A sample letter to complain about the wait period for the Montreal interview

[redBlue 1]

Reading some old posts, I understand that some people have been writing letters to the Manager of the Consulate to complain about the wait period for the Montreal interview.

I was wondering if there is a sample letter on VJ that I can use for the same reason.

Or perhaps someone can come up with a nice&neat letter so we can all send it to M. consulate to start changing things.

[Wis-Can 0]

Honestly looking at your timeline, its not bad. Ours left NVC December 31, 2008 and we didn't get an interview till April 17/09. At we really didn't get much notice from the time we were notified of the interview and the interview. If you decided to do it, I would address it as a letter of concern as opposed to a complaint letter. Good luck and I hope your interview comes soon.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

I think the best bet is to simply write your own letter. That way it doesn't smell like a campaign or petition, but has the feel of individual situations and individual complaints.

I didn't send one to the manager of the consulate, but sent one to the U.S. Ambassador to Canada instead.

The most important thing is to NOT be nasty, or anything less than polite. But pointedly polite.

[redBlue 1]

Honestly looking at your timeline, its not bad. Ours left NVC December 31, 2008 and we didn't get an interview till April 17/09. At we really didn't get much notice from the time we were notified of the interview and the interview. If you decided to do it, I would address it as a letter of concern as opposed to a complaint letter. Good luck and I hope your interview comes soon.

I know that my timeline is not bad yet. I'm so frustrated when I hear that I have to wait 4-5 months just to get an interview.I thought I can do something before it gets to that point.

[Varba 0]

Honestly looking at your timeline, its not bad. Ours left NVC December 31, 2008 and we didn't get an interview till April 17/09. At we really didn't get much notice from the time we were notified of the interview and the interview. If you decided to do it, I would address it as a letter of concern as opposed to a complaint letter. Good luck and I hope your interview comes soon.

I know that my timeline is not bad yet. I'm so frustrated when I hear that I have to wait 4-5 months just to get an interview.I thought I can do something before it gets to that point.

It is frustrating, and you feel completely helpless.

However, people who have written letters have (on occasion) had them entered into whatever database people log such things in that's accessible by the border guards and it haunts them for some time.

If you feel strongly that you need to contact people still go for it, but listen to Wyatt.

Also consider writing/talking with your senator and representative. Gentle reminders that this process sucks might persuade them to do something in the future about it. (If you believe that politicians give a rats #### about normal people without large bank accounts - but I digress.)

At least, you have a support group to go crazy with while you wait. I know that helped me a lot.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

It is a hard wait and we all do understand and sympathize.

Some have written to their congressman, some have written directly, I don't honestly think either helps. Our congressman contacted immigration and the Montreal consulate and basically he got a canned answer, we were in process and when it was our turn for an interview, we'd hear about it. They don't bump people ahead of otehr deserving people - as much as we'd all like them to do it

Montreal are just the peons....if any change were to be affected - such as hiring additional staff, new policies....it would happen at the USCIS level. Perhaps a letter to your congressman about the state of things, asking him to do something may help.

By the time you hear back - you'll probably have an interview because it will be a fews months out.

[mikey78 6]

Reading some old posts, I understand that some people have been writing letters to the Manager of the Consulate to complain about the wait period for the Montreal interview.

I was wondering if there is a sample letter on VJ that I can use for the same reason.

Or perhaps someone can come up with a nice&neat letter so we can all send it to M. consulate to start changing things.

It is not the Manager...it is Consul General and people in diplomacy are super sensitive about the titles

[RollingOn 0]

As I have recommended in other posts, I encourage all the CR1 people to write. It should not be a canned letter. Doesn't mean the same. Doesn't have to be long.

Put in it what is happening, and what you have observed. I find better response from people if it is not a form letter.

If you are a K-1 it will not be so effective. K-1s appear to be moving through the system rather well.

Write the Consul General, the Ambassador, your Congressman and Senators. I have also written the President and the Secretary of State and the State Department. I sent each of them the copy of the letter to the Consul General with a short cover letter.

Rick

[lgg 2]

Totally off topic (however, I did write to Lee Mclenny and to United States Ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson‏, my husband, the USC also wrote to his congressman)

Varba? I LOVE your hedgehog...

How cute are hedgehogs, eh?

[Wis-Can 0]

Honestly looking at your timeline, its not bad. Ours left NVC December 31, 2008 and we didn't get an interview till April 17/09. At we really didn't get much notice from the time we were notified of the interview and the interview. If you decided to do it, I would address it as a letter of concern as opposed to a complaint letter. Good luck and I hope your interview comes soon.

I know that my timeline is not bad yet. I'm so frustrated when I hear that I have to wait 4-5 months just to get an interview.I thought I can do something before it gets to that point.

I feel for you both, I do. I called to check to see if we would have an interview soon...that was after 3 months and they said it could be another 3-4 months before I got my interview....I still called every couple days. Then two days later I had my interview. If you want to write a letter I would write one on your own....from your heart rather then a form letter that they have seen before with just different names on them. Tug on their heart strings!

Good luck.

Edited October 23, 2009 by Wis-Can

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Totally off topic (however, I did write to Lee Mclenny and to United States Ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson‏, my husband, the USC also wrote to his congressman)

Varba? I LOVE your hedgehog...

How cute are hedgehogs, eh?

Nature's little toothpicks.

But back to the matter at hand...

I can't stress enough the importance of the letters being individually written. It separates the view of "a group with an axe to grind" into "a bunch of people with similar concerns". Some say it's naive to think letters like that can do anything. I think it's naive to think that making an attempt is always futile...

[Peachey 10]

I feel for you both, I do. I called to check to see if we would have an interview soon...that was after 3 months and they said it could be another 3-4 months before I got my interview....I still called every couple days. Then two days later I had my interview. If you want to write a letter I would write one on your own....from your heart rather then a form letter that they have seen before with just different names on them. Tug on their heart strings!

Good luck.

Same here, I know I'm on a different visa but just a week ago we were told to expect our interview in January. And now we have one set for November 13. Anything's possible.

I never did send that letter we wrote... but it felt good to get it out.

[dutchmatt 1]

First off, if you want to write a letter - write one. In you owns, explaining your own situation. Secondly I don't think the consulate works have time to be logging letter in our secret file that pops up on CBP screens....jesus. If anything it will be thrown out before they have a chance to "blacklist" you.

[lgg 2]

Yepper, I agree there. I wrote my own letter (s) and said what I wanted/needed to say -- took a little advice from here and a couple of friends nad was good to go.

It's too bad that you guys didn't send your letter... would have had some good impact ( or even a little impact) for a whole pile of well written, polite but thorough letters would have shown up at the consolate...

Oh well... I wouldn't expect any 'blacklisting' or anything from a simple, concise, polite letter anyway... like they'd even have time to read them!

[RollingOn 0]

Yepper, I agree there. I wrote my own letter (s) and said what I wanted/needed to say -- took a little advice from here and a couple of friends nad was good to go.

It's too bad that you guys didn't send your letter... would have had some good impact ( or even a little impact) for a whole pile of well written, polite but thorough letters would have shown up at the consolate...

Oh well... I wouldn't expect any 'blacklisting' or anything from a simple, concise, polite letter anyway... like they'd even have time to read them!

Following your lead, I wrote all in my list and have had very good response from a senator and a congressman. Both are no giving up and have promised to look into the manning of the embassy.

Now , wait and see.

Rick