No Interviews Scheduled in the past month or so?

[Rustbelt 0]

Obviously processing times for Montreal really fluctuate...I saw some old post where people complained that it took 4-6 months to get an interview and many of them had their USC SO write their congress-men and -women with inquiries and complaints. Personally, I do not buy this high volume of cases argument...it is not like from day to day they have suddenly noted 200% or 300% increase in workload...it's been very well know for a few years that MTL is in high demand. Why don't they increase capacity? Obviously it is possible, if cases in Philipinnes (and this is one of the busiest consular posts) wait 2-3 days for their interview dates...Canada as a bordering country will always account for a significant portion of US immigration so it is very hard to understand why only one consulate in a whole huge country processes IV cases...it seems like only one consulate in Mexico processes immigration visas as well but for some reason they do not seem to have the same problem with scheduling and interviewing...and imagine the workload they must have.

Well you know Canadians. It's not like they're complainers.

Americans waiting for a bus that's 20 minutes late: "Where the hell is it!?!??! What do we pay our taxes for?!?!?!"

Canadians waiting for a bus that's 20 minutes late: "Oh, it'll be here soon. I'll just stop in Timmies and get me another double-double. Tell the driver to wait for me if I'm not back when he gets here."

[JillA 2]

Obviously processing times for Montreal really fluctuate...I saw some old post where people complained that it took 4-6 months to get an interview and many of them had their USC SO write their congress-men and -women with inquiries and complaints. Personally, I do not buy this high volume of cases argument...it is not like from day to day they have suddenly noted 200% or 300% increase in workload...it's been very well know for a few years that MTL is in high demand. Why don't they increase capacity? Obviously it is possible, if cases in Philipinnes (and this is one of the busiest consular posts) wait 2-3 days for their interview dates...Canada as a bordering country will always account for a significant portion of US immigration so it is very hard to understand why only one consulate in a whole huge country processes IV cases...it seems like only one consulate in Mexico processes immigration visas as well but for some reason they do not seem to have the same problem with scheduling and interviewing...and imagine the workload they must have.

Well you know Canadians. It's not like they're complainers.

Americans waiting for a bus that's 20 minutes late: "Where the hell is it!?!??! What do we pay our taxes for?!?!?!"

Canadians waiting for a bus that's 20 minutes late: "Oh, it'll be here soon. I'll just stop in Timmies and get me another double-double. Tell the driver to wait for me if I'm not back when he gets here."

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I think a lot of the frustration comes from Montreal's lack of consistency. I mean, look at the timelines of some of us who had interviews in the spring... the wait times were 2 months at the maximum. Then when we were assigned interviews it didn't go in a logical order at all. I can think of 3 people who sent their packets back after me who had interviews before I did. It wasn't a big deal, I'm not going to complain about the short wait I had, its just hard to believe the first in first our theory. I also noticed when I went for my interview that there were only 5 of us there being interviewed that day... That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If there are so many people waiting, why can't you interview a dozen or more people in one day? So what if someone ends up sitting there for 5 hours waiting. I think you'd rather wait 5 hours then 5 more months to be given the date. On top of that, there was 1 IO working that day. Just 1! There are tons of people taking paperwork, cashing visa fees, working security, but only 1 woman who is giving interviews. Its just a bureaucratic mess!

[trailmix 77]

Obviously processing times for Montreal really fluctuate...I saw some old post where people complained that it took 4-6 months to get an interview and many of them had their USC SO write their congress-men and -women with inquiries and complaints. Personally, I do not buy this high volume of cases argument...it is not like from day to day they have suddenly noted 200% or 300% increase in workload...it's been very well know for a few years that MTL is in high demand. Why don't they increase capacity? Obviously it is possible, if cases in Philipinnes (and this is one of the busiest consular posts) wait 2-3 days for their interview dates...Canada as a bordering country will always account for a significant portion of US immigration so it is very hard to understand why only one consulate in a whole huge country processes IV cases...it seems like only one consulate in Mexico processes immigration visas as well but for some reason they do not seem to have the same problem with scheduling and interviewing...and imagine the workload they must have.

It's because they don't care - really.

There is no political pressure to help Canadians immigrate to the U.S. - so no money/prestige involved - nothing changes.

Every U.S. citizen who is not happy with the wait times in Montreal should complain to their representatives.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Obviously processing times for Montreal really fluctuate...I saw some old post where people complained that it took 4-6 months to get an interview and many of them had their USC SO write their congress-men and -women with inquiries and complaints. Personally, I do not buy this high volume of cases argument...it is not like from day to day they have suddenly noted 200% or 300% increase in workload...it's been very well know for a few years that MTL is in high demand. Why don't they increase capacity? Obviously it is possible, if cases in Philipinnes (and this is one of the busiest consular posts) wait 2-3 days for their interview dates...Canada as a bordering country will always account for a significant portion of US immigration so it is very hard to understand why only one consulate in a whole huge country processes IV cases...it seems like only one consulate in Mexico processes immigration visas as well but for some reason they do not seem to have the same problem with scheduling and interviewing...and imagine the workload they must have.

It's because they don't care - really.

There is no political pressure to help Canadians immigrate to the U.S. - so no money/prestige involved - nothing changes.

Every U.S. citizen who is not happy with the wait times in Montreal should complain to their representatives.

I'll remember to get my fiance to complain if I wait more than 3 months for an interview

[Malrothien 6]

The crappy part about all of this? Vancouver USED to process immigrant visas. Why did they stop????

[mikey78 6]

Well you know Canadians. It's not like they're complainers.

Americans waiting for a bus that's 20 minutes late: "Where the hell is it!?!??! What do we pay our taxes for?!?!?!"

Canadians waiting for a bus that's 20 minutes late: "Oh, it'll be here soon. I'll just stop in Timmies and get me another double-double. Tell the driver to wait for me if I'm not back when he gets here."

That's actually very funny!

[trailmix 77]

The crappy part about all of this? Vancouver USED to process immigrant visas. Why did they stop????

So did Calgary, until about 10 years ago. I asked the ambassador to Canada (in a web chat) - I believe he said it was a directive of homeland security and they know it is a big hassle for everyone to travel so far and - he may have said they are sorry, can't remember.

Then a few months later they cut the panel physicians down to 4 for the whole country.

What would be good would be someone writing an article about it - comparing how immigration to Canada is handled in the U.S. vs the other way around - number of consulates, wait time for interviews etc.

Edited September 4, 2009 by trailmix

[Malrothien 6]

That's what is so weird about Canadian immigration. There is *no* interview. You go to the office on your landing day, hand over your photos for your PR card, they ask you if you've committed a crime, you sign a paper, then you're done!

[bogartnoir 1]

That's what is so weird about Canadian immigration. There is *no* interview. You go to the office on your landing day, hand over your photos for your PR card, they ask you if you've committed a crime, you sign a paper, then you're done!

that's interesting, but what's the approval rate like? what things do people get denied for?

i don't know where my fiancee and i are at getting packet 4. last i heard it was taking 6 weeks for that. is that still the case or is it taking months and months?

i always wanted to be a fall bride

[Peachey 10]

Well it's been at least 6 weeks for me and I haven't received anything...

[Danu 19]

yeah i'm coming up on almost 2 months since P3 was sent back and still nothing, so I think the whole 6 weeks is out the window at this point.

[Peachey 10]

Maybe we'll get our interview on the same day Danu, I sent my packet only 4 days after you

[trailmix 77]

That's what is so weird about Canadian immigration. There is *no* interview. You go to the office on your landing day, hand over your photos for your PR card, they ask you if you've committed a crime, you sign a paper, then you're done!

Ok well, Canadian equivalent of an 'interview'

[JillA 2]

That's what is so weird about Canadian immigration. There is *no* interview. You go to the office on your landing day, hand over your photos for your PR card, they ask you if you've committed a crime, you sign a paper, then you're done!

that's interesting, but what's the approval rate like? what things do people get denied for?

i don't know where my fiancee and i are at getting packet 4. last i heard it was taking 6 weeks for that. is that still the case or is it taking months and months?

i always wanted to be a fall bride

So did I, you still can be! I had our civil ceremony when I arrived, and we're planning our big wedding next fall. It can still work out for you!