Canada K-1's Change in Interview site-Vancouver No More!

[NikLR 13,231]

I think you're right caliliving, not just because of the flight. The people from Alberta, Sask, and Manitoba are really the ones that are burned. At least people in BC will still go to Surrey for the medical, but now the other western provinces have to make a choice about when to have their medical too. Surrey for a night or two for the medical or up to a whole week in Montreal depending on the day of your interview. It's not so bad when you have the interview on Friday. But any other day and you have to stay the weekend or make two flights.

Hotels aren't cheap, and neither is eating out for a week! I suggest picking a hotel with at least a fridge if not a microwave or kitchenette. I certainly saved on food by eating breakfast and lunch in my room.

[Je.Se 0]

Airbnb is an idea. I'm staying at one for my visit in 3 weeks.

[NikLR 13,231]

Is it close to the consulate?

[oncefuturealien 45]

If you were going to stay more than a day or two you might want to stay somewhere not so close to the consulate, as the residential neighbourhoods have more in the way of markets and little restaurants etc., which could make your stay a bit cheaper/more pleasant. As long as you're near the Métro or a good bus route you'll be able to get around.

[NikLR 13,231]

I stayed 6 days in this hotel: http://www.hoteleuropa.com/en I did walk for about 30 mins or so to find a little market for some sandwich and breakfast stuff. I had an empty mini-fridge in my room.

But I agree, as long as you're near a bus route or metro line you should be okay... I wouldn't want to be taking a taxi everywhere.

[jludvigsen 2]

I stayed 6 days in this hotel: http://www.hoteleuropa.com/en I did walk for about 30 mins or so to find a little market for some sandwich and breakfast stuff. I had an empty mini-fridge in my room.

But I agree, as long as you're near a bus route or metro line you should be okay... I wouldn't want to be taking a taxi everywhere.

I second that hotel rec. We've stayed in that Best Western twice. It's really nice and not too expensive. Not a bad walk to the embassy. Plus there is a lot of shops and restaurants nearby.

Also, try to request a room on the 6 1/2 floor (yes, weird I know..) There are three rooms up there, but you have to take the elevator and then a separate staircase. The rooms are HUGE, way bigger than the normal rooms at least, and have a gigantic private balcony for only those rooms.

Edited March 30, 2016 by jludvigsen

[Yalda 54]

My noa2 is dated March 4 and for a lot of people with noa2 of March 1 and March 4 got their case number and their file is already on the way to their embassy. I suspect that because of this change for Canadian, ours will be processed later I hope not too late.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Yalda

[PandaSong 15]

Thanks for the hotel rec! I'll definitely check it out! Since my fiance is going to turn up in Montreal (it's a 5 hour drive from him! Silver lining!) we're already looking forward to tasting some of the food there. The only thing I'm worried about is I'm a horrible Canadian who didn't learn much French. A lot of the restaurants seem to be french based too.

[jludvigsen 2]

Thanks for the hotel rec! I'll definitely check it out! Since my fiance is going to turn up in Montreal (it's a 5 hour drive from him! Silver lining!) we're already looking forward to tasting some of the food there. The only thing I'm worried about is I'm a horrible Canadian who didn't learn much French. A lot of the restaurants seem to be french based too.

I don't know any French- my fiancé knows a little from school- we did fine in Montreal. Almost everyone knew how to speak English and the restaurants had menus in both languages!

[NikLR 13,231]

Yup no issues, especially downtown where it's touristy.

[Gillian+Mike 6]

I was assigned Montreal and I was in sask. Terribly inconvenient and expensive lol. Don't worry about the French! Downtown especially has a lot of English menus and a lot of the people will speak both we stayed at courtyard Marriott right across from the consulate. We were there for about a week because I decided to do the medical there.

[shiny1713 5]

Just confirmed NVC hasn't received our case yet so it looks like we'll definitely be in Montreal instead of Vancouver (cutoff was March 31st). Disappointing, inconvenient, and more expensive, but not the end of the world in the grand scheme of things. Just happy our case is continuing to move forward.

[Yalda 54]

Does anybody here have their case status says ready online with the instruction to book the appointment?

[NikLR 13,231]

Ready means the case is at the consulate. Send them packet 3.

[goolia 54]

Wow, that is brutal and this coming from someone who was living in Toronto when I had to attend my interview. I moaned about a 6 hour inexpensive bus ride. I can't imagine how Westerners are feeling. Not to mention, having ONE location deal with ALL applications seems terribly inefficient and the opposite of what they're going for. Unless they plan on hiring a load of new people (which I doubt), wouldn't this make it more likely for mistakes to occur since the employee's are processing even more applications (and potentially rushing)?

As for the French, I wouldn't worry at all. Idk if it was just me, but they seemed much friendlier this time around than when I had visited years previous. I didn't run into a single problem speaking English at any of the restaurants, shops or hotels I frequented.