My Montreal Interview experience...

[feanor 0]

Well My interview was this past Tuesday (August 2nd 2011)and it was not what I expected at all.

So I walk from my hostel in Montreal to the U.S. Consulate let me tell you You guys should look into staying at HI-Montreal ( Hostel International Montreal)I got a shared 4 bed room for $35 a night and it was 10-15 minute walk to the consulate. So my interview is at 8:30am which i found out apparently doesn't mean anything. As soon as you get there your waiting in a lineup outside, I mean get there as early as possible to beat the rush. So you got through what is like an airport security line then I go down some stairs to take an elevator to the 19th floor. You pass a photo booth that print American sized passport photos so in case you forget your you can get them done right there Ok So I go to the 19th floor and am greeted by a lady who doesn't enjoy her job at all hahaha and she tells you to go to window 14A which is around the corner and then you show the lady behind the window your appointment letter and she gives you a number... I thought I was going to be in some room with some US Consulate person going through my paperwork at 8:30 in the morning but that was not the case, your literally in a massive waiting room waiting for your number to be called haha. So there is not much to do in this waiting room, there are a few vending machines limited selection and 2 t.v's. One t.v is for the kids and the other t.v is to show you how great America is haha. You get to watch a bear kill a baby moose and wolves kill the babies parents, even the bald eagle gets in on the act, no joke. If your lucky they will show the biography of Barak Obama, but you won't know whats going on because the sound is turned off. Anyways, so I'm sitting there for about an hour waiting for my number (C14) to show up on the board finally it does so i grab all my paperwork and x-ray and walk to what i think is going to be a room, but there's no room its just a window, like the kind you would order a train ticket from ! haha I thought I would be in some room, anyways so the guys takes my medical sealed envelope and doesn't bother with the x-ray, I later find out you don't even need to bring it they just told me to bring it to the USA as a record of my latest x-ray... so he takes my finger prints and then tells me to sit down. So I'm about my third dead Elk into the movie when my number come sup again ( about an hour) and I bring my paperwork up and she asks for basically everything on the checklist. let me just stop there I was so nervous about this because everyone on this forum told me I need a" Long Form Birth certificate" I didn't have one and the lady didn't even ask about it, so I guess Short form ( Wallet size) is fine. I also did not have the original birth certificate of my petitioner just a copy and that didn't matter either. I was worrying for nothing. so she takes my affidavit and makes me sign a form that says "If your 18-26 years old ( 23) and America every has conscription ( mandatory military service) I am required to join the army"so i sign the damn thing she is about to send me away when I say " I have a Co-Sponsor, do you want that paperwork ?" and she just says " No", Ok.... So I sit down try and make out the Presidents life story learn about how moose are killed ( 2 hours go by) and I'm called again now this is the part where they tell me if i got my visa or not, I'm told to go to "room" 8 which is just another train ticket window with 2 walls beside it haha, I'm asked to raise my right hand and swear to tell the truth. She hands me back my passport and just starts asking me casual questions (as she's filling out paperwork) about how I met my fiancee and where we met, what her job is blah blah blah, then before I know she hands me a form and says "Congratulations you've been approved" I was in shock, I asked her to repeat it. I honestly didn't think I would get it but i did So i celebrate by myself because I thought my fiancee wasn't allowed to come to the interview but EVERYONE had theirs with them ! I was honestly the only person without their significant other. So 5 hours later I walk out of the consulate and the suns shinning and I walk back to the hostel and call everyone about the good news. The one thing I'm confused about is they didn't take my 2 colored passport photo's that were on that checklist... they never asked about them. Anyways if anyone read this novel I just wrote that's how it went ! So for those wondering exactly how things go, there it is. enjoy your movies, your going to learn so much about American wildlife.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Congrats! Really should be no surprises to anyone. There are tons of reviews on MTL on the review section, just very few take the time to read them,lol Most of the time at the consulate is spent waiting and waiting. Hopefully you get ur visa back in a timely manner

[cananner 2]

"So I'm about my third dead Elk into the movie" = made my day

[Zumby 2]

Congratulations!!!

Just to be sure I read it clearly, you said they handed you back your passport? Did you walk out of the consulate with it??

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I'm confused as well. Why did the interviewer hand you back your passport?

For my interview, they were showing Peter Pan. I guess I lucked out

I am also surprised that a short form birth certificate was allowed considering Packet 3's instructions strictly state long form.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Coconuts

[canada_socks 97]

They were showing The Spongebob Squarepants movie when I went!

When they asked me for my birth certificate I asked if they wanted long or short and was told long. This sounds like an odd interview experience to me...

[Flames9_RN 358]

Its not the size of the birth cert that matters. Whats important is that it has the birth parents on it. Has happened in the past that others have lucked out without having the proper one. Some luck out, some don't!!!

[feanor 0]

ohhhh shoot, yea sorry they handed me back mt birth certificate. And yea i didn't have both parents on it.

[tista 0]

I dont know if anyone is still reading this post but I noticed u said u are 23? Is ur fiance close in the same age??

(Im the petitioner) Im getting very nervous Im 22 I just graduated college I have a full time position but not anything that pays well at all! I am looking for a job where my degree is nessasary but having no luck! I do live with my parants so Im hoping that will help but I dont know what to do about the affidavit of support?? I currently do not make enough to support the both of us and I havnt been working there that long! Is there any form I can file with the I-134?

Once he is over here and can work we plan to get an apartment in a location where we both can find good jobs!

I am so worried tho that my income is going to put an end to the process?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you so much in advance

Christine

[Inky 1,110]

its not because you can have a co-sponsor that meets the requirements.

You and the co-sponsor will fill out forms and supply evidence with them.

It can be your parents or a friend or family member etc. As long as they are a US citizen and meet the poverty guideline for the house hold number.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864p.pdf