IR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

[trailmix 77]

Oh, I'm not sad that I'll be 7-8 months pregnant in Aug.; I'm plenty happy about that. I'm just worried about making the trip 3000 miles across the country (for the sake of a 10-minute interview, no less) that late in pregnancy...and not even being sure at this point whether that's even going to happen. I could still end up with a Sept. or Oct. date--dates I won't be able to keep because of the delivery...and then who knows when MTL will reschedule me? It's just too much down-to-the-wire for my liking.

Sorry to complain, though.

C.

Hey, don't apologize for complaining! I didn't mean it that way, it just seems sad that you should have this dark cloud of stress about the interview date - complain away! This is an annoying process, to say the least and this is a forum where everyone knows what you are talking about. I'm not one of those people that tout that you aren't interviewing in a middle eastern country so therefore you should just be grateful.

The thing is, I have seen many people come through here and stress right up until interview day - hey even until they cross the border at the point of entry.

You just need to be proactive, you are not a victim of Montreal. Think of it this way, let's say they schedule your interview on your due date - or hey even a month before. That certainly does not work for you at all. So what will you do in that case? You will have to reschedule. If Montreal does not reschedule in a timely manner, you need to get your senator or congressperson (or rather your Husband's) on to it posthaste! You need to keep making noise until they reschedule it.

I cannot see any senator or congressperson sitting back while one of their constituents is being kept from his wife and new/soon to be baby (especially if that person wrote a letter to the editor or contacted the local news).

Edited May 28, 2010 by trailmix

[Pauley 2]

If Montreal does not reschedule in a timely manner, you need to get your senator or congressperson (or rather your Husband's) on to it posthaste!

Did anyone else read that too fast and thought she said "toothpaste?" I was reeeeeeeeeeally confused for a sec.

[birdnerd 5]

Congrats to everyone who got a July date. It seems like almost everyone who had an April cc got a date yesterday. I guess birdnerd is a special case--DCF? Hope you get your date soon.

Aw, thank you, I hope so too! Called today, still no date. And yes, we filed DCF. Although it doesn't seem to have gone any faster than filing via USCIS/NVC.

THat sucks that you're having to go through the pregnancy without your hubby, we were hoping to have a baby this year, but plans got a bit derailed by jobs and immigration, so we're waiting until I'm settled out there with him.

Funnily enough, he's in SF also. Well, Bay Area, anyways.

[trailmix 77]

bump

Member...........NOA2......Case# @NVC......Sent I-864.....Sent DS-230......RFE....Done @NVC....Interview...DTI

Revenesque.....05/28/08.....--/--/--........12/21/09........12/21/09........N.....01/07/10.....04/27/10....110

ZansGirl.......03/09/09.....03/19/09........04/07/09........04/08/09........N.....09/25/09.....02/05/10....133

biglos.........03/30/09.....--/--/--........06/12/09........07/16/09........-.....08/28/09.....01/27/10....155

intuitionsys...04/01/09.....06/24/09........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....09/24/09.....02/10/10....139

justcheckin....04/06/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....08/04/09.....01/13/10....162

hisgirl........04/17/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....07/30/09.....01/20/10....174

americana2009..04/20/09..<-date filed I-130.--/--/--........--/--/--..sent pkt3>..07/23/09.....02/01/10....193

thund3r........04/21/09.....08/02/09........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....09/11/09.....02/08/10....150

Cindy&Greg.....04/07/09.....04/23/09........08/19/09........06/01/09........-.....09/28/09.....02/09/10....134

Blitz..........05/04/09.....--/--/--........11/04/09........11/04/09........N.....11/25/09.....03/18/10....113

andylans.......06/08/09..<-date filed I-130.--/--/--........--/--/--..sent pkt3>..07/22/09.....01/14/10....176

fifo...........06/22/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........Y.....09/25/09.....02/24/10....152

lgg............06/25/09.....07/08/09........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....08/12/09.....01/26/10....167

MSPtoYYZ.......07/11/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........Y.....03/01/10.....05/20/10.... 80

Bern...........07/14/09.....08/11/09........10/30/09........10/30/09........N.....11/19/09.....03/26/10....127

Malrothien.....07/15/09.....07/22/09........08/07/09........09/08/09........Y.....11/24/09.....03/01/10.... 97

Kuds1..........07/17/09.....07/23/09........--/--/--........08/28/09........Y.....10/01/09.....02/01/10....123

Lyn & Lisa.EP..07/22/09.....08/08/09........08/30/09........08/31//09.......-.....10/09/09.....02/09/10....138

La Souris.EP...07/30/09.....08/14/09........09/15/09........09/25/09........N.....10/02/09.....03/24/10....173

redBlue........08/13/09.....08/17/09........09/12/09........09/16/09........-.....09/26/09.....02/05/10....132

kballtex.EP....08/21/09.....09/01/09........09/15/09........09/25/09........-.....11/06/09.....03/11/10....125

Pauley.........08/21/09.....09/09/09........10/26/09........11/23/09........Y.....12/10/09.....03/18/10.... 98

sdhiman.EP.....08/26/09.....09/08/09........09/17/09........10/21/09........N.....11/02/09.....02/24/10....114

mike777.EP.....08/28/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....12/11/09.....03/03/10.... 95

sdw..EP....... 08/28/09.....09/08/09........09/12/09........09/26/09........Y.....11/12/09.....03/02/10....110

Gordons2009....08/28/09.....--/--/--........12/27/09........01/27/10........-.....02/22/10.....05/27/10.... 94

helvetica_bold.09/03/09.....--/--/--........08/06/09........05/20/09........Y.....09/03/09.....01/19/10....138

andyw1.........09/09/09.....--/--/--........03/16/09........05/12/09........Y.....09/23/09.....02/24/10....154

Frequent Flyer.09/10/09.....09/25/09........10/26/09........11/02/09........N.....12/11/09.....03/25/10....104

redmen99.EP....09/11/09.....09/28/09........10/09/09........10/27/09........N.....11/09/09.....03/01/10....112

K & I..........09/11/09.....09/28/09........10/21/09........11/20/09........-.....12/23/09.....04/27/10....125

Salnik.........09/14/09.....09/29/09........10/06/09........10/24/09........Y.....12/23/09.....04/09/10....107

gladiator80....09/14/09.....09/29/09........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....01/04/10.....04/09/10.... 95

mast3r12.EP....09/17/09.....10/01/09........10/17/09........10/22/09........Y.....11/12/09.....03/09/10....117

wmtc...........09/18/09.....09/30/09........11/11/09........11/11/09........N.....12/01/09.....03/11/10....100

jmd32499.......09/23/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....12/05/09.....03/10/10.... 95

JaJo08.........09/24/09.....10/07/09........11/10/09........12/29/09........-.....01/13/10.....04/15/10.... 92

She_Fitz.EP....09/26/09.....10/06/09........11/19/09........11/19/09........N.....12/10/09.....03/16/10.... 96

heljan.........09/29/09.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....04/08/10.....06/18/10.... 71

WyattsTorch.EP.10/01/09.....10/14/09........10/26/09........10/26/09........Y.....11/12/09.....03/05/10....113

lonie.EP.......10/03/09.....10/06/09........11/13/09........11/23/09........N.....12/21/09.....04/27/10....127

Jeremy&Kathy.EP10/22/09.....11/02/09........04/10/10........03/27/10

Edmontongirl...11/02/09..<-date filed I-130/Approved Dec 30 --/--/--........N.....01/05/10.....03/11/10.... 65

birdnerd.......01/26/10..<-date filed I-130/Pkt 3 Mar 25....03/26/10........N.....04/28/10

mtlgato........02/05/10.....02/12/10........04/11/10........04/09/10........N.....05/12/10

ValerieA.EP....02/10/10.....02/17/10........04/12/10........04/12/10

Married2009.EP.02/11/10.....02/18/10........03/09/10........04/06/10........-.....04/14/10.....07/13/10.... 90

CanadiandggalEP02/18/10.....02/25/10........03/23/10........03/28/10........Y.....05/18/10

Jadenjewel.EP..02/19/10.....03/02/10........04/28/10........04/28/10

Saad&Sumera....03/01/10..<-date filed I-130

cndwife.EP.....03/09/10.....--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--........-.....04/09/10.....06/23/10.... 75

FireRay.EP.....03/12/10.....03/19/10........04/04/10........04/12/10........-.....04/22/10.....07/26/10.... 95

Bwoo.EP........03/17/10.....03/23/10........04/05/10........04/12/10........-.....04/22/10.....07/27/10.... 96

leonsgal70.....03/18/10..<-date filed I-130/Pkt 3 Apr 26....04/26/10........N.....05/10/10

zenaxe.EP......03/24/10.....03/30/10........04/05/10........04/16/10........-.....04/23/10.....07/27/10.... 95

Musi.EP........03/24/10.....03/30/10........04/27/10........--/--/--........-.....05/19/10

Aklem..........03/25/10

CraignJacquie..04/02/10.....04/15/10........04/22/10........04/22/10

CAN2US.EP......04/22/10.....04/26/10........05/05/10........--/--/--........-.....05/19/10

jdcole.EP......05/03/10.....05/11/10........05/17/10

Martine&Dana...05/04/10.....05/12/10........05/18/10........05/21/10

DTI - Days between completion at NVC and interview

DCF - Direct Consular Filing

EP - Electronic Processing

Timeline page for 2007, 2008 and 2009 interviews Montreal: link

CR1/IR1 interview letter: link

[mtlgato 2]

A fellow future Bay Area person! Plus, your screen name reminds me of a nickname I had when I was young: Birdbrain--which, I hasten to add, I got not for being dumb, but rather for talking about BIRDS all the time.

I *hope* that, since you filed DCF, you just aren't in the same batch as everyone else and *maybe* that means there's still hope for a July appointment for you.

Good luck with having a baby next year. It will probably be a much better experience for you because you waited to be properly settled, etc. I *thought* we'd be settled before our baby arrived...but now it's sort of 50/50 (or that's my guess). Oh well. In the long run things will probably be pretty good for us.

C.

Aw, thank you, I hope so too! Called today, still no date. And yes, we filed DCF. Although it doesn't seem to have gone any faster than filing via USCIS/NVC.

THat sucks that you're having to go through the pregnancy without your hubby, we were hoping to have a baby this year, but plans got a bit derailed by jobs and immigration, so we're waiting until I'm settled out there with him.

Funnily enough, he's in SF also. Well, Bay Area, anyways.

[zenaxe 22]

Looking back this process has been actually relatively quick. We got NOA1 Jan 7th and the interview Jul 27th so that's about 6.5 months !! Not bad. This, despite a little angst (ok sometimes a little more than a little )...and of course given some of the delays even more time could have been shaved off. But overall it's been ok and certainly a huge improvement over the last several years where people were taking 18 month and 2 years or so for approval. That said, I hope I'm not offending anyone who's cases have been delayed - I certainly don't intend to to offend or gloat. I hope the best for everyone. But I can be happy with the timelines when taking a wider angle view of this thing. And it's not done until the consulate says 'welcome to the USA' - soooooooo.

Giddyap.

[mtlgato 2]

You have been lucky. I don't know that your case reflects an overall trend. Your case got through USCIS much faster than mine did...and I don't think there's any obvious reason for that. Similarly, I got stuck a bit at NVC--and again, I don't think there was any real reason other than that (I'm guessing) my file was on the wrong person's desk. I've never had an RFE at any stage.

Don't worry; I know you weren't gloating or anything like that. I'm just saying that your case is not, imo, typical.

I remember when my husband and I had our consult with a lawyer last year, the lawyer said that, really, a lot of it does come down to luck. I do appreciate that he seemed to be a very honest lawyer. I asked him if he could help us get our case through faster, and he basically said that some of his cases fall on the right people's desks, and get through USCIS (for example) in 1 or 2 months...but that, more often, the files will fall on the desk of someone who just doesn't work quickly...so those cases are more like mine ended up being: 4-5 months just to get through USCIS

C.

Looking back this process has been actually relatively quick. We got NOA1 Jan 7th and the interview Jul 27th so that's about 6.5 months !! Not bad. This, despite a little angst (ok sometimes a little more than a little )...and of course given some of the delays even more time could have been shaved off. But overall it's been ok and certainly a huge improvement over the last several years where people were taking 18 month and 2 years or so for approval. That said, I hope I'm not offending anyone who's cases have been delayed - I certainly don't intend to to offend or gloat. I hope the best for everyone. But I can be happy with the timelines when taking a wider angle view of this thing. And it's not done until the consulate says 'welcome to the USA' - soooooooo.

Giddyap.

[mtlgato 2]

Thanks, trailmix: you are great. I appreciate what you do here. Your timeline spreadsheet is really informative, and has been a great help to me.

We will contact my husband's congresswoman if Montreal really does fail to co-operate and we're kept apart after the baby's birth.

It's hard to see the news media being interested, though. I've read stories about teenagers in our district being deported to Mexico--a place they've never been, in some cases, since they were 2 months old or whatever. In that context, our story isn't very compelling.

Still, it's just plain stupid and pointless that we can't get our case taken care of when it's so simple and clear-cut, and we've had all the police clearances, etc., etc.--stupid and pointless, but probably not that interesting to the broader public.

c.

Hey, don't apologize for complaining! I didn't mean it that way, it just seems sad that you should have this dark cloud of stress about the interview date - complain away! This is an annoying process, to say the least and this is a forum where everyone knows what you are talking about. I'm not one of those people that tout that you aren't interviewing in a middle eastern country so therefore you should just be grateful.

The thing is, I have seen many people come through here and stress right up until interview day - hey even until they cross the border at the point of entry.

You just need to be proactive, you are not a victim of Montreal. Think of it this way, let's say they schedule your interview on your due date - or hey even a month before. That certainly does not work for you at all. So what will you do in that case? You will have to reschedule. If Montreal does not reschedule in a timely manner, you need to get your senator or congressperson (or rather your Husband's) on to it posthaste! You need to keep making noise until they reschedule it.

I cannot see any senator or congressperson sitting back while one of their constituents is being kept from his wife and new/soon to be baby (especially if that person wrote a letter to the editor or contacted the local news).

[kimberlyk21 1]

I thought I'd post my timeline here... Filing DCF.

March 18, 2010 - Filed I-130 in Calgary

May 7, 2010 - Received letter with MTL file# and request for DS-230 forms

May 10, 2010 - Couriered DS-230 forms and checklist to MTL

May 12, 2010 - Packet received in MTL

Still waiting for news of interview date now... Is anyone in the same boat as us? Hoping to find out how long it usually takes to get the interview date scheduled... Getting really excited now!!

[zohaib 0]

I have following questions:

1. Do MTL give visa same day? Can I buy the tickets now or wait till we get visa wht you guyz suggest?

2. What is good hotel close to the embassy at walking distance? Reasonable price one please.

3. Where we can photos done close to Brampton?

[zenaxe 22]

I have following questions:

1. Do MTL give visa same day? Can I buy the tickets now or wait till we get visa wht you guyz suggest?

2. What is good hotel close to the embassy at walking distance? Reasonable price one please.

3. Where we can photos done close to Brampton?

Montreal doesn't issue the CR1 visa the same day as far as I understand this. What they do is approve you, then you surrender your passport in the express post envelope you are required to bring with you. They mail out whatever they stick into your passport and you receive it in the next few days. that thing in your passport acts as your entry visa into the USA, then you immigrate.

There are many hotels; you can google many or look at hotel reviews on this site. Put that info on the search engine on VJ and you'll find people's reviews of various hotels. I'm there in July and all hotels are more expensive during the summer months than for those that attended in low season. Too bad I'll miss the Montreal Jazz Festival.. that would have been great to see. Reasonable prices are so subjective and what's reasonable to one person is expensive to another.

Photos can be done at London Drugs, Costco, your local AAA office etc. Just make sure they are 2x2 and not the Canadian size; must be the US requirements.

Good luck.

On another note, has anyone heard back from Gordons2009?? He/She interviewed May 27th in Montreal. No postings, no news, nothing.....alien abduction or spontaneous combustion? I hope all went well for them.

[SupportGeek 21]

On another note, has anyone heard back from Gordons2009?? He/She interviewed May 27th in Montreal. No postings, no news, nothing.....alien abduction or spontaneous combustion? I hope all went well for them.

You mean this post?

[zenaxe 22]

Ya they got it and posted !!!

[chikarakobu 0]

How do I add myself to this? Do I just let you know my dates? My case was completed on April 29th, 2010 and so I'm just waiting for an interview date. If there's more I need to do, please let me know

[zenaxe 22]

How do I add myself to this? Do I just let you know my dates? My case was completed on April 29th, 2010 and so I'm just waiting for an interview date. If there's more I need to do, please let me know

Congrats ! You should consider updating your timeline.

Trailmix is wonderwoman on this thread and makes it magical by posting it.