throwitaway

1 hour ago, topman said:

Hi Folks, I'm in the employment-based visa category and had our interview on Sept 26, 2022. Unfortunately, we received DS 5535, which we responded to yesterday on Sept 29, 2020. I’ve updated the DS 5535 tracker spreadsheet with my info.

 

It's so heartbreaking to see so many folks waiting for so long to get a response from Montreal after responding to their DS5535. After reading this thread on the forum, it seems like WoM is the only way to speed up the process. Does anyone know how soon can I file WoM after responding to Montreal's DS5535 request? We have already been patiently waiting for 27+ months to get this interview with Montreal, and now thinking of waiting another year or more to get a response is just so painful. 

Well, what kind of delay would affect your employment? 

20 hours ago, ice-qube said:

I am sorry to see that you haven’t yet got out of it…what exactly happens on the due date?

Have you found a lawyer you like yet?

2 hours ago, emergence said:

How long does it typically take to get a response from the consulate? We emailed them on the 14th to confirm they have received my fiancé’s medical (one of the reasons we received the 221(g)), but we still haven’t heard back from them. Telus hasn’t been able to reach them either. It’s likely that this isn’t the only reason we received DS-5535, but it would be really nice to get it cleared up!

I think in the past it’s taken six weeks to get a response after sending in a missing document. May be longer now.

8 hours ago, Genzo10 said:

 

I have the number of my precedent passport but not the passports i had held when i was kid.

I contacted Passport Canada to get them to send me a letter listing all my previous passports. It took two months, thankfully I found all of them and didn’t end up needing it.

8 hours ago, Genzo10 said:

 

I have the number of my precedent passport but not the passports i had held when i was kid.

The form does say to complete it to the best of your ability, as much info as you can gather, even estimates for travel - missing or inaccurate information doesn’t necessarily harm your application as they’ll look at the “totality” of the form. 

On 5/10/2022 at 3:25 PM, From_CAN_2_US said:

That note on the website is obsolete. There is no longer any package for you to carry. It is all sent electronically directly to CBP by Consulate/ USCIS.

Just a note that not all visas are eligible for this, in case other visa types are reading this thread. DV is still paper envelope, sealed to present when crossing. They are working on transitioning everyone to electronic submission but it will be a few years yet. 

On 6/2/2021 at 8:22 PM, MovingToFlorida said:

Thank you 🙂.Someone else just got their visas today that were mailed out from the consulate same day as ours. The tracking site was never updated as delivered but they emailed to say it was ready to pick up. So hopefully we get that soon at least. 

Hi, you never came back to update? Did you end up getting them? 

17 hours ago, Genzo10 said:

How do I get travel history for the past 15 years since I no longer have my old passports and can't remember the dates of my trips more accurately. Is it a problem if i dont have exactly the day of the travels?

 

thank you so much

Do you have your passport numbers at least? The 5535 requests all passports you’ve ever held.

13 hours ago, cherrykixs said:

How long do you need to file WOM after getting DS 5535?

It depends on the visa type. For example DV don’t necessarily need to wait as there is an annual deadline you got to beat.

13 minutes ago, EB_Stuck said:

Negative. Shipped on Thursday, received on Friday.

Thanks! 

Hey folks, for those that have cleared recently, is MTL still only sending out stamped passports on Fridays? 

13 hours ago, LAMA9 said:

Congratulations, you are certainly one of the very lucky ones.  Could you please tell us what the 221g was for?  Was it for medical, police check or resume? 

221g doesn’t necessarily mean any documents were missing.. I busted my ### making sure I was overprepared and had every document under the sun. I even paid for newer copies of older documents so they would be more presentable. Got 221g anyway 😂

Reason? “Administrative processing” with not a single request for more documents save for the beautiful 5535.

19 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

USCIS and DOS are the definitive sources for the info.  In addition to the USCIS policy page linked above, the DOS foreign affairs manual specifies the actual petitions for immediate relatives of USCs that may be processed via DCF -- widow(er) of USC, orphan adopted by USC, spouse/minor child/parent of USC with exceptional circumstances, and spouse/minor child/parent of USC active military service members or USC who are US government employees assigned abroad.  In all cases, the petitioner must be a USC, or a self-petitioning widow(er) of a USC.

 

From https://fam.state.gov/fam/09FAM/09FAM050402.html --

 

Thank you!

Just now, Chancy said:

 

 

That note on top of the USCIS policy page actually refers to I-130 filing in general.  The rest of the page specifies that DCF is only available to US citizens and only for petitioning immediate relatives (spouse, minor child, parent).

 

"USCIS has delegated authority to DOS to accept and adjudicate a Form I-130 filed by a U.S. citizen petitioner for an immediate relative[4] if the petitioner establishes exceptional circumstances or falls under blanket authorization criteria defined by USCIS."

 

Note [4] -- "Immediate relative refers to a U.S. citizen’s spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21, or parent (if the U.S. citizen is over the age of 21).  [...]  Other Form I-130 filing categories, which may be filed by either U.S. citizens or LPRs and are also referred to as preference category petitions, must be filed with a domestic USCIS lockbox or online in accordance with the filing instructions."

 

This is what I meant when I said it wasn’t clear - searching DCF on google some sources say it’s available to LPR, then you have this language on USCIS.

Just now, powerpuff said:

DCF is available to LPRs, however one caveat is that it is for petitioners who reside abroad with their beneficiaries. Not sure how the consulate will look at an LPR living abroad when they have to maintain residency in the US. Unless you filed for a re-entry permit before moving abroad

It’s a complicated and very unique situation. Was just not clear if it was strictly available only to US citizens. Thanks for your response. 

12 hours ago, roshakky said:

Montreal requested to send in my hubby’s passport today! Our interview was August 1st, 2022….exactly 6 weeks after getting 221g and sending back the DS-5535!! 
 

Any timeline for passport return after sending it via Canada Post? 
 

thank you!!!!

Wow, that was so fast. Congrats

Are LPR eligible to petition spouse through DCF assuming all the other criteria are met or is this strictly available only to US citizens?

15 minutes ago, emergence said:

Thanks for the information. We did indeed receive the DS-5535 today. 
 

After doing some research, I am absolutely appalled to see the DS-5535 is being used this way and with this frequency, particularly because there was a 2021 proclamation from the White House specifically mentioning that its use and efficacy should be reevaluated. 
 

Is there any information available on what percentage of cases are being hit with this? Is there a source on Montreal’s infamy? How much more often is it issuing DS-5535s in comparison to other consulates?

 

This seems like an absolutely gross misuse of a process that was designed to vet those who could present real national security issues, not infants.

 

Has anyone gotten in touch with a journalist who might be interested in taking on a story about this issue? 

The best stats for this are the DV cases which are easily accessible if you google it. 

11 hours ago, Throwitaway1988 said:

Do you mind sharing your timeline for people in the future? Interview date etc;

(I mean with the WOM dates and firm)

4 hours ago, Moe&Yas said:

Hey Everyone,

I finally received my visa and passport back this week. We are so relieved and still can`t believe that we can finally be reunited as a family. I had filed for a WOM with Goldstein end of May. I had to do an updated Medical which took the Consulate about 2 weeks to approve.  I am wishing that all of you will also be approved soon and that you will be reunited with your family.
 

Do you mind sharing your timeline for people in the future? Interview date etc;

15 hours ago, WishIWasntHere said:

We were told to mail in a hard copy via email with a shipping label, I think the doctor also does so electronically. Just fyi because of monkey pox results are taking over a week to process.

What? They test for Monkey pox now?

3 hours ago, Ap 5535 said:

Yes sorry it get posted here . This post was belong WOM group. As lama mention hep b is new requirement i strongly suggest please to all of you . Please check your  immunity against hep b. If you do not have immunity against it. Please start working on it as there is long duration between vaccines. Rest of it in my post it was just a rant against consulate . They should have issued visa first place without being so late and filing a wom. It doest not seem its a lengthy procedure it took them 10 days after summon to work on my file. Its sad.

What is this WOM group? Is it telegram?

18 hours ago, Ap 5535 said:

She was not to sure about hep b .

By the way hep b is a new requirement, it was introduced I think late June or early July

You’ll probably need to get the shots if you interviewed before that

18 hours ago, Ap 5535 said:

To be honest with you i feel like front desk lady just made up excuse . She was not to sure about hep b . As she was going through my previous file she seems confuse. Dr was not there i feel like she want it to doctor first and then proceed ahead. I will call them again in afternoon to find status on it. Its just so painful procedure to do all over again. Where as i feel this should have been done in first time. After getting served it took them magically 10 days to clear all background checks & working on file. So what it tells me they just do this on purpose. Yes it is an expensive way to get what you deserve.

Can you tell us more about what exactly happened with you recently?

2 hours ago, HopefulMgee said:

So from what I’ve observed since 2021, it takes a MINIMUM of 10 months to see any form of movement on cases hit with DS 5535. And case status updates can occur during this time, but are meaningless. 

No. It can definitely take that long, but 10 months is absolutely not the minimum.