Vancouver consulate review

[~Nini~ 2]

Now that Bee's gone home and I've recovered from the weekend, I'll fill y'all in on what happened at the interview.

Folder contents:

• Police certificate
  
• Medical results (without x-ray)
  
• Nini's birth certificate (original and photocopy), passport, and two passport photos (2x2")
  
• Forms (two copies of DS-156, one copy of DS-156K, DS-230 pt. 1)
  
• I-134 (with copy of tax return, bank statements and letters, paystubs)
  
• Proof of engagement (itineraries, phone records, emails, boarding passes, receipts and credit card statements, photos)
  
• Checklist, copies of NOAs, and copy of entire K1 petition mailed to USCIS
  

Bee also brought his wallet and passport, and the frilly polka-dot umbrella that we used to protect ourselves from the stormy weather. We parked at a little underground parking lot on Alberni and Thurlow, ate at the local Timmy's, then went on our merry, nervous way to the consulate.

We unfortunately got a little lost on the way, but when we got to 1095 W. Pender St, the security guard in the lobby directed us around the building to the side door. The consulate security guards let us through the door at about 12:45pm and we gave them the appointment letter and our passports to verify ID. There was a security check and scan, then up a flight of stairs to an elevator directed for our floor, then another security check and scan before we were allowed into the waiting / interview room.

In total there were about four of us waiting, and at about one o'clock we were all called up in the order we'd arrived to present our documents. The window booths are next to the waiting area so we could all hear what was going on with each person. Basically we had to present everything but the evidence to the consulate officer and he was to prep it for the interview. The officer had a checklist which he filled out as we passed each document to him. The officer opened my medical results and commented on the way that the medical examiner had stapled my passport picture to the documents, which had several staples running across my face - I was so stressed out I couldn't even laugh at how ridiculous it looked. Bee had to sort out the I-134 for the officer because the bank documents were out of order and the pay stubs weren't necessary. After looking at my original birth certificate he returned it to me (and kept the photocopy), then told us that I would be fingerprinted and interviewed at two o'clock.

Around that time we were each called around the corner to get our fingerprints scanned, then we had our interviews with one of the two consulate officers available. Overall the consulate officer was extremely friendly and it took about ten minutes to go over the questions he had:

• Where did you meet?
  
• How long have you known each other?
  
• How did you first meet in person? What other trips did you take after that?
  
• Did you feel nervous or averse flying across the country to meet someone you met online?
  
• Why do you want to marry your fiance?
  
• Is your family okay with the cross-cultural differences?
  
• Does his family approve?
  
• Why are you moving to the States?
  

He asked to see the photos that I'd brought with me, and then he said we were approved and I could pick up my passport and package the next day at 2:30pm. I was so relieved that in the hallway, I turned to Bee and said Borat-esque, "High five!"

On Wednesday I went to pick up the package with Bee and encountered a huge lineup at the consulate door - I guess that's around the same time that everyone goes to pick up their various visas. Luckily I asked the security guard and she said I was allowed to bypass the line, so she let me dash upstairs while Bee waited outside with my purse. The consulate officer gave me my passport with the 6 month expiry date and my huge white envelope with the bold warning on the front about letting Homeland Security open it at a US POE. Now it's slightly wrinkled because I hugged that thing all the way home.

In terms of moving, it'll probably be at the latter half of the six month expiry date than anything - I've got a couple of student loans which I'd like to chip away at before I cross over and start the whole AOS/EAD/job search game, so the estimated POE date is January. We are both extremely unhappy about the prospect of being separated for another five months, so depending on how things go in the next few months the date may be bumped up earlier. I'm already looking forward to oatmeal for a few months.

[MissStacey 1]

Congrats!!! That is awesome!!

At least you know you have the Visa and you can cross that border at anytime!!

[misa 2]

Congrats!

[thetreble 19]

congrats guys. good review!

[L_n_O 3]

great review!

[T.O_2_FL 0]

Thanks for the great review....

Hope the Montreal Consulate is as nice at the one in Vancouver.

Congrats!

[vanee 13]

Thanks for the detailed review.

Being apart from your fiance won't be fun, but at least you have the stress of the K-1 behind you now.

[bszoom42 0]

Congratulations! Now you guys can spend more time together in WoW and less time doing visa paperwork!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Congratulations! Now you have the visa you may actually find the time goes a bit faster while you take care of all of the business you need to do here in order to move to another country. Now you KNOW you are moving forward :-)!

[Eka_&_Pyrrhic 0]

Awesome review! Can't wait to put all that info to use. =)

Time will fly now. Staying in the country by choice, knowing that you are approved and having that visa in hand must be better than being at the mercy of the USCIS/NVC/Consulate/etc.

I'm so happy for you that all this red tape is over (until AOS, heh) and you can look forward to the best part - being reunited with your fiance for good!

~ Eka

[trailmix 77]

Hey that's great to hear! Excellent review, glad it went so smoothly for you - and very funny about your wrinkled 'secret envelope'!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Congrats!!

[lincoln81 0]

Just wondering (for those of you who have already had your interview) What did you say when asked why you wanted to move to the US or why you chose US over another country to live?

PS Congrats on your visa!

[~Nini~ 2]

Just wondering (for those of you who have already had your interview) What did you say when asked why you wanted to move to the US or why you chose US over another country to live?

I said that Bee was much closer to his family than I was to mine, and that because his parents weren't in great health we wished to be near them so that we could spend time together.

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone!

[Allie 5]

Congrats Great to hear you got the Visa