The dreaded DS-5535 thread for Montreal. Post here and support each other (PART 2)

[MRJ9987 31]

10 minutes ago, saied said:

I am probably going to get a lot of hate for this but the reason is pretty clear why we are all on AP. Everyone knows that this is an election year and there are certain forces behind the US government who are pulling some stuff to make changes. This is why you are seeing so many issues with the border(this has been happening for years so why focus on it now?).

I guess in a year we will all comeback to this  forum and realize maybe we were lucky to get AP. I hope not but time will tell for sure.

Sorry, what do you mean we will be lucky to get AP?  

[Canucklehead 102]

2 hours ago, SGtoMurica said:

 

Seems like the dual citizenship theory is gaining support.

I am also dual citizenship and was placed in AQ.

[Cadtoverm 1]

We’re you guys explicitly given ds5535 status? I was given an online form to fill out and asked to mail in my passport as soon as I filled it out. The online form asked questions similar to a ds5535 form, but no where was this ds5535 status explicitly told to me. Just a check mark for 221g and he just said he needed some more information about my travel and work history.

 

I am applying spousal IV, Canadian, good medical, good finances, already own home in the USA, marriage to American, transferring to an American employer.

 

I am seeing crazy wait times here, but the agent told me it should only be a few weeks. Any one have a similar experience as me? Am I in for a long haul?

 

 

[Canucklehead 102]

15 minutes ago, Cadtoverm said:

We’re you guys explicitly given ds5535 status? I was given an online form to fill out and asked to mail in my passport as soon as I filled it out. The online form asked questions similar to a ds5535 form, but no where was this ds5535 status explicitly told to me. Just a check mark for 221g and he just said he needed some more information about my travel and work history.

 

I am applying spousal IV, Canadian, good medical, good finances, already own home in the USA, marriage to American, transferring to an American employer.

 

I am seeing crazy wait times here, but the agent told me it should only be a few weeks. Any one have a similar experience as me? Am I in for a long haul?

 

 

I can't speak for certain, but my CO basically made it out that I was good to go before he AQ'd me. Then made it seem like it was no big deal. Obviously that was just lip service in my experience.

 

Hopefully yours is telling the truth.

Edited January 30 by Canucklehead

[Leo The Great 141]

18 minutes ago, Cadtoverm said:

We’re you guys explicitly given ds5535 status? I was given an online form to fill out and asked to mail in my passport as soon as I filled it out. The online form asked questions similar to a ds5535 form, but no where was this ds5535 status explicitly told to me. Just a check mark for 221g and he just said he needed some more information about my travel and work history.

 

I am applying spousal IV, Canadian, good medical, good finances, already own home in the USA, marriage to American, transferring to an American employer.

 

I am seeing crazy wait times here, but the agent told me it should only be a few weeks. Any one have a similar experience as me? Am I in for a long haul?

 

 

if you were given a link to "U.S. Department of State Supplemental Questions for Visa Applicants Montreal" asking for 15 years travel history, 15 years employment history, addresses etc. then it is online version of DS-5535 form introduced in the last year (July onward i guess). Passport is normally mail to consulate once you are cleared from AP (DS-5535).

Edited January 30 by Leo The Great

[MAN2023 30]

18 hours ago, MRJ9987 said:

I have a question - maybe there is a better place to ask this?  What if i got the US branch of my company to sponsor me under L1?  Would that help? or would that visa also get denied because of pending DS-5535?  

While I was in AP, I was fortunate to secure an H1B through employer so I could still start my job on time. No issues obtaining it. 

[Daft_Cat 136]

1 hour ago, Cadtoverm said:

We’re you guys explicitly given ds5535 status? I was given an online form to fill out and asked to mail in my passport as soon as I filled it out. The online form asked questions similar to a ds5535 form, but no where was this ds5535 status explicitly told to me. Just a check mark for 221g and he just said he needed some more information about my travel and work history.

 

I am applying spousal IV, Canadian, good medical, good finances, already own home in the USA, marriage to American, transferring to an American employer.

 

I am seeing crazy wait times here, but the agent told me it should only be a few weeks. Any one have a similar experience as me? Am I in for a long haul?

 

 

Your case sounds identical to mine and I’ve been waiting a year. I was sent questions by email that lined up 1:1 with the DS-5535, but was never given a form labeled DS-5535.

 

Consulate officer also told me it “hopefully” wouldn’t take too long.

 

Edit: I wasn’t asked to mail my passport after submitting though, so maybe you’ll be processed quicker.

Edited January 30 by Daft_Cat

[Cadtoverm 1]

1 hour ago, Daft_Cat said:

Your case sounds identical to mine and I’ve been waiting a year. I was sent questions by email that lined up 1:1 with the DS-5535, but was never given a form labeled DS-5535.

 

Consulate officer also told me it “hopefully” wouldn’t take too long.

 

Edit: I wasn’t asked to mail my passport after submitting though, so maybe you’ll be processed quicker.

Has anyone cleared this in a reasonable amount of time? My pregnant wife is due in a month   and we were expecting to move into our home.

 

 Any stories of someone who filled out the form and got their visa?

[LYV 63]

3 hours ago, Cadtoverm said:

We’re you guys explicitly given ds5535 status? I was given an online form to fill out and asked to mail in my passport as soon as I filled it out. The online form asked questions similar to a ds5535 form, but no where was this ds5535 status explicitly told to me. Just a check mark for 221g and he just said he needed some more information about my travel and work history.

 

I am applying spousal IV, Canadian, good medical, good finances, already own home in the USA, marriage to American, transferring to an American employer.

 

I am seeing crazy wait times here, but the agent told me it should only be a few weeks. Any one have a similar experience as me? Am I in for a long haul?

 

 

 

Not to be the bearer of bad news but I think they just say 2 weeks so that you don't flip out in their offices lol. We were told 2 weeks and it has been 8 months

[Cadtoverm 1]

6 minutes ago, LYV said:

 

Not to be the bearer of bad news but I think they just say 2 weeks so that you don't flip out in their offices lol. We were told 2 weeks and it has been 8 months

How long have they held your passports for? Are you expected not leave Canada indefinitely?  
 

Sorry for being new to this thread, but I can’t make sense of this situation.

[APRIL2023 59]

4 hours ago, saied said:

I am probably going to get a lot of hate for this but the reason is pretty clear why we are all on AP. Everyone knows that this is an election year and there are certain forces behind the US government who are pulling some stuff to make changes. This is why you are seeing so many issues with the border(this has been happening for years so why focus on it now?).

I guess in a year we will all comeback to this  forum and realize maybe we were lucky to get AP. I hope not but time will tell for sure.

I don’t get the feeling lucky part. Can u elaborate? 

[Leo The Great 141]

1 hour ago, Cadtoverm said:

How long have they held your passports for? Are you expected not leave Canada indefinitely?  
 

Sorry for being new to this thread, but I can’t make sense of this situation.

Simple Administrative processing cases like missing documents may take from 4-8 weeks or more for Montreal. If consulate is vetting you for SOA (Security Advisory Opinions)/DS-5535. It may take few months to more than year. You may look at following spreadsheet for Montreal to get an idea:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jV7rzX2eCRVoEDRhOtN9a6hDoHRLNEf1P3ZGZbQ0_Dc/edit#gid=0

If you need to travel soon, i would suggest to keep your passport. If you send them now, then you can always request consulate to send your passport back.

 

Note: They need your passport for visa stamping only and it will not be done until you are cleared.

Edited January 30 by Leo The Great

[MRJ9987 31]

When I saw that I will be getting a refusal form the CO and read DS-5535, I burst into tears and said something along 'No, really?".  The CO told me that I should just fill out the form and they will be able to get back to my case.  I said that it takes a year after receiving one of those forms and she replied that it is not true and that some of them get resolved in weeks.  So, has anyone's been resolved in weeks?  

[MRJ9987 31]

7 hours ago, MAN2023 said:

While I was in AP, I was fortunate to secure an H1B through employer so I could still start my job on time. No issues obtaining it. 

Good to know.  So you entered US with H1B while you were in AP?  I've reached out to my employer today, explained my situation, and asked if our US office would be interested in sponsoring me.  

[LYV 63]

9 minutes ago, MRJ9987 said:

When I saw that I will be getting a refusal form the CO and read DS-5535, I burst into tears and said something along 'No, really?".  The CO told me that I should just fill out the form and they will be able to get back to my case.  I said that it takes a year after receiving one of those forms and she replied that it is not true and that some of them get resolved in weeks.  So, has anyone's been resolved in weeks?  

😢I’m sorry. We feel you’re pain, we’ve all been there. It’s devastating. I feel like they tell you what you want to hear. Either that or they don’t know. But you can check the excel sheet and see how it has gone for most people here. It’s possible there may be people that got through faster and just have not found this forum because they got through so fast.