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

[Japples 31]

1 hour ago, Lovepeace0303 said:

I plan to get really loud next week if we don't hear anything from the Consulate. I have an email ready to send and social posts lined up. If anyone else has other ideas of how to get loud and our message in front of the Consulate, let me know! I'm ready to do whatever it takes to push them. They are done with rescheduling cancelled interviews, so I don't understand what the hold up is. Either way, if we don't hear from them next week, I won't be staying quiet any longer. 😀

This. Most people who went to interviews (on here) reported that it wasn't that busy there and they their interview was approved as they had all their documents etc. I can't imagine that they have a ton of cases to review that haven't been approved/issued yet either. Since they have told NVC not to send cases yet. What really is the hold up in processing? Are there a ton of mission critical cases? The only valid reason I can think of is that the officers are furloughed and only work on interview days?

Edited October 8, 2020 by Japples

[Todd@Alya 45]

7 minutes ago, Japples said:

This. Most people who went to interviews (on here) reported that it wasn't that busy there and they their interview was approved as they had all their documents etc. I can't imagine that they have a ton of cases to review that haven't been approved/issued yet either. Since they have told NVC not to send cases yet. What really is the hold up in processing? Are there a ton of mission critical cases? The only valid reason I can think of is that the officers are furloughed and only work on interview days?

I had heard in an online forum (don’t remember which one) that when the pandemic started they sent their officers back to the US to be with their families and that was the reason it was not easy for them to reopen. In the Facebook videos, the consulate also mentions staffing as an issue. I’m personally not happy with this because I think consulate services for US citizens spouses should be considered an essential service. 

[Dkw 41]

6 minutes ago, Todd@Alya said:

I had heard in an online forum (don’t remember which one) that when the pandemic started they sent their officers back to the US to be with their families and that was the reason it was not easy for them to reopen. In the Facebook videos, the consulate also mentions staffing as an issue. I’m personally not happy with this because I think consulate services for US citizens spouses should be considered an essential service. 

One of the videos/comments I saw from the consulate mentioned that the staff was reduced to 25% because they were following Quebec's government back to work COVID rules. What I don't understand is whey the TRAINED immigrant CO's couldn't be sent to other consulates to conduct interviews to address the backlog.

[Todd@Alya 45]

1 hour ago, Dkw said:

One of the videos/comments I saw from the consulate mentioned that the staff was reduced to 25% because they were following Quebec's government back to work COVID rules. What I don't understand is whey the TRAINED immigrant CO's couldn't be sent to other consulates to conduct interviews to address the backlog.

The worst part of the 25% restriction is its self imposed. I actually had an exchange on FB with the consulate when it was pointed out that the restriction only applies to private businesses. The consulate said they are following it because the Quebec government is following it and they want to be good guests in Canada. I pointed out that most of the government can work from home, like most of us. I’m personally skeptical this is the only reason and believe they are using it to justify not having the consulate staff all return to Canada from the US.

[shammykay 63]

3 hours ago, Lovepeace0303 said:

Exactly!  I feel like the more we stay quiet, the more relaxed they get. Keep them on their toes!!!

Down to get active.  I just celebrated my 12 year wedding anniversary and have been separated for two years by this process.

[Hawk Riders 814]

1 hour ago, shammykay said:

...have been separated for two years by this process.

Sorry to hear this... has something prevented visits to each other?

[RowRow 63]

1 hour ago, Todd@Alya said:

The worst part of the 25% restriction is its self imposed. I actually had an exchange on FB with the consulate when it was pointed out that the restriction only applies to private businesses. The consulate said they are following it because the Quebec government is following it and they want to be good guests in Canada. I pointed out that most of the government can work from home, like most of us. I’m personally skeptical this is the only reason and believe they are using it to justify not having the consulate staff all return to Canada from the US.

 

I can't speak for the State Department, but at least some branches of the US government do not allow employees to use government issued computers in foreign countries, including Canada. So I can only assume that working from home is not an option especially when they are dealing with sensitive information. 

[shammykay 63]

26 minutes ago, Hawk Riders said:

Sorry to hear this... has something prevented visits to each other?

We do see each other but COVID makes it very limited with the 14 day requirement. Harder on our kid. Ready to start screaming. 

[Lovepeace0303 310]

41 minutes ago, shammykay said:

We do see each other but COVID makes it very limited with the 14 day requirement. Harder on our kid. Ready to start screaming. 

I know! It’s so tough having to be apart from your family. I try to stay strong, but there are times I breakdown, especially when there is radio silence from Montreal and zero communication. Also, I’ve lost a lot of trust in this immigration process. I feel like no matter how prepared I am, who knows what will happen that may cause us more delays. I saw proof of that when they messed up our paperwork and added a 6 month delay to our journey. We’re just a bunch of numbers to them.

Edited October 9, 2020 by Lovepeace0303

[Cath&Claire 150]

15 hours ago, DGF said:

I am a citizen of both the UK and Australia and I am kicking myself SO HARD for not switching consulates when I found out that Montreal had a 5 month backlog. I figured it wasn't that bad of a wait and of course no one saw covid coming. Hindsight is 20/20 🙄

Oh no! Your case would have been resolved by now.  So frustrating to see it’s taking them 3-5 months in those countries while we don’t even know when we’ll get there.  15 months and counting for us.  🙁

[Kimchi 190]

4 minutes ago, Cath&Claire said:

Oh no! Your case would have been resolved by now.  So frustrating to see it’s taking them 3-5 months in those countries while we don’t even know when we’ll get there.  15 months and counting for us.  🙁

Unless you are a resident of that country as well you cannot interview there even if you are a citizen of that country. I inquired about that myself. Would have been done in June or July if this was possible 🙄
 

[Cath&Claire 150]

I emailed a few days ago. Received this just now:  

Good Morning,

 

Regrettably, we cannot predict when new interviews will be scheduled. Pease continue to monitor the information for updated guidance in the coming weeks at the website of the U.S. embassy and Consulates in Canada website: https://ca.usembassy.gov/ 

 

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

 

Note:   ‘..in the upcoming weeks....’

 

 

 

[DGF 730]

8 minutes ago, Cath&Claire said:

I emailed a few days ago. Received this just now:  

Good Morning,

 

Regrettably, we cannot predict when new interviews will be scheduled. Pease continue to monitor the information for updated guidance in the coming weeks at the website of the U.S. embassy and Consulates in Canada website: https://ca.usembassy.gov/ 

 

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

 

Note:   ‘..in the upcoming weeks....’

 

 

 

Same old boiler plate response they’ve been giving for ages. 

 

Also why on earth can they not predict it? THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DECIDE. Guess it’s not looking good for November interviews... Or maybe it is and they just mean they can’t predict when the NVC will notify us of our interviews once they receive the number of interviews from Montreal? Ugh I’m so sick of their complete inability to communicate effectively. 

[Akaur 95]

1 minute ago, DGF said:

Same old boiler plate response they’ve been giving for ages. 

 

Also why on earth can they not predict it? THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DECIDE. Guess it’s not looking good for November interviews... Or maybe it is and they just mean they can’t predict when the NVC will notify us of our interviews once they receive the number of interviews from Montreal? Ugh I’m so sick of their complete inability to communicate effectively. 

This makes me wanna cry 😭. I think this is just an automated generic response that automatically gets sent.

[Kimchi 190]

6 minutes ago, DGF said:

Same old boiler plate response they’ve been giving for ages. 

 

Also why on earth can they not predict it? THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DECIDE. Guess it’s not looking good for November interviews... Or maybe it is and they just mean they can’t predict when the NVC will notify us of our interviews once they receive the number of interviews from Montreal? Ugh I’m so sick of their complete inability to communicate effectively. 

Let’s not lose hope for next week yet however it’s been now over 4 weeks since the last spousal visa reschedule. Doesn’t seem like much of a priority when there’s such a huge backlog for them to take such a long break.