We were approved for K3 on July 27 and it will be 6 months before we have visa in hand. This has been the longest phase in the process, doubling our initial estimates.

So while you're popping corks because you got your NOA2, take a look at the actual timelines for your embassy. If you're not going through Montreal, give thanks!

We are in the same boat with you, Guangzhou China is a bit slower.

I honestly think that knowing I have to go through Montreal's waiting line is the most disheartening thing to me right now. I'm seriously considering begging to be transferred to Vancouver if we are ever approved, but then of course the Vancouver people will probably be annoyed with people transferring and take their own sweet time

I am thankful...everyday. We went through Vancouver as I live in Western Canada. I'm so glad you got a date though! Best of luck to you. There are many things we should be stopping and giving thanks for today!

Carla

I have been kinda lucky so far....

I was estimating a 6-7 months process because of the imbra...more like 4 months NOA2 and 2 months Montreal....Since I have been approved in 2 months but discovered the waiting time for Montreal, I was a little bit disappointed but the estimate still reaches my expectations by now....

I knew I would wait

But it is actually good to know that average is 2-3 months, longest so far is you with 4 months. Between 2-4 months I can live with that, its better than the 4-6 months they say on the phone

Mephys

Why does Montreal take so freaking long?

Do they do interview dates based on priority (i.e., some visa interviews take precedence) or is it in the order they receive the approved petitions?

I wish that some of the other Consulates across Canada would do K1/K3/CR visas too...

Good grief, Marianne....that was a long wait!! I'm very happy, however, to see that you finally have your interview date. Speaking from experience, it helps a lot to have something to countdown to

I'll be awaiting your good news come mid-January!

I'm so happy they accepted our tranfer. I couldn't imagine waiting until April or May to get an interview through Vancouver. This way, we'll probably have our interview end of January.

You'd THINK the least they could have does was take people that got caught up in IMBRA and put them through the fastes path possible. But NOOOO that would make too much sense.

Cass (bebop the great)

Montreal does the bulk of petitions submitted in Canada, far more than the caseload that Vancouver has -- K-1s, K-3s, all the IR/CR-1s, and DCF. Plus all the other stuff they handle.

This is just me, but I'd rather have the "long" wait (really and truly, four months isn't all that bad) and the easy interview (montreal for the most part is painless when it comes to the actual interview), than a short wait and going through the wringer at the interview, like some of our VJ friends have to look forward to.

I'm curious what you mean, Cassie. Do you mean just other countires in general? Or do you mean specifically at Vancouver versus Montreal?

Cass (bebop the great)

Casablanca usually schedules interviews about 4 weeks after recevieng the petition, so my heart goes out to you. The only thing that will slow us down is the security checks- anywhere from 2 weeks to several months! I am hoping for the latter Hang in there, the wait is hard, but soooo worth it! Good luck to all of us!

That really sucks. I am told I will have to have my Interview in Montreal. This whole process is a nightmare. I won't spend Christmas with my husband, I won't be there for Mardi Gras either probably. Who knows when I will see him again.

other countries in general. Vancouver also has a fantastic reputation for ease of interview. We Canadians truly are a fortunate bunch.

I'm just thinking about consulates with the unwritten rule about no visa approval without the presence of the USC at the interview, or ones where people have to sit on AR/security checks for weeks/months after the interview, etc etc.

Oo, you ARE gonna get the visa faster than me! London interviews seems to be more like 8 to 10 weeks after they get the petition.

Thank God I am doing the AOS not the CR-1 route or the K-3.

Yeah I realize how fortunate I am being able to go through Vancouver. I couldn't imagine having to wait in Montreal

Ah, gotcha!

No, I hear you re: other countries. It's just really really hard to be away from my husband and I'd rather transfer to Vancouver and pay extra for the flight than wait longer for a Montreal interview date. You'd think that they'd get a clue and utilise the other consulates in Canada better! Yeah, I know, I'm just whining.

Yeah I always thought it was a little odd that although each major city has a consulate, they basically do nothing except provide support to Americans in distress. Not that it's a bad thing, I just theink they could maybe do a little more to help out

I hear ya, I wasn't overly pleased when I heard I couldn't use the consular officer in Halifax. I guess if they wanted to use all the smaller consulate/consul general offices in the same manner, it would mean a lot more staff, salaries, etc. Concentrating all their visa processing resources in two places makes sense in that line of thinking, but not to us having to make travel plans!

The good thing about the wait in Montreal (work with me peeps, I'm trying to find the silver lining in this for you all! ) is that you have more of a chance to find a seat sale/cheaper mode of travel rather than to pay premium prices at the last minute.

well who knows...maybe your interiew wait plus security checks will equal my interview wait plus security checks ...It will be intersting to see. I'd love to go the whole wait with you, but not if it means 6-10 weeks of security checks for me