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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on April 26, 2007: |
Our Mao
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Me and my mother in law left our hotel at around 710am and arrived at the consulate at around 720am. A young guy was already in line when we got there. We arrived at the same time as this older couple. We were third in line. Within a few minutes, a couple with their young son arrived and got in line also. Shortly after, around 8 people showed up.
At 7:30am sharp, I saw the famous lady with black curly hair (the one that was supposedly very mean according to some of the reviews I've read in this forum) came out and right away, she began giving 'shiet' to the young man who was first in line, saying that he can't go in because he's got a big bag and an ipod at him. He gave him 'additional' shiet by saying... you were here a 7am, weren't you? You were standing here for half and and and you didn't read the sign? It says, no electronic devices and no bags!! blah blah blah.. I felt sorry for the guy but didn' say anything.. sigh...
The couple in front of us and me and my mother in law were ushered in first. We showed the curly black hair lady interivew letter and was ushered in. Next, I showed my letter to this girl who looks like Kelly Osborne (NO, it's not intended to be a compliment, she just reminds me of her because of the length of her hair and her size) "Kelly Osburne" looked at my letter and was trying to find my name on her name list so she can check me off her list. I spotted my name right away and she missed it so I was KIND ENOUGH to point it out to her to speed up the process (there were like 20 people behind me)... and then she looked up and said to me: "DO YOU WANT MY JOB????" I was like... WTF... I didn't say anything... I didn't want to piss her off then cause I didn't wanna get into trouble. I'm thinking, NO, I dont want your job BIATCH. I make way more than you. So then she continued to bark out orders, telling me and my mother in law to empty our coat pockets and to put everything through the x-ray machine. Now, I have allergies and I always carry a couple of kleenix in my pocket. It just so happened that I blew my nose in one of them. I'm thinking, ok.... so you want EVERYTHING in my pocket? I'll give you everything... I emptied my pocket of USED KLEENIX and stuck it into the box. I think at one point in time, she was stunned and after that moment, I guess she was grossed out... so later she said, I dont need to see your Kleenix, you can take them back, which I did so. I bet she'll get me into SHIET if she checks my pockekts then and finds TISSUE PAPER in there... So I gave it all to her... GERMS AND ALL..... BLOW ME!!!!
(Sorry, if I offend anyone here.. TOO BAD.. haha)
I also brought a small bottle of hand cream with me. She was going to confiscate it but she actually ask Miss Curly Black Hair and Curly said it was OK.. so she let me keep it. I think Kelly is pretty new to her job. WHATEVER. Curly Black Hair searched throught my paper bag of EVIDENCE. I brought SO MUCH STUFF (wedding cards from friends, wedding invitations, wedding programs, wedding favor, DVD, CDs of picures, actual wedding pictures, wedding album, all the documents, phone bills, THE WORKS) Curly Hair made a comment saying, what the hack I'm applying for. I said immigrant visa. She was pretty far away from me so I couldn't hear what she said I didn't care. I rather bring more than less!!!
So by now, I got a card that says A, and window #9. She said a bunch of stuff to me. At 7:45am, you will be escorted up to the 19th floor.... bring that number with you.... and submit your papers to window #9... At this point in time, I was pretty much ZONED OUT. It was cold, my blood was still boiling about that "do you want my job" comment I didn't pay attention to what they said.. Anyways, after the strip search. we walked down a flight of stairs into an area with a bunch of chairs and the elevator. There were surveillance cameras all over the place... We didn't know what we were doing and decided to stand in front of the elevator. Within THREE SECONDS, this booming voice from the intercom YELLED AT US to go and sit on the chairs and WAIT. I'm thinking... ok buddy.... (it was some woman's voice, dont know who it was)
So to those who walked down the flight of stairs, go SIT DOWN and WAIT until someone comes to get you into the elevator. DO NOT wait by the elevator or you will be yelled at by them...
Around 7:45am, curly black hair came down and told the people waiting in the area who are applying for immigrant visas to step forward and get into the elevator. Me, my mother in law, the indian couple with their young son got in with curly hair and we all went up to the 19th floor. No one said anything except for curly hair. She said, "We'll be exiting from the other side of the elevator". Once we got on, she told us to wait by window 9. We all sat and wait for a few minutes. Then one of the windows opened. (around 4 counters, plexi glass with a small slot for your to slide documents) We were all told to give the lady our numbers and our interview letters. Be sure to give them both pages. I only gave the lady page 1 and she wanted the second page so I had to go back to my bag and find the second page.
We were told to wait some more, just a few minutes. I think she was pulling our files with the names on the letters. I was called up first. The lady (a blonde) was very nice and very soft spoken. She asked me for my passport, my medical records, my express post envelope. She also asked me to go over my DS-230 page 1 which has my name, my parents' names and my mailing address. She told me to check it to make sure that everything is in order because that is where they will mail the green card. I told her that everything is ok. We were told to wait some more. She said the next time I get called, it will be either room 7 or 8 for the actual interview.
My name was called around 8:35am. I went into the room. I didn't know if my MIL was allowed in but she followed me in anyway. It was a male officer that was at room number 7. I asked if it's ok that my MIL attend the interview with us and he said it was not a problem. The first time he had me do was take my index fingerprints! I was somewhat surprised because I thought, em, dont you take it AFTER I'm approved? OH well, didn't argue. He asked me if I've done it before and I said YES. He asked if it was the time when I was rejected at the border and I said 'Yes'. He just smiled and said he knew that was the case! hehe Then he asked me to put my right hand up and to swear that the statements I will make will be true. He also returned to me my original birth and marriage certificate.
This is what he asked me:
1. He asked was if I committed any crimes / had any convictions, which I said no.
2. Where did I meet my husband.
3. How long before we got married.
4. What I do for a living.
5. What he does for a living.
6. What my employer feels about all this. (I was originally on TN visa and basically abandoned my job because I was not legally allowed to work in the US. Long story short, my company has a branch in Canada and I was working out of the Canadian office while I wait for my visa to be approved)
7. He wanted me to describe to him the nature of my work and my husband's work.
And THAT WAS IT.
He said that my file is very straight forward and that they'll try to send my visa out that afternoon. He also said that, my denial at the border will not have any effect on this application (which is a relief to me) because it's routine that customs do that.
That was pretty much it! I brought that 5+ lb of evidence and he didn't even ask to see ANYTHING!!!! It was interesting to note that I was the only one that borught so much stuff.. The other two families didn't bring anything?! Just their chest xrays and a small enevelope. (By the way, he didn't ask to see my x-ray either, just the sealed envelope from the panel physician) I guess my case was different from theirs in that I need to PROVE that I have a valid marriage. (Em, my MIL is here to support me, I think she's evidence that this is a legit marriage too! )
And that is all folks! In conclusion, the actual interview took around 8-10 minutes. We were out of there by 8:50am!
Other than the security guards below who were a pain in the a__, the staff and the CO at the consulate were very nice, friendly and professional. I had a very pleasant experience...
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #1546