FERBOS

Hello everyone,

I posted in another thread about the interview yesterday. But wanted to let you know that my interview went very well and quickly, in less than 2 hours I was in and out of the consulate. The CO was extremely sensitive about my time constrains and made it happen under the August bulletin, so I am getting my passports back next week, after the long weekend.

Thank you all for the support during this time. Next step, drive to Boston, probably by Wed or Thu.

Hello everyone,

As everyone at VJ were so helpful to me during my own immigration journey, I wanted to share my experience at the interview. I did the consular processing in Montreal for a worker's visa (EB3).  The whole process lasted a few years from the start but I was already working in the US under a L visa. Once it expired, I had to leave and work from Canada. But the whole process took longer than anticipated, a whole one year which I lived out of the US. Anyways, the interview was yesterday (August 31). 

I arrived at 8 am (scheduled for 9 am) and the guards at entrance were very polite. I didn't have any bags, or cell phone, and they were very happy we didn't carry any extras. There was actually a couple outside the embassy taking photo albums, papers, all kind of stuff out of a backpack and they looked so disorganized. 

So we went upstairs through the elevator, took a seat, we were #7. In 10 minutes we were asked to go to booth #3 so the 1st officer would check our documents; she checked all originals, and took our fingerprints. All looked good. At 8:30 am we were done on the 1st screening. 

At 9:10 am we were asked into booth #9 for the actual interview. The CO was extremely nice and asked the standard questions:

- who is petitioning you?

- how long have you been working there?

- what is your job? what do you do?

- how much experience you have before this job?

- which countries have you been in the past 5 years?

- how long you stayed in the US on trips before your work permit? (I have been to some concerts and camping, just for a few days at a time)

- what is the occupation of my spouse? (the CO was very impressed with the reply, the work was at the UN)

All in all, less than 10 minutes. I signed a paper which stated that I have to work for my petitioner once I enter the USA. Then the CO said it all looked good and the case was approved. Unfortunately they had a bug in the system and their system was unresponsive for the last 24 hours, and if the CO was not able to push it through on that day, my application would fall on September, and therefore I would have to wait until October - the September Bulletin was not "current". I told the CO to please try it today, because my son (first grade) needed to be at school asap. 

The CO was very nice and affirmed it would take care of the case personally but that situation was out of their hands.

So I was imagining the visa coming only in October and I actually had no place to stay as my house is in the USA (I was living in short term rental places and family during the past year). I actually prayed to the Gods of the Internet and Cyber-systems to make their system work out. At 4:30 pm same day, the CO called me on my cell phone to let me know they were able to push it through and wanted to call me and tranquilize me so i didn't have to worry over the long weekend.

I was so happy to hear! I thanked her so much that I felt embarrassed. Nonetheless, my actual visa is coming in a few days, and I feel very certain about this decision to immigrate to the US. Everyone has been very nice. The long waiting time is just some necessary red tape (too much fraud and terrorist treats and the good people pay the price) but I hope everyone's cases go well.

Thanks to everyone who helped me ease my mind in times of hopelessness.

.

On 7/5/2018 at 8:33 PM, Canadianeh! said:

 

 

Canadianeh... You are E3 or E2? Are you getting your visa soon? Did they say anything about the visa cap for the month? Or it really does not apply to us as we are under the August bulletin? 

@TexasForeverYall

I am glad it went well and it was approved. Now it is just a matter of time until the priority date is current and you will get your visa.

I have emailed my lawyer to make sure that we are going to be issued a visa, my interview is August 31st so I want to make sure the consulate follows the August Bulletin, not the September one.

I guess we have to wait until #Canadianeh! posts his experience - I think his interview is being hold today.

Fingers crossed

I am sorry to hear it is taking this long for this! It is awful!

Is your family there in the US already, or are they still with you? I think it is just a matter of time if they are already there.

Maybe your lawyer could intervene in your behalf and ask for a review of your case, and base it on family separation? I am not sure what is possible in this case, just speculating a solution. I am sure you have tried all possible options.

I am about 20 days to my interview, and hoping I don't get an AP.

Thank you for the update. I'm glad it worked out well for you. It seems this day will never come but I guess it will. I'm getting ready for the interview and all your experiences are helping me to prepare. Thanks!

Hello SSeb, 

Can you update on what happened to your ap? Are you still waiting?

Hello everyone, I also got my interview. Case closed April 10th and interview scheduled for August 31st. Looks like the queue moved a lot this time. So happy for all of us!! 

1 minute ago, TexasForeverYall said:

Hi Canadianeh!  Okay thank you for that information... I am EB-1, so not sure if they prioritize EB-2s ahead of us?  I had emailed the Montreal Embassy ten days ago and just received this response:

 

“According to our records we do not have a pending visa case for you at the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal. Your case might still be at the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC does all the pre-processing for all the Consulates worldwide and schedules the immigrant visa appointments on our behalf for all the cases that are documentarily qualified.”

 

I am confused... do the cases stay at the NVC until we get a date booked??  I will call the Embassy this Friday, but until then if anyone has any more insight please let me know! 

 

Hi... I think the consulate does not receive your case until the interview is booked. Once the interview is booked by  the  nvc, then they will mail all your paperwork to the consulate. That's why they don't have your case  yet. 

That's great news! It means that everything is moving and the rumor that August has no interviews... That's a rumor. I just called  nvc and they said they are booking but it's a bit slow because of the holidays. I'm going to call again Friday. I wonder if your interview was booked because you requested the expedition or if it was a coincidence. I also requested expedition of it based on financial loss and family issues but it was denied. In any case I'm asking my lawyer to do a second expedition request. I'm happy for you!! 

I just called the NCV and they are done booking for July. So, another month until they start again, for August. Looks like bad news for us, again.

Fingers crossed that maybe we will get the next round.

I was looking at those status too (72 waiting days for the cc 02/21/18) and yours, so I am basing my estimate on just short of  3 months (90 days). I hope you can get yours now, that would mean I will get mine next month.

I called them today but the agent didn't tell me if they were still booking July. At this point, I think they must have filled July, so I am hoping for August now. I will call again Thursday and if lucky, the agent will tell me what is going on.

Any news on yours yet?

From what I've seen of other applicants, it seems that the "E" category is not a priority for them. Other categories get the interview faster. I asked the agent at NVC about it, I asked if the family visas have priority and I told her that I knew of other people with a closed case after mine who already got the interview, and she said they don't have access to that information and said nothing about the priority, she did say they process them as a FIFO but I am not sure if this truly happens.

I think the average is 80 days from my own guesstimates. 

Hi all,

I still have no updates on my interview date. Case closed on April 10th, category E3. Consulate in Montreal.

I called NVC today and they are still booking interviews for July.

Las month I sent a request for an expedited interview but it was denied. I am extremely stressed