What's going on with Montreal and CR-1 Visa interviews!?!?

[Canadiandggal 49]

Hehe ok 10 weeks, It is still possible to get sept interviews. I am truly crossing my fingers. It is possible that we may here something within the next week. Just keep your head up.

[Tater&Bugger 3]

Waiting for AP does suck! LOL Not near as bad as it was waiting for your NOA2 or an interview though. So it gets easier. The worse part is getting bored because you can't work. I've never baked and cooked so much in my life. Its starting to look like Martha's kitchen in here. *help me* lol

I'm practicing that now haha. I finished a work contract last spring and did not bother getting new work because we are applying for the Visa (was offered another but it conflicted with Visa/wedding/moving process). I like to think of it as my summer to winter holiday. Luckily my fiance has lots of time off too (he;s only working 3 days a week) so we just drive back and forth and hang out but once his block leave (military) is over mid Sept then he is back to full time and out of state regularly. It'll be SO boring in upstate NY with my soon to be husband out of town and me not allowed to go home. My suspicions are I'll be moving in Nov. I've made my friends and family all promise to make regular visits when the time comes. Any recommendations to kill the time will be greatly appreciated... I'll have no one to cook for so more than likely I'll just spend my time working out and watching movies... hehe. Life is so tough... I'll enjoy it while I can though. Might as well make the most of my mandatory time off!

[shewolf 0]

Where did you get the info about Montreal processing the cases of Haitian orphans? Are these specifically cases that have something to do with Canada as well as Haiti? Or is Montreal actually processing all the cases of Haitian orphans heading to the US? If that's the case, it does seem kind of an odd choice of consulate. I certainly want those cases processed efficiently...but, as far as we can all tell, Montreal was bogged down to begin with. It seems like it's probably one of the most bogged-down US consulates in the world. It seems to have been slow for well over a year. I don't pretend to have insight into the reasons for the problems...but, believe me: I wonder about it all the time.

From where I sit, it does seem, too, that Vancouver should maybe take on more K-1 cases...and I bet the K-1 applicants would be happier that way too. The K-1s who happen to be sent to Vancouver get through so much faster than the Montreal folks. *Maybe* there's some reason why Montreal just seems to have to do so much more than it seems really capable of handling efficiently, but it's hard to understand from where we sit.

I do feel like we maybe deserve a *bit* more transparency on these points!

Anyway, I understand your frustration; I have almost the same "case complete" date as you...At this point, though, I'm hoping for a late Oct. date, since I'll just be too pregnant in Sept. to fly to Mtl. I've had to accept that my husband and I will not be living together when the baby comes

C.

I got the info about the Haitian orphans from NVC. My husband called NVC while visiting me here in Montreal and we were on speaker phone. And the lady told us that Montreal is processing the cases of Haiti children and that's why they are so busy. I am not sure about the details of their immigration.. but apparently that's a big part of the hold up...

[Canadiandggal 49]

where do you try to cross the border at? I have never had any problems with border. I am currently visiting the hubby in maryland, we cross through Fort erie usually but we crossed at cornwall area this time. Was asked a few questions, how long we were staying, what stage we were at and if my son was mine. I am only here for about 3 weeks till I hear something from NVC/montreal.

[Canadiandggal 49]

You could always try to go visit him again, just be honest and bring the nvc paperwork and ANYTHING you have as proof. I am a stay at home mom and am currently residing with my grandmother so I had NO ties really. I brought court papers for my son, the nvc documents, packed light, brought bank info, recent taxes but that was about it.Just be honest, getting denied for no proof cant hurt.

[shewolf 0]

where do you try to cross the border at? I have never had any problems with border. I am currently visiting the hubby in maryland, we cross through Fort erie usually but we crossed at cornwall area this time. Was asked a few questions, how long we were staying, what stage we were at and if my son was mine. I am only here for about 3 weeks till I hear something from NVC/montreal.

I've always crossed at Vancouver (airport) and they make my shake in my shoes literally every time. They always send me to special immigration room and I always have to keep my most cheerful atitude and be so nice and kind and they are rude and threatening in return. They ALWAYS tell me next time I won't get through.. last time they said that since I am completed at NVC I cannot go to the States anymore, they said they will put it in my notes not to let me through... I had a job in Vancouver at the time and always brought with me a letter from work, and my apartment lease and my university documents that I am a student as well.. they don't care. I am in Montreal now staying with my aunt... my husband visited me for a week a week ago... I am thinking to actually get my aunt to drive me across the border to Vermont (because it seems they are way more leanient at drive-through border crossings.. and then try to get a flight from a Vermont airport once I'm already in the States.. just looking at flights now. I am not working now.. just studying (courses are online because I'm in my final year and just finishing up my electives)...

[shewolf 0]

where do you try to cross the border at? I have never had any problems with border. I am currently visiting the hubby in maryland, we cross through Fort erie usually but we crossed at cornwall area this time. Was asked a few questions, how long we were staying, what stage we were at and if my son was mine. I am only here for about 3 weeks till I hear something from NVC/montreal.

When you go there for 3 weeks do they stamp your passport with a date by which you must return? They would always do that to me at the airport.. this time I'm thinking to get my aunt to drive me across the border and then catch a flight from the States so it would be a domestic flight. Do they stamp your passport with this special stamp at the drive-through border crossing? Or can you technically stay for 6 months as any other Canadian if you wanted to?

[Canadiandggal 49]

Not usually, Just be honest. Flight and car travel are not that much different. It really just depends on the Crossing person. I am not very good at the whole how long you can stay because different people say different things. But yeah I think you have up to 6 months. However if you say your are only going to stay a certain amount of time you should try to stick to it or close to it. My grand mother drove me through last Christmas and met my husband in PA, again just be honest.

[Tater&Bugger 3]

When you go there for 3 weeks do they stamp your passport with a date by which you must return? They would always do that to me at the airport.. this time I'm thinking to get my aunt to drive me across the border and then catch a flight from the States so it would be a domestic flight. Do they stamp your passport with this special stamp at the drive-through border crossing? Or can you technically stay for 6 months as any other Canadian if you wanted to?

This sounds like a good idea, I would definitely give it a shot. When you drive across the order they do not stamp your passport everytime... they do sometimes if you are going for a long time or have suspicions I've heard. And yes you can visit after your case leaves NVC, I have been too. Maybe not worry too much about being nice either.... sometimes if we try to hard it can come across wrong. Just be pleasant, but most of all keep positive and be yourself.

I really wish you the best of luck. Being able to travel through all this makes it so much more bearable!

[mtlgato 2]

I don't think NVC operators are well informed about stuff related to the consular interviews. After all, they're the people who keep telling us that consular appointments are scheduled in "the second week of the month"--and we KNOW that's not true in the case of Mtl. We also KNOW that Mtl has been having problems with backlog, etc., since well before the Haitian earthquake even happened.

I'm sure there are Haiti-related expedites going through the US immigration system atm, but I'm not really convinced that the work is all (mostly? largely? in significant part?) falling on Mtl.

C.

I got the info about the Haitian orphans from NVC. My husband called NVC while visiting me here in Montreal and we were on speaker phone. And the lady told us that Montreal is processing the cases of Haiti children and that's why they are so busy. I am not sure about the details of their immigration.. but apparently that's a big part of the hold up...

[Hendea3 4]

Agreed, my fiance and I chose this route and it's just as hard, if not harder on another aspect because not only are we stuck waiting, but both of our entire families and friends (70 or so people) are on the same waiting train too because we cannot even plan a wedding until we have an interview date. I can handle just travelling back and forth visiting, thats easy but annoying and expensive at worst. However having all our loved ones constantly asking about the wedding and trying to explain to us better ways to get a visa or set a date (which a lot people don't understand what we go through)... its tough. I'd rather the CR1 Visa and wait like you guys but because my fiance was being deployed too soon to start the process last summer, we can only do it now.

So in other words, it's hard for everyone, harder for some than others... but at the end of the day we are all going through different versions of the same thing.

I totally, get this. It is so hard to constantly repeat the same thing over and over again. I don't know what's more annoying having your family and friends ask you over and over about your wedding date or Vendors looking at you like you are retarded when you asks for quotes/information etc but that you don't have a date!!! (Even more so when my ring was being sized lol) The bridal show in Buffalo in April was a nightmare! But those vendors that did seem to understand a bit and were willing to work with me are definetly the ones getting our business. Our timelines seem similar hopefully we'll get our interview dates shortly!!

[Tater&Bugger 3]

I totally, get this. It is so hard to constantly repeat the same thing over and over again. I don't know what's more annoying having your family and friends ask you over and over about your wedding date or Vendors looking at you like you are retarded when you asks for quotes/information etc but that you don't have a date!!! (Even more so when my ring was being sized lol) The bridal show in Buffalo in April was a nightmare! But those vendors that did seem to understand a bit and were willing to work with me are definetly the ones getting our business. Our timelines seem similar hopefully we'll get our interview dates shortly!!

OMG I know! I swear people just think we are in an unstable relationship when we are actually just trying to work on the governments schedule haha.

[Hendea3 4]

lol so true so true where are you going to be moving to?

We're under more pressure to chose a date because my best friend is doing her masters in New Zealand and shes only home in Canada for teh xmas break...shes going to push her stay till Jan 15ish to hope that I can get everything inline befor becasue she is one of the 3 people I need next to me at the altar (about from my FI ofcourse!)

Plus my dad is being shipped to Saudi for work so he needs to know the date asap to make sure he can arrange to come back to Canada....

[Tater&Bugger 3]

lol so true so true where are you going to be moving to?

We're under more pressure to chose a date because my best friend is doing her masters in New Zealand and shes only home in Canada for teh xmas break...shes going to push her stay till Jan 15ish to hope that I can get everything inline befor becasue she is one of the 3 people I need next to me at the altar (about from my FI ofcourse!)

Plus my dad is being shipped to Saudi for work so he needs to know the date asap to make sure he can arrange to come back to Canada....

Wow thats tough! I will be moving to Upstate NY, only 2hrs from where I live now... but a border none the less! My fiance is posted at Fort Drum. We are under pressure from his bosses to get an interview ASAP so we can get all this done by the end of block leave Sept 20 (riiight). I laughed at him when he told me this (my fiance's big boss... silly me) and he was very serious in saying we need to do this ASAP. During the fall we have lot's of family and friends who are important and will be out of town so who knows... if the expedite works we'll be ok... if not then I'll be moving into an empty home and cannot plan a wedding because his work requires him to move around on short notice. They are being lenient with his schedule now because he just got home from Iraq, but after leave its back to being over worked and on the move. We waited to do all this because we though it would be less rushed... HA go figure! I feel more rushed now than had we done it last summer like we initially planned. Main reason we waited was I didn't want to spend our first year apart and had my own 6 month contract to finish overseas.

WOA I am getting off topic. SORRY OP.

[Jadenjewel 9]

Let's just hope all of us May and June NVC completes hear soon. All this stress waiting has caused me to be eating junk food and I'm not fitting any clothes. I won't eat normally till all this is over! Argghhh!!!

Soon please!!! I'm also tired of everyone telling me they know someone who did it so easily when I know that's not true!

Keep smiling everybody;)