Approved today in MTL !!

[sandy44 0]

Had my CR-1 interview today at the Montreal consulate and am APPROVED !!!

Here is the experience:

Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009: Left Ottawa around 1:00PM to pick up my medical reports as the office closes at 5:00PM. Got the the Sanagex Medicine du Travail at around 3:30 PM. Picked up my sealed X-Ray and reports and went straight to the hotel (Hyatt).

Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009: After a pretty much sleepless night, left for the consulate at around 7:05 AM. The temperature hovered around -20C with windchills bringing that down to -30C (well it felt like that).

7:15 AM: Got to the consulate and there was just one person waiting in front of me (a nice guy waiting for a IR-1 interview). We complained about the weather and got to know each other while a few more people showed up.

7:30 AM: The security personnel opened the doors and we were welcomed inside. A nice break from the chill outside. Somehow there was no order and I got cleared from security, etc faster than the guy waiting for the IR-1 interview.

7:45 AM: We all were waiting in front of the elevator for the security guard to escort us to the appropriate floor. I took this opportunity to apologize to the IR-1 guy about the fact that I innocently was moved ahead of him. He was 'OK' with that.

8:30 - 9:00 AM: After being moved to the 19th floor, I was asked to show up at Window 9 to deposit my expresspost envelope and medical, etc. The person at the window was asking me random questions about my marriage, with regards to where does my wife work in California, and verification of the spellings on the forms that we had submitted. All went well and I was sent back only to be called again in a few minutes for the fingerprints and sent back again :-)

9:10 AM: Called in in a room ( number 8 if my memory serves me right) where I met a very welcoming officer who asked me to swear and all to tell the truth. We then chatted informally about how me and my wife met; What both of us did for a living (Me - A Project Manager, Her- an electrical engineer); where does she live (San Diego)? Did we meet after our marriage and how and where (Yeah a lot of times in the US & Canada -- I had proof but he never asked for it)? Was I ever stopped at the border (NO); and yeah he also verified my right index finger print. He also asked me about the nature of my job -- a typical project that I have worked on !! (Strange but he was probably verifying if I was a real project manager ... maybe I do not look like one ;-))

9:25 AM: APPROVED ... the passport with the visa will arrive in the mail.

12:45 PM: Back in Ottawa at work .... Tired and sleepy .. but relieved !!

But hey .. a BIG BIG THANK YOU to everyone on this forum. This is just a wealth of information which is invaluable. Do not really know what I would have done without you guys !! YOU ROCK !!

Edited January 14, 2009 by sandy44

[Krikit 1,165]

Congratulations! When's the big move?

[sandy44 0]

Congratulations! When's the big move?

Thanks !! The move is a challenge too .. but in a month or so .. have to wrap up some stuff here at work n all :-((

[Emancipation 2]

Yeah!

[JillA 2]

Congrats on your approval!! On to the next step in this journey!

[Travis & Kim 0]

congrats!!! sounds like it was fast and painless

[Travis & Kim 0]

btw - is it possible you can fill in your timeline?

Thanks

[Chica Yeyé 41]

awesome!!!

[Bern. 3]

It's people like you that make me less nervous about Montreal : D

CONGRADS!

[OBX 51]

Congratulations and good luck with your move.

[Flames9_RN 358]

congrats

[to_hope 0]

Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[unstrung 0]

Had my CR-1 interview today at the Montreal consulate and am APPROVED !!!

Here is the experience:

Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009: Left Ottawa around 1:00PM to pick up my medical reports as the office closes at 5:00PM. Got the the Sanagex Medicine du Travail at around 3:30 PM. Picked up my sealed X-Ray and reports and went straight to the hotel (Hyatt).

Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009: After a pretty much sleepless night, left for the consulate at around 7:05 AM. The temperature hovered around -20C with windchills bringing that down to -30C (well it felt like that).

7:15 AM: Got to the consulate and there was just one person waiting in front of me (a nice guy waiting for a IR-1 interview). We complained about the weather and got to know each other while a few more people showed up.

7:30 AM: The security personnel opened the doors and we were welcomed inside. A nice break from the chill outside. Somehow there was no order and I got cleared from security, etc faster than the guy waiting for the IR-1 interview.

7:45 AM: We all were waiting in front of the elevator for the security guard to escort us to the appropriate floor. I took this opportunity to apologize to the IR-1 guy about the fact that I innocently was moved ahead of him. He was 'OK' with that.

8:30 - 9:00 AM: After being moved to the 19th floor, I was asked to show up at Window 9 to deposit my expresspost envelope and medical, etc. The person at the window was asking me random questions about my marriage, with regards to where does my wife work in California, and verification of the spellings on the forms that we had submitted. All went well and I was sent back only to be called again in a few minutes for the fingerprints and sent back again :-)

9:10 AM: Called in in a room ( number 8 if my memory serves me right) where I met a very welcoming officer who asked me to swear and all to tell the truth. We then chatted informally about how me and my wife met; What both of us did for a living (Me - A Project Manager, Her- an electrical engineer); where does she live (San Diego)? Did we meet after our marriage and how and where (Yeah a lot of times in the US & Canada -- I had proof but he never asked for it)? Was I ever stopped at the border (NO); and yeah he also verified my right index finger print. He also asked me about the nature of my job -- a typical project that I have worked on !! (Strange but he was probably verifying if I was a real project manager ... maybe I do not look like one ;-))

9:25 AM: APPROVED ... the passport with the visa will arrive in the mail.

12:45 PM: Back in Ottawa at work .... Tired and sleepy .. but relieved !!

But hey .. a BIG BIG THANK YOU to everyone on this forum. This is just a wealth of information which is invaluable. Do not really know what I would have done without you guys !! YOU ROCK !!

I did window 9 and room 8 as well! Did you have a nice lady with longish hair, maybe in her 40s?

[MrsCat 6]

Congrats!

[sandy44 0]

btw - is it possible you can fill in your timeline?

Thanks

Yes, I will do so at the earliest. It took a while for us as I was in school (part-time) until Dec and could not have moved any earlier.

I did window 9 and room 8 as well! Did you have a nice lady with longish hair, maybe in her 40s?

At both of these windows, there were two different gentlemen in their forties, I suppose.

On a different note, How long does it take to get the SSN and GC after I land?