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

[ice-qube 649]

3 hours ago, throwitaway said:

In my opinion this is why competent representation matters. Some lawyers just roll over and consent to limitless extensions because they never intend to fight, and the government seems to know who these lawyers are as you can start seeing patterns if you study pacermonitor enough. 

 

Extensions are just requests, any judge can draw a line in the sand if persuaded. 

Best case scenario, sure, i could believe this hypothesis, though I am skeptical. I don't think there is much evidence to say that the courts are insufficiently deferent to government requests, however. It seems quite the opposite. And a high proportion of people here (though not me) have chosen to go with Goldstein Law, and the judges in many of their cases are, in fact, granting the government their extension requests. 

 

I hope I am wrong.

[LAMA9 118]

Hi Everyone, we made it through.  11 months of DS-5535 hell is over.  We filed a WOM with Goldstein on July 29 and received our Approval notice with tracking number for my visa courier today.  Words can't describe the relief we feel that after 2 years and 11 months since filing our application, we can finally move on with our lives.  I wish all of you who are still waiting the best of luck and strength until you too, make it to the other side.  If you haven't filed a WOM and are considering it, don't wait.  I wish we had filed ours much earlier knowing it would give us our lives back.  

[mymissingpiece 22]

21 hours ago, ice-qube said:

I think they have already been asking for and getting a *second* extension on some cases, and that does not look good. Only 3 of the WOM cases at Montreal were approved this month, apparently. I am exasperated with this. They are just doing everything they can to slow it down. 

There has only been one second extension granted of all WOM cases this year. It is true that WOM is progressively taking longer than it used to (now roughly 3-4 months) but that is not to say the job isn’t getting done. It is not a black hole. Even if it is starting to take longer, WOM still works to get your case moving faster than it would without.

Edited November 1, 2022 by mymissingpiece

[Bog-can 6]

1 hour ago, LAMA9 said:

Hi Everyone, we made it through.  11 months of DS-5535 hell is over.  We filed a WOM with Goldstein on July 29 and received our Approval notice with tracking number for my visa courier today.  Words can't describe the relief we feel that after 2 years and 11 months since filing our application, we can finally move on with our lives.  I wish all of you who are still waiting the best of luck and strength until you too, make it to the other side.  If you haven't filed a WOM and are considering it, don't wait.  I wish we had filed ours much earlier knowing it would give us our lives back.  

Congratulations!  So happy for you!

[candyg 33]

3 hours ago, LAMA9 said:

Hi Everyone, we made it through.  11 months of DS-5535 hell is over.  We filed a WOM with Goldstein on July 29 and received our Approval notice with tracking number for my visa courier today.  Words can't describe the relief we feel that after 2 years and 11 months since filing our application, we can finally move on with our lives.  I wish all of you who are still waiting the best of luck and strength until you too, make it to the other side.  If you haven't filed a WOM and are considering it, don't wait.  I wish we had filed ours much earlier knowing it would give us our lives back.  

A HUGE congratulations to you! You are one of the very few luck people who can enjoy the holidays with your loved ones. Best of luck!!

[ice-qube 649]

A second, unsolicited "last updated on" update occurred yesterday (Nov 1) in CEAC. Perhaps now they are getting communications about the lawsuit? 

[ice-qube 649]

I just checked CEAC again, and this is what it looks like. Expiring Soon???

 

[throwitaway 190]

8 hours ago, ice-qube said:

I just checked CEAC again, and this is what it looks like. Expiring Soon???

 

The consulate can override this I believe, get Jim to contact them.

[ice-qube 649]

5 minutes ago, throwitaway said:

The consulate can override this I believe, get Jim to contact them.

I mean, it isn’t even accurate, obviously. The good news is that has to mean someone is  doing something in the background in the case file, but that is bizarre…I have sent email to the lawyers to ask about this.

[throwitaway 190]

2 minutes ago, ice-qube said:

I mean, it isn’t even accurate, obviously. The good news is that has to mean someone is  doing something in the background in the case file, but that is bizarre…I have sent email to the lawyers to ask about this.

It’s automatic after X amount of time

[BatmanFlow 481]

45 minutes ago, throwitaway said:

It’s automatic after X amount of time

Weird, I’ve been in AP longer than ice and mine never said that. 
 

@ice-qube I’m sure your lawyer will get that sorted

[throwitaway 190]

2 hours ago, BatmanFlow said:

Weird, I’ve been in AP longer than ice and mine never said that. 
 

@ice-qube I’m sure your lawyer will get that sorted

It's possible your case had been updated internally to reset the 'clock.' Who knows, transparency isn't really their thing lol

[Ashley28888 9]

Good Afternoon All,

 

after the additional processing and 5535, they received the documents i sent them.

they finally approved and issued my visa.

 

interview date - October 21st

email for additional document - October 24th

sent the document back to them - October 25th

Embassy emailed they received document - November 1st

Visa Approved - November 1st

Visa Issued - November 2nd

[LAMA9 118]

Congratulations @Ashley28888!  That is the fastest DS-5535 approval we have ever seen in this group.  Are you sure you don't mean you were given a 221G for missing documents?  The DS-5535 is an email they send you to fill out 15 years of addresses, travel, job history, among other things.  Please clarify.  Regardless - great news!

[Ashley28888 9]

So they kept my passport and said they will let me know if they need additional document.

my interview was on Friday

 

so Monday they emailed me and the title of the email said - MTL2020****** - SAN****, ASH*** NOO*** - DS-5535

 

They emailed me a list of documents they needed.

The consular officer processing your visa application has requested that you provide us with the following information:

• Dates of all entries into and exits out of the USA since 2008  and class of admission (B1/B2, F1, H1b) – if applicant has old passport, provide copy of all pages and any I-94s received (if she still has possession of them).
• Copies of all notices for approvals of change of status ( I-797);
• Copies of all employment authorization cards issued to the applicant;
• Any documentation regarding the appeal of the H1B denial and subsequent appeal

Please send this information and documents by email to this address.