Montreal Consulate Help!

[turtleprincess 2]

This forum has been so invaluable to me in my journey, so thank you for that! I can't believe I have a question that hasn't already been answered, but here we are.

I finally have my interview in Montreal, I scheduled it today for May 25th at 9am. Since I live in Toronto, I was just going to fly in that morning (7:40am arrival) and go right to the consulate and then fly out once my interview was complete. But I'm looking at the list of things I can't bring inside the consulate and one of them is cell phone? There's no way I'm flying without my cell phone, I was really trying to avoid booking a hotel room, and I'm also travelling alone.

Can someone who's been to the Montreal consulate recently please PLEASE tell me what they do with cell phones? Is there a checking system at security or lockers nearby?

[Veroneek 0]

I heard they have some kind of system where u just give it and they give it back at the end. Also I feel like 7:40 am is a little risky cause if there is any delay you will be late. And usually it lands at 7:40 but then you are not out until like 8:30 and then sooo much traffic to get there...

[simsim2 50]

Living in Montreal and flying back and forth every week so knowing the airport pretty well, you're taking a HUGE risk of missing your interview. Its the worst highway, and the consulate is downtown. So as you can imagine the traffic is absolutely insane at that time.

About your cellphone, the consulate will not let you enter with it... Your best bet is a hotel room (or airbnb for that matters, some of them are very cheap and even if the closest subway station to the airbnb looks "far" from the consulate, it will take you TOPS 40 minutes to go to the consulate)

If you have any questions about Montreal's areas and want to know how to get to the consulate, let me know, I will gladly help you

[oncefuturealien 45]

I agree that trying to get downtown from the West Island at rush hour is a tricky proposition.

I understand that it will add a lot of expense, but I'd come the night before.

Otherwise, is there a train that gets in at a good time in the morning? because the train station is pretty close by.

And yes I saw people checking their cell phones with security.

[simsim2 50]

I agree that trying to get downtown from the West Island at rush hour is a tricky proposition.

I understand that it will add a lot of expense, but I'd come the night before.

Otherwise, is there a train that gets in at a good time in the morning? because the train station is pretty close by.

And yes I saw people checking their cell phones with security.

I guess it depends on the security staff at the time then because I had to go to the Montreal's consulate 2 times in the past for two different visas and was not allowed to take my cellphone in, which caused me to run around to friend's houses downtown to drop off my cellphone and not miss my appointment

[Lemonslice 4,947]

There is a cloakroom at the airport http://www.admtl.com/en/shopping/services/consigne/consigne-arrivals-public-area and other storage options at the Gare centrale train station (closer to the consulate) http://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/quebec/montreal/station

However, with your flight, you are really cutting it close, so I don't think you would have time to drop your phone at one of these places.

[HollywoodNorth 22]

That is way way too close for comfort for flight/arrival times. Anything.. and I mean any thing goes wrong and you'll miss it. Things can go wrong at the departure airport, things can go wrong with weather causing a delay, etc.

Fly in that night and stay at a hotel nearby. Better to spend $150-200 extra vs missing an interview. Personally I'd allow enough time for a day of make up flights [leave the morning before and spend a day in Montreal].

A hotel is cheaper than rescheduling an interview. [add another few months plus another flight, etc]

They can take a mobile phone and put it in a baggie and check it in for you. You'll get a ticket and can pick up your phone on the way out.

Edited May 10, 2016 by HollywoodNorth

[NikLR 13,231]

Why not take the train the day before, stay a night in a hotel, then leave the next day after your appointment? The money you save on the flight can go towards a hotel room.

[turtleprincess 2]

Thanks everyone! I admit I was pretty anxious when I asked this yesterday, but you've all helped me figure this out. I read something like 50+ forum posts to try and find an answer to the cell phone question, which seems to be split right down the middle. Maybe they can only check so many things at a time, and that's why people have been turned away? I don't know, it's very confusing and there should be a better guideline for it, but I've been through enough security checks to know how it changes depending on the person, the day, and location. Still, consistency for the more, ahem, detail oriented visitors who prefer to plan everything in advance, would be nice. I'm guessing I probably shouldn't bring my knitting to the consulate to work on while I wait?

I've had to reschedule my interview anyway (June 8th) due to medical exam appointment availability; the doctor's office told me I could go to the interview without the exam and mail it later but I really want to have everything together!

I appreciate everyone's input so much. I'm definitely going to be spending a night in Montreal now to avoid any traffic issues, and luckily my sister is a travel agent, so she can sort all the details out for me.

[HollywoodNorth 22]

Don't forget that some people are providing feedback on what happened years ago when they visited the Consulate. Procedures change.

Loomis isn't used any more for passport return [its CPC] and they do accept a mobile phone at the security check in [i was there in early April 2016]. That wasn't the case in the past.

[dkunkle 2]

We just had our interview on Monday May 9th. They collect your cellphone at security and store it for you and give it back to you after the interview. it was easy. I was only separated from my phone for about 90 minutes.

I do agree you should fly in the night before so there is no chance of missing your interview. We stayed at the Marriott courtyard downtown Montreal which is right across the street from the consulate. It took us about 60 second to walk over there. Very easy.

[DaleandNatt 0]

We just had our interview on Monday May 9th. They collect your cellphone at security and store it for you and give it back to you after the interview. it was easy. I was only separated from my phone for about 90 minutes.

I do agree you should fly in the night before so there is no chance of missing your interview. We stayed at the Marriott courtyard downtown Montreal which is right across the street from the consulate. It took us about 60 second to walk over there. Very easy.

Hi dkunkle, has your CEAC status changed yet from Ready?

Edited May 12, 2016 by DaleandNatt

[dkunkle 2]

DaleandNatt - not sure what that means? What is CEAC status?

[turtleprincess 2]

Thanks again to everyone who helped me out here; I booked a train for the night before and a hotel just down the street. Both of these together are cheaper than my medical exam!

My latest worry (*eyeroll*) is with how long the interview takes? Mine is scheduled at 9am so I'll be going early, but my hotel checkout is at noon. Again, reading forums endlessly has given me some wildly divergent timelines with some people seemingly waiting hours and others, not so much. Should I expect to be back to my hotel for checkout?

[NikLR 13,231]

If you go early, you can be out of there by 9-10am. My flight was at 2pm and i easily made it because I was done by about 9am. Also if you check out of your hotel early, they can keep any belongings for you until you can get them later that day. Check with the front desk when you check in.