Canadian August+September 2018 Case Complete To Interview For Spousal Visa Filers Thread

[tnn2018 47]

Hey everyone! 

Just got back from my interview with my approval 😁

 

As everyone has already said, the interview was the easiest part and everyone there was incredibly kind.

 

To confirm what everyone was saying about Canada Post, the woman who interviewed me told me that they are mailing out again and gave me a paper giving me instruction on how to track it.

 

good luck to everyone! 

(I will write a review on my interview when I am back in my home, but now I need to travel back from Montreal)

[arellah 125]

Wanted to give a quick consulate review for you guys with upcoming interviews:

 

• My appointment was for 8am. I showed up at like 7:35am. There were a few people outside waiting, so I got in line. They ask for your letter and passport and then you go through security. You receive a laminated paper saying what your number is - I got number 9.
• Up to the 19th floor and we were told to have a seat and wait. They started calling people up to the counter - this part takes the longest. Once my number was called at around 8:30 I think, I went up to the window. The lady was very nice asked to see my documents. She ended up having to go help a coworker for like 10 minutes which was fine, she asked to see all the paperwork on the list they give you and I also provided pay stubs and a letter of employment for my husband, which she kept. I also provided the name police check and the Privacy Act check. She also took fingerprints at this time. Then I was told to sit and wait for the interview.
• Side note - I sat with @tnn2018 who I met on VJ and had dinner with yesterday - I can’t even explain how nice it was to have a friendly face in there to sit with!
• I was called up for the interview: It was super straight forward. She had me take an oath and asked me how my husband and I met, how long we’ve been married, how our wedding was, where he works and lives.That was it! I answered everything honestly and she said “I am approving your visa” Pretty simple. She gave me a letter and a paper with how to track your Visa as they are mailing them out again!
• I left at 10am!

 

That was pretty much it... quick and easy! If anyone has questions let me know!

[Alyssamac90 40]

1 minute ago, arellah said:

Wanted to give a quick consulate review for you guys with upcoming interviews:

 

• My appointment was for 8am. I showed up at like 7:35am. There were a few people outside waiting, so I got in line. They ask for your letter and passport and then you go through security. You receive a laminated paper saying what your number is - I got number 9.
• Up to the 19th floor and we were told to have a seat and wait. They started calling people up to the counter - this part takes the longest. Once my number was called at around 8:30 I think, I went up to the window. The lady was very nice asked to see my documents. She ended up having to go help a coworker for like 10 minutes which was fine, she asked to see all the paperwork on the list they give you and I also provided pay stubs and a letter of employment for my husband, which she kept. I also provided the name police check and the Privacy Act check. She also took fingerprints at this time. Then I was told to sit and wait for the interview.
• Side note - I sat with @tnn2018 who I met on VJ and had dinner with yesterday - I can’t even explain how nice it was to have a friendly face in there to sit with!
• I was called up for the interview: It was super straight forward. She had me take an oath and asked me how my husband and I met, how long we’ve been married, how our wedding was, where he works and lives.That was it! I answered everything honestly and she said “I am approving your visa” Pretty simple. She gave me a letter and a paper with how to track your Visa as they are mailing them out again!
• I left at 10am!

 

That was pretty much it... quick and easy! If anyone has questions let me know!

Congrats!!!

 

Two questions:

 

Did your spouse come with you? Just wondering if my husband would be waiting with me or if I’d be in a separate area. 

 

Also, did they give you any choice about how your passport would get back to you or any kind of timeline?

[arellah 125]

1 minute ago, Alyssamac90 said:

Congrats!!!

 

Two questions:

 

Did your spouse come with you? Just wondering if my husband would be waiting with me or if I’d be in a separate area. 

 

Also, did they give you any choice about how your passport would get back to you or any kind of timeline?

Thanks! My spouse did not come with me, but there were a lot of spouses there. They can sit with you.

 

Passport choice is mailing only. Got a paper with tracking instructions -  basically wait for a tracking number lol. You go back onto the site that you registered your appt with, as far as I can tell from this paper. They didn’t provide a specific timeline.. I’m hoping for the best, cuz I am set to leave in 36 days!

 

[Alyssamac90 40]

1 minute ago, arellah said:

Thanks! My spouse did not come with me, but there were a lot of spouses there. They can sit with you.

 

Passport choice is mailing only. Got a paper with tracking instructions -  basically wait for a tracking number lol. You go back onto the site that you registered your appt with, as far as I can tell from this paper. They didn’t provide a specific timeline.. I’m hoping for the best, cuz I am set to leave in 36 days!

 

Hopefully 36 days is way more than enough time!  Let us know when you get it, if possible, same with @tnn2018! Thanks!!!

[Sh.0911.CANtoUS 4]

2 minutes ago, arellah said:

Thanks! My spouse did not come with me, but there were a lot of spouses there. They can sit with you.

 

Passport choice is mailing only. Got a paper with tracking instructions -  basically wait for a tracking number lol. You go back onto the site that you registered your appt with, as far as I can tell from this paper. They didn’t provide a specific timeline.. I’m hoping for the best, cuz I am set to leave in 36 days!

 

When you say "passport choice is mailing only" - are they no longer providing the option to pick up in person after 3 business days?

[arellah 125]

48 minutes ago, Sh.0911.CANtoUS said:

When you say "passport choice is mailing only" - are they no longer providing the option to pick up in person after 3 business days?

As far as I know, yea. Wasn’t given any option other than mailing. 

 

[tnn2018 47]

Interview summary time:
 

Arrived at 8:10 AM for a 9:00 AM interview and was allowed to go in. They gave me a number and instructions on what order to put all of my documents in. The order of documents made sense and the document was easy to follow. I had created a binder of documents to bring and they were almost all in the same order that I had assumed they would be. I sat in the waiting room for about an hour and a half before I was called to the first window.

 

At the first window, I just needed to hand over the requested documents (essentially the documents that I had scanned and uploaded to NVC). Then I had to go sit down and wait for my interview. That's when I found out that @arellah got her approval!!!

 

Then I had to wait for about 20-30 minutes for my interview (I brought a book that I read while I waited to distract myself). Then I had my interview where I took an oath that I was telling the truth and then they asked me maybe 8 questions (which took about ten minutes). Then they gave me my approval and told me that my passport would be mailed back to me (as other people have said). 

 

I tried to get more information about the mailing system, asked how long they were expecting the mail to take with the strike and also what priority they send the mail. Unfortunately, they told me they didn't know anything about the mail but told me to call a number on the sheet they gave me about the mail. The number was not helpful. I'll just wait until I get the email from the Consulate with my tracking number and give you guys the information as soon as possible. 

[BChance 38]

38 minutes ago, tnn2018 said:

Interview summary time:
 

Arrived at 8:10 AM for a 9:00 AM interview and was allowed to go in. They gave me a number and instructions on what order to put all of my documents in. The order of documents made sense and the document was easy to follow. I had created a binder of documents to bring and they were almost all in the same order that I had assumed they would be. I sat in the waiting room for about an hour and a half before I was called to the first window.

 

At the first window, I just needed to hand over the requested documents (essentially the documents that I had scanned and uploaded to NVC). Then I had to go sit down and wait for my interview. That's when I found out that @arellah got her approval!!!

 

Then I had to wait for about 20-30 minutes for my interview (I brought a book that I read while I waited to distract myself). Then I had my interview where I took an oath that I was telling the truth and then they asked me maybe 8 questions (which took about ten minutes). Then they gave me my approval and told me that my passport would be mailed back to me (as other people have said). 

 

I tried to get more information about the mailing system, asked how long they were expecting the mail to take with the strike and also what priority they send the mail. Unfortunately, they told me they didn't know anything about the mail but told me to call a number on the sheet they gave me about the mail. The number was not helpful. I'll just wait until I get the email from the Consulate with my tracking number and give you guys the information as soon as possible. 

Congrats! Did you pay for the courier delivery service when you registered your interview date? Or does everyone have to use Canada Post now?

[tnn2018 47]

Just now, BChance said:

Congrats! Did you pay for the courier delivery service when you registered your interview date? Or does everyone have to use Canada Post now?

I paid for the courier service but I am 99% sure that just means that Canada Post brings it to my house instead of to a post office. I am hoping that it means they use a higher priority when shipping as well.

[Pinkyone19 3]

When do you think would be my interview month? My cc is November 1st. If anyone could help and tell me? Please

[Courtney86 29]

Good news. Passports come immediately! Our interview was Nov. 13 and we've been waiting for the strike. 

 

We got word on Monday via email they would start sending them out despite the strike still going on and to expect delays. Tuesday got an email that it was sent and a tracking number. Wednesday (today) notice that it was at the post office in Calgary ready for pick up! 

 

One important note - it said it has to be picked up by Thursday (tomorrow?!) or it would be sent back. Soooo keep an eye on your email friends

 

We also got our original docs back that they forgot (?) to give us at the interview. Not sure if they would have done this automatically or only because we emailed and asked but yay. 

Edited November 29, 2018 by Courtney86

[Ayaoyao 9]

1 hour ago, Courtney86 said:

Good news. Passports come immediately! Our interview was Nov. 13 and we've been waiting for the strike. 

 

We got word on Monday via email they would start sending them out despite the strike still going on and to expect delays. Tuesday got an email that it was sent and a tracking number. Wednesday (today) notice that it was at the post office in Calgary ready for pick up! 

 

One important note - it said it has to be picked up by Thursday (tomorrow?!) or it would be sent back. Soooo keep an eye on your email friends

 

We also got our original docs back that they forgot (?) to give us at the interview. Not sure if they would have done this automatically or only because we emailed and asked but yay. 

Question, when you check your ceac status, does it still say ISSUED- final processing or did it update to anything else after your passport has been mailed out.

[Courtney86 29]

28 minutes ago, Ayaoyao said:

Question, when you check your ceac status, does it still say ISSUED- final processing or did it update to anything else after your passport has been mailed out.

Interestingly enough I don't see either of those options. I hadn't looked at CEAC in awhile, just logged in to check for you. It still says "Your case is currently being reviewed at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where your visa interview will take place." under Summary and "Your case is currently at: Montreal" in the top right. Obviously that's not true. 

 

I don't see anywhere that says status.... sorry

[Ayaoyao 9]

1 minute ago, Courtney86 said:

Interestingly enough I don't see either of those options. I hadn't looked at CEAC in awhile, just logged in to check for you. It still says "Your case is currently being reviewed at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where your visa interview will take place." under Summary and "Your case is currently at: Montreal" in the top right. Obviously that's not true. 

 

I don't see anywhere that says status.... sorry

No worries. My interview was the 21st of November and it’s been at issued-final processing for a few days with no emails with tracking

I am worried if I missed the tracking email and they might send my passport back so I’ve been trying to find any other way to check if my passport has been sent out. In the AIS page it says “check for ds-160” under status