Approved on Monday @ MTL!!!!

[Wishing 1]

Alrighty can’t believe I am finally able to write this. Want to thank all you guys and gals out there who helped out with advice and kind words along the way. Before we even sent the original application VJ was an indispensible resource, as I’m sure it will continue to be in the next stages…

We got in front of the consulate by 6:50AM. There were 5 people in front of us 1 couple and a family. Around 7:05 AM it started raining…light at first then POURING. We all gathered around the small alcove and luckily we had an umbrella. Regardless our pants and shoes were soaked. Security guards started letting people in right at 7:30AM…a few in line with backpacks were told to come back when they did not have them and that they had until 11 AM to come back. The security guard also said there were lockers at the Eaton Centre for people to leave stuff. We were given letter D and went through security. Then it was down the stairs through a door to the left of security down a short hallway to sit in front of the elevators. Waited around 10 minutes then they sent our group up. Seated on the 19th floor enjoying the view by 7:50AM. Waited until our letter was called to Window 10 around 8:20 AM. A nice man with brown-blond hair and glasses greeted us and asked us for documents…nothing out of ordinary there…although for the DS-160 he asked me a few times if I had filled it out more then once online, it seemed to take longer to pull up in his system or something. Then gave us a slip to go pay our fee and was instructed to go to window 14A (yup the basically just go to the short Cashier line). Paid the fee lady was nice, paid in cash. Went back to window 10 where we gave the slip back got a receipt of payment then stood in front of his window while he did some paperwork stuff, asked us a few questions. To note he only took the most recent years (2009) tax receipts, did not want the 2007/2008 ones. We were not asked for any evidence of domicile nor any evidence of continuing relationship. Once the DS-160 pulled up he verified the information on there…to note for the question where it asks you how long you intend to stay in the US I had put 90 days, as others had because that is the length of the K1. He verified this with me to which I said “I plan to stay indefinitely but for the form I thought it was the length of the visa” so he placed in the notes to the document that I corrected my response to indefinitely.

Then we were instructed to go sit back down and wait for our name to be called for the interview…he said we would be called to either Window 7 or 8. Waited approx 20 maybe 30 minutes and we were called to Window 7, or as I like to now call it Box 7. You open a door and there is a tiny room with a chair and the CO behind the plated glass. She greeted us, had short graying hair and glasses, very pleasant. She started up her computer asked us to be patient as she was trying to do this in the new system. She asked a colleague to come in and help her navigate the old/new system for our verification. The colleague also greeted us and soon I was asked for my thumbprint. Then the lady started to flip through our I-129F petition and asked us each a couple questions about our history. She asked my fiancé how he managed to attend high school in Canada…what type of work he did now. She asked us if we were ever married before, was pleasantly surprised we had known each other for 13 years and were now getting married. She flipped through a few of the photos in the I-129F petition and commented on how nice they were. As she questioned us she was typing a few things into the computer. At one point when she was typing the man came back in to give the CO some papers for another petition sitting on her desk and she did not hear him coming behind her so she jumped up in surprise and we all laughed. Before we knew it she was saying “well that’s it, let me get you a sheet of paperwork with a little information…you should receive the visa by the end of the week!”. We smiled ear to ear thanked her and left! We were out of the consulate by 10AM. Went to Eggspectations just down the street (at Hyatt Hotel) for some real breakfast food. Was a great experience and as others have said by sure to enjoy the view…you can see lots of downtown Montreal from up there, plus the thunderclouds that were present for us!

For those interested in transporation and hotel info I should mention that we arrived by air into Montreal and took the 747 Express bus from the airport. The cost was $7.00 per person, cash only machine at the airport by the bus stop. This covered the trip from airport to downtown…as well as access to all metro and bus lines for the next 24 hours. So we made very good use of this pass.

Also we had the concierge hold our bags for us in case we were not back before check out time. We stayed at the Meridien Versailles Hotel on Sherbrooke Ouest (got a wicked deal on Hotwire!!). This was a 5 minute walk from the Guy-Concordia metro station. Adjacent to the metro station was a Starbucks and Tim Hortons. Metro was a 5 minute ride on the Green line from “Guy Concordia” to “Place Des Arts”.

From the “Place des Arts” station is was a few blocks to St Catherine to find Saint-Alexandre (which is at the corner the H&M is on for landmarkers out there). Easy peasy!

Edited August 18, 2010 by Wishing

[JeannieL 44]

Congrats! Reading these success stories really help! The waiting game is the worst I think. Thank you for posting your experience.

[sdw 10]

Congrats

[mtlgato 2]

Congrats.

And, btw, I can confirm (for others' benefit) that the Meridien Versailles is a nice hotel. I've stayed there. And I agree that Hotwire can be a good way to get a good deal. And that metro ride is an easy one.

Anyway, I'm really glad for you that you're finally finished the process. Now you get on with your lives!!!!

C.

Alrighty can’t believe I am finally able to write this. Want to thank all you guys and gals out there who helped out with advice and kind words along the way. Before we even sent the original application VJ was an indispensible resource, as I’m sure it will continue to be in the next stages…

We got in front of the consulate by 6:50AM. There were 5 people in front of us 1 couple and a family. Around 7:05 AM it started raining…light at first then POURING. We all gathered around the small alcove and luckily we had an umbrella. Regardless our pants and shoes were soaked. Security guards started letting people in right at 7:30AM…a few in line with backpacks were told to come back when they did not have them and that they had until 11 AM to come back. The security guard also said there were lockers at the Eaton Centre for people to leave stuff. We were given letter D and went through security. Then it was down the stairs through a door to the left of security down a short hallway to sit in front of the elevators. Waited around 10 minutes then they sent our group up. Seated on the 19th floor enjoying the view by 7:50AM. Waited until our letter was called to Window 10 around 8:20 AM. A nice man with brown-blond hair and glasses greeted us and asked us for documents…nothing out of ordinary there…although for the DS-160 he asked me a few times if I had filled it out more then once online, it seemed to take longer to pull up in his system or something. Then gave us a slip to go pay our fee and was instructed to go to window 14A (yup the basically just go to the short Cashier line). Paid the fee lady was nice, paid in cash. Went back to window 10 where we gave the slip back got a receipt of payment then stood in front of his window while he did some paperwork stuff, asked us a few questions. To note he only took the most recent years (2009) tax receipts, did not want the 2007/2008 ones. We were not asked for any evidence of domicile nor any evidence of continuing relationship. Once the DS-160 pulled up he verified the information on there…to note for the question where it asks you how long you intend to stay in the US I had put 90 days, as others had because that is the length of the K1. He verified this with me to which I said “I plan to stay indefinitely but for the form I thought it was the length of the visa” so he placed in the notes to the document that I corrected my response to indefinitely.

Then we were instructed to go sit back down and wait for our name to be called for the interview…he said we would be called to either Window 7 or 8. Waited approx 20 maybe 30 minutes and we were called to Window 7, or as I like to now call it Box 7. You open a door and there is a tiny room with a chair and the CO behind the plated glass. She greeted us, had short graying hair and glasses, very pleasant. She started up her computer asked us to be patient as she was trying to do this in the new system. She asked a colleague to come in and help her navigate the old/new system for our verification. The colleague also greeted us and soon I was asked for my thumbprint. Then the lady started to flip through our I-129F petition and asked us each a couple questions about our history. She asked my fiancé how he managed to attend high school in Canada…what type of work he did now. She asked us if we were ever married before, was pleasantly surprised we had known each other for 13 years and were now getting married. She flipped through a few of the photos in the I-129F petition and commented on how nice they were. As she questioned us she was typing a few things into the computer. At one point when she was typing the man came back in to give the CO some papers for another petition sitting on her desk and she did not hear him coming behind her so she jumped up in surprise and we all laughed. Before we knew it she was saying “well that’s it, let me get you a sheet of paperwork with a little information…you should receive the visa by the end of the week!”. We smiled ear to ear thanked her and left! We were out of the consulate by 10AM. Went to Eggspectations just down the street (at Hyatt Hotel) for some real breakfast food. Was a great experience and as others have said by sure to enjoy the view…you can see lots of downtown Montreal from up there, plus the thunderclouds that were present for us!

For those interested in transporation and hotel info I should mention that we arrived by air into Montreal and took the 747 Express bus from the airport. The cost was $7.00 per person, cash only machine at the airport by the bus stop. This covered the trip from airport to downtown…as well as access to all metro and bus lines for the next 24 hours. So we made very good use of this pass.

Also we had the concierge hold our bags for us in case we were not back before check out time. We stayed at the Meridien Versailles Hotel on Sherbrooke Ouest (got a wicked deal on Hotwire!!). This was a 5 minute walk from the Guy-Concordia metro station. Adjacent to the metro station was a Starbucks and Tim Hortons. Metro was a 5 minute ride on the Green line from “Guy Concordia” to “Place Des Arts”.

From the “Place des Arts” station is was a few blocks to St Catherine to find Saint-Alexandre (which is at the corner the H&M is on for landmarkers out there). Easy peasy!

[OBX 51]

Never get tired of reading these reviews, especially the happy ending

Congratulations!

[nickbits 43]

Congrats! Seems like you had the same guy we did (window 10) and the same interviewer.

[Craig-n-Jacquie 0]

Congrats...good to read about happy endings. Safe travels

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Congrats!!

I must say, 13 years is pretty impressive.

[Kimbear 53]

Congrats!

[Veronik 19]

Congrats Wishing!!!

[decocker 7,198]

YAY!

[Tim and Erin 3]

Congratulations to you! I can't wait until we're at the interview stage. Bring it on!

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Congratulations Love reading success stories!

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Excellent news, congrats!

Great review!

[J & J 3]

Awesome Wishing...Glad it went so well

Enjoyed reading your review!