[direct copy and paste of my review on VisaJourney]
I’ve been waiting months to write this review, and now I finally can! ^_^
So, I got up at 5:15am this morning. Didn’t get much sleep. Only about 2 hours. Couldn’t stop thinking about the interview and what questions I would be asked. I somehow managed to get dressed this morning, do my hair and makeup, and remember to bring everything I needed to. Phew!
My father and I left at 5:45am and got to the consulate faster than I thought as there was no traffic. My dad dropped me off at the front of the building at 6:30am and he went off to Tim Horton’s to wait for me there. I was the first one at the consulate!
I was pretty much all alone waiting by the side doors for about 30 minutes until fellow VJ member Minted7 arrived with her husband. A couple of people arrived soon thereafter and within the next 30 minutes, the line got pretty long, maybe 15-20 people.
Around 7:30am, the lights inside turned on and I spotted 3 guards. A few minutes later, one of them came down and took off the chains and unlocked the front doors. Someone tried butting in front of us, but the guard didn’t let him go. So, the guard waved me forward, showed him the first page of my interview letter and my passport. He looked inside my bag and then directed me to go up a small flight of stairs and then wait. A second officer opened the doors and let me through. I was instructed to take off my sweater and anything in my pockets as well as any watches or bracelets. I passed him my bag with my folder in it and everything was passed through the scanner. I then had to walk through a scanner myself and collected my things. The officer told me to go through the door, walk down the stairs, and wait for someone to bring us up by elevator at 8am.
I was the first one down in the basement and sat in the chair closest by the elevator. Minted7 then came a few minutes later and they both sat down beside me. We had to all wait down there for about 30 minutes until an officer arrived by elevator at 8am to take us up. He wanted to see the interview letter and then let us board. I immediately went to the back and stood to the left. Let me tell you, it’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic, because that officer herded a lot of us inside. And also to mention, that was the smoothest elevator ride I’ve ever had. I barely felt like I was moving.
As soon as the doors open, the receptionist was standing there and directed all of us to the left. We then lined up in front of window 14A/14B. The receptionist told me to wait till the lady behind the window was ready. Within a few seconds, the lady pulled up the blind behind the window and waved me forward. She asked for my interview letter and my passport, checked it then handed it back to me. She asked what I was here for, I replied an immigrant visa, and then she issued me two pieces of paper with a number on it. I got C1!!
I was then told to go sit down and wait to be called. But by the time I got to the middle of the room, my number buzzed on the board, and the receptionist told me to go down the hallway to window 10. The man behind the window asked for my number. He tore off one of them and handed the other to me. He then asked for my passport and interview letter. He kept the passport, but handed me back the interview letter. After a few seconds, he then asked for my 2 passport pictures. I took them out of my plastic bag and handed them over. Finally he asked for my medical results. He didn’t ask for the X-ray as I presumed. My fingerprints were then taken. He then handed me a DS-230 and told me to fill it out. I smiled and told him I already had a copy that was filled out. He said great, just go over to the next window, 11, and the lady there would take the rest of my paperwork.
So, I saddled over to the next window. The lady asked for my DS-230 which I handed over. She then asked for my original birth and marriage certificate. Handed that over. She asked for the AOS package. Had that out already and gave it to her. She gave me back the cover sheet, cover letter, as well as the pay stubs. When she got to the transcripts, I told her I had 2010 ones, so I gave those to her. In return, she gave me the 2007, 2008, and 2009 transcripts. Then finally she asked for my police certificate and told me to go back to the waiting room, sit down and wait to be called.
By the time I got back to the waiting room, it was only 8:15am. Sat down next to Minted7 and her husband and waited. Within 5 minutes, they were both called up to the interview room. About 10 minutes later, I was called up by name to booth 7. They were just leaving and said they were just approved!
The booth is slightly more private than the other windows. There’s a chair inside that you can put your stuff on. There was a really nice blonde-haired lady behind the booth. She never asked me to raise my hand or swear to any oath like I’ve read in other reviews. She just looked over my DS-230 and asked me 2 questions. Just two! She first asked where my husband lived. I replied South Dakota. We kind of laughed how it was going to be a big change, going from a big city to a small one (I love you, dear husband, I do <3). Her second question was how did we meet. I replied online and she asked what website. I told her it was through a video game actually, World of Warcraft. She said she’s heard of a lot of people meeting there. She then slipped me the DS-230 and asked me to sign Part II. Which was hard as my hands were shaking, but I managed. I can’t really recall if she said “you’re approved”, but she slipped me the “welcome to the USA letter”. I have yet to even read it, lol. After that, she told me I would have to come back later as there was a problem with my fingerprints. She asked if I could come back in a few hours and if I can stick around Montreal for awhile. I told her I lived north of Montreal. She then told me to just go wait in the next room where I had handed over my documents and to tell one of the guys to call for her, Joan, and she would re-do them for me. I was so thankful she was willing to re-do them right away instead of waiting a few hours.
So, I headed next door and sat down. After about 5 minutes, one of the guys behind the windows called me up. I told him I had to re-do my fingerprints and that I was told to call for Joan. He said alright and told me to sit back down, they’d go get her. Waited about a minute, then I spotted Joan who had just interviewed me. She typed a few things on the computer and then told me to put my fingers on the screen. After they scanned everything, she told me they turned out good and smiled. She asked if she had given me the confirmation letter from the interview, and I said yes. I asked her if I was all done and could leave. She said yes and smiled. I thanked her and left, smiling.
I quickly left the building. It was just a little before 9am! So, it definitely pays off to get there early because you get out super fast. Even though I’m only running on 2 hours of sleep, it was worth it as I got out in less than 2 hours. There was a lot of people when I left and I’m sure they’re gonna be there for awhile.
Now all I have to do is wait for my visa by DHL and then moving next week! Yay! ^___^
