The dreaded DS-5535 thread for Montreal. Post here and support each other (split)

[ice-qube 648]

1 hour ago, Rosinasaur said:

So, we contacting Hacking Immigration Law to file the Mandamus, and they responded "We are not filing lawsuits if the K1 is at the NVC or the Embassy." So I guess we're out of luck with them.

 

We're going to try contacting a senator because our congresswoman was not helpful at all. We're crossing our fingers. Our last update was Jan 11th, 2022.

We just received response from Rep. Salazar’s office today. The consulate gave them same answer they give me.

So mandamus suit is a no?

 

[Rosinasaur 58]

14 hours ago, ice-qube said:

So mandamus suit is a no?

 

My fiance called a couple of offices. Hacking turned us down. Another office said that they don't recommend suing and instead recommended trying to contact a senator. I'm not sure if I trust this other office because they also told my fiance that suing them makes you more likely to get denied. Literally everywhere else says that's not true. After the 2 month timeframe is up, the consulate can still delay you if they absolutely have to. 

 

Oh well, we sent a letter to a Senator and we'll see how that goes.

[Federico 147]

@ice-qube Really sorry about your medical expiration, hope you all can be reunited with your families ASAP, this process is really a nightmare.

[MarioAllison 5]

I am very sorry that some of you have had your medicals expire. Makes the waiting game even more stressfull knowing they allow that to happen.

  I did not have my medical approved by my interview . Dr. Randall T Lee secretary said they had sent it back in December but I decided it was time to say hi to the embassy and see if they remembered me so I sent a public inquiry March 9 asking if they could please check and make sure they received my medical. They replied yesterday March 21 , so like 11 days ans said they had it so that was nice ! They also updated my case but still refused of course. I have had updates Dec 21,Jan 31,Feb 9

This is the reply

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for contacting us.

 

We acknowledge receipt of your medical report. Your case is currently under administrative processing. As soon as the administrative processing is complete, the Visa Unit will advise of the next steps if anything else is needed to complete processing the case.

 

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,

 

OP03

[MarioAllison 5]

This probably has been asked but did any of us here in AP use a lawyer to file for the whole greencard process? we have been doing the whole thing on our own but someone asked me if I would have used a lawyer if I could have avoided being put into AP . I said i didnt think so but thought Id see what you all thought . not that it changes anything now just for interest sake

[BatmanFlow 481]

55 minutes ago, MarioAllison said:

This probably has been asked but did any of us here in AP use a lawyer to file for the whole greencard process? we have been doing the whole thing on our own but someone asked me if I would have used a lawyer if I could have avoided being put into AP . I said i didnt think so but thought Id see what you all thought . not that it changes anything now just for interest sake

no, you could not have avoided AP even if you had a lawyer, especially in your case since your's was due to medical report missing.

 

even in other cases, i dont think lawyers can really have you avoid AP. They fill the same paperwork and its all about evidence you provide. During interview it comes down to the person doing your interview and how they see things

[DamAk 33]

On 3/18/2022 at 3:57 PM, Hello100 said:

Yes, I'm talking about for activating the Visa. I'm from Windsor, so for me it makes more sense to cross through that famous/busy land crossing. I was assuming that at the land crossing they will have a lot more time to question you while at the airport it's a shorter time. It's not like I have anything to hide, but it's about which is slightly less difficult, if you will.

I believe the airport is going to be faster (but obviously there are people who have had quick experiences at the land border too, not sure about the one from Windsor). My experience at YYZ: I only waited for about 50 minutes but only because there were 2 other people before me. They didn't ask me any questions and only called me up for 5 minutes to confirm my husband's name, address and phone number and explained some things, said the green card could take up to 6 months to arrive. It was honestly a very quick process, I think they were working on my visa for around 20 minutes before they called me up though.

Edited March 22, 2022 by DamAk

[Hello100 50]

8 minutes ago, DamAk said:

I believe the airport is going to be faster (but obviously there are people who have had quick experiences at the land border too, not sure about the one from Windsor). My experience at YYZ: I only waited for about 50 minutes but only because there were 2 other people before me. They didn't ask me any questions and only called me up for 5 minutes to confirm my husband's name, address and phone number and explained some things, said the green card could take up to 6 months to arrive. It was honestly a very quick process, I think they were working on my visa for around 20 minutes before they called me up though.

I guess it's the luck of the draw, as it doesn't necessarily depend on the place but the person you have. Perhaps in Windsor they are sophisticated with these types of things, but maybe at the airport it's quicker because you have a plane to catch? I'm surprised that it could take up to 6 months for the Green Card to arrive, though.

[ice-qube 648]

5 hours ago, Rosinasaur said:

My fiance called a couple of offices. Hacking turned us down. Another office said that they don't recommend suing and instead recommended trying to contact a senator. I'm not sure if I trust this other office because they also told my fiance that suing them makes you more likely to get denied. Literally everywhere else says that's not true. After the 2 month timeframe is up, the consulate can still delay you if they absolutely have to. 

 

Oh well, we sent a letter to a Senator and we'll see how that goes.

Ya I would not do mandamus suit unless was absolute last resort. Where the line is where "last resort" kicks in, I am not even sure.

[DamAk 33]

6 hours ago, Hello100 said:

I guess it's the luck of the draw, as it doesn't necessarily depend on the place but the person you have. Perhaps in Windsor they are sophisticated with these types of things, but maybe at the airport it's quicker because you have a plane to catch? I'm surprised that it could take up to 6 months for the Green Card to arrive, though.

I absolutely agree. The officer I had was extremely nice (and seemed laidback) so it made the process go smoothly.

And yea, I was a bit shocked when he said 6 months. Was under the impression it would arrive within a few weeks of entry. 

[mam521 1,850]

18 hours ago, Hello100 said:

I guess it's the luck of the draw, as it doesn't necessarily depend on the place but the person you have. Perhaps in Windsor they are sophisticated with these types of things, but maybe at the airport it's quicker because you have a plane to catch? I'm surprised that it could take up to 6 months for the Green Card to arrive, though.

My experience with airport secondary was it took longer than when I crossed through Coutts/Sweetgrass.  I've had TN, L1B (myself and then L2's with my kids) at the airport (YEG and YYC) and then our IR's.  YYC has a new, nicer secondary since the new terminal was built, but it's a pretty busy POE and I've always had to wait for at least one person ahead of me.  I could see AB/MT border being a pain during the Freedom Convoy or during RV season.  I suspect if there was a big backlog of truckers coming through because of weather or whatever at Windsor, it would be an issue. 

 

Ultimately, it's gonna depend on what logistics make the most sense for your situation.  When I initially came to the States on my L1, I flew solo, knowing I'd be returning to Canada to meet the moving company and get my kids a few weeks later.  When we moved on our IR's, we had 3 of us activating our PR, our doggo that I was not about to put in the hold of the plane, as well as minimal "stuff", so hauling the trailer and getting it all done at the same time made the most sense.  

 

Our GC's took 177 days or something stupid to arrive and one was incorrectly statused (CR instead of IR) so I had to sent an I-90 to get it fixed.  We have the new card, but still received a NOA to remove conditions...when there's no conditions on that GC!  Immigration organization at it's finest!

[DS5535 135]

20 hours ago, DamAk said:

I believe the airport is going to be faster (but obviously there are people who have had quick experiences at the land border too, not sure about the one from Windsor). My experience at YYZ: I only waited for about 50 minutes but only because there were 2 other people before me. They didn't ask me any questions and only called me up for 5 minutes to confirm my husband's name, address and phone number and explained some things, said the green card could take up to 6 months to arrive. It was honestly a very quick process, I think they were working on my visa for around 20 minutes before they called me up though.

Land border took me an hour. And one guy talked down to me and in the back. I could hear. Del Bonito land crossing.

[mam521 1,850]

46 minutes ago, DS5535 said:

Land border took me an hour. And one guy talked down to me and in the back. I could hear. Del Bonito land crossing.

Brutal. 

 

We were at Coutts for 10 minutes total I think?  15, tops. 

 

Drove up, dude aske what we were here for, told him activating visas and we have our dog with us.  He asked for our passports, the dog's rabies cert and the the rental agreement for the Uhaul (our contents list was attached).  He asked to see the dog, rolled window down so he could see her and nodded.  He took a quick look at the rabies cert, the Uhaul agreement and list and handed them back.  Said pull around and come in (he kept the passports).  We did.  The delay was that there were 3 of us to activate and the one agent hadn't ever activated PR's before, so the other agent took her and showed her how to pull the information up in the repository.  Stamped and done.  

[DS5535 135]

20 minutes ago, mam521 said:

Brutal. 

 

We were at Coutts for 10 minutes total I think?  15, tops. 

 

Drove up, dude aske what we were here for, told him activating visas and we have our dog with us.  He asked for our passports, the dog's rabies cert and the the rental agreement for the Uhaul (our contents list was attached).  He asked to see the dog, rolled window down so he could see her and nodded.  He took a quick look at the rabies cert, the Uhaul agreement and list and handed them back.  Said pull around and come in (he kept the passports).  We did.  The delay was that there were 3 of us to activate and the one agent hadn't ever activated PR's before, so the other agent took her and showed her how to pull the information up in the repository.  Stamped and done.  

Coutts was blocked when I had to go down. Sounds alot nicer tbh,

[BatmanFlow 481]

my mom and sister just dropped off my step dad at pearson, mom was sad.

such an awful experience this has been