the following questions.
1. How / where did we meet?
2. When did we meet?
3. Where does she currently live?
4. What is her current job?
5. What is my current job? -- I answered the question
6. What is my annual income? -- I answered the question
7. Will she seek a job in the United States? -- Careful here, make sure you say "after marriage and get EAD"
8. How many times have I visited her? -- I answered the question 5 times.
The consulate officer was impressed with that answer, and said that is a true sign of being committed to the relationship.
9. Do have any proof of ongoing relationship?
Slid copies of the photos through the window, she didn't even really look at them. Returned the photos to us.
My fiancée offered to show phone records, hotel bills, consulate officer said, no thanks.
Consulate officer than stamped a bunch of paper work. Circled approved on the form, told us we were approved. She told us to take a seat and they will call our name.
Sat down for 3 minutes and the original guy who took our paper work called us back up to the same window. He explained we can pick up the visa tomorrow at 1pm. No need to show anything to the security guard.
Next day picked up the visa and the infamous package.
All in all went exactly as others have said in the past.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #4626