Montreal interview...Visa....denied....hmmm pending...

[Darryl 0]

Sorry it’s a little late but here it is….our interview experience on June 1st in Montreal.

We drove from Toronto to Montreal on Thursday and got to our hotel around 3:30pm, we had a decent hotel – The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth on Rene Levesque. It was not too bad and about a 5 minute walk to the Consulate. We ventured out Thursday night to get our bearings and to find out exactly where it was etc.

Friday morning we left the hotel around 7:00am, stopped by Tim Hortons for a quick bagel and off we went to the Consulate. Got there at about 7:25a and there were already about 5 people lined up for the non-immigrant Visas and no one in line for the immigrant visas. So we got into the immigrant visa line and were quickly ushered through security/metal detectors etc by a very nice polite young female security officer. She gave us a little white square with a letter and number on it and told us to keep it until we got upstairs. She told us to proceed down the stairs and to wait in the waiting room until we were brought up to the 19th floor. When we got downstairs there were about 15 people waiting.

Around 7:45a the same security official came downstairs and asked for the immigrant visa applicants to follow her into the elevator, there were two other guys, the security officer, myself, and my wife (so we were basically 2nd in line). We got up to the 19th floor and were directed into a room off to the right where we were to go to the counter hand in our number along with our passport and documents etc. We went to the counter and were greeted by a very friendly and polite lady who took our number, asked for each documents which we had organized perfectly which she commented on not only our organization but also our the amount of documentation and how prepared we were. She took all the docs and gave us a slip to bring to the cashier so we could pay the fee. She advised us to return after we paid with the receipt and drop it off to her. So we did, paid $380US, brought the receipt back and were told to go wait in the waiting room until we were called.

At about 8:40a the guy in front of us was called into room D8, he came out about 10 minutes later with a huge smile on his face and gave the thumbs up…a successful interview! He took the elevator down and was done. 10 minutes later we were called to the same room and were met by a very friendly man behind a glass window. He said good morning and welcomed us etc, asked us how the process has been going and if it had taken more time than we’d expected etc. We replied back saying we were held up a bit by the Adam Walsh stuff but for the most part were just happy to hopefully be in the final leg etc. He was pleasant and really didn’t ask us many questions – basically where do we both work, what were our positions, etc. He didn’t ask anything at all about when we met, our history, or really anything about our relationship at all. Didn’t ask to see any of the documentation we brought (photos, joint apartment lease, bank records, etc). Things were going great….and then….He says that basically because we are both living and working in Canada and have no “US income” we are denied. He was super nice about it and said he used to be able to make the judgment call and just approve us but couldn’t do that anymore and that the rest of our application is absolutely perfect. He said that even though our joint annual income is over 10 times the minimum poverty level required it didn’t matter. He told us that the only way we could be approved is if we got a co-sponsor who had the required “US income” or if either of us had an employment offer in US dollars. He kind of shook his head at the process and basically apologized for it being so dumb that obviously we can’t get US employment until we are legally allowed to work in the US….but can’t be legal until we get a job in the US…it’s a catch 22.

Obviously our hearts sunk to our feet….all this year and half of effort, expense, and all for what…a BS loophole that obviously doesn’t have any bearing on our case as we’re both very educated, employable, and have earning potential far beyond what is required…We were extremely deflated.

Finally I recalled the I-864 and how you could declare your assets to offset the income level – so I mentioned it to him and he kind of perked up and said that definitely if we had financial assets that met the requirements we could provide proof of that and we’d be approved. So we were pretty happy…our petition just went from basically “denied” to “pending approval” So we asked him what dollar amount we needed etc and he typed up a letter stating what we needed to prove etc and gave it to us. We asked if we could provide account print outs and bring them back that day and he said we could and bring it to the Consulate and it would take about 7-10 business days to be reviewed and approved. So we rushed back to the hotel got all our accounts online and printed out all balances etc, copied them all and put them in an envelope and high-tailed it back to the Consulate. They took our docs at the front door and signed them in etc and we were done.

So now we wait...and hope to god that everything from here on in is smooth. I really think the guy felt genuinely bad that he had to follow the bureaucracy and deny us when it obviously shouldn’t have applied to us, but he had to do his job and we understood that. So now we’re in a spot where we’ve met the conditions he’d asked for and submitted the documentation to back it up and now we just wait….

So not the climactic ending to a horribly long and anxious process we were hoping for with the big rubber stamp saying “approved” did not happen…it was more of a lackluster hmmm….I guess we wait another 2 weeks to see if we’re good to go….so wait...wait…wait…we go…

A couple of observations…

The interview process is insanely overdone. To come all the way from Toronto (5 hour drive there and 5 hours back – 2 nights in a hotel, etc) is insane. We basically go through security, drop off our docs, pay the fee, and talk to the official for 10 minutes. All of this in my mind could be done via correspondence. The medical was never even opened from what I could see…they didn’t even want my X-rays. I lugged them all over the place and they never came out of the envelope. We were never questioned or asked to prove our relationship or any of that….I really don’t know what the purpose of the interview was.

People DON’T listen. Applicants are grown adults who can’t listen. Can’t read, and can’t follow simple instructions. Everyone talks about how rude or unhelpful the immigration officials are….if I worked there I’d be exactly the same way. People who are applying for immigrant visas were lined up directly behind the sign that said “non-immigrant visas” if you don’t know what kind of visa you are applying for….go home and read up. When the official says “go to the right” people instinctively turn left… There was this woman there who was wondering aimlessly all over the place – she’d go to one of the officials and ask where to go – they would tell her nicely where to go and point her in the right direction…she’d go the opposite direction. They told her to go to window 13 and she goes to the elevator…listen!!! If you have language issues – bring an interpreter. If you want to minimize the “attitude” you get from them….listen….read…observe…follow instructions!!! I can’t stress this enough. It was amazing watching these people do exactly the opposite of what they were told.

Take it easy….be patient…treat the immigration folks with respect. This one is self explanatory….I saw people there who strutted around like they were the most important people in the world and that the immigration people “owed” them something. This attitude will get you no where. Be polite, patient, and respectful and they will do the same to you.

Well guys that’s our story. Unfortunately it’s a work-in-progress instead of a completion, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed and let you all know when we get some good news!

Darryl

[bowflex 0]

My wife and I had our interview way back in April, and I can completely feel your pain, as my wife was denied, but for reasons that pretty much put the immigration representatives in a bad light.

I just wish you good luck in the wait, as we were told 7 - 10 business days, but it took over 6 weeks to finally get them to review the documentation that showed the Consul that reviewed our case was wrong about the law, and we're just now waiting for the Visa to be mailed to us, as they took an extra week with that too. Good luck with this, and remember that a lot of the actions of people that are there come from them being insanely nervous and that not everyone of them needs to study up more.

Many of those people have probably been going through immigration processes that dwarf your year and a half, so all I could say is have a little more heart for them. My wife's family has probably done more research than those who have actually written immigration laws, but years and years of getting beat down by some attitude-driven immigration officers tends to turn some people into pudding when their entire life hinges on if someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Good luck with your case and I hope your Consul works in an efficient manner!

[MissStacey 1]

That initial denial must have been so shocking. I'm glad you were still able to think on your feet after that and mention the assets!

You have proof that you will in no way be a "burden to society" and I have good feeling that everything will work out just fine for you.

[bowflex 0]

And I really hope that your Consul works better than ours did, but I highly recommend that in the case that it goes passed the 10 business day deadline, get your local government representative (we used my state's senator) to call and check on the status, as they really tend to help and get the Consulate to do what they said they would. Good luck again!

[Allie 5]

Hopefully you'll have that approval soon, good luck

[Lance27 19]

Here's hoping for a quick approval

[CutienPurg 0]

So sorry Daryll!!

Sounds like you had the same guy my husband had. My husband's visa was held up initially because he wasnt released from the military as of the date of his interview. The day7 of the interview he was told approved but then received a phone call the next day saying they couldnt issue it until he was released. The guy was super apologetic and my husband said you could tell how badly he felt about the whole thing.

My husband faxed release papers on the 10th and the visa was issued on the 16 th of May. So if I had to bet money...that guy is pretty good about doing what he said he would do.

The person who replies to email is out to lunch and clueless though !!!

[Colin Wilson 0]

So sorry Daryll!!

Sounds like you had the same guy my husband had. My husband's visa was held up initially because he wasnt released from the military as of the date of his interview. The day7 of the interview he was told approved but then received a phone call the next day saying they couldnt issue it until he was released. The guy was super apologetic and my husband said you could tell how badly he felt about the whole thing.

My husband faxed release papers on the 10th and the visa was issued on the 16 th of May. So if I had to bet money...that guy is pretty good about doing what he said he would do.

The person who replies to email is out to lunch and clueless though !!!

What !!

I am speechless!!!!

I am so sorry you had to go thru that experience.. my God the hi's & lows of this process

are huge swings.

I am sure this will be an experience we all will look back on " soon " with our Green Cards sitting nicely

in our wallets.

Our Prayers go out to you wishing you a quick resolution to this setback.

Regards

Colin & Anne

[Doug n Amanda 0]

Good grief, that's so disheartening! And yet you took the time to not only provide your experience, but also your advice to the rest of the VJ family....and good advice it was!

Keep us posted!

[Darryl 0]

Thanks everyone for your support. I hope all goes well with what we've already provided - but if for some reason thats not good enough my company just offered me a job in the US so I can provide the offer letter to the Consulate as proof of US income as the official had given as an option. So we have double what they need - assets and US income that exceeds both of the requirments so I think we'll be in good shape. I just hope it all happens sooner than later!

Bowflex - thanks for your experiences and cautions. As for taking it easy on applicants - I was not in any way trying to offend anyone or belittle anyone - just offering my experience. I realize some people are nervous and whatnot but I was nervous too...My only reason for posting my advice is because people didn't follow the easily laid out information when it was provided during my experience. Nervous or not if people take the time to read signs, and listen to instructions they will save themselves some hassel and won't be snapped at by the immigration officials. Just my opinion/advice...no more, no less. Not meant to be hurtful...just trying to be helpful. Sorry if it came across otherwise - that was not my intention.

Darryl

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Darryl,

I am sorry to hear that a little glitch got you "pending", but happy to know you've sorted it out and soon will have your visa in hand. You applied for a CR/IR1 through DCF right? I'm all confused with folks' types of applications.

Anyways, hope things get resolved pronto. You deserve it... to get the visa, that is

L.

[kimmbo 0]

Thanks for sharing your story with us and good luck...hopefully it will all be cleared up soon for you both!

Im so glad we have my mom as a joint sponsor, just in case...if I heard denied I too would be heartbroken..

again

good luck and keep us posted!

[Cassie 8]

I know it sucks for you guys at this moment, but thank you for relaying your story for others that will follow your footsteps in the DCF process. Best wishes for a speedy resolution to this for you.

[bowflex 0]

Bowflex - thanks for your experiences and cautions. As for taking it easy on applicants - I was not in any way trying to offend anyone or belittle anyone - just offering my experience. I realize some people are nervous and whatnot but I was nervous too...My only reason for posting my advice is because people didn't follow the easily laid out information when it was provided during my experience. Nervous or not if people take the time to read signs, and listen to instructions they will save themselves some hassel and won't be snapped at by the immigration officials. Just my opinion/advice...no more, no less. Not meant to be hurtful...just trying to be helpful. Sorry if it came across otherwise - that was not my intention.

Darryl

Oh I in no way took offense, I just see what dealing with immigration has done to my wife's family, as they've been going through it for over 15 years now, and still aren't out of the woods yet. Good luck to you, I really hope your Consul is as nice as everyone says. Wishing you two the best for sure!

[vnoe 0]

I'm sure you will get your visa. Good luck to both of you!!!

Thanks for sharing your story. I can only imagine what it is like with people that don't listen....drives me freakin' nuts!!! lol