Montreal embassy EB-2 interview wait time

[TexasForeverYall 4]

I guess one of the EB-2s was asked for an updated resume at their interview last week (even though it had already been sent digitally), so make sure to bring one to your interviews!  I am printing out everything and bringing my entire package just in case and bringing it along!!  Really grateful for this site to be able to know what to expect, with so many things constantly changing... 

[Canadianeh! 14]

17 minutes ago, TexasForeverYall said:

I guess one of the EB-2s was asked for an updated resume at their interview last week (even though it had already been sent digitally), so make sure to bring one to your interviews!  I am printing out everything and bringing my entire package just in case and bringing it along!!  Really grateful for this site to be able to know what to expect, with so many things constantly changing... 

Thanks TexasForeverYall!

 

i also read on his site that some EBs were asked for University transcripts.  If you don’t have in time, bring your wall degrees.  Does anyone else have any other tips?

 

Just to be on safe side, I am going to bring my actual employment contract, state license (for my field of work), paperwork from when I was on a temporary US work visa a few years ago.

[TexasForeverYall 4]

13 minutes ago, Canadianeh! said:

Thanks TexasForeverYall!

 

i also read on his site that some EBs were asked for University transcripts.  If you don’t have in time, bring your wall degrees.  Does anyone else have any other tips?

 

Just to be on safe side, I am going to bring my actual employment contract, state license (for my field of work), paperwork from when I was on a temporary US work visa a few years ago.

Hi Canadianeh!  Yes, I am bringing all of my degrees/certificates/awards, etc. plus my old work contracts/paperwork from a temporary visa in the USA.  I also reached out to get updated letters of intent for the projects I have coming up.

I was advised to bring the last couple months of bank statements, as well as last years tax return... again they usually never ask for this stuff for my category, but we have waited so long that I figure it is better to bring everything to be safe!

Best of luck to you all and I am praying they have a visa for me amidst all of the retrogression!

[TexasForeverYall 4]

Hi Everyone,

 

I had my interview yesterday.  Everyone at the US Consulate was super nice.  Interview was so short and I was approved verbally but unfortunately due to the retrogression I did not get my visa yet.  They gave me my passport back and said I have to watch for the visa bulletin and as soon as my priority date becomes current, to send the passport back and they will process it and courier the visa out to me.

 

God bless you all and best of luck with your interviews!!!!!!

[bkbk8 5]

5 minutes ago, TexasForeverYall said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I had my interview yesterday.  Everyone at the US Consulate was super nice.  Interview was so short and I was approved verbally but unfortunately due to the retrogression I did not get my visa yet.  They gave me my passport back and said I have to watch for the visa bulletin and as soon as my priority date becomes current, to send the passport back and they will process it and courier the visa out to me.

 

God bless you all and best of luck with your interviews!!!!!!

Congratulations!!! So happy to hear that it went smooth for you!

 

Did you meet other EB2 folks there? Can you share the questions they asked you or any docs they requested?

[mo85 3]

20 minutes ago, TexasForeverYall said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I had my interview yesterday.  Everyone at the US Consulate was super nice.  Interview was so short and I was approved verbally but unfortunately due to the retrogression I did not get my visa yet.  They gave me my passport back and said I have to watch for the visa bulletin and as soon as my priority date becomes current, to send the passport back and they will process it and courier the visa out to me.

 

God bless you all and best of luck with your interviews!!!!!!

3

I'm happy to hear that your interview went well! Not sure if you are aware but I've read (at several immigration firm websites and blogs) that priority dates for most cases will become current again starting October 1, when the next USCIS fiscal year begins. Keeping you and others in my prayers as we wait. 

[FERBOS 11]

@TexasForeverYall

I am glad it went well and it was approved. Now it is just a matter of time until the priority date is current and you will get your visa.

I have emailed my lawyer to make sure that we are going to be issued a visa, my interview is August 31st so I want to make sure the consulate follows the August Bulletin, not the September one.

I guess we have to wait until #Canadianeh! posts his experience - I think his interview is being hold today.

Fingers crossed

[HEL-Canada 6]

I had my EB-2 interview this morning and was approved.  My interviewer even authorized me for "next day pick-up" tomorrow rather than waiting for my passport to be mailed, because I am already working in the U.S. (which is something I had read somewhere as being a possibility months ago, but then could never find it substantiated in any of the materials I received).   This was a nice surprise, although it would have been even better to know in advance, as I had planned to wait for my passport in Toronto, so I had to pay to change my flight/hotel arrangements at the last minute in order to stay in Montreal another day... but oh well.

 

For a 7:30 appointment, I got there at 7:15.  I was #3 in the door and I was approved and out the door by 8:15.  The interviewer was friendly and asked me only a handful of questions.  What company is the petitioner on my application?  How long have I worked there?  Where did I go to graduate school?  What year did I graduate?  What will my salary be?  Where will I physically work in the U.S.?  Where have I traveled internationally in the last 5 years (that one was hard without the help of my cell phone, but I did my best to remember and the interviewer didn't seem to care too much)?  What visa am I on now?  

 

Don't bring any bags with you - they won't let you in with them, and so if you show up with bags you'll have to leave to go drop your car or hotel. 

 

Good luck to all.

[Canadianeh! 14]

8 hours ago, HEL-Canada said:

I had my EB-2 interview this morning and was approved.  My interviewer even authorized me for "next day pick-up" tomorrow rather than waiting for my passport to be mailed, because I am already working in the U.S. (which is something I had read somewhere as being a possibility months ago, but then could never find it substantiated in any of the materials I received).   This was a nice surprise, although it would have been even better to know in advance, as I had planned to wait for my passport in Toronto, so I had to pay to change my flight/hotel arrangements at the last minute in order to stay in Montreal another day... but oh well.

 

For a 7:30 appointment, I got there at 7:15.  I was #3 in the door and I was approved and out the door by 8:15.  The interviewer was friendly and asked me only a handful of questions.  What company is the petitioner on my application?  How long have I worked there?  Where did I go to graduate school?  What year did I graduate?  What will my salary be?  Where will I physically work in the U.S.?  Where have I traveled internationally in the last 5 years (that one was hard without the help of my cell phone, but I did my best to remember and the interviewer didn't seem to care too much)?  What visa am I on now?  

 

Don't bring any bags with you - they won't let you in with them, and so if you show up with bags you'll have to leave to go drop your car or hotel. 

 

Good luck to all.

Congratulations to those who have interviewed already!  I am also happy to report that my IV has been approved!

 

HEL-Canada, we were in the same group this morning (I was #8).  I had a very similar experience to yours.  Originally, I had all of my documents in a briefcase but I wasn’t allowed to bring it inside the consulate so I had to carry a bunch of loose papers.  Please bring folders as this will make your life much easier when you are there!

 

The interview was strange from the start as you are standing up and speaking to someone on the other side of a window.  The officer was dressed in very casual work clothes which was a bit of a surprise.  It felt more like I was speaking to a cashier or administrative assistant.  I brought a tonne of supplentary documents but wasn’t asked for anything other than the mandatory items listed on the website.  That said, I’m still glad that I brought them and was over-prepared.  My questions were very basic:

 

1) What is your occupation

2) What is your field of specialization 

3) Where will you be working 

4) Where did you go to grad school

5) How long was your longest stay in the US in the last 5 years

6) Where have you travelled internationally over the past 5 years

 

It was very casual.  I am super happy that this is all finally over.  Thank you all for being such a great (cyber) support system.  It has been great bouncing ideas off of you all these past few months. Congrats to those who have already interviewed and best luck to everyone who is waiting to be assigned an interview or has one coming up.  Keep the faith!

Edited August 22, 2018 by Canadianeh!

[FERBOS 11]

On 7/5/2018 at 8:33 PM, Canadianeh! said:

 

 

Canadianeh... You are E3 or E2? Are you getting your visa soon? Did they say anything about the visa cap for the month? Or it really does not apply to us as we are under the August bulletin? 

[FERBOS 11]

.

Edited August 22, 2018 by FERBOS

[Canadianeh! 14]

10 hours ago, FERBOS said:

Canadianeh... You are E3 or E2? Are you getting your visa soon? Did they say anything about the visa cap for the month? Or it really does not apply to us as we are under the August bulletin? 

I’m EB-2.  The CO said I should get my visa in 2-3 weeks but the handout I got said it should be within 2 weeks.  Nobody said anything to me about a cap when I was there.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Canadianeh!

[TexasForeverYall 4]

On 8/21/2018 at 9:25 AM, bkbk8 said:

Congratulations!!! So happy to hear that it went smooth for you!

 

Did you meet other EB2 folks there? Can you share the questions they asked you or any docs they requested?

They didn't ask any other questions other than just talking about the nature of my job and some of the projects I have worked on.  Oh and how long was my longest time in the USA on a previous visa.  No additional documents other than what was listed.  The officer was familiar with some of my work (I am EB-1).

On 8/21/2018 at 9:50 AM, mo85 said:

I'm happy to hear that your interview went well! Not sure if you are aware but I've read (at several immigration firm websites and blogs) that priority dates for most cases will become current again starting October 1, when the next USCIS fiscal year begins. Keeping you and others in my prayers as we wait. 

I am sure hoping that is the case!  And thank you for your prayers!

[TexasForeverYall 4]

On 8/21/2018 at 10:35 AM, FERBOS said:

@TexasForeverYall

I am glad it went well and it was approved. Now it is just a matter of time until the priority date is current and you will get your visa.

I have emailed my lawyer to make sure that we are going to be issued a visa, my interview is August 31st so I want to make sure the consulate follows the August Bulletin, not the September one.

I guess we have to wait until #Canadianeh! posts his experience - I think his interview is being hold today.

Fingers crossed

Keep us posted!  I bet you will make it in under the August bulletin!

[FERBOS 11]

Hello everyone,

I posted in another thread about the interview yesterday. But wanted to let you know that my interview went very well and quickly, in less than 2 hours I was in and out of the consulate. The CO was extremely sensitive about my time constrains and made it happen under the August bulletin, so I am getting my passports back next week, after the long weekend.

Thank you all for the support during this time. Next step, drive to Boston, probably by Wed or Thu.