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

[Leo The Great 141]

10 hours ago, Timbits said:

Just want to vent. Spouse interviewed in mid Dec. got DS5535. CEAC had not had any updates since Dec 22. At time of interview VO asked us to submit her unexpired visa from old third country passport. Then when we emailed them to clarify whether to send in the unexpired visa first, they said just wait for the visa team for further instruction. So we are not sure whether to send in the old unexpired US visa or just wait. worried that if we don’t send it in and a year passes by and then they’ll have an excuse to screw us over saying we didn’t follow 221g. 

 

Consulate asked you to wait because of DS-5535, They only need to cancel your old unexpired visa on third country passport before they stamp IR visa.  I am hoping State Dept will switch security clearance to National Vetting Center for immigrant and K1 visas this year. That will expedite the clearance process for everyone. Keep your fingers crossed.

Edited March 29 by Leo The Great

[Daft_Cat 136]

3 hours ago, Superluminal said:

@Daft_Cat you inspired me to check my status and we got an update on CEAC. However, I sent them an email 17 days ago so I won't hold my breath. First update since October 6th

I said that exact same thing when I got my first update in Mid-Jan. I had sent them an unanswered email a couple weeks prior and wrote it off as just them reading the message. 
 

…then I got a second update a couple weeks later. Then another, the week after that. And it basically went on like that until today.
 

One confounding factor is that I also had an ongoing WoM case at the same time, but it’s hard to say what’s triggering what. Plus the state department had already filed their motion to dismiss, so who knows if it was even having an influence.

 

I wouldn’t give up hope that your update could be the start of a similar process for you - especially given how long you’ve been waiting. It’s possible our emails get escalated and become more effective after certain time thresholds. Tough to say what kickstarts things.

 

 

[Pending DS5535 25]

2 hours ago, Daft_Cat said:

I said that exact same thing when I got my first update in Mid-Jan. I had sent them an unanswered email a couple weeks prior and wrote it off as just them reading the message. 
 

…then I got a second update a couple weeks later. Then another, the week after that. And it basically went on like that until today.
 

One confounding factor is that I also had an ongoing WoM case at the same time, but it’s hard to say what’s triggering what. Plus the state department had already filed their motion to dismiss, so who knows if it was even having an influence.

 

I wouldn’t give up hope that your update could be the start of a similar process for you - especially given how long you’ve been waiting. It’s possible our emails get escalated and become more effective after certain time thresholds. Tough to say what kickstarts things.

 

 

Draft_Cat many congratulations to you, and all the best for your future.

I hope and wish, we all get clearance soon. It is important that our voice must be heard to state department before the election time. 

[Irish89 44]

16 hours ago, Superluminal said:

@Daft_Cat you inspired me to check my status and we got an update on CEAC. However, I sent them an email 17 days ago so I won't hold my breath. First update since October 6th

Can you let us know if it corresponds with an email reply from the consulate 🙏🏻

[Superluminal 146]

24 minutes ago, Irish89 said:

Can you let us know if it corresponds with an email reply from the consulate 🙏🏻

If I get anything positive from the consulate I will (1) Immediately call my wife, and (2) post here right after. Some of you will probably find out before her depending on how quick she sees the message haha

[ak47 33]

1 hour ago, Superluminal said:

If I get anything positive from the consulate I will (1) Immediately call my wife, and (2) post here right after. Some of you will probably find out before her depending on how quick she sees the message haha

What's your interview month in 2023 ?

[Irish89 44]

7 hours ago, Superluminal said:

If I get anything positive from the consulate I will (1) Immediately call my wife, and (2) post here right after. Some of you will probably find out before her depending on how quick she sees the message haha

Awesome!! Well an initial update with no email reply from them is a good thing 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[Kara.gana 36]

I've been following this forum from August 2023. My husband and daughter interviewed August 1, 2023. Our daughter was issued her visa August 1, 2023 but my husband was refused and given DS5535/221G. We have only received updates to CEAC in response to our emails, which we send about once a month. Our last update in response to an email was February 22, 2024

But after seeing updates from others on here, I checked my husbands status and we also received an unsolicited update for March 28, 2024! Trying not to get excited,  but it would be nice if it lead to something.

Edited March 30 by Kara.gana

[Leo The Great 141]

33 minutes ago, Kara.gana said:

I've been following this forum from August 2023. My husband and daughter interviewed August 1, 2023. Our daughter was issued her visa August 1, 2023 but my husband was refused and given DS5535/221G. We have only received updates to CEAC in response to our emails, which we send about once a month. Our last update in response to an email was February 22, 2024

But after seeing updates from others on here, I checked my husbands status and we also received an unsolicited update for March 28, 2024! Trying not to get excited,  but it would be nice if it lead to something.

If you get more unsolicited updates in April/May then that is a good sign.

Edited March 30 by Leo The Great

[Sisa24 20]

43 minutes ago, Kara.gana said:

I've been following this forum from August 2023. My husband and daughter interviewed August 1, 2023. Our daughter was issued her visa August 1, 2023 but my husband was refused and given DS5535/221G. We have only received updates to CEAC in response to our emails, which we send about once a month. Our last update in response to an email was February 22, 2024

But after seeing updates from others on here, I checked my husbands status and we also received an unsolicited update for March 28, 2024! Trying not to get excited,  but it would be nice if it lead to something.

Hopefully you receive good news soon. Do you check updates on this site? 

[Kara.gana 36]

55 minutes ago, Leo The Great said:

If you get more unsolicited updates in April/May then that is a good sign.

Fingers crossed. 

35 minutes ago, Sisa24 said:

Hopefully you receive good news soon. Do you check updates on this site? 

Yes that’s where I check. 

[brkendream 13]

On 3/29/2024 at 1:37 AM, Daft_Cat said:

 

They definitely will. No doubt there.

 

For the poster who asked: My interview was Feb, 2023. Filed a WoM in September of 2023, received 2 extension requests over the subsequent months, and then finally got hit with a Motion to Dismiss in Jan, 2024. We decided to fight it, and were eagerly awaiting the State Department's deadline to respond in early April. There'd been a number of unsolicited case updates on my file since mid-Jan, so we knew something was afoot. 

As for what got us over the hump, tough to say! Was the upcoming MtD deadline the catalyst? Could be, but then again, it's also possible that I was simply next in line. We'd been waiting a long time, so I wouldn't necessarily read too much into our unique sequence of events. 

 

 

Congratulation sir , This is great to know that misery of waiting under Ds-5535 in finally ending for you. 

Look like movement , good to know They starts clearing  Feb 2023. Also if you kindly tell us the date of your interview that will  help . 

[brkendream 13]

On 3/29/2024 at 3:51 AM, northface said:

Congratulations first!!

 

For reason over the hump, I am prone to believing that WOM working rather than security check cleared. Nowdays big data time,DS-5535 clears in 1 hour ,as  4 or 5+ times updates shown on CEAC status tracker after it was submitted. 

As to SAO, security advisoy opinion is just a reference, CO/VO  has his/her own decision.

 

If what you said have any truth in it ( Co/VO personally putting people in Ds-5535 misery) then this genocide of relationships , emotions , health , money and time need to stop now. This is just cruelty to put someone on months hold because You(Vo/Co) want to enjoy his/her pain...

[northface 30]

36 minutes ago, brkendream said:

If what you said have any truth in it ( Co/VO personally putting people in Ds-5535 misery) then this genocide of relationships , emotions , health , money and time need to stop now. This is just cruelty to put someone on months hold because You(Vo/Co) want to enjoy his/her pain...

 

It is not strange that if you met a junior VO / CO , he / she wont take a very little risk then escalate the case to DS-5535 pool at DC headquarters. According to US government manual guide, VO/CO issues visa at own judgement if applicant without any hardcore issues. Why consulate in Mexico has few DS-5535 / AP cases , every month more than 2000 IV visas issued ? You will have an answer in mind ?

[Leo The Great 141]

1 hour ago, northface said:

 

It is not strange that if you met a junior VO / CO , he / she wont take a very little risk then escalate the case to DS-5535 pool at DC headquarters. According to US government manual guide, VO/CO issues visa at own judgement if applicant without any hardcore issues. Why consulate in Mexico has few DS-5535 / AP cases , every month more than 2000 IV visas issued ? You will have an answer in mind ?

I agreed CO can issue DS-5535 on his own judgement (Carson WU declaration also confirmed it). I believed that (CO issued DS-5535)/(System issued DS-5535) ratio is very high for MTL. 

Edited March 30 by Leo The Great