What to expect at Vancouver embassy interview (K1)

[Peter Korostoz 0]

Thought I'd post this as I was looking for this info before my interview. I had my interview for a K1 visa Jan 12th in Vancouver and its really a piece of cake. Ill run down what happens.

Transportation

If you come to Vancouver via the airport you'll be about 30 min from the US embassy which is on the other side of the city. A taxi will cost you about $20 give or take $5 depending on traffic, a chauffeur

about $40 (they'll try to grab you when you exit the airport, big black Lincoln Towncars etc) By 2009 theres going to be a skytrain from the airport to Canada Place which is 3 blocks from the Embassy (for the 2010 winter olympics) I looked into a rental and I think Budget was the cheapest at about $25/day for a compact. Just remember that parking will cost you $13 a day at a garage that is right across the street from the embassy (similar prices elsewhere too)

Embassy

It did pay off for me to get there early, they open at 8am people start showing up at 7am. There is a Starbucks on the ground floor of the building the embassy is and I saw lots of big yellow envolopes floating around in the early morning. The gaurd shows up about 7:30am and puts out the signs etc. theres 3 or 4 moveable posts that he puts signs on; "8:00am visa appointments" "8:30am visa appointments", 9:00am visa appointments" and you line up behind the appropriate signs. I had a 10:00am appointment and my sign didn't even go up until at least 9:00am but I'm still glad I got there early (more on that later) I believe that all the early appointments were for non-immigrant visas as there were only 5 of us getting K1/K3 visas that day and there were likely 50 people in line by 8am. Once your lineup reaches the door they'll wave you in one at a time and want to see your passport or ID and your appointment latter. You'll place all your change, belt, keys etc in a bin for inspection (runs just like security at the airport) REMEMBER NO CELL PHONES OR ANYTHING they will send you away to get rid of it. Once you pass security you go up a flight of stairs to a elevator where a gaurd will send you up to the XX floor where you'll go through the same security scans again (prepare to empty your pockets again). Non-immigrant visa applicants line up along a long hallway on the right and K visas go in a room to the left and wait for someone to call your name. When they do there will be a teller window where someone will go through the paperwork you brought checking off what you should have brought as they go. Once they make sure you have everything in order, they will give you a slip to go pay the cashier the $100 USD and take the receipt back to the window you were just at. then its sit in the chair and wait for your interview (this can take awhile) For the interview you'll go up to a teller window again and a friendly person will ask you half a dozen questions and put their signature and some stamps on your paperwork, and tell you to come back in a few hours to pick up your completed visa (for me it was 2pm) You'll get a big envolope (do not open) and your passport back with your visa inside. Then follow the exit signs, go back down the elevator.

Interview

For the interview imagine you meet someone new and they ask how you met your fiance and what you are planning for the future. Its a no-stress friendly conversation. They asked me:

1. How we met

2. What my fiance does

3. Where I went to university

4. What I will do in the US for work

5. When I will cross the border

The guy was very nice and made me feel very relaxed.

Other Stuff

1. Bathrooms are at the 1075 Pender St W. enterance (where you line up) they are not marked, just ask someone. The closest other ones are at Quiznos across the street.

2. If you're inside and waiting in line you can leave and go to the washroom and come back, just tell the gaurd.

3. The nearest payphone I found was at the tourist info center by Canada Place although there must be one in the underground shopping area across the street.

4. If the gaurds ask a question answer it exactly as they asked it. Don't tell them a long story and problems because they will cut you off and ask the same question again. (they don't fool around)

5. There are lots of places to eat and get coffee around the embassy.

6. Dress warm if its winter b/c you could be waiting outside for 2+ hours. Vancouver is usually balmy by Canadian standards but they've had a cold winter this year (it was -12 with the windchill that morning)

7. There is a underground shopping center across the street from the embassy with a post office, food court, public bathrooms, book store, etc. The enterance is easy to miss, its across the street and to the left if youre standing at 1075 Pender St W. Down a set of stairs that are less than a block from the embassy.

8. Prepare to spend some free time while you wait for them to process your visa. The waterfront and marina are a stones throw from the embassy, its a great walk if the weather is nice. Mountains, water, boardwalk and pathways.. very nice. Vancouver is beautiful.

9. There are no lockers at the airport to stow your stuff but there is a baggage babysitting service in the area you pick up your checked luggage. I paid $4.50 for my carry-on sized suitcase for a 24 hour period. Its so much easier than hauling a bunch of ####### everywhere with you.

10. There are lots of hotels right by the embassy but youre looking at the Marriot and similar so they will be pricey.

* Had a bit of a scare when I went to pick up my Visa, the computers had been acting up or being slow and it wasn't ready at 2pm. The lady said there was a chance it would come through but I could go buy a pre-paid envolope and leave it with them to mail it out to me if not. Thankfully it came through an hour and a half later. It wouldn't have been so terrible for me because I was only flying back to TO but all the other K visa applicants were planning on entering the US on their K visa either that night or the next day and if the visa was not processed they WILL NOT GIVE YOUR PASSPORT BACK TO YOU. So they were upset because they would have been stuck in limbo (it was a Friday afternoon and Monday was a holiday) Keep that in mind when you make travel arrangements.

** The reason I was glad I was early even through my appointment was not until 10am was the gaurd that opened up shop must have noticed I was there before him (in the freezing cold dark) and pulled me aside and let through at 8:30am where they checked my information and said come back at 10:00am for my interview, I was the first one to get my K1 visa out of the group. But in reality if your appointment is at 10am dont show up until an hour or so before. The line-up won't even be there any earlier.

*** Our visa was quite simple, no previous marriages, no children, my fiance is a RN, and there were no other complicating factors. I'm not sure how it would be different your application is more complicated than ours.

Edited January 14, 2007 by Lloyd Parlee

[ladykelia 0]

Thanks for the info! This is so helpful (since I think we will be going to the vancouver consulate when we get our interview date... a long time in the future), I printed it off for future reference

[Autumnchik 6]

THANKS!!!!! We have our interview January 30th and I am starting to get a bit nervous. I am the USC and am going to Vancouver to be with my fiance. I know we have everything we need, just as it gets closer to the interview, the more of a Nervous Nelly I become

[misa 2]

Thanks for the info. I'm planning a transfer to Vancouver and this is helpful. So the interview is at a teller window, not a closed door room?

[Peter Korostoz 0]

I was suprised by this too, I think more complicated cases might go into a back room but I was at a teller window. Interview took 3 minutes maybe. I transferred from Montreal (6 month wait) to Vancouver (20 day wait) and its very easy.

Thanks for the info. I'm planning a transfer to Vancouver and this is helpful. So the interview is at a teller window, not a closed door room?

[misa 2]

My case isn't complicated at all: no children or previous marriages, no cosponsors, no criminal record, I have a good career here in Canada that is specific to Canada (i.e., I'm leaving for love, not money! heh), no overstays, no waivers, nothing... I hope my interview (whenever that is) will be as easy as yours.

Hopefully Montreal will get my case soon so I can transfer the damn thing!

And congrats on your visa.

Edited January 14, 2007 by misa