sarah03

Hi everyone! Fellow November '18 filer here. I mailed my package 11/14, and then received my NOA1 in the mail on 12/31 after filing a service request about a week prior as I had not heard anything from USCIS. My GC expires 2/6/2019, so I'm glad I got the NOA1 in time.

I'm also having the issue with my receipt number turning up an error message when I go to check my case status on the USCIS website. Is the only recourse here calling USCIS and asking them to forward my concern to IT? Thanks!!

Hey everyone!

Here is my current situation - I am wondering if there is any action I could or should be taking at this point.

I sent my I485 plus both other applications on Feb 29, my receipt notice was on March 10.

My EAD and advance parole were approved April 25. The card came soon after.

I have been working for the last month and not really been thinking too much about my i485, but now I am starting to get a little worried, My USCIS case tracker status has not changed from "Fingerprint fee was received" on March 9.

Should I be concerned? I suppose the time frame is 6 months and that is not until September 10th for me.

My k1 process was pretty straightforward. Only hiccup was after I was approved at my consulate interview, I waited a month for my passport to be returned with my Visa. A n immigration lawyer I consulted with occasionally suspected that this was because my father was born in a middle eastern country and they were probably conducting more extensive background checks.

My question is: should I be concerned at this oint that there has been so little movement on my i485 status? If so, what action can I take to chase up with it?

Thanks everyone!

Hey everyone!

Checked my USCIS case tracker app last night and AP said "Case was approved" and EAD said "new card in production". Then this morning, EAD was changed to "case was approved". Relieved to have this bit over with and now just waiting on the documents to arrive in the mail. I-485 still reads "fingerprint fee was received".

AP/EAD approval went a quicker than I expected, but I'm obviously really pleased. Will keep everyone posted on when the cards arrive in the mail.

Thinking of those still waiting - it will happen really soon!!

Just received NOA1 texts and emails, glad to have got the ball rolling!

Hey Everyone!

Just sent off my AOS package on Monday (Feb 29), so thought I'd hop on this thread. Got married Feb 11, and have spent that last few weeks getting all the documents together for the AOS package. Waiting for USCIS to receive my package, hopefully sometime before the end of the week. Nice to have a group to follow along with on this next leg of the journey!!

Issued this morning!!!!

Haven't checked CEAC in days just to take a mental vacation from the anxious anticipation, then received an email this morning from ais-visa info with my tracking #, and then another email from CPC an hour later.

SUPER relieved and excited!!! You all have been a great source of moral support in this insanely stressful time, and I am thinking of everyone who is still waiting in this awful limbo.

I will keep everyone posted on pick up and POE at Montreal Trudeau airport.

Another week done. Nothing has changed on my end, no touch since Dec 7.

I spoke to our lawyer this week, and he wasn't able to give me much insight except for that he thinks that the reason my case is taking so long is that its probably been sent to washington for "further background checks" since I "have ties to the middle east" aka my dad was born in Morocco. Although, he immigrated to Canada when he was twelve, and besides that we are Jewish, that is if their concern has to do with radicalization.

This all feels so unfair. I feel like I have one foot out the door, but meanwhile I am feeling super useless day in and day out. I sort of had everything wrapped up thinking I'd be living there by now.

Unsure how to proceed, thinking I will try to start working again once the holidays are over, since I honestly have no clue how long AP will last. That is the most frustrating part for all of us, we don't know if this limbo will last weeks, months or maybe even a year???

I'm trying my hardest to remain positive, but it's really hard because I don't know what the endpoint is.

Just had to vent a little, but I really hope that everyone else is able find positivity. I could definitely use some positive vibes right about now, this is really hard!

still no change for me over the last 2 days. Still in AP since December 7.

both my fiance and myself emailed the consulate AND we each filed a public inquiry form. We both got identical copy-and paste style responses saying that my case is still in AP and they will notify me as soon as anything changes etc etc. They also mentioned that if I wanted my passport returned to me to travel, that is fine and they would recall it when they are ready to issue. As a note, these emails didn't trigger a status update change on CEAC.

Feeling really out of sorts about everything, not sure what to do at this point. Its really frustrating that we can't actually communicate with a real person at the consulate.

I am speaking to our immigration lawyer tomorrow so maybe he will have some insight into what is going on.

In any case, still 3 business days left in the week so I suppose anything could happen.

Hope everyone else is holding up ok!

Another business day, no change. Still in AP, and no status update since Dec 7. Feeling pretty low, but coming to terms (after a week of daily stress and anxiety) that there is little to be done. Still no reply to the email I sent the consulate yesterday.

I guess we should all try to enjoy the weekend and put this out of our minds as best we can, at least until Monday.

I'm starting to wonder how long they can really keep my passport with no explanation. I think by Wednesday of next week, if there is still no change, I will begin to look into that.

Thinking of everyone who is also in this annoying position , but still holding out for the best outcome....next week!

Don't stress too much about it everything will be fine. You can always email them and inquire about the status of your visa.

Don't stress too much about it everything will be fine. You can always email them and inquire about the status of your visa.

Thanks! Just checked, and no change. Still in AP since December 7. Hard not to feel discouraged. I did just send them an email asking how much longer I should expect to wait, given that the two week time frame for receiving your passport back is nearing. Hopefully they will reply back to the email soon, but not holding my breath for that really.

Trying not to get too down about this, but it feels more difficult with each day that passes with zero change.

Hope everyone is able to keep their spirits up, and on the bright side, tomorrow is a new business day

Surprised to find that this waiting for the visa to be issued has been the most trying part of the whole process. Being in a situation you have little to no control over really sucks!

I know this is super catastrohpist to ask, but has anyone hears of any cases of people being refused at this point, even after they received a verbal approval at the interview?

(as a side note, I was not asked for further documents, my case is very straight forward and I was approved with ease at my interview)

And for those who are feeling like every say is a massive struggle, and are checking CEAC 5000x per day, today I decided to block the CEAC site from my browser until after 5pm, so that I will only check once today. So far, I'm feeling way better without checking every three seconds. Obviously, I'll feel way waaay better once my visa is issued.

Thanks for the help!

There probably isn't anything to worry about. When you check your status, is it still immigrant or has it switched to non-immigrant? Usually non-immigrant means it is getting closer to being issued

ahh thanks for the reassurance. Yes it changed to non-immigrant last week. Is there any departments (consulate or DoS) to check the status in more detail?

Hey everyone,

just thought I'd post, feeling a little discouraged. But first off, So happy for everyone who is seeing "issued".

I had my interview in Montreal on Dec 1 and was approved. Since then my CEAC status has changed as follows

Dec 3 - Ready, check back in 2 business days

Dec 4 - Administrative processing

Dec 7 was the last update. I know that I am still well within the 14 business days time frame, but seeing people who have had interviews after me get approvals is worrying me a little. Does anyone know if at this point, even though I was approved at my interview, the decision could be changed? or that they might ask me to send more documents? Is there any one I can chase up with at the consulate who might have some answers for me? Any help/advice/encouragement is appreciated!

Yep, perfectly normal. If they told you you were approved at the interview, it will change to ISSUED within a couple of business days.

Congrats!

whewwww thanks so much bec128, I feel like you've been my sherpa this past week thank you so much!!

hey...a little worried, were any montrealers in administrative processing before their status changed to issued? hoping this is normal and not a black hole like some say!

Regarding the Loomis to Canada Post transition at the Montreal consulate, I actually clued in to the switch at my interview as there were signs posted around the consulate saying that the change was effective as of Dec 1. When I got home i checked is visa info website and they had changed my pick up location from a Loomis spot in Lachine to a Canada Post office on Bridge st. The change is automatic, so they will switch your location to the one closest to the Loomis location you had originally selected. At leas that's how I read it! Glad to hear that people are receiving their passports back pretty quickly too!

Approved this morning in Montreal! very smooth process, much less intense than I had anticipated. Wishing everyone the best for their upcoming interviews and travels to the US!

Actually I can't remember what he said about time frame, I was too excited at that point

But on CEAC, our case has switched from "Immigrant Visa - Ready" to "Nonimmigrant Visa - Ready". It looks like folks have gotten their passports back within a week recently, but with the holidays I wouldn't be surprised if it took an extra few days.

One last question! did you receive any confirmation of your consular appointment ahead of your interview day, or did you just show up on the day you booked and they knew you had an appointment on that day?

Review is up! I made a thread in the Canada subforum in case anyone wants to ask questions: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/576593-k-1-visa-approved-in-montreal/

I forgot to mention that he did ask us how we met, but it was at the very end, and I'm pretty sure he already was holding the "Welcome to the USA" letter at that point

We are using the Brampton location, which is apparently just on the other side of Pearson, to the northwest. My fiancee lives on that end of Toronto, so it should be fairly easy to pick it up.

Good luck on your interview!

thank you for the detailed review of your experience at the montreal consulate, super helpful as my interview in Montreal is right around the corner - On Tuesday! I thought the processing times after the approval at the interview was days, not weeks. would be interested to know, as the previous poster mentioned, when you actually have visa in hand, so keep us updatd! congratulations on your approval!!

Hey ..CEAC website

https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx

... Once MTL consulate receives your case. The first time it just logs it and the second time it just "processed it" (my best guess, some one correct me if i am wrong). The status is still "READY" in both cases but the dates change. You can send in your Pkt 3 anytime after the status is "READY" but you will hear back from them with a pkt4 request after second "READY".

Hope that explains it

Could anyone explain me the deal with LOOMIS. Where do we sign up for that?

Once you receive packet 4, you are able to schedule your interview at the montreal/vancouver consulate. On the website that you're directed to (usvisa-info.com) you're taken through a step by step process - a lot like when you check in online for a flight - and at one point they ask at which Loomis location you'd like to pick up your visa when it's ready after your interview. From what I gather, loomis is some kind of courrier?? Anyway, you are able to choose from a drop down menu from their various locations! I live in Montreal and the closest one to me was about 30 mins away in Lachine. Hope this helps and all the best!

Do you know how long it took MTL to change your status from READY to READY (or update the dates on the ready status the second time around).

Hey!

I am going through Montreal and was able to book my Interview date yesterday, September 21. My first READY was Sept. 17 and second READY was Sept. 21, so that makes 4 days. For reference, I emailed packet 3 on Sept. 17, and then received an email with packet 4 from the consulate on Sept. 21.

For anyone going through Montreal who was asking about interview dates, I scheduled mine online on the visainfo website after paying the fee. All the dates in September, October and November were blacked out, meaning that there were no Interview slots available. The only options that seemed to be available were the dates of December 1-4. As a note, for each of those days, only one appointment (at 7:40am) was available. I chose Dec. 1.

Just to see, today I checked back with the appointment scheduling page on visainfo to see if any earlier dates had become available, but actually ALL the months were blacked out and I wasn't able to click on any days. I'm assuming that this is because the consulate opens up dates only X amount of time in advance? Not sure, but glad that I was able to nab Dec. 1. There was also a number to call to schedule on the phone, this might be a good option for those who are having trouble scheduling online.

All the best everyone!

If any fellow Canadian July people have Montreal as their consulate, there is a really helpful thread clarifying how/when to go about sending packet 3. Every embassy seems to work slightly differently and so general information has its limits, but if this is your embassy, this thread is great! I had no clue what to do next after receiving NOA2 (except wait, obviously), but after asking questions in this thread and reading it through (it's short!) I feel way more prepared for the next step, thought I'd share instead anyone else was feeling lost at sea

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/562191-when-can-i-get-my-packet3/

Yeah, most of us send is ASAP.

There is no mailing them anything in terms of what's on the checklist, you get a checklist but you don't give them ANYTHING on the checklist until your interview. While it says the "rules" are to get everything first, the rule isn't enforced -at all-. My fiance is getting his police check next week, my mom's getting all her cosponsor papers together next week, and he's already had his medical. LOL

You can contact them here to find out if they have your case: http://canada.usembassy.gov/contact/public-inquiry-form.html

I personally never contacted them though, there's three ways to find out, either contact them at the above site, wait for the snail mail packet 3, or wing it. LOL

We winged it, after the case went from IN TRANSIT to READY, we waited like 5 days and went ahead and emailed packet 3. No response for a good while, and then I saw that there were other people who immediately emailed packet 3 once it was marked as ready. After seeing someone here say that they resent it after their status update date changed a week later and got a response in two hours, I checked CEAC and our status update date had changed! It was marked as READY on July 7th but then had a new update date on July 15th and 16th. I waited a bit to see if it changed again and it didn't so on July 23rd I asked my fiance to resend and we got packet 4 in 7 hours.

So once it's marked as ready, give it another week or so, it took them 9 days to log ours. So wait 10 days from when it is marked as READY in CEAC and if there's a new update date that's more recent go ahead and send packet 3, you should hear back from them anywhere between 2 hours and 2 days. If it's not logged, they'll simply ignore your email.

But again if you REALLY want to confirm, use the inquiry form! =]

To help ya on the timeline. My NOA2 was June 2nd, the NVC assigned a case number to it on June 25th (so three weeks two days from CSC to NVC) and then sent it from NVC to MTL on June 30th, MTL recieved it July 7th and then logged it July 16th. (So one week to go from NVC to MTL, and one week two days from MTL recieving to MTL logging it)

Total of 6 weeks two days from NOA2 to MTL logging it, or 44 days. =]

AHHHH thank you so much for taking the time to write this all out - sooo so helpful!!

final question: what case# do I type in at CEAC? ie is this the number on the NOA2 notice, or is it the case number from NVC which I will only get by calling them and asking in a few weeks?

Thank you again!!!!!!

Eh. Kind of?

You can get your MTL case number while it's still at the NVC. My case was assigned a number on June 25th, I got the number by calling the NVC on June 29th, but they didn't even send it to MTL until June 30th. MTL recieved it July 7th.

You don't -need- everything for the packet 3 checklist, you can if you want but again, they don't actually ask for you to prove you have it when you do packet 3. All packet 3 is emailing the DS-160 application number, a copy of your passport, and the checked checklist. Consider the checklist more of an acknowledgement of what you need for the interview. Yes the RULES say to have it done, but again, the only person I've seen actually collect everything PRIOR to sending packet 3 ended up having to file an extension because it took them a while to get all of it. No one's been penalized ever (at least here on VJ) for checking the list off without having the documents.

Here's what you need : http://photos.state.gov/libraries/canada/303578/montreal/Packet3-K1-MTL.pdf

You don't want to send your packet 3 to MTL the second they get it because they do NOT log it into their system when they get it. It takes most people 7-10 days for their case to be logged once it was recieved by the NVC,

Whaaaaaaaat. This entire time I thought I had to gather all those documents, make copies, and send them to the Montreal consulate as my packet 3, but really packet 3 is just acknowledging that you have all the documents and will be bringing them with you (originals and copies) to your interview. OKAY WOW, thank you so much for clearing that up! I was seeing all these VJ timelines that reflect sending packet three within a couple days of receiving it.... I was like wow these people are really efficient, but now it makes a lot more sense!!!

Thank you so much for your help, I'm super relieved!

P.S. last question - How do I find out that the case has been logged into the system in Montreal? It's only been like a week since I received the NOA2 so I was thinking like, give it a month or so before chasing up with whoever, but doesn't hurt to know who I should be harassing a month down the line!

I have received my NOA2 and am waiting for NVC to send my file to Montreal. After reading this thread, what I gather is that as soon as your file has officially arrived in Montreal (ie when you receive an MTL file#), I can begin compiling what I need for packet 3 - Including filling DS-160, police check, etc...? Also, where can I find the checklist that states all the documents I need to gather and send to Montreal as my packet 3?

Thanks!