How much time in advance should I arrive for interview K1?

[Bamboo33 1]

Hi guys,

Quick question!

I live in Toronto so I have to go in Montreal for my interview and it is schedule for 7:40pm. How much time in advance do you go there?

If you arrive too early, do they make you wait outside? or is it better to arrive like an hour earlier or something?

Let me know what was your experience!

Thanks!

[k_stacky 65]

If you want to be in and out by 8:30am try to get there by 7am. The doors don't open until 7:30 so you will be waiting outside, but the closer you are to the front the quicker you will be processed. Make sure you are standing on the side with the yellow posts to the left of the doors (you should be staring at Starbucks across the street while you wait). Don't bring large bags, just bring your paperwork if you can.

Otherwise if you want to show up later and not wait outside, really the only downfall I know is you'll be inside waiting for much longer as pretty much after 7am the line starts filling up super quickly.

[Shadowess 13]

I just went for my interview at Montreal last week.

I arrived at 6:45am and there was already one guy in line, around 7am more people started to show up and by 7:15am there was a pretty long line.

Make sure you do not have a backpack, large purse, or anything like that. The security guard comes out around 7:30am and will have you exit the line and go to the Eaton Center to store your bags in the lockers there (your place is line is lost). I just had my paperwork in an accordion file and I put it and my paperback book in a shopping bag since it was snowing a bit and I didn't want things to get wet.

Also only go inside when the security guard directs you. They only let a couple people in at a time since the entry space is small.

I was first in (since the guy ahead of me had a backpack and was turned away) and I was in and out within an hour (got out around 8:30am)

[Bamboo33 1]

Thank you for your answers! Now on my sheet, it says 07:40 EDT, is this mean 07:40 am or 07:40 pm? I'm confused

[Shadowess 13]

It's 7:40am, they are not open in the evening.

[Loki_Go 126]

So many people were turned around for back packs, cell phones, large purses and briefcases when I was at my interview. Try not to wear anything that'll set off a metal detector. Make it as easy for yourself as you can. When they start processing the line it's all business.

[Bamboo33 1]

They were turn down because they had a cell phone? Should I go without it then?

[Shadowess 13]

You can bring your cell phone, but they ask you turn it off fully and then you hand it to the security guard who puts it in a cubby behind the security desk and gives you a claims ticket (sort of like coat check, but for your cellphone) When you finish your interview you just hand them the ticket and they give you back your cell phone.

[Loki_Go 126]

We didn't risk bringing our cell phones. We just wanted to go through as smoothly as possible. Our AirBnB was a 10 minutes walk away so we were ok without them for a couple hours.

My fiance and I arrived at the embassy at 6am. We were (of course) first in line. I couldn't sleep because I was so excited. The weather was still warm back then so we grabbed some coffee and donuts and sat on the stoop and had breakfast. It was actually really nice.