|
|
| Montreal, Canada |  Review on December 12, 2010: |
Alitraveller
Rating:  | Review Topic: EB-1 Visa
I first and foremost want to thank everyone that posted complete minute by minute details of their stories from the time they arrived at the US Consulate in Montreal until exiting the building after the interview. I really appreciated all the information, and it sure helped in easing the nerves and preparing for my interview. I arrived at 7am on the button and was very surprised that no one else had arrived before me. (The cab driver insisted I was in the correct location)! Not even a minute later, a group of 5 people arrived, consisting of a family or three and a another couple getting married. By the time the doors opened a 730am, there was approximately 9 people in total waiting to get in. I received the proverbial "A" card and was escorted into the building where all your belongings are scanned. As advised on this blog, I only took in my binder of required documents, and a small purse, that contained nothing but some cash, a credit card and my passport. I did not bring any electronic items and those that did, had to check them at the door. I was through the screening in a jif and told to proceed downstairs to another waiting room. There is photo booth in this room and if you do not have your 2 passport photos with you, nip in there immediately before proceeding upstairs. My lawyer had advised that only 2 passport photos in total were required, I had went ahead and gotten six done because of conflicting information I had read in various documentation. It did turn out that they required three at the medical exam and two at the interview, so better safe than sorry. After the rest of the group arrived in this room, a very friendly security guard escorts you to the elevator and off you head to the 19/20th? floor and the elevator opened on the opposite side, just like everyone has reported. I felt like I was having deja vu the entire time I was in the building. We were all asked to sit down and would be called by letter. Letter A was asked to report to window 12, where a woman asked me for all my paperwork in the same order as stated on your appointment letter. She required the original and a copy of each document and I was told to sit back down until they called letter A again. Second time to window 12, you get fingerprinted and told to sit down and wait to be called again, but this time by your name. Third time up, I was asked to report to Interview Room 7. Upon entering door number 7 which is a very small room, much like the cubicle in a restroom; where your interviewer is sitting behind glass. He was very nice, but not overly friendly and personal like some others have reported. He reviewed my paperwork, asked a few questions about the company I work for, my salary, number of employees, what my specific position was and if I had ever been arrested (I thought that was an odd question since I had provided a police certificate stating that I had never been arrested). He then said...Congratulations, you have been approved. Welcome to the United States! He returned the originals of my personal documents and said that he noticed that I was asking for my passport to be returned via DHL. He said that if I had the time to wait in Montreal until 3pm, they could return my passport that day. He suggested that it would be in my best interest to select this option, because relying on DHL might result in additional stress waiting and hoping it would arrive before I headed back to the U.S. He provided me with a card that I would be required to show in order to enter the building again. I was back in my hotel room by 1030am. I arrived back at exactly 3pm, got scanned, was told to head right downstairs and take the elevator to the top again. It was incredibly quiet up there and nobody seemed to be around. I headed back to window 12 where another gal took the card and returned a moment later with my passport and another sealed envelope to submit to immigration at the port of entry when you head the U.S. Plan an extra hour when you go through customs with the sealed envelope where your paperwork is reviewed again, and you receive a "real" finger print of your right index finger. All and all the experience was quite favourable and I would rate it 4.5 to 5. I feel like I lost alot of sleep when I shouldn't have, by worrying so much about it. The key is organization and having all the required documents with you. I saw people turned away that were not fully prepared and were required to return again with the proper documents. Thanks again for great information that really assisted me in my "Visa Journey".
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #6967