The Big IR-1/CR-1 DQ'd Message Group (Part V)

[HoneyBadger26 56]

15 minutes ago, GCMontreal said:

Seems like they updated the consular operations website but not the status of scheduling interviews:

https://ca.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/consular-operations-updates/

 

It is not possible to provide precise wait times for immigrant visa appointments, as facilities, staffing resources, and local conditions all affect capacity and scheduling.  As of September 29, 2023, most Immediate Relative and fiancé(e) visa cases being scheduled for interview in Montreal were documentarily complete at the National Visa Center in June 2023; most Family Preference cases with visa numbers available that are being scheduled for interview were documentarily qualified in April 2021; and most Employment cases scheduled for interview were documentarily complete in January 2021.

Oh for Pete's sake - how can they possibly still be taking this long to work on scheduling cases from JUNE....? Its been that way since AUGUST!?

[MapleSyrup2007 10]

It is ridiculous. It cannot possibly take that long. I have read in a few places that the scheduling in Montreal slows down in the fall. I understand there would be a pause for Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December, but that does not account for why it has taken so long to make the June appointments and why they have not sent out IL for the month of October. 

[mam521 2,113]

2 hours ago, MapleSyrup2007 said:

It is ridiculous. It cannot possibly take that long. I have read in a few places that the scheduling in Montreal slows down in the fall. I understand there would be a pause for Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December, but that does not account for why it has taken so long to make the June appointments and why they have not sent out IL for the month of October. 

Timelines are extended because spousal visas are not the only visas that Montreal has to contend with. Family reunification visas were prioritized after covid, which has left a massive backlog of employment visas that still hasn't been cleared.  People waiting on employment interviews have been DQ'd since 2022 and are just starting to see interviews.  The VJ guys waiting on employment visas haven't seen interviews issued since May. 

 

The fiscal year starts Oct. 1 and runs until Sept. 30th of the following year.  When the fiscal new year begins, visas with limited availability numbers (employment, family preference, etc) suddenly become available and have to be addressed since they are a limited time offer.  Spousal visas are essentially unlimited; other visa types are not.

 

Montreal also seems to issue a fairly high number of 221g and DS-5535's that all require attention.  

 

Combine that with the various holidays and yes, the Consulate seems slow considerably in Q4.  

[Shades8 36]

40 minutes ago, mam521 said:

Timelines are extended because spousal visas are not the only visas that Montreal has to contend with. Family reunification visas were prioritized after covid, which has left a massive backlog of employment visas that still hasn't been cleared.  People waiting on employment interviews have been DQ'd since 2022 and are just starting to see interviews.  The VJ guys waiting on employment visas haven't seen interviews issued since May. 

 

The fiscal year starts Oct. 1 and runs until Sept. 30th of the following year.  When the fiscal new year begins, visas with limited availability numbers (employment, family preference, etc) suddenly become available and have to be addressed since they are a limited time offer.  Spousal visas are essentially unlimited; other visa types are not.

 

Montreal also seems to issue a fairly high number of 221g and DS-5535's that all require attention.  

 

Combine that with the various holidays and yes, the Consulate seems slow considerably in Q4.  

Why don’t they invest in technology to automate some of these processes and speed it up? With the technology we have available right now, I feel there is no excuse for how slow and awful the user experience is for everyone involved. 

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

7 minutes ago, Shades8 said:

Why don’t they invest in technology to automate some of these processes and speed it up? With the technology we have available right now, I feel there is no excuse for how slow and awful the user experience is for everyone involved. 

Suggestions?  Evidence must be screened by human eyes.  Vetting must be done by humans.

[Shades8 36]

Just now, Crazy Cat said:

Suggestions?  Evidence must be screened by human eyes.  Vetting must be done by humans.

I’m not an expert in that type of tech, but with AI and a good CRM platform it could reduce the need for human eyes and manual steps considerably.  And scheduling could be totally automated.  

[mam521 2,113]

2 hours ago, Shades8 said:

I’m not an expert in that type of tech, but with AI and a good CRM platform it could reduce the need for human eyes and manual steps considerably.  And scheduling could be totally automated.  

AI is only as good as those who train it.  Additionally, do you trust AI to search the system and if it finds someone with the exact same name as you, to do the correct things to ensure the associated checks are really you and not the other person?  If that other person has a criminal record, do you want that accidentally assigned to you by AI, ruining any chances of lawful entry into the US? It's a dangerous path.  

 

These are government agencies and USCIS is, in large part, is funded by the fees collected by petitions.  If you want $$$$ poured into tech, those fees are going to go up exponentially.  The other agencies will tax your partner more on their income tax.  The money has to come from somewhere.  

 

People get impatient and forget immigration is a privilege, not a right.  The US doesn't HAVE to let you in. If they want to take their sweet time making a decision, that's their prerogative, as unfortunate and cruel as it sounds. 

[W199 343]

2 hours ago, Shades8 said:

Why don’t they invest in technology to automate some of these processes and speed it up? With the technology we have available right now, I feel there is no excuse for how slow and awful the user experience is for everyone involved. 

They are .. but it takes millions and millions of dollars and time to study and figure out how and where to best apply technology, develop and review the algorithms, design, test, and support.  And they have a LOT of different processes that need to be improved.  They are also studying what parts of the adjudcaton review and paperwork are a waste of time and never lead to denials so they can be more efficient.   Right now, you can't even file a I-129F K-1 online .. its all done by paper.  They are working on things like that.   USCIS is funded by the application fees. You can look at their budget.  Its very hard to increase the fees to support more staff and development.  But they have finally recently increased fees quite a bit inorder to get funding to hire more people and develop more technology. So I think it will be limited by their budget and managmenet. If everyone is screaming at you to adjudicate faster, immediately, without years of HW development, you are probably going to hire more staff and then slowly phase in the technology when things cool down .. 

 

Maybe someday the IRS will too .. their computer technology is more primitive and full of  patches than you could even imagine. Priorities and budget .... 

[Shades8 36]

It’s strange because some of the biggest corporations in the world invest in tech to save themselves money in the long run, but when it comes to government, it’s just pure cost on top of keeping the same amount of manual process and people.  And this is the result you get, slow moving processes with limited visibility.  I get that immigration is a privilege, I do not assume to think it’s a right for me.  But governments being ineffective and bureaucratic is something everyone just accepts and never challenge or even imagine it would be possible to change.  

[LJSJMS 8]

Hi friends, I just received my IL for interview in December. Check your inbox!!!

[Ontarkie 14,314]

Just remember their new programing/tech is what is dishing out more DS 5535 like crazy.

[Ontarkie 14,314]

3 minutes ago, LJSJMS said:

Hi friends, I just received my IL for interview in December. Check your inbox!!!

I think this is the latest in the month I've seen them send them out. COngratulations! One step closer. 

[coffeetime 15]

3 hours ago, LJSJMS said:

Hi friends, I just received my IL for interview in December. Check your inbox!!!

Nice! I also received my IL for interview in mid December! 

[HoneyBadger26 56]

4 hours ago, LJSJMS said:

Hi friends, I just received my IL for interview in December. Check your inbox!!!

 

53 minutes ago, coffeetime said:

Nice! I also received my IL for interview in mid December! 

You were both early DQs, right? June/July-ish?

[ind2can 11]

July 25th DQ, got IL today for a late December interview. Won't be a christmas in the US, but perhaps a New Year's eve? Feeling so relieved.