Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
November 24, 2015 |
| Embassy Review : |
I am the petitioner, writing on behalf of my fiancee.
Our interview was scheduled for 7:40 AM on Monday, so we spent the weekend touring Montreal with friends. We stayed at an apartment about a 10 minute walk away.
We arrived at the consulate at 7:05, and there were already a few people in line (about 3 different groups, it looked like). We lined up behind them against the wall to the left of the doors as described and waited. There is a Starbucks right across Rene-Levesque, so I ran over there and grabbed us some coffees, as it was rather cold (20F, -5C). In the 10 minutes or so I was gone, about 5 other applicants arrived, so we were glad we got there so early.
Around 7:30 AM, the security guards came out and put up stanchions to organize the line against the wall, and a lady told us to get our passports and DS-160 confirmations ready.
At 7:40, they began admitting people inside one group at a time. As has already been stated, do NOT bring any bags, not even purses! My fiancee only brought her wallet and a folder with her documents, and I only had my wallet and cell phone. We were directed to a gentleman just inside the doors who asked for my fiancee's DS-160 and passport, and confirmed that she was on the appointment list, and confirmed that I was a US Citizen (bring your passport!) He gave my fiancee a card "Immigrant Applicant #2", and told us to sit in the middle section marked "immigrant visas" once we got upstairs.
We were then directed to the security checkpoint, where you empty your pockets and remove your coats for X-raying, then proceed through the metal detector. If you have a cell phone, they will keep it and give you a ticket to pick it up when you leave. We were then directed down the stairs to the small waiting area outside the elevator.
After about 10 minutes, a guard came into the waiting room and called the elevator. He told us to step forward, and to press "19" when the elevator arrived. We rushed toward the back of the elevator as noted on the forums, however this is not necessary if you are a K-1 applicant, as you already have your number from the guy downstairs. If you are a non-immigrant applicant, you should rush to the back, as non-immigrant applicants formed a line upstairs to hand in their docs.
The immigrant and K visa applicants were directed to sit in the middle section of chairs, and after just 5 minutes or so, our number was called to one of the front windows. My fiancee went up by herself, and handed over most of the documents on the checklist:
-Passport and photocopy
-Medical report
-2 passport photos
-Long-form birth certificate and photocopy
-Police report
-I-134 (more on this later)
-Statement of intent to marry
We had all of the documents on the Packet 4 checklist and photocopies, but they did not ask for all of them, nor did they ask for photocopies of all of them (except as noted above). They also took her fingerprints at this point. This process took about 5-10 minutes.
After just a few more minutes, our number was called to another window, this one down the hallway and in a small room with no door. I went with her this time. The consular officer greeted us, and fiddled with his computer for a few minutes, since this being his first case of the day, he was still trying to log on. He was stern but professional, though he did make some dry jokes, which is fine with my fiancee and I 
After waiting there for a few minutes, we began the interview. He asked me if I was the petitioner, and asked for my passport, which he checked and returned. Then he read my fiancee the oath, and had her take her fingerprints to affirm it. He then began to ask her questions very rapidly (hopefully I can remember all of them) -
- Have you ever lived in any other countries besides Canada?
- Have you ever been to the US?
- Have you ever stayed longer than 6 months on one visit?
- Have you ever had any trouble with the police? (just haven't gotten caught, haha)
- Ever have any trouble at the border?
- Where does your fiancee live?
- What does he do for work?
He then examined my I-134, which is unique because I am a full-time volunteer, and don't take an income per se, though my expenses are provided for by the organization that I work with. However I attached a letter explaining all of that to the I-134, and he seemed satisfied by that. I also had my father prepare an I-134 (as he will be cosponsoring us for AoS), but the officer said that "we don't even accept a second I-134 for K-1 visas..."
"But it doesn't matter, your visa is approved!" and he handed us the "Welcome to the United States" letter. "You'll have your passport back in a couple of weeks. Remember to get married within 90 days".
We were out of there by 8:30 AM!
Key points:
- Get there early if you want to get out early! Aim for 7AM
- Don't bring a bag or anything really other than your paperwork
- If the petitioner is accompanying, bring his/her passport
- Have all your paperwork as shown on the P4 checklist
- Relax it's not that bad if you have everything in order! |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0