throwitaway

22 hours ago, Mo12345 said:

Hello everyone my wife has been in administrative process for 6 and a half months as of today. Our post is Amman Jordan. I recently received an email from them saying “
We are escalating your case for final resolution and you will receive a follow-up email with further guidance.” Has anyone received something like this and is it a good sign?

Sounds like verbiage from ustraveldocs or the visa help desk, not the embassy staff

13 hours ago, Kara.gana said:

My husband had his interview August 1 in Montreal with our daughter. Our daughter was approved, but my husband was denied and given 221g letter for DS5535. Does the consulate email the form or do we use the one indicated on the 221g?

I think they’ve changed it now to a webform.

5 hours ago, Kara.gana said:

@shara9c If I’m checking CEAC correctly there has been no change of status for either my husband or daughter. We however just received an email saying Montreal has released a document in regards to my daughter and it is being couriered to us. I’m guessing it her passport and visa.

Has your CEAC status changed for your husband?

If your daughter’s CEAC status is not issued then it’s the passport, without a visa

22 hours ago, Nbc16 said:

Does anybody know the average time of clearing AP in Montreal? is it 6 months or more ?

More

2 hours ago, Nadzz said:

Hello everyone. I had my interview yesterday and unfortunately was refused due to the birth certificate translation document. The officer handed me a refusal letter and on it she highlighted a form (ds-5535) and told me to fill it out. The link does not work. Can someone please help. It also says to send the document along with the passport. Is this normal?

You should let them know the link doesn’t work. This is a new thing and most people here sent 5535 by email. 

On 7/17/2023 at 12:49 AM, SGtoMurica said:

Thanks very much. So folks are checking just to see if there are any updates in the date of last update?

 

Any idea why some folks are stuck in AP for so long (>3 months)? Just comparing it to the DV applicants who are in AP, average case wait time appears be to 70+ days.

Yes, some fixate on the dates, but it’s futile. It only means someone opened your file (for whatever reason) and it doesn’t necessarily indicate progress. 

At MTL >3 months is the norm across all visa types. Sucks for DV especially as their applications sunset.

On 7/14/2023 at 11:57 PM, SGtoMurica said:

For those who got out of AP black hole, the CEAC status doesn’t actually change until passport is resubmitted to the Consulate right? So no point in checking daily? 

It only changes once printing process initiates, which is usually only when the passport is in their posession.

It changes from “Refused” to either “Ready” or “Administrative Processing”. Finally, when the visa is printing, it changes to “Issued”.

6 hours ago, SGtoMurica said:

 

Which parties are named in the WOM?

Usually DOS’ Blinken, then consul general of MTL, then ambassador to Canada, then the legal affairs office of DOS

14 hours ago, APRIL2023 said:

I am aware of this. 
 

the update happened spontaneously without email communication 

I was responding to @Admitt and their question “does anyone have experience with that?”

6 hours ago, APRIL2023 said:

To add, I’ll suggest peeps here to reach out to their local congress person (if it applies to your visa). I am with an IR1 visa with permanent address in California. I know some members on this discussion board had no luck, but I was able to get through to mine. My husband (American) called and was connected to their rep right away, member from their immigration / legal team. They can also I quite about status and sounds like their have someone with an “in” to help with the situation. 

Every congressperson has a liasion for immigration, they send in an congressional inquiry. They usually get the same canned responses. 

21 hours ago, Admitt said:

Update: i sent the consulate a email a couple of weeks ago and they sent me a response ( looks generic) however my case finally updated for the first time. Does anyone have experience with that? 

 

Message from them is below.

 

Hello, 

 

Thank you for your inquiry.  

   

We realize that these extended time periods cause frustration to many individuals, and we are sensitive to the fact that the purpose of the immigrant visa program is to facilitate legitimate travel to the U.S.  Nonetheless, the Consulate in Montreal, like all U.S. Embassies and Consulates, must adjudicate visas in accordance with the provisions of the law, and, in some cases, this involves extensive consular review and administrative processing. 

 

While we cannot predict when the processing of your visa will be completed, please be assured that the Consulate and the State Department are aware of your concerns and will contact you as soon as the processing is complete. 

 

We hope that this information is helpful in replying to your inquiry.  

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

 

It’s common for the case last updated to change when they email you. 

On 6/27/2023 at 8:57 PM, LYV said:

 

Really sad reading this, brings back memories of when it was all fresh and we didn’t know a thing about MTL and DS-5535. I know it’s tough and it may not seem like it, but there is an end to this, and you’ll survive it.

44 minutes ago, APRIL2023 said:

In addition to DS5535, I was instructed to submit an RCMP background check (I submitted a provincial one originally and was approved by NVC). 
 

I have the correct background check on hand now, but the consulate instructed me to hold off on sending it in and that I should wait for further instruction from them. 
 

Just had a consultation for WOM and I was told that a WOM MAY not appropriate as not all my documents are submitted, even though I was instructed not to send it in. I’ll connect with the lawyer again tomorrow once she has clarify that a WOM is appropriate for my situation. 
 

i will be in further limbo if I can’t file WOM and if the consultare wouldn’t accept the requested document. 

 

updates: after ++ email inquiries, the consulate was able to confirmed that they have received my DS5535 info from the previous email I sent. Up to this date, I have not received any documents or instructions from them after my interview… all of which they said they would do. 
 

I just want to be with my family. Two kids… one starting preschool in august. I’m speechless. 

They don’t want the PCC right now because MTL usually wants PCC under a year old (even though DOS in general allows up to 2 years).

When you clear DS-5535, they’ll ask you at that time for the PCC. Your 221g is not about the incorrect PCC. 

On 6/25/2023 at 2:00 AM, Admitt said:

Does anyone have the Montreal consulate contact info to push for updates on why I was placed in AP?

 

thanks!

They won’t reveal that to you

7 hours ago, S M Z_718 said:

Do you know if they provide visa’s to get to these countries for their interview since the embassy’s are closed in their country?
 

 

No, but generally the posts are carefully selected for ease of access - when possible. 

3 minutes ago, ShawnK said:

Thanks, so if I go ahead and renew my passport right now (while I wait for the DS5535 to be processsed, passport was returned at interview expires in about 6 months as of today ), will that cause any issues when sending in the new passport for visa stamping? Obviously the new passport will have a new # that will not have been mentioned to them before? 

 

I’ve seen similar cases that had no issues. 

5 hours ago, ShawnK said:

Quick question, when the embassy does finally request your passport, is there a certain amount of time your passport has to be valid for? For example , would they require your passport to be valid for a minimum of 6 months ? 

Yes, they usually require at least 6 months validity

9 hours ago, TheMaverick said:

Question: can a WOM be filed for not getting an interview call even after being DQ’d for more than year? While Montreal has been prioritizing IR1/CR1 and are processing applications with DQ date as of March 2023, employment based applicants are still as of January 2021 even when these applicants are current as per the visa bulletin. During COVID there was direction to prioritize family reunification however that proclamation was taken back as of Nov 2021. Is there a case here or we just continue to wait?

I’ve seen a few WoM filed attempting to compel interview, but they are usually unsuccessful as consular posts have full discretion to manage their resources as they see fit.

You’re better off taking that money you would have spent and moving (as in a genuine relocation) to a different country so that you can interview at the US post in that jurisdiction. Otherwise, not much you can do but wait. 

5 minutes ago, SGtoMurica said:

I seem to have a different understanding based on what the consulate officer told me. He said that all APs of the same category go to the same place, regardless of Embassy location. There are of course multiple different reasons for AP, including as simple as a missing document or as serious as background check due to national security risk. If it is the latter, then all of those go through the same lineup. 

Even if it were true that all AP of the same type go to the same place, cases do not clear first in, first out.

There is also an assumption there that once AP is cleared externally that the embassy immediately acts on the clearance. MTL sits on clearances and issues visas in batches for DV, I can’t imagine it would be different for other visas that don’t even have a sunset clause. 

40 minutes ago, SGtoMurica said:

Both Farzady and justanamericangrl received their response in <4 months but I guess this is because of their WoM

Yeah, I haven’t seen cases at MTL clear in that time frame organically, at least not for a few years now. I think in the original thread there were maybe a couple. At other embassies DS-5535 can clear quickly, in Pakistan some clear in a month. 

4 minutes ago, SGtoMurica said:

Any idea why some applicants wait a short while (<3 months) while others wait almost 1 year despite both receiving DS-5535? 

 

Anyone receive DS-5535 despite not having any relations to MENA countries/heritage?

- I haven’t seen < 3 months at MTL. 

- Many, including myself. 

Just now, SGtoMurica said:

Many of the questions in DS-5535 (15 year history) were already asked in the DS-260 form (5 year history) right? 

Correct

1 minute ago, SGtoMurica said:

What are the different degrees of vetting? Simple vs Extreme? How many days have to pass before it qualifies as extreme vetting? Thanks! 

When DS-5535 is used, it’s extreme vetting, based on the scope and extent of information requested. 

1 hour ago, Toronto28 said:

Hi all - 

 

I had my interview (CR1) in Montreal and was provided a 221g form with a link to submit the DS5535 directly on the sheet. One thing that seemed different from the other posts in this thread, is that there was a link with the DS5535 form to fill out directly on the form. Is this a new process the Montreal Consulate is following, as opposed to sending an email with the questionnaire attached to that? Please let me know if anyone else has a similar experience.

 

Thanks,

 

That’s totally new. Is it a webform? Maybe this is a part of their push to streamline the process.

15 hours ago, Canucklehead said:

Anyone try emailing the consulate and mentioning you intend to file a WOM? Seems like such a shitty way to start a life in a country by basically having to file legal proceedings against them, but as others have mentioned it seems like the only way to actually get someone to do something. 

They don’t care. 

The only way they move is if a DOS attorney defending them in court (after a lawsuit has been filed) contacts them personally to see what can be done. 

In some stats half of all applicants at MTL go into extreme vetting, similar to places like Baghdad, which is absolutely insane. The US already has access to information about Canadians. 

4 hours ago, AV53 said:

Hello,

I am reaching out on behalf of a relative and would like to inquire about interview schedules. Is there a way to check for updates or follow up on an interview date? My relative submitted their documents in May 2022 but has yet to receive a response regarding their interview. Thank you for your assistance.

CN and embassy?