Waiting for our passports from Montreal

[NikLR 13,227]

Also if the Canadian is not a multi-generational Canadian that can increase the time frame as well as permanent residents in Canada vs Canadian citizens. They treat you like you're from that other country vs Canadian because of the fact people will move to Canada then try to get into the USA, thinking it will be easier to get into the USA.

[Trenz 52]

Also if the Canadian is not a multi-generational Canadian that can increase the time frame as well as permanent residents in Canada vs Canadian citizens. They treat you like you're from that other country vs Canadian because of the fact people will move to Canada then try to get into the USA, thinking it will be easier to get into the USA.

Thanks for the replies to the thread. I find it completely odd that males would have a longer wait than females in the case of immigration. I, being a male find, this to be quite the unexpected letdown.

Additionally I am very much a multi-generational Canadian who has not had residence in any other country, let alone province. This just adds more confusion as to why this is taking longer than expected.

Suffice to say, I really think people would be hard pressed to find a truly definitive reason as to why some visas take longer than others in instances where absolutely no problems occurred throughout the process. If people are experiencing wait times 3 times longer than what is discussed at the interview, interviewers really need to stop making these statements and getting people's hopes up. Sure, things can certainly bog down the process unexpectedly, but with something so important, you would figure they would be very careful in giving out time frames if this is an ongoing problem.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Trenz

[NikLR 13,227]

it's just what I've noticed personally.

[mag2929 68]

Thanks for the replies to the thread. I find it completely odd that males would have a longer wait than females in the case of immigration. I, being a male find, this to be quite the unexpected letdown.

Additionally I am very much a multi-generational Canadian who has not had residence in any other country, let alone province. This just adds more confusion as to why this is taking longer than expected.

Suffice to say, I really think people would be hard pressed to find a truly definitive reason as to why some visas take longer than others in instances where absolutely no problems occurred throughout the process. If people are experiencing wait times 3 times longer than what is discussed at the interview, interviewers really need to stop making these statements and getting people's hopes up. Sure, things can certainly bog down the process unexpectedly, but with something so important, you would figure they would be very careful in giving out time frames if this is an ongoing problem.

I totally agree with you. I have looked at VJ posts and on occasion this does happen. Seems to have been happening more in May. I have been sitting here wracking my brain WHY this happened to me, I am not a multi-generational Canadian but I've been here since I was a kid and I am a Canadian citizen (and I don't understand how they would think an 8-year old immigrated to Canada as a transit to the U.S.) etc etc. The bottom line is - no one has a clue why they do this. A girl who interviewed with me and is also a bona-fide Canadian for a while still had to wait longer as well although she did get issued by end of the week. I am not sure if you guys have seen The Star in the past couple of weeks, but they looked at the Canadian immigration process and they found there were MYRIAD errors and problems with the processing. I have a feeling it's the same with this, except we have no recourse whatsoever.

And Trenz - I was told a week and a half, someone else was told two weeks, and one guy was told it was going to take a MONTH to issue his visa. So they also tell people various things. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to what they say, just like there has not been throughout my own experience. This is month 15 of this for me, so I AM very frustrated.

I will keep on emailing them. Meanwhile, email as well and keep on trying to get a hold of them. That's all we can do, although it does bother me that they keep a Canadian passport for however long they want without any recourse, again.

Thanks NLR - I think the patterns you describe are right. That's what I have seen as well so far.

[Trenz 52]

I totally agree with you. I have looked at VJ posts and on occasion this does happen. Seems to have been happening more in May. I have been sitting here wracking my brain WHY this happened to me, I am not a multi-generational Canadian but I've been here since I was a kid and I am a Canadian citizen (and I don't understand how they would think an 8-year old immigrated to Canada as a transit to the U.S.) etc etc. The bottom line is - no one has a clue why they do this. A girl who interviewed with me and is also a bona-fide Canadian for a while still had to wait longer as well although she did get issued by end of the week. I am not sure if you guys have seen The Star in the past couple of weeks, but they looked at the Canadian immigration process and they found there were MYRIAD errors and problems with the processing. I have a feeling it's the same with this, except we have no recourse whatsoever.

And Trenz - I was told a week and a half, someone else was told two weeks, and one guy was told it was going to take a MONTH to issue his visa. So they also tell people various things. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to what they say, just like there has not been throughout my own experience. This is month 15 of this for me, so I AM very frustrated.

I will keep on emailing them. Meanwhile, email as well and keep on trying to get a hold of them. That's all we can do, although it does bother me that they keep a Canadian passport for however long they want without any recourse, again.

Thanks NLR - I think the patterns you describe are right. That's what I have seen as well so far.

You and I both, mag2929. Thanks for sharing your experience too. That is completely bizarre that 3 different people were given three very different time frames. I cannot help but feel selfish that I am upset this early on into my wait, but I think all of us are at our wits end after this long process only to sit and wait for something that we were told would come sooner.

No matter how long or short of a wait, any wait over the prescribed time line given is significant to everyone in their own way. I just cannot help but feel so helpless at this point as there is literally only an email form one can use to contact those with any form of information on our passports; even then, there is no promise that the person responding has any solid information to share.

I cannot help but feel I have finally hit the last few meters in this up and down emotional marathon only to have a brick wall thrown up in front of me and being told to wait until someone comes to remove it.

[mag2929 68]

You and I both, mag2929. Thanks for sharing your experience too. That is completely bizarre that 3 different people were given three very different time frames. I cannot help but feel selfish that I am upset this early on into my wait, but I think all of us are at our wits end after this long process only to sit and wait for something that we were told would come sooner.

No matter how long or short of a wait, any wait over the prescribed time line given is significant to everyone in their own way. I just cannot help but feel so helpless at this point as there is literally only an email form one can use to contact those with any form of information on our passports; even then, there is no promise that the person responding has any solid information to share.

I cannot help but feel I have finally hit the last few meters in this up and down emotional marathon only to have a brick wall thrown up in front of me and being told to wait until someone comes to remove it.

Trust me, I totally understand. I will post if anything changes for me. I emailed them yet again today so we shall see, although I have a feeling it will be the form letter again. Also, I am not sure if this helps but I did call the NVC, as they seem to have SOME access to our consular files. I asked him if there was a problem, if there was some weird administrative processing or what, but he told me that there was just regular notes there saying they were still processing my passport. He said to call back in a week if I still haven't heard.

Hang in there.

[Trenz 52]

Long shot that anyone would know the reason behind this: While checking my visa status on the CEAC website, it still says "Ready", however, I have seen that "Status Updated Date:" section has been updated on a weekly basis (May 22, May 27, June 2). Nothing changes here but merely the date. Why is that? Is this just an automated response for visas in the system awaiting to be sent? Or is there progress going on behind the scenes of some sort? Just strikes me as odd that there is an update in the date, but nothing more than that.

[dason11 1]

Hello Trenz if I were you I will rejoice. Mine kept updating for 11 days on Ready before it changed to issued. I got my passport yesterday and I am travelling to the US on Friday to meet my family forever. Good luck to u all as u exercise a little more patience. I kind its not easy.It shall be well.

[YVRDualCouple 5]

You can always use the online form to contact Montréal as well and if your visa is taking longer then 2 weeks, with no extra docs, I suggest you do so. K1 can take a bit longerthan CR1 and i notice if a male vs female is moving that also takes a little longer occasionally.

Thanks for this reminder. I'm just starting to work with our congresswoman's office to try and prod the consulate.

We had our interview nearly SEVEN weeks ago, and it was all smiles and goodness and the promise of 7-10 days until Loomis would arrive with the passport and visa packet.

Crickets.

[Trenz 52]

Hello Trenz if I were you I will rejoice. Mine kept updating for 11 days on Ready before it changed to issued. I got my passport yesterday and I am travelling to the US on Friday to meet my family forever. Good luck to u all as u exercise a little more patience. I kind its not easy.It shall be well.

Hey, thanks for the reply! I see you were applying for a F-2A visa, correct? No idea how close the timelines are between that and the K1 visa which I am awaiting, but just thought I'd ask, what was the total time from your (successful) interview to receiving the visa in hand?

[Trenz 52]

Thanks for this reminder. I'm just starting to work with our congresswoman's office to try and prod the consulate.

We had our interview nearly SEVEN weeks ago, and it was all smiles and goodness and the promise of 7-10 days until Loomis would arrive with the passport and visa packet.

Crickets.

Just thought I'd say that it is absolutely ridiculous the amount of time you have waited, especially considering you were given a promise of 7-10 days. I was given the standard "2 weeks or less" promise as well. I have not waited anywhere near the time you have, but I have become increasingly anxious. As the days drag on I can feel myself getting worn down a bit further.

I do not blame any one individual, as this is clearly a multiple person process, but do these interviewers not understand the emotional roller coaster they put people on when their proposed timeline comes and goes? This is not merely a product someone is waiting for in the mail; no, this is quite literally someone's life that they are awaiting on. Employment, marriage, family, and a whole host of other important things ride on that passport and visa package arriving.

Unexpected backlogs or not, is it too much for people to ask that the consulate stick to the timeline given to us?

[YVRDualCouple 5]

Just thought I'd say that it is absolutely ridiculous the amount of time you have waited, especially considering you were given a promise of 7-10 days. I was given the standard "2 weeks or less" promise as well. I have not waited anywhere near the time you have, but I have become increasingly anxious. As the days drag on I can feel myself getting worn down a bit further.

I do not blame any one individual, as this is clearly a multiple person process, but do these interviewers not understand the emotional roller coaster they put people on when their proposed timeline comes and goes? This is not merely a product someone is waiting for in the mail; no, this is quite literally someone's life that they are awaiting on. Employment, marriage, family, and a whole host of other important things ride on that passport and visa package arriving.

Unexpected backlogs or not, is it too much for people to ask that the consulate stick to the timeline given to us?

Thanks Trenz,

Obviously, the Consulate cannot stick to a timeline, and in that case they shouldn't even provide one. They should simply say "welcome back to the black hole...don't call us, we'll call you."

Of course they probably consider everything they are doing to be under the cloak of US "national security," so that means top secret. I suppose every now and then they have a true security threat, so they have to treat the rest of us with lowest-common-denominator status.

We have tried and tried to guess why our file got pulled for delays. And we are beyond baffled. Even our immigration lawyer is baffled. We are a same-sex couple, and our marriage was completed long before it was even remotely plausible that the US would begin accepting same-sex couples for immigration (we were betting on 15-20 years...well into our retirement period, if ever). So it can't be legitimacy of the relationship. We honestly just don't know.

To add insult to injury, our congresswoman's office called this morning to tell me they never received the letter (wet signature required) we sent 2 weeks ago. Another federal agency (USPS) drops the ball?

[mag2929 68]

Thanks Trenz,

Obviously, the Consulate cannot stick to a timeline, and in that case they shouldn't even provide one. They should simply say "welcome back to the black hole...don't call us, we'll call you."

Of course they probably consider everything they are doing to be under the cloak of US "national security," so that means top secret. I suppose every now and then they have a true security threat, so they have to treat the rest of us with lowest-common-denominator status.

We have tried and tried to guess why our file got pulled for delays. And we are beyond baffled. Even our immigration lawyer is baffled. We are a same-sex couple, and our marriage was completed long before it was even remotely plausible that the US would begin accepting same-sex couples for immigration (we were betting on 15-20 years...well into our retirement period, if ever). So it can't be legitimacy of the relationship. We honestly just don't know.

To add insult to injury, our congresswoman's office called this morning to tell me they never received the letter (wet signature required) we sent 2 weeks ago. Another federal agency (USPS) drops the ball?

Hey there… that's really really tough. I am finding THIS wait tough, I can't imagine yours. I am just wondering, as I am not convinced those status updates mean ANYTHING at all. Have yours been updating through all these 7 weeks? Also, did you lawyer contact the consulate and get any useful information? (I am assuming not, since you said he/she was baffled as well). I don't think it's the same sex thing - I've seen plenty of people here get approved and get the issued thing right away.

I am really hoping the congressperson will come through for you!!!!

[Trenz 52]

Just a quick update on my situation. As of today (June 3) my visa application appears to have moved from 'Ready' to 'Administrative Processing'. While this certainly has brightened my day considerably, I will not get my hopes up as I have read on here people who have been stuck in the AP phase for months on end. Here's praying that this is a sign of good things to come. Wishing everyone else in this thread good luck as well.

[mag2929 68]

Just a quick update on my situation. As of today (June 3) my visa application appears to have moved from 'Ready' to 'Administrative Processing'. While this certainly has brightened my day considerably, I will not get my hopes up as I have read on here people who have been stuck in the AP phase for months on end. Here's praying that this is a sign of good things to come. Wishing everyone else in this thread good luck as well.

Hi Trenz, my visa showed up as "issued" this morning thank goodness. I think K-1s go to AP temporarily before they get issued. I expect yours to be issued very shortly. Take good care!