JEDI

• My fiance (Jamber on VJ) called NVC this morning, and they still have not received ours (from CSC) either. We have the same NOA2 date as you.
  I hope it's soon, for all of us waiting!
  See this other thread for other replies:

• Here's the Timeline data for everyone going through Montreal in 2006 who's already been processed by the NVC.
  

Received By   Received
Consulate	 Packet 3
25/01/2006	17/02/2006   
26/01/2006	31/01/2006
27/01/2006	21/02/2006
06/02/2006	13/02/2006
14/02/2006	17/02/2006
23/02/2006	02/03/2006
23/02/2006	02/03/2006
02/03/2006	14/03/2006
02/03/2006	15/03/2006
09/03/2006	17/03/2006
20/03/2006	
30/03/2006	10/04/2006
03/04/2006	06/04/2006
19/04/2006	28/04/2006

Based on your timeline and that the above cases averaged 10.23 days,
Apr. 20/06 NOA2 --- Approved
Apr. 28/06 --- NVC Received
May 2/06 --- Left NVC
???????? --- Arrived at Montreal Consulate
???????? --- Packet 3 Received
Since it left NVC on May 2nd, I would expect that you would receive packet 3 around Friday May 12 or Monday May 15.
But since no two cases are exactly the same, it could always be longer or shorter.
I wouldn't be surprised if you receive your packet 3 a week after my estimate.
(In my case, my NOA2 was April 17 and NVC still hasn't received it from the CSC!)
Good luck.
(p.s. See the attached file for the full graph.)

(This poem doesn't make much sense at all, unless you read only the first letter of every line.)

Awesome!

Thanks so much for this information, as this topic has been discussed a few times before around here, but without anyone having personal experiences like yours and those of the 2 others to contribute.

(Everyone should still remember the "no guarantees" part, though!)

After interview (successful) I asked if I can cross US border back and forth. I was told that the border officers are quite understanding and allow it, but there are no guarantees. So the interview officer told me to go and visit US and when I am ready to immigrate to send the passport for visa. I have followed his advice and everything was OK (check my timeline).

• Thanks!
  It helps me.
  I'm NOA2, and have to drive to New York on business for a couple of days in late June.
  I would not at that time be going to visit my fiance, who lives in Florida.
  I had been worried that if I obtained approval for the visa before then, I would risk losing it or screwing everything up. I had felt reassured by the post "bobo" made above, but this makes me feel even better!
  Of course, with all the current backlogs, it's doubtful that I will even have an interview date assigned to me by then!
  Thanks for keeping us updated.
  

(Not a correction! LOL)

While you can't have your preferences automatically selected when you post, you CAN save them.

(Select all codes without any actual message, then copy it and save it in an easily-accessible place.)

A good place to save is in "Your personal note pad" at the bottom of the "My Controls" control panel.

Alternately, you could save a copy of the blank code as a template in a Word document, for example.

I've found that when you post often enough, it soon becomes a habit you don't even think twice about.

Oh Elunia, do I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!

I just got off the phone with Montreal for my bi-weekly status update call. I was quite persistent in asking questions, and they told me that based on the date of receipt of my packet 3 (March 16), and the dates they are currently processing, that I should have an interview date in the first week of June.

Hope that gives you some hope!

I'm about two months behind you (NOA2 last week), so that might mean early August for me, which is still a month too late for my liking, but I could live with that.

Whatever happened to:

I talked to Montreal today. They did tell me however that:

• - They are experiencing huge backlogs
  - They are currently booking appointments for late June and early July
  

Hey, if ever you want to trade dates, buddy, just say the word!

C'mon snz1802!

We want YOU in the NOA2 club!!!

(It's just GOT to happen any day now!)

Congrats, cdngirl06!

You got really lucky going through Vermont.

(Saved yourself 3 months there!)

Now I hope you're ready for the long wait.

My best guess is that we're looking at August or September for an interview date.

(And it can always be later if the backlog continues.)

Time to get a head start on whatever we can.

Good luck.

I talked to Montreal today. They are unable to tell me anything about when I might see an interview date. They did tell me however that:

- They are experiencing huge backlogs

- They are currently booking appointments for late June and early July

And that's if they already had your application, sent you packet 3 and got it back from you, examined it and found everything in order, which can take 2 or 3 months in and of itself.

So my guess is that you and I (and other people in a similar fix) are in for a long wait until August or September. But I SO hope that I'm wrong about that!

I just called them today. (First-time caller!)

Since I live in Montreal, and work like a block away, I wanted to know if there was any way I could pick up and drop off Packet 3, instead of going through the mail, to save a few days.

The guy I spoke to said absolutely not. That everything goes through the mail.

To top it off, he talked down to me when I mentioned that my application was currently on its way to the NVC from the CSC. He was under the impression that I wasn't aware there had to be an interview first, and that I thought all I would need to do is pass by and pick up the approved visa, any day now. (I almost laughed out loud.) So then he explained how they will send me "info" which I need to fill out and send back, after which I would get an interview date. (I let him talk, because I didn't want to annoy him.)

When I asked him how long the backlog was (to get independant confirmation), he said that if they got my "info" today, I could expect to get an interview in 3 or 4 months. I'm pretty sure that by "info", he meant my application sent from the NVC, and not a returned packet 3.

Interpreting it that way would mean that they are now booking appointments for the second half of July, which is pretty much what everyone else has been saying.

Oh, and when I asked if I could ever be called to take the place of someone missing their scheduled appointment (since I could be there 5 minutes after they call me), he told me that they NEVER re-book cancelled appointments, which is pretty much what I assumed, since they have 'X' amount of people all show up when they open and take numbers, but I needed to ask anyway. (I'm a patient guy, and I wasn't trying to cut in line or anything, just wouldn't want to let a free spot go to waste!)

Now Amber and I have to figure out a new wedding date, since August 19 is out of play, and I have to start arranging somewhere to live after July 1st! Oh, joy!

I work about 100 yards (or meters) from the building, and I just passed by on my lunch hour yesterday to take a look, since I couldn't remember ever having seen anything governmental there.

I even took some pictures of the crest above the door and the signs in the window which tell you what you are forbidden to bring inside. (I'll post those after I get around to downloading them from my camera, as a curiosity.) Honestly, I was expecting an elegant, grandiose building, and it's just an office building on a side-street that is only 3 blocks long. I guess they chose that location because there isn't very much through-traffic.

But yeah, they are still open, and still working (one hopes!).

(I left quickly when the guard started giving me wondering looks.)

------------------------------------

I just looked out the window here, and everything looks normal out there, (meaning the building isn't on fire or anything), so no reason I can see why they wouldn't be working.