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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on April 12, 2022: |
cgy2cali
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My appointment was for 8:15 and I arrived just after 8. There was a line outside and they were calling everyone in one at a time. Most people there had their appointment times after me, so I moved ahead of them to the front of the line. There's no indication on the outside of where the consulate is, just a logo on the glass door inside. I walked by the day before to make sure I knew where to go.
After being let into the building they asked me if I was fully compliant with COVID protocols, checked my passport, gave me my number, had me turn off my phone, and ran me through airport-like security. I put my phone in the small locker and went up to the first floor.
I waited just over an hour for my number to be called the first time. They took all my original documents and one photo, then verified our addresses and phone numbers for both my husband and I. They took all my fingerprints and gave me the domestic abuse pamphlet as well. I overheard someone else being asked for a drivers license as proof of their Canadian address, but I was not asked for that.
The kept the originals and sent me back to my seat. About 20 minutes later I was called up again and they had me swear an oath that everything I said was true, and took fingerprints as a digital signature of the oath. The officer asked if I understood the pamphlet and then asked:
- How did you meet
- When did you get married
- Have you been married before
- Have you been arrested or convicted of a crime before
- Where else have you lived other than Canada
- Where have you travelled in the last 5 years
Then he said all looked good and he intended to approve my visa. He gave me my documents back and kept my passport, and said it would be about 2-3 weeks for me to get my passport back with the visa.
It was a smooth experience overall, the only complaint was that the security guard in the waiting room was very rude and unpleasant. He approached an older gentleman asking if he was watching for his number and said he thought it was very odd that he was still sitting there. The gentleman's number wasn't even close to being called, he had been there for less time than I had. I thought it was really rude and unnecessary and I hope it didn't intimidate him before his interview.
I stayed at the Best Western on Drummond, which was a 2 minute walk from the consulate and the most reasonably priced hotel I found nearby. There are plenty of places to eat nearby, my favourite was this really great upscale restaurant just down the street called Bar George.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #30961