A Day at the Montreal Consulate

[Tater&Bugger 3]

Let me start by saying what a busy place it is, and how much bigger it is than I expected!

The day started off in a bit of a rush. Justin and I had set our alarm for 5am and also asked for a wakeup call from the hotel. We received the wakeup call a bit early so decided to just 'relax' in bed until the alarm would go off a few mins later... well it didn't and we fell back asleep! I had a dream that I was late for the interview and when I 'woke' up from it I realized I hadn't heard the alarm and may have fallen back to sleep. I check the clock and it's 545am! Yikes. We quickly get out of bed, pack up and make sure we didn't forget anything that we are bringing to the interview. 625am and we are checked out of the hotel. No problems, we did it. It just wasn't laid back and relaxed like we had planned haha. Our hotel was a 10 min walk, maybe less from the consulate so we decide to stop by Tims for breakfast. Of course for some reason their credit machine wasn't working and wouldn't take Justin's US card, so we had to go to the bank since we had no cash. 15 mins later we are finally eating breakfast and make our way to the consulate. We didn't have watches on but got there around 7am we believe. Our appointment letter stated my interview was at 8am, but the doors say that they only open for immigration Visa appointments at 830am. So don't be alarmed haha. about 3 other people arrived right before the doors opened at 730am. I wouldn't recommend going before 7am really. If you are there by 715 it's fine. The guy said that they give you your 'window' letter based on your interview time.

So we go inside and I hand security my interview email confirmation (never received it by post). Guess what, I am not on the list haha. He let's my fiance and I in anyways because he can see it was dated Aug 13 and stated they don't update the list for security that frequently, so it was normal. He gave us letter 'A' for window 9 and tells us to wait at the elevator for security to bring us up. As we are sitting Justin is reading my interview letter and asks "you did bring cash to pay for your interview right?"... I laugh and say "No, I am paying debit, I'll just pay the US amount on there and whatever my bank charges for the exchange is fine". HA well he then points out that I hadn't read the email properly and it clearly states CASH ONLY. Oops. So I give him my card and he goes back out through security to get the money for me while I go upstairs and wait to be called to the window. When he came back security knew who he was and let him upstairs no problem. USC's have no problem coming and going into the building as they please apparently. At 815am they called my name to window 11 (first one to be called). She asked for all the papers mentioned on the check list and an additional copy of my DS-160. She asked for DS-156 as well but I explained I was never asked to fill anything else out. She confirmed with a woman who walked by and it was fine she said, that they were adjusting to a new system. She said it's supposed to be easier but the new way misses a few steps that they are used to. She was a bit plump and had blonde hair. VERY nice woman. We paid and she asked us to grab a seat in the waiting area and we'd be called back shortly. I asked her if she has an idea how long... about 15-20 mins. Cool.

The waiting room has large windows and you have a great view of Montreal. The room was packed with people there for immigration purposes, very few USC's there for services. I was surprised how many people were there (about 70 or so). Almost every single person seemed unprepared, what a nightmare for the clerks I thought. Makes sense now why they are so back logged.

It was 830am when Justin and I sat down and began to wait patiently... at 1215pm we FINALLY get called to the booth. By this point the room was near empty. People who arrived hours after us had their interviews and left already. Justin was very impatient with it, he wasn't as familiar with the Montreal consulate waiting game like I was. We go to booth 7 and there is an older woman there with glasses, just finishing her donut. She said she's be very busy and was just squeezing in a snack. I told her NO problem! She was nice too. Our conversation went roughly as follows:

Q: (To Justin) So you are posted in the military in New York?

A: (Justin) Yes ma'am.

She looks through our I-129F petition

Q: (To Justin after looking at a picture where you can see his full sleeve tattoo): What are you going to do when you're 60 years old with that thing?

A: (Justin): Just let it turn to mush.

Q: Hahahah ok well I guess that works (we all laugh).

Q: (To me): So you have been dating since summer 2007?

A: No we met in summer 2008 and were friends for a while, Justin visited once and we kept in contact, then when we met up in May 2009 we began dating immediately. It was meant to be. All had to do with timing I guess. (Justin and I smile at one another... aw).

Q: I see. What were you doing in NY?

A: Visiting my mom and her bf, they had a houseboat at a dock downtown and I went for the weekend.

Q: Is your mom a resident of the US?

A: No, she was just visiting too.

Q: Oh wow, what chance!

She continues looking through the I-129F package and types things into her computer

Q: Do you have your medical results?

A: No I have to pick up my blood and xray results at 2pm today. I provided a sealed letter from the Doctor.

Q: Ok yes I see that here.

She continues to keep looking through our files, typing... yadayada.

Q: (To Justin): What part of the military are you attached to?

A: Army, at Fort Drum NY.

Q: You both plan on living there?

A: (Justin) Yes ma'am.

Q: Now when we issue the Visa, you have 6 months to immigrate. Will you be able to commit to that?

A: Yes.

Q: When do you plan on getting married

A: September 25th, assuming the Visa is approved and receive it in time. We've already looked into apartments and are ready to put the deposit as soon as the Visa is issued.

Q: Alright then everything here looks good to me, we just need to go over your medical results. I will give you this orange ticket that will let you back into the building at 3pm. Just make your way to window 12 and tell them to give me the package and I will look over it right away for you. I signed it so they know to give it to me.

A: Thank you very much, we'll see you soon!

We left the building at about 1230pm. Walked back to the hotel to get the car and drove to Dr. Seiden's. Traffic on Sherbrooke was so bad it took 40mins to drive 7kms. I got to the office at 145pm and my results were ready to go. We took a detour on the way back and I was back in front of the building at 245pm, there were about 7 of us waiting with orange tickets and we were let in at 255pm. I was 4th in line. Everyone else was there to pick up their Visa. Apparently if you ask to get it back the same or next day it's pretty easy because thats what everyone else was there for. I didn't want to push it so was FINE waiting for mine in the mail! I get called back up to the window and hand over my results and grab a seat for another 10 mins. The clerk at the counter (a young french girl) calls me up and tells me my medical results came back fine but I can't get my Visa today, it has to be processed then they'll mail me my package and passport. I laugh and said that was fine. I was honestly expecting them to stamp something with a big red 'Approved' on it so I can do a little jig but she handed me a disc and said it's just the info from my medical if I wanted to give it to my doctor. Ya whatever I am thinking, I want this to be more exciting after all this waiting! I ask her "So it's approved?". Yes your medical was fine but we still need to process the Visa and you'll get it later. I then realized I was probably sounding pretty crazy and wasn't going to get my climatic event and should just haul my ####### out of there. We had been at the doors at 7am and it was now 330pm, I just wanted this day to be over!

Minutes later Justin and I are in the car driving home and so relieved we're done with this part of the process. It was so slow an agonizing at first then was crazy a week before. We could hardly believe it was done! Not until breakfast this morning had it all finally settled in. So I kissed him goodbye after breakfast and he took off to go spend some time with family in Michigan while I stay home and pack, say bye to all my friends and once I have my Visa in hand we'll make the big move, which we expect to be on Sept 7 or so.

In short, because I know this was long all I can say is I know not everyone has a long day, but expect to wait. It's not eventful and there is very tight security... and lot's of interesting looking people inside. Enjoy the views the waiting room has to offer and bring change in case you want a snack, coffee or drink. There is a drinking fountain inside. I didn't bring a purse because of the instructions in my email but every other woman had a huge honkin bag. Dress comfortably, the chairs aren't nice after 4hrs of waiting haha. I had brought all sorts of proof of our ongoing relationship and tons of pictures but they didn't ask for them. They only went by what was in the I-129F package. They also didn't ask for my own letter of intent and only needed ONE passport picture, not two. But I'd bring two anyways just in case you lose one or something happens to it.

The end. PHEW.

- Tina

Edited August 21, 2010 by Tater&Bugger

[Liltiggster 0]

Congrats!!! Sorry to hear you didn't get your climactic YOUR APPROVED! But you can do your little dance when you have the Visa in hand lol. Hope all goes well with the packing and the move and the POE

[TimandJoyce 1]

Congrats!!!

I know the feeling of the "you're approved"...I didn't exactly get fan fare either..lol. However, I did have a nice woman that interviewed me, and she made me feel very comfortable with her questions. We even laughed and joked a bit too.

We really do think that the interviews are going to be so serious and nerve wracking, but they aren't. I wish my JOB interviews were as easy!!!

Looking forward to hearing about your POE and wedding!!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Eben back in 2004 there was big fanfare!! Just a ur approved, welcome to the USA, now get lost,lol congrats

[Tater&Bugger 3]

I wasn't expecting the interview to be 'serious' since I had read so much online... but I just wanted the grand statement I guess. Whatever as long as I have my Visa in hand soon I don't really care anymore haha.

[Flames9_RN 358]

All depends on the person you get. I laughed a fair bit during my interview, but thats just me, maybe I have a different outlook on it,lol

[FireKari 4]

Congrats!

Doesn't sound too bad.

That is the exact reason that I set TWO alarm clocks - the one in the hotel and my own that I brought with me, I set them 5 mins apart and the one I put in the kitchenette in the other room so that I would have to walk to it. Way too much riding on this to leave it to chance on one alarm.

Sucks about waiting on the medical part -- hopefully your visa will be mailed to you the day after like mine was =D They were really snappy at getting it to me.

When I had our CR1 interview the guy I had was more interested in the game that Ray and I met through then he was about Ray and I and our relationship.

So he had me laughing a lot too.

I did however get a welcome letter from him when he told me that I was approved. =)

Edited August 21, 2010 by FireKari

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Great review - congratulations too!

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Congratulations! Great review

[OBX 51]

Wow what a wait you had...almost 4 hours until your actual interview! Great review. Congratulations.

[Wishing 1]

We have the same wedding date September 25th, yay!!!

On a side note at our interview some people were trying to us the vending machines and the pop machine and coffee machines were not working!! It was quite funny the machine was eating up people's money and one person tried to unplug it, plug it back in and everything. We were all laughing at it in the waiting room (at least those right nearby the machines) it was funny!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Congrats on the approval! What a ridiculously long wait in the consulate though, geez!

[Tater&Bugger 3]

Well I honestly wasn't surprised or alarmed. I had read a recent review here of a girl who was in there until 1pm I think. So that was my 'its time to worry' mark haha at least it didn't get that far.

I thought they gave out an approval slip or denial slip too but nope, just got back the disc and she said the Visa wasn't ready yet so my stuff would get mailed to me. I wished it was the woman who interviewed us or took my papers that I spoke with at the end because I felt like I had built a rapor with them hahaha. The other girl just seemed to be like a receptionist and didn't know anything about the cases etc... she was still nice though. As long as I get my Visa in a week or so then I am happy. I don't need it first thing Monday because we don't have a place yet anyways haha. That and finding a reception site are our next challenges.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Congratulations - and great review. Good luck with your POE - hopefully it will be just as anti-climatic and trouble-free.

[FireKari 4]

There were at least 4 people who tried to use them when I was there in July as well.

Edited August 22, 2010 by FireKari