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La Souris

My Interview at the Montreal Consulate

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Here is a summary of what happened during my interview.

We were the first in line at 7 am. The door opened at 7:30 and the couple behind us with their (super cute) baby went in first, then us. So we had letter B. They also gave us a letter describing how the interview would take place (see it here: front and back).

Security, elevator, a little wait and I was called to the first window.

Gave her the documents as requested in the appointment letter (we did the Electronic Processing):

  • Passport (+copy)
  • Pictures
  • Medical results (without the X-Ray CD)
  • Marriage certificate (+copy)
  • Birth certificate and its translation (+copy)
  • DS-230
  • I-864 and financial evidence (+copy of the evidence)
  • Xpresspost Envelope

She insisted she had to write my name with my husband's family name - even though I'll never use that name. Kind of weird, but whatever.

She then took my fingerprints - ok, now you can laugh at me but I was too short to put my thumbs correctly on the reader so I had to stand on my tippy toes.

Back to the waiting room for a few minutes. Enjoyed the view (I could see my neighbourhood and different places where I used to work). Brought crosswords... but my brain was off and the wait was short.

I was called to the interview room. After swearing that we would say the truth, the officer asked us the following questions:

- What do you do for a living? (to both of us - my husband does something rare so he then asked him how he came to that field).

- How /When did we meet?

- If my husband was honouring me by learning French - my husband said a few words in French - it was getting funny.

- If, in return, I was learning Bostonian and could say something - I said "Chowdah" (with the right accent!) and we all laughed.

- Then, he asked me who translated my Birth Certificate - I used a certified translator (member of the OTTIAQ and all) who's also a public notary --- however, the stamp she used was not an embossed seal and he was curious about that. I showed him her business card where her certification was listed and that was ok. However, I would strongly recommend that anyone who has to get documents translated get the copies embossed with a seal no matter what is written on the NVC website - I used a certified translator and nearly had to redo it just because of that.

- He asked me if I was ready to move to the USA and I told him as soon as I get the visa. He then said: "Let's take care of that!" and gave me the Welcome to the USA letter (you can read it here). [our faces then: :D :D ]

We were out of the consulate at 8:55 and the line of people was getting real long - so it's a good idea to be there early if you can.

-----

Things we brought but were not asked about: current income evidence (2009 W2, taxes, recent paystubs), pictures, foreign passport (I hold another one in addition to the Canadian one), previous Canadian passports (with stamps of time spent in other countries to show I was never there long enough to have to get a police certificate), husband's birth certificate.

-----

Thanks again for your help :)

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Here is a summary of what happened during my interview.

We were the first in line at 7 am. The door opened at 7:30 and the couple behind us with their (super cute) baby went in first, then us. So we had letter B. They also gave us a letter describing how the interview would take place (see it here: front and back).

Security, elevator, a little wait and I was called to the first window.

Gave her the documents as requested in the appointment letter (we did the Electronic Processing):

  • Passport (+copy)
  • Pictures
  • Medical results (without the X-Ray CD)
  • Marriage certificate (+copy)
  • Birth certificate and its translation (+copy)
  • DS-230
  • I-864 and financial evidence (+copy of the evidence)
  • Xpresspost Envelope

She insisted she had to write my name with my husband's family name - even though I'll never use that name. Kind of weird, but whatever.

She then took my fingerprints - ok, now you can laugh at me but I was too short to put my thumbs correctly on the reader so I had to stand on my tippy toes.

Back to the waiting room for a few minutes. Enjoyed the view (I could see my neighbourhood and different places where I used to work). Brought crosswords... but my brain was off and the wait was short.

I was called to the interview room. After swearing that we would say the truth, the officer asked us the following questions:

- What do you do for a living? (to both of us - my husband does something rare so he then asked him how he came to that field).

- How /When did we meet?

- If my husband was honouring me by learning French - my husband said a few words in French - it was getting funny.

- If, in return, I was learning Bostonian and could say something - I said "Chowdah" (with the right accent!) and we all laughed.

- Then, he asked me who translated my Birth Certificate - I used a certified translator (member of the OTTIAQ and all) who's also a public notary --- however, the stamp she used was not an embossed seal and he was curious about that. I showed him her business card where her certification was listed and that was ok. However, I would strongly recommend that anyone who has to get documents translated get the copies embossed with a seal no matter what is written on the NVC website - I used a certified translator and nearly had to redo it just because of that.

- He asked me if I was ready to move to the USA and I told him as soon as I get the visa. He then said: "Let's take care of that!" and gave me the Welcome to the USA letter (you can read it here). [our faces then: :D :D ]

We were out of the consulate at 8:55 and the line of people was getting real long - so it's a good idea to be there early if you can.

-----

Things we brought but were not asked about: current income evidence (2009 W2, taxes, recent paystubs), pictures, foreign passport (I hold another one in addition to the Canadian one), previous Canadian passports (with stamps of time spent in other countries to show I was never there long enough to have to get a police certificate), husband's birth certificate.

-----

Thanks again for your help :)

Hey, way to go !! Good stuff - congratulations !! Thanks for the review, everyone I read puts me there so they are quite helpful. I also appreciated reading the letter front and back.

Take care and best of luck.

Edited by zenaxe

2007 Nov 30: Met in Las Vegas, Nevada

2009 Jul 13: Proposed/Engaged in Sedona, Arizona

2009 Dec 26: Married in Tucson, Arizona

USCIS

2009 Dec 30: Filed I-130

2010 Jan 02: I-130 delivered

2010 Jan 07: NOA1 - email - CSC

2010 Jan 11: Received NOA1 hardcopy

2010 Mar 24: NOA2 - email & text - NVC

2010 Mar 29: Received NOA2 hardcopy

I-130 was approved in 76 days from NOA1 date

NVC

2010 Mar 30: NVC received - case# assigned - emails given to NVC

2010 Mar 30: Opted in - DS3032 emailed to NVC

2010 Mar 31: Received AOS bill & DS3032 - paid AOS

2010 Apr 05: Online payment portal confirms paid AOS(Apr 2 processing date)

2010 Apr 05: Sent I-864 package

2010 Apr 15: EP confirmation email

2010 Apr 15: IV bill generated & paid

2010 Apr 15: Email confirmation - receipt of DS3032

2010 Apr 16: IV bill confirmed paid - sent DS230 package

2010 Apr 19: NVC operator confirms I864 & DS230 documents have been received

2010 Apr 21: AVR confirms all documents received Apr 19th

2010 Apr 23: Email from NVC: case complete - confirmed by NVC - sign in fail

Completed in 24 days

CONSULATE

2010 May 27: Email from NVC - consulate received file - interview Montreal Jul 27th

2010 Jun 16: Medical @ Woking Medical Centre, Vancouver, Canada - APPROVED

2010 Jul 27: Interview @ US Consulate in Montreal, Canada - APPROVED

Your interview took 201 days from your I-130 NOA1 date

2010 Aug 13:POE Washington - APPROVED

REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS

2012 May 14 - mailed I-751

2012 May 16 - delivered @ CSC

2012 Jun 18 - I 551 stamp

2012 Jun 28 - biometrics appointment NOA notice date Jun 7

2012 Dec 20 - approved

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Yay! I'm so happy for you La Souris. I hope my interview on friday goes as smoothly...I leave for Montreal tomorrow.

So basically, they only asked for what you should have sent for NVC?? No additional financial stuff? That's mostly what I'm worried about. The army will drive me mental. XD

I hope you get your visa soon, well you should...you're from Montreal ;O

dev356pr___.png

Removal of Conditions - January 6, 2012

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Congratulations! :thumbs:

Every time I read someone's interview review, it makes me more excited about my own future happiness. :)

Thanks for showing us the example of the interview letter and "Welcome to U.S.A" letter. I'm sure we all appreciate the gesture.

Good luck to you and your spouse. (F)

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline

Congratulations - and great information in your review - I know that will help others!

“...Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we knew all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?”

. Lucy Maude Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

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Another Member of the VJ Fluffy Kitty Posse!

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Congratulations!!! Glad to know everything went so well :)

Service Center : California Service Center

Consulate : Montreal, Canada

I-130 Journey

I-130 Sent : 2009-06-09

I-130 NOA1 : 2009-06-12

I-130 Approved : 2009-08-26

NOA2 Hardcopy : 2009-08-31

NVC Journey

NVC Received : 2009-09-08

Received DS-3032 / I-864 Bill : 2009-09-14

Pay I-864 Bill 2009-09-14

Return Completed DS-3032 : 2009-09-15

Return Completed I-864 : 2009-09-17

Return Completed DS-230 : 2009-10-21

Login Failed : 2009-11-02

Case Complete: 2009-11-03

Medical: 2010-02-10

Interview: 2010-02-24!!!! Yay!!!! APPROVED

Port of Entry: Blue Water Bridge, Michigan: 2010-03-14

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline

Great review. :thumbs: Congratulations!

USCIS

NOA1 08/19/08

NOA2 01/20/09

NVC

Received 01/26/09

Completed 02/13/09 (19 Days)

Interview Assigned 03/27/09 (6 weeks after NVC completion)

Medical

04/14/09 (Toronto)

Interview

Montreal 05/12/09 (88 days after NVC completion) **APPROVED**

POE

06/16/09 Buffalo

07/02/09 Welcome Letter Received

07/07/09 Applied for SSN

07/10/09 "Card production ordered" email received

07/13/09 SSN received

07/14/09 "Approval notice sent" email received

07/17/09 GREEN CARD received

Removal of Conditions

03/21/11 I-751 mailed to VSC

03/23/11 I-751 received at VSC

03/29/11 Cheque Cashed

03/30/11 NOA1 received (3/24/11)

04/11/11 Biometrics appointment notice received

05/05/11 Biometric appointment

12/13/11 **Approval date** (5 days short of 9 months!)

12/19/11 Approval letter and green card received

Naturalization

05/16/2019 Filed online (estimated completion February 2020)

05/18/2019 Biometrics scheduled

05/21/2019 Receipt notice and biometrics notices posted to online account.05/23/2019 Hard copy of NOA1 received

05/24/2019 Hard copy of biometrics appointment received

06/07/2019 Biometrics appointment (estimated completion January 2020)

12/31/2019 Email received "Interview scheduled"

01/01/2020 Interview date notice posted to online account (02/19/2020)

01/05/2019 Hard copy of interview appointment received

02/19/2020 Interview (**Approved**) and same day Oath Ceremony. 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Felicitations, Little Mouse! SO good to read this and can't wait to read about the rest of your journey!

Great, news!

:)

LGG

USCIS

NOA #2: Approval June 25th, 2009 - 92 days

NVC

July 8, 2009 to August 10, 2009 - 28 days

Interview Assigned - December 3, 2009 - FINALLY!!

Medical - December 14, 2009 - Passed

Embassy/Interview - January 26, 2010 Montreal, Quebec Canada - 167 days PASSED!!!

Port of Entry - February 26, 2010 Baltimore International, Maryland

USCIS -- ROC package sent off

November 26, 2011 to Vermont station November 30, 2011 received NOA1December 16, 2011 received biometrics appointment.

January 04, 2012 Biometrics

September 2, 2012, RFE Received.

September 22, 2012 RFE responded to

October 15, 2012 ROC approved, 10 Green card on its way.

kermit_the_frog1237963302.jpg

"Here's some simple advice: Always be yourself. Never take yourself too seriously.

And beware of advice from experts, pigs, and members of Parliament."

Kermit the Frog

Visit my News Feed Page -- Good Reads for Everyone!

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Congrats

Removal of Conditions: 12/09/2011

ROC check cashed 12/15/11

NOA1 12/13/11

Biometrics 1/6/12 Complete

RFE 9/13/12

RFE package sent back 10/17/12

Card Production Ordered 12/04/12

10 year card arrived in mail 12/10/12

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline

Nice review, always great to hear. Congrats. good.gif

K-1 journey, AOS/EAD and ROC in my timeline

2011 March 31 - Sent off Naturalization pkg overnight to Texas

2011 April 1 - Arrived in Texas at 10:21 am

2011 April 1 - NOA (rec'd via snail mail April 8)

2011 April 7 - Cheque cashed

2011 May 5 - Biometrics (letter rec'd via snail mail April 15)

2011 May 9 - Placed in line for interview scheduling

2011 June 13 - Rec'd yellow letter (no change in status online)

2011 June 23 - Rec'd text that my case has been scheduled for interview

2011 August 1 - Interview (rec'd via snail mail June 27) PASSED

2011 August 3 - Rec'd email that my case has been scheduled for Oath

2011 September 1 - Oath ceremony (rec'd snail mail Aug 5)

2011 September 1 - All done, yeah.

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