Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
November 25, 2013 |
| Embassy Review : |
My fiance and I stayed at the Hyatt Regency (which is on Rue Jeanne-Mance - an easy 5 minute walk from the US Consulate). My experience was quick, and relatively painless. I guess it went as well as it could have!
There is an IGA (grocery store) in the same building as the Hyatt (which is called the Complexe Desjardins), so we went there the night before and picked up some foods for our early breakfast Monday morning (the day of my interview).
I didn't sleep at all the night before. I tried, but I was way too anxious. Around 5:45, I got out of bed and got ready. We left our hotel room around 6:40. We needed to go to MediSys on Sherbrooke Ouest to pick up my medical results. Got there around 6:45 (we drove - it was freezing out!), and I went in the building around 6:50. The receptionist told me they opened at 7am, but the doors to the travel clinic (on the 11th floor) were open before then. I spoke with the receptionist, and handed her my receipt for my medical. She quickly pulled out my medical package and handed it to me, along with my receipt. I was out of there within 5 minutes, then went back to the car. My fiance and I then drove to the US Consulate General, on St-Alexandre. Another very easy drive, under 5 minutes.
I decided to let my fiance drop me off, and I was going to go to my interview alone. He drove back to the hotel (an easy 5 minute walk back for me), and I joined the small lineup that was forming outside. It was just about 7am at this point, and there were 3 parties ahead of me. They didn't let us in until 8! The lights came on, and they let us in 1-3 people at a time. We weren't permitted to bring in cell phones, large purses, laptops, and other obvious items. They had a sign out front explaining what wasn't permitted. I left my purse and phone with my fiance, so I only brought with me my paperwork, hotel key card, tissues, and lip balm. This was a good choice, because if you bring any prohibited items you must leave them in cubby holes at the entrance, and pick them up when you leave. I didn't have to leave anything in the cubby holes.
When I was first let in, a woman to my left asked me for my appointment confirmation + loomis registration confirmation (the printed confirmation from the CSC Canada website), and my passport. I handed both to her, and she checked my name off a list.
I was instructed to walk up a few steps and wait behind the person ahead of me. One by one we were led into the room where we walk through a metal detector, and take everything out of our pockets / place our belongings in a container that goes through an x-ray type machine. I was given the "clear" right away, and told to turn left and walk through the door to go downstairs.
I walk downstairs and sit in a waiting room beside an elevator. This was maybe 8:10 at this point. We waited about 10-15 minutes, then a woman came down, and instructed all of us to go to the 19th floor via elevator. Thanks to VJ, I knew that the elevator would open on the opposite side, so make sure you get in and go to the back, so you get out first!
Once on the 19th floor, we were guided to go forward and then to our left. I was the second in line. I went up to a booth where a woman gave me a ticket - I got A2! Then we went to sit down. In less than 5 minutes I was called up to Window 2, where a man greeted me. I handed him my A2 number. He then asked me for my original I-797 approval (the notice your fiance receives once your I-129f petition is approved), followed by my original birth certificate, original police certificate, recently signed letter of intent, a photocopy of the biographical page of my passport, two colour passport photos, and the I-134. I handed over all of these to him. I was then asked what my fiance did for work, and what I did for work.
He then proceeded to ask me some questions about our relationship. What were our wedding plans, what his cell phone number was (we would talk online usually, but thankfully I had his number memorized!), and how long we've known one another. He took my finger prints. He handed me a pamphlet about domestic abuse and resources for spousal violence in the US, told me to sit down and read it over, then I'd be called up again.
About 10 minutes later, I was called to Window 9 for the interview portion. A friendlier man greeted me, in a booth that was a little more private than the first. He passed a sheet of paper over to me, which was an oath for me to read, basically saying I'd be honest and understand the risks of lying.
After that, he asked me some questions about our relationship again. When we first met, and when we started dating. I was as specific as possible with dates, and minor details (eg, we met online through an outdoor enthusiasts group on Facebook in January 2009, and didn't begin dating until July 2012. We first met in person in New Hampshire on a camping trip in June 2011). Also - my fiance was laid off this summer, so his mother stepped up to be my sponsor. With the I-134 I submitted her most recent federal tax return, plus a letter from her employer stating her salary and duration/nature of employment, plus 3 recent pay stubs. I was actually told by the first person in Window 2 that I should have submitted an I-134 that my fiance filled out along with his mom, but I was told it wasn't going to be a problem (since my fiance's mother made well over the basic financial requirement for the I-134). The second person didn't even mention this, but they asked me what my fiance did for work, and all I did was explain he was laid off after we initially filed, so his mother decided to sponsor me instead. This was sufficient!
After the relationship questions, he took my finger prints, smiled, then looked at me and said he was happy to say my visa was approved. He passed me a piece of paper that said "Welcome to the United States", and congratulated me. I was so happy I was about to cry. He explained the next step, which was to wait 5-10 days for my waybill number to appear on the CSC site, so I know when my passport and visa-related documents are available for pickup.
I wasn't asked for evidence of a relationship, or my fiance's evidence of domicile at any point in the process (but I came with plenty of evidence to support both, just in case).
I walked out of the consulate (walked out the way I came in) with a huge smile on my face. I spent maybe an hour total in the building, and was back at my hotel around 9:05. I was so happy I arrived early, because when I left the waiting room was packed!
Another tip: my appointment was for November 25, at 10am. I disregarded the time, and it didn't seem to matter. Make sure you're there by 7-7:30, to ensure you're out of there as soon as possible! This experience couldn't have happened so seamlessly without VJ! This site is priceless, and the guides (plus direct contact with the US Consulate) were my primary sources of information. |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0