|
|
| Montreal, Canada |  Review on January 5, 2008: |
Dylan'sWife
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
I flew into Montreal on Thursday afternoon and checked into the Hyatt Regency Hotel which is right around the corner from the Consulate. The hotel was nice and comfortable and well worth the extra few dollars I spent. After reading about the hotel fire started by drunken University kids at a cheaper Hotel, I wasn't about to take a chance in dealing with a similar situation.
I work up at 6:20am on Friday and got ready to my interview. I was out the door by 7:00am to make my way to the Consulate. Thank god, it was a much warmer day (-9) than the day before (-25) so I was comfortable waiting outside. I was the first in line and about 5 minutes later, I was joined by a family of four who where immigrating to the US.
I guess they did not read the instruction package since they had big bags and cell phones with them, so one of them had to leave to take everything back to the hotel but he made it back in time.
At 7:30, the doors opened up and I was given the letter A- Window 9 card. Yippy!
I took off my jacket and handed over all my documents and went through the electronic sensor, then I was hand wanded. For whatever reason, there was a small beep on my right side so I was manually patted down. The male officer called over the 'Hockey Player' looking woman who was watching the monitors. I got the feeling she is the senior officer there and the officer I was dealing with is intimidated by her. She seemed annoyed at him for calling her over as she patted my thigh. 'She's FINE. There is nothing there!'.
Then, when my papers went through the scanner. She had him take everything apart because she could see a big metal object in them. My mind was racing, trying to figure out what is could be. "Is it the paper clips?" I asked. "No, it's bigger".
Finally- when the male officer was pulling apart all my stuff, I saw that in my 'proof of a relationship' pile I had a greeting card that had a magnet attached to it. I apologized profusely and they were great about it.
After that, the mail officer took me downstairs where I waited for about 15 minutes. He then came and got me and the family that was behind me in line and brought us upstairs. He told me to go to window 9.
There was a blond hair woman there, who greeted me kindly. She asked for my appointment letter and the letter A card and said she would call me back in a bit. After a few moments, she called me again and asked for my medical report minus the X-ray. She then gave me a slip of paper and told me to go to the cashier.
I didn't know why I was going to the cashier as my husband paid the fee's through the NVC but I just figured it must be routine, until I was asked for $400.00. I almost died. I asked if they took credit cards and she said it wasn't working and I needed $400.00 US cash or $420.00 cnd.
I then said that I was sure my husband paid them already and she asked me if I had a receipt. I looked through my paper work and found a letter that said they received the fee for the affidavit of support- and she said that is a different fee. Then I gave her a letter saying that they received all the fee's related to the case but she said that is probably for the application. I really thought the walls were crashing in around me. I told her again, I was sure my husband paid the $380.00, so she suggest I go back to window #9 and ask them to check my file again.
I went back and explained the situation. When she looked again, she saw a blue piece of paper attached to my file that said PAID. She apologized and explained that normally, when you pay at the NVC, they insert a pink page and that because my case was expiated that generally the fee's get paid at the consulate since it keeps it from being held up at the NVC level. I was just so relieved, I laughed and smiled.
A short time later, she called me back to the window and took my prints. It took a few attempts to get acceptable quality ones but we got it done quickly. She then told me to take a seat and the consular would call me.
At about 9:15, I was called to room 9.
I entered and saw a middle aged man in suit who told me I could hang my coat up.
Strangely enough, looked and sounded very much like the Consular who had been helping us in Toronto. I swore me in then said he needed to scan my middle finger for verification.
Instinctively, I placed my index finger on the scanner. 'No, your middle finger' he told me (nicely). I got a flustered and confused and asked "Do you mean my F- You finger?'. He started to laugh and said that usually it's just the kids that call it that- but yes that finger.
Then asked me some standard questions such as how I meet my husband. When I told him I meet him on myspace, he laughed and said that's a common answer and that he never hears "We met in a bar anymore'. He asked what was the date we met online and in person.
He then asked if my husband was here, and I explained that he was in California with our daughter. He then said, that sometimes they ask for proof of a bonifide relationship and that since we had a a child together we satisfied that.
He then asked what my husband did for a living and I explained it to him. He wanted to know if I intended to be a stay at home mom and I told him yes and that my husband didn't want me to work until we were finished having kids and they were school age. He smiled and kind of laughed. I got the impression, he was traditional like my husband.
He asked what I planned to do for work when the time was right and I explained that my friend had promised me a job working for the Benefits Administration/ Insurance call center she runs.
He asked if I ever had been arrested- No.
If I had any trouble entering the US. I told him I was never refused visiting my husband but I was bounced about 9 years ago at at POE because I didn't have any ID with me that proved Citizenship. He seemed understand and he quickly moved on.
He then asked how old I was when I came to Canada and what family members came with me. Also if I had any family in the US.
He then said he was going to grant my visa 
He asked if there was anything else in relation to my case that I thought he should know. I told him no, but then asked if he was aware that this was an expiated case because of a medical situation with our daughter.
He said that he wasn't aware of that and was glad I mentioned it- so that he could give my file a priority date for issuing the visa inside my passport. He said it would be done that day or no later than Monday and it would be mailed out in Mondays mail bag.
He then said, he tells people to wait about two weeks to make their travel plans so they can be sure they will have their passports back by then and that if it comes sooner- they can have a happy surprise.
In closing, everyone I dealt with was VERY friendly and professional.
It's a shame that they are understaffed since that is the reason for the long delays in waiting for an appointment.
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #2314