IR-1/CR-1 Montreal DQ'd private message group goes public part 3

[Shumai84 157]

7 hours ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

Wow!!

 

This is exactly what I see too. The number of cases being processed per month by Montreal has NOT reduced. It was roughly 100 per month before the pandemic and remains 100 per month now. We see it only 12/13 days of DQ dates, compared to 25/30 days before the pandemic, but this is NOT because Montreal is interviewing fewer applicants. It is because the number of DQs per month has atleast doubled... Surely. they see that though, and surely, they need to manage it to avoid a potential 2 year wait between DQ and interview (which can easily happen the way things are going in the next 9 months). The only way is for Montreal to increase their capacity; increase staff, increase floor area of the waiting room.... They need to have started working on this yesterday (nay, 6 months ago)... It is clear they did not, and I only hope they are working on it now.

 

 I totally relate to this. I am 37 years old and in the same boat...hugs!

I commented in the consulate review that I posted as well, but like many mentioned, there seemed to be only two officers interviewing spousal visas (only window 1 and window 2 were used for interviews). They seemed quite understaffed indeed as the office behind the windows looked quite sparse. There were many people in the waiting area, but I thought there is extra room for some more people. Also, most people were waiting for 1-2 hours because there were just not enough windows with staff actively processing/interviewing. 

 

Based on this observation, I thought the main constraint must be really the number of officers who are trained and authorized to interview for the spousal category. There were like 12 windows, and only 3 or 4 windows were actively used.... I could also see Consular Chief Jean Akers (the lady who appeared in the facebook videos) in the private office from the waiting room.

[ME_RHEDZ77 269]

@Hawk Riders in the spreadsheet, I found @MJ & FEK in line item 31 & 37. I'm not sure who added their other name, but I think it is better to remove the other. Also other VJers who are not yet DQ'd were added on the 2021 DQ'd sheet, not sure if they requested access to add themselves on the sheet. When we're not yet DQ'd I requested to be added on the spreadsheet but it didn't happen. So I thought only when people got DQ'd is when they are allowed to be added

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

19 hours ago, DGF said:

Congratulations! Would you be willing to explain the process and how one goes about switching consulates? It's something that is discussed fairly regularly in this thread (and something I considered doing myself) but it happens so infrequently that a recent experience doing so would be super helpful!

While we wait for @exp to respond with actual lived experience, my understanding is one should first call NVC and ask if one is eligible to transfer to a particular country and then follow their direction, which will likely be to send them an email about it.

 

I have a question - how does your DQ get affected with the transfer. Is it maintained as the original DQ, or moved to the transfer date. Basically, do you go to the back of the line at the new consulate or does your DQ date stay the same (which means that if that consulate has already interviewed people with that DQ date, you would be right at teh front of the line and will get the next available slot).

 

I will call NVC on Monday/ Tuesday and find out. I want to look into my options (which are limited and not that promising). 

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

16 hours ago, ME_RHEDZ77 said:

@Hawk Riders in the spreadsheet, I found @MJ & FEK in line item 31 & 37. I'm not sure who added their other name, but I think it is better to remove the other. Also other VJers who are not yet DQ'd were added on the 2021 DQ'd sheet, not sure if they requested access to add themselves on the sheet. When we're not yet DQ'd I requested to be added on the spreadsheet but it didn't happen. So I thought only when people got DQ'd is when they are allowed to be added

@Hawk Riders May I request that @ME_RHEDZ77 and anyone else requesting to be on the spreadsheet be added? The more info we have on the spreadsheet the better for us.

 

Sometimes @Hawk Riders inbox gets full and they can't be reached (I experienced this myself when I was trying to get my name on the spreadsheet), so I wonder if the direction to people who want to be added should be to post on this thread instead of messaging directly? Just a thought, and up to @Hawk Riders to take the call, as the author and manager of the spreadsheet.

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

16 hours ago, Shumai84 said:

I commented in the consulate review that I posted as well, but like many mentioned, there seemed to be only two officers interviewing spousal visas (only window 1 and window 2 were used for interviews). They seemed quite understaffed indeed as the office behind the windows looked quite sparse. There were many people in the waiting area, but I thought there is extra room for some more people. Also, most people were waiting for 1-2 hours because there were just not enough windows with staff actively processing/interviewing. 

 

Based on this observation, I thought the main constraint must be really the number of officers who are trained and authorized to interview for the spousal category. There were like 12 windows, and only 3 or 4 windows were actively used.... I could also see Consular Chief Jean Akers (the lady who appeared in the facebook videos) in the private office from the waiting room.

Thank you so much for reporting back on what you saw while at the consulate. The people interviewing there are the only ones who can give us information (as limited as it may be) of what goes on within those impenetrable walls...

[ME_RHEDZ77 269]

5 minutes ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

Thank you so much for reporting back on what you saw while at the consulate. The people interviewing there are the only ones who can give us information (as limited as it may be) of what goes on within those impenetrable walls...

@Shumai84 I second to our friend @From_CAN_2_US. Knowing that Consulate only have 2 C.O. who conducts the interview because of having expertise with Immigrant Visa, it's really hard to understand how consulate is doing their best to meet the DOS' objective to lessen the backlog. I was just thinking the reason why they don't perform interviews multiple applicants simultaneously is may be because each windows (were applicants seats in front of CO) were open like in a bank and it is also their concern is everyone's health so that's why they maintain proper distance. I hope this pandemic will totally end or booster vaccines will be strong enough against with any variant so that Consulate will take more actions in meeting their objective in serving people. 

 

[ME_RHEDZ77 269]

30 minutes ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

@Hawk Riders May I request that @ME_RHEDZ77 and anyone else requesting to be on the spreadsheet be added? The more info we have on the spreadsheet the better for us.

 

Sometimes @Hawk Riders inbox gets full and they can't be reached (I experienced this myself when I was trying to get my name on the spreadsheet), so I wonder if the direction to people who want to be added should be to post on this thread instead of messaging directly? Just a thought, and up to @Hawk Riders to take the call, as the author and manager of the spreadsheet.

 

Thank you friend @From_CAN_2_US for the request and thank you @Hawk Riders adding me on your spreadsheet.

[irisheyes123 66]

1 hour ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

While we wait for @exp to respond with actual lived experience, my understanding is one should first call NVC and ask if one is eligible to transfer to a particular country and then follow their direction, which will likely be to send them an email about it.

 

I have a question - how does your DQ get affected with the transfer. Is it maintained as the original DQ, or moved to the transfer date. Basically, do you go to the back of the line at the new consulate or does your DQ date stay the same (which means that if that consulate has already interviewed people with that DQ date, you would be right at teh front of the line and will get the next available slot).

 

I will call NVC on Monday/ Tuesday and find out. I want to look into my options (which are limited and not that promising). 

I've been transferred between Dublin and Montreal a few times now (both consulates are a mess) and the NVC said that your DQ is your DQ no matter how many times you get transferred. So, no, you don't get pushed back to the end of the line. HOWEVER, saying that, I'm one of those unfortunate October 20th 2020 DQ's - so I won't know for sure if this is true until next month. That's what they told me when I called.

 

I hope this helps! 

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

1 hour ago, irisheyes123 said:

I've been transferred between Dublin and Montreal a few times now (both consulates are a mess) and the NVC said that your DQ is your DQ no matter how many times you get transferred. So, no, you don't get pushed back to the end of the line. HOWEVER, saying that, I'm one of those unfortunate October 20th 2020 DQ's - so I won't know for sure if this is true until next month. That's what they told me when I called.

 

I hope this helps! 

This is as I suspected and it makes sense.

 

Thanks for confirming...

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[MA1793 28]

Need some help with the interview registration. It is asking me to choose a pick up location but I can't pick it up in Vancouver, I need to it to go to my home address. Help!

[MA1793 28]

16 minutes ago, MA1793 said:

Need some help with the interview registration. It is asking me to choose a pick up location but I can't pick it up in Vancouver, I need to it to go to my home address. Help!

Nevermind...I think I got it but it was confusing at first.

[exp 17]

On 8/12/2021 at 12:53 PM, MJ & FEK said:

This is helpful. We have the option of switching to Morocco which never in our right mind did we consider being faster, but maybe we will look into it lol.

I never thought I'd be so bad in Canada, yeah.

There are USCIS statistics for each consulate though. Check it out first and look up Morocco to make sure.

 

 

 

 

[exp 17]

On 8/12/2021 at 12:55 PM, MJ & FEK said:

Did you have to go live there though for the time-being?

What do you mean with this?

Of course, the interview will be there.

 

I think officially you are supposed to go to the embassy where you live.

They ask you for address and phone number but if you are citizen/have ties to that country that shouldn't be  a big deal.

I just booked my flight as soon as I got the interview date.

 

 

 

 

 

[exp 17]

On 8/12/2021 at 2:52 PM, DGF said:

Congratulations! Would you be willing to explain the process and how one goes about switching consulates? It's something that is discussed fairly regularly in this thread (and something I considered doing myself) but it happens so infrequently that a recent experience doing so would be super helpful!

Thanks.

 

It was very easy.

Just send a message through AskNVC and told them I request to change the interview location.

To avoid any hassles, I said "[...] transfer to my home country" and added my family's phone number and address.

They literally changed it within two days.

Twelve days later I had my interview letter.

 

 

 

 

 

[exp 17]

13 hours ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

While we wait for @exp to respond with actual lived experience, my understanding is one should first call NVC and ask if one is eligible to transfer to a particular country and then follow their direction, which will likely be to send them an email about it.

Just use AskNVC. For me, they always responded within 1-2 days.

 

of course, officially you are only "eligible" if you live in that country.

Can't be an arbitrary one, hence I wrote "not everyone has the luxury".

 

However, if you are a citizen of a different country than Canada, that should not be an issue.

 

I personally wouldn't give them the chance to even ask. You are moving back to your home country and hence you want to change the consulate.

 

 

13 hours ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

 

I have a question - how does your DQ get affected with the transfer. Is it maintained as the original DQ, or moved to the transfer date. Basically, do you go to the back of the line at the new consulate or does your DQ date stay the same (which means that if that consulate has already interviewed people with that DQ date, you would be right at teh front of the line and will get the next available slot).

 

Nothing changes for the DQ date.

What happens with the actual scheduling is probably dependend on the consulate and nobody will know.

 

As I wrote, my interview was scheduled merely 10 days after I requested my consulate change. That's all I can say.

 

13 hours ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

 

I will call NVC on Monday/ Tuesday and find out. I want to look into my options (which are limited and not that promising). 

I would not.

Google the USCIS statistics. That gives you a nice clue.

 

When you are ready change the address.

 

If you "ask" them, I don't think that will end up well.

 

Good luck.