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

[Fayisa 21]

1 hour ago, PZibran325 said:

Hi hon,

 

I can understand why you feel that way, because we felt the same way when we first found out but after coming in here I’ve realized people all across the board have been thrown into the AP bucket although it is not unusual for people from a certain background to be under additional scrutiny but if you’ve been through this thread you might notice people from all kinds of backgrounds have been thrown into limbo. As for the attorney they don’t have to be from Minnesota and a bunch of them have been mentioned throughout this thread but some to consider are:

goldstein

hacking

PIC (highly recommended) 

 

usually you should wait between 4-6 months before filing but it’s up to you

Thank you so much for the recommendation and appreciate it.

[Fayisa 21]

11 minutes ago, E_Gade said:

I feel your pain. We were completely shocked, too. We’ve been married for 10 years now and it looks like we’re going to spend our 10th anniversary apart. We have small kids who cry after their father almost every day. The system is an overall travesty of justice. 

Thank you so much, it is a really hard situation, did you consider filing WOM? I read about it in this thread. 

 

 

 

[E_Gade 2]

Just now, Fayisa said:

Thank you so much, it is a really hard situation, did you consider filing WOM? I read about it in this thread. 

 

 

 

I think we will be filing in March, after 6 months of waiting. I’m very scared to do it because every bit of experience I have so far has been negative. We’ve had problems at every step of the process. I’m very worried we’ll be denied if we “push” them. I know many people have a different experience but I have absolutely no trust in the system anymore. 

[Fayisa 21]

2 minutes ago, E_Gade said:

I think we will be filing in March, after 6 months of waiting. I’m very scared to do it because every bit of experience I have so far has been negative. We’ve had problems at every step of the process. I’m worried wexperiencesnied if we “push” them. I know many people have a different experiences but I have no trust in the system anymore. 

I understand where you coming from. It is really brutal to separate families this way. I am the only one working, my wife got birth recently I have to work and support them over there. I pay 2 bills for everything. Plus the travel expenses between the two countries. So painful. Hopefully, you will hear good news soon.

[E_Gade 2]

6 minutes ago, Fayisa said:

I understand where you coming from. It is really brutal to separate families this way. I am the only one working, my wife got birth recently I have to work and support them over there. I pay 2 bills for everything. Plus the travel expenses between the two countries. So painful. Hopefully, you will hear good news soon.

Same here. I’m the only one working right now, supporting both of us. Good luck to you. Hopefully you’ll have good news soon. 

[throwitaway 189]

2 hours ago, Fayisa said:

Do you guys know a good law firm to file WOF, does it has to be from my state? I live in MN can someone help me, please? We are so frustrated and I feel that whatever happened was not fair we are just being discriminated against because of our religious background. 

PIC is who you should go with, they’re based in PA but will file the lawsuit in DC, which has general jurisdiction over federal agencies. 
 

You don’t sue over discrimination, you’ll lose that fight. You sue for unreasonable delay. The “unreasonable” bar is dependent on your specific case and a good lawyer will be able to advise you of when you should file, or if you should file. 

 

With that said, it looks like the interview just happened and there’s also a missing document? Be sure you use the Kenya reciprocity page: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Kenya.html

 

Follow the instructions for the relevant document exactly, get that done and submitted to them before you start worrying about a lawsuit, in my opinion. On that portion alone they take about 6 weeks to even review new documents once they’ve received it. 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by throwitaway

[throwitaway 189]

1 hour ago, E_Gade said:

I’ve read somewhere that final consulate decisions were made about a month after the last update (it was people sharing their experiences). Is this everyone’s experience here? We’ve been put on ds5535 last September with the most recent update in December. I had hoped that maybe January would bring some good news but nothing happened. Now I don’t know if we should just assume that we’re in for another long haul before anything moves. 

Don’t assign any meaning to status updates, it’ll drive you up the wall. 

[E_Gade 2]

14 minutes ago, throwitaway said:

Don’t assign any meaning to status updates, it’ll drive you up the wall. 

I think that’s exactly what it’s doing. I’ve been checking EVERY SINGLE DAY for the last 5 months. 

[Fayisa 21]

2 hours ago, throwitaway said:

PIC is who you should go with, they’re based in PA but will file the lawsuit in DC, which has general jurisdiction over federal agencies. 
 

You don’t sue over discrimination, you’ll lose that fight. You sue for unreasonable delay. The “unreasonable” bar is dependent on your specific case and a good lawyer will be able to advise you of when you should file, or if you should file. 

 

With that said, it looks like the int.rview just happened and there’s also a missing document. Be sure you use the Kenya reciprocity page: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Kenya.html

 

Follow the instructions for the relevant document exactly, get that done, and submitted to them before you start worrying about a lawsuit, in my opinion. On that portion alone they take about 6 weeks to even review new documents once they’ve received them. 

 

Thank you so much for the guidance, I will try to get the missing document before doing anything. If you don't mind me asking how long it takes for you form AP to the visa in hand? 

 

 

Thank you 

[throwitaway 189]

18 hours ago, Fayisa said:

Thank you so much for the guidance, I will try to get the missing document before doing anything. If you don't mind me asking how long it takes for you form AP to the visa in hand? 

 

 

Thank you 

You mean my case personally? I was in AP for 4 months, I filed WoM. 

[Fayisa 21]

On 2/11/2023 at 2:33 PM, throwitaway said:

Do you mean my case personally? I was in AP for 4 months, I filed WoM. 

Thank you for your reply, how long after after the WoM you go the visa? 

[throwitaway 189]

Just now, Fayisa said:

Thank you for your reply, how long after after the WoM you go the visa? 

My WoM to visa timeline will not be useful to

you as I also filed a restraining order. Standard WoM timelines are 2-4 months from filing to visa, if the WoM is effective, and assuming you are in fact eligible for the visa.

[Fayisa 21]

1 hour ago, throwitaway said:

My WoM to visa timeline will not be useful to

you as I also filed a restraining order. Standard WoM timelines are 2-4 months from filing to visa, if the WoM is effective, and assuming you are in fact eligible for the visa.

Thank you , appreciate it. 

[PZibran325 112]

Well I’ve done it and signed an agreement to move forward with a WOM. I wish I’d done it sooner just the act of signing has been a huge relief 

[Fayisa 21]

3 minutes ago, PZibran325 said:

Well I’ve done it and signed an agreement to move forward with a WOM. I wish I’d done it sooner just the act of signing has been a huge relief 

How long you have waited before signing the WOM?