Montreal Review

[Amy and Adrian 0]

The visas arrived today and as promised- here is Adrian's review of Montreal. Thank you again to everyone who has shared information- this website has been invaluable to us.

The trip to Montreal is perhaps the most significant hidden expense of the whole Immigration Visa process. We were fortunate that airfare came to less than what we expected it to be and our accommodation at the La Tour Centre Ville was reasonable. The La Tour Centre Ville is at the corner of Boul. Rene Levesque and Rue De Bleury. Our Medical Examination was on Monday January 12th at Sanagex Inc. Address is at 5345 boul. L’Assomption, suite 115 which is upstairs on the second floor on the left. We required our passports and Interview Confirmation letters and records of immunization shots up to date. The examination itself was easier than I thought it might be. Nothing humiliating or invasive. My son and I required x-rays of our lungs to check for tuberculosis and blood work but my daughter being under age did not. The initial examination on us by the doctor started with a list of yes or no answers to a battery of questions pertaining to knowledge of personal family medical history. All he did after that was check our thyroid by poking around our throat. Used the stethoscope to check the four quadrants of our lungs and our heart. Then we had to lie down while he pressed on our liver, kidney, spleen, and lower quadrant of our abdomen, I guess to ensure there was no swelling in these areas. None of this took long at all and we were free to go.

Wednesday late afternoon we were able to pick up our sealed examination envelopes and the x-rays. Note that my son and I required three American passport sized photos for the file while my daughter only required one photo for being underage.

The interview itself was on Friday at the American Embassy which is on the corner of Boul. Rene Levesque and Rue St. Alexandre. Note it is not the main doors into the building but around the side street on Rue. St. Alexandre. Sign is above the door like a plaque that cannot be missed. We made sure to get a head start by arriving at the doors shortly after 6:30 am to await for the consulate to open at 7:30. We required two American sized passport photos, passports, the Interview Confirmation letters, the sealed examination envelopes and one Express post envelope that is 394 mm x 314 mm for the interview. Note there is a pharma prix drug store up the street from the consulate on the corner of St. Alexandre and Saint Catherine where one can get more photos if need be. Entering the Embassy is similar to airport security. The guard asks for the Interview Confirmation letter and then paperwork and jackets are sent through a scanner. I carried my binders and envelopes in a large shopping bag which they approved as acceptable. Then we had to step through a detector. Note that no electronics is allowed such as cell phones, ipods, mp3’s or anything of that nature. Had to empty pockets into a tray before stepping through detector. Once through we were given a card with the letter “A” on it. Then we were directed to walk through a door and down the stairs to sit before an elevator. An instruction sheet was handed to us to remove the stapled sealed envelopes of the examination papers from the x-ray envelope. Make sure the seal on the examination envelopes remains untouched.

Note in this area where we had to sit and wait there was a photo booth which one could obtain photos from. I am not sure about this and will assume nothing but I did find it peculiar to find inside this the embassy.

A guard came to us and called out for those who had letters A, B, C, and so on. He opened the elevator doors and we gathered inside. The elevator took us up to the 19th floor and this is where the interviews take place. It was only about ten minutes before the kids and I were summoned to window 9. He wanted to see our Interview Confirmation Letters which I gave him. Then he asked me to affirm our personal information in the files. Such as name spellings, birthdays, and address. Passport and medical examination envelopes were requested in turn. The only issue he wanted addressed was a document signed from the kids’ mother to show that she had knowledge of where her kids were moving. I told him that was included with the original documents that they already had. I did however have copies of this with me which I gave him while searched for the original. He finally found it after it after a few long minutes and all was well. So it was a good thing we did get that document signed and notarized by their mother. Note this document was not a formal document just a statement made by myself which their mother signed before a Commissioner of Oaths stating she knew her kids were moving to the United States. Finally he asked for the Express post envelope. He asked me to fill in my address on it and pass it through the window. I enquired about the tracking number which he pealed off the flap and gave to me. That was the end of the first part of the interview. We went back and sat down to wait to be called again.

Forty minutes later we were called back to window 9 where my son and I had to have our fingerprints done by an electronic scanner. That took all of five minutes and then we were to go sit back down.

Another thirty minutes passed and we were summoned to booth 8, which is a door on the left just before one enters the room where window 9 is located. In this booth was a different individual who wanted to make sure our fingerprints were in the system and photos. He tested one finger for my son and myself to make sure it would pull up our files. Next we all had to raise our right hands and swear that everything in the files and everything we told them that day was the truth. After this he returned all of my original documents including the extra passport pictures. They would keep our passports, he explained, and the visas would be printed in the middle of the passports that day. The passports with the newly stamped visa page would arrive to us in about a week along with our files in sealed envelopes. He cautioned us to make sure the envelopes were to remain sealed and unhampered. They would be opened by customs at the border when our visas are activated. He told us we were done and were free to go.

Overall, the interview did not feel like an interrogation at all. The gentleman in booth 8 had a light hearted sense of humour that had all three of us chuckling. This really broke the stress down to almost nothing at all which was a relief. This is our lives in their hands and although the process is arduous I believe that they handled it well. Our visas arrived today only a week after the interview and we are flying in a few days.

We want to thank all who posted their own reviews and progress on the review board. The information was very helpful and it is the least we can do in posting our own review in the hopes that others may find it useful in their own journey.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Great review! Congrats

[Amy and Adrian 0]

Great review! Congrats

Thanks Flames! We are so happy and relieved--- I can't believe this day is finally here. My family will be home forever next Tuesday !!

[OBX 51]

Great review! Thanks for the details about what the MD actually does at the medical as well. The more we know the better prepared we will all be when we get to that stage. Best of luck in the future.

[Amy and Adrian 0]

Great review! Thanks for the details about what the MD actually does at the medical as well. The more we know the better prepared we will all be when we get to that stage. Best of luck in the future.

Best of luck to you too !! I was under the assumption that the doc would do a more thorough exam... ie external genitalia exam etc--- I know some have had that done at their medicals... not sure why it wasn't included but we aren't complaining ! LOL

[JillA 2]

Congratulations!! You must feel so relieved and happy. Good things come to those who wait!!

[Jenni and Bo 0]

Save the medical (which I had done in halifax before Doane stopped doing them), my experience was very similar - I promise to post as soon as Iget to the US..I dont think I have time before then!

Congrats on getting your visas though! It's a wonderful feeling to know you will have them (and you guys) will be home soon eh?

<3 Jen