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

[TripleCity 20]

Hi when registering interview, and selecting for courier service can we choose to enter a US address. Or do I have to receive it at a Canadian address or pick up location. I thought the premium service area would allow me, but it already has a caution to not us an address outside the US. If any one is up :). Worse case scenario I log out and try again tomorrow after polling you all and Google searching. 

[TripleCity 20]

1 hour ago, TripleCity said:

Hi when registering interview, and selecting for courier service can we choose to enter a US address. Or do I have to receive it at a Canadian address or pick up location. I thought the premium service area would allow me, but it already has a caution to not us an address outside the US. If any one is up :). Worse case scenario I log out and try again tomorrow after polling you all and Google searching. 

Ignore this. It’s late. I’ve answered my own question, read over MTL’s interview info page. I was totally losing sight of the first step, the fact that the consulate mails us our passport back in Canada  with the visa details (temporary green card inside passport so to speak) after the interview (after all can’t travel without passports internationally) and then later sends the physical green card to the US address on file, I read this latter part about mailing to US address today but that only pertains to the physical green card. I think I should have drawn myself a diagram 6 months ago. 
 

Zzz 😴 

[YYZ&MIA 117]

13 hours ago, State and Maine said:

Interview question: Has anyone been asked for recent pictures during the interview? My lawyer said to bring recent pictures to the interview but I haven’t seen my wife since last year! I do have copies of our joint bank statements, beneficiariey documents, US health care as proof of domicile. Just stumped as to why bring pictures if they aren’t recent… FaceTime screen shots? lol 

My lawyer said the same because its on the list although I dont know anyone who has been asked. Just bring some new pictures but not the ones you submitted with the I130 and a screen shot of call logs. They just want to see proof of an ongoing relationship and I am sure that they understand that in the context of covid most couples havent been able to see each other in months. I dont think they will give us a hard time with that, but better to be safe  

[mam521 2,062]

17 hours ago, State and Maine said:

This was separate. I made sure to get 2 new passport pics. Lawyer said to bring 20 or so recent pics together 😂

Nope.  The officers interviewing were only interested in documents,  your answers to their questions and the fact that you were present.  They assume USCIS has done their job and vetted your relationship prior to issuing your DQ notification.  

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

3 hours ago, mam521 said:

They assume USCIS has done their job and vetted your relationship prior to issuing your DQ notification.  

I would take this with a grain of salt. It might have been the case for @mam521 (and most here), but from what I have read generally here on VJ, the purpose of the interview is not just to authenticate documents, but to also screen for fraud marriages, notwithstanding USCIS's NOA2 approval. In most of our cases this is not an issue, because we don't have red flags. They don't ask many questions. But in cases where there are red flags, the COs could grill you, and proof of ongoing relationship could help you make your case.

 

To be on the safe side, I would recommend carrying some evidence. If not photos, yes, zoom call screenshots, call logs etc. Anything additional to what you submitted with the i130. Probably won't be looked at, but best to have it ready should they ask for it.

 

Again this is probably less of an issue in Montreal consulate, than say those in high fraud countries such as Nigeria, India, Pakistan, vetting of relationship still remains one of the purposes of the interview.

Edited July 15, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[T&S_MTL 113]

For people who wonder how much time it takes to get the medical exam results sent to the consulate; I had the exam in Montreal on Tuesday 1PM, received the email stating the results were sent on Thursday at noon 🎉

[ME_RHEDZ77 269]

I just called NVC to follow up the review of our submitted documents. The agent said that our case assigned date for documents review is Jun 8 while I submitted all on June 3. He said there was a CEAC system problem and more cases were also assigned to a different dates not with their actual date of they complete submitted the documents. This is totally not acceptable for us waiting to get being documentarily complete. They should fix it and assigned it with the actual date of complete submission of the documents. My assumption was correct then, that NVC somehow making delaying tactics so that they will not be flooded with backlogs of documentarily complete since there are a lot of applicants who already submitted all the documents. They are trying to slow it down to review applicant's documents or move their submittal date just like what happened to me. On Jul 5th they are reviewing documents submitted to NVC on Jun 2. Then for Jul 12, they are reviewing documents submitted on Jun 4. In a week they move only 2 days. It's like a snail movement of priority dates. My apologies for venting out my frustration. 

 

 

[Fobosdaemios 24]

On 7/6/2021 at 5:15 PM, annierob said:

In Canada? No, it’s free.

 

The tests I did in the US were also free at Walgreens.

I'm just curious how did you even book an appointment online for COVID 19 Test from Walgreens? It requires you to input driver's license. I tried to input Canadian driver's license and it would let me click submit. 

 

Has anyone else try this?

[mam521 2,062]

3 hours ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

I would take this with a grain of salt. It might have been the case for @mam521 (and most here), but from what I have read generally here on VJ, the purpose of the interview is not just to authenticate documents, but to also screen for fraud marriages, notwithstanding USCIS's NOA2 approval. In most of our cases this is not an issue, because we don't have red flags. They don't ask many questions. But in cases where there are red flags, the COs could grill you, and proof of ongoing relationship could help you make your case.

 

To be on the safe side, I would recommend carrying some evidence. If not photos, yes, zoom call screenshots, call logs etc. Anything additional to what you submitted with the i130. Probably won't be looked at, but best to have it ready should they ask for it.

 

Again this is probably less of an issue in Montreal consulate, than say those in high fraud countries such as Nigeria, India, Pakistan, vetting of relationship still remains one of the purposes of the interview.

The checklist is here: https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/family-immigration/appointment-checklist/

 

If people aren't on VJ and follow the instructions as written by the Consulate, they won't have photos.  Follow the guidelines and you will be fine.  

[annierob 194]

22 minutes ago, Fobosdaemios said:

I'm just curious how did you even book an appointment online for COVID 19 Test from Walgreens? It requires you to input driver's license. I tried to input Canadian driver's license and it would let me click submit. 

 

Has anyone else try this?

You know what, my husband is actually the one who scheduled it for me. So I just asked him because of your question, and he actually ended up putting our insurance. I’m insured under his plan, so he had all that info. 

 

Had I known that detail earlier on, I would have clearly stated that. Last time we did a test in Vermont, he was able to do it without insurance - and he made a point about it. I guess the rules changed now ☹️

[Twiz&Toz 240]

2 hours ago, ME_RHEDZ77 said:

I just called NVC to follow up the review of our submitted documents. The agent said that our case assigned date for documents review is Jun 8 while I submitted all on June 3. He said there was a CEAC system problem and more cases were also assigned to a different dates not with their actual date of they complete submitted the documents. This is totally not acceptable for us waiting to get being documentarily complete. They should fix it and assigned it with the actual date of complete submission of the documents. My assumption was correct then, that NVC somehow making delaying tactics so that they will not be flooded with backlogs of documentarily complete since there are a lot of applicants who already submitted all the documents. They are trying to slow it down to review applicant's documents or move their submittal date just like what happened to me. On Jul 5th they are reviewing documents submitted to NVC on Jun 2. Then for Jul 12, they are reviewing documents submitted on Jun 4. In a week they move only 2 days. It's like a snail movement of priority dates. My apologies for venting out my frustration. 

 

 

I watch a live stream about that. Yes that the way they work they will push things back to get numbers under control. They were talking about how they will change ppls priority dates as well depending on numbers. My understanding is Montreal interviews are going to be slowed down till after sept bc they need to do the cases that have a limit. We are lucky there is no limit to the amount of visas given out a year. 

[Twiz&Toz 240]

1 hour ago, Fobosdaemios said:

I'm just curious how did you even book an appointment online for COVID 19 Test from Walgreens? It requires you to input driver's license. I tried to input Canadian driver's license and it would let me click submit. 

 

Has anyone else try this?

Try to call them maybe able to set it up over the phone. 

[Family One 49]

2 hours ago, ME_RHEDZ77 said:

I just called NVC to follow up the review of our submitted documents. The agent said that our case assigned date for documents review is Jun 8 while I submitted all on June 3.

 

 

Same story. Documents submitted June 3.  They have skipped over the date, or modified it somehow, and a few days ago they were already working on June 4, so we continue to wait.

[Fobosdaemios 24]

33 minutes ago, Twiz&Toz said:

Try to call them maybe able to set it up over the phone. 

I tried but they asked me to use the online form from their website. I guess ill just have to spend 150dollars.

[Family One 49]

1 minute ago, Fobosdaemios said:

I tried but they asked me to use the online form from their website. I guess ill just have to spend 150dollars.

The Walgreens pharmacy cannot generally answer questions about covid testing.  The US has a fund for free testing of uninsured persons, but I don't know if it applies to people without a SSN.  It's worth a try when you do the test.  See if there is a box they can mark that you are uninsured so they can get reimbursed by this fund.