Marmoset rocks the Montreal Consulate

[Marmoset 0]

Oh God, Montreal in the middle of October. Dante had to remove that bit from Inferno because it was freaking too many people out with its descriptions of savage, ice-cold rain and sunlight that was sifted through a cheesecloth made of spite and disdain.

Seven in the morning and dark as the inside of a postman's boot. At the intersection of Rue St-Alexandre and Blvd René Levesque squats a relatively unlabelled doorway, and in front of that doorway paces Marmoset -- in one hand a big accordian-folder (stuffed to capacity with forms, documents, photographs, and assorted papers) shifts uncomfortably in cold-numbed fingers next to a ridiculously oversized brown envelope that may or may not contain medical information and an x-ray. Our hero has no idea, they told him not to open it and "do not open it" has become the mantra of the past four months. In the other hand a cigarette does nothing to take his mind off the grim reality of Montreal at seven in the morning in October.

More applicants arrive, two couples, both from Toronto. They tell harrowing stories of leaving at midnight to drive here through the wind and the rain, rain so fierce that at some points in their journey it was impossible to read the signs on the highway. All agree that Montreal is a confusing place to be a driver, what with the "no right on a red" and the pedestrians who leap into traffic with their heads down and a palable aura of entitlement protecting them from what would be inevitable collision in any city but this.

VisaJourney has prepared Marmoset well. He knows what will happen next. And it does.

7:20 am the doors are unlocked by a cheerful girl in a uniform who says good morning and manages to shred the grim Montreal morning from our bones with her sunny demeanour. First through the door, first to the security desk, first through the metal detector, first down the stairs. The guards were all pleasant and happy and it didn't feel like going through a security checkpoint in a foreign consulate in the least. A great beginning.

So we sit on the chairs facing the elevator, waiting for permission to go further. Eight o'clock and one of the guys from upstairs removes the barrier thing and we all get on. Clever Marmoset knows the doors will open from the rear, he has already moved to the back. Clever Marmoset knows that Window 14 is to the left. Clever Marmoset is apparently the only one who knows this, because everyone else is eagerly bundled at the wrong side of the elevator and getting their Sprint Faces on. So when the 19th floor goes *ding* and the rear doors go *whoosh* Clever Marmoset is using his long gangly legs to best advantage. First in line at Window 14. Go me!

For about twenty minutes our hero stares into the reflection of Window 14, looking at the others in line. Eavesdropping. Hearing wonderful stories of the long wait, the infinite paperwork, the RFEs and the lawyers' fees and the fact that everyone thinks it is oh so worth it for love. Accordian-file and hilariously-giant envelope jockey for position still, and the memory of trying to stuff that damnable x-ray packet into a small travelling bag has become funny instead of frustrating at this point. A wry grin sneaks across Marmoset's face as he recalls the trouble of packing, and as it does the blind over Window 14 slides up and the girl behind the glass grins back.

C-1. So far, so good. First and first and first and first. VisaJourney rocks. The compiled experience and wisdom of hundreds, distilled into tips and tricks and then etched with a laser into the cortex so that every step is anticipated. Takes the stress out, makes the process glide. The second most important thing our hero has ever done, and it's smooth as silk thanks to VisaJourney's forums.

His number called, Marmoset wanders back to Window 9 where a friendly man rapid-fires the forms he wants to see. Birth certificate, passport, photos, letter of intent to marry, I-134, police certificate, copies and originals. He's helpful when it comes to the bits of the DS-156 left blank by a confused Canadian. He points to where signatures need to go, he slips a bit of paper through the tray and says "Go back to Window 14 and pay the $100, then return this slip here... I won't be here, but just stuff it in the slot." Total time elapsed, approximately 4 minutes. Preparation is everything, and the accordian-folder made it all so easy. He even asked for the stuff in the big Do Not Open It envelope, although he didn't want the x-ray. And if our hero had known that there were two smaller sealed Do Not Open It envelopes inside the big unwieldy one, the packing might have been a little easier. But oh well. There is a new mission to undertake, and no time to dwell on the vagaries of Fed Ex.

Back to 14 where five Andrew Jacksons are traded for a signature on the receipt. Back to 9 where the receipt gets left in the slot. Back to the waiting area where an unhappy old man recounts a two-year ordeal of bureacracy following him getting a little snarky with an equally snarky border officer. Just as the story is straying into Rant Territory the LED board flashes C1 and Nearly-Finished Marmoset offers wishes of good luck before stalking back down the hall in search of 8.

Whoops. There is no 8. The board has lied! Backtrack, backtrack, the dinger has dung again! But oho, there is a door with a big number eight on it. A keen scholar of Sherlock Holmes, Marmoset deduces in a flash that this must be the place. A clever lad, our Marmoset. Very difficult to hide something from him, especially if you label it clearly and put it right in the way of his eyes!

In the little room marked 8 a friendly man sits behind glass like a carnival fortune-teller machine. But instead of requiring a quarter, he is fed by information. He asks questions, you provide answers, and then he tells you whether or not your future involves travelling to America.

Like a horse at the gate, Marmoset is primed. The accordian-folder holds a vast collection of things from photogrpahs to engagement ring receipts, chat-log fragments wherein honeymoon plans are discussed, congratulatory cards from friends and family. There is even a little subfolder containing every movie ticket since 2002, because Marmoset is a silly and sentimental monkey and keeps things like that even though it makes his beloved roll her astonishingly blue eyes and call him a dork just before she kisses him for being such a sweetie.

But the man in the purple shirt (wonderfully-tailored, I might add -- I have many things to say about Montreal, but two are indisputable: They have excellent butchers and excellent tailors) was completely uninterested in the archived history of the accordian-folder. He merely asked how we met, commented on our 12-year age difference, wondered aloud where Santa Barbara was in relation to the Bay Area, and after about four minutes of this said words that didn't quite register the first time:

"Well, this is a very straightforward application. Everything's fine, I'm going to approve you. So here's a ticket to get you back in tomorrow to pick up your visa at Window 12 at 2:30, and you can go home and phone your fiancée and tell her the good news."

I'M SORRY WHAT CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN I'M AFRAID I HAD SOMETHING DELIGHTFUL IN MY EAR JUST NOW

And he laughed. He must have the greatest job in the world when he gets to approve things.

[Waiting in Vancouver 6]

CONGRATULATIONS !!

and I might add that was one of the best written and enjoyable consulate reviews I have ever read on VJ ...

Good luck with the rest of your journey ...

[aussiewench 9]

Thoroughly enjoyable reading Can't wait for part 2 'The Reunion'

CONGRATULATIONS on the visa. Well done

Edited to say.......Don't forget to put your review in the Embassy Review section at the top of the page.

Edited October 21, 2006 by aussiewench

[Carlawarla 1]

Oh my word....I'm laughing with tears streaming down my face.

What a delightful story! Congratulations!

Carla

[billsgirl 0]

wow...that was some great reading...felt like i was reading a book.....i feel a whole lot better now...my interview is at the end of november....thanks again...and good luck on the rest of your journey

[E&K 0]

Excellent story!! Congratulations!!!!

[Ta Ta 1]

Wonderful !! Congratualtions !! I laughed so hard reading your story

and pictured every step in my mind........

Someone needs to make a movie out of this....

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Way to go, Marmoset! That was great! Having been on the Montreal Consulate journey myself I was with you every step of the way. What a delightful life your fiance has waiting for her with you .