I've spent the past month reading guides and websites and a ton of posts on this forum and I'm still lost when it comes to trying to ballpark our timeline (to be honest, I'm generally lost when it comes to pretty much anything in this entire ordeal). I read a post from someone who said that it doesn't matter when you first petition; Montreal will put you on the waiting list when they get your Packet 3 back. Is that true? My husband and I filed with the Toronto consulate in April and sent our Packet 3 to Montreal the first week of June. If I'm reading everyone else's timeline correctly and if Montreal sticks to the same painfully slow schedule, it seems to me that we should (hopefully) expect to hear about our interview around December. Does this make sense? My husband emailed Montreal this morning to see if they could give us an idea, but I'm not expecting much from them and I'm going nuts trying to figure this out.

Thanks!
Robin

Robin- I sent packet 3 away in mid January 2007 and got my interview coming up on July 27th. I got the appointment letter just a few days ago! I would suggest you CALL Montreal every week once 5 months has passed to check on your interview date. However, don't expect an interview until about 6 or 7 months after you mailed back packet 3.
Sorry, but it's going to be a while. Hope that helps.

Robin,

Indeed, MTL takes a painfully long time - so December/January sounds about right (they only work half of December I think, and think also of both Thanksgiving holidays). Welcome to DCF and MTL though! We're a fun bunch!
Also rememer to , it helps us all.


Peace, L.

5-7 months is about right if MTL keeps at its current pace and dont speed up/slow down.

Lance! SHHHHHH! Maybe if we keep quiet MTL will speed up.... ....
, L.

Thanks, everyone! I'm starting law school in August, so I have to move next month regardless. We got spoiled by being able to live together while I got my PR status up here in Canada and I'm not looking forward to being separated at all. I heard that people with applications in process can visit the US for 90 days out of every 180, so we're going to try and see if he can come with me for the first 70 days (we're going on vacation in the US for a week later this month, so we don't think he'd be given the full 90 days if he tried). He's got a letter from his job saying that they expect him back in late October and we'll already have a flight back to Toronto booked for him, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works. That'll take us through September and October, and then in November and December I'll have Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks to visit him, so we won't have to be apart for more than a few weeks at a time.

Thanks again for the responses. I don't post a lot, but I read religiously and the information in everyone's posts is invaluable.

Robin,

Both of you have to maintain residence in Canada for DCF. So if you move to the US, that may be a problem. I would doublecheck this before hand. As for visiting, he needs to prove ties to Canada, which I think he does with letter from employer and all - but again, BOTH need to RESIDE in Canada for DCF... unless they changed the requirement.....

Peace, L.

Woah, really? Our lawyer knew from day 1 that I would be moving in August to start school. We definitely qualified for residency to file the I-130 at the Toronto consulate. I had a job and a health card and a lease on an apartment, which apparently satisfied them. Now that that part is over with and our file is in Montreal, aren't we kind of in the same boat as everyone else? Yikes. This could be a serious, serious problem. Can you point me to the part of the guide or instructions where it says that?

Thanks
Robin

I'm harbouring a tiny little bit of hope that since they stated on their website that they will be "experiencing an extended staff shortage for the summer", that it will only apply for the summer, and hopefully they will speed up again in August.
Doubt we will be that lucky, but we can always hope!!!