Review: Vancouver K1 & Dr. Cheema medical

[CanCal2016 21]

Hey all! Now that the chaos as slowed down in my life, I figured I'd write a review about my K1 experience (both the Interview at the Vancouver consulate and the medical at Dr. Cheema's office in Surrey, B.C). Here we go!

I flew into YVR and rented a car from Thrifty in the airport. I drove to the medical and the interview, and this made it insanely easy rather than taking the public busses. I stayed at the Coast Hotel on Comox Street, and that was such a great area to be in. Great food, great access to everything, and most importantly.... it was a clean hotel. Hot tub and pool too!

Medical

Medical was scheduled for 10:45am on the 26th of February at Dr. Cheema's office. Not difficult to get to via car, although the office was busy. I arrived at 10:30am, spoke with a nice lady at the front desk. She asked for my interview confirmation page, immunization records and passport. Asked me a couple questions, I paid the $280 by debit (NO CREDIT CARDS accepted here), and was told to take a seat. At about 10:55am I was escorted to a room, and waited for Dr. Cheema. He asked me a couple questions about my health, listened to my breathing and heart beat, then took my blood pressure. He pressed a couple spots on my stomach and that was it. I told him that I am prescribed medication for anxiety and depression, and he asked me about the work I do. He said there were no concerns on his part, and that I was good to go for the x-ray and blood work which was down the road. I was given a requisition form from the front desk for my blood work and my chest x-ray, and off I went.

Made it to the x-ray and blood work building in about 10 minutes... it's a quick drive, ran upstairs to take a number from the blood work lab (I was 135 and they were only serving 109 at this point...). Went downstairs and handed in my x-ray requisition. Sat for five minutes or so, then was brought to a back room where there are a ton of curtained little rooms. Undress from waist up and piled my hair on top of my head (DONT forget your hair elastics!!). I sat in the little change room until they called me, I walked around the corner and had my x-ray done. Took all of five minutes. Sat back in the change room until they told me I could go, got changed and then off to the blood lab.

Blood lab was easy, pretty empty when I got there. Waited till they called me and sat in a chair in their back area. Blood work took all of five minutes, and we were out of the clinic building by 1pm. Hit the road and went back to Vancouver!

Picking up medical package

I drove back to Dr. Cheema's office on February 29th (Monday) and arrive at 4:45pm. Talked with the lady at the front desk and she gave me two packages, one sealed package for the interview and one package that had my chest x-ray disk and some other immunization paperwork in it. The sealed package is the only one you need to bring to the interview.

Interview

Interview was scheduled for 08:00am on March 1st at the Vancouver Consular Generals Office on West Pender St in Vancouver. I parked in the public parking lot directly across the street and paid $13.00 for the "early bird parking" rate. I arrived in the parking lot around 07:30am. This paid parking lot only takes CREDIT CARDS or coin cash. No debit.

I walked across the street to the building, and the lineup was already around the side of the building. I asked the "direction man", who seemed to be coordinating this whole thing where I was supposed to be going. He told me to line up and that he would come down the line and ask for 08:00am interviewee's. Not five minutes later he directed those of us with 8am interviews to line up, pull out our DS-160's and passports to present to the officers at the head of the line. DO NOT BRING your cell phones or any extra bags in with you, they make you lock them up. The first officer I spoke with collected my DS-160, passport and medical package, then checked my name for correct interview information/ passport number etc. She handed it back to me with a blue "WINDOW B" paper, and I handed this off to the second officer, who directed me to go inside and up a flight of stairs, then wait for further instruction. I got upstairs, was met by several officers and was directed to take off belt/watches/metal etc and proceed through the metal detector. Moved along to stand in front of the elevator, and was told to use the bathroom at this point, as there was no bathroom on the 20th floor where we would be going. Got up to the 20th floor and the officer indicated that I was to flip the switch by window B ONE TIME, either up OR down, NOT both. I was met by a lady at Window B who collected my paperwork from me, and told me to take a seat & I would be called by name. She called me back up and handed me a number, A027. She told me to ignore the screen if it said "WINDOW 1", and to wait for my number to be called again. I waited until A027 was called and walked to Window 6, where I was met by a man who conducted my interview. It's a stand-up interview at the window. He looked through my paperwork, I was finger printed and he asked me a couple questions about the paperwork (that it is truthful and I'm not lying or committing fraud). He also asked if I had received a paper on domestic violence already, and I said that I had. The ONLY question about our relationship was the following... "Tell me about your relationship from start to finish"... So I gave him a VERY brief run down of our nine+ year relationship. He nodded, and told me to have a seat until I was called up again. The lady I spoke with earlier called me up again to Window B, and she said that my application had been approved!! She gave me a run down about having to marry within 90 days, and that my K1 Visa is good until August etc, etc, etc. My Visa would arrive in the mail and that Canada Post would be contacting me.

Today, March 3rd/16, I received an email from the Department of State giving me a tracking number for my Canada Post package! So it should only be a couple more days and I'll be able to pick up my passport and visa package.

I can't wait! I've honestly been so lucky through this process so far... no RFE's, no majorly delayed paperwork or complications. Now, on to the POE and AOS...

Thankful to all those who have helped along the way, and all the awesome guides that have been there to support my OCD.

Edited March 4, 2016 by CanCal2016

[MASH 172]

Congrats on the approval

I went to dr Cheema as well and it was less then what I thought it would be, I hated the blood shot lol

[NikLR 13,232]

Thanks for the great review.

[dreadly 0]

Cancal2016, was there a urine test done as well?