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| Montreal, Canada |  Review on April 27, 2011: |
JeannieL
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I thought I would write this while it was still fresh in my mind. I arrived in Montreal yesterday April 26th. I took the 747 express bus from the airport to a block from the hotel. This bus is very easy to take and costs $8. If you return within 24 hours your return is free. Just keep the little ticket that they give you. I stayed at La Tour Centerville that is across the street from the consulate. It is not a 5 star hotel by any means but it served it's purpose. They were having trouble with their wireless internet so I didn't have that or the higher channels on the tv. I could watch the hockey game though....I was hoping for Boston.... The room I had was a small suite. It had a kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom and bathroom. I fell asleep on the sofa, so I can't even tell you what the bed was like.
So I got up around 5:30. Got ready to go. Left the motel room exactly 6:30am. Walked across the street and around the corner to the consulate doors. Surprise!!! I was the first one there :-) thanks to the people on VJ that said to be there early. I lined up to the left of the door. The 2nd person that came stood to the right of the door, so I informed him that the line had to be on the left. Not sure that he liked receiving this info but in the end he was happy because he was then 2nd in line. They opened the doors at exactly 7:30am. The guard asked me for my passport and my packet 4 letter. Then told me to go to the top of the stairs and wait to be called in. Once through those doors, i had to remove my jacket and anything in my pockets. My paperwork was scanned and then my jacket. I walked through the metal detector and then they told me to get my stuff and go through the door to the left and down the stairs. I went directly to the first chair by the elevator and sat down. By the time the elevator came down at 8am the room was quite full. I was the first one on, I went to the back of the elevator (again, thanks to the info on VJ) and stood facing the back. I turned around to see the others that got on with me facing the other way....I was kinda giggling to myself. I was the first one off, there was woman there to greet us, she took us to where we lign up to get our numbers. I got C1. I was then told to go sit in the Immigrant Visa section (about the middle of the room) and wait for my number to be called. At 8:30 my number came up on the screen to go to window 12. A very nice lady was sitting there. She asked me for my passport. Then had a checklist in front of her and asked me in order for everything on the list. She put all the originals in one pile and all the copies in another. I guess so she would remember to give me back the originals. She then took my fingerprints and told me to go back to the waiting room and wait to be called. As I was sitting there I was watching people. Most were getting called twice...once for their fingerprints and then a few minutes later to give their paperwork. not sure why she took all mine at once? Maybe because I was first in line? Anyway it was about 9 am when I heard my name "Heather Lynds please come to booth 10" I took a deep breath and went to the booth. As I rounded the corner there was a very nice man behind the glass with a great big smile. He told me that I could put my things on the chair beside me. I still had the C1 (2nd piece) in my hand. I asked him if he wanted it and he said "no that is for you to keep as a memory of me" then laughed. That was the ice breaker. He then told me to raise my hand and swore me in. As he was playing on the computer and looking through paperwork he asked me,....where I live now...where Kenny lives and if that will be where I move.....where Kenny worked and what he did...asked if Kenny was married before....asked if my daughter would be moving....asked when we met in person and how we met....Then he asked me to sign a page...to be honest I have no idea what I signed because he kept talking to me as i was signing so I wasn't paying attention. As I was signing, he was looking through the copy of the I-129F packet that we had sent in. He was looking at the pictures of Kenny and I. He made a comment on Kenny's long grey beard.....I replied with a huge smile "He's a handsome fellow isn't he?" The man smiled and giggled. I passed him back the paper and he then took another piece of paper and as he was passing it through the slot he said..."Heather....based on the information that you have given, I am happy to be able to issue the K1 visa...Welcome to the United States of America!" Well I was no good. I started to cry (as I knew I would). I apologized for crying and he assured me it was ok, they don't mind happy tears. He offered me a tissue and then handed me the paper for DHL. I looked at the clock on the way to the elevator and it was 9:10. Got back to the motel a few minutes later. Texed Kenny and then he called me on the room phone. We talked and cried for a few minutes. Then I packed up and headed for the airport. Here I sit...waiting for my flight that doesn't board for 3 more hours! It was better than sitting in a motel room with no internet :-)
As everyone before me has said....The interview is the easiest part of this whole process. No need to stress :-)
Doing my happy dance!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #7522