April Montreal interviews

[iampatricias 17]

No no, no shut down at all! My interview is scheduled for Wednesday, so keep hoping for no shut down! Or if they're going to play hardball that they come out with a new budget on Sunday night so no interviews have to get rescheduled at all!!

[GLo 0]

No no, no shut down at all! My interview is scheduled for Wednesday, so keep hoping for no shut down! Or if they're going to play hardball that they come out with a new budget on Sunday night so no interviews have to get rescheduled at all!!

Ugh...I hope their budget issue gets resolved too. Re-scheduling will mean more delays and I think we've waiting long enough. Not to mention we have to change our travel arrangements and accomodations. And in my case, request time off work again.

I hope to see you there iampatricias on Wednesday. My interview is at 8am.

[Shorah 2]

Good luck to you guys, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of us.

My interview is April 28th and I've already made all my travel arrangements which are of course non-refundable, murphys law right.

All we can do is wait.

[Timberline 0]

I'm scheduled for 15th April .... i have everything crossed right now for a deal to this mess

[Sweetcheeksss 91]

I feel for y'all that have interviews coming up that might be affected by this. My husband is in the military and come Monday morning, he'll be working for free, in a warzone. Yay - yes, he supposedly will receive back pay but as far as I know, the bill collectors don't take IOU's.

So good luck to everyone, this impending gov't shut down is affecting more than just the immigration processes, that's for sure.

[GLo 0]

A tentative agreement has been reached. So things should be back to "normal". This is sigh of relief for some of us. Hopefully this will mean that everyone else will be able to schedule their interview as well.

[Timberline 0]

A tentative agreement has been reached. So things should be back to "normal". This is sigh of relief for some of us. Hopefully this will mean that everyone else will be able to schedule their interview as well.

yayyyyyyy What are they talking about next Thursday for ?? Could we go through this all over again ?? My interview is on Friday !!

[iampatricias 17]

It sounds like they shook hands and agreed, but the official paperwork will take a few days to write out and sign - so Obama agreed to a few days' extension to make time for that. So, unless someone changes their mind over the weekend, the country's services will be offered as usual.

[GLo 0]

yayyyyyyy What are they talking about next Thursday for ?? Could we go through this all over again ?? My interview is on Friday !!

I'm not sure if we will go through the same process again. I would keep an eye/ear on the news to see if there's any possibility of a shut down. Chances are...There shouldn't be as long as they finalize their budget. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, Timberline.

Iampatricias, I hope your interview went well. There were so many people being "herded" from one room to another that it was impossible to figure out who you were in person. After 2 hours of going through security, submitting my final paperwork, and finally the interview...I have been approved

Best of Luck everyone!

GLo

P.S. The security guard was very strict in terms of bringing a backpack into the embassy. Leave your backpack in your hotel room and put your stuff in a grocery bag (e.g. re-usable ones from Metro, Loblaws, etc.). Oh and if you have any cards that plays music, they will temporarily hold them at the security desk. I had to "surrender" 3 of my Valentine cards, but I picked them up on my way out. Going through security was almost like going through airport security at Pearson except I didn't have to remove my shoes.

[ravis 0]

Congratulations on your approval.

[GLo 0]

Here's a review/recap of my interview yesterday.

- Arrived at the entrance and lined up along with other people at 7:45am. Make sure to have your appointment confirmation letter/e-mail and passport ready for the guard at the door. Make sure to read what is not allowed in the embassy (e.g. backpacks, large purses, nail file, etc.) and leave all prohibited items in your hotel room. The guard turned away several people who had backpacks.

- Secondary security screening. Again, have your appointment confirmation letter/e-mail and passport ready for the next guard (who checks your name off from a list). Essentially, you will experience the same security screening done at airports (minus removing your shoes). Take all your loose change out of your pocket and remove your belt, etc. and place them in a tray. Walk through the metal detector. My shopping bag was flagged because I had 3 Valentine cards that plays music. I had to surrender them to the security and they gave me a ticket so I can pick them up on my way out. I also noticed that others had to surrender their automatic/electronic car keys. Paperclips, 3 ring binders, and alligator clamps are allowed and they were not flagged.

- Going down a set of stairs and waiting in a basement room until another guard escorts you to an elevator to the 18th floor. In case you forget to bring your 2 passport photos, there is a self-serve photo booth in the basement room. I think the cost is $10.00. Sorry I can’t remember because I was somewhat anxious throughout this whole process.

- Once you’ve reached the 18th floor, a greeter checks your appointment letter and crosses your name off a list. You are asked to line up at the end of the room and you are giving a number.

- Once you’ve receive a number you wait until it is called (as indicated by a switchboard/screen) to a specific booth (which ranges from 1 to 12). You will be asked to go to a booth 3 times. Expect to be sitting and waiting a lot. The 1st time to give them your passport, confirm that you’ve paid your fees (print your receipt of payment if you paid online), and fingerprinting. The 2nd time to provide the following:

- 2 passport size photos

- a photocopy of your passport

- your birth certificate (original and a photocopy)

- your medical exam results (sealed in an envelope)

- a copy of letter of intent to marry (by your fiancée/petitioner dated within 30 days of your interview)

- I-134 - Evidence of Support (along with supporting documents – I submitted my fiancée’s income tax for 2010, 2009, and 2008 and copy of his pay slip

- The 3rd visit to the booth will be your actual interview. I was interviewed by an extremely friendly and nice young woman. She asked where and when I met my fiancée, if I had any criminal records, if I had been denied entry to US, where is my fiancée currently living and are we planning to move. I was expecting to be asked to show pictures, letters, cards, e-mails (all chronologically organized and labelled in a huge binder and a huge file folder) but she never asked for it. They also never asked for my X-ray (which I was hauling around from Toronto to Montreal and back). The next thing I remember is providing a signature on one of the documents and being congratulated. She gave me 2 sheets of paper: one on FAQs regarding fiancée visas and another on DHL instructions.

- After completing my interview, I had to inform the greeter that I was leaving and I had to wait (along with others) to be escorted by a guard back down. Yes…More waiting! I picked up my Valentine cards and left the building back to my hotel to call my fiancée with the good news. It was raining when I was walking but I was too happy to notice it.

Good luck to everyone (who are doing their interview)!

GLo

P.S. I almost forgot to mention this, but entire process took approx. 2 hours. Again expect a lot of waiting. The view from the 18th floor is nice but again I was too anxious to notice it. There's also a play area for children and a TV which was playing "Jimmy Neutron", the movie.

[Minted7 3]

Here's a review/recap of my interview yesterday.

- Arrived at the entrance and lined up along with other people at 7:45am. Make sure to have your appointment confirmation letter/e-mail and passport ready for the guard at the door. Make sure to read what is not allowed in the embassy (e.g. backpacks, large purses, nail file, etc.) and leave all prohibited items in your hotel room. The guard turned away several people who had backpacks.

- Secondary security screening. Again, have your appointment confirmation letter/e-mail and passport ready for the next guard (who checks your name off from a list). Essentially, you will experience the same security screening done at airports (minus removing your shoes). Take all your loose change out of your pocket and remove your belt, etc. and place them in a tray. Walk through the metal detector. My shopping bag was flagged because I had 3 Valentine cards that plays music. I had to surrender them to the security and they gave me a ticket so I can pick them up on my way out. I also noticed that others had to surrender their automatic/electronic car keys. Paperclips, 3 ring binders, and alligator clamps are allowed and they were not flagged.

- Going down a set of stairs and waiting in a basement room until another guard escorts you to an elevator to the 18th floor. In case you forget to bring your 2 passport photos, there is a self-serve photo booth in the basement room. I think the cost is $10.00. Sorry I can’t remember because I was somewhat anxious throughout this whole process.

- Once you’ve reached the 18th floor, a greeter checks your appointment letter and crosses your name off a list. You are asked to line up at the end of the room and you are giving a number.

- Once you’ve receive a number you wait until it is called (as indicated by a switchboard/screen) to a specific booth (which ranges from 1 to 12). You will be asked to go to a booth 3 times. Expect to be sitting and waiting a lot. The 1st time to give them your passport, confirm that you’ve paid your fees (print your receipt of payment if you paid online), and fingerprinting. The 2nd time to provide the following:

- 2 passport size photos

- a photocopy of your passport

- your birth certificate (original and a photocopy)

- your medical exam results (sealed in an envelope)

- a copy of letter of intent to marry (by your fiancée/petitioner dated within 30 days of your interview)

- I-134 - Evidence of Support (along with supporting documents – I submitted my fiancée’s income tax for 2010, 2009, and 2008 and copy of his pay slip

- The 3rd visit to the booth will be your actual interview. I was interviewed by an extremely friendly and nice young woman. She asked where and when I met my fiancée, if I had any criminal records, if I had been denied entry to US, where is my fiancée currently living and are we planning to move. I was expecting to be asked to show pictures, letters, cards, e-mails (all chronologically organized and labelled in a huge binder and a huge file folder) but she never asked for it. They also never asked for my X-ray (which I was hauling around from Toronto to Montreal and back). The next thing I remember is providing a signature on one of the documents and being congratulated. She gave me 2 sheets of paper: one on FAQs regarding fiancée visas and another on DHL instructions.

- After completing my interview, I had to inform the greeter that I was leaving and I had to wait (along with others) to be escorted by a guard back down. Yes…More waiting! I picked up my Valentine cards and left the building back to my hotel to call my fiancée with the good news. It was raining when I was walking but I was too happy to notice it.

Good luck to everyone (who are doing their interview)!

GLo

P.S. I almost forgot to mention this, but entire process took approx. 2 hours. Again expect a lot of waiting. The view from the 18th floor is nice but again I was too anxious to notice it. There's also a play area for children and a TV which was playing "Jimmy Neutron", the movie.

Awww soounds good...congrats! I would be dancing in the rain! lol

I am going with my hubby to his interview...is it okay that I just show my passport and go in with him? Or the guard will create a problem.

[iampatricias 17]

Iampatricias, I hope your interview went well. There were so many people being "herded" from one room to another that it was impossible to figure out who you were in person.

"herding" is the right word for it! It was a bit of a gong show... I was wearing a blue rain coat, but I was trying really hard to not lose it so I didn't really chat with anyone.

[SF2007 48]

"herding" is the right word for it! It was a bit of a gong show... I was wearing a blue rain coat, but I was trying really hard to not lose it so I didn't really chat with anyone.

Congratulations both of you on your approval

May you get your visa quickly!

[iampatricias 17]

May you get your visa quickly!

Hear hear!!