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

[tophy123 7]

Hello all

Husband and I are new members to this group as after our Interview today he was told more travel information was required and DS-5535 needed to be submitted. 

 

The form states not to repeat information already given in DS 260. Since we submitted extensive travel information for the last 10 years in ds 260, and now they are asking for the last 15 years, do we repeat everything from past 15 years or only the 5 years not included in ds 260 ?

 

I've seen the tracker here (thank you for compiling the data), and it seems a lot of people are waiting for a long time... do we have any stories not recorded on the tracker of things moving faster than 8-12 months ?? Some cases where people get lucky and it moves in a few days - weeks ? I'm trying to scrounge up some hope here. 

[Leo The Great 141]

24 minutes ago, tophy123 said:

The form states not to repeat information already given in DS 260. Since we submitted extensive travel information for the last 10 years in ds 260, and now they are asking for the last 15 years, do we repeat everything from past 15 years or only the 5 years not included in ds 260 ?

 

I've seen the tracker here (thank you for compiling the data), and it seems a lot of people are waiting for a long time... do we have any stories not recorded on the tracker of things moving faster than 8-12 months ?? Some cases where people get lucky and it moves in a few days - weeks ? I'm trying to scrounge up some hope here. 

Sorry you joined this club. What is your visa category?

 

We only provided the information which was not provided on DS-260 form. It appears that consulate use DS-260 and DS-5535 form together to retrieve information for SAO. 

Similarly, for job history, addresses and other information, we just put one line on DS-5535 form where applicable

 

15 years employment history already provided on DS-260 form

 

15 years addresses already provided on DS-5535.

 

Some folks have repeated Ds-260 information on DS-5535 form. That is also fine.

  

There are stories where folks are cleared in 3-6 months time(1-2 cases on spreadsheet) or they are not on VJ

Edited April 18 by Leo The Great

[tophy123 7]

5 minutes ago, Leo The Great said:

Sorry you joined this club. What is your visa category?

 

We only provided the information which was not provided on DS-260 form. It appears that consulate use DS-260 and DS-5535 form together to retrieve information for SAO. 

Similarly, for job history, addresses and other information, we just put one line on DS-5535 form where applicable

 

15 years employment history already provided on DS-260 form

 

15 years addresses already provided on DS-5535.

 

Some folks have repeated Ds-260 information on DS-5535 form. That is also fine.

  

There are stories where folks are cleared in 3-6 months time(1-2 cases on spreadsheet) or they are not on VJ

 

Thank you for the the info. Our category is IR1. Praying the wait isn't terribly long. Feel for everyone here. 

[CarmenD 150]

37 minutes ago, tophy123 said:

Since we submitted extensive travel information for the last 10 years in ds 260

Interesting .. the DS-260 we completed back in late 2022 requested information for the last 5 US visits, nothing else

[Leo The Great 141]

25 minutes ago, CarmenD said:

Interesting .. the DS-260 we completed back in late 2022 requested information for the last 5 US visits, nothing else

DS-260 form is same today. You need to provide last 15 years travel history on DS-5535 form excluding last 5 visits to US if you have already provided on DS-260 form. Otherwise you can provide whole 15 years history that is also included in DS-260 on DS-5535 form.

[frhm 12]

My interview was on Apr 18, 2024 in Montreal and I have officially joined the DS-5535 boat.
I wonder why they drag people to interviews when they have already have a decision made about their case. I could really tell that the interview was just a formality, the officer only asked me like 2 questions. And then she told me we need some more information from you please use this link to fill it and she gave me the passport.

The US immigration system is super inefficient unfortunately.

[Leo The Great 141]

2 hours ago, frhm said:

My interview was on Apr 18, 2024 in Montreal and I have officially joined the DS-5535 boat.
I wonder why they drag people to interviews when they have already have a decision made about their case. I could really tell that the interview was just a formality, the officer only asked me like 2 questions. And then she told me we need some more information from you please use this link to fill it and she gave me the passport.

 

Sorry to hear about. Yes in some case, CO definitely know prior to interview, you are going to get DS-5535. They need your fingerprints during the interview so that your record can be checked against the criminal/stop list databases as a part of  extreme vetting. 

Hopefully processing of DS-5535 will speed up this year. 

Edited April 19 by Leo The Great

[Cholte cholte 29]

13 hours ago, tophy123 said:

 

Thank you for the the info. Our category is IR1. Praying the wait isn't terribly long. Feel for everyone here. 

Hi...my spouse interview on March 15, 2024 at Montreal Consulate. We had the same issue with travel. We did what "Leo the Great" suggested. I am thinking it will be a lognwait.

[DadofUSCitizen 20]

20 hours ago, Phil_K_IR1 said:

Wife and I are likely SAO (only CV requested). Approaching 6 month point since interview. 
 

If there's one thing I learned in this process it's that there's really no logic or pattern to any of this. Things move when they move, and it's anyone's guess. 
 

However there's been a very evident increase in requests for medical/approvals. Maybe things are finally improving? 

 

After complete silence in March, I saw 5 updates on my case since April (4/4, 4/9, 4/6, 4/18 and today 4/19). Also I received the 1st personized email message today. Does this mean they are really working on my case?

 

 

[DadofUSCitizen 20]

Just now, DadofUSCitizen said:

 

After complete silence in March, I saw 5 updates on my case since April (4/4, 4/9, 4/6, 4/18 and today 4/19). Also I received the 1st personized email message today. Does this mean they are really working on my case?

 

 

Sorry the 3rd update date should be 4/16 instead of 4/6.

[northface 30]

53 minutes ago, DadofUSCitizen said:

 

After complete silence in March, I saw 5 updates on my case since April (4/4, 4/9, 4/6, 4/18 and today 4/19). Also I received the 1st personized email message today. Does this mean they are really working on my case?

 

 

 

It seems that your case just pending in MTL consulate level, quite predictable I guess,not involved external DS-5535 long wait processing..............

[DadofUSCitizen 20]

5 minutes ago, northface said:

 

It seems that your case just pending in MTL consulate level, quite predictable I guess,not involved external DS-5535 long wait processing..............

I did not realize this and thank you for letting me know. Let's hope the best.

[CarmenD 150]

16 hours ago, Leo The Great said:

DS-260 form is same today. You need to provide last 15 years travel history on DS-5535 form excluding last 5 visits to US if you have already provided on DS-260 form. Otherwise you can provide whole 15 years history that is also included in DS-260 on DS-5535 form.

I’m well aware the DS-5535 requires travel information/details for all foreign COUNTRIES  (i.e., other than one’s country of residence) visited over a 15 year span.  It was arduously time consuming compiling my husband’s extensive work related (plus personal/vacation) travel all over the world going back to 2008, so I know. 

 

tophy123 wrote, and I quote: “Since we submitted extensive travel information for the last 10 years in ds 260”

 

My comment speaks to the fact that the one and ONLY question related to ANY travel found in the online DS-260 form (“Previous U.S. Travel Information” section) asks to “provide information on your last five (5) U.S. visits”, provided, obviously, that the question “Have you ever been in the U.S.?” is answered in the affirmative.

 

The DS-260 does NOT question for travel going back 10 or 15 years, nor to countries other than the U.S.   At least not in the version of the form we completed, and thus I thought the tophy123 quote above, interesting

 

There’s no “whole 15 years [travel] history that is also included in DS-260”; again, at least not in the version of the form we completed.  If that were the case requesting same again in the DS-5535 would be redundant

Edited April 19 by CarmenD
punctuation error

[CarmenD 150]

On 4/18/2024 at 11:57 AM, Jettix3221 said:

they simply request a redo of the medical exam every six months to keep it updated?

Dear Lord, No.  Considering the time and effort plus the related expense for the medical exam, requesting “a redo of the medical exam every six months to keep it updated” while the consulate takes it’s sweet time to adjudicate the visa would constitute adding insult to injury

[Phil_K_IR1 83]

I had emailed consulate and gotten no reply about this, but...

 

Does anyone know what steps to take to update documentation/destination address (for SSN and Green cards) if the sponsor/petitioner moves while we're in AP? Do you need to contact NVC, USCIS, and the consulate? Specific forms? Maybe nothing until you cross the border? 
 

Thankfully consulate isn't replying to confirm my research 🫥