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

[DS5535 135]

A bunch of updates in the first week. None in the second week... Uh!

Source: I check 13 times a day

[Danii 312]

2 hours ago, DS5535 said:

A bunch of updates in the first week. None in the second week... Uh!

Source: I check 13 times a day

LOL I also check very often. I'm now trying to train myself to only check once around 5pm. We're gonna go crazy otherwise 🤣 I've been reading that updates can be misleading though. On the FB group I'm on, one woman only got 1 update but was approved in 3 weeks! She has a different visa class/consulate, but other people in a similar situation have had more updates than her but have been in the process longer. So hard to tell, were all just looking for signs that our case is being worked on I also came across some content that said most background checks should only take 30-60 days, and that only 20% of cases take more/less time. Hopefully they're right (but hard to believe because the other stats from DoS haven't been very accurate..)

Edited November 19, 2021 by Danii

[From_CAN_2_US 1,100]

19 minutes ago, Danii said:

I also came across some content that said most background checks should only take 30-60 days, and that only 20% of cases take more/less time.

I have come across this too...hope it is right.

Edited November 19, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[deep2ca 77]

3 hours ago, Danii said:

LOL I also check very often. I'm now trying to train myself to only check once around 5pm. We're gonna go crazy otherwise 🤣 I've been reading that updates can be misleading though. On the FB group I'm on, one woman only got 1 update but was approved in 3 weeks! She has a different visa class/consulate, but other people in a similar situation have had more updates than her but have been in the process longer. So hard to tell, were all just looking for signs that our case is being worked on I also came across some content that said most background checks should only take 30-60 days, and that only 20% of cases take more/less time. Hopefully they're right (but hard to believe because the other stats from DoS haven't been very accurate..)

Another concern of mine is that the holidays will probably slow things down  

[Frankphoto 51]

12 hours ago, Danii said:

LOL I also check very often. I'm now trying to train myself to only check once around 5pm. We're gonna go crazy otherwise 🤣 I've been reading that updates can be misleading though. On the FB group I'm on, one woman only got 1 update but was approved in 3 weeks! She has a different visa class/consulate, but other people in a similar situation have had more updates than her but have been in the process longer. So hard to tell, were all just looking for signs that our case is being worked on I also came across some content that said most background checks should only take 30-60 days, and that only 20% of cases take more/less time. Hopefully they're right (but hard to believe because the other stats from DoS haven't been very accurate..)

That's good news for her, but yeah I wouldn't bother comparing to different visas/consulates. Apples to Poultry as far as this "system" goes

8 hours ago, deep2ca said:

Another concern of mine is that the holidays will probably slow things down  

Right- time taken off, federal holidays, etc. 

[Frankphoto 51]

What does everyone think about traveling during this process? I ask just because my spouse is a French citizen, although her case is at this Montreal consulate (long story). At any rate, she was returned her passport. The CO did not advise her not to travel or anything. 

I did speak to a caseworker who specializes in this at my local congresswoman's office and they said that of course traveling to USA during administrative processing is moronic, however visiting her home country should really be ok. My spouse would like to visit sick family (her grand mother) as well as tackle some freelance work opportunities in her home country of France. Half of me says, of course returning to your home country for a week or two is fine. The other half of me (the paranoid half) imagines that they are monitoring her every move and for whatever reason, any travel during this time would be viewed negatively, or that we would have to submit updated travel info and delay everything further, blabla... 

It just seems to me that there is no way we will have this processed before Xmas, so why not handle some things in France and return timely to Canada while she can? Does anyone know here of why general travel would be frowned upon, especially if it is just done for work/personal reasons? She is in Canada on a work visa (not PR). 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2021 by Frankphoto

[Frankphoto 51]

14 hours ago, DS5535 said:

A bunch of updates in the first week. None in the second week... Uh!

Source: I check 13 times a day

Right there with you- we check frequently- as of now our case was updated again yesterday (updated 11/15, interview 11/8 and DS-5535 submitted 11/11). 

[Danii 312]

2 hours ago, Frankphoto said:

It just seems to me that there is no way we will have this processed before Xmas, so why not handle some things in France and return timely to Canada while she can? Does anyone know here of why general travel would be frowned upon, especially if it is just done for work/personal reasons? She is in Canada on a work visa (not PR). 

 

 

I haven't heard of anything against travel to countries besides the USA but I'm not 100% sure. I wonder if the consulate can clarify? 

[deep2ca 77]

Some progress. I received an email today at 3:07pm confirming that they have received my DS-5535 which I emailed them on Nov 2nd. Case status is also showing last updated today. 

[Danii 312]

Does anyone else check this thread regularly for updates? 😅 I hope everyone that submitted in Sept/Oct will hear good news soon  

[DrJanko10 101]

2 hours ago, Danii said:

Does anyone else check this thread regularly for updates? 😅 I hope everyone that submitted in Sept/Oct will hear good news soon  

Yea, I have both threads open in my browser tabs and check it every couple of hours, or if I hear the chime when someone posts something, I quickly check what it is haha.

My wife and I also alternate checking the CEAC status hourly for any updates...we're sick people, but who can blame us! Lol

 

Fingers crossed indeed. It's been 40 days since my interview today.

[DS5535 135]

1 hour ago, DrJanko10 said:

Yea, I have both threads open in my browser tabs and check it every couple of hours, or if I hear the chime when someone posts something, I quickly check what it is haha.

My wife and I also alternate checking the CEAC status hourly for any updates...we're sick people, but who can blame us! Lol

 

Fingers crossed indeed. It's been 40 days since my interview today.

It's been 13 days for me. Everyday has felt like a week of time. It's like 2 years in dog years.

[Ontarkie 14,020]

~~Posts and replies not about DS 5535 split off and merged to the Mega thread~~

[Danii 312]

Hi @OG Fan, I was wondering if you received your passport in the mail yet? 

[dude12345 2]

Hello everyone. Thank you for sharing your experiences and timelines. Here is my Canadian wife's timeline:

 

Interviewed in Montreal on 10/13/2021 -- (Refused but they kept her passport)

Received DS-5535 on the same day, about 1-2 hours after the interview. 

She filled it out and sent it back to them on the same day.

As of today, the status still says "Refused", last updated 10/15/2021. It has been about 45 days now.