Montreal: the O-1 / EB-1 talent-visa interview
US mission, Montreal
The US Consulate General in Montreal runs immigrant-visa interviews for applicants in Canada - an option for those with Canadian status.
How the consular process works
O-1 is a nonimmigrant visa: after the I-129 petition is approved you file DS-160, pay the fee and book a consular-section interview. EB-1 is the immigrant path: after the I-140 is approved the case either goes through the NVC to an immigrant-visa interview (DS-260), or you adjust status inside the US (I-485) with no consulate at all. Some applicants file as third-country nationals (TCN) - outside their country of citizenship.
Prepare for the interviewWhat the community reports
Members describe a relatively formal interview and cases of quick approvals without extra checks. As everywhere, these are observations rather than a guarantee.
This is community-chat experience, not official data. Verify booking availability and post status on travel.state.gov and ustraveldocs.com.
This embassy's official visas page: ca.usembassy.gov/visas/ - interview booking follows your own post's instructions.
Current appointment wait times for every post are in the official State Department table: Global Visa Wait Times.
Procedures that are the same at every post (CEAC statuses, the passport during the check, officers’ manner): the consulates reference.
Official State Department numbers for this post
Next available interview appointment, by table update
| Table of | B1/B2 | F, M, J | H, L, O, P, Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 2026 | NA | NA | NA |
| Jun 18, 2026* | NA | NA | NA |
| May 18, 2026* | NA | NA | NA |
| Apr 15, 2026* | NA | NA | NA |
| Mar 27, 2026* | NA | NA | NA |
| Jan 14, 2026* | NA | NA | NA |
| Dec 12, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
| Nov 20, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
| Oct 22, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
| Sep 17, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
| Aug 18, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
| May 25, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
| Apr 25, 2025* | NA | NA | NA |
Source: Global Visa Wait Times (travel.state.gov), "next available appointment" as printed at each monthly update; until mid-2025 the table gave calendar days, later months. * - read from a Wayback Machine (web.archive.org) copy of the same page. We re-read the table every month; next check about Oct 20, 2026.
Mar 2025 - Feb 2026: the post issued 731 nonimmigrant and 9,341 immigrant visas.
| Month | Total | B1/B2 | F-1 | J-1 | H-1B | L-1 | O-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | 39 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2026 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 2025 | 59 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2025 | 99 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 2025 | 56 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2025 | 68 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2025 | 60 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2025 | 74 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 2025 | 44 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 74 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2025 | 83 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 44 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Month | Total | Family | EB-1 | EB-2 | EB-3 | DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | 1,131 | 464 | 206 | 207 | 128 | 0 |
| Jan 2026 | 1,259 | 1,105 | 21 | 90 | 26 | 0 |
| Dec 2025 | 967 | 804 | 10 | 75 | 49 | 14 |
| Nov 2025 | 755 | 523 | 29 | 81 | 58 | 46 |
| Oct 2025 | 900 | 562 | 93 | 101 | 78 | 10 |
| Sep 2025 | 709 | 610 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 45 |
| Aug 2025 | 637 | 380 | 19 | 66 | 63 | 60 |
| Jul 2025 | 510 | 287 | 42 | 56 | 66 | 22 |
| Jun 2025 | 320 | 173 | 10 | 51 | 26 | 15 |
| May 2025 | 530 | 320 | 27 | 47 | 69 | 25 |
| Apr 2025 | 833 | 523 | 55 | 119 | 55 | 36 |
| Mar 2025 | 790 | 505 | 52 | 74 | 40 | 54 |
Columns: the main classes; "Total" includes all others (dependants, crew, diplomatic and other classes). Immigrant: Family = IR, CR and F categories, EB-1/2/3 = employment preferences (EB-3 incl. EW), DV = diversity lottery. Each month links to its State Department report (Excel). Sources: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuance Statistics, Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuance Statistics (travel.state.gov).
FAQ
- Can I interview here as a third-country national?
- Many nonimmigrant visas (including O-1) can be applied for as a TCN - a third-country national - but booking and slot availability depend on the post and current policy. This is a common community scenario; always verify on ustraveldocs and travel.state.gov.
- Can I apply in Canada without Canadian status?
- Posts differ on accepting third-country nationals, and the rules change. Check the specific post’s notice before booking: some applicants are refused an appointment precisely for lacking status in the country of application.
- What is the difference between the O-1 and EB-1 interview?
- O-1 is a nonimmigrant visa: you file DS-160 and attend a consular-section interview. EB-1 is immigrant: after the I-140 is approved the case goes to the NVC, you file DS-260 and attend an immigrant-visa interview (or adjust status inside the US via I-485, without a consulate).
From community practice
Support letters are stronger when written by independent experts familiar with your work who cite concrete results rather than general praise.
Field chats advise gathering evidence for a specific criterion from the start, rather than bolting it onto the petition at the last moment.
The community reminds that the same piece of evidence cannot be counted under several criteria at once - the officer expects separate evidence for each.
Distilled from public community chats - observations, not legal advice.
From community discussions
«The first time I filed with premium and got denied. We refiled the case without premium and got approved in about 2 weeks. No RFE.»
community member · from public community chats
«Formally, the consul's job is to physically verify that you're a sane person, that the biography in the petition really is yours, and that you're telling the State Department the truth.»
community member · from public community chats
«Judging won't carry much weight, of course. But for EB2 there are no strict evaluation criteria for the prong, so for good measure I think it'd fit. I wouldn't specifically arrange judging for EB2 NIW, of course. But if you already have it, then why not?»
Mikhail · from public community chats
Personal opinions of community members from public discussions, not legal advice.
Other interview posts
Reference information, not legal advice. Always verify post status, booking and requirements on travel.state.gov.