Vancouver??? Mix up???

[Melytha Christine 0]

So... my USC fiance got a letter from NVC today, stating that my case was being sent to my embassy... in VANCOUVER! #######? I live in Ontario - shouldn't it be Montreal? I'm fine with it being Vancouver - should I phone and tell them that? Has this happened to anyone else? Suggestions? Ah?

[Note: I am the same person as "melytha" - I was having trouble with my password and it wouldn't sign me in so I changed my username.]

WOW. I read this post last night and was trying to comment but was having posting troubles. Anyway, I wouldn't know what to do in your shoes. I'd be excited (!!) but at the same time probably a bit worried that it was a mix-up, so I might end up calling just to make sure (because I wouldn't want delays to happen because they realized they made a mistake, and the delay might be less if I called?)...BUT I hope that this means they are now sending more cases to Vancouver because Montreal is so slow right now, and hopefully it will mean quicker Montreal interviews!!! I live in Ontario and mine was definitely sent to Montreal!

And you know, I was thinking that even though Montreal is slow right now and Vancouver is quick, really, anything can happen. I was looking at some timelines from last year and it seems that last year Montreal was a lot quicker during some parts of the year. Maybe it's just that right now, Montreal is slow, but soon they will catch up. Who knows. I'm not getting my hopes up but it would be nice if Montreal speeds up a little bit.

[together2love 0]

I'm not worried about getting there, I've got oodles of friends and fam out west! Fingers crossed they don't change their minds and switch me to Montreal!!!

I would wait it out to see, and if worst case senario, just have a family members name (since you said that they live in BC) and address to be ready just in case you can blow this out as a 'transfer' case.

[piosenka 0]

I wonder who you would call to ask a general question if Montreal would be forwarding any cases to Vancouver to ease the load. I know that Montreal would be too bishy too answer that!

I really hope they are doing that, and I hope people write their senators or congress members to express concern over the length of time that Montrealers have to go through - and to show support of transfering some of the cases to the other consulate. Once I receive confirmation of my case being forwarded to one of the consulates, I'm definitely writing my congresswoman and such. I'm definitely going to be nice about it, but I want to make sure they are aware of it! While they may not be able to do anything for my case, maybe something can be done for the future applicants, especially if they hear enough concern! Maybe it's wishful thinking that we could have some say in how things go, but I personally would feel better about myself if I were to speak up so other people in the future could benefit.

[ErikaB 0]

Good luck, hopefully it's not just a mix-up. They definitely should send a few more cases out there to even things out.

[Waiting in Vancouver 6]

I had the same sort of thing happen to me but it was the other way around. They had sent mine to Montreal even though I was living in the Vancouver area ...

The only thing that I could figure out was that they looked at my place of birth rather than where I was living when they were figuring out which consulate to send my petition to(obviously this was a mistake on their part) ... When I called them and asked why they had sent my petition to Montreal it took me awhile to explain that I didn't live in Quebec that I was born there and that I was currently living in BC. Once I got this through their thick heads they relised that they had made a mistake and they instructed Montreal to forward my file on to Vancouver once they received it ... They were very appologetic ...

Did you happen to be born in a western province and they made the same error ??

[Cassie 8]

I wonder who you would call to ask a general question if Montreal would be forwarding any cases to Vancouver to ease the load. I know that Montreal would be too bishy too answer that!

I really hope they are doing that, and I hope people write their senators or congress members to express concern over the length of time that Montrealers have to go through - and to show support of transfering some of the cases to the other consulate. Once I receive confirmation of my case being forwarded to one of the consulates, I'm definitely writing my congresswoman and such. I'm definitely going to be nice about it, but I want to make sure they are aware of it! While they may not be able to do anything for my case, maybe something can be done for the future applicants, especially if they hear enough concern! Maybe it's wishful thinking that we could have some say in how things go, but I personally would feel better about myself if I were to speak up so other people in the future could benefit.

I know people don't want to hear this, but I guess I am going to say it anyways. Montreal isn't all that bad. Unless you have a very difficult or complicated case (I'm thinking of lal_brandow here), the visa interview itself is a snap---it's the wait that's driving people crazy. And it's been this long of a wait before. Montreal, since I have joined VJ almost 3 years ago, has fluctuated from a wait of 2 months (from packet 3 to interview) to 4 months, to whatever we are at now, and back and forth a bit between those timeframes. Compared to Vancouver, which doesn't have nearly the same workload, right now it seems like it's moving along like molasses going uphill in January.

If it makes you feel better to write your congressperson, then by all means do it, but I honestly don't think it'll do much of anything. The wait time for Montreal is a drop in the bucket compared to places like China or the Dominican Republic (aren't they up to almost a 2 year waiting list now? or is that for something else? can't remember) and like I said before, the interview is usually a breeze.

I dunno. It's late, and I am tired. Not sure if I am making sense. flame away.

[Emancipation 2]

Canadians don't flame.. NOT A CHANCE!!! Isn't it illegal in our country?

[Sabovee 0]

I had the same sort of thing happen to me but it was the other way around. They had sent mine to Montreal even though I was living in the Vancouver area ...

The only thing that I could figure out was that they looked at my place of birth rather than where I was living when they were figuring out which consulate to send my petition to(obviously this was a mistake on their part) ... When I called them and asked why they had sent my petition to Montreal it took me awhile to explain that I didn't live in Quebec that I was born there and that I was currently living in BC. Once I got this through their thick heads they relised that they had made a mistake and they instructed Montreal to forward my file on to Vancouver once they received it ... They were very appologetic ...

Did you happen to be born in a western province and they made the same error ??

Nope. I was born in Petawawa (For the love of God, don't tell anyone ) I've actually lived all over the world (Miliatry Brat) but anytime we were in Canada I've only lived in Ontario... My Dad was born in BC, Mom in Manitoba... WIERD!

[Melytha Christine 0]

I know people don't want to hear this, but I guess I am going to say it anyways. Montreal isn't all that bad. Unless you have a very difficult or complicated case (I'm thinking of lal_brandow here), the visa interview itself is a snap---it's the wait that's driving people crazy. And it's been this long of a wait before. Montreal, since I have joined VJ almost 3 years ago, has fluctuated from a wait of 2 months (from packet 3 to interview) to 4 months, to whatever we are at now, and back and forth a bit between those timeframes. Compared to Vancouver, which doesn't have nearly the same workload, right now it seems like it's moving along like molasses going uphill in January.

It's actually nice to hear that. That's what my fiance and I were talking about - it seems that the main problem with Montreal is just the current waiting times, which is something we don't want to deal with but we can. It will also give me a bit more time to spend with my family before moving more permanently to the U.S. and having to worry about getting Advance Parole and all that, as well as time for him to come visit (we both adore my family!) And more time to be able to be as careful as possible with our forms, etc. instead of feeling rushed. All that being said, it still would be nice if Montreal would be faster but I guess unless they mess up with our files there is really nothing we can complain about.

If it makes you feel better to write your congressperson, then by all means do it, but I honestly don't think it'll do much of anything. The wait time for Montreal is a drop in the bucket compared to places like China or the Dominican Republic (aren't they up to almost a 2 year waiting list now? or is that for something else? can't remember) and like I said before, the interview is usually a breeze.

I know of a couple who got married in India. The husband returned to the U.S. after the wedding and his new bride had to remain in India for a year and a half or so before she was finally able to come to the U.S. Six months seems long to wait but when I think of their year and a half, and they did it while married (although I do not now HOW!) surely we can do the 4.5-6 months it might take for Montreal while we aren't even married yet.

I dunno. It's late, and I am tired. Not sure if I am making sense. flame away.

Made sense to me ;-)

[Cassie 8]

I dunno. It's late, and I am tired. Not sure if I am making sense. flame away.

Made sense to me ;-)

excellent.

I don't want to constantly come off as the Official Montreal Apologist all the time, but I personally felt blessed to go through there when I was applying for my K-1. Sure, I got the occasional rude person when I called, but then I figured "heck, if I had to deal with the amount of phone calls from crazy people like me (and let's face it, we're not always polite little angels when we are under stress ) who call multiple times for multiple reasons, I'd be a little cranky too" -- but that's just me. I realize from reading in this forum that there have been problems with Montreal, and the criticism is well deserved in those cases, but on the whole, we Canucks have 2 really great consulates to work with. Peek into other consulates' discussions if you don't believe me.

Oh, and just a helpful tip:

K-1s, don't compare your scheduling timelines with K-3/Cr-1/IR-1s and vice versa. It's apples and oranges and will only drive you all crazy.

Oh, and melytha -- enjoy every scrap of time you have with your family, the visa interview wait can be ueful for something, like you said

Edited April 21, 2007 by Cassie

[Cassie 8]

Canadians don't flame.. NOT A CHANCE!!! Isn't it illegal in our country?

have you ever stepped between someone *coughcough*flames9*coughcough* and their Timmy's ??????????

[CutienPurg 0]

MY GOD sabovee, how did you ever survive CFB Petawawa? lolololol

kidding really........pet is a really pretty town , no place like it in the summer, people were incredibly nice in town......base ppl werent all too friendly tho ......Pembroke sucks ....cept the murals. My hub has been posted at Pet for 2 1/2 years ,after 12 years in Ottawa , he's in total culture shock.

I literallly laughed out loud when i read you're from Pet......like an omg laugh.

Was it overrun with skunks back then too?

[Sabovee 0]

MY GOD sabovee, how did you ever survive CFB Petawawa? lolololol

kidding really........pet is a really pretty town , no place like it in the summer, people were incredibly nice in town......base ppl werent all too friendly tho ......Pembroke sucks ....cept the murals. My hub has been posted at Pet for 2 1/2 years ,after 12 years in Ottawa , he's in total culture shock.

I literallly laughed out loud when i read you're from Pet......like an omg laugh.

Was it overrun with skunks back then too?

I only survived through luck - and the fact that we left when I was 4 My parents have confirmed the skunk over population and the fact that it was incredibly with the suckage..

I'm sure it couldn't have been half as bad as CFB Borden! That stinker I remember!!

[CutienPurg 0]

Borden is my hubby's home base and actually where he graduated high school, his dad's last posting was there too.He spent a few months there this past summer/ fall, said he felt good to be home. I didnt have a bunch of experience there tho.I spent a year in Pet.......skunks EVERYWHERE.......I had more than one encounter.... going out to the stoop to smoke......trick or treating ......going to the movies...ugh...one night one of em chased my dog into the house ....was funny as hell.......she ran out the door and 2 secs later returned being chased. They trapped a 720 pound bear 2 blocks from our house.....the dogs swam the Petawawa river and were introduced to a porcupine....was definately an adventure.

lemme tell ya how small the military community is in canada..........my mother in law was at the mess in Borden visiting some old friends and they told her there was a van parked on the base in Petawawa with Michigan plates ( mine).......she told me that and I about choked to death laughing.

[MissStacey 1]

I had the same sort of thing happen to me but it was the other way around. They had sent mine to Montreal even though I was living in the Vancouver area ...

The only thing that I could figure out was that they looked at my place of birth rather than where I was living when they were figuring out which consulate to send my petition to(obviously this was a mistake on their part) ... When I called them and asked why they had sent my petition to Montreal it took me awhile to explain that I didn't live in Quebec that I was born there and that I was currently living in BC. Once I got this through their thick heads they relised that they had made a mistake and they instructed Montreal to forward my file on to Vancouver once they received it ... They were very appologetic ...

Did you happen to be born in a western province and they made the same error ??

I hope that doesn't happen to me! I was born in Montreal and moved to Alberta when I was 9.

Mel did put down Vancouver on the form. I hope it goes there!