Ver&S

It went from saying that they were only processing CR1 to now we are also processing "fiance (K) visas, and other mission critical categories such as medical professional". They changed the date today, I think the website must be really slow to update or something

The lawsuit for K-1 was filed today, so I wonder if that's why they updated the wording on the website without changing the date of the update?

1 hour ago, T&S_MTL said:

It looks like there are quite some interviews coming in September for those who got it cancelled earlier. When I look at the spreadsheet I feel like interviews are scheduled at a faster pace than in the past, aren't they ? I'm wondering if they're processing more than they used to in the past.

I do not know if it's true that they are processing faster, but if it is it could be because they are not processing any K1s and they used to issue more K1s than CR1s per month before COVID hit.

7 hours ago, Hawk Riders said:

Confirmed: Montreal is scheduling weekly

They are only conducting interviews on Wednesdays so far, it seems?

6 minutes ago, pooj97 said:

No. They just posted on social media that they will start to reschedule cancelled spousal interviews from March and aprkl

Oh cool, I wish they would post everything in the web page, so I wouldn't have to check on facebook. I know see your post above mine, thanks 😃. On the website it seays that immigrant visas, including K-1s are restricted to emergency appointments only, from yesterday's update

They are only processing emergency cases in Montreal https://ca.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/consular-operations-updates/

But much better news than 0 processing!!!

2 minutes ago, Zaraliaya said:

The office thing is correct. Quebec only allows 25% of the office to go into work. And they kinda don't even want the 25% less is even better. I work at an office downtown Montreal, and we've been WFH since March, and hardly anyone has gone into the office, and HR still doesn't know when we can. Even when they allow it, they still have to abide by the 6 feet rule, masks etc, so it's kinda annoying for them.

Thanks, I didn't know it was so restrictive office wise. We are back 100% in Verdun but it's a research setting, so we stagger/use different rooms and we are used to the masks/shields. In any case, they are not working at 25% if they haven't processed visas that had already been interviewed, I think if they really were at 25% they'd had progressed much more than they actually have. But maybe I'm breaking my back at work and they are not as motivated with theirs. I'm just very frustrated, sorry =(

I just watched the video again, did she really say they haven't processed any of the cases that had been already interviewed back in March, how is that possible 😭

I wonder if it's really true that "Quebec won't allow them to open" when the other countries' consulates in Montreal are open? Speculation on my part: it makes me think that perhaps there was some paperwork that Quebec required for them to fill, to make sure they have made accommodations/are following guidelines and the US consulate just looked the other way and pretended that "local conditions don't allow for the resumption of services" when they could be operating at least at some capacity.

They also send the most condescending emails sometimes,  I'm not stupid, I know covid is making things harder for everyone. But if my workplace, like many others in Montreal, has been at full capacity since July, what gives???

5 minutes ago, Lovenature said:

If you mean those visa classes listed in the proclamation they have not. Someone else reported their senator was told that the Montreal consulate does not acknowledge those visa classes as mission critical and are still only processing on emergency basis. It is ridiculous. 

Thank you for the info. I'm sadly not surprised.

I just checked the non-immigration visas issued in other posts and in June Toronto did more than anything Montreal has done in several months. It is indeed a joke, if my situation wasn't as bad as it is thanks to the incompetence of the Montreal consulate, I would laugh =(.

Best of luck to you

To add to the my post above, to me the "local conditions" placeholder reason from the US consulate of Montreal just sounds like an excuse. Since they don't say what kind of local conditions they are looking for it works pretty well for them. 

I really hope they have started mission critical visas, as they hadn't in June (and the previous consul was here in Montreal at that time). We will know in a few weeks when the issuances by post are published.

I don't know what's up with blaming Canada for the US consulates not being open? The Brazil consulate in Montreal is open. It has nothing to do with conditions in the US.

For the US consulate in Montreal, it seems to me they are not open independently of the conditions in Montreal. But maybe if Montreal had 0 cases for 6 months they would open, like Taiwan which never closed anything because their response to covid was on point. But the US main office in Taipei *just now* started opening.

2 minutes ago, travusb said:

Here is the link I read last week. As far as I can tell this is when Canada started to allow diplomats and their families back in but I could be wrong.

It's even possible they would have been denied entry if flying because the article says Canada reopened TRVs.

 

Yes, I wish they would start providing some kind of information also. I'm tired of losing sleep over not knowing anything.

 

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/07/foreign-representatives-now-exempt-from-travel-restrictions-0715100.html#:~:text=TRVs must be coded “D,(eTAs) on July 1.

Thanks, this is why I thought it was only affecting new diplomats: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/updates/2020-accredited-officials.html Also TRVs are only needed for new diplomats who have not received acceptance. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/visitors/diplomatic-official-visas.html#trv-req-when

I'm compulsively checking the Canada immigration website as well, because I'm an immigrant here and because the US is not processing my visa in time, I've had to reapply to a new permit here as I now don't think I will get the US one before my Canadian one expires. I hope I hear good news from someone soon, I'm so stressed out =(. At this rate I will become an immigration lawyer.

1 hour ago, travusb said:

Yes but if they want to bring their families with them they might not be able to or want to risk flying.

Recently Canada made an exemption to the border closure to allow diplomats and their families across but they have to quarantine for 2 weeks.

 

This made me hopeful for the 14th as a date they would start again. I figured they were going to cross and be done with quarantine around then.

This might also be why they aren't making an announcement yet since they have to apply for something to cross and plans can change.

Hoping we get more information soon.

I thought that change you mention about diplomats only affected new ones that were not accredited by Canada yet.

In any case, it's all speculation, since they are not providing any information. I really hope we hear something soon.

14 minutes ago, Ptitchou said:

"For whatever reason" is very likely the border closure. If they're not inside Canada already, it'll be up to the Canadian government to determine whether or not they're exempted from the border closure.

I don't think that's it, diplomats are exempt and they could just fly in if they weren't, the only closed border is the land one. Anyhow, I don't know what to think anymore =(

6 hours ago, Lemonslice said:

Unfortunately, Montreal has been hit harder than most of Canada, and every business/office/school is very, very, slowly reopening, or changing their model.  Montreal colleagues of mine have been informed they'll be working from home until July 2021.  Not saying it will be that long for the consulate to reopen completely, but I understand why they're proceeding very carefully at this time. 

 

Wishing you all the fastest resolution possible in these unprecedented times.

Yes, Montreal has been hit harder, but I live here and my whole department at work is back to normal (with precautions) and we are not remotely close to essential. We did our reopening in phases and by mid July we reached the point where everyone could be back in. Of course if you can tele-work, that's encouraged.

Moreover none of the embassies-consulates are open in Canada, independently of local conditions. What I have heard (this is a rumor so take it with a grain of salt) is that the majority of the US staff left Canada in March when measures started to be put in place and they haven't returned back to Canada yet (for whatever reason). I heard this from someone who knows a person with an interview at Montreal, and they said there appeared only one person was working (the interviewer) in the whole place...

As soon as they open, I hope the ones getting interviews report back to VJ! I want to know how they are working on "making the process safe", if they took 6+ months to add a soap dispenser to the entrance I'm gonna be beyond mad!!!

@Babaloo

What are you even on about? As per the US dept of state, Manila issued 30+ spousal visas and 60 K1s in June. Manila is one of the posts with most issuances in June.

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyIVIssuances/June 2020 - IV Issuances by Post and Visa Class.pdf

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyNIVIssuances/June 2020 - NIV Issuances by Post and Visa Class.pdf

5 hours ago, :Sarah: said:

I've sent in an email asking for emergency k1 processing with documents.

 

However they've told me " K-1 fiancée visa applications cannot be processed at this time, as they are not covered by the list of cases determined to be mission-critical"

 

I wonder how long the routine visa processing is paused for and I didn't know they weren't processing emergency visas as well at this time.

 

Anyways lets our fingers crossed and update this helpful thread!

I wonder what they consider to be mission critical, emergency spousal visas only? Because they only issued 3 spousal visas total in June, I thought from the EO that all spousal visas were considered to be mission critical... =/

I guess I got the angry person answering my emails, instead. I asked since the State Department had stated that consulates could potentially start resuming services on the 15th if Montreal would post announcements on their website regarding what they were processing (i.e. mission critical only, etc.) since the State dept. indicated we should contact the consulate for further details. This is what I got:

Quote

We are currently still unable to predict when we will resume routine visa services. For further information about suspension of routine visa services, applicants should visit the Department of State website at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/suspension-of-routine-visa-services.html  

You could tell from the rest of the email the tone wasn't exactly 'polite'. This is the last time I will bother contacting them, I'm not going to waste my time anymore. I'm glad we are hearing from others that they may be processing some emergencies at least? There weren't any CR1s issued from Montreal in May, they haven't posted their June stats yet.

14 minutes ago, pooj97 said:

Other consulates have been open?? That makes me even more upset. Consulates should be considered an essential business especially if all other consulates are open. I don’t understand 

With a quick search, consulates that appear open in Montreal: Egypt, Spain, Japan, Poland, Belgium, France; then I got tired of searching...

Of course I cannot tell if they are only taking only some of the appointments, as I assume they are operating with less employees, but at least they are working and all of them have pertinent updated info on their webpages... The situation with the US consulate is just so frustrating =(

Sincerely it's so weird why the consulate does not provide any updates. I don't see how it's dependent on the local situation, other consulates in Montreal are open (have been for months) as long as you schedule your meeting in advance. But somehow the US consulate is not even able to state when they will resume services? It's like all their personnel went on vacation or something.