ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaNov 12 interview CR-1 Visa Montreal
I was there on the 12th interviewing aswell. (letter A)
I've been going to the canadapost website everyday, twice a day, and I finally saw that it entered the system this morning. So I'm expecting it within 2 days.

-Ben
LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-11-17 16:37:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
Hi All! I just called the DOS this afternoon in hopes that they might have info about our interview date and we were told that our interview has been scheduled for November 12th!! I was slightly shocked when the operator informed me that we actually had a date. She said that Montreal had put it into the system on Oct. 1st.

The weird thing is that I am pretty sure the consulate decided to schedule our interview right after I emailed them last Thursday (Oct 1st) asking about our case status. I think that our case might have been pushed to the side and that emailing them brought it to their attention- we have been waiting for our interview since the end of June. Might be worth a shot to email the consulate for others as well...

Edited by Lilsmor, 07 October 2009 - 09:17 PM.

LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-10-07 21:16:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
I emailed Montreal and got an answer back within an hour! Too bad it was not the answer I wanted to hear...
They said that 'our file is in queue and should be be scheduled soon.' I am wondering how Montreal interprets 'soon,' does that mean next week or 2 months from now?!
LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-10-01 14:32:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
QUOTE (trailmix @ Oct 1 2009, 11:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Lilsmor @ Oct 1 2009, 11:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi! We DCF'd our I-130 in Vancouver (May 11) and send off our Packet 3 to Montreal on June 25th- I think that this date is supposed to be comparable to people who are at the 'Done at NVC.' We are still anxiously waiting to hear back about our interview date!

The thing that concerns me is that the last document we received from Montreal was dated 2 weeks prior to it actually making it to our mailbox. Just wondering if our paperwork is floating around somewhere out there...


Hi Lilsmor,

You are correct, the June date is comparable to the 'completed at NVC date'.

You can call the department of state (don't know the number off the top of my head but do a search on VJ for it and you will find it) - alternately you can email the Montreal consulate at Montreal-IV-DV@state.gov and ask them if you have an interview scheduled yet.

Be sure to put your case number in the subject line. smile.gif


Thanks Trailmix! I will definitely be doing some investigating today...
LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-10-01 13:33:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
QUOTE (lgg @ Oct 1 2009, 09:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (GREENHAUS @ Oct 1 2009, 11:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (GREENHAUS @ Oct 1 2009, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (GREENHAUS @ Oct 1 2009, 11:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (trailmix @ Sep 30 2009, 06:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>


MOST UPDATED LIST!!!!!


Member...........NOA2......Case# @NVC.....Mailed I-864....Mailed DS-230....RFE....Done @NVC....Interview...DTI
AnaGRicky.IR5..12/08/07.....--/--/--........06/20/08........--/--/--........N.....04/29/09.....08/11/09....104
to_hope........07/08/08.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....11/26/08.....03/15/09....109
thebradshaws...08/18/08.....08/22/08........09/08/08........09/26/08........-.....11/05/08.....01/13/09.... 72
Rexalite.......09/03/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....02/05/09.....05/07/09.... 91
Shiri..........09/12/08.....09/24/08........10/04/08........10/29/08........Y.....12/01/08.....03/24/09....113
sly_wolf.......09/17/08.....09/24/08........10/04/08........10/29/08........-.....10/30/08.....01/07/09.... 69
Shaesta........--/--/--.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....12/05/08.....03/26/09....111
ohmy...........11/07/08.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....02/20/09.....05/15/09.... 84
Reeena..DCF....11/07/08.....--/--/--........--/--/--........01/04/09........N.....01/04/09.....04/24/09....110
Travis&Kim.....12/01/08.....12/04/08........12/27/08........12/27/08........Y.....01/14/09.....04/16/09.... 92
jonesg111......12/22/08.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....03/24/09.....06/17/09.... 85
Steve_Treible..12/--/08.....04/--/09........04/--/09........--/--/--........Y.....06/04/09.....10/26/09....144
carslo.........01/06/09.....01/12/09........03/21/09........03/21/09........N.....04/07/09.....06/22/09.... 76
Moosker........01/06/09.....01/13/09........01/28/09........02/12/09........Y.....02/25/09.....05/19/09.... 83
OBX............01/20/09.....01/26/09........02/07/09........02/07/09........N.....02/13/09.....05/12/09.... 88
A&M............01/21/09.....01/23/09........02/03/09........02/18/09........N.....02/26/09.....05/20/09.... 83
thedawghouse...02/--/09.....05/--/09........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....06/19/09.....11/18/09....152
Argent.........02/03/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....03/13/09.....05/26/09.... 74
elsoar..DCF....02/03/09..<-date filed I-130.--/--/--........03/17/09........N.....03/17/09.....06/18/09.... 93
svirac.........02/23/09.....02/26/09........03/05/09........03/24/09........N.....04/15/09.....06/02/09.... 48
Serendipity....03/05/09.....03/10/09........03/23/09........04/01/09........N.....04/23/09.....08/13/09....112
Holliday.......03/19/09.....04/03/09........04/10/09........04/27/09........N.....05/07/09.....08/19/09....104
cmls...........03/20/09.....04/07/09........04/18/09........04/28/09........N.....05/08/09.....08/07/09.... 91
SomberCat......03/25/09.....04/10/09........04/17/09........04/21/09........Y.....05/20/09.....08/19/09.... 91
Dalene.........03/05/09.....03/19/09........05/06/09........05/06/09........Y.....06/22/09.....11/23/09....154
Brocku00.......03/--/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....04/24/09.....08/12/09....110
BradnKim.......04/01/09.....04/20/09........04/29/09........05/01/09........Y.....06/24/09.....11/25/09....154
bradleyboy.....04/15/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....05/11/09.....08/12/09.... 93
Greenhaus......02/--/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....07/14/09
hisgirl........04/17/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....07/30/09
Avery..DCF.....05/05/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........06/05/09..sent pkt3>..06/03/09.....10/13/09....132
lgg............06/25/09.....07/08/09........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....08/12/09
Bern...........07/14/09.....08/11/09
Sierratango....07/14/09.....--/--/--........07/28/09........--/--/--........-.....08/27/09.....10/13/09.... 47
Malrothien.....07/15/09.....07/23/09........--/--/--........08/28/09........Y
La Souris......07/30/09.....08/14/09
redBlue........08/13/09.....08/17/09........09/12/09........09/16/09........-.....09/26/09

Timeline page for 2007 and 2008 interviews Montreal: link

CR1/IR1 interview letter: link

DTI - Days between completion at NVC and interview





Anyone else who has NVC case completed in July 2009 and still waiting for interview?



Hi! We DCF'd our I-130 in Vancouver (May 11) and send off our Packet 3 to Montreal on June 25th- I think that this date is supposed to be comparable to people who are at the 'Done at NVC.' We are still anxiously waiting to hear back about our interview date!

The thing that concerns me is that the last document we received from Montreal was dated 2 weeks prior to it actually making it to our mailbox. Just wondering if our paperwork is floating around somewhere out there...
LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-10-01 12:58:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview Review
QUOTE
When you said she looked hesitant and you mentioned you had additional documents - did she then specifically ask if you had more proof of that - or did you just realize that was the case?

I'm pretty sure I offered to share more information, and then she asked specifically for the information regarding the domicile.

QUOTE
Aside from the real estate emails and the rental contract for your house, did you have anything else?


Oh yes I did have something else. I forget to mention it.
Whenever my wife travels we go to the notary and I sign a statutory declaration for my daughter to travel. This time there was no return date and it specifically mentioned immigration.

Now it's coming back to me. It was the last page I showed her and then she got excited and said she'd approve me. It all happened so fast (literally 45secs for all three documents) and I think she was going to approve me anyways, but when she saw the Stat/Dec, it was a sealed deal.




LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-11-17 02:25:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview Review
My wife Sarah has asked me to submit a review. Since she's down in SanFrancisco and I'm just waiting for the Visa to arrive in the mail, I really couldn't say no...

Prior to my trip (Victoria-Montreal) I did read some other interview posts, so I somewhat had an idea of what to expect. I booked a hotel through hotwire.com for downtown, as they all seemed to be relatively close to the consulate. I ended up with Holiday Inn on 420 Sherbrooke W. It was an easy walk, but the walls were paper thin so the sleep was disturbed to say the least.

Anways I walked to the consulate the night before just to make sure I had it down. It only took 5-7 mins. I had read that some people got there at 6.30 but it was so cold and I didn't have anything else to do that next day, so I decided to to get there at 7.15. Personally I'd rather wait an extra 45 mins inside than outside.

As it turned out I was the second person there. Within the next 15 mins there were about 15 people who showed up. At 7.30 they open up the front doors, and I was through security quickly and given a 2" plastic letter A. I got through quickly and before the other guy, b/c I had nothing in my pockets, no cell phone etc.. Leave everything you don't need at the hotel. Including bags. (I brought my xray and papers in a small white plastic garbage bag incase of rain.) DON'T FORGET TO BRING A PEN. You might need it, and the ones they had at the counters didn't write well.

After security, you go down to a waiting area, and then the gaurd takes you up to the 19th floor. Where you wait some more until your letter is called. This was maybe about 30 mins in my case. (about 15-30 mins later for letters B-E) There really aren't that many people waiting for interviews. 5 people on my day. All the other people are waiting in another area for other visa's and don't use the same customer service people.

When my number was called a nice lady just went through the paperwork we had submitted and asked if everything was still the same. (no, I had to change our address. no big deal) She then went through her checklist of items. I can't remember the exact order. The 2 photo's, the I-864, etc... I didn't give her the proof of domicile, b/c she didn't ask so I was just patient. In my experience you get yourself into trouble when you offer border officials information. I was just going to wait. So then she gave me the bill I had to pay, and you go back to the common area, and line up to pay with all the other people.

I brought canadian dollars, because I read you can use it, but the exchange rate is terrible. On my day it was 1.15 which was about 10% more than on the street. If I had known that I would have exchanged it the night before. I mean it's an extra $40 or so for no real reason, so I'd advise using US cash.

Once I paid, I went back to the lady and had my finger prints taken on a scanner. (for some reason I thought it would be ink. I've never had it done before, and my mind conjoured up movies where they use ink) But the have a scanner, and they also had hand sanitizer for afterwards. No swine flu for me.

Then she is done. and asks me to wait some more in the common area until my name is called. About 20mins go by. They call another person before me. Who knows why, maybe my paperwork was messy? Anyways I go into the interview room, and it's basically the same as the booth. Glass infront of the lady, and I am standing. So my idea of sitting next to a person at a table was unjustified. She asked me to raise my right hand put me under oath.

She was nice and I answered the few questions she had, but I felt that she was hesitant. So I informed her I had another stack of paperwork in my bag if she had more questions. I indicated that I had 2 months worth of emails from my wife setting up a domicile with a realestate company down there. I also had the rental contract from leasing our own house. Her eyes lit up as she decided that it was barely enough. She said that she was considering denying me. So I don't know if I was lucky that she was a nice person, or that I happened to have enough evidence.

The interview was less than 10 mins, and she was really nice. I'd definately recommend bringing as much paperwork as you can. I probably had about twice as much as I needed in terms of evidence of networth and domicile etc.. so anything they had a problem with I could back up two different ways.

I was back in my hotel sleeping by 9.30 (6.30 pacific time) so the whole experience was quick, painless, and very pleasant.

The 3 pieces of advice I'd give.
Don't forget a pen.
Bring USD.
Domicile is a big deal. If you can sign a lease, or if your spouse can move there ahead of you it will be easier. The lady said they like to reunify a family, so if your spouse is already down there (permanantly) then it is easier.

I did stay in Montreal the next day in case I could pick it up in person, but I was told it would be in the mail in the next 2 weeks (hinting that it usually never takes that long). So I spend the next 2 days as a tourist, and I loved it. Montreal is great.

I'm just waiting for the passport to arrive anyday. Hopefully I'll be down in San Francisco by Saturday. There is a wedding of some friends I'd like to attend.

I hope this helps, good luck to everyone else in this process.
-Ben
LilsmorFemaleCanada2009-11-16 15:19:00