Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal, Canada.
Each visa applicant on your case must separately register his/her appointment online before the interview. Registering your appointment gives us the information we need to return your passport and visa packet after your interview. Registration is free; just click the “Register” button below. You may only reschedule your appointment after you have registered it online and your initial interview date has passed.
As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam with one of the consulate-approved doctors in Canada. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of designated physicians in Canada. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with one of our approved physicians before your interview. Note the medical results may take up to one (1) week to obtain, so please schedule your medical exam accordingly. Please plan to attend your scheduled immigrant visa interview if your medical is still pending with the panel physician.
Print the checklist below and bring it to your interview. You must bring the originals of all required documents, as well as a photocopy of each. You must also upload these documents to your online application. The Consulate will not upload documents for you.
If you do not upload your documents or arrive at your interview with missing documentation, the Consulate may turn you away and require you to reschedule.
Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.
All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, require a medical examination prior to the issuance of a visa. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with one of the doctors listed below before your visa interview appointment at the Consulate General. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.
Approved physicians
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Dr. Gulzar Cheema
7170 – 120th Street
Surrey, BC, V3W 3M8
Tel: 604-597-6887
Email: panelphysicianusa@drcheema.ca
Website: www.drcheema.ca
ONTARIO
Dr. Randall T. Lee
520 Ellesmere Road, Suite 603
Scarborough, ON, M1R 0B1
Tel: 416-266-4543 Fax: 416-267-4050
Website: www.immigrationphysician.ca
Dr. Lyndon Mascarenhas
Clairhurst Medical Centre
1466 Bathurst Street (at St. Clair), Suite 305
Toronto, ON, M5R 3S3
Tel: 416-960-1014 Fax: 866-259-7220
Email: doctorlyndon@bellnet.ca
Website: www.visadoctor.ca
Dr. Ian Zatzman
955 Major MacKenzie Dr. West, Suite 215
Vaughan, ON, L6A 4P9
Tel: 289-553-7711
Fax: 289-553-7722
Website: www.health1stmedical.ca
QUEBEC
TELUS Health Care Centres
600 Boul. de Maisonneuve West,
22nd Floor
Montreal, QC, H3A 3J2
Tel: 514-845-1211
Tel: 1-800-361-3493
Website: telushealth.com
You should bring the following items to your medical exam:
You must pay all medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician. Any required vaccinations and additional tests will be charged separately.
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, and blood tests (for applicants 15 years of age or older). The United States also requires tuberculosis (TB) testing for all applicants two years of age and older. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history, medications you are taking, and current treatments you are undergoing. More information on general medical requirements for U.S. immigrants is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant vaccination requirements are available on CDC.Gov. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements on Travel.State.Gov.
Several days after completing the medical examination, the doctor will send the results of the medical exams directly to the U.S. Consulate General. The consular officer cannot complete your visa interview until the medical report is received.
PLEASE NOTE: The physician will provide each applicant with a copy of their vaccinations and may provide lab reports and similar documentation upon request. The physician cannot provide a copy of the completed Department of State medical forms because such forms are visa records that are confidential under Section 222(f) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.
Please read this carefully. If you arrive at your interview unprepared or with incorrect documentation, you may be turned away and required to reschedule your appointment.
The below list outlines the items that every applicant must bring to their interview. Any documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
Bring the originals of all required documents, as well as one photocopy of each. You must also upload these documents to your online application. The Consulate will not upload documents for you.
Applicants who fall into any category listed in italics below must bring these additional documents:
If you are older than 16 years of age: All applicants older than 16 must present an original, valid, unexpired police certificate for:
Click here for guidance on requesting a police certificate from any country.
If you are married: The original marriage certificate for each applicant.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, and a photocopy along with divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
If you were previously married or your petitioner was: All original final divorce or spouse's death certificate(s).
If your name has changed: The original court name change document.
If you are adopted: Adoption papers or custody documents.
If you have ever been convicted of a crime: The original court and criminal records.
If you have served in any country's military: Military records.
If you previously submitted to NVC an I-864 affidavit of support (AOS): Proof of your petitioner’s legal status in the United States (photocopy of a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or legal permanent resident card) and their federal U.S. tax return (Form 1040) from the previous year.
If you previously submitted to NVC an I-864EZ affidavit of support (AOS): Proof of your petitioner’s legal status in the United States (photocopy of a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or legal permanent resident card) and a copy of the petitioner’s Form(s) W-2 from the previous tax year.
If you previously submitted to NVC an I-864 affidavit of support (AOS) completed by a joint sponsor (not the petitioner): Bring proof of the joint sponsor’s legal status in the United States (photocopy of a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or legal permanent resident card) and their federal U.S. tax return (Form 1040) from the previous year. If the joint sponsor’s tax return includes a spouse, then the spouse must complete Form I-864A.
For employment-based visa applications: A letter from your U.S.-based employer dated less than one month ago.
Security screening procedures
All visa applicants to the U.S. Consulate in Montreal must follow certain security procedures. Any applicant who declines to be screened by U.S. Consulate security personnel will be unable to enter the consulate. To avoid delaying your entry, please only bring the necessary required documents needed for your interview. Please click here for the security procedures.
Accompanying Persons
Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the consulate. The following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
Immigrant visa fees
If you have not paid all required fees to either the National Visa Center or via the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview.
All fees may be paid in either U.S. dollars or the Canadian dollar equivalent. We accept cash and credit cards only. Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. A complete list of fees can be found here.
Do not make travel plans outside of Canada
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the consulate for up to two (2) weeks while we prepare your immigration packet and print your visa. We will return your passport to you via courier services only (see Step 1). If you have to travel within Canada while your passport is still with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please go to ais.usvisa-info.com to select a new appointment date. There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment, so please attempt to attend the initial interview date scheduled by NVC. For some family-based and employment preference visa categories, a visa became available within the month you have been scheduled by NVC. There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Please carefully consult the Visa Bulletin to make sure a visa is still available in the month you have selected before rescheduling your interview.
Please note: You need to register your original NVC/KCC appointment online before you can reschedule it. Rescheduling is only possible on a date after your assigned appointment.
A consular officer can make a decision on a visa application only after reviewing the formal application and interviewing the applicant. There is no guarantee that you will receive a visa. Do not sell your house, car or property, resign from your job or make non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you have received your immigrant visa.
If more information is needed
Sometimes a consular officer is unable to make a decision on a visa application because the officer needs to review additional documents or the case requires further administrative processing. When additional documents are requested, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that asks you to submit additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the consulate via a courier service. Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days after the interview. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 180 days after your interview.
What happens after visa approval
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. We will also give you a sealed envelope containing documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. Do not open this envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage. If you receive X-rays during your medical examination, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the date of printing or from the date of the medical exam. Your visa cannot be extended and all fees are nonrefundable. The principal applicant must enter before or at the same time as other family members with visas. Unless they are eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act, children who are issued a visa before turning 21 years of age must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to avoid losing their immigrant status.
USCIS Immigrant Fee – All individuals who are issued immigrant visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to traveling to the United States. This fee is for processing your residency status and printing your Permanent Resident Card. The only people exempt from paying this fee are: children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and people traveling on a fiancé(e) (K) visa.
Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card, will be automatically mailed to the address in the United States that you write in your visa application form. This is a very important document that proves you have permission to reside in the United States. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives: Please consult USCIS’s and CBP’s websites for rules about what documents you need to re-enter the country. We also recommend you check with the airline to ensure you are in compliance with their rules. Once your card is issued, you should not stay outside of the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
Children’s Issues – In the United States, children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school. We recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. If your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, you should bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custody papers from the authoritative court in your home country. You will need these papers (translated into English) for issues such as school enrollment, medical care, and eventual citizenship.
Information for New Immigrants – Please visit the USCIS web page for helpful information on moving to the United States. You can read their publication “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” online.
If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all of the above instructions apply to you. Please schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview, enroll in the required courier service, and gather the required documents.
Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants.
Bring to your interview
In addition to the documents listed on the Pre-Interview Checklist in this package, DV applicants should also bring the following items to your visa interview:
Review your DV Lottery Entry
Prior to your visa interview, we recommend that you review the data on your initial E-DV entry. On your initial E-DV application, you must have correctly entered your marital status. If you are legally married you must have listed your spouse, even if you are currently separated from him/her (unless your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident).
Additionally, you must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country.
WARNING: Failure to have listed an existing spouse or children at the time of your entry in the Diversity Visa lottery will result in the denial of your visa and visas for your family. Any fees paid to the U.S. government in support of your visa application(s) are nonrefundable. If you failed to include a child who had already been born, or a spouse to whom you were married when you entered the lottery, you should not proceed with the visa application. You can review the eligibility requirements on the online.
Last Updated: 9/26/2024
1134, Rue Ste-Catherine West
Montreal, QC H3B1H4
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