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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on July 7, 2007: |
neiks
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
I better get this done before I forget.
Arrived in MTL airport at 22:30. There is a shuttle that you takes you downtown. I think it was $14 dollars and you can catch it at stand #5 or was that 9? See I'm forgetting things already. Anyways, it's a nice big a/c bus but if your not staying at one of the 3 hotels it services directly then you get dropped off at the bus station and have to catch a smaller bus to take you directly to your hotel. It's fine if you aren't in a hurry and want to economize.
Arrived at the Days Inn Downtown on Rene Leveque. This is the newer of the two Days Inn downtown. Rooms are small but nice, new and clean. Checked in then asked which way to the consulate and how far. Clerk said it was a 10 minute walk, about 5 blocks. Headed out to find it. This was now about 11ish at night. I felt perfectly safe walking alone in Montreal. The Jazz fest was going to be starting the next night so there was lots of people milling around but from my past experience, there always seemed to be a lots of people around and felt very safe walking at night. Headed down Rene Leveque, pasted a Holiday Inn Express, a Travelodge and the famous VJ La Tour Centre Ville (which was booked up) so I knew that I was close. Found the entrance up the side street off Rene Leveque pretty much kiddie corner from the Tour Centre Ville.
By this time I was starving and my mouth watering for some poutine. I headed up to St Catherine street which is one street up from Rene Leveque in my search for some beautiful cheesy curds. After walking a fair ways along St. Catherine my choices for eating were very limited due to the time. I finally opted for one of the late night diners. Nickels. Sure enough they served poutine and smoked meat. Ordered me up a plate. YUMMM.... The smoked meat was great and the poutine I will rate 4 cheese curds out of 5. After stuffing myself I retreated to my hotel and settle in for the eve. But damn my feet hurt for my trek along St Catherines.
Woke at 6:00am and checked out at 6:45. The hotel was fine to hold my bad. Headed to the consulate. Arrived around 7:00 checked the entry way and no body was waiting. I was in desperate need of coffee and luckily the little cafe was open that is right next to it. Sat and relaxed with my coffee and at 7:15 decided to head around the corner and wait. Still nobody waiting there.
Waited and 10 minutes later another lady came along and then another man. At 7:30 the security came out and opened up the doors. He asked to see my appointment letter. The other lady was turned away as she wanted something else and they told her that she had to come back at 8:30. The man was let in too. Security was very pleasant and professional. I listened carefully to what they said and he gave my my little ticket that said A and window 9. Direct me to go wait downstairs and that someone would take me up to the 19th floor. At 7:445 security came down and told me I could go up but the other man had to wait for 10 minutes or so.
I went upstairs and to window 9. Nobody there so I sat down and waited. At 8:00 the nice blond lady came to the window. I went up and she asked for my interview letter and my A ticket. She told me I could go back to the main waiting room and they would call me. I went to the main waiting room and sat. I sat all alone in the consulate for 15 minutes, finally the other man was lead off the elevator. Waited some more and a few others started to arrive. I could easily pick those that were there for their visa interveiws as the big x-ray envelope gave them away. I was called back to window 9 and the nice blond lady asked for my medical papers, I told here that I had a updated I-864 as our household size had increased as we had a son. She asked if he had been documented in the US. I told her I had his US passport with me if she wanted to see it. She said, no, that was fine as long as he's documented in the US. I also told her I had a new passport which was in my new married name. She said that's no problem, we will make a copy and change your name to reflect it on the visa. She asked if I had an updated police certificate and I said no. She said that was fine. Asked if I had the expressenvelop and I gave it to her. She handed me back all my original doc's (birth certificate, marriage certificate) and any extra doc's. She told me to have a seat back in the waiting room and it should be soon and would be called to interview room 7 or 8.
At 9:10 the first interview was called to room 7. For some reason one of the other ladies got called before me. May have been that they had to do the name change or do the calculation for my updated I-864 to ensure we were over the poverty level. The lady was in and out in less than 10 minutes. About 10 minutes later I was called to room 7. Greeted by a nice guy. He told me we had to do some finger prints so to put my index finger on the scanner. He then asked if we had the same finger print scanner at the border. I just laughed and told him we didn't have anything near this kind of technolgy. Obviously somewher he read what my occupation was. He asked if I was going to continue to work there and I said yes and I was actually going to be closer to work living in the US that in Canada. He swore me in. He then asked how I met my husband. I chuckled and said.... well, actually I first met him at the border when I was working. He laughed and said so you just kind of started talking to a truck driver and picked one up. Somewhat like that and explained that he's a farmer and the port I work at is very small and everyone kind of knows everyone, etc ,etc. He then became more interested in my husbands farm and what kind of crops he grew. He told me I wasn't the first Customs officer that he has had in for an interview. He then stated that I met all the legal criteria and there was no reason why I couldn't be approved. He gave me an info sheet and told me the my passport with Visa would be sent out within a few days. Interview was less than 10 minutes and out the door by 9:45.
Headed back the hotel to get my bag. I had a flight scheduled out at 5:30 but wanted to get home to my little one ASAP. Called Air Canada and yes they did have an earlier flight out at 1:30 but it was going to be spendy. I didn't care. I just wanted out of Montreal. No offence, Montreal is a great place to visit and would recommend to anyone to spend some time there and see the sites. I've been there - spent 9 weeks there and seen the sites, plus my feet hurt from my poutine quest the night before. I was going to take the shuttle back to the airport but after waiting for 1/2 hour past what they said they would be there, I told them to cancel and I'd take a taxi. Taxi is a flat rate of $35 dollars from downtown to airport. Had a bit of time to spare so I did head down to old montreal for a bit and picked up a t-shirt for my little one and then caught a taxi to the airport. It was 11:30 when I got to the airport so I headed to Famous Mo's and ordered another smoked meat. They didn't have poutine but their smoked meat was pretty good. I saved half and brought it home to my husband. I told him he should feel special to get a genuine smoked meat flown in to him all the way from Montreal.
All in all it was a good experience. The consulate staff was very friendly and professional, including the security. I did see some people get talked to by security but those were the ones that were wandering everywhere in areas which were clearly marked as not to stand there. Listen carefully to the instuctions they give you and follow them.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #1764