Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
June 9, 2018 |
| Embassy Review : |
My fiance and I had our K1 Visa interview on June 6, 2018 in Montreal.
I am the Canadian beneficiary, from Vancouver. My fiance, the American petitioner.
As many have previously stated, the interview to my pleasant and unexpected surprise, was the most, quick, painless and enjoyable experience of the entire process.
The consulate itself did not open until 8 a.m., which was the time of our appointment. My fiance were the first to arrive at 7. Although, in the end, appointment time matters little as once they had let everyone in through the door at 7:30 and let us through security/metal detectors we were all placed downstairs in a large room with chairs and an elevator at the end, to wait anyway. Security was kind and not scary at all but still professional. They have you leave everything behind (phone, keys etc.) and give you a ticket to retrieve your items at the front desk when you leave. I was allowed to carry in my binder of paperwork.
They all seated us in the room downstairs and then when ready, they summoned my fiance and I as #1 for the day. We went upstairs where I gave the woman at the podium by the front door my appointment/proof of payment and courier letter, as well as my passport and she was very kind and apologized for me being 6 months pregnant and having to go up and down the stairs multiple times, which honestly wasn't too horrible for me as I am a fairly active person. She handed me a large laminated sheet of paper with the #1 and a set of instructions about the order of paperwork, which I can't perfectly recall but based on what i remember handing over to them, went something like:
For the K-1 Visa assemble the following:
* appointment letter
*passport photos/copy
*letter of intent to marry signed and dated within the last 30 days (beneficiary)
*letter of intent to marry signed and dated within the last 30 days (U.S. Petitioner)
*passport of petitioner/ and a copy
*passport of beneficiary and a copy
*long format birth certificate and a copy
*134 affidavit of support from U.S. petitioner
*evidence of affidavit of support (recent w2s, paystubs, letter of employment etc.)
*134 affidavit of support (if using a cosigner/cosponsor)
*evidence of affidavit of support from cosponsor (recent w2s, paystubs, etc.)
*evidence of U.S. citizenship for cosponsor ( birth certificate etc.)
*original police certificates
*most recent w2s for the American petitioner
*sealed medical examination report
These are the only things I clearly recall needing to submit. Even though the packet 3 stated other things, such as evidence of domicile in the United States, I do not recall needing to submit this. Although my memory could be wrong. Also, some of the things didn't apply to me--never been married before or in the military but if you have records of divorce from previous marriage or military service or certain pardons for criminal offences, i imagine this is when you would have had to submit these.
As it were, I had looked up on visa journey the night before in what order they like to have things and so i had a separate folder with me for all the packet 3 items they would ask for, all ready to go and my binder, which was essentially a separate identical copy of our original 129 f binder (evidence of communication, g325a forms, evidence of meeting in person). This saved me some time as I did not have to do much arranging of paperwork once we got upstairs and as it was, they didn't really give us much as we were the first called for everything.
There was a row of windows with two sided glass and I was summoned to #3. At which point she began asking for all my packet 3 items. She was also very kind and after I had given her all the items required from my laminated sheet, She asked for my fingerprints on a little portable fingerprint taker next to me. It was dirty and she apologetically asked if i wouldn't mind wiping it really quickly. After I cleaned it, she joked with me that it was literally the cleanest she had ever seen it :D Fingerprints of both my hands were taken at that time and then I was allowed to go sit back down with my fiance.
After about 10-15 mins tops, I am assuming the interviewer finished with all my paperwork and I was summoned by overhead voice/speaker to go to room #7, which was just around the corner. There I had my actual interview. My fiance stayed behind and they didn't ask him to come, although I have read sometimes they let both people come. At any rate, she asked me "tell me about him?" at which point I didn't even know where to start so she asked me to recount how we first met. The entire meeting was very conversational and seemed to go by quickly. I told her all about meeting Duke in a video game, our addresses, what our wedding plans are, all about our 9 previous in-person meetings, starting from the first and we talked about my pregnancy. I think the entire interview couldn't have been more than 20 mins. At the end, she stated that she certainly wouldn't be the one to stand in our way and that to her we sounded like the perfect candidates that this program was created for in the first place, at which point I began to get excited and hopeful and out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like the coveted pink slip of paper. She slide it through the two sided glass at the bottom and the paper said, "welcome to the United States" at the top with instructions on how to go about entering the country and when my documents would be returned to me.
I was so incredibly happy and thanked her profusely and came out with a big smile on my face and my fiance who was waiting and staring intently at me along with several other couples (nerve racking  . At which point, I nodded to him, "YES" and he jumped up and ran over to hug and kiss me. We took the elevator back downstairs, retrieved our items from security and spent the rest of the day celebrating together and touring Montreal.
Everyone at the consulate was remarkably professional, yet kind. I only wish every step of this process could have been so enjoyable and straightforward!
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0