Montreal embassy EB-2 interview wait time-Part 2

[rzchen 0]

22 hours ago, Froozion said:

Visa type -EB2-NIW

Priority date aug 8th 2022

DQ date - march 30th 2023

Interview letter - Aug 7th

Interview date - sept 9th 

Status - Aproved (awaiting passports to be returned)

 

We received our interview letter on aug 7th. We were currently living 5 hours north of winnipeg in manitoba, so there was going to be lots of travel.

 

We booked our medical in toronto with dr lynden mascarenas on Aug 26th.  Before the medical we had to fill out a vaccine questionare which needed to be signed off by our family doctor to ensure all the vaccines were complete before going.

We actually arrived at the mecical about an hour early. And they were able to see us earlier than our appointment. The actual appointment was less than 10 minutes, where he only took our blood pressure. He then sent us to the basement to get x-rays and across the street to get the blood test (there was about a 20 minute wait). Overall very quick and easy. 

 

You then have to book the courier service for where they will return your passport to. This was pretty straight forward. 

 

The final thing to do was to have all your documents in order and ensure you have a photocopy of each document. 

 

We got to montreal a couple days before the interview and stayed at the best western europe. It was 1 block away and very easy access. There is a lot of hotels, shops and restaurants very near the embassy so there will be no issues. 

 

The actual embassy is not very obvious from the outside and there is a lot of road works on the street. There is a bank right next to it and embassy door is to the left. Our appointment was ay 9.45 and i had read not to arrive much earlier as you will just have to wait outside no matter the weather. So we arrived just after 9.40 and got straight in, whereas people who had arrived for 10am appointments had to wait in the street. 

 

The security guard then checked our passports and we went through the scanner (very much like an airport). The only thing you are allowed to take with you is your document folder. You are not allowed food, drinks, back packs, phone, smart watches, wallets. There is a small locker to put a phone and wallet. But it is tiny and would not fit anything more. So leave all your extra items at the hotel. You then go in an elevator to the first floor where you are given a number and have to wait until its called. There are bathrooms and a water fountain. 

 

Our appointment was at 9.45, we were called to the first desk at 10.45 and the second at 12.00pm. Its a long wait. So bring a book or magazine (no electronics). 

 

At the first window you just get asked for your documents and fingerprints. For us we were asked for the originals and photocopies of: 

 

Passport

2x passport photo

Birth certificate 

Marriage certificate (2 copies one for each person)

Police reports

 

We then sat and awaited the call for the second window for the interview, we got called up together. We were asked to say an oath and sign it. We then gave our fingerprints again. Then we were asked the following questions 

 

What does the petitioner do for work?

Have you ever lived anywhere other than canada and US? 

How many times have you traveled to the US together (petitoner and spouse) 

Were there any issues crossing the border?

Asked which previous visa we were on? (student)

Asked if we had over stayed previous student visa?

Have either of you had any criminal arrests?

Asked where we intended to move?

Asked what the spouse does for work? 

He asked if we had been married before?

He asked if we had children?

 

We were then told we were approved and that our passports would be mailed within 2 weeks. He then returned our original documents and we were on our way. They did keep our police reports, however we have no other reason for them, but you may want to have a copy for your own record. 

 

Overall very easy! Happy to answer any questions! 

Congratulations!!  Do you prepare the photocopies for Birth/Marriage certificate, police report etc and take to the consulate? or the officer will photocopy them? Thanks

[Coco_2023 12]

26 minutes ago, mgsctravels said:

 

I suppose that in the grand scheme of things, running out of visas this fiscal isn't the end of the world since the annual resets on Oct. 1?

True but there 2 things, when an interview is canceled technically you would be placed at the end of the line. 

 

2nd, I've already booked my hotel and non-refundable flights for my whole family and blocked my calendar for the interview day and the day before (I run my own business) so who's compensating all these? LOL

 

[Froozion 121]

5 hours ago, rzchen said:

Congratulations!!  Do you prepare the photocopies for Birth/Marriage certificate, police report etc and take to the consulate? or the officer will photocopy them? Thanks

Yes you need to bring photocopies of everything. They do have a scanner there if something is missing. But they expect you to have it with you

[Froozion 121]

5 hours ago, Coco_2023 said:

True but there 2 things, when an interview is canceled technically you would be placed at the end of the line. 

 

2nd, I've already booked my hotel and non-refundable flights for my whole family and blocked my calendar for the interview day and the day before (I run my own business) so who's compensating all these? LOL

 

I believe what happens is they still go through with the interview, you can still be approved but that they can't give you a visa until Oct 1st. So it just takes a little longer between the interview and the passport return. 

[Froozion 121]

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

[Coco_2023 12]

12 hours ago, Froozion said:

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

I wouldn't worry @Froozion since you already passed the last 2 important milestones: had a successful interview, and more importantly approved on the spot!

 

So I guess there just would be a very short delay in issuing the visa for you

[sunnylank 3]

13 hours ago, Froozion said:

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

Hi @Froozion , Congratulation on your approval. Is your CEAC status showing as 'Issued' ?  or is it still showing 'In-Transit'?

I had read somewhere that 'Issued' status means the actual Visa is printed and pasted in the passport. Not sure if that is a true statement.

[AnnaSalu 11]

13 hours ago, Froozion said:

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

 

Froozion, like others, I congratulate you and thank you for all your contributions! I hope you receive your passports soon, but honestly, in the grand scheme of these loooong waits, 3 weeks till end of September seems tolerable

[Froozion 121]

25 minutes ago, sunnylank said:

Hi @Froozion , Congratulation on your approval. Is your CEAC status showing as 'Issued' ?  or is it still showing 'In-Transit'?

I had read somewhere that 'Issued' status means the actual Visa is printed and pasted in the passport. Not sure if that is a true statement.

Ceac still says ready for interview.... last updated on the 9th

22 minutes ago, AnnaSalu said:

 

Froozion, like others, I congratulate you and thank you for all your contributions! I hope you receive your passports soon, but honestly, in the grand scheme of these loooong waits, 3 weeks till end of September seems tolerable

It would be tolerable if we hadn't handed in out notice and told our new company we can begin on Sept 27th...

[AA-H 11]

12 hours ago, Froozion said:

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

 

14 hours ago, Froozion said:

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

I had my interview on September 6th, but the status still shows "READY." I find it confusing that the officer mentioned we should expect our passports within 10 days if they knew the visas wouldn’t be ready until after October 1st. My assumption is that when they invite an applicant, they reserve a visa for them, which counts toward the available visas. Once all visas are either reserved or issued, they announce that the fiscal year's limit has been reached.

 

here is what I think will happen:

 

[Froozion 121]

18 minutes ago, AA-H said:

 

I had my interview on September 6th, but the status still shows "READY." I find it confusing that the officer mentioned we should expect our passports within 10 days if they knew the visas wouldn’t be ready until after October 1st. My assumption is that when they invite an applicant, they reserve a visa for them, which counts toward the available visas. Once all visas are either reserved or issued, they announce that the fiscal year's limit has been reached.

 

here is what I think will happen:

 

Please update me when yours changes!!! It would be greatly helpful to know!

[AndrewsN 10]

15 hours ago, Froozion said:

I'm worried although we were approved on the 9th.... we may now not get our visa until October 1st. 

 

Has anyone who had interviews the first week of September had their ceac account go from ready to issued? How long did it take if so..? I know they say up to 12 days....

I had my interview Sep 6th (EB1). I received a verbal approval from the officer at the consulate.

 

Yesterday morning I received a notice indicating that they will be holding my passport until after October 1st because they’ve hit their limit of Visas issued for the fiscal year. 

I’m just hoping that this means they actually get to work on it in the first week of October and not closer to November. 

[canadian85 4]

4 minutes ago, AndrewsN said:

I had my interview Sep 6th (EB1). I received a verbal approval from the officer at the consulate.

 

Yesterday morning I received a notice indicating that they will be holding my passport until after October 1st because they’ve hit their limit of Visas issued for the fiscal year. 

I’m just hoping that this means they actually get to work on it in the first week of October and not closer to November. 

Could you please share ur interview experience

32 minutes ago, AA-H said:

 

I had my interview on September 6th, but the status still shows "READY." I find it confusing that the officer mentioned we should expect our passports within 10 days if they knew the visas wouldn’t be ready until after October 1st. My assumption is that when they invite an applicant, they reserve a visa for them, which counts toward the available visas. Once all visas are either reserved or issued, they announce that the fiscal year's limit has been reached.

 

here is what I think will happen:

 

Could you please share your interview experience?

[Froozion 121]

4 minutes ago, AndrewsN said:

I had my interview Sep 6th (EB1). I received a verbal approval from the officer at the consulate.

 

Yesterday morning I received a notice indicating that they will be holding my passport until after October 1st because they’ve hit their limit of Visas issued for the fiscal year. 

I’m just hoping that this means they actually get to work on it in the first week of October and not closer to November. 

They announced the eb1 limit on aug 27th however. 

 

So that means that all eb interviews between now and Oct 1st will not receive a visa until after October 1st. 

 

I'm just unsure of when the limit is reached if we had our interview on the 9th and it was announced on the 9th

[Wincity 7]

Visa bulletin for October has been released. 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2025/visa-bulletin-for-october-2024.html