Visa Interview date wait times.. actual vs. website?

[ErinM 0]

My fiance and I are going to be locating to Toronto. According to the US consulate website, the wait time for a visa interview in Toronto is only 9 days... but now it seems that I am mistaken, all interviews go through Montreal or Vancouver. Is this true?

Secondly... I see posts on here saying that everyone interviewing through Montreal seems to be waiting 4 and 5 months to get their date after sending in packet 3..?!

According to the website, the wait time in Vancouver is higher than that in Montreal... can somebody clear this up for me? This is what I see online:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tem...;x=110&y=16

Montreal

Typical Wait Time (Calendar Days*) for a Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointment

Visitors Visas: 42 Days

Student/Exchange Visitors Visas *** (Excludes: A, G, K, and V): 2 Days

All Other Nonimmigrant Visas: 42 Days

Typical Wait Time (Workdays**) for a Nonimmigrant Visa To Be Processed****: 2 Days

For Vancouver:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tem...;x=110&y=16

Vancouver

Typical Wait Time (Calendar Days*) for a Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointment

Visitors Visas: 30 Days

Student/Exchange Visitors Visas *** (Excludes: A, G, K, and V): 8 Days

All Other Nonimmigrant Visas: 56 Days

Typical Wait Time (Workdays**) for a Nonimmigrant Visa To Be Processed****: 2 Days

We are moving to Toronto, so I suppose we'd be interviewing through Montreal.. however we have friends in Vancouver who will have an address there for a year. So, would it make more sense for us to put their address down when we change from Greece to Canada... will it make a huge difference in wait time? Otherwise, we'd rather not have to book flights to Vancouver because we are so broke with all these fees and stuff!

Thanks for your advice..

By the way, this is for a K1 visa I-129F

[thetreble 19]

This is kind of a lot of info to take in. Always explain your situation beforehand so that we know exactly what you are talking about. I'm confused because you are talking about US immigration yet talking about living (relocating) in Canada. Who is the USC in your relationship? You can't get processing in Canada from Montreal or Vancouver unless you are filing as a Canadian citizen or PR. I'm totally confused over your post. You have to apply from your home country, where ever that is.

Toronto does not do K-1 Visa interviews. That is why it states it is only 9 days. They conduct interviews for people who are already spouses of US citizens.

Edited September 1, 2007 by thetreble

[thetreble 19]

ps- I don't really know if you can't get consular processing in Canada if you are not Canadian, I will let someone else answer that. I just always assumed that you have to apply for the K-1 in your home country.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I guess ur trying to direct file, but i believe one has to be a resident of canada to DCF. and when one is DCF'ing, one already has to be married, thus ur actually going for a CR-1 or IR-1 visa (depending how long ur married)

Ur not married, thius going the k1 route. only TWO conusltes in canada--Mtl and Van. And as u have figured out VAN is MUCH faster than Mtl. So if u have a permanent addy in VAN, prob best to go that route. As long as u can trust the people to send u the mail!! Of course then u have to fly to VAN for the interview, and Canada doesnt have great cheap airfares one can find in the USA!! But the quickest route would be to go through VAN.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

You can file within Canada as long as you are legally entitled to be there (work permit, study permit, etc.) - that's how we did it. We both live here, B is the USC and I am from Mexico.- We're married so did DCF - don't know what the regulations are for K-1.- double check that.

[misa 2]

A non-resident of Canada (who is the beneficiary) who is there legally can interview for a K1 at either consulate but the consulate will ask for proof of legal status. I am not 100% sure if someone entered as a visitor will be allowed to interview there though because they're technically not residing there and was not allowed entry to reside there. There were a few others from other countries who did interview for a K1 in Vancouver but they were on either student or work visas.

ErinM, are you the petitioner or beneficiary? What will the beneficiary's status be in Canada? You might want to verify this with either consulate. Montreal as others have stated are much much slower... look at a waiting time of 4-6+ months after they receive your packet 3. Vancouver is about one month from receipt of packet 3.

Edited September 1, 2007 by misa

[Chica Yeyé 41]

A non-resident of Canada (who is the beneficiary) who is there legally can interview for a K1 at either consulate but the consulate will ask for proof of legal status. I am not 100% sure if someone entered as a visitor will be allowed to interview there though because they're technically not residing there and was not allowed entry to reside there. There were a few others from other countries who did interview for a K1 in Vancouver but they were on either student or work visas.

ErinM, are you the petitioner or beneficiary? What will the beneficiary's status be in Canada? You might want to verify this with either consulate. Montreal as others have stated are much much slower... look at a waiting time of 4-6+ months after they receive your packet 3. Vancouver is about one month from receipt of packet 3.

Visitors are not allowed to file from Canada, neither the USC or the beneficiary.

[misa 2]

Len, I didn't think so either!

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Len, I didn't think so either!

What is the legal residence of the non-USC? Greece? Australia? You must either go through the consulate there or go via the AOS route. If you have some long-term legal association with Canada (work permit, etc.) then you can go through CP here. I've never heard of just a visitor doing it, maybe someone else out there has?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

What is the legal residence of the non-USC? Greece? Australia? You must either go through the consulate there or go via the AOS route. If you have some long-term legal association with Canada (work permit, etc.) then you can go through CP here. I've never heard of just a visitor doing it, maybe someone else out there has?

You're right the answer is NO. Visitors in Canada CANNOT file either as petitioner or beneficiary.

[ErinM 0]

Sorry for all the confusion! I really apologize for not being more clear on the situation.

ErinM--I am the petitioner. The Beneficiary is Greek-Australian with Australian citizenship and greek residency. However he is moving to Canada on a holiday work visa--which lasts one year.

Does anyone know that this would be unallowed?? That's scary. I called USCIS and got three different answers on how to change our filing / interview consulate

We are not married--we filed a I-129F petition for alien fiance. Only at the NOA1 stage... as of Aug 10. So we are a long ways off. We are trying to go to Canada because I can potentially work there as an american (if i can get a letter of employment etc.. NAFTA style), and he can work for a year as an australian on a working holiday visa.

We were going to move to Toronto because it is very close to Baltimore compared to the other canadian cities. I thought the interview dates would be faster there as well, but obviously I was confused. Yes it looks like it will cost > 500 Canadian to fly to vancouver for an interview, but I suppose it's worth the 5 months. We have friends who will be living there for a year, so we can use their address.

Thanks for the tips guys. Sorry for the confusion... we have a very complex situation it seems!

[misa 2]

You might have to wait until your petition is approved and then gets to the NVC. The NVC is the one that will send out to the consulate. Best to call the Vancouver or Montreal consulate to see if he can actually interview in Canada while on his particular visa. Are you moving there with him? Because without a valid visa for yourself, you can't "move" to Canada. You can visit though.

I suggest that you wait until the petition is approved and try and catch it at the NVC. If you don't catch it in time, you can still contact the consulate that it went to along with the consulate in Canada (Vancouver or Montreal) and they will initiate the transfer.

Good luck with whatever you decide on doing!

Edited September 2, 2007 by misa

[ErinM 0]

You might have to wait until your petition is approved and then gets to the NVC. The NVC is the one that will send out to the consulate. Best to call the Vancouver or Montreal consulate to see if he can actually interview in Canada while on his particular visa. Are you moving there with him? Because without a valid visa for yourself, you can't "move" to Canada. You can visit though.

I suggest that you wait until the petition is approved and try and catch it at the NVC. If you don't catch it in time, you can still contact the consulate that it went to along with the consulate in Canada (Vancouver or Montreal) and they will initiate the transfer.

Good luck with whatever you decide on doing!

Technically I'm not "moving there" yet. We are going up there, he is moving there, and I am visiting him. I'm going to try to find a job and get a letter of employment that will allow me to reenter and get a work visa, so I can stay there with him and work until the visa is processed.

I will give the consulates a call, I presumed it was allowed as long as he was on a work visa there.

Has anyone had experience updating their consulates by contacting the NVC? Are they an entity to call or send a certified letter to...?

[misa 2]

Technically I'm not "moving there" yet. We are going up there, he is moving there, and I am visiting him. I'm going to try to find a job and get a letter of employment that will allow me to reenter and get a work visa, so I can stay there with him and work until the visa is processed.

I will give the consulates a call, I presumed it was allowed as long as he was on a work visa there.

Has anyone had experience updating their consulates by contacting the NVC? Are they an entity to call or send a certified letter to...?

Gotcha! It should be allowed if he's got a valid work visa. I've seen a few members here do that as I mentioned (on a work or student visa). Best to double-check though with the consulates.

I think some people have tried to catch it at the NVC (after approval) but it's difficult because most approved petitions for K1s and K3s only stay there a short amount of time. You can usually change it by calling them but again, this is after they've received the approved petition from your service centre.

Have you checked the timelines for Greece. Is that where he is currently?