The dreaded DS-5535 thread for Montreal. Post here and support each other (split)

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

27 minutes ago, ice-qube said:

It's like the height of bureaucratic insanity, all of this. Perverse. Makes no sense. At least some can trace their problems to being connected with some high-risk countries like Pakistan (seems to be common in this thread and others). I would almost feel comforted if I could do that. I don't have any good explanations.

Check my latest thread/post.

Sometimes our only sin is being too awesome. 😎

[Federico 147]

8 hours ago, BatmanFlow said:

I suppose you’re right, this whole process is saddening and amusing at the same time. 
 

I mean my mom is almost 60, she was in US a week before she had to get her interview done. I mean if they allowed her in the country multiple times, and now they need to vet her extensively, it’s is quite alarming. 

I was in the US less than a month before my interview. Maybe that’s reason triggering DS.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Federico

[ohmygod 60]

9 hours ago, ice-qube said:

I guess I am quite paranoid they will be give me some hassle that I don't foresee. I didn't even see this DS-5535 garbage as a remote possibility in my case, for example--and man was that a blind spot. 

Yes, we never thought we would wait more than 4 months after the interview

[Rosinasaur 58]

2 hours ago, Federico said:

I was in the US less than a month before my interview. Maybe that’s reason triggering DS.

I was also in the states 2.5 weeks before my interview. It was our first trip to visit each other in 1.5 years due to Corona. I don't regret it in the slightest.

[Randomwalk 20]

6 minutes ago, Rosinasaur said:

I was also in the states 2.5 weeks before my interview. It was our first trip to visit each other in 1.5 years due to Corona. I don't regret it in the slightest.

Can I visit US for a week? Or a weekend? My case is still in AP after D5535. 
My mother in law is critically sick and can pass away in few days or weeks, she is 93. Both me and my husband agree that I should see her. I also want to be with my husband at this difficult time. Should I write to Montreal to let them know? Will it impact my application?

Edited February 19, 2022 by Randomwalk

[candyg 33]

15 minutes ago, Randomwalk said:

Can I visit US for a week? Or a weekend? My case is still in AP after D5535. 
My mother in law is critically sick and can pass away in few days or weeks, she is 93. Both me and my husband agree that I should see her. I also want to be with my husband at this difficult time. Should I write to Montreal to let them know? Will it impact my application?

I’m sorry that you are going through this. I can tell from experience that you can travel to the US while on AP. I recently traveled there last month to visit my husband. It really depends on the border officer and as long as you can prove ties to Canada and that you will return it should be fine. Personally, since I already had my passport with me, it was very easy to travel to the US.  You don’t need permission from the embassy/consular office. Everything is a risk but in your situation I’m sure the officer can understand the urgency to enter the US. Best of luck though. 

[Randomwalk 20]

1 hour ago, candyg said:

I’m sorry that you are going through this. I can tell from experience that you can travel to the US while on AP. I recently traveled there last month to visit my husband. It really depends on the border officer and as long as you can prove ties to Canada and that you will return it should be fine. Personally, since I already had my passport with me, it was very easy to travel to the US.  You don’t need permission from the embassy/consular office. Everything is a risk but in your situation I’m sure the officer can understand the urgency to enter the US. Best of luck though. 

Thank you for your reply. I will visit US and will tell how it went. 

[Ontarkie 14,221]

14 hours ago, ice-qube said:

I was astonished at hearing the story about the couple the other day where the wife crossed at 1000 Islands and they told her she can't immigrate unless she proved she quit her job and sold her house etc.... like seriously what the f....

Yes that is the first time ever I have seen that. I'm thinking the guy either did not understand her properly or he just doesn't understand his job. I sure the heck would not tell them I was going to head right back to finish out with whatever. I wouldn't lie but I would sure make sure they knew I knew the law and say I'll go back later since I have 10yrs to move my stuff. Something like that. 

[Ontarkie 14,221]

2 hours ago, Randomwalk said:

Can I visit US for a week? Or a weekend? My case is still in AP after D5535. 
My mother in law is critically sick and can pass away in few days or weeks, she is 93. Both me and my husband agree that I should see her. I also want to be with my husband at this difficult time. Should I write to Montreal to let them know? Will it impact my application?

More then a few had no issues visiting while in AP with the DS5535. Just make sure you bring something with ties to Canada just in case. 

Best wishes to your MIL. 

[DamAk 33]

Hi everyone,

 

I had my interview on Jan 21 and received a 221g for delayed medical results. My medical was sent on Jan 27 and since then I've had no update. I didn't get a DS-5535 but I have reached the 4-weeks mark since the interview. The delay is making me super emotional and I'm thinking of anything and everything that might be causing this. 

 

I just checked the DS260 that I filled out and noticed one of the dates under my employment history was wrong (I wrote 2020 instead of 2019). I immediately sent an email to the consulate updating them of this (I also mentioned that I am no longer working with my "current" employer). Somehow I missed this prior to the interview, and despite going over the form multiple times before submitting it to NVC. I did however write the correct dates during the USCIS stage when filling out the form i-130a so hopefully this will tell them it was an honest mistake.

 

I am also a Canadian citizen but born in India. Came to Canada with my parents when I was 8. Even though I've been in Canada, would my birth place affect the AP time, since India is considered a high fraud country? 

 

This is so disheartening and I guess I am just looking for reassurance from someone who might have an idea of what may happen in this case.

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

54 minutes ago, DamAk said:

Hi everyone,

 

I had my interview on Jan 21 and received a 221g for delayed medical results. My medical was sent on Jan 27 and since then I've had no update. I didn't get a DS-5535 but I have reached the 4-weeks mark since the interview. The delay is making me super emotional and I'm thinking of anything and everything that might be causing this. 

 

I just checked the DS260 that I filled out and noticed one of the dates under my employment history was wrong (I wrote 2020 instead of 2019). I immediately sent an email to the consulate updating them of this (I also mentioned that I am no longer working with my "current" employer). Somehow I missed this prior to the interview, and despite going over the form multiple times before submitting it to NVC. I did however write the correct dates during the USCIS stage when filling out the form i-130a so hopefully this will tell them it was an honest mistake.

 

I am also a Canadian citizen but born in India. Came to Canada with my parents when I was 8. Even though I've been in Canada, would my birth place affect the AP time, since India is considered a high fraud country? 

 

This is so disheartening and I guess I am just looking for reassurance from someone who might have an idea of what may happen in this case.

From your description, it sounds like you were issued a 221g simply because of your medicals being delayed. If your medicals had arrived on time, you would have been approved. You have also not been issued a DS5535.

 

So I really don’t think you are being flagged for security reasons.

 

Being born in India does not really flag you for security issues either as far as I know (being an Indian citizen). As far as I know Montreal has not issued any DS5535s to Indian citizens. India is for sure a high fraud country and when applying in India, the Mumbai consulate scrutinises your case for fraud (marriage or otherwise). But Montreal consulate wouldn’t treat you any differently than a Canadian born in Canada.
 

For whatever weird reason Montreal just takes ridiculously long in some cases to issue visas for people with delayed medicals (or any other missing document for that matter).

 

I can appreciate it is hard, and I would be thinking of all the bad scenarios too if I were in your place, but I really think you will be ok. Montreal will eventually look at your medicals and issue you the visa.

Edited February 19, 2022 by From_CAN_2_US

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

54 minutes ago, DamAk said:

I just checked the DS260 that I filled out and noticed one of the dates under my employment history was wrong (I wrote 2020 instead of 2019). I immediately sent an email to the consulate updating them of this (I also mentioned that I am no longer working with my "current" employer). Somehow I missed this prior to the interview, and despite going over the form multiple times before submitting it to NVC. I did however write the correct dates during the USCIS stage when filling out the form i-130a so hopefully this will tell them it was an honest mistake.

I don’t think this is a big issue. So the day after I submitted my DS-260 back in Feb 2021, I realised completely missed mentioning my first employer in Singapore from 2009 to 2013. (We are supposed to enter all our employment history for last 5 years.) I called NVC and they told me to just let the CO know during the interview.

 

When I went to the interview in December 2021, I had a copy of my DS-260 with that correction and updates on various things that had changed since I filled the form in Feb 2021. I mentioned it to the CO, and he dismissed it, saying, “oh don’t worry about that, that’s not important.”

 

So yeah, I think you are good there.

[DamAk 33]

1 hour ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

From your description, it sounds like you were issued a 221g simply because of your medicals being delayed. If your medicals had arrived on time, you would have been approved. You have also not been issued a DS5535.

 

So I really don’t think you are being flagged for security reasons.

 

Being born in India does not really flag you for security issues either as far as I know (being an Indian citizen). As far as I know Montreal has not issued any DS5535s to Indian citizens. India is for sure a high fraud country and when applying in India, the Mumbai consulate scrutinises your case for fraud (marriage or otherwise). But Montreal consulate wouldn’t treat you any differently than a Canadian born in Canada.
 

For whatever weird reason Montreal just takes ridiculously long in some cases to issue visas for people with delayed medicals (or any other missing document for that matter).

 

I can appreciate it is hard, and I would be thinking of all the bad scenarios too if I were in your place, but I really think you will be ok. Montreal will eventually look at your medicals and issue you the visa.

 

This is a reassuring thing to hear. Thank you 🤧

This really is a very (removed) situation considering the number of months people have to wait and live away from their spouse. 

I can't really think of anything else I can do at this point in time, and hopefully not come up with new worst-case scenarios in the meantime.

 Emailing the consulate for updates hasn't been much help so I am thinking of reaching out to our congressmen/senator if we reach the 60 day mark.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Ontarkie
by-passing language filter

[Redie 124]

2 hours ago, DamAk said:

Hi everyone,

 

I had my interview on Jan 21 and received a 221g for delayed medical results. My medical was sent on Jan 27 and since then I've had no update. I didn't get a DS-5535 but I have reached the 4-weeks mark since the interview. The delay is making me super emotional and I'm thinking of anything and everything that might be causing this. 

 

I just checked the DS260 that I filled out and noticed one of the dates under my employment history was wrong (I wrote 2020 instead of 2019). I immediately sent an email to the consulate updating them of this (I also mentioned that I am no longer working with my "current" employer). Somehow I missed this prior to the interview, and despite going over the form multiple times before submitting it to NVC. I did however write the correct dates during the USCIS stage when filling out the form i-130a so hopefully this will tell them it was an honest mistake.

 

I am also a Canadian citizen but born in India. Came to Canada with my parents when I was 8. Even though I've been in Canada, would my birth place affect the AP time, since India is considered a high fraud country? 

 

This is so disheartening and I guess I am just looking for reassurance from someone who might have an idea of what may happen in this case.

Hi there, I honestly think you have nothing to worry about. My interview was Nov 2, and I was issued a 221g due to delayed medical as well. My visa was finally issued on Feb 15, over 3 months after receipt of medical.  Have you sent an email inquiry to the consulate?

[DamAk 33]

7 minutes ago, Redie said:

Hi there, I honestly think you have nothing to worry about. My interview was Nov 2, and I was issued a 221g due to delayed medical as well. My visa was finally issued on Feb 15, over 3 months after receipt of medical.  Have you sent an email inquiry to the consulate?

 

Hi, I did send two inquiries (Feb 3 and Feb 15), both sent after I saw a few other people get their visa issued despite being given 221g for the medical (had similar timelines with the interview date as mine, and one had their interview after mine). The third time I emailed was today to update them about the DS260 mistake. 

 

Initially i thought my medical report was uploaded on Jan 24 (I called the clinic to ask if they received the blood work from Public Health, which they did and said they were working on uploading mine. That day there was also an update on CEAC). So the first time I emailed the consulate was Jan 24 informing them of the update. But a few days after, I got an email from the panel physician saying my report was uploaded, so I found out the consulate didn't get my report on Jan 24, but instead on Jan 27. This I corrected in my email on Feb 3. 

 

This was their response.

"Thank you for your inquiry.  

 

We acknowledge receipt of your medical report from the panel physician. This case is currently pending to be reviewed by a consular officer. As soon as the review is complete, the Visa Unit will advise of the next steps if anything else is needed to complete processing the case. 

 

We realize that these extended time periods cause frustration to many individuals, and we are sensitive to the fact that the purpose of the immigrant visa program is to facilitate legitimate travel to the U.S.  Nonetheless, the Consulate in Montreal, like all U.S. Embassies and Consulates, must adjudicate visas in accordance with the provisions of the law, and, in some cases, this involves extensive consular review and administrative processing. While we cannot predict when the processing of your visa will be completed, please be assured that the Consulate and the Department of State are aware of your concerns and will contact you as soon as the processing is complete. 

 

We hope that this information is helpful in replying to your inquiry.  

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. "

 

You guys have truly helped me feel so much better. I think comparison is the culprit to my anxiety here.

 

Also, a very hearty congratulations on the approval!! Man I can imagine your relief. ❤