My Interview at the Montreal Consulate

[darkchilde794 5]

Congratulations!!!!

[antda 13]

LaSouris-

Congratulations on passing your interview! And thanks for sharing about that here on VJ!

Good luck with your upcoming POE and Welcome to America!

Ant

Here is a summary of what happened during my interview.

We were the first in line at 7 am. The door opened at 7:30 and the couple behind us with their (super cute) baby went in first, then us. So we had letter B. They also gave us a letter describing how the interview would take place (see it here: front and back).

Security, elevator, a little wait and I was called to the first window.

Gave her the documents as requested in the appointment letter (we did the Electronic Processing):

• Passport (+copy)
  
• Pictures
  
• Medical results (without the X-Ray CD)
  
• Marriage certificate (+copy)
  
• Birth certificate and its translation (+copy)
  
• DS-230
  
• I-864 and financial evidence (+copy of the evidence)
  
• Xpresspost Envelope
  

She insisted she had to write my name with my husband's family name - even though I'll never use that name. Kind of weird, but whatever.

She then took my fingerprints - ok, now you can laugh at me but I was too short to put my thumbs correctly on the reader so I had to stand on my tippy toes.

Back to the waiting room for a few minutes. Enjoyed the view (I could see my neighbourhood and different places where I used to work). Brought crosswords... but my brain was off and the wait was short.

I was called to the interview room. After swearing that we would say the truth, the officer asked us the following questions:

- What do you do for a living? (to both of us - my husband does something rare so he then asked him how he came to that field).

- How /When did we meet?

- If my husband was honouring me by learning French - my husband said a few words in French - it was getting funny.

- If, in return, I was learning Bostonian and could say something - I said "Chowdah" (with the right accent!) and we all laughed.

- Then, he asked me who translated my Birth Certificate - I used a certified translator (member of the OTTIAQ and all) who's also a public notary --- however, the stamp she used was not an embossed seal and he was curious about that. I showed him her business card where her certification was listed and that was ok. However, I would strongly recommend that anyone who has to get documents translated get the copies embossed with a seal no matter what is written on the NVC website - I used a certified translator and nearly had to redo it just because of that.

- He asked me if I was ready to move to the USA and I told him as soon as I get the visa. He then said: "Let's take care of that!" and gave me the Welcome to the USA letter (you can read it here). [our faces then: :D ]

We were out of the consulate at 8:55 and the line of people was getting real long - so it's a good idea to be there early if you can.

-----

Things we brought but were not asked about: current income evidence (2009 W2, taxes, recent paystubs), pictures, foreign passport (I hold another one in addition to the Canadian one), previous Canadian passports (with stamps of time spent in other countries to show I was never there long enough to have to get a police certificate), husband's birth certificate.

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Thanks again for your help

Edited March 25, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[TimandJoyce 1]

Congratulations! Loved the review. It's always so much nicer when you can laugh with the consular. Plus it sounds as if the two of you were confident, as you had everything you may have needed.

May you have an outstanding POE, and safe journey home!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Great review! What did your interviewer look like? Mine was nice and jovial like that too.

I'm impressed that you managed to keep the interview description letter -- they typically take them back at the window, I think. That's really quite invaluable for future interviewees.

So glad you made it through with no issues!

[lonie 0]

Awesome that your interview went sooo well, congrats to you , enjoy the feeling and now to start the rest of your life!

What a feeling that must be.

[Revenesque 2]

LOL @ "Chowdah".

- Then, he asked me who translated my Birth Certificate - I used a certified translator (member of the OTTIAQ and all) who's also a public notary --- however, the stamp she used was not an embossed seal and he was curious about that. I showed him her business card where her certification was listed and that was ok. However, I would strongly recommend that anyone who has to get documents translated get the copies embossed with a seal no matter what is written on the NVC website - I used a certified translator and nearly had to redo it just because of that.

Their stamp is not enough? I'm not sure the translator I used has an "embossed with a seal" thingy.

Things we brought but were not asked about: current income evidence (2009 W2, taxes, recent paystubs), pictures, foreign passport (I hold another one in addition to the Canadian one), previous Canadian passports (with stamps of time spent in other countries to show I was never there long enough to have to get a police certificate), husband's birth certificate.

After reading several reviews, I'm tempted to not bother bringing pictures (emails, phone records, etc) either. Save myself the work.

Great review and Congrats!

[birdnerd 5]

If, in return, I was learning Bostonian and could say something - I said "Chowdah" (with the right accent!) and we all laughed.

Excellent!

After reading about the fingerprint scanner thingie, I'm pretty sure I'll be standing on tippie-toes also!

Félicitations, Souris.

Edited March 26, 2010 by birdnerd