Montreal CR1 interview review

[LindaB 0]

Hi Everyone,

My visa was approved yesterday!!! (There was few minutes there that had me concerned though)

I arrived in Montreal on Sunday afternoon around 5 p.m.. After checking into my hotel (The Best Western Villa Marie), I went out to find somewhere for dinner. The Concierge recommended I walk down Crescent Street because it had lots of good restaurants but they were more high end and I didn't really see anything that met my fancy. I ended up on St Catherines Street and saw Mikes Italian restaurant. The pasta was really good. I did walk around a bit after but it was kind of drizzling out so just went back to my hotel and relaxed.

Yesterday, I got up at 6:00 a.m. and had a taxi pick me up at 7:00 a.m. as I didnt know how long it would take me to walk to the Consulate and didn't want to be rushed and stressed when I got there. I was there by 7:10 a.m. and there was man that arrived at the same time as I did so I let him be first. At 7:30 a.m. they let us in through security (of course, thanks to listening to you guys I didn't have anything I shouldn't have) I got the letter B. We then went downstairs to sit in the waiting area to be taken upstairs at 7:45 a.m. Once upstairs,after only sitting for a few minutes, I was called to come to the window first even though I was letter B. The lady at the window asked for my interview letter, passport, pictures and medical results (didn't want the X-Ray). She then started going through them plus all the other paperwork that the NVC had forwarded to them. When she got to the Affidavit of Support she noticed that we had used my Canadian income as household income. I explained to her that I will be continuing to work in Canada and per instructions for the AOS you can then use it as household income. She asked if I was sure I could still work in Canada and live in the United States. I said yes, I have checked into it and I have heard of lots of people that do it. She then told me to sit down and I would be called back for fingerprinting. I was called back up a few minutes later for that. I got the same lady and she kept telling me I wasn't pressing my fingers down hard enough, we finally got it done. When I went back to sit down, I told the others around me and they had no problem with theirs because they learned by my problems...lol

While I was waiting for my interview, the guy with letter A and the girls with D and E all got called for their interviews and left. (The couple with letter C were delayed because they forgot their Xpress post mailer and the wife had to run to Pharmasave down the street to get one.) I kept waiting for quite awhile wondering what was taking so long. Finally I was called to booth 7 and got this really nice lady, she started asking the usual questions about how we met etc then she brought up the Affidavit of Support and was concerned that we were using my continuing income from Canada and not a joint sponser. I told her that we were going to use a joint sponser but then read in the instructions for the Affidavit of Support that you could use the immigrating spouses income if it will be continuing from the same source so we submitted all my information and that the NVC approved it with no problem. She hummed and haaa a bit and then said that she would like to go confer with one of her more experienced co-workers. She came back a few mintues later (while I stood there praying very hard!) with a smile on her face and said after talking to her co-worker that she will approve the visa!!! She apologized for keeping me waiting and leaving me "on pins and needles" but that they don't normally see situations like that (trust me to be the first....lol) She then explained about keeping the passport, how long it would take for me to receive it, that I had 6 months to activate etc. and then told me to go out and enjoy the rest of the day sightseeing!

I had a good afternoon of sightseeing after I checked out of my hotel. I took the city bus down to Old Montreal and that was quite interesting walking around there except that I got caught in a torrential rain storm that lasted quite awhile. I went into a restaurant and had lunch until it had almost stopped (not before I was completely drenched!). I walked back downtown and looked around all the malls along St. Catherines. Then headed back to the airport by 5:30 p.m.

I was just exhausted by the time I got back to Vancouver last night. I am sure glad that I had today off to rest.

Thank you all for all your help and encouragement in this long process!!!!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Congratulations! Wow, Vancouver to Montreal! I'm glad you had the opportunity to see La Vieux Montreal, though. It really is a beautiful city. Thanks for the great review.

[Thai family 0]

Congrats!! I'm sure it is a relief.

[MrsCat 6]

Congrats to you both Linda!

Glad to hear that the prayer to the big guy upstairs was answered in regards to the income part. I would have been sweating bullets while she was gone.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Congratulations Linda!!!

I'm so thrilled for you!!!

[Ontarkie 14,402]

Congrats

[Flames9_RN 358]

congrtas

[Carlawarla 1]

Congratulations! Thanks for the review. Glad you got that Affadavit issue confirmed. Pheww I'd be sitting on pins and needles too! Glad you had time to enjoy your visit to Montreal as well, even if it rained!

[trailmix 77]

Congrats Linda!

That's great that you had the 'continuing from the same source' income thing confirmed, it's also great that you were so well informed before you got there and were able to lead the interviewer to the correct information (one would think they should already know this but anyway....)

When are you moving?

[LindaB 0]

Congrats Linda!

That's great that you had the 'continuing from the same source' income thing confirmed, it's also great that you were so well informed before you got there and were able to lead the interviewer to the correct information (one would think they should already know this but anyway....)

When are you moving?

Thanks Trailmix! I am hoping to move next Thursday (the 31st) if my visa arrives in time, I have the Friday and Monday off so would work out perfectly. I have been living with a room mate since last September so don't have alot to move.

If the visa does happen to arrive later this week or early next week, I will just go to the border and activate it that day (it is only 5 minutes away) and then move every thing on the Thursday.

Won't seem real until the Passport/Visa arrives and it is activated....felt weird walking away Monday with nothing!

[Moos 0]

Congratulations Linda! That is great news. Thank you so much for the review. My husband is in the same position - his Canadian company has an office near our home in VA and will just be working for them there after he gets to the US. I guess a letter from them stating that will help.

Hope the move goes smoothly!

Moos

[Cin&Anil 0]

Hi Everyone,

My visa was approved yesterday!!! (There was few minutes there that had me concerned though)

I arrived in Montreal on Sunday afternoon around 5 p.m.. After checking into my hotel (The Best Western Villa Marie), I went out to find somewhere for dinner. The Concierge recommended I walk down Crescent Street because it had lots of good restaurants but they were more high end and I didn't really see anything that met my fancy. I ended up on St Catherines Street and saw Mikes Italian restaurant. The pasta was really good. I did walk around a bit after but it was kind of drizzling out so just went back to my hotel and relaxed.

Yesterday, I got up at 6:00 a.m. and had a taxi pick me up at 7:00 a.m. as I didnt know how long it would take me to walk to the Consulate and didn't want to be rushed and stressed when I got there. I was there by 7:10 a.m. and there was man that arrived at the same time as I did so I let him be first. At 7:30 a.m. they let us in through security (of course, thanks to listening to you guys I didn't have anything I shouldn't have) I got the letter B. We then went downstairs to sit in the waiting area to be taken upstairs at 7:45 a.m. Once upstairs,after only sitting for a few minutes, I was called to come to the window first even though I was letter B. The lady at the window asked for my interview letter, passport, pictures and medical results (didn't want the X-Ray). She then started going through them plus all the other paperwork that the NVC had forwarded to them. When she got to the Affidavit of Support she noticed that we had used my Canadian income as household income. I explained to her that I will be continuing to work in Canada and per instructions for the AOS you can then use it as household income. She asked if I was sure I could still work in Canada and live in the United States. I said yes, I have checked into it and I have heard of lots of people that do it. She then told me to sit down and I would be called back for fingerprinting. I was called back up a few minutes later for that. I got the same lady and she kept telling me I wasn't pressing my fingers down hard enough, we finally got it done. When I went back to sit down, I told the others around me and they had no problem with theirs because they learned by my problems...lol

While I was waiting for my interview, the guy with letter A and the girls with D and E all got called for their interviews and left. (The couple with letter C were delayed because they forgot their Xpress post mailer and the wife had to run to Pharmasave down the street to get one.) I kept waiting for quite awhile wondering what was taking so long. Finally I was called to booth 7 and got this really nice lady, she started asking the usual questions about how we met etc then she brought up the Affidavit of Support and was concerned that we were using my continuing income from Canada and not a joint sponser. I told her that we were going to use a joint sponser but then read in the instructions for the Affidavit of Support that you could use the immigrating spouses income if it will be continuing from the same source so we submitted all my information and that the NVC approved it with no problem. She hummed and haaa a bit and then said that she would like to go confer with one of her more experienced co-workers. She came back a few mintues later (while I stood there praying very hard!) with a smile on her face and said after talking to her co-worker that she will approve the visa!!! She apologized for keeping me waiting and leaving me "on pins and needles" but that they don't normally see situations like that (trust me to be the first....lol) She then explained about keeping the passport, how long it would take for me to receive it, that I had 6 months to activate etc. and then told me to go out and enjoy the rest of the day sightseeing!

I had a good afternoon of sightseeing after I checked out of my hotel. I took the city bus down to Old Montreal and that was quite interesting walking around there except that I got caught in a torrential rain storm that lasted quite awhile. I went into a restaurant and had lunch until it had almost stopped (not before I was completely drenched!). I walked back downtown and looked around all the malls along St. Catherines. Then headed back to the airport by 5:30 p.m.

I was just exhausted by the time I got back to Vancouver last night. I am sure glad that I had today off to rest.

Thank you all for all your help and encouragement in this long process!!!!

Congratulations!!!WOOHOO!!