Possible Policy Change in Montreal

[mozplay 29]

This is very freaking frustrating. I think I may just hijack Jersey's diary thread so that I can vent there. Then I may get thrown in jail for hijacking and THEN I'll have to start all over to get my fingerprinting done for the police check because NOW I will have been arrested!!!! AARRRGGGHHHHH

[Jersey Girl 2]

Lola, sorry to misinterpret your sitution. Everybody's signature is getting so long that nobody wants to spend hours reading them! Does this mean you have to interview (again) in Montreal, have them mail your visa to a Canadian address, and then enter officially (again) only on a CR-1?

Mo: pul-eeze, hijack, vent, and provide comic relief, because we all need to blow off the steam right about now!

[misa 2]

Am I the only one thinking that sending a US visa document via courier to a foreign address is counter productive to good security? I mean..in my way of thinking, it would seem to make more security sense to actually hand the visa to the individual standing in front of you, this way, there is the opportunity to verify a beneficiaries identity in person. Doesn't that make more sense? Or am I missing something here?

But that would just make too much sense right? Nothing about this process is common sense, certainly not the way K3s are handled.

Don't Vancouver people get their K1s or K3s in hand the same day? I know Montreal is the only one that does IR1/CR1 though.

Edited December 19, 2006 by misa

[Cassie 8]

Am I the only one thinking that sending a US visa document via courier to a foreign address is counter productive to good security? I mean..in my way of thinking, it would seem to make more security sense to actually hand the visa to the individual standing in front of you, this way, there is the opportunity to verify a beneficiaries identity in person. Doesn't that make more sense? Or am I missing something here?

being the devil's advocate here..... the identity of the person applying for the visa is confirmed at the interview, and you are surrendering your passport at the same time. And really, this visa is only a sticker in your Canadian visa being delivered to a Canadian address (typically) by Priority Canada Post service, so it's similar to the security risk in waiting for your passport to arrive in the mail when you first apply for it.

It does suck having to wait a bit more, but maybe others are right in that they are trying to standardize things a bit more across the board. Who knows. Regardless, best wishes for sucessful interviews for you all!

[misa 2]

On a bright note, does that mean they can schedule more interviews in the day? If so, that would be sweet!

[CutienPurg 0]

On a bright note, does that mean they can schedule more interviews in the day? If so, that would be sweet!

Misa, I was thinking the exact same thing.

What if this frees up their afternoons for more interviews. I know it sucks for those who already have an appointment and now have to change their plans but for those of us still waiting maybe its a glimmer of hope.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I posted back in 2005 sstating that Mtl was going to the next day visa issue. I found that out info from a very reliable source that worked at the US State Dept. It was suppose to start in Jan 2006, but it took a few months to implement. Maybe this wil lbe the case here as well. Cheers

[Ecalos 0]

I believe Vancouver is still issuing same day.

But they have less than half the case load of Montreal. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

If I am I may have to reschedule the moving truck

[Amanda-Lise 0]

This could explain my unusual time for the interview. 2:30 had been previously unseen, if I was given a date and time by email, confirmed it by phone, and its NOT legit, I'm gonna be cranky. However, mtl seems to be in the middle of changing a lot of things as evidenced by recent consular reviews.

Edited to add:

The added waiting sucks, trusting in a postal system where carrier pidgeon sometimes seems like it would be more accurate sucks, but considering montreal's backlog, the time to actually get an interview, considering their case load in comparison to Vancouver's, perhaps its an attempt to clear that backlog and get things running more smoothly? If so, that would be good news for people in the months to come who are awaiting interview, its just blows to be caught mid policy change.

Edited December 19, 2006 by Amanda-Lise

[Jersey Girl 2]

Okay, Amanda, now your 2:30 interview makes sense. They could be implementing a new system to clear the backlog, and that means giving interviews in the afternoon instead of stamped visas. But as usual, people who petitioned in 2006 are being caught in yet another bureaucratic mess. Our custom T-shirt will now read:

I survived

- IMBRA and two RFEs

- Being transferred from Vermont to California

- Having Package 3 get lost in the mail

- Waiting 6 months for a Montreal interview

- Waiting for the visa to arrive by Express Post

- And losing all my hair!

[Jersey Girl 2]

I mentioned it in the Embassy forum, in case others could shed light.

change?

[KiminON 0]

damn. seems like someone found out that the next day pickup was convienient and gawd forbid they make anything convienient!

fwiw, i brought my express mail envelope with me and had it for delivery to my work address (they had me address the envelope) as i figured it would be there the monday (i'd taken the friday off). it was at my office at 1030am that friday - there earlier than if i'd been able to pick it up that day in MTL.

k

[Lola_ 0]

Lola, sorry to misinterpret your sitution. Everybody's signature is getting so long that nobody wants to spend hours reading them! Does this mean you have to interview (again) in Montreal, have them mail your visa to a Canadian address, and then enter officially (again) only on a CR-1?

Mo: pul-eeze, hijack, vent, and provide comic relief, because we all need to blow off the steam right about now!

I do have to interview again...and then they cancel my K3 visa, so I cannot use it to enter, so I have to go back to my parents' house in Toronto and wait for the mail to arrive and lose a lot of money because of missing work Again, if they gave ANY sort of notice, I/we could have prepared for it better!

[QC2CO 1]

This is all weird. I received on Saturday my packet 4 for my CR-1 interview, and it says next day pick up or Xpresspost is available.

If this is not correct, I'm kind of screwed, since I live in the US now (under K3) and I don't have an address in Canada. Since they stamp the visa in the passport, I wouldn't be able to fly back without my passport, since I think the new rule is coming in effect sometime in January that passports are now required for Canadians and Americans to cross the border.

I will have to call them to make sure.

[MissStacey 1]

This is unbelievable. So when it comes time for my Interview in Montreal, I will have to fly back to Edmonton after and wait for my passport to get mailed? I was counting on being able to just fly from Montreal back to the US.

A new day, a new setback.

I have family in Montreal. I wonder if I can have it sent there or if it has to be the address in Alberta.

Edited December 19, 2006 by Stacey33