AM I THE ONLY IR5 GOING THRU MONTREAL

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

MOM and POP (IR5) are going the CP route through Montreal. Anybody else on the boards doing the same? I see mostly K Visas but not one IR5.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

MOM and POP (IR5) are going the CP route through Montreal. Anybody else on the boards doing the same? I see mostly K Visas but not one IR5.

Chargeability is showing as India, eventhough neither has lived there since 1950 (born in Hyderabad an independent state that was invaded and annexed). Entered Canada when Pearson was PM and became Canadian Citizens during the early Trudeau years. Go figure.

[misa 2]

I don't think there are any IR-5s going through Montreal. Some IR-1s though.

I'm not sure I understand about the "chargeability". Can you explain the problem further? None of us are lawyers but someone here might know about your parents' issues.

ETA: You may also want to ask over here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=111

Edited August 17, 2007 by misa

[misa 2]

Just found this on another board regarding chargeability. It goes by where your parents were born and if there was any change in the political climate, the chargeability is the country that has jurisdiction over that area at the time of the visa application.

http://foia.state.gov/masterdocs/09FAM/0942012N.PDF

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Just found this on another board regarding chargeability. It goes by where your parents were born and if there was any change in the political climate, the chargeability is the country that has jurisdiction over that area at the time of the visa application.

http://foia.state.gov/masterdocs/09FAM/0942012N.PDF

I figured as much. It is not really an issue, since my parents are IR5 which has no quota. Most parents go the AOS route or if they go via CP then they have no assets. My parents have not yet liquidated their assets or they'd have used the AOS route in May/June 2005. In fact my mother's case was mistakenly set down for AOS since we were in the US when I made the application. I reckon that the total number of IR5 applications going through Montreal has to be less than 50 per year. That means most likely that I am the only one in these forums who is in this situation. I still will follow other people's experiences in Montreal but I'll try to add what my experiences are. Right now I'm using OHIP to get chest X-rays, vaccinations and blood tests done before Mom and Dad get the required medicals. At their ages it is a good idea to get these procedures done anyways. Hopefully the interview will be scheduled soon since I hate the idea of travelling on the 401 and the Autoroute in December. The last time Dad was in Montreal was during Expo '67, so at least he'll be able to practice his French.

[misa 2]

Definitely have them take advantage of OHIP while they can! Good luck and hopefully everything will go well for them.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Wow. It is awesome finding somebody else going through this experience...especially somebody who has sooo much more information on what is going on than I do.

My mother has the NVC case number with MTL at the start of it...in fact my mother's case with the NVC was completed in April '07. And so we are just waiting for the interview date at this point. At this point the case has been closed and we have been waiting 4 months.

How have you been able to get so much information about CP in Montreal and their status? My lawyer appears to be completely in the dark and unable to provide any additional feedback beyond precisely what the NVC is telling...which is we need to keep waiting. Do you know somebody at the Montreal consulate? Or is your lawyer just far far more informed than mine?

Also...you seem to be expecting to wait 6 months between your parents completed status and getting the interview, should I be expecting that wait as well?

Thank you very for taking the time to reply. Your information has been very helpful

cali_mark

p.s. are you open to exchanging email addresses?

Hi cali_mark,

I sent you a pm but I'll try to answer some of your questions here since I'm trying to get more IR5s to talk about their experiences. I will just touch on a few points that weren't covered in my pm. I have no more power over consular personnel than anyone else (that's the last time I make a deal with Satan:)) but if you keep bugging people you can occasionally glean a few points. I didn't use a lawyer. Unless your lawyer does a great many cases through Montreal he won't have any idea what goes on there. Montreal is an appointment post, not an independent, autonomous consulate. That means that the NVC handles all the paperwork and only sends files to Montreal a month before the interview. This site has the contact info for the Montreal consulate. I have reproduced it below. One caveat though, they rarely answer the phone and then only after waiting at least 20 minutes. No music, no message, no nothing, just dead silence. If you can keep from falling asleep, then you're a tougher soul than I am. E-mail them if you have a question that can wait, I've had them respond with a few hours and I've had them respond within a week so you never know how long they'll take to read their e-mails.

Montreal Consulate INFO:

514-398-9695 Press 4 (between 2:00 & 4:30 eastern time). The old option of pressing 6 Ext #3833 is apparently no longer valid.

Consulate E-Mail: Montreal-IV-DV@state.gov

Address: 1155 Saint Alexander Street

Mailing address:

Post Office Box 65

Postal Station Desjardins

Montréal

Québec H5B 1G1

Canada

Working Hours: American Citizen Services: 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, Monday-Friday and 2:00-3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays

Immigrant Visas: 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday-Friday

Nonimmigrant Visas: 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday-Friday

Best Way to Contact Consulate: phone or email; emails can take 2 days to respond

The Main State Dept. number for all visas is (202) 663-1225. Press 1, then press 5, then press 0. They can sometimes give you more info than the NVC. I also check these boards for other people experiences (IR1s), since all IR5s are lumped in with IR1s although I understand that there is some discussion about separating them so the IR1s and IR5s get faster processing. By figuring out how long it takes others to get an interview and asking Montreal, Washington and Portsmouth, I get closer to the truth. I would caution you about the issue of the medical. E-mail me with the location of your mom and I'll try to see which panel physician is closest and if I've heard anything about them. It is good for one year and since your mother has already waited four months, I would get it done ASAP. The Montreal consulate has been known to spring an interview on unsuspecting applicants leading to a mad rush to get the medical and papers in order. Some people have even been known to get their interview info AFTER the interview itself. Have you received packet IV yet? Have you phoned the NVC (603-334-0700, press 1, then press5, they're open until midnight Eastern time) lately to check on what's going on with the interview? Try them and Washington.

[misa 2]

If all IR applicants are lumped together, you may also want to see this thread. Members here are tracking CR-1s and IR-1s so this may help you figure out approximately when your parents would get an interview date.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69462

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

If all IR applicants are lumped together, you may also want to see this thread. Members here are tracking CR-1s and IR-1s so this may help you figure out approximately when your parents would get an interview date.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69462

I hope cali_mark reads this, wherever he is. Me, I'm expecting the interview between November and January. Everyone should be aware of the surprise or last-minute interview though.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Hmmm. Looks like I'm the only IR5 again. No interview in September, hoping something's going to change soon. At least I'll save money on long distance phone calls to Portsmouth.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

IR5s through Juarez are taking 12-14 mos. I wonder how long MTL is going to take?

[cali_mark 0]

Thanks everybody.

I had been looking at a different thread and not this one. I will now bookmark this one too. All the replies are very very helpful. and thank you very much for the additional contacts and contact information IR5FORMUMSIE !

And to let you all know we just received confirmation that my monther was NOT scheduled for October.

Since her case was completed with the NVC April 13th, that means that the wait from completion to interview will be at least 6 1/2 months...which is a lot longer than what my immi-lawyer had suggested.

This is very frustrating.

[cali_mark 0]

still no news

I'm going to call the NVC next week to see if they are done scheduling for November, or if they are just late

cali_mark

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Tomorrow is the big day for cali_mark's mother. Good luck!!!!

[L_n_O 3]

good luck, cali_mark's mum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!