IR-1/CR-1 Montreal DQ'd private message group goes public

[BunyanP 89]

So from what I’ve been reading, most people were only asked for their sponsor’s w2 and 1040. However some had to provide a paystub? Does anyone know how recent or old the paystub can be just in case. My mother in law is our sponsor , but I might do an mew 864 with my wife’s income since she’s been working since July just to be safe. Any thoughts? DQ was June 1st. 

[SASAS 122]

3 hours ago, jjiplaya said:

So just to be sure (not familiar with Montreal)  the Consulate is at 1134 Rue St. Catherine West, next to the Royal bank, conveniently with no signage on it, right?

The bank and the consulate share the same entrance. The consulate is on the left, right after passing the first set of doors. The second set of doors takes you into the bank. There was a sign taped by the consulate on the first set of doors when I was there last week. 

[ONtoHOU 228]

4 hours ago, jjiplaya said:

So just to be sure (not familiar with Montreal)  the Consulate is at 1134 Rue St. Catherine West, next to the Royal bank, conveniently with no signage on it, right?

Yes - that is the one! I didn't notice the nutcrackers as others pointed out but the #1134 is clearly visible and on the exterior glass door there was an 8.5 x 11 size paper with the US seal and some instructions (black and white). 

[ONtoHOU 228]

4 hours ago, han21 said:

Hi,

 

I am completely new to this group. I am DQ'd in Feb 5th, 2020. My interview is schedule this December 11th and I am gathering all my documents to get ready.

My only concern is that my husband filed tax return extension for 2019.

We were married in 2018 and he filed tax return in 2018 separately. However, we decided to file jointly in 2019 and the pandemic hit. I did not have ITIN at that time. Without passport or certified copy of passport it seemed impossible to get ITIN. My husband spoke to his accountant and did rough calculation saying we did not owe any money to the government. We decided to wait until I moved to US to file the tax as I have been waiting for an interview for a long time.

 

I do have my husband's W2 for 2019, pay stubs and the extension request letter. I am very nervous if I need to delay my interview just for this tax report. I am getting more mixed messages when I do research. Anyone had the experience? Where should I call for more information? Thank you! 

 

I have almost the exact same situation as you, we applied for my ITIN and our 2019 return hasn't been proceeded. I had my interview and was approved today. 

 

I brought and expected to provide:

an updated I-864 (because it's been over a year since I submitted it and my husband got a new job in that period). 
A copy of his FULL 2019 Tax Return
A copy of all his relevant income slips (1099 series, W2 etc. - he didn't have W2s in 2019 because he was working in Canada so I did have his T4 in case)

Jut in case I had:
6-months of his most recent tax stubs
a employment verification letter with his salary listed 

When I was called up to give documents, I provided the full 2019 Tax Return (50+ pages) but they only kept the 1040.  I asked if they wanted income slips and they said no (but I think this was largely because the first one they saw was a T4 - if he had a W2 I think they would have taken it). When I was called up to the interview I watched the woman look at the new I-864 and check the box for "meets income requirements", sign and date the form. 

I should add, my sponsor makes well over the income requirements and all previously submitted documents (tax transcripts 2016-2018) reflected that, so I suspect we faced less scrutiny that someone who is closer to the cut-off would face. 

I can't speak to the decision to change sponsor, that's a personal decision and takes some work to get the necessary supporting documents for your new sponsor. It could also require more explaining during your interview. 
 

[Specter 35]

Hi Folks,

 

We are documentarily qualified already. However, my wife who stays in the US is moving to a new address. Can someone tell me about how much time will it take and whether it will affect my timeline of the interview?

 

Thanks!!

[ameena1423 49]

Hi everyone! Congratulations to everyone who’s been approved and good luck to all those with interviews coming up!

 

My interview is coming up and I’m preparing for it. Everyone who has posted their experience at their interview has been so helpful in giving us an idea of what to expect!

 

My question to those who have been interviewed already, when you were asked how long you’ve stayed in the US and/or if you’ve ever overstayed in the US, were they referring to the amount of time you’ve stayed in the US in a single trip or in a year (calendar or rolling)?

 

[Akaur 95]

58 minutes ago, ameena1423 said:

Hi everyone! Congratulations to everyone who’s been approved and good luck to all those with interviews coming up!

 

My interview is coming up and I’m preparing for it. Everyone who has posted their experience at their interview has been so helpful in giving us an idea of what to expect!

 

My question to those who have been interviewed already, when you were asked how long you’ve stayed in the US and/or if you’ve ever overstayed in the US, were they referring to the amount of time you’ve stayed in the US in a single trip or in a year (calendar or rolling)?

 

The longest you stayed in one visit

[Hawk Riders 814]

7 hours ago, han21 said:

I am completely new to this group. I am DQ'd in Feb 5th, 2020. My interview is schedule this December 11th and I am gathering all my documents to get ready.

Please complete your timeline! https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=373830

[Stylereveal 38]

17 hours ago, wordsfromdani said:

Consulate Process - Montreal IR1 

 

My appointment was scheduled for 8:45am. I arrived at 8:41am and was let in by the security guard. He asked me a series of Covid related questions and then asked me to wait until the person ahead of me was through security before moving through security. It was standard airport security, I didn’t use the lockers. I was directed to take the elevator to the 1st floor. Once I arrived I went immediately to window 5 to provide my passport and then told to sit and wait until my name was called. 

 

There was 12 people in chairs when I first got there. At one point there were 18 of us and no longer any open seats (socially distancing considerations in mind). I think a lot of people had to wait well beyond their interview time to be let in by security downstairs because of that.  It also seemed like most people spent considerably more time being interview. The woman who arrived just ahead of me must have been at the window for 20 minutes when it was her turn to interview. They seemed to be really, really behind schedule. I think at least 7 of 12 windows were operational as people were called to windows 1-7. 

 

I had a lot of time to wait because I wasn’t called up to provide my documents until 9:45. I was called to window 6, asked to provide my original birth certificate (I provided the Ontario long form), original marriage certificate (I provided Ontario short form) and police certificates. My police certificate was new (August 2020), it said Privacy Act Other. I also had a foreign police certificate and translation.  Next they asked if any of our financial information had changed. My husband got a new job, so I provided a new I-864. He asked for the 2019 Tax Return to accompany it. I had the full return with all schedules (over 50 pages) but he only wanted the 1040. He did not want any income slips (1099 series and W2s).  Any documents that were new the officer put a sticky note that said *scan* on them. I was then asked for one photo (2inch x 2inch) he scanned it and then gave it back to me. Next was finger printing on the electronic reader. I was then told to have a seat and wait to be called up. This all took about 10 minutes. 5 minutes later I was called up to the same window again, and he explained he forgot to give me the domestic violence pamphlet. I sat back down and read it. 

 

I then waited until 1030am to be called to my interview window. It was window #2 and the woman was extremely nice. I used the hook to the left on the window to hang my coat.  She asked if I was from Texas because of the necklace I was wearing. I explained that my husband was. She then asked me to swear my oath and took one set of finger prints as my oath. I was asked:

• when did you met your husband? 
• Did you start dating right away?
• When did you start dating? 
• What year did you get married? 
• When was the last time you were able to see him? (She was surprised he could come to Canada - I noted the changes to rules to allow it) 
• What does your husband do for work? 
• Have you ever committed a crime anywhere? 
• Have you ever stayed in the US longer than you were allowed? 
• Conversationally she asked about my foreign police certificate and why I had it (I lived there 8 months - previous NVC guidance indicated you’d need it). She thanked me for providing it. 
• Did I have a nexus card? ( I didn’t have to provide it she simply said “thought so” after I answered Yes so I assume they had some extra info about me because of that) 

 

At some point she returned my original birth certificate and marriage certificate - don’t remember when. 

 

She then told me I was her easy case of the day and she would be able to approve my visa, and I exhaled and said that I’d be very happy to be that for her. She laughed.  I got my white Welcome to the US letter and a document outlining how to check the status of my visa.  She said to expect 2-3 weeks for delivery.  She asked if I had any questions and then I went on my way. It took all of 5 minutes with her, I think she had already told me I was approved by minute 3.   I was outside the consulate by 1038. 

 

So thankful for that step to be over.  I’ll let you all know when I receive my passport. Thanks to everyone for the support during this long wait -  DQ Jan 2020, PD Nov 2018. 

 

 

Congrats!!

For the tax return is it ok to have copies or do they want the originals? and only 2019 not 2018?
 

[ONtoHOU 228]

1 hour ago, Stylereveal said:

For the tax return is it ok to have copies or do they want the originals? and only 2019 not 2018?

I only had copies.  I also had tax transcripts for 2016-2018 because we had submitted that at the NVC stage over a year ago, but I didn't expect to need them since they had already been submitted. 

[HImissy 24]

hi everyone,

I just had question so in 2019, when I was going to visit my husband in US, I was once denied entry as they told me that I kept visiting way too much and that if I don't wanna mess my immigration I should go and come back once all my immigration is completed.  after that in the year 2020 they let me go only for a limited stay (like gave me an entry for 1 month) and had to be back before then which I did. 

do you think this will mess my immigration interview. I am DQed April 10th, 2020 and waiting for an interview.

[legendqueue 163]

5 minutes ago, HImissy said:

hi everyone,

I just had question so in 2019, when I was going to visit my husband in US, I was once denied entry as they told me that I kept visiting way too much and that if I don't wanna mess my immigration I should go and come back once all my immigration is completed.  after that in the year 2020 they let me go only for a limited stay (like gave me an entry for 1 month) and had to be back before then which I did. 

do you think this will mess my immigration interview. I am DQed April 10th, 2020 and waiting for an interview.

 

Assuming you never overstayed your visitor visa (6 months) and you never violated any other immigration laws/rules, it shouldn't affect anything.  You crossed legally, you complied with everything they asked, etc.  You did exactly what you were supposed to do.  From interview questions here, it sounds like they're concerned about people who overstay, meaning they've been in the US long than 6 months on a 6 month visitor visa (or longer than whatever other kind of visa they got).

[HImissy 24]

thank you, nope I never overstayed. thank you for helping out. waiting for an interview letter now. 

[Specter 35]

17 hours ago, Specter said:

Hi Folks,

 

We are documentarily qualified already. However, my wife who stays in the US is moving to a new address. Can someone tell me about how much time will it take and whether it will affect my timeline of the interview?

 

Thanks!!

Hello, Could someone help me with this query please? Thanks!

[ONtoHOU 228]

38 minutes ago, Specter said:

Hello, Could someone help me with this query please? Thanks!

Hi - this won't impact your timeline at all.

 

If your wife is at her new address BEFORE your case leaves NVC for Montreal (i.e. before you get an interview date) simply fill out an inquiry form with NVC and provide the new address: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/ask-nvc.html You should get a-mail confirmation that you changed the address within a 2-3 weeks of sending that information.

If your wife is at her new address AFTER your case leaves NVC for Montreal. Bring proof of the new address (rental agreement/mortgage agreement with her name and address, utility bills with her name etc.) and be prepared to provide it during the interview.  You may also want to have an updated I-864 affidavit of support that reflects her new address, you might not need it but better safe than sorry.