The dreaded DS-5535 thread for Montreal Only. Post here and support each other (PART 3)

[DuBrun20 27]

Hello! My husband was given the ds-5535 at montreal in January. He has not yet tried to cross the border since then, but I have a surgery next week and he is going to try to fly here this coming Friday and we are very nervous. He is Canadian born and raised, but he is living at his parents while we wait this out and all of his work is freelance, so he doesn’t have the typical official “ties to canada.” He will have a return ticket, evidence of my surgery, and bookings in canada for when he returns. He also cancelled all meetings while he’s here so he doesn’t have to do any work. I know many people here have traveled to the US during AP with no problem, but we are nervous because of his lack of ties. Lawyers havent realIy been able to tell us much, just that it’s unknown and could be a little risky and we can’t predict what will happen. I guess we are just looking for some reassurance based on others experiences. How much questioning should we expect, and what would happen if he was turned away? Would it affect our ongoing immigration application? 

[MTLaffectee 45]

2 minutes ago, DuBrun20 said:

Hello! My husband was given the ds-5535 at montreal in January. He has not yet tried to cross the border since then, but I have a surgery next week and he is going to try to fly here this coming Friday and we are very nervous. He is Canadian born and raised, but he is living at his parents while we wait this out and all of his work is freelance, so he doesn’t have the typical official “ties to canada.” He will have a return ticket, evidence of my surgery, and bookings in canada for when he returns. He also cancelled all meetings while he’s here so he doesn’t have to do any work. I know many people here have traveled to the US during AP with no problem, but we are nervous because of his lack of ties. Lawyers havent realIy been able to tell us much, just that it’s unknown and could be a little risky and we can’t predict what will happen. I guess we are just looking for some reassurance based on others experiences. How much questioning should we expect, and what would happen if he was turned away? Would it affect our ongoing immigration application? 

He will be fine since he has a return ticket. My wife was stopped once and we provided all the documents about our ongoing process. She is also living with her parents, we were allowed to cross the border. Our experience is that flying in is easier than road crossings especially if you have a returning ticket. 

[DuBrun20 27]

4 minutes ago, MTLaffectee said:

He will be fine since he has a return ticket. My wife was stopped once and we provided all the documents about our ongoing process. She is also living with her parents, we were allowed to cross the border. Our experience is that flying in is easier than road crossings especially if you have a returning ticket. 

Thank you this is so reassuring! What types of documents about the ongoing process did you have? Just the form request, or the filled out ds-5535, or all the documents brought to the interview? 

[MTLaffectee 45]

1 minute ago, DuBrun20 said:

Thank you this is so reassuring! What types of documents about the ongoing process did you have? Just the form request, or the filled out ds-5535, or all the documents brought to the interview? 

We showed the USCIS i-130 approval, documentarily qualification email, interview email, etc. 

[Cholte cholte 20]

Yes...my wife has a pending DS5535....we crossed into the US at a land border...while she was stopped for secondary questioning the office let her in after he was convinced that she was going to return...from this forum it seems that air travel is not so challenging as long as you have a return ticket... 

[cala2023 70]

Hey guys, we just got the email to send passport and new medical! I'm really happy to see things moving along and best of luck to everyone for waiting. I do sincerely believe we'll start to see shorter wait times now for those of you interviewed later in 2023 and early 2024. 

 

IR1 Visa

Interview April 27 2023

DS5535 submitted May 1 2023

Unsolicited updates June 20, July 9, July 10, and July 11 with the request.

 

@Superluminal can you update the tracker please and hopefully you've received your email as well!

[Hopelessincanada 4]

On 7/10/2024 at 7:23 AM, Admitt said:

was this after they requested you mail it back after AP? I am getting nervous that its been over a month since i mailed in my passport and it still says refused....

We sent passport April 23, last case update June 11 (solicited), and nothing since. We didn’t get DS- we received 221g- sent docs requested and passport. We’re getting pretty nervous that something is going to set us back again. 

[Superluminal 146]

3 hours ago, cala2023 said:

Hey guys, we just got the email to send passport and new medical! I'm really happy to see things moving along and best of luck to everyone for waiting. I do sincerely believe we'll start to see shorter wait times now for those of you interviewed later in 2023 and early 2024. 

 

IR1 Visa

Interview April 27 2023

DS5535 submitted May 1 2023

Unsolicited updates June 20, July 9, July 10, and July 11 with the request.

 

@Superluminal can you update the tracker please and hopefully you've received your email as well!

Congrats!!

 

Updated.

 

I haven't seen an update since the 9th. Still hoping for something soon!

[Pending DS5535 24]

3 hours ago, cala2023 said:

Hey guys, we just got the email to send passport and new medical! I'm really happy to see things moving along and best of luck to everyone for waiting. I do sincerely believe we'll start to see shorter wait times now for those of you interviewed later in 2023 and early 2024. 

 

IR1 Visa

Interview April 27 2023

DS5535 submitted May 1 2023

Unsolicited updates June 20, July 9, July 10, and July 11 with the request.

 

@Superluminal can you update the tracker please and hopefully you've received your email as well!

Congratulations

[Pending DS5535 24]

18 hours ago, DuBrun20 said:

Hello! My husband was given the ds-5535 at montreal in January. He has not yet tried to cross the border since then, but I have a surgery next week and he is going to try to fly here this coming Friday and we are very nervous. He is Canadian born and raised, but he is living at his parents while we wait this out and all of his work is freelance, so he doesn’t have the typical official “ties to Canada.” He will have a return ticket, evidence of my surgery, and bookings in canada for when he returns. He also cancelled all meetings while he’s here so he doesn’t have to do any work. I know many people here have traveled to the US during AP with no problem, but we are nervous because of his lack of ties. Lawyers havent realIy been able to tell us much, just that it’s unknown and could be a little risky and we can’t predict what will happen. I guess we are just looking for some reassurance based on others experiences. How much questioning should we expect, and what would happen if he was turned away? Would it affect our ongoing immigration application? 

My husband and I travelled to USA recently for 3 weeks and returned back to Canada yesterday. I was not asked a single question, while my husband was asked so many questions, they said to him, that your case is pending the DS5355 decision, and why you are going to USA, when returning, proof of return ticket and then let him go as well. We both are under DS 5535 since Jan 24, 2024 and I am even under resume review along with DS 5535 but they did not ask me any question. So, they have all the details of our immigration case and status. 

[as2023 8]

Hello Guest;

This is for Guest who submitted his passport on January 19 on the tracker,do you have any information on why they mention the passport on g221 while they tick the link to ds5535 on the same g221,are they keeping the passport until AP is completed?

[APRIL2023 59]

5 hours ago, cala2023 said:

Hey guys, we just got the email to send passport and new medical! I'm really happy to see things moving along and best of luck to everyone for waiting. I do sincerely believe we'll start to see shorter wait times now for those of you interviewed later in 2023 and early 2024. 

 

IR1 Visa

Interview April 27 2023

DS5535 submitted May 1 2023

Unsolicited updates June 20, July 9, July 10, and July 11 with the request.

 

@Superluminal can you update the tracker please and hopefully you've received your email as well!

This is great news!!

 

im curious though, so they don’t process the case at chronological order? My interview was April 13 2023. 

[cala2023 70]

9 minutes ago, APRIL2023 said:

This is great news!!

 

im curious though, so they don’t process the case at chronological order? My interview was April 13 2023. 

Sadly no. It was one of the revelations that came to light in the Carson Wu declarations. The state department admitted that these cases are not processed on a first in first out basis. I can't find the link but it was posted on this forum a while back if you want to read the full thing. If you haven't emailed the consulate lately I would suggest doing so. I emailed them on May 31 and received a response on June 17 with the usual case update. I then received an unsolicited update on June 20 which "seems" to have been the start of the typical chain of unsolicited updates leading to the request that most people are experiencing. I don't know if that email did any good, but it can't hurt to give it a try!! Good luck, I hope you hear something soon.

[anotherstuckinap 5]

17 minutes ago, cala2023 said:

Sadly no. It was one of the revelations that came to light in the Carson Wu declarations. The state department admitted that these cases are not processed on a first in first out basis. I can't find the link but it was posted on this forum a while back if you want to read the full thing. If you haven't emailed the consulate lately I would suggest doing so. I emailed them on May 31 and received a response on June 17 with the usual case update. I then received an unsolicited update on June 20 which "seems" to have been the start of the typical chain of unsolicited updates leading to the request that most people are experiencing. I don't know if that email did any good, but it can't hurt to give it a try!! Good luck, I hope you hear something soon.

 

For what it's worth - and anyone interested: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UUbxQ2o74-5O0lip4Si18kaI7ZVsaCit/view

 

Section 27: 

Quote

Because of the complexity of this process, SAO requests can be neither addressed nor resolved in a first-in-first-out basis.

 

Another interesting quote

Quote

That said, generally, security vetting is concluded in 75 percent of visa cases requiring additional security vetting in approximately 120 days. Security vetting is concluded in over 90 percent of all cases requiring additional security vetting in less than 24 months.

 

[JanMontrealDS5535 24]

3 hours ago, Superluminal said:

Congrats!!

 

Updated.

 

I haven't seen an update since the 9th. Still hoping for something soon!

Can you please look into the tracking sheet and fix the messed up columns?

It says I recieved visa, which is not true.

Columns C to V are shifted to one row above. 

Another thing, please highlight all rows to green for completed files.

 

Thank you so much !!