Refused at US Consulate in Montreal

[Idy Fdez 34]

are you sure this was from today? its the exact email I got during the famous database-glitch during June !

Hi!!

Yes, I was debating with them in the other post. It's from today at 12.00pm. they are working extremely slow and sending same automatic message.

[CandAm 14]

Hi CandAm!!

I've been thinking exactly the same since this morning!! and I'm screaming already my friend!!

I was reading other posts, there's one under Waiting for our passport from Montreal and go to the last pages (It's a very long post, more than 90 pages) there's more cases under the same situation, I'm copying this from one of those cases that wrote to the consulate and this was the answer today:

Good morning,

Thank you for your email![/size]

Please note that your file is with the consular officer for review. We are experiencing a huge backlog due to worldwide technical problems with visa issuance in the past couple of weeks. Please note that consular officers are working to adjudicate cases in the order they were received. We will gladly notify you should further information be required on your behalf.[/size]

We apologize for the inconvenience![/size]

Waiting for our passports from Montreal

Hey Idy Fdez yes I saw that . It's just nonsense. It must be the rain here in South Florida today but my patience is at an all time low today.. I now have a headache .Can't believe the school year starts in a month and my son has had to spend another summer without his dad. Who knew this process would be like this?? Had I been on VJ at the start we would have made different plans or maybe we would have been more mentally prepared.,

Edited July 24, 2015 by CandAm

[Idy Fdez 34]

Waiting for our passports from Montreal

Hey Idy Fdez yes I saw that . It's just nonsense. It must be the rain here in South Florida today but my patience is at an all time low today.. I now have a headache .Can't believe the school year starts in a month and my son has had to spend another summer without his dad. Who knew this process would be like this?? Had I been on VJ at the start we would have made different plans or maybe we would have been more mentally prepared.,

You are absolutely right, we have learned the hard way about this process. I think you should write them anyways, even though we know the answer it's going to be automatic you have been waiting for almost 60 days.

I know is hard, but try to have a good and relaxing weekend, I'll be praying for all of us!!

[CandAm 14]

You are absolutely right, we have learned the hard way about this process. I think you should write them anyways, even though we know the answer it's going to be automatic you have been waiting for almost 60 days.

I know is hard, but try to have a good and relaxing weekend, I'll be praying for all of us!!

[/quote

You too. This was a paragraph from the letter to my Congressman... I shall definitely be including this in my Inquiry on Monday:

"Visa Unit of the U.S.Consulate General in Montreal commits to review cases within eight weeks from the date they receive the requested documents".....

[New User 1000 4]

Another week of disappointment. There is absolutely zero change in my status. This is just sooo disappointing, aggravating and frustrating. I want to scream and say sooo many things to the consulate. I wish one of them took the journey through at least one of our life to understand what we are going through. This is completely unnecessary and considering we are from Canada, it shouldn't be this stringent or late! Other countries are getting their visas much faster when they are missing the documents. I was told by the officer at the consulate after my interview who said once I give in my documents, I will get my visa. Honestly I have seen people get visa whose interviews who has been as early as this month. Next week will be my 8th week and I plan to involve Senator for the first time with a strong message. I WANT ANSWERS!!! I am sick of this standard response, no change in status and being completely clueless. I finally have had enough and I am going to escalate it from every corner that I can next week to ensure I get some answers.

This is not how people should be treated AT ALL. I think we treat dogs better than Consulate in Montreal has treated us. This is not about security of the country but more like laziness and power hunger.

I have exploded!!!

Edited July 24, 2015 by New User 1000

[Andy&Vanda 8]

Our heart goes out to you new user 1000!

We are still stuck as well and are going on day 12 living in a hotel with an 11 year old and a cat. It's getting old and just want answers.

We had better luck with our Congresswoman but certainly contact both. They will send you a privacy release form to sign, scan and return.

Request a congressional investigation opened on your behalf. Give them examples of both humanitarian and financial hardship. I opened up completely how utterly desperate our situation was and getting and growing worse. We've lost the deposit for our wedding, and sent all our guests to Florida for nothing. Now our son's education is in jeopardy.

I posted earlier the standard reply that both my Congresswoman and Senator received from the consulate stating "extensive administrative processing". To which I replied their comment was completely unfounded as my job offer letter was all the consulate required so nothing "extensive" about it. Both went back to the Consulate with my concerns.

It's so emotional, but try to remain factual so they can present your case to the Consulate. Give them a compelling argument to get the Consulate to expedite your case.

Keep us posted and try to have good weekend. Wine helps ;-)

[New User 1000 4]

Thank you Andy&Vanda. Have they not given you a waybill number to track your passport? I cannot believe this people. I hope it doesn't drag than anymore it already has for you guys.

Wine it is, cheers!

[CandAm 14]

Another week of disappointment. There is absolutely zero change in my status. This is just sooo disappointing, aggravating and frustrating. I want to scream and say sooo many things to the consulate. I wish one of them took the journey through at least one of our life to understand what we are going through. This is completely unnecessary and considering we are from Canada, it shouldn't be this stringent or late! Other countries are getting their visas much faster when they are missing the documents. I was told by the officer at the consulate after my interview who said once I give in my documents, I will get my visa. Honestly I have seen people get visa whose interviews who has been as early as this month. Next week will be my 8th week and I plan to involve Senator for the first time with a strong message. I WANT ANSWERS!!! I am sick of this standard response, no change in status and being completely clueless. I finally have had enough and I am going to escalate it from every corner that I can next week to ensure I get some answers.

This is not how people should be treated AT ALL. I think we treat dogs better than Consulate in Montreal has treated us. This is not about security of the country but more like laziness and power hunger.

I have exploded!!!

New User 1000 I am exploding right there with you. My "halo' is completely is completely smashed!! I just got off the phone with my hubby. He is so frustrated and his accommodation is right up there with what you and others are experiencing.. No other way to say this but MTL is not a truthful consulate and they use written intimidation to keep us muzzled . I am writing EVERYONE again on Monday. and I will be quoting this line which is a anything but the truth yet they boldly write this in communication to our Congressmen

"The Visa Unit of the U.S.Consulate General in Montreal commits to review cases within eight weeks from the date they receive the requested documents"... What a lie!!! If that were true we should have at least an ISSUED status. It is week 8 and Monday will be 60 days!!! UGH so over this. It's almost as if they are more punitive if you are a Canadian citizen wanting to migrate to the US. They don't care that the fabric of your family is being ripped apart. We have a special needs son that has not seen his dad in over 16 months.. I wish they could walk a mile in our shoe. I couldn't believe it when today came and went without any change. It cost us a fortune to get everything they asked for . Like you they told my hubby at interview that within 24-48 hrs of receiving his documents he would have his visa.He truly believed them. I had serous doubts because of stuff I had seen on VJ but NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think July would be entering it's last week and he would still be in Canada. I am so mad!! What gets me is that there seem to be NO ONE at that consulate that you can talk to to escalate anything to that would help expedite the process. They seem to have no rhyme or reason in how they are issuing right now. How can they justify not giving people who interviewed in MAY an update on their status??? This system is broken!!! .

[Idy Fdez 34]

Hi guys!!

My feelings and my heart are with you, we are all in similar situations. Do you think it's a good idea to send an email to the Main embassy in Ottawa and file a complaint? i found this emails address, I'm not sure which one to use or cc all of them. I already wrote a comment on the Facebook page of the consulate.

E-mail (Consular Section): OttawaNIV@state.gov
E-mail (American Citizen Services): ottawaACS@state.gov
E-mail (Information Resource Center): ottawareference@state.gov

[stellabasset 0]

Thanks for this Idy!

my partner will write the emails tmrw as she is the american amongst us...will also try to call on Monday.

dont know if it can help, but it most def cant harm as its not an email to the MTL consulate !

[New User 1000 4]

Ottawa is the head consulate. That is definitely one additional way beside senator, white house and the department of state how this consulate is treating the family of USC. How false statements are being made and not available on the phone is simply just not acceptable anymore. I am tired of seeing "montreal is usually slow". This is not slow, this is just laziness and hiding behind backlog. Most of the embassies around the world has caught up to their backlog yet this consulate is using that as an excuse. Tax money is not put into the budget so we can ONLY one consulate in the entire country process immigrant visas while non immigrant visas are process at most embassies. This needs to change.

If you see the Montreal Consulate Facebook page, they have the freaking time to post everyday about stupid puzzles that NO ONE gives a about. How about hire an extra officer that can help with the visa backlog instead of useless socializing on Facebook page. I thought the threats they gave to Andy was even more ridiculous for inquiring a status. So it can delay if you ask what the heck is going on with my family's application but it doesn't cost them delay to post stupid useless stuff on Facebook??? That's outrageous.

As you can tell I am super frustrated and it is the only thing I can feel now. I say that everyone crowds these places to make changes at this consulate whether still stuck in a process or have been in such situation before so it improves. We are not a third world country - the process, delays, lack of gov't official response in Canada by this Consulate is worse than Consulates in India.

[davealton 0]

Just a warning to everyone, our lawyer said after the 60 day mark, you can email MTL and after that you can only email them every 30 days.

We're at 2.5 months in AP for anyone who is counting

[stellabasset 0]

We just found an option to contact the USICS Ombudsman - Case Assistance to resolve problems with pending cases.will consult our lawyer on monday and see how to proceed...

info here--

http://www.dhs.gov/case-assistance

&

BIG ARRRRRRGGGGGG !!!!!!

[CandAm 14]

That is just the biggest "We have the power bullying tactic I have ever seen". Today one of my hubby 'so friends warned me against contacting MTV. Told me that the perception is that it will make his file go right to the bottom of the pike because they resent our "audacity' to inquiry on our loved ones behalf. Unreal but they have EVERYONE including the lawyers running scared. Andy & Vandyhave you tried tracking your passport?? Loomis forgot to email one of my VJ friends the other day so go back to your Loomis account and check if you haven't already done so. I am not going to be intimidated into silence and give credence to bullying.

[Andy&Vanda 8]

Not sure what you mean about "Loomis account"?. When we first registered on https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-CA/iv We selected Markham as our Loomis location.

We've been on the Loomis website and only see tracking your package with a waybill number.. which we don't have.. Am I missing something?? We even twice brought documents to Loomis to send to Montreal but never opened a Loomis Account.. I printed off the shipping forms and that was it.

I'm also not sure I agree with the advice you received from your lawyer. I spoke a number of times with Alan Green of Green and Spiegel in Toronto. My company, IBM, referred me to them as our Corporate immigration lawyers so felt they are a reputable law firm.

They told me that we were doing all the right things to contact our congressmen and senator and to send the whatever information relevant to our case. When I asked to retain them to contact the Consulate on our behalf, they said a highfalutin lawyer would be the least helpful to our case since they prefer to deal with the applicants directly. Probably so they can bully us with impunity!

I would estimate that we sent; me, my fiance, my boss, congresswoman, and senator something almost every week. Wedding invitations, car insurance binders, pay stubs, offer letters and status inquiries.

I think what tipped the scales for us was the efforts of congresswoman Lois Frankel and the threat of my tax non compliance.