James and Daniela

James and I have requested our case to be transferred from Montreal to Vancouver and since then also another person that I know of. And yes - it sure got us much faster interview date. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35868

You might want to check out the Montreal Waiting Room Thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36273 that should give you some idea of how long. There are many people waiting there and you can see their timelines.

Fellow USC's ........

does anyone think there's anything we can do or anyone we can call to maybe find out why Montreal is so slow, as well as so difficult to deal with? No one is going to convince me that they are busier than any other consulate in the world. Granted they have picked up the pace SOME but overall their performance isnt up to snuff. This is U.S. gov't agency and it seems to me we should , as tax payers, be entitled to some reasonable answers. We are following the legal and proper steps regarding immigration and it seems to me we are being punished for it. It would be just as easy for our loved ones to follow the behavior of our southern neighbors , yet that isnt the approach we're taking(although it sure seems tempting more and more lately). I'll parrot what almost everyone I talk to says " ITS CANADA FOR GOD'S SAKE", the most peaceful country in the friggen world and we have to endure this kind of garbage from the consulate.

I dunno , maybe Im just overly frustrated lately , just seems theres gotta be something we can do.

I think we can respectfully complain to the consulate and ask that they change their procedures so that the process would be less frustrating for us and our spouses (or spouses to be).

One change would be to receive an interview letter as soon as the consulate receives the Packet 3 checklist, even if the interview is scheduled months in the future. And also be more flexible with interview dates, allowing petioners to choose dates. They don't even allow us K visa applications to book our dates on-line like they do other non-immigrant visa applications. Why does it take months to get a letter that they have scheduled an interview. You are not even notified that they have your Packet 3. By contrast, I hear that Vacouver is very fast and efficient. Receiving some documents (including the checklist and DS-230) via fax and communicating via email.

I am not sure how their scheduling system works, but it would seem to me that one person could do that job fulltime and another person could handle emails/phone calls/customer service. The scheduling system should be more customer service focused becuase they are doing a service for us and our spouses! But you get the feeling that they are passive (and detached) and make you contact them to get information. Their mission should be to weed-out the ineligible people, but in the process welcome those many eligible people. Every successful family-based visa is a major relief and joy to a family. Our consulates should be happy for us to be reunited with our loved ones, not adding to the stress of being separated.

Canada may be Peaceful, but Montreal Consulate is slow!!!

Go Vancouver!!!

FYI - one week after our case was transferred from Montreal to Vancouver, we received an email from Vancouver (October 17th). The email was short - confirming that yes they have our case (still with MTL case#) and that interview has been scheduled for November 6th and also informing us that letter is being sent out. Two days later Packet 3 was received at my friend's address in Vancouver. I think this is automatically generated when they receive a case. The packet was basically the same, except requesting the DS230 done online and faxed to them with the checklist (which I do not have to redo - they have all that from Montreal). On October 24th the official letter for the interview was received at my friends' house.

Anyone considering switching over, beware that calling Vancouver or getting quick responses to your emails may not be as successful, BUT they do get you a quick interview, so make sure you have all the things done on your checklist - you don' t want to be caught off guard. Also - as long as your medical is done by one of the Doctors' on the list from Montreal - it is acceptable by Vancouver.

So this is it - flying to Vancouver on the 5th of November (James is meeting me in Toronto and we are going together) and entering US on the 7th with my love. Thank You Lord.

What a great topic Jersey Girl. You are so right - this is not at all about the Visa and James and I have surely discovered that during the time of separation. We always have known and believed that God is in total control of everything in our lives, including our separation. We believe in total Sovereignty of God and that He orchestrates all occasions - even the ones that don't seem to us as 'good', but we do know that as it says in Romans 8:28 - that God works all things (even the bad) for good to those who love him. We know that we only grow through trials - not when things are going 'our' way, so we knew that we are to grow through this and learn something. When the Lord tests us - it is not so He can see where we are at - BUT so WE can see where we are at and where we need to grow. So our biggest question was, what it is it that we are to learn in this. Yes, some lessons were more evident from start than others....like patience, but the big picture finally came about a month ago for us. It suddenly was a like a light bulb going off. Yes - in our minds we always believed and claimed His Sovereignty.....but we had to match our heart's attitude to it. How can we say we believe that He is in total control and that we want all that He has for us (including trials so we can be all that He is shaping us to be) and then wake up each day with more and more anxieties and worries. TRUST ME - that is all that kept coming to us. In my case - not only we had no date for interview, but my house got sold and I knew I had to be out by the end of this month - and still no interview. My house has become bare as I sold everything and I have been living just with a mattress on the floor....no pots, no pans, no plates.....all is gone. People would ask - what are you going to do - where are you going to live????? The answer always was - the Lord knows. It was at the time when we reached peace about it all and finally matched our hearts with our knowledge of His Sovereignty - when suddenly James had this idea about transferring our case to Vancouver. We took it as a leading from the Lord and just trusted Him to do with it as He ordains. And so now our interview comes right after I move out. My original plans were to go and spend a few days with my kids, and so the timing is absolutely perfect - move out, time with kids, interview and then back home with my husband. We didn't think of doing this before because it was not the Lord's timing - we had to learn first. There was many other lessons in all this experience - but His sovereignty was the biggest. The Lord knows all about longing to be with His bride and Paul knew all about longing to be face to face with his brothers (he was torn by the separation), ....read 1 Thessalonians...it helped us to pray. Our transferring to Vancouver was the Lord's leading, it may not be for all, but there is a lesson, growth and learning for all in exactly the way the Lord has already ordained for us to go through. Embrace it, thank Him for the trials to help you grow, and know that His grace is sufficient. In everything we do and say - we are to glorify Him and I can say that James and I are giving all the glory to Him.

James and I worried about being penalized for complaining to Montreal and requesting to be transferred to Vancouver (we kept sending CC to Vancouver all along). And especially since after they transferred us and even during the 'complaining time' - Vancouver never responded to any of our emails (and there were a few). Once we knew we were officially transferred, their silenced continued on. We emailed and eventually even faxed them, and still nothing. I thought for sure they were going to make us be sorry, but thank God I was wrong. Once they emailed us, it was to let us know of the interview and just now they are starting to email us the answers to all our other questions. So I am sure they will not penalize anyone for calling since they didn't do it to us for officially complaining. Staying polite and diplomatic is always a good policy.

WOW!!!!! It worked...Thank You Lord!!!! .......interview is November 06, 2006. I cannot wait till James gets home from work and I can tell him the great news. We have been dying to be together - as all of you know what that is like.

WOW!!!!! It worked...Thank You Lord!!!! We got little scared since the time we asked to be transferred to Vancouver, because we had not had even one reply to numerous of our emails to Vancouver (and faxes and calls). But I just got the email.....yes....interview is November 06, 2006. I cannot wait till James gets home from work and I can tell him the great news. We have been dying to be together - as all of you know what that is like.

James and I have complained as nicely as possible about the fact that K3 is suppose to get you into US faster than I130. We stated that we have no problem with waiting for our Montreal interview for the I130 (they are the only ones that can do that one) but that we 'respectfully request' to have our K3 transferred to Vancouver for quicker interview date. We gave them all the facts of the differences between the two and that we want to be together as soon as possible and don't see why we couldn't have it done in Vancouver. They replied couple of times with different things and then finally said - give us an address and we will transfer your case, so we did. Starting it at NVC level may be a lot better if possible - before it even goes to Montreal.

Ok...our case is off to Vancouver as of today! Now lets see how quickly we can get this over with. We'll keep you updated....but I guess we should move to the Vancouver waiting room...oops, there is no waiting room for Vancouver !

Montreal sent an email this morning saying:

"Please be advised that your file has been transferred to Vancouver today.

Thank you"

One thing good I can say about Montreal is that they do respond to our emails fairly quickly.

Now lets see where this goes.

Eventhough you are all really nice people and we have been learning a lot from each case - we are tired of waiting so we DID IT!!!!! We sent in our request to Montreal and asked that our K3 be transferred to Vancouver with all our Packet 3 info which we have completed already. Will keep you posted on what happens next. Say a prayer for us.

Okay - so we did it....we sent in our request to Montreal and asked that our K3 be transferred to Vancouver with all our Packet 3 info which we have completed already. Gave an address (my name in c/o and a friend's address). Will keep you posted on what happens next. Say a prayer for us.

Okay - we are in - also waiting. This is a great idea, we have been checking many cases here trying to get an idea of how long. We also are in the process of trying to have our K3 transferred to Vancouver for faster processing. We are not sure what will come of that but you can check it out here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry498604

Thanks for sharing your experiences. We have emailed Montreal, NVC, and Vancouver about our reguest and so far we have only heard back from Montreal - mostly informing us that they are the only ones that process the I130 immigrant visas. But they did tell us in their last email to give them an address in Vancouver and that they will forward our K3 there. So far I think this is what we are going to do and see what happens. At this time we do not know if Vancouver will accept our Packet 3 info that was completed for Montreal (mostly the medical) but I guess if we have to redo it there - we will. It still seems that we should be able to get a quicker interview. When we spoke to Montreal last week they informed us that they just finished booking June/July for November. We will keep you posted.

We called the Montreal consulate this afternoon and were informed that while our case was "qualified" for an interview as of Sep 20th, interviews letters would not be sent out until "4-12 weeks" and that interviews for "June/July" had just been completed for November. Which means Aug/Sept people would get interviews sometime after that!

We have emailed both Montreal and Vancouver to find out IF it is possible to even have our case transferred from slow Montreal to faster Vancouver. We asked the Montreal operator about transferring and she said we should wait but didn't say it was not possible, so we figured why not formally request it and we have.

Has anyone tried to have their case transferred from Montreal to Vancouver?

Has anyone complained to Montreal consulate about their backlog and long delays for an interview?

Based on our research, it seems that Vancouver will be able to interview us much much sooner than Montreal. We are hoping we can get this all done within a month and will let you know what happens.

Congratulations, jerseygal, and welcome to the club. A few of us have approvals for both I-129f and I-130. Simple_male laid out the options. There's little doubt the I-129f will get the interview quicker, with entry to the States sooner.

After that, we can adjust status through the local USCIS office. It looks like Newark is relatively slow. But it may not be that much slower than allowing the I-130 to chug along and then have hubby go back to his homeland for the interview.

If it's important to have him working asap, we have to estimate the fastest route, and frankly, I don't have any bright ideas.

If it's a huge expense to have him go back home for another interview, then AOS may be the answer, albeit a slower route to the greencard.

Don't try to make any decisions for a few days, until you come back down from Cloud 9. I feel like I've drunk a gallon of coffee and have turned into a crazed maniac. That's what getting the approval has done to me!

Dear JerseyGirl,

You mentioned that it is important to work ASAP. From what I have seen, that can happen by getting a work permit before getting a "green card." I don't know the name of the form to file, but I had a friend who brought a fiance over on a K-1, married her, and got a work permit all in a few months.

Hoping to be right behind you Jersey Girl and who knows we might meet in Montreal James and I have been keeping up with all your timelines for some time - so this is encouraging.

Congratulations Jersey Girl.

James and I have been watching your timeline all along - we are very close in our dates and all, so this is very encouraging.

Keep it up with the prayers - Psalm 40:4 says:

Blessed is the man (woman) who makes the Lord his (her) trust.........

~22,000 of them, according to USCIS.

If that's the case, then the demographers should be expecting a baby boom as soon as all these couples are reunited at last.

Good thing for America!!!!!! I was reading a report few weeks ago in paper as how the average population is aging out. Yes we need a baby boom.

Approved I-130 today. Way to go CSC!!!!

Hi all...I noticed desperatewife got her I-130 approved within 2 weeks of being

transferred to CSC from Vermont. Any others with recent approvals? Also how long

did you wait between transfer and approval? I was transferred on the same day as

"desperatewife" and just wondered. Thanks

Of all the recent approvals I think I am the only transferee from VSC to CSC to get it. In a few days there will be more response though.

Just received approval yesterday July 26, 2006. So it took about 20 days after transfer! I think more people will hear about their approvals at CSC soon.

Hello. I guess I could say I am new here - well but only by this being my first post. My husband and I have been coming to this site each day for information to help us learn all about the process. I must say that we have learned a lot and by coming here and keeping up with so many of you and your timelines, your heartaches and your hopes helps us to know that we are not alone.

We have been blessed by the fact that we have been able to start our lives together already. Being a Canadian, I was able to come and be with my husband for six months. During that time I went through so many changes and adjustments (coming from small country community to a BIG city). And just when I finally was accepting all the changes and stopped crying as much (missing my family and friends) - now suddenly I had to leave and back to Canada, back to my home, back to my family and friends - and away from my husband and my just freshly started new life. What a blow. The adjustment backwards is strange again - I am not sure where my home is anymore, but I know that one of these days - IT WILL BE ALL OVER WITH. But in our case, my husband and I do have an understanding that even during this trial in our lives, God is in control and that even this can be used to bring Him Glory, so that is our hope.

I was checking today (as I do every day) on the status of our I130 and I129 and noticed that the dates they are working on are still the same all this time. It is frustrating to see that they are still working on March 05th for the I129 and January 02nd for the I130.........so I had a great idea to help speed up the process. They obviously are overworked and overloaded. All they need to do is hire US (the awaiting beneficiaries) - we will gladly come into US and work for them and help them get through all the applications

God Bless you ALL!