K1 interview in Montréal - July 13th

[no one 0]

Just returned from Montréal... debriefing time!

I'd stayed at McGill's Royal Victoria College, one of the university's residences that's open to the public in the summer. It's a 15 min's walk from the US Consulate. At $56.36/night (incl. taxes), it's comparable to a private room in a hostel.

My K1 interview was on Thurs morning. Arriving just before 7am, I was the first one there. A guard opened the doors at 7:30am -- be sure to have both your passport and interview letter ready!

Went through the room with the x-ray machines. I'd kept my keys inside my portfolio (I didn't bring a purse with me, and I'd worn clothes with no pockets); that was a bad idea, because the guards had to take the keys out to examine them.

Walked downstairs to the waiting room with the elevator and the photo booth. The photo booth takes only loonies and toonies, in case you want to get your passport photos done there.

As most of you know by now, as soon as the guard removes the barrier to the elevator, rush to the back of it, because it'll open from the back once it gets to the 19th floor.

Some people I met that day either read this forum, or know people who have gone through the same process, because some people knew exactly what to do as well!

On the 19th floor, turn left and look for Window 14. There are arrows on the floor showing you the way, but as I was sitting in the waiting room later on, many people had absolutely no idea what they were supposed to do once they got to the 19th floor. Get karma points for ushering them in the right direction

The girl at Window 14 was really cheerful. I gave her the interview letter and she gave me two C1 tickets.

At this point, you have around 15-20 min to use the washroom or get some snacks from the vending machines. The view from the 19th floor's not too bad.

Once C1 was called, I went to another window to give the guy one of my C1 tickets and all of my documents. He wanted everything except for my chest x-ray stuff and more evidence of ongoing relationship (he did need the signed letter from my fiancé saying that he is still willing and able to marry me though). He took the original copy of my birth cert and the photocopy, but the original will be returned to you at the interview. While he was collecting my documents, he asked me a few questions about where I was born and at what age I came to Canada. He then told me to return to Window 14, pay the $100 USD fee, and return with the receipt and drop it off even though he won't be there.

Waited and waited in the sitting area... by this time, Mr C2 had finished his interview! This worried me and I wondered if I'd done something incorrectly. Finally, 20-25 min later, I was called into the interview room where I gave my interviewer the second C1 ticket.

After taking my fingerprints, my interviewer asked me at least 20 questions. He was friendly, but after reading on VJ that most people were asked only a couple of questions, I started to worry. He seemed concerned that my fiancé is Caucasian and I'm Chinese. When I told him that I'd immigrated to Canada when I was seven years old, he said, "So you're practically a Canadian."

In the end, he appeared satisfied with my responses, gave me an orange card (that allowed me to re-enter the Consulate), and told me to return at 2:30pm the next day for the visa.

The next day, saw Mr C2 again. Apparently he was there for a different visa -- not a K1 -- so the moral of the story is this: don't worry even though you don't seem to be going through what everyone else is going though.

[Cygnet 0]

Congrats, again!

[no one 0]

Congrats, again!

Merci! ;-) (I was surprised by the amount of French spoken in Montréal... I'd thought that it'd be half French, half English, but the default's French!)

[Mermaid 0]

Congratulations!

[Buttons 0]

Congrats, Montreal is mostly french, they don't want to use much english.

[Leafgal 3]

Well it is nice that you have visa in hand now. Congrats.

[mozplay 29]

Congratulations!!!

[Jersey Girl 2]

Congratulations on getting your visa and for being "practically a Canadian"!

[no one 0]

Thanks for the congrats, everyone!

Wonder how long it'd be before I'm "practically an American" then, if ever?

[sarah and hicham 3]

Felicitations!