Montreal embassy EB-2 interview wait time-Part 2

[Panda_ 3]

Hello members,

 

Last week, I got an IV letter from the US consulate MTL, and they asked to schedule the interview. I logged in to the schedule appointment page and, since then, have tried so many times, but always getting an error that  "System is busy. Please try again later."

Does anyone face the same issue? Any advice on how I can resolve it?  

 

 

[Aaron_ 39]

4 hours ago, Panda_ said:

 

Thanks, @Aaron_ . We got COVID shots three years ago. Do they ask for a booster shot for the COVID vaccine?

Moreover, what do you consider in selecting Dr.Zatzman? I believe he is charging the most among the 3 fellows.  

Regarding the COVID vaccine, the news from the link @mam521 shared shows that it's no longer a requirement! As for why we chose Dr. Zatzman, it's simply because his clinic is closer to where we live. That’s the reason. 

[Aaron_ 39]

2 hours ago, Panda_ said:

Hello members,

 

Last week, I got an IV letter from the US consulate MTL, and they asked to schedule the interview. I logged in to the schedule appointment page and, since then, have tried so many times, but always getting an error that  "System is busy. Please try again later."

Does anyone face the same issue? Any advice on how I can resolve it?  

 

 

 

check here hope it helps :https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-CA/iv/information/contact_us

Send an email to Canada.Visas@gdit-gss.com, if you require assistance with:

• general visa information or how to apply
• technical issues with the website
• your sign-in information (email and password) to enter the site to pay and schedule the appointment

Note: Please provide a clear description of the issue and screenshots to assure the efficient processing of your inquiry.

Please return to the home page of our website for all visa and appointment information.

[David_007 0]

Hi All, We received our visa and document packages yesterday. However, we noticed that the package was ripped on the side. Could you please advise us on what we should do?  

[Chris504 15]

Hi everyone, I had my interview yesterday and wanted to share my experience. Visa was approved after officer asked a few questions: what is your highest academic qualification? What is your field of study? Have you ever been denied entry to US, When did you come to canada? Have you ever been arrested?. The officer asked the same questions from my spouse as well. Our passports were retained and were told will be stamped with the visa and sent back to us via the registered courier.

 

I know every case will be unique but the only documents requested were originals of birth certificates, 2 passport photos, marriage certificates, and police certificates. We also had photocopies but were not required. We also did fingerprinting and were told to swear an oath with the officer.

 

We did our medicals at telus clinic in montreal one week before the interview. My medical report was sent a day before the interview but my partner's report was not done yet. We explained we completed the medical the same day. The officer was not concerned and still retained our passports.

 

We got all the vaccines at the clinic as well. We were told covid vaccine is no more required. One thing to note is the cost of taking vaccines at the clinic is significantly higher so if you can get all the required vaccines in pharmacies before your appointment you can save on cost. 

 

Wishing everyone all the best. I do not have access to edit the excel spreadsheet hence my long detailed post.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Single-spite 0]

I have an approved EB2-NIW I-140 (ROW) with a priority date of August 2024, and I've opted for consular processing at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal. I understand that it will be some time before my priority date becomes current.

However, I have a past immigration issue—specifically, an overstay from over two decades ago—which caused some problems at the border years ago. Since then, I have been able to cross the border without any issues for the 10-15 years.

I know that I need to disclose all prior immigration history in the consular processing forms, and I’m concerned that this could trigger Administrative Processing (AP), which would delay the process even further.

With that in mind, I have a few questions:

1. Should I hire a lawyer specifically for consular processing?

2. Should I request my A-file through FOIA to get more clarity on the exact dates and details of my prior overstay? I don’t remember all the specifics.

3. Has anyone here had a similar experience and successfully navigated consular processing despite a past overstay?

4. Any recommendations for experienced lawyers who specialize in consular processing?

I would greatly appreciate any insights, personal experiences, or advice on how to proceed.

[Aaron_ 39]

Just a quick question regarding the address on the USCIS site: I’ve never changed the address I entered on the DS-260 form, and when crossing the border, I confirmed the same address with the officer. So we’re expecting the SSN and green card to be sent to that address, right?

 

Do we need to do anything on the USCIS website? I tried to add my case, but it asks for an Online Access Code and says I should receive an Account Notice within 30 days. Could someone please clarify how to proceed? Thank you!

[fyxk2024 9]

52 minutes ago, Aaron_ said:

Just a quick question regarding the address on the USCIS site: I’ve never changed the address I entered on the DS-260 form, and when crossing the border, I confirmed the same address with the officer. So we’re expecting the SSN and green card to be sent to that address, right?

 

Do we need to do anything on the USCIS website? I tried to add my case, but it asks for an Online Access Code and says I should receive an Account Notice within 30 days. Could someone please clarify how to proceed? Thank you!

I’m in the same situation. There are some discussions about this issue from page 245 to page 247. I also didn’t receive the Online Access Code, so I submitted the request form to USCIS. However, their response was:

"After careful review, we were unable to generate a new Online Access Code associated with the Receipt Number you have provided. To view the status of your case, please go to our Case Status Online (https://egov.uscis.gov/) web page."
 

So I guess if you didn't receive the Online Access Code, the receipt number is the only way to check your case status for now. 

By the way, it’s been 80 days since I crossed the border, and I still haven’t received my Green Card...

[Aaron_ 39]

29 minutes ago, fyxk2024 said:

I’m in the same situation. There are some discussions about this issue from page 245 to page 247. I also didn’t receive the Online Access Code, so I submitted the request form to USCIS. However, their response was:

"After careful review, we were unable to generate a new Online Access Code associated with the Receipt Number you have provided. To view the status of your case, please go to our Case Status Online (https://egov.uscis.gov/) web page."
 

So I guess if you didn't receive the Online Access Code, the receipt number is the only way to check your case status for now. 

By the way, it’s been 80 days since I crossed the border, and I still haven’t received my Green Card...

Thank you! So I assume you’ve received the SSN, but not the green card?

[fyxk2024 9]

38 minutes ago, Aaron_ said:

Thank you! So I assume you’ve received the SSN, but not the green card?

Yes. I received SSN after about 10 days I crossed bolder, really don't understand why GC is so slow, even no any updates from USCIS.

[appleblossom 4,037]

12 minutes ago, fyxk2024 said:

Yes. I received SSN after about 10 days I crossed bolder, really don't understand why GC is so slow, even no any updates from USCIS.

 

It sounds like there is an issue if it’s been this long. I know they say up to 90 days, but most people get them within 6 weeks or so. My daughter’s never turned up, and it turned out to be an issue with her biometrics, she had to go and redo them. But once you get to the 90 days and file the form to say it’s not been received then they’ll let you know what the problem is, it’s frustrating that they don’t do that before though!

 

Also, just to say I signed in to the online account once and never bothered again. It’s pretty useless! So don’t worry if you can’t get in to it. 

[appleblossom 4,037]

18 hours ago, Single-spite said:

I have an approved EB2-NIW I-140 (ROW) with a priority date of August 2024, and I've opted for consular processing at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal. I understand that it will be some time before my priority date becomes current.

However, I have a past immigration issue—specifically, an overstay from over two decades ago—which caused some problems at the border years ago. Since then, I have been able to cross the border without any issues for the 10-15 years.

I know that I need to disclose all prior immigration history in the consular processing forms, and I’m concerned that this could trigger Administrative Processing (AP), which would delay the process even further.

With that in mind, I have a few questions:

1. Should I hire a lawyer specifically for consular processing?

2. Should I request my A-file through FOIA to get more clarity on the exact dates and details of my prior overstay? I don’t remember all the specifics.

3. Has anyone here had a similar experience and successfully navigated consular processing despite a past overstay?

4. Any recommendations for experienced lawyers who specialize in consular processing?

I would greatly appreciate any insights, personal experiences, or advice on how to proceed.

 

I wouldn’t bother with a lawyer personally, but getting your file may be a good idea just so you’re armed with the facts. You obviously didn’t overstay long enough to get a ban, so as long as you’ve entered properly and weren’t inadmissible then I can’t see why it would cause any issues at this point. 

[fyxk2024 9]

1 hour ago, appleblossom said:

 

It sounds like there is an issue if it’s been this long. I know they say up to 90 days, but most people get them within 6 weeks or so. My daughter’s never turned up, and it turned out to be an issue with her biometrics, she had to go and redo them. But once you get to the 90 days and file the form to say it’s not been received then they’ll let you know what the problem is, it’s frustrating that they don’t do that before though!

 

Also, just to say I signed in to the online account once and never bothered again. It’s pretty useless! So don’t worry if you can’t get in to it. 

Got it. Thanks a lot for the information.

[mam521 2,441]

4 hours ago, appleblossom said:

 

It sounds like there is an issue if it’s been this long. I know they say up to 90 days, but most people get them within 6 weeks or so. My daughter’s never turned up, and it turned out to be an issue with her biometrics, she had to go and redo them. But once you get to the 90 days and file the form to say it’s not been received then they’ll let you know what the problem is, it’s frustrating that they don’t do that before though!

 

Also, just to say I signed in to the online account once and never bothered again. It’s pretty useless! So don’t worry if you can’t get in to it. 

Our greencards took over 170 days.  I did send an inquiry because it was ridiculous.  Then, one of them was statused incorrectly.  

 

The online account isn't useless...it does let you see if the card has been printed and mailed.  It serves for sending traceable inquiries.  It also serves as the place to file future petitions.  It's definitely useless when it comes to estimating timelines.  It is handy, though, if you have access, especially in cases like this where someone has no idea if their card has even been printed.  It's unfortunate that they weren't granted an access code.  

[God Is Good CA 7]

On 4/10/2025 at 12:03 PM, Panda_ said:

Hello members,

 

Last week, I got an IV letter from the US consulate MTL, and they asked to schedule the interview. I logged in to the schedule appointment page and, since then, have tried so many times, but always getting an error that  "System is busy. Please try again later."

Does anyone face the same issue? Any advice on how I can resolve it?  

 

 

Hi! Were you able to select a day? I'm having the same issue...