221g group Montreal US consulate

[Hopelessincanada 3]

Hello to all trying to patiently wait…

 

I’ve been lurking here a bit and finally decided to sign up as I’m just so exhausted and discouraged. 
 

We began our journey for a K-1 visa with initial application being sent in Feb of 2022(!). Every step of this process has been a drag. It seemed like every time we received a document and it said “allow 6-8 weeks for processing” we’d go well beyond that. It got to the point where I’d email after those months passed, then magically we’d get our next packet. We finally received a ready for interview in July 2023(!) but no interviews were popping up. That dragged into October when a January interview FINALLY became available- booked it. Fiancé did medical a week before, did interview- he was barely asked any questions at all, said she didn’t even make eye contact with him. Unfortunately he was missing 2 basic documents- we are still kicking ourselves over it because it sounds like he would’ve received the visa on the spot. They gave him the 221g denial and asked for the 2 docs to be mailed with the passport. We were in the states, being snowbirds, so we waited until returning to mail it. We mailed everything April 23- didn’t receive a tracking number from courier. And we waited. CEAC date updated May 6- still denied. I finally emailed (May 21) asking for confirmation that docs were received. Received reply June 12 saying:

    

“We acknowledge receipt of the documents you have provided. This case is currently pending review by a consular officer. As soon as the review is complete, the Visa Unit will advise of the next steps if anything else is needed to complete processing the case.

  

We hope that this information is helpful in replying to your inquiry.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.”
 

CEAC dates changes occurred again June 6 then 11, still denied. He’s a natural born Canadian, only traveled to US and DR for holidays. Career isn’t under any extra scrutiny. I’m just getting discouraged and am looking to see if anyone else has a similar timeline and offer some kind of glimmer of hope. 
 

Thank you for reading. 

[EatBulaga 305]

@Hopelessincanada Other K 1 applicants have reported the "denied" status while their applications are undergoing further review. And their statuses will change to "approved" later. So just hang in there.

 

Moving forward. Always send with verifiable receipts or confirmations (signed receipts, tracking number, etc.). Personally, I like using FedEx. There are only a few points in the process with controllable feedback notifications and paying a few extra dollars is worth the peace of mind.

 

Edited June 19 by EatBulaga

[Hopelessincanada 3]

16 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

@Hopelessincanada Other K 1 applicants have reported the "denied" status while their applications are undergoing further review. And their statuses will change to "approved" later. So just hang in there.

 

Moving forward. Always send with verifiable receipts or confirmations (signed receipts, tracking number, etc.). Personally, I like using FedEx. There are only a few points in the process with controllable feedback notifications and paying a few extra dollars is worth the peace of mind.

 

Hi EB, 

 

Thanks for the reply. I actually used Canada post first with tracking, and they denied it- I have no idea why. Correct address and all. I then used the courier the consulate recommended and it went through. They just never provided tracking for it. 

[Peot 158]

Not sure if it brings much solace (or that glimmer of hope you wanted), but the fact that they asked for the passport is a great sign - they will apply the Visa to his passport and then return it to him. I would also take the "he was barely asked any questions at all" as another good sign that things went well. It's only when they ask a lot of follow-ups that you should start to worry!

 

Sounds like everything went well and the 221g was logical and something you can overcome. 

 

Pending review is not the same as denied, and as with everything in this journey, it can (and will) take time.

 

Stay on them, keep asking for updates when you have questions, and before he'll know it he'll get that visa in the mail - then it's off to the races!

[powerpuff 6,461]

*** Thread moved from K1 process forum to Regional discussion: Canada ***

[Ontarkie 14,133]

Montreal has been for years taking about 8 weeks when you get a 221g, now depending what forms you needed to turn in that can add more time. Was he asked for his resume? 

[Hopelessincanada 3]

29 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

Montreal has been for years taking about 8 weeks when you get a 221g, now depending what forms you needed to turn in that can add more time. Was he asked for his resume? 

Hi Ontarkie,

 

Thanks for the reply. He needed a court record, an updated letter from my employer, and they said to send his passport with that. 

[Ontarkie 14,133]

13 hours ago, Hopelessincanada said:

Hi Ontarkie,

 

Thanks for the reply. He needed a court record, an updated letter from my employer, and they said to send his passport with that. 

Thankfully it wasn't a resume. Hopefully you're at the end. 

[H.Visa 0]

On 6/24/2024 at 1:06 PM, Ontarkie said:

Thankfully it wasn't a resume. Hopefully you're at the end. 

Hi Ontarkie;

I have a similar situation, mine is spousal visa application, interview went good and they kept my passport, no 221g issued, later on the same day, they sent me an email asking to provide my resume.

It has been 10 weeks since I submitted it and the status still showing (refused).

Do you have any information about the time line that Montreal consulate takes when they ask for resume.

 

Thanks

[Leo The Great 131]

27 minutes ago, H.Visa said:

Hi Ontarkie;

I have a similar situation, mine is spousal visa application, interview went good and they kept my passport, no 221g issued, later on the same day, they sent me an email asking to provide my resume.

It has been 10 weeks since I submitted it and the status still showing (refused).

Do you have any information about the time line that Montreal consulate takes when they ask for resume.

 

Thanks

Not sure about your visa type. If it is non-immigrant visa, Resume cases are cleared relatively fast but for immigrant visa, it takes more time. In one case (IR1 visa), it took more than 6 months to clear Resume only (without DS-5535) case from Montreal

Spreadsheet

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G2Uy4IANSzFvQVRiywS4djPaujgHSRCfzE0qZK0eQCM/edit?gid=0#gid=0

You may look at Resume only cases without DS-5535 to get an idea about immigrant visa/K visas clearance time.

Edited June 26 by Leo The Great

[Ontarkie 14,133]

26 minutes ago, H.Visa said:

Hi Ontarkie;

I have a similar situation, mine is spousal visa application, interview went good and they kept my passport, no 221g issued, later on the same day, they sent me an email asking to provide my resume.

It has been 10 weeks since I submitted it and the status still showing (refused).

Do you have any information about the time line that Montreal consulate takes when they ask for resume.

 

Thanks

Normally it wouldn't be too long but as Leo posted above the last one asked for resume took 7 months. I really do hope it will not be the case for everyone that turns on a resume. Hop on over to the thread Leo linked.