Montreal embassy EB-2 interview wait time-Part 2

[Adam RS 13]

23 minutes ago, Halioak said:

The CASE tracker app is able to show the history.  Mine shows that it turned "READY" on Mar. 22

I tried but the application shows an error message!!

[Alex2024 2]

1 hour ago, Adam RS said:

Hi @Alex Nzo My interview date is May 31.

Good Adam , same day👍👍

[Adam RS 13]

Hello everyone, I'm applying for EB2-NIW. Could you please clarify whether I need an employment offer or similar documentation for the Montreal interview? Will the officer ask for any letters during the process?

[Halioak 16]

54 minutes ago, Adam RS said:

I tried but the application shows an error message!!

Thank you though!

[Texasbound1 72]

1 hour ago, Adam RS said:

Hello everyone, I'm applying for EB2-NIW. Could you please clarify whether I need an employment offer or similar documentation for the Montreal interview? Will the officer ask for any letters during the process?

All EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 petitions are based on future employment. You do not need to be employed at the time of adjudication but you must have the intent to be employed once you become an LPR.

EB-1A or EB-2 NIW are not tied to a particular job offer but you must have the intent to work in the occupational field that your petition was based on. That means you don't need to have any job offer at the time of the interview but you at least have to try to look for work in your field after the GC is approved.

[mgsctravels 24]

1 hour ago, Texasbound1 said:

All EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 petitions are based on future employment. You do not need to be employed at the time of adjudication but you must have the intent to be employed once you become an LPR.

EB-1A or EB-2 NIW are not tied to a particular job offer but you must have the intent to work in the occupational field that your petition was based on. That means you don't need to have any job offer at the time of the interview but you at least have to try to look for work in your field after the GC is approved.

 

I'm EB-1A and had two work contracts through 2024 when I thought I'd be in the U.S. by then. By the time I get my interview, those contracts will have lapsed. Is it important for EB-1A to have new employment offers that weren't in the original petition when I first applied for my I-140?

 

I have the intention to work, but I don't have any contracts for 2025 yet. At this rate, I probably won't be in the U.S. until then.

 

DQ is Oct. 2023.

[AnnaSalu 31]

On 4/17/2024 at 9:38 PM, TheMaverick said:

Sorry for the delayed response. It went really good and I was approved. Summary of my journey:

Perm Applied: July 2021

Perm Approved: December 2021

I140(EB-3)premium processing: Feb 2022 approved in 5 days

NVC confirmation email: March 2022

NVC DQ: May 2022

NVC interview notification: Jan 2024

Interview : March 26 2024

NVC status change: 4 updates on CEAC- status was on READY for three weeks after interview

Issued status: April 12 2024

Passports Returned: April 17 2024(not picked up yet)

 

- I travelled to Montreal over the weekend and picked a hotel which was within walking distance from the consulate. My interview was at 7:45 in the morning on the following Tuesday and I did not want to stress on driving in the morning. 
- my family and I did a dry run of walking to the consulate the day prior. Just an advice if you do visit just don’t stop at the entrance and continue walking straight in to the RBC bank. The moment you wait at their doors security will approach you and start questioning. 
- whatever is your interview time, just reach 15 mins in advance. Do not worry about the lineup. When it’s time the security guard knows what is required to be done. 
- please read the requirements of carry bags. They are very particular on what you can carry in and the bag you carry. 
- I followed the checklist of documents available on Montreal site. Apart from that I carried additional secondary documents to be safe but none was requested. The additional documents I carried were all that I submitted at the I140 stage to USCIS with latest W2 and tax returns

 

At the entrance there is a airport type security. Basically anything that can beep as you walk through a metal detector is to be removed and placed in the tray. They provide a small locker to keep your mobile phone. I did not carry mine since I was very close to that place. The security will give you two tokens which will have the same number. You will then be asked to take the elevator and go to the first floor. There will be another guard who will check your token and ask you to have a seat. It’s a pretty tight space and get crowded depending upon time of day. Since my interview was early there were few people but as we got done, the place was full. There are washrooms and a water dispenser on the first floor. 
 

when your number comes up the first counter is a document check counter. Here you submit the first token. Follow the checklist and submit all documents as they request. They will also take your fingerprints and this entire process takes approx 15 mins. 
 

Now you sit back again waiting for the second call. When it’s time you go to the second counter and provide the second token to the officer. The officer I got was super friendly from the get go. They will make you and your family to take an oath that you will answer truthfully. Since I am from EB, they make you sign a form that I will join the same company if approved. 
 

some basic questions:

 

- where is my employer based

- where will you be working in the US

- can you walk me through your profile

- Have you travelled to any other countries recently

- have you lived in any country apart from Canada and your home country

- we’re you ever denied a US Visa or denied admission to the US — my answer was yes and I had to provide an explanation. This question was on the DS260 too and I gave the same answer. I was denied admission while applying for TN at the border for a missing document. I was asked to return with it and was issued the TN 

- when did you last travel to the US and approx length of stay and purpose of visiting

 

At the end he said that your visa is approved. He kept the latest police certificate and returned all prior police certificate. He also returned the certificate from my home country. He said we would receive the passport back in 2 weeks. It took 3 weeks and was scary because of the unusually high admin processing Montreal has been issuing. 
 

This journey with Montreal is finally over. Now starts the next steps of wrapping up and moving over. That is a mammoth task considering all the complications pertaining to taxation/house sale/car sale/ new rental place/ school/ spouse job. 
 

I wish all of you the very best. One final tip, keep your answers short and sweet. One liners and nothing more. 

 

 

Hi @TheMaverick, can you please let me know if there is an expiry date on the visa they issue in your passport? I.e., when you receive your visa, how long do you have for entering the US? Thank you!

[TheMaverick 50]

12 minutes ago, AnnaSalu said:

 

Hi @TheMaverick, can you please let me know if there is an expiry date on the visa they issue in your passport? I.e., when you receive your visa, how long do you have for entering the US? Thank you!

Yes it has an expiry and it’s always 6 months from day of medical

[AnnaSalu 31]

1 minute ago, TheMaverick said:

Yes it has an expiry and it’s always 6 months from day of medical

 

Thanks!!

[AnnaSalu 31]

Montreal has updated the website, it now shows the page was updated on April 18th, but the information seems to be outdated. It still shows they are reviewing DQ dates in July 2022, which according to what we see in this forum, is not accurate. 

 

 

[Froozion 168]

47 minutes ago, AnnaSalu said:

Montreal has updated the website, it now shows the page was updated on April 18th, but the information seems to be outdated. It still shows they are reviewing DQ dates in July 2022, which according to what we see in this forum, is not accurate. 

 

 

Yeah the usually log in multiple times throughout the month. Until they update the 'as of' date it means they have not updated this paragraph. The last time they missed updating the paragraph for  the month was 2 years ago...so no idea why they have stopped updating it. We tend to go by other people's reports of receiving interview letters at this point as they are notorious for not being transparent. 

[AJSin1 21]

"As of April 19, 2024, most Immediate Relative and fiancé(e) visa cases being scheduled for interview in Montreal were documentarily complete at the National Visa Center in February 2024; most Family Preference cases with visa numbers available that are being scheduled for interview were documentarily qualified in August 2023; and most Employment cases scheduled for interview were documentarily complete in January 2023."

Montreal consulate updated the page. EB cases now up to Jan 2023. Great to see such a big jump in such a short period of time. Someone on the forum mentioned that they were informed at their consulate interview that the Montreal consulate had hired more officers so they were no longer understaffed. Hopefully this backlog continues to drop quickly.

[Texasbound1 72]

23 minutes ago, AJSin1 said:

"As of April 19, 2024, most Immediate Relative and fiancé(e) visa cases being scheduled for interview in Montreal were documentarily complete at the National Visa Center in February 2024; most Family Preference cases with visa numbers available that are being scheduled for interview were documentarily qualified in August 2023; and most Employment cases scheduled for interview were documentarily complete in January 2023."

Montreal consulate updated the page. EB cases now up to Jan 2023. Great to see such a big jump in such a short period of time. Someone on the forum mentioned that they were informed at their consulate interview that the Montreal consulate had hired more officers so they were no longer understaffed. Hopefully this backlog continues to drop quickly.

This is a great update and surprisingly better than I had expected. My DQ is January 31, 2023 so I should be in the next tranche of interview letters!! I will keep everyone posted for sure.

[AJSin1 21]

6 minutes ago, Texasbound1 said:

This is a great update and surprisingly better than I had expected. My DQ is January 31, 2023 so I should be in the next tranche of interview letters!! I will keep everyone posted for sure.

Yes hopefully you're in the next round of interviews. Would be great if you're able to share your experience. Good luck!

[Froozion 168]

11 minutes ago, Texasbound1 said:

This is a great update and surprisingly better than I had expected. My DQ is January 31, 2023 so I should be in the next tranche of interview letters!! I will keep everyone posted for sure.

Hopefully you get an invite in May! Please keep us updated!