Interview in Montreal

[sensitivemuse 7]

Hi all!

 

First thanks so much for the help given to me earlier when I had questions. You all have been helpful

 

Anyway my interview is on March 1st! (yay!) at 12:45 so I know earlier is better but how early can I go?

 

Thanks in advance for answering! and maybe see some of you there?

 

 

 

[NewBrunswicker 19]

It might just be me but 12:45 is an odd time considering the consulate working hours. Just make sure you have the right time.

 

My interview was at 10:30 and I showed up at 10 and they told me to come back at 10:15. Even though, I was the last one admitted that day, I did not have to wait for anything essentially. So bottom line, no need to be there super early but don't be late.

 

Good luck,

[Cryssiekins 976]

When I went in September, my appointment was for 10:30 or so, but I showed up at 7 and was first in line (partly bc I was so anxious/nervous/excited) since at that time, it was functioning as a first come first serve.

 

I read a post yesterday that said that has changed and they won't let you in earlier than 15 mins before your scheduled time but not sure if that was for a different category of visa.  While a K1 is technically a NIV, they do treat it more as an IV.  (I was seated in the middle section whereas other NIV were lined up along the back wall)

 

Either way, Montreal (QC in general) is a nightmare for driving, so if you haven't booked a hotel yet, try and get something at the Courtyard by Marriott.  I stayed there bc it is legit a block away.  

 

Get excited - it's really painless and rather quick.  I was so worried and it was a breeze.  

 

Also, have a photocopy of your passport biometric page.  It wasn't listed as an item to bring but they do ask for it.  Luckily my neurotic nature and urge to bring every single document I could think of came in handy.  

 

Best wishes!!

[Stagnant Sloth 5]

I had my interview for the K1 recently.

 

My appointment was at 8:30 I believe it was. I arrived there about thirty minutes early. It seemed like they had little regard for actual appointment times and was mostly first come first serve. Regardless of what time your appointment was, they just gave a piece of paper with a number on it and you were called based on your number. I think I only eventually got called after 10:30, so it was over a two hour wait.

 

The process was:

 

1) You arrive outside the door of the US embassy and there is a sign on the sidewalk outside telling you to line up. You line up here and wait your turn to be waved in by security in the door.

2) You go in the door and security tells you to have your passport and appointment letter out to show another person who is working next to security.

3) You show your appointment letter and passport to the person with a tablet and they look up your information to verify you have an appointment and they then give you a piece of paper with your number on it and a list of everything to get ready.

4) Security then tells you to wait outside some doors up a few stairs. You have to wait to be let in these doors. There's more security on the other side of these doors who will open the door to let you in when they're ready for you. It's then like going through airport security where they tell you to remove your jacket, take everything out of your pockets, remove belt, etc, and put it all in the bins which then go through the X-ray machine. You then go through a metal detector and they were also waving everyone down with a handheld wand whether the metal detector went off or not.

5) You're then instructed to go through a door, down some stairs and to an elevator. You can only access a single floor through this elevator, which brings you to the waiting room for the interview.

6) You then wait in the lobby to be called. The first time you're called, at least for me, was for them to go over all your paperwork with you. I was then told to sit back down and wait again, with another number now. When called the second time, it was the actual interview for the visa, which was maybe five questions and took a few minutes.

 

When you first get called and you go through your paperwork, they open up the sealed medical envelope and give you a CD that's inside it, which is a copy of your chest x-ray for your own personal records and also give you a copy of a paper from the doctor verifying that you have all your vaccinations. From what I've read, this is very important to keep as it's needed again when in the US and you're ready to file for adjustment of status.

 

As I had mentioned, they give you a piece of paper when you first go in which details which documents to get ready and to have them ready in the order specified. They want you to have everything ready so it's easily accessible in the order specified so they aren't waiting for you to fumble through pages looking for things.

 

I can't remember the order of the documents. But, the documents that I remember being specified to have were:

 

1) Photocopy of biographic page of passport.

2) Original copy of long form birth certificate and a copy of it.

3) A copy of your payment for the visa interview. (I just printed out the email I had got after paying and booking my interview - it should show the interview date and that you paid)

4) The original copy of your criminal record check. I forget if they wanted a copy of it too, but couldn't hurt to bring it.

5) The financial support form.

6) A copy of the US citizens tax returns were also listed on the paper. I've read that they only want this if the USC has been self employed, but I brought three years worth anyways. (My fiance was self employed, but I would have brought them even if not).

7) The sealed envelope from the doctor for your medical check.

8) Your passport.

9) Two pictures of yourself. (If you forgot these, like I did at my hotel, they have a picture machine there. It costs ten dollars and only takes loonies, toonies, five, or ten dollar bills. I think you get 6 or 8 pictures from it.)

 

There might have been other things. But, that's the stuff I remember being on the paper they gave.

 

You also aren't allowed to bring a phone or any electronic device with you. On the US Embassy website for Montreal it states that there's no storage available if you bring a phone. But, when I went, there were many people who had phones on them and security would take them at the door, give them a paper as a receipt and put their phone in a bin to be picked up when they left.

 

As another user mentioned, if you're planning to get a hotel there, it might be best to find one within walking distance of the embassy.

[Stagnant Sloth 5]

One other thing I just thought of. Don't forget to register your information on their website if you need your visa mailed to you. You can either pick it up if there's a location near you or have it mailed to your home for twenty dollars. For me, the closest pick up point was 2-3 hours away, so I paid the twenty to have it mailed directly to me.

[JlovesA 109]

My appointment was Monday at 10:30am. I got turned away at 10 and told to come back at 10:15am. They didn't know what kind of visa we were there for, they only cared about the appointment time.

[Avsiws 4]

I arrived an hour before my appointment time and was told to come back 15 mins before my scheduled appointment. Make your way downtown early in case there are delays on the metro/with parking and go sit at a nearby café !

[nightingalejules 678]

When I went, there were a few lovely Air BnB's right in the downtown area... a little cheaper than the nearest hotel, but still within walking distance. And I got to do a bit of Montreal touristing while I was in town - the McGill campus is lovely and just a few minutes' walk away from your interview!

[sensitivemuse 7]

On 2017-02-14 at 7:52 PM, NewBrunswicker said:

It might just be me but 12:45 is an odd time considering the consulate working hours. Just make sure you have the right time.

 

My interview was at 10:30 and I showed up at 10 and they told me to come back at 10:15. Even though, I was the last one admitted that day, I did not have to wait for anything essentially. So bottom line, no need to be there super early but don't be late.

 

Good luck,

 

 

Consular Interview Date: 1 March, 2017, 12:45 EST  <----- yup it's 12:45

 

thanks for the advice all !!!

[Cryssiekins 976]

12 minutes ago, sensitivemuse said:

 

 

Consular Interview Date: 1 March, 2017, 12:45 EST  <----- yup it's 12:45

 

thanks for the advice all !!!

I'd wish you good luck, but you don't need luck.  It's a formality.  You got this!!

 

Be prepared and best wishes for the rest of your journey ?

[NikLR 13,227]

On 2/14/2017 at 10:47 PM, Stagnant Sloth said:

One other thing I just thought of. Don't forget to register your information on their website if you need your visa mailed to you. You can either pick it up if there's a location near you or have it mailed to your home for twenty dollars. For me, the closest pick up point was 2-3 hours away, so I paid the twenty to have it mailed directly to me.

You have to register with the courier, regardless of where you live, even in Montreal.