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

[ak47 33]

6 hours ago, coffeetime said:

I think I'm on the tracker already (one of the unknown lol). 

DQ Date: Jul 10, 2023

Date I received the DS-5535: Dec 13, 2023 and returned it on the same day

 

Thanks for updating my TL on the tracker sheet! 

Are you from Montreal DS5535 case ?

[julia_29387 3]

Hi guys. My case is a bit different but still want to share my update. DV case, interview was in November 2023. Was put into administrative processing and asked for CVs both of me and my husband.

Jul 15 - we sent an inquiry to the consulate.

Jul 19 - case updated.

Jul 29 - case updated.

Jul 30 in the morning case was updated again. And in the afternoon, we got a request for an updated medical, new photos and passports.

So for us, it was a nine-month wait for the CV review.

[julia_29387 3]

On 7/15/2024 at 8:45 AM, julia_29387 said:

I haven't received an automatic reply on my last inquiry to Montreal, and neither has my husband. And there were no actual responses on these inquiries. I have a suspicion that we are blacklisted, and they didn't get these letters at all.

By the way, this turned out not to be the case. Now I know for a fact that they get e-mails if they are not followed by autoreplies.

[Canucklehead 102]

Hey all, hoping someone can help me out with this. I just picked up my passport and visa yesterday and also received a letter asking me to pay the $220 USCIS Immigrant fee in order to get my green card.

 

I understand this is a requirement, however I feel like during this application I was asked if I wanted to pay for green card in advance and I chose that option. I just can't remember when and where this happened since this process has now lasted almost 3 years lol.

 

Does anyone know if we did have the option to already pay for green card somewhere along this application (I am IR1) or if I am mistaken and just need to pay it now? Cheers!

[anotherstuckinap 5]

42 minutes ago, Canucklehead said:

Hey all, hoping someone can help me out with this. I just picked up my passport and visa yesterday and also received a letter asking me to pay the $220 USCIS Immigrant fee in order to get my green card.

 

I understand this is a requirement, however I feel like during this application I was asked if I wanted to pay for green card in advance and I chose that option. I just can't remember when and where this happened since this process has now lasted almost 3 years lol.

 

Does anyone know if we did have the option to already pay for green card somewhere along this application (I am IR1) or if I am mistaken and just need to pay it now? Cheers!

From what I've read, I think you always have to pay after processing is complete (since no one is guaranteed a visa).

 

I could definitely be wrong, however!

 

Hope this helps.

[Lil bear 4,261]

55 minutes ago, Canucklehead said:

Hey all, hoping someone can help me out with this. I just picked up my passport and visa yesterday and also received a letter asking me to pay the $220 USCIS Immigrant fee in order to get my green card.

 

I understand this is a requirement, however I feel like during this application I was asked if I wanted to pay for green card in advance and I chose that option. I just can't remember when and where this happened since this process has now lasted almost 3 years lol.

 

Does anyone know if we did have the option to already pay for green card somewhere along this application (I am IR1) or if I am mistaken and just need to pay it now? Cheers!

You can only pay this fee after the visa has been issued and you have your passport in hand    You will need info from the visa foil,  which is only available once you have the visa in hand 

[northface 30]

1 hour ago, Canucklehead said:

Hey all, hoping someone can help me out with this. I just picked up my passport and visa yesterday and also received a letter asking me to pay the $220 USCIS Immigrant fee in order to get my green card.

 

I understand this is a requirement, however I feel like during this application I was asked if I wanted to pay for green card in advance and I chose that option. I just can't remember when and where this happened since this process has now lasted almost 3 years lol.

 

Does anyone know if we did have the option to already pay for green card somewhere along this application (I am IR1) or if I am mistaken and just need to pay it now? Cheers!

 

if you already paid before , should have an IOE number i.e receipt number , log in my USCIS account to find it ,then call USCIS to link your visa # avoid paying twice ?

Edited July 31 by northface

[CarmenD 150]

1 hour ago, anotherstuckinap said:

From what I've read, I think you always have to pay after processing is complete (since no one is guaranteed a visa).

Correct.  Immigrant Visa fee becomes due and payable only after the IV is issued and passport is stamped

[CarmenD 150]

1 hour ago, northface said:

 

if you already paid before , should have an IOE number i.e receipt number , log in my USCIS account to find it ,then call USCIS to link your visa # avoid paying twice ?

Edited 1 hour ago by northface

The IOE receipt fee is the application fee paid at the time a Petition (in our case I-130 Petition for Alien Relative) is filed with USCIS.  The Immigrant Visa Fee becomes due and payable once the IV is issued/passport stamped.

[Superluminal 146]

So we have a good update to share!

 

We had our medical / RCMP / passport request from MTL. The request actually came through our Senator, who we asked to reach out on our behalf last week. We're elated since I think we are finally in the end game now. This reinforces a suspicion I had, which is the consulate sits on your clearance from the state department for a while until it is convenient for them to process your case. I wanted to make sure we didn't ask for senatorial help until our case was 'ripe' enough to get action by Montreal. The factors & recent timeline of events that led us to reach out were:

 

- I emailed on April 30th and did not get a response, even though they updated our case in late May.

- Many people around my vintage on the tracker were getting processed between late May and now.

- I had another update on July 9th, but no additional follow up for a couple of weeks.

- I had a hunch that either the May or July update was them receiving the clearance, but they had other priorities.

- After waiting from July 9th for an organic update and document request, and it not coming, we felt we could now ask congress to inquire to help expedite things.

- We used the Senator's webform for assistance on July 25th.

- They confirmed they reached out to the consulate on July 29th.

- We had an update on CEAC on July 30th.

- Today (July 31st) we received an email from the senator with the documentation request, also explaining how the CO reviewed our file on July 30th.

 

Given the very fast response after the senatorial outreach, I think it is safe to say they helped expedite things. I do, however, believe if we had asked for help months ago (before state department clearance), they would have received push back, making more difficult for them to reach out and expedite things when it is actually possible.

 

All of this is anecdotal, but I'm sharing the details hoping that maybe it could help people decide when it is appropriate to seek outside assistance.

Oh, and one more thing. since I was asked for RCMP check again, it is safe to say that they are probably only valid for 1 year.

[Sisa24 20]

9 minutes ago, Superluminal said:

So we have a good update to share!

 

We had our medical / RCMP / passport request from MTL. The request actually came through our Senator, who we asked to reach out on our behalf last week. We're elated since I think we are finally in the end game now. This reinforces a suspicion I had, which is the consulate sits on your clearance from the state department for a while until it is convenient for them to process your case. I wanted to make sure we didn't ask for senatorial help until our case was 'ripe' enough to get action by Montreal. The factors & recent timeline of events that led us to reach out were:

 

- I emailed on April 30th and did not get a response, even though they updated our case in late May.

- Many people around my vintage on the tracker were getting processed between late May and now.

- I had another update on July 9th, but no additional follow up for a couple of weeks.

- I had a hunch that either the May or July update was them receiving the clearance, but they had other priorities.

- After waiting from July 9th for an organic update and document request, and it not coming, we felt we could now ask congress to inquire to help expedite things.

- We used the Senator's webform for assistance on July 25th.

- They confirmed they reached out to the consulate on July 29th.

- We had an update on CEAC on July 30th.

- Today (July 31st) we received an email from the senator with the documentation request, also explaining how the CO reviewed our file on July 30th.

 

Given the very fast response after the senatorial outreach, I think it is safe to say they helped expedite things. I do, however, believe if we had asked for help months ago (before state department clearance), they would have received push back, making more difficult for them to reach out and expedite things when it is actually possible.

 

All of this is anecdotal, but I'm sharing the details hoping that maybe it could help people decide when it is appropriate to seek outside assistance.

Oh, and one more thing. since I was asked for RCMP check again, it is safe to say that they are probably only valid for 1 year.

Congratulations!! What a relief to finally receive the clearance! So 16 months it took?! That’s really long

[Superluminal 146]

8 minutes ago, Sisa24 said:

Congratulations!! What a relief to finally receive the clearance! So 16 months it took?! That’s really long

15 months and 4 days.

 

I'm visiting my wife in the US right now so I will have to head back and then get my RCMP clearance + medical. RCMP takes a few weeks so I'll be lucky if I have everything resolved by mid September.

[CarmenD 150]

2 hours ago, Superluminal said:

Oh, and one more thing. since I was asked for RCMP check again, it is safe to say that they are probably only valid for 1 year.

Good to know.  My recollection of one year was accurate then 

[coffeetime 15]

15 hours ago, ak47 said:

Are you from Montreal DS5535 case ?

Yes, that's right

[Canucklehead 102]

Thank you everyone for your advice! Much appreciated. Here is my timeline for those new to our forum:

 

Feb 1, 2023 - Interview at Montreal (got denied and placed into AP)

March 2, 2023 - Submitted DS-5535 documents

June 27, 2024 - Montreal embassy requested my passport, CRC, medical and photos

July 11, 2024 - I mailed documents to embassy

July 29, 2024 - I picked up my passport from embassy

 

Total time from interview to passport in hand - 17 months & 29 days

 

I am REALLY, REALLY hoping that this recent movement we've been seeing with a lot of us is a sign that this sort of timeline will no longer be the norm.