DS5535_jan2024

Hi! You should be fine with Nexus. I crossed in every weekend to see my husband while I was waiting for my green card to arrive (8 weeks, every week I crossed in with the nexus as they had my passport). Just be honest - I only had one guard ask me if I had proof that my visa was in process and I said yes I could show you my CEAC status and emails and she didn’t want to see it. Just be honest and you’ll be fine.

Received my passport with Visa yesterday. Between requesting my 2nd medical (Aug 6) to when I had it in hand, it was 8.5 weeks (and this included an inquiry from our congressperson). The clearance date on my visa aligns with my first unsolicited update on July 25.

Me too. I think they receive a batch on specific days and probably pick up a batch on a specific day too.

Congrats! I’m waiting to get my tracking number - it’s been issued since Wednesday late in the day. How did you receive a tracking number? Was it by email? Thanks in advance.

With everything we’ve all experienced, and what we know now, I wouldn’t recommend sending your passport until they finish processing 5535. Also, you will submit your CV electronically and the ds5535 electronically. The passport is mailed through their courier service and they send the instructions for that via the AIS. If he wanted your passports, he would’ve kept them at the interview. The ds5535 process will likely takes months and when they’re ready to finalize processing, the mailing process takes only days. Don’t send it in. Also - my experience with one lawyer consult is that unless a firm specializes in ds5535 and specifically with the Montreal consulate , they know nothing about it. This community knows more about it than some lawyers (the one I consulted said that I must’ve said something wrong during my interview, which triggered my ds5535) but we know it’s decided before you even do the interview.

From what lots of us have gathered, the clearance process is outside of the embassy and involves multiple agencies. Once those validations are done, the embassy can proceed with the file. You’re in AP until you’re approved so while your clearance came through, the file needs to be “administratively processed” by a visa officer in Paris. great news for you!

IR-1 My husband is the petitioner and he’s an American citizen. I have a Middle Eastern background but am a Canadian citizen.

I hope so too!! Honestly, I do think that a lot of our files are just waiting for someone to review them so a nudge from a congressperson or senator may just be it. Does anyone know if I have to activate the green card before my rcmp clearance expires or is that requirement only for the medical?

Good news! My status changed to issued today! My timeline: Jan 8 interview issued DS5535 Jan 10 completed DS5535 Jan 18 case update (there were 3-4 but I wasn’t tracking) July 12 I sent an email for 6 month mark July 25th case update Aug 1 case update Aug 6 case update + request to send medical and new photos Aug 12 I sent email to ask question Aug 16 sent passport and info Aug 22 case update Aug 24 case update (medical was sent) Aug 26 case update + replied to my email and confirmed received documents Sept 10 I emailed for status sept 20 case update+ general response Sept 24 contacted Congressperson Sept 25 Status ISSUED We are now waiting for my passport. I don’t think I could’ve survived the last 9 months without this community. God bless you all and may you be reunited with your families soon. I will update once I receive my passport in hand.

I’ve already sent in my passport and updated medical back in August. It’s been 5 weeks now. 😓

I received the same response on Friday.

I think it ranges and depends on your situation. You can see the spreadsheet that has been maintained with a lot of our info on it. Some have been waiting 17 months and it also depends on your visa type and your luck to be honest. I’m almost at the 9 month mark now and I’m IR-1 visa. You should request congressional inquiry, email them and possibly consider WOM if you’re able to and need to. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1G2Uy4IANSzFvQVRiywS4djPaujgHSRCfzE0qZK0eQCM/htmlview?pli=1#

Wonderful!! Congrats 🥳

Canada post tracking confirmed it was delivered within a day (Aug 19) but the consulate emailed me about a week later to confirm they had it because I asked them another question 2 weeks prior. However, I did notice a case update on the day they confirmed receipt and on day they received medical (on a Saturday I had an update which surprised me). Not sure if update is bc they emailed me or if they logged it. Also, not the same for everyone.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. We’re wasting money paying for two households and two of everything like a lot of people - and traveling to see each other. Our little one is nearly 18 months and I could tolerate this more if I didn’t have her to worry about. She deserves stability Curious if anyone out there has gotten a DS5535 lately? I wonder if the pace is slowing down on issuing them? And maybe that could mean they’ll spend their time on all of us ?

It’s been a really frustrating September. They’ve had my passport for nearly a month now and no updates. I sent an email asking if they needed more info. We will reach out to our congressperson now because we can’t risk another expired medical (1 month out of 6 is gone) or another month of not being able to plan our lives. This process is endless heartbreak. I also didn’t get the auto response when I emailed this time. I think it’s normal.

I second that… I sent my documents on the 16th and my last update was on the 26th of August. Could’ve been the timing with summer vacations but I haven’t had any news since they confirmed receipt on the 26th.

Congrats!! How long was the time between when you sent your passport to when it said issued?

Call the AIS number and they will confirm. Also you can log into your AIS account and find out where it’s being mailed to. My suggestion is to ask them directly as the embassy will take longer to answer.

Hooray!!

Me too. I’m about a week ahead of you and still haven’t heard back. By Monday it’ll be two weeks since I heard anything so I may just write to them. I have a nexus so luckily I’m still able to see my husband if they are delayed but I know others aren’t as lucky.

I’m really happy to hear there are updates since mine has gone quiet since sending my passport cuz at least they’re still working on everyone’s files and there’s general movement. 🤞🏽

Has anyone had any updates at all this week?

I didn’t email asking that per se but I had emailed earlier asking about how to change the address for the pick up and then they replied a couple weeks later saying that it was through the AIS and they confirmed they received my documents in the same email (I couldn’t wait for their response anymore which is when I found the answer myself by calling the AIS number). I really feel like there must’ve been a small pause cuz there’s a noticeable slowdown. I truly hope it was just the end of summer holidays.

Trying to be patient too. I sent in my passport and haven’t had an update in over a week (since confirming receipt). Hoping everyone was on summer vacation and that it’ll pick back up again. Such an emotional rollercoaster.