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

[BasitJeffries 0]

Hi everyone,

 

Would it be extremely abnormal to have been waiting 17 months for DS-5535 processing? 

 

I'm wondering if my case is special or if this is not unheard of, or if its on the rarer side.

 

I'm starting to get concerned, not necessarily because of the wait itself, but the duration itself sounds rare. 

[Cholte cholte 11]

Hi..BasitJeffries...that is a very good question. I am at the 6 month wait and am starting to wonder how long it could take..I hope someone replies.

[DS5535_jan2024 26]

11 hours ago, BasitJeffries said:

Hi everyone,

 

Would it be extremely abnormal to have been waiting 17 months for DS-5535 processing? 

 

I'm wondering if my case is special or if this is not unheard of, or if its on the rarer side.

 

I'm starting to get concerned, not necessarily because of the wait itself, but the duration itself sounds rare. 

I think it ranges and depends on your situation. You can see the spreadsheet that has been maintained with a lot of our info on it. Some have been waiting 17 months and it also depends on your visa type and your luck to be honest.  I’m almost at the 9 month mark now and I’m IR-1 visa. You should request congressional inquiry, email them and possibly consider WOM if you’re able to and need to. 

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1G2Uy4IANSzFvQVRiywS4djPaujgHSRCfzE0qZK0eQCM/htmlview?pli=1#

[iconoclass 1]

Hi all If anybody has experience about IR5 -Son sponsored us , both parents

-Interview on March 8, 2024

-CO asked me to send Resume and asked my wife to complete DS5535

- few days later they ask me to send DS5535 as well

- ⁠congressman push in June -

-⁠unsolicited updates for my wife case on 19th and 23rd sept

- ⁠no update for me since June ( congressman inquired ) -

wondering if they may just issue visa for my wife and take much longer for me ?

Any idea ?

TX

[Aab777 3]

Hi all - Here's our scenario again: 
 

Interview and placed on DS-5535 Aug 15 2023

Submitted form in 2 weeks after 

Case touched end of Sept 2023

Case touched again beginning of August 2024

Sent email to Montreal embassy Aug 15 2024 

Sent email to senators office Aug 20 2024

Got email for passport, police, medical and photos on Sept 13 2024 

Update:
- Got the hard copy of police report and waiting for medical to be completed before sending everything in. 
- Emailed twice to see if I can go in to get my passport stamped. No response yet. How long has it taken folks to get a response? It's now been about a week. 

QUESTION FOR THE TEAM - on Sept 16, 2024 my visa status changed to EXPIRING SOON and when I logged into NVC site, it says the applicant's stuff is "incomplete". Was this the case for everyone?

[CarmenD 133]

1 hour ago, Aab777 said:

Hi all - Here's our scenario again: 
 

Interview and placed on DS-5535 Aug 15 2023

Submitted form in 2 weeks after 

Case touched end of Sept 2023

Case touched again beginning of August 2024

Sent email to Montreal embassy Aug 15 2024 

Sent email to senators office Aug 20 2024

Got email for passport, police, medical and photos on Sept 13 2024 

Update:
- Got the hard copy of police report and waiting for medical to be completed before sending everything in. 
- Emailed twice to see if I can go in to get my passport stamped. No response yet. How long has it taken folks to get a response? It's now been about a week. 

QUESTION FOR THE TEAM - on Sept 16, 2024 my visa status changed to EXPIRING SOON and when I logged into NVC site, it says the applicant's stuff is "incomplete". Was this the case for everyone?

I attempted to arrange to have passport dropped off for stamping/pick-up same day.  They ignored my email (I’m the Petitioner/US Citizen).  Afterwards had my husband ask coming from his email.  Emailed them twice.  Finally, after two weeks received generic reply which did not, AT ALL, provide an answer to our question/request. We took that as a resounding NO 😂 

 

It was the case for us.  You should see “Re-opened” on lower right hand side in red letters.  You need to update it ASAP (any changes, travel, etc)  The EXPIRING SOON update is a good sign.  We received the email requesting passport, etc shortly after getting that same status change 

 

[Pending DS5535 21]

2 hours ago, iconoclass said:

Hi all If anybody has experience about IR5 -Son sponsored us , both parents

-Interview on March 8, 2024

-CO asked me to send Resume and asked my wife to complete DS5535

- few days later they ask me to send DS5535 as well

- ⁠congressman push in June -

-⁠unsolicited updates for my wife case on 19th and 23rd sept

- ⁠no update for me since June ( congressman inquired ) -

wondering if they may just issue visa for my wife and take much longer for me ?

Any idea ?

TX

We are also IR5, sponsored by our daughter, the interview was Jan 24, 2024. They refused and asked me Resume and DS5535 and for my husband only DS5535, it is almost 9 months, still waiting, and did not get a single unsolicited update. 

[jillian_a 3]

15 hours ago, BasitJeffries said:

Hi everyone,

 

Would it be extremely abnormal to have been waiting 17 months for DS-5535 processing? 

 

I'm wondering if my case is special or if this is not unheard of, or if its on the rarer side.

 

I'm starting to get concerned, not necessarily because of the wait itself, but the duration itself sounds rare. 

My interview was July 14th, 2023 so waiting a similar amount of time and still haven't gotten my email yet either  I emailed for an update a two months ago (July 13) and got the standard reply on August 5th and 3 case updates over the next week after the reply email. 

Now over a month later our congress emailed on September 17th, saw a case update on September 18th and still haven't heard anything and no more case updates at this point (Sept 23)

 

I hope we can both get out of this soon, it has definitely left me feeling quite hopeless

[CarmenD 133]

16 hours ago, BasitJeffries said:

Hi everyone,

 

Would it be extremely abnormal to have been waiting 17 months for DS-5535 processing? 

 

I'm wondering if my case is special or if this is not unheard of, or if its on the rarer side.

 

I'm starting to get concerned, not necessarily because of the wait itself, but the duration itself sounds rare. 

It’s not unheard of, but I would email the Consulate to inquire, and would request assistance ASAP from a Congressperson in the state/district where sponsor is located.  

[CarmenD 133]

36 minutes ago, jillian_a said:

My interview was July 14th, 2023 so waiting a similar amount of time and still haven't gotten my email yet either  I emailed for an update a two months ago (July 13) and got the standard reply on August 5th and 3 case updates over the next week after the reply email. 

Now over a month later our congress emailed on September 17th, saw a case update on September 18th and still haven't heard anything and no more case updates at this point (Sept 23)

 

I hope we can both get out of this soon, it has definitely left me feeling quite hopeless

This process is so unfair.  A good amount of cases that interviewed early this year under our same (refused/DS-5535) circumstances are being requested passport.  I know of one who interviewed in January, 2024 and was practically “fast tracked”.  Received his IV stamped passport today 🤬

 

My husband interviewed on July 21, 2023.

Two Congressional inquiries (first at six months the other at nine months), were not effective.  

 

Saw an unsolicited update on August 1, so I logged in to CEAC/NVC website and saw the Aug 1 update with the phrase “expiring soon”, and a notation on the lower right hand area in red letters that indicated “Re-opened”.  I updated the DS-260 a few days later, and on August 8 received email for passport, etc

 

At this point waiting for case status to update from “refused” to “issued”. The  Consulate received the updated medical on August 28 and the passport, etc. on September 9. The last update was on September 13 but still in “refused” status.  Will be reaching out to Congressperson very soon if no movement

[BramptonDesi 3]

2 hours ago, jillian_a said:

My interview was July 14th, 2023 so waiting a similar amount of time and still haven't gotten my email yet either  I emailed for an update a two months ago (July 13) and got the standard reply on August 5th and 3 case updates over the next week after the reply email. 

Now over a month later our congress emailed on September 17th, saw a case update on September 18th and still haven't heard anything and no more case updates at this point (Sept 23)

 

I hope we can both get out of this soon, it has definitely left me feeling quite hopeless

Interview July 21st,2023 still nothing on our end either.

[ak47 31]

56 minutes ago, BramptonDesi said:

Interview July 21st,2023 still nothing on our end either.

Are you EB category?

[SEP-27-DS_5535 29]

16 minutes ago, ak47 said:

Are you EB category?

He’s CR1/IR1 category, it’s on the excel sheet.

1 hour ago, BramptonDesi said:

Interview July 21st,2023 still nothing on our end either.

Did your DS-260 open after 1 year mark?

[MandyMila 1]

Hi there, I cleared the DS-5535 last month and received my passport a few days ago and have that temporary immigrant visa within the passport pages, and have my flight scheduled. What are the steps for US officer at the airport to activate this? Is there anything I need to do?
 

Edited September 24 by MandyMila

[BramptonDesi 3]

3 hours ago, SEP-27-DS_5535 said:

He’s CR1/IR1 category, it’s on the excel sheet.

Did your DS-260 open after 1 year mark?

My DS-260 was open the entire time i beleive. I did make changes to it earlier this year as I had to renew my passport so resubmitted with new number and expire date.