DV2015 Successful Interview

[ayub]

Glad that's over! Had a successful interview in Montreal this morning. When I return home if anyone wants a more detailed description I can write one. But the highlights are (some of these only apply to the Montreal US consulate):

- Someone called me yesterday from the Consulate asking for my DS-260 Confirmation barcode number. Was't expecting that since no one on the boards had mentioned it. I had to hurry back to my hotel room and send them an email with it. Maybe keep a copy of the number with you in case you also get a call.

- Got there at 7:00AM for a 8:30AM interview. Was first in line, got in, wasn't on the first list they had printed, so a few of us had to go back outside to wait in the cold, windy Montreal morning! Then when they let us back in for the second round of list-checking, people barged in in front of me so I ended up #4. My advice would be to just come about 30 mins before your interview.

- The waiting is the longest part.

- In Montreal: when they tell you to go to window 14 (the cashier), make sure you go to 14B not 14A so you can skip to the front of the line. 14A is for people who have appointments for other things like passports, etc. When the cashier sees you in 14B holding the slip of paper to pay, she'll call you up.

- The interview: The CO was very friendly. She asked how old I was when I ended up in Canada. I said 6 months old and her demeanor changed, she laughed a bit got less serious, and said "oh, so you've been here for ages". She asked where I lived, I said Vancouver, and she joked a bit about the snow vs. rain that all west coast/east coast Canadians joke about. She then asked where I will be living in the US and if I have lived in any other countries.

She disappeared for a moment and headed into an office I could see in the background. I was worried for a bit since she was in there a good 10 minutes. But in the end I think she was just taking care of something else, because she came out with a stack of papers and gave them to someone sitting at a desk before returning to me and apologizing for the delay.

She then said everything's approved and gave me the "Welcome to the US" letter and my passport. I walked a few steps away before realizing hmm, shouldn't she be keeping my passport? I went and gave it back to her and she was very embarrassed and apologetic.

Glad this first part of the journey is all over! Now I'm going to go head out with some friends and get a giant piece of cheesecake!

Good luck to everyone waiting for the interviews. I hope it all works out for everyone.

congratulations. .

 

[zuroma999]

congratulation zuroma,
anyway, during in us embassy, did you fill up any other form or signing something there,

Just signed a simple form saying I had read and confirmed that the US address they had to send my green card to was correct.

 

[shabynn]

Hi there! Just would like to share with everyone the successful interview.
So I played for the 2nd time in November 2013, cause my best friend wan it 2 years ago!
I checked my status on May 3rd cause I totally forgot about it .
I had to read 3 or 4 times the letter to make sure I was not missing any ''not'' ''sorry'' ''unfortunately'' ahahahaha and I finally understood that I have been selected for further processing. I was on Skype with my bestie and we both cried... what a moment-__-'
anyways then I signed up for some forums to ask some questions regarding the date of my interview. One of the guys told me to not think that I would be current in October ...
August 16th or something like that I found the 2nd email from KCC on my junk mail!!!!
And my interview was planned on October 2 in Montreal! yeah!
Right away I asked for my criminal record in France online (free Vive la France!!!) which arrive 5 days later!!!
Then I had to do my Canadian one. I had to pay a 50$ AND go to police office to do everything. It arrived within 10 days.
Next step was to translate my docs and book my flight to cross the country for my interview... obviously the other US embassy in Vancouver for instance, does not do immigrant interviews, so even if you have the choice on the form 260.... it is a lie! AHAHAHAHAAHHAHA

oups... also I had to book my medical appointment in Montreal, 3 days before my interview.

Medical went smooth even if they made me take a second time a vaccination 150$ yup... MY MUM TOLD ME AFTERWARD THAT i ALREADY HAD IT AND THAT IT WAS WRITTEN in my vaccination book... but I guess the nurse did not know ....
The doctor was pretty amazing and funny, the visit lasted 10 min!

Then I had some good laugh with the receptionist and went enjoy the Indian summer in Montreal for 3 days before my interview!

Now the s**** is getting serious!
So I ride a Bixi from my friend`s house to the US Embassy. My appointment was at 9:00 I arrived at 7:15 am... yeah I know... but... I was scared to be late!
We waited outside for 20 min then the security guy open the door. We entered inside, the security guy told me that my purse was too big and that I could not enter with it... I think my face showed '' noooooooooooooo dont MAKE ME CRY!!!!!!'' so he told me that he was making an exception with me.... ouf!!!!
I cracked some jokes with him, and when I was about to pass the scanner, the woman called me saying that I was not on the list... they asked me to go back outside and wait... -__-'
Then 10 min after she called me back... she finally found my name, I did some jokes again
I passed through the scanner and everything... no phone allowed, no food, etc.
I finally arrived in the waiting room: around 9;15am. they gave me a number. I waited waited waited ( kids crying, kids screaming, kids running everywhere....==> nightmare!)
Around 10:00 they finally called the number 6!!!! Praise the LORD!!!! I go to the guichet number 3. She is asking me my documents..... then ask me to go pay. I went but .... They dont take DEBIT!!!!! (it is credit or cash) Yeahhhhhhh SO I had to go back to the girl ask for a document to go outside, pass the scanner, crack some jokes with the security guy, go to the bank, take some cash, go back to the embassy, crack an other joke with the guy, go through the scanner again and go pay the girl (some dramas were going on as well... at the cashier, pretty funny) Then I went back to guichet number 3, gave her the doc saying that I paid and went back on my chair.
kids crying, kids screaming, kids running===> nightmare!
around 11:30 they called my number 6 to the guichet number 7! yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I run there! She asked me some questions:
do you have a criminal record? me: no
Were you born in France? me: yes
Do you live in Canada? me :yes
Have you live somewhere else? me: no
Where are you gonna live in the states? me: Atlanta
why? cause my best friend who also wan the green card lives there!!! her: really???? and me: yeahhhhh!!
her: ok Congratulation your visa has been approved you will receive it withing 10 days.
Me: THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HAPPY FACE!
Then I run out and scream at the entrance that I have the GREEN CARRDD!!!!! The security guy congratulated me! we did some jokes and.... VOILÀ!

I will enter the states in December and here it starts le Rêve Américain! ==> American dream!
Good luck everybody!

 

[shabynn]

I was number 6 ahahahah... I might have seen you then! The drama at the cashire was my fault cause I went to guichet 14A and the other people did not know about it.... and when she called me to pay everybody start screaming ahahahaha sooo funny!
Anyways congratulations!!!

Glad that's over! Had a successful interview in Montreal this morning. When I return home if anyone wants a more detailed description I can write one. But the highlights are (some of these only apply to the Montreal US consulate):

- Someone called me yesterday from the Consulate asking for my DS-260 Confirmation barcode number. Was't expecting that since no one on the boards had mentioned it. I had to hurry back to my hotel room and send them an email with it. Maybe keep a copy of the number with you in case you also get a call.

- Got there at 7:00AM for a 8:30AM interview. Was first in line, got in, wasn't on the first list they had printed, so a few of us had to go back outside to wait in the cold, windy Montreal morning! Then when they let us back in for the second round of list-checking, people barged in in front of me so I ended up #4. My advice would be to just come about 30 mins before your interview.

- The waiting is the longest part.

- In Montreal: when they tell you to go to window 14 (the cashier), make sure you go to 14B not 14A so you can skip to the front of the line. 14A is for people who have appointments for other things like passports, etc. When the cashier sees you in 14B holding the slip of paper to pay, she'll call you up.

- The interview: The CO was very friendly. She asked how old I was when I ended up in Canada. I said 6 months old and her demeanor changed, she laughed a bit got less serious, and said "oh, so you've been here for ages". She asked where I lived, I said Vancouver, and she joked a bit about the snow vs. rain that all west coast/east coast Canadians joke about. She then asked where I will be living in the US and if I have lived in any other countries.

She disappeared for a moment and headed into an office I could see in the background. I was worried for a bit since she was in there a good 10 minutes. But in the end I think she was just taking care of something else, because she came out with a stack of papers and gave them to someone sitting at a desk before returning to me and apologizing for the delay.

She then said everything's approved and gave me the "Welcome to the US" letter and my passport. I walked a few steps away before realizing hmm, shouldn't she be keeping my passport? I went and gave it back to her and she was very embarrassed and apologetic.

Glad this first part of the journey is all over! Now I'm going to go head out with some friends and get a giant piece of cheesecake!

Good luck to everyone waiting for the interviews. I hope it all works out for everyone.

 

[zuroma999]

Hi there! Just would like to share with everyone the successful interview.
So I played for the 2nd time in November 2013, cause my best friend wan it 2 years ago!
I checked my status on May 3rd cause I totally forgot about it so I had to read 3 or 4 time the letter to make sure I was not missing any ''not'' ''sorry'' ''unfortunately'' ahahahaha and I finally understood that I has been selected for further processing. I was on Skype with my bestie and we both cried... what a moment-__-'
...

Congratulations! I loved your writeup of your interview day. Hilarious.

But, I paid with my Visa, so not sure why you couldn't. Discrimination!

 

[shabynn]

Congratulations! I loved your writeup of your interview day. Hilarious.

But, I paid with my Visa, so not sure why you couldn't. Discrimination!

Thank you!
Oh I made a mistake, they dont take DEBIT, and I forgot my credit card home.... oups I should correct my article thx

 

[zuroma999]

The big move over! Things happened pretty quickly after my interview. I sold my furniture within a week (already had some friends waiting for my stuff) filled my car with all my possessions and drove down 10 days after my interview.

For those Canadians entering by land the process isn't too bad: about an hour, with 30 mins of that waiting in line. When you get to the border agent, they don't ask too much, mainly look over your papers and enter a lot on their systems. I imported my car, which another agent did while the first was doing my immigration paperwork. I'm always amazed at the contrast between Canadian and US border staff. The US agents are always very solemn, serious and never joking.

After two weeks of living out of suitcases and hotels, I finally found a good rental in sunny southern California (decided to try something different than the Bay Area in northern California where I once worked). I sit here on the floor, furniture shopping online, with a small break to read these forums .

Good luck to everyone on their journeys!

 

[shabynn]

The big move over! Things happened pretty quickly after my interview. I sold my furniture within a week (already had some friends waiting for my stuff) filled my car with all my possessions and drove down 10 days after my interview.

For those Canadians entering by land the process isn't too bad: about an hour, with 30 mins of that waiting in line. When you get to the border agent, they don't ask too much, mainly look over your papers and enter a lot on their systems. I imported my car, which another agent did while the first was doing my immigration paperwork. I'm always amazed at the contrast between Canadian and US border staff. The US agents are always very solemn, serious and never joking.

After two weeks of living out of suitcases and hotels, I finally found a good rental in sunny southern California (decided to try something different than the Bay Area in northern California where I once worked). I sit here on the floor, furniture shopping online, with a small break to read these forums .

Good luck to everyone on their journeys!

So

Hello!!wooow you move out very fast!! Why did u chose California? Do u have some family and friends overthere?

 

[zuroma999]

So

Hello!!wooow you move out very fast!! Why did u chose California? Do u have some family and friends overthere?

I used to live/work in Northern California (San Francisco Bay Area) ten years ago so I like it here. Weather is amazing, people are generally welcoming, healthy, progressive, outdoorsy and grounded. I grew up in Montreal and honestly the Bay Area was the most "Candian-feeling" place in the USA I've felt.

The energy in Southern California is slighty different, many would say more materialistic or self-absorbed, but there are some smaller cities and towns which have that same Northern California energy.