Our Montreal Experience

[Seiren 0]

Well, we just got back from Montreal, and here's how it went. (I'm the US petitioner and my hubby is the Canadian)

We flew from Vancouver and took L'aerobus to our Hotel, la Tour de Centre Ville. The consulate was right across the street from our hotel.

We wanted to be at the consulate really early so that we would be first in line, so we left our hotel at 6:30. Well when we got to the consulate in 2 seconds, we realized that we were super early and decided to go to a little cafe next door for a few minutes. I got a smoothie and we sat for a bit, then we went back to the consulate doorway (which was supposed to open at 8:30).

We were then second in line, because another man was there. In the next few minutes about 10 more people came.

They actually opened the doors at about 7:30, and my husband was let in but my bag was rejected so I had to go drop it off and come back. So my suggestion is not to bring any bags at all! Stuff your pockets or put everything in a plastic shopping bag. They let my husband bring that in.

So it didn't take me long to drop my bag off and come back, and then I went right in and through security and joined my husband downstairs in a waiting area.

A few minutes later they called a group of us in and we went up an elevator to a different waiting area. We went to the window and gave the lady all our documents. Then we paid the cashier, as well as bought the xpress envelope there with the credit card. Then my husband went back to the window to have his fingerprints taken.

Then they had us sit. We waited for about 20 minutes more, and then were called into the interview room. The guy was very friendly and made us both swear that we were telling the truth.

Then he would ask a question and get an answer from both of us:

Man: So how did you guys meet?

Paul: We met online.

Man: Was it through a website?

Paul: It was a site called sparkmatch which is now defunct.

Me: I don't know if you've heard of thespark.com, but they were a parody site

Man: Ok, so you met through a parody site [smiles, writes] [Addresses me] So you were living in Texas at the time?

Me: I was living in Arkansas, but we just got married in Texas.

Man: Ok, so how did you handle the commute, the long distance?

Paul: Well we talked on the phone for several years, then visited each other off and on and then finally got married.

Man: Ok [smiles] Courtney, you've been living in Canada for a while now. Why do you want to go back?

Me: Well, I just want to be closer to my family. They're all down there, and I just like it better there.

Paul: I'm not very close to my family here so it's for her.

Man: [Very fast talking] Ok well you're approved for your Visa.

Then he explained when we would get it, and gave us a little information packet, smiled and left.

It took all of 2 minutes.

And then we kissed and danced and cheered!

The end.

Hope this makes everyone hopeful and I hope your experiences are as good as ours was!

[vanee 13]

Congratulations! And thanks for the review.

[Delicia 1]

Yay! Congrats!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Co0ngrats!! lol--if u had read other experiences, you would have realized doors open at 0730 (not 0830) and no "biggish bags!! lol Glad it went well!!

[L_n_O 3]

:time:

congrats!!!!

[Misty1979 0]

Congrats!!!

[melusine 5]

grats ! and when will u get it ? what did he explain about it ? (i'm curious)

[Seiren 0]

Co0ngrats!! lol--if u had read other experiences, you would have realized doors open at 0730 (not 0830) and no "biggish bags!! lol Glad it went well!!

My bag wasn't big. I have no clue why it was rejected. It was a handbag. So yeah. Next time if I ever have to do anything like that I would just not bring a bag at all!

grats ! and when will u get it ? what did he explain about it ? (i'm curious)

He told us that we would get it in about 1 week or less. He said that we would need to cross the border to activate the Visa. (I think stuff we've already known.) The papers he gave us just had that information on it about what to do at the border.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

And then we kissed and danced and cheered!

The end.

This brought a huge smile to my face.

Congratulations and best of luck

[stacy28ca 0]

Congratulations