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

[SalishSea 17,745]

On 12/13/2021 at 2:28 PM, Danii said:

I selected no. I remember being confused about what my answer should be, but at the time I was still a student and didn't have any hands on/work experience in anything "specialized" so thought I should select no. I wonder now if maybe I should have selected yes 🤔

Do you have specialized skills or training in any of the examples given?  If not, then NO is the correct answer.

[SalishSea 17,745]

On 12/13/2021 at 2:34 PM, From_CAN_2_US said:

I think the logic to you selected "no" was sound, and my instinct tells me selecting "yes" would trigger a flag. But who knows...

Regardless of what would 'trigger a flag,' the best answer is always the truthful one.

[Danii 312]

2 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Do you have specialized skills or training in any of the examples given?  If not, then NO is the correct answer.

What's considered specialized? If I learned things that all biochemical engineering students learn, are those skills considered general? It's hard to tell 🤔 

Edit: This is bachelors level, I can see how masters/PhD can be seen as specialized though. 

Edited December 20, 2021 by Danii

[SalishSea 17,745]

Just now, Danii said:

What's considered specialized? If I learned things that all biochemical engineering students learn, are those skills considered general? It's hard to tell 🤔

I recommend reading the question literally, and paying special attention to the examples given.

 

They aren't asking whether someone can successfully place a 22g peripheral IV catheter into a valve-laden basilic vein of a 96 year old, or bake an award-winning Tiramisu.  They give specific examples for a reason.  

[SalishSea 17,745]

On 12/16/2021 at 12:01 PM, Hamlet said:

I just picked up my passport. They did indeed issue the Visa however it is stamped with “CANCELED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”

 

It also came with the refusal letter with “additional processing is required. We will contact you when complete” checked off on the form. 
 

I was so close…..

 

 

Something else came up in the background check after the visa was printed...

[SalishSea 17,745]

On 12/15/2021 at 10:06 AM, BatmanFlow said:

I don’t think we can do much other than wait? Does NVC have a official timeline for when they reply to APs?

NVC is not involved in your process once it is at the consulate.

[Danii 312]

Hi guys, my friend has some good news to share (she doesn't have Visajourney): 

 

Hey everyone! I’m having @Danii post on my behalf of my visa journey! My husband had his interview at the US consulate of Montreal on 10/25 during the interview the officer told him that everything went well but was then given a DS-5535 form. They sent us the form 10/26 and we submitted it that day! The officer asked my husband if he wanted his passport back but told him he would rather keep it for faster processing so they did. We had multiple updates on ceac in the month of November and then it was silent. 

We finally got one more update 12/13 and that’s when our ceac changed to Issed-AP. Our status changed to Issued-FP on 12/16 and we got our tracking number today! 

Over all we waited 49 days from the day of the interview until our status changed to issued. I hope this helps everyone, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me! This is a long journey but there is light at the end of the tunnel, rooting for you all!!!!

[DrJanko10 101]

19 minutes ago, Danii said:

Hi guys, my friend has some good news to share (she doesn't have Visajourney): 

 

Hey everyone! I’m having @Danii post on my behalf of my visa journey! My husband had his interview at the US consulate of Montreal on 10/25 during the interview the officer told him that everything went well but was then given a DS-5535 form. They sent us the form 10/26 and we submitted it that day! The officer asked my husband if he wanted his passport back but told him he would rather keep it for faster processing so they did. We had multiple updates on ceac in the month of November and then it was silent. 

We finally got one more update 12/13 and that’s when our ceac changed to Issed-AP. Our status changed to Issued-FP on 12/16 and we got our tracking number today! 

Over all we waited 49 days from the day of the interview until our status changed to issued. I hope this helps everyone, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me! This is a long journey but there is light at the end of the tunnel, rooting for you all!!!!

That's great news! Congratulations!

 

Sadly that means it really is a case by case basis, and not first come, first serve.  

[Danii 312]

17 minutes ago, DrJanko10 said:

That's great news! Congratulations!

 

Sadly that means it really is a case by case basis, and not first come, first serve.  

Exactly My friend did mention that her husband did not have a lot of travel history, perhaps that's why it was processed faster? I'm really hoping that all of us get some good news before they start interviewing again in January. From the excel sheet it looks like they're starting much later than they usually do so that gives me some hope. 

[BatmanFlow 481]

On 12/17/2021 at 5:30 PM, Krisara said:

Hi Everyone,  I just joined as I too, was denied my visa after my interview this past Monday (Dec 12) in Montreal.  We are devastated as we have been waiting since filing in March 2020.  Here is a little backstory:  My partner (the US petitioner) and I lived together here in Toronto since 2013, together since 2011 and have a child together.  Never got married because we never wanted to and are considered common law in Canada. 

2 years ago we decided we wanted to move to the US for a change of pace, so applied the K-1 route.  We did get a RFE, which was also shocking since we more than proved we lived together, take vacations together, had a child together and have joint finances.  Anyhow, finally made it to interview stage and denied.  I am a white Canadian born female, aged 46 and with Canadian born parents, attended University in the US.   I would say I am an avid traveller so that could have potentially been it??  They had my medical and my police check.

I had a CO who has only been in Montreal for 3 months.  It was a woman and I didn't get her name but she is from South Carolina.  We had great banter and I thought all was going very well until she presented me with the 221(g) and gave me back my passport.  I asked if there was something missing - she said "No, everything is here".  I then asked if I didn't answer her correctly or to satisfaction, and she said "No, you answered everything perfectly", I then said, so why am I not getting approval?  She stammered and started to say "a certain number of cases have this happen", too which I said, "so this is random"?  She said, "well...no, I can't answer that."  She then tried to reassure me that the process for the 5535 is not that long and that I should hear something soon and as long as I answer quickly and completely, it should be ok.  Clearly she has no clue that this process is the most inefficient process known to humankind.  

 

FIRST,  why not just require all the information in the 5535 to be included in the DS160 for EVERYONE, so that this doesn't need to happen.  What a waste of time this is for not only the applicants, but also for the consulates.

SECOND, they should have to tell you why you are being issued the 221(g) to spare all of us this agony.  

THIRD, if this is in fact a CO training exercise, as some have suggested that is just all kinds of wrong.  

 

And just to let everyone know that there is a member of a Facebook group I am in who also got the 221g and he received his visa on the 55th day. This was just recently. 

I am thankful to have found this group, and will be intently following the updates.  I hope everyone who has posted so far comes back to update when they are eventually approved!  Good luck to everyone and thank you for letting me vent.  This has been a long arduous journey.

  

interestingly enough, my moms interviewer was also a trainee!

[Hamlet 122]

13 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Something else came up in the background check after the visa was printed...

Why would they even issue and send the Visa out for printing before conducting a thorough background check? I would think the background check needs to clear before proceeding with visa issuance. 
 

I too did get the younger lady as my CO which makes me think she was one of the trainees. She had dirty blonde hair however didn’t catch her name. 

[DS5535 135]

4 minutes ago, Hamlet said:

Why would they even issue and send the Visa out for printing before conducting a thorough background check? I would think the background check needs to clear before proceeding with visa issuance. 
 

I too did get the younger lady as my CO which makes me think she was one of the trainees. She had dirty blonde hair however didn’t catch her name. 

I got a younger guy (30-40yrs) at window 3. Seemed very nice and straight to the point. Took my lease documents for an apartment we have in OC.

[SalishSea 17,745]

2 hours ago, Hamlet said:

Why would they even issue and send the Visa out for printing before conducting a thorough background check? I would think the background check needs to clear before proceeding with visa issuance. 
 

I too did get the younger lady as my CO which makes me think she was one of the trainees. She had dirty blonde hair however didn’t catch her name. 

Sometimes more information comes in last minute, or the printing can happen in error.

[ice-qube 648]

22 hours ago, DrJanko10 said:

That's great news! Congratulations!

 

Sadly that means it really is a case by case basis, and not first come, first serve.  

I just checked CEAC. My case was updated again yesterday (Dec 20) after also having been updated on Friday (Dec 17). Status still shows refused. This is such #######.

[Danii 312]

Just now, ice-qube said:

I just checked CEAC. My case was updated again yesterday (Dec 20) after also having been updated on Friday (Dec 17). Status still shows refused. This is such #######.

Same here! At least someone is doing something more frequently.