The dreaded DS-5535 thread for Montreal. Post here and support each other (PART 2)

[AP_since_May2023 37]

33 minutes ago, justanamericangrl said:

Posting to see what everyone thinks of the timeline here.

 

Feb 3 - interview Montreal consulate

Feb 6 - issued ds5535

Feb 9 - responded to ds5535

May 2 - filed writ

 

We’ve had 9 CEAC updates so far on the following dates:

Feb 10

Feb 14

Mar 17

Apr 26

May 9

May 18

May 23

Jun 5

Jun 6

 

It just seems like so many updates! We don’t know if it’s good/bad/unimportant. Really hoping we’re close to it being done but I have no idea what to expect. 
 

Thanks in advance!!

 

 

 

Does the number of updates matter? I had almost daily updates after my interview x 1 week, then radio silence for 2 weeks until I had congressman follow-up. 

 

For June 5 & 6 updates, did you and/or Congressman contact the Consulate to request a status update?

 

Interesting that you filed WoM earlier than Farzady but you still haven't heard back yet.

[justanamericangrl 23]

22 minutes ago, SGtoMurica said:

Does the number of updates matter? I had almost daily updates after my interview x 1 week, then radio silence for 2 weeks until I had congressman follow-up. 

 

For June 5 & 6 updates, did you and/or Congressman contact the Consulate to request a status update?

 

Interesting that you filed WoM earlier than Farzady but you still haven't heard back yet.

I’m not sure if it matters. That’s what we are trying to figure out. It seems like people get more updates right before they get approved but it also seems like people have fewer updates than us. I think we are just trying to make sense of something that doesn’t really make sense at all. 
 

nope our congressman wasn’t helpful. We’ve emailed the consulate a few times but just get generic responses. I don’t think it has anything to do with the updates. 
 

yeah it seems to have gotten things moving more. Just hoping they don’t ask for an extension and make a decision within 60 days

[justanamericangrl 23]

19 minutes ago, justanamericangrl said:

I’m not sure if it matters. That’s what we are trying to figure out. It seems like people get more updates right before they get approved but it also seems like people have fewer updates than us. I think we are just trying to make sense of something that doesn’t really make sense at all. 
 

nope our congressman wasn’t helpful. We’ve emailed the consulate a few times but just get generic responses. I don’t think it has anything to do with the updates. 
 

yeah it seems to have gotten things moving more. Just hoping they don’t ask for an extension and make a decision within 60 days

To update: my husband just got an email from the DOS asking for passport! 

[AP_since_May2023 37]

Just now, justanamericangrl said:

To update: my husband just got an email from the DOS asking for passport! 

Congrats!! And thank you for the update. Seems like WoM is the way to go!

[justanamericangrl 23]

2 minutes ago, SGtoMurica said:

Congrats!! And thank you for the update. Seems like WoM is the way to go!

Thank you so much!! Yes seemed like it helped a lot!

[AP_since_May2023 37]

22 minutes ago, justanamericangrl said:

Thank you so much!! Yes seemed like it helped a lot!

Seems like both of you case and Farzady's case received an approval within ~35 days of filing WoM.

[Canucklehead 58]

Crazy how some people get so many updates.

I had my interview Feb 1, 2023 

Filed DS-5535 on March 2, 2023

My last update of any kind was almost 3 months ago - Mar 17, 2023

 

Literally no criminal charges and they're not even looking at my damn application. Super frustrating

[Jvisa 4]

1 hour ago, Canucklehead said:

Crazy how some people get so many updates.

I had my interview Feb 1, 2023 

Filed DS-5535 on March 2, 2023

My last update of any kind was almost 3 months ago - Mar 17, 2023

 

Literally no criminal charges and they're not even looking at my damn application. Super frustrating

some people are lucky hear. Guys what is the maximum months of AP in the Montreal consulate?

is somebody hear waiting more than a year and how many months ?please

[APRIL2023 50]

I sent a follow up email again to inquire about my DS5535 form, because I never got one via email (my interview was in April). Got the same generic response again. However, I noted that their automatic response was different. It now has this “Immigrant Nisa Navigator” 

 

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=dFDPZv5a0UimkaErISH0Sy1YoH0qhFtLmlsn5fRWtORUM1VNMVlYWFAzNldZRU5KUjgwTjhFOVFWTCQlQCN0PWcu

 

it does have a section that talks about AP. Pretty much saying not to bother contacting them until 6 months has elapsed. 
 

Doesn’t help much, but at least u can tell that more is being done to address the backlogs that they are dealing with. 
 

[PZibran325 112]

1 hour ago, Jvisa said:

some people are lucky hear. Guys what is the maximum months of AP in the Montreal consulate?

is somebody hear waiting more than a year and how many months ?please

10 months from interview to issued for us. I was emailing the embassy regularly regardless of whether they sent me a generic response or a more personal one. In the 8th month we hired a PIC law firm to star the process for a WOM but ended up not filing one because we started seeing updates to our case last updated date and in their response to one of my emails, the embassy informed me that the case had cleared AP and we would be receiving further instruction after the CO had had a chance to review next steps. PIC refunded most of the money we had paid to retain them.

 

So ours went through without a WOM and several others have gone through without WOMs in the recent past. Based on this, I recommend waiting a little bit before filing a WOM unless you have cash to spare and you've discerned the opportunity cost of not having your spouse with you vs paying fees to file a WOM.

[Fk2004 0]

What is wom I have been waiting for 2 yrs still nothing kindly let me know 

[LAMA9 118]

8 hours ago, Fk2004 said:

What is wom I have been waiting for 2 yrs still nothing kindly let me know 

If you have been in DS-5535 AP for 2 years I would 100% retain a lawyer and file a WOM - read about the process here:  https://immigrationlawyerslosangeles.com/los-angeles-writ-of-mandamus-lawyer/

There are many litigators out there that do them and they are all mentioned in this thread.  We used Goldstein and despite some other reviews on this site about him, we had a good experience and I was issued my visa within 93 days of filing the suit after waiting 7.5 months in DS-5535 with no action from the consulate despite clear examples of hardship and Senator inquires.  

Best of luck to you.  

Edited June 7, 2023 by LAMA9

[throwitaway 189]

12 hours ago, APRIL2023 said:

I sent a follow up email again to inquire about my DS5535 form, because I never got one via email (my interview was in April). Got the same generic response again. However, I noted that their automatic response was different. It now has this “Immigrant Nisa Navigator” 

 

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=dFDPZv5a0UimkaErISH0Sy1YoH0qhFtLmlsn5fRWtORUM1VNMVlYWFAzNldZRU5KUjgwTjhFOVFWTCQlQCN0PWcu

 

it does have a section that talks about AP. Pretty much saying not to bother contacting them until 6 months has elapsed. 
 

Doesn’t help much, but at least u can tell that more is being done to address the backlogs that they are dealing with. 
 

You still don’t have your DS-5535??

[Pearljamm 40]

We hired PIC to work with Chris to file Writ of Mandamus. 

 

We will be filing early July as we will reach  3 months since the interview. 

 

Also, I notice they focus on when we submitted I130 and when it was approved. Does anyone why ? 

[throwitaway 189]

12 hours ago, Jvisa said:

some people are lucky hear. Guys what is the maximum months of AP in the Montreal consulate?

is somebody hear waiting more than a year and how many months ?please

Check out this info for 221g for DV 2022, it should have the same patterns as other IV at Montreal except in this case there is a maximum (DV cannot be issued past Sept 30 of the relevant fiscal year).

221(g) Statistics for Diversity Visa Applicants.pdf