C&C

Guess I'm late in coming to this one but I haven't laughed so hard since this immigration thing started.

I appreciate all perspectives here… you’re all right! I have kind of mixed take that some of you might share. It is one of a thoroughly progressively raised American who lived 7 years in Canada after living in several places in the US with family all over and specifically growing up in the deep south university town, then living in the conservative plains of Nebraska, oh and have “lived” for semesters in London and Paris and vacationed other places…. Ok I think that’s enough for background.

Canada vs. US discussions are terribly fun so why not a few simplistic but fun statements to start … Tim Horton’s coffee is good for American coffee, timbits are no better than muchkins, hockey is still dumb and stupidly violent I can’t believe you “good” Canadians tolerate it (even though I know a little more about it now), I am so happy to be back in a US college football town where my silly professional gladiator “students” are better than yours, CBC TV is great but US public radio is better, poutine is disgusting, Gulf coast oysters and smoked mullet delish, this hour has 22 mins and Air farce are mostly lame although they have their moments but Rick Mercer is an absolute genius he has a lot in common with Seinfeld down deap may that how rest in peace, clubbing baby seals = clubbing other hockey players, my peccadillo “it depends on what your definition of the word is is” is no worse than your “da proof is da proof is da proof”, etc. Ceasars are gross can’t you make a proper bloody mary?????

Living in Canada makes you constantly compare and the Canadians are constantly doing it themselves which is soooo friggin tiresome but hey I’m on the bandwagon. VJ Troll kind of hits it on the head in some ways in a black sarcasm kind of way – I think I might explain it better…. What Kathryn says is extremely typical of a certain kind of Canadian opinion of themselves and America/Americans – what she says I am sympathetic to in many ways, but always sounded also a bit smug and whiney in my ears…. though I never told my close Canadian friends that.

I was raised to be skeptical of any kind of flag waving or stereotyping of others, groups, countries etc. I was excited to move to Canada which I thought would be more progressive and sophisticated than the deep south and conservative plains of America where I’d spent most of my adult life. Turns out Canada IS authentically more progressive in terms of public opinion – the average is more tolerant than the US -- reflected in things as diverse as recent provincial laws allowing gay marriage or at least civil union equality, strong mat leave rights, public health insurance (which is great although it’s not a perfect system either), or the concept that you can be a red Tory – hard to find a political place when you are that. But it’s hardly a socialist country (as right wingers in the US like to say just to scare people) just a little more progressive a democratic republic than the US is all. It’s really not that different than Vermont, Michigan, and Oregon. But I have been so disappointed at the provincialism I found in Canada – I guess, like anywhere else – most people are not very informed about other places, and there is a knee jerk we are better ism because people seem to need that to feel validated for some reason. Unfortunately for the American in Canada, you encounter this stereotypical anti-Americanism, even from otherwise educated, self-aware Canadians who actually vacation in America. I was educated about US history and its role in the world and made aware of America’s strengths and what it has given and does give the world, as well as its not so nice qualities and contributions. I was educated about nationalism and conflict and misperception and skapegoatism and how it leads to all kinds of nastiness some harmless and some not so in history – in all our countries and cultures. I found after a few years that living in Canada made me reactionarily proud to be an American in ways I never was ever before, and never felt in visiting other countries where they don’t have a national self-esteem problem like Canada. I just got sick of hearing ridiculous negative generalizations about “America” and “Americans” that weren’t true of me or my family or any of my friends that I grew up with or my co-workers or congregations, etc., against ridiculously rosy contrasting generalizations of “good” Canada is. I could have been happy staying in Canada, but I just feel comfortable back in the US and the south where American nationalism is old news and not so terrible, “conservatism” is sometimes disturbing but isn’t the horrific devil either, and where culture and communities are just as caring and vibrant and interesting as you can find anywhere, and where you can find modest, individualistic, live and let live people and colourful cultures of your choice to participate in. People who didn’t grow up in a southern city don’t know how great it is (despite things we still need to work on to make our communities and our great country better). I think my Canadian husband who is very individualistic, idealistic, modest and live and let live will be very comfortable as a southern American in a great funky city like Austin, Texas. In conclusion, Weird Al Yankovic pretty much hit it on the head with the “Canadian Idiot” track. If anything I said resonates for you and you haven’t heard it – download it for your player – it’s hilarious.

Truly, the only differences I believe I’ve seen – maybe -- first hand between Canadians and Americans and it’s so slight a difference its only a hypothesis - Canadians are in general more socially progressive, Americans are a touch more individualistic/libertarian (which isn’t necessarily all bad in case you don’t remember it’s a critical ingredient of democracy), Canadians a little more passive and accepting of structure/hierarchy, Americans a little more willing to take risks, call a spade a spade and use a swear word while they’re at it, while Canadians will perhaps be a little more civil and keep their opinions to the themselves. Both have great people, great wilderness, and in the big cultural history picture, same basic history although different paths as Kathryn noted, and some different cultures layered in with the basic colonial brit foundation, depending on the region. In most places in Canada, culturally it’s quite like Nebraska – or Vermont, or Michigan, or Oregon.

But, what I will miss about being a Torontonian is:

• Algonquin park

• Subways and trolleys

• Working and socializing in diverse ethnic social groups where my blond hair is unusual and there are all shades and kinks of hair and skin tones and facial shapes, and no one is in a majority or minority we are all just a neat mix of people

• Working in organizations where women are equal to men or even dominate high positions

• Long summer evenings

• Making about $15 K more than I do now – esp. now with the exchange rate -- why didn’t we wait another month before changing the money from the house sale??? This move has cost us probably $25 K if you add it all up, but we still believe it’s worth it.

C&C

Longwinded response telling you our story, with extended ode to America and Canada

Vnoe, that was hilarious about NDakota and Saskatshewan love choices… Farm life sounds great.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that so many here met on line… I’ve only met in person a few other people who have, but it makes sense that in a population of crossborder love relationships you’d have a lot higher incidence of internet starts.

Anyways I was in Nebraska he in Canada, we met online about 8 years ago, I think we fell in love online partly, but definitely at our first meeting. It was professionally easier for me to move at the time, I got a job offer then HRDC employment authorization/waiver, we married, I got Canadian resident status then citizenship so at least we could be assured of not having to live apart (we thought) but we always both wanted to go south. We picked Texas, started the paperwork for permanent immigration for him, then I had to move to Texas during the last phase of paper submission since I had to reestablish domicile clearly – didn’t want to get to the interview without having at least a job in the US. But it has taken longer than I expected as the rest of the CR1/IR1s know for the interview. I know I’m luckier than most all of you in that I didn’t actually have to move here most of the way into the paperwork. I moved here in May, started a new job which is stressful, and have been crossing my fingers he’ll be here by Christmas. He’s looking forward to quitting his job and I’d love for him to have a nice vacation here over Xmas for a few weeks while he gets settled and starts looking for something in Texas. The unemployment rate here is so incredibly low I don’t think he’ll have a problem but career wise it will be an important jump so after this immigration thing is over, that will be the next stressful/exciting thing for us. One sad thing is that his family is crushed we are moving which was unexpected to me – Canadians aren’t as used as Americans I guess to families living all over.

Screen name is just our first name initials. We have too extraordinarily happy, well adjusted “sucks” as they say in Canada, for cats. Canada vs. US discussions are terribly fun so why not a few observations there… Tim Horton’s coffee is good for American coffee, timbits are no better than muchkins, hockey is still dumb and stupidly violent even though I know a little more about it now, I prefer and missed dumb my gladiator better than yours college football, CBC TV is great but US public radio is better, and there are various other things I prefer, like or don’t like so much in both countries. Living in Canada makes you constantly compare -- the Canadians are constantly doing it themselves which is so friggin tiresome. Americans are like, Canada? what?)

Which brings me to some US expat in Canada observations that I rarely share because people usually don’t know what I’m talking about but some of you might. I was raised to be skeptical of any kind of flag waving or stereotyping of others, groups, countries etc. I was excited to move to Canada which I thought would be more progressive and sophisticated than the deep south and conservative plains of America where I’d spent most of my adult life. Turns out Canada IS authentically more progressive in terms of public opinion – the average is more tolerant than the US (reflected in things as diverse as recent provincial laws allowing gay marriage or at least civil union equality, strong mat leave rights, public health insurance (which is great although it’s not a perfect system either), or the concept that you can be a red Tory. But it’s hardly a socialist country, just a little more progressive a democratic republic than the US is all. But I have been so disappointed at the provincialism found in Canada – I guess, like anywhere else – most people are not very informed about other places, and there is we are better ism because people seem to need that to feel validated for some reason. Unfortunately though for the American in Canada, you encounter this stereotypical anti-Americanism, even from otherwise educated, self-aware Canadians who actually vacation in America. I was always educated about US history and its role in the world and certainly aware of America’s strengths and what it has given and does give the world, as well as its not so nice qualities. I found after a few years that living in Canada made me reactionarily proud to be an American in ways I never expected and never felt in visiting other countries where they don’t have a national self-esteem problem like they do in Canada. I just got sick of hearing ridiculous negative generalizations about “America” and “Americans” that weren’t true of me or my family or any of my friends that I grew up with or my co-workers or congregations, etc., against ridiculously rosy contrasting generalizations of how great Canada is, and I’m glad to be home back in the US and the south where despite the American nationalism I grew up in, and “conservatism” in terms of who people vote for, I believe it is an ideal place to find modest, individualistic, live and let live people and communities and culture you can choose to be a part of. People who didn’t grow up in a southern city don’t know how great it is (despite things we do need to still do to make better). I think my Canadian husband who is very individualistic and live and let live will be very comfortable as a southern American.

In conclusion, Weird Al Yankovic pretty much hit it on the head with the “Canadian Idiot” track. If anything I said resonates for you and you haven’t heard it – download it for your player – it’s hilarious.

What I will miss about Canada – more specifically living in the Toronto area:

• Long Algonquin park canoe trips where you can get naked in the wilderness and fish for your dinner and stuff with no ticks or snakes (skeeters no big deal)

• Subways and trolleys

• Working and socializing in diverse ethnic social groups where my blond hair is unusual and there are all shades and kinks of hair and skin tones and facial shapes, and no one is in a majority or minority we are all just a lovely diverse mix

• Working in organizations where women are equal to men or even dominate in high positions

• Long summer evenings

• Making about $15 K more than I do now – esp. now with the exchange rate -- why didn’t we wait another month before changing the money from the house sale??? This move has cost us probably $25 K if you add it all up, but we still believe it’s worth it.

C&C

Ok, I'm trying not to get excited but I just did a projection based on our and Liz’s K data, which seems encouraging. It looks possible we might all be reunited with our loved ones by the winter holidays, if several assumptions extrapolating from recent experience hold:

1. Recent incidence of new K cases (7 per month) and earlier incidence of IR/CR cases (3 per month)

2. Montreal maintains their current productivity rate of 10 interviews a week (what did they hire a whole mess of new people who started in September?) – I did account for a 3 day week during Thanksgiving week.

3. After they exhaust K fiancés they’ll redirect all that capacity to K and IR/CR couples and other close family

If you'd like to see the projection ... I hope I attached this right:

Projection.doc

I just noticed on Liz's K fiance & spouse list, two of the three cases still waiting surrounded by others who have gotten their interview dates are SPOUSES. Like we are. Maybe they are taking more time double checking us? I thought that by now they would have done all the paper checking since our cases are complete.

yes I totally agree a uniquely personal letter is best. I'm so glad others will be writing.

Thank you for the fairy dust, Liz - I'll take all the prayers, spells and blessings I can get!

C&C

Please ... send some of your great luck you K people to us IR/CRs before I totally freak out!!!

I WANT MY HUSBAND BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man that sucks. Clearly the purpose of the NVC and MTL telephone and email units is to provide a non-response - they are a valve - a distraction... with the appearance of responsiveness. The cannot be expected to provide a real answer, or to help us. That just isn't their job. We have to put these questions to those who have the power to influence the policy and procedures that are affecting us. I think the three points / complaints I'll be making in my next phase will be how truly unacceptable these policies are:

1. Failure to schedule interviews for our visa classes. Clearly we are on the not important, don't schedule us list, no one is listening or cares, and no one will even look into it. Overdue IR1/CR1 visa candidates already waiting longer than Ks for their interviews ought to be given some weighting SHOULD be on the schedule however it is currently constructed misguidedly - this needs to be changed
2. Failure to provide information on waiting times is secondary but also extremely important and totally not acceptable. Am I expected to just wait month by month for a year or two to get to have my husband with me again? They should give us a timeline. There is absolutely no good reason that they cannot provide a timeline, whatever it is. the Information IS available. The policy of non-information is misguided - it is driven by wanting to minimize negative information but this is outweighed by the interest of families and their need to plan. They are shooting themselves in the foot public relations wise the longer this goes on and the stupider their responses get.
3. Then there is interviewing staffing capacity - I guess there will always be excess demand over capacity, but it is a policy issue how much resourcing will go into services. Montreal is a cool city with nice parties -- perhaps that what they're spending money on?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No really there are other important consular services Montreal has to deliver but some of the allocated resources needs to be given to our visa class. They're busting the pants off of K spouse waiting lists - clearly they have some interviewing capacity

Please y'all, try to contact some of those listed in policy and management authority to complain about these issues. Five formal letters is better than one. I think we could muster at least 10 from our group, don't you think? Write the consular leadership, and your senators, and the state department

Maura Harty, Asst. Secretary, Consular Affairs

Stephen A. Edson, Deputy Asst. Secretary, Visa Services

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Washington, DC 20520

Mary B. Marshall, Consul General

Gary L. Sheaffer, Consular Affairs

US Consulate, Montreal

P.O. Box 847

Champlain, NY, 12919-0847

Director, National Visa Center

32 Rochester Avenue

Portsmouth, NH 03801 Copies to:

The Hon. John Cornyn

US Senate

5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1150

Dallas, Texas 75244-6199

The Hon. Kay Baily Hutchison

US Senate

961 Pickle Federal Building

300 E. 8th Street

Austin, TX 78701

Manager, MTL Inquiries, Montreal-IV-DV@state.gov Manager, NVC Inquiries, NVCInquiry@state.gov

RE: Stall in IR1/CR1 spousal immigrant visa interviews in Montreal

Dear public servants,

Please take action to resume scheduling of IR1/CR1 interviews for Canadians at the US Consulate in Montreal. The last group of Canadian spouses in my online community to receive an invitation for their IR1 or CR1 interview in Montreal had cases complete at NVC and joined the interview queue in the first few days of April, 2007. Those with cases complete only a few months earlier received invitations within weeks and had their interviews within a few months. In early April, you stopped allocating interview time and scheduling interviews for IR1/CR1 candidates at Montreal. We are now 6 months beyond that time with no progress.

You have continued to support interviews for other visa classes at Montreal. Spouse and fiancé candidates for K nonpermanent visas with case complete dates as late as August 2007 have already received their interview invitations; those with case complete dates from the spring are already reunited with their “better halves”. Yet separated IR1/CR1 spouses living in Canada, who’ve been in the system for much longer, and have earlier case complete dates, are still waiting to be invited to an interview.

Kudos for getting the Ks to their interviews so quickly, but why have you put IR1s and CR1s aside? Please get us back on the schedule! My husband’s case was complete on June 8. He should have had his interview in September and should be here with me by now. It would be wonderful to have him here by Christmas. Could you please try?

I got a new girl on the phone at NVC tonite. She actually asked her supervisor twice for help to questions she knew she didn't know the answer, and then the third time I stumped her she said i'm sorry I don't know - this one was the specifics on the capacity issue and who is that capacity for. Then she gave me that Montreal number with option 4 that we all know hasn't operated for months anyway - that pissed me off cause that's not her fault, her stupid supervisor gave it to her. Girl was too honest - she won't last. We'll wear her down I guess. I hope she replaced that girl with the gun-moll accent and attitude.

LISTEN PEOPLE!

I think there is a fair chance that it is a mistake, and no one has noticed cause we are talking to the wrong people at NVC and MTL inquiry, that our queue has not budged since early April. No, Karina doesn't count - there was more than one odd thing on her case.

I think that if more people here would try to write a letter such as this one above, that someone important might actually notice. PLEASE consider doing this! I want to see those of you with the April complete dates getting an interview invitation this month! I kinda would like to have my husband by spring although I should have him by Christmas. You really wanna wait for a couple more months before saying something? Write these dude and dudettes and write your Senators, please! I talked to a very good immigration lawyer here and while I was disappointed this was all she could offer me, after laying out the situation, I am thinking it is the only advice i've got that hasn't been tried and I'm going to heed it - "squeaky wheel, squeeky wheel"!

So I said "basically you contact Montreal and say hey we have an IR1 application here that is complete and is ready for an interview and they tell you - oh we can fit them in on March 3rd" ? She said yes, that is how it happens.

You do realize she doesn't know, right? I've asked about this many times and tried different strategies - open ended and giving a leading response such as you did, different suggestions each time, and in each case a different way that it might work. In the 3 cases that I suggested a way that it works, the answer was yes. More often, and the more truthful response I think is that they don't know anything in more depth than the principle that they only schedule based on Montreal capacity - they really don't know specifics beyond that. Their armor to us is the story that everyone is waiting in line and it's fair and we just don't know... but they're wrong - something is wrong and we need to bring it to their attention with the specifics that we know from sharing information with each other.

I got a new girl on the phone tonite. She actually asked her supervisor twice for help to questions she knew she didn't know the answer, and then the third time I stumped her she said i'm sorry I don't know - this one was the specifics on the capacity issue and who is that capacity for. Then she gave me that Montreal number with option 4 that we all know hasn't operated for months anyway - that pissed me off cause that's not her fault, her stupid supervisor gave it to her. Girl was too honest - she won't last. We'll wear her down I guess. I hope she replaced that girl with the gun-moll accent and attitude.

LISTEN PEOPLE!

I think there is a fair chance that it is a mistake, and no one has noticed cause we are talking to the wrong people at NVC and MTL inquiry, that our queue has not budged since early April. I think that if more people here would try to write a letter such as this one below, that someone important might actually notice. PLEASE consider doing this! I want to see those of you with the April complete dates getting an interview invitation this month! I kinda would like to have my husband by spring although I should have him by Christmas. You really wanna wait for a couple more months before saying something? Write these dude and dudettes and write your Senators, please! I talked to a very good immigration lawyer here and while I was disappointed this was all she could offer me, after laying out the situation, I am thinking it is the only advice i've got and I'm going to heed it - "squeaky wheel, squeeky wheel"!

October 1, 2007

Maura Harty, Asst. Secretary, Consular Affairs

Stephen A. Edson, Deputy Asst. Secretary, Visa Services

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Washington, DC 20520

Mary B. Marshall, Consul General

Gary L. Sheaffer, Consular Affairs

US Consulate, Montreal

P.O. Box 847

Champlain, NY, 12919-0847

Director, National Visa Center

32 Rochester Avenue

Portsmouth, NH 03801

Copies to:

The Hon. John Cornyn

US Senate

5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1150

Dallas, Texas 75244-6199

The Hon. Kay Baily Hutchison

US Senate

961 Pickle Federal Building

300 E. 8th Street

Austin, TX 78701

Manager, MTL Inquiries, Montreal-IV-DV@state.gov Manager, NVC Inquiries, NVCInquiry@state.gov

RE: Stall in IR1/CR1 spousal immigrant visa interviews in Montreal

Dear public servants,

Please take action to resume scheduling of IR1/CR1 interviews for Canadians at the US Consulate in Montreal. The last group of Canadian spouses in my online community to receive an invitation for their IR1 or CR1 interview in Montreal had cases complete at NVC and joined the interview queue in the first few days of April, 2007. Those with cases complete only a few months earlier received invitations within weeks and had their interviews within a few months. In early April, you stopped allocating interview time and scheduling interviews for IR1/CR1 candidates at Montreal. We are now 6 months beyond that time with no progress.

You have continued to support interviews for other visa classes at Montreal. Spouse and fiancé candidates for K nonpermanent visas with case complete dates as late as August 2007 have already received their interview invitations; those with case complete dates from the spring are already reunited with their “better halves”. Yet separated IR1/CR1 spouses living in Canada, who’ve been in the system for much longer, and have earlier case complete dates, are still waiting to be invited to an interview.

Kudos for getting the Ks to their interviews so quickly, but why have you put IR1s and CR1s aside? Please get us back on the schedule! My husband’s case was complete on June 8. He should have had his interview in September and should be here with me by now. It would be wonderful to have him here by Christmas. Could you please try?

Both! Because we're both Canadian, and hopefully someday both American too, and because when you're separated, any and all long weekends for at least one of us is always a welcome chance to see each other. I like big family dinners when there is time and not other distractions from being able to participate.

Neither, in that any time we have available we now spend together, rather with any of the many sets of families produced from multiple marriages in different places... the pressure! Esp. the Canadian side -- there families who don't seem to be as used to having family members all over the continent or on more than one continent either... also, never been that keen on turkey though you have to have something bland to go with all always outweighed by all the yummy sweet potatoes or parnips, mashed potatoes, green beans, pumkins and pecans.

As for preference, probably American thanksgiving: extra day off, strong feeling of national history (even if bogus) and sharedness regardless of creed, college football something to do beside just eat and talk = good.

Canadian thanksgiving: not as much national feeling to it, way too early, makes you depressed about winter coming too early, it's before Halloween, you see Xmas decorations up too early as a result = weird. Can you tell I'm American first?

C&C

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share the following letter I want to direct to several names/addresses. Factual corrections or suggestions welcome.

This is also an encouragement to others to send something as well. Has anyone heard from their previous inquiries to Senators?

A few notes on these addresses:

I couldn't get more than what's shown for the Consular Affairs address but hopefully it will get there.

The director of NVC if there is one is nameless (and probably sexless and godless) but I addressed a letter to it anyway.

Also wrote to responsible leads for a subcontractor that does a lot of NVC's work -- it looks like there is a chance they run the mysterious info system that handles our electronic cases, wait list and forwarding to consulate for interviews (see http://www.si-intl.com/Default.aspx?Area=H...calOutsourcing)

This will also go to my two US Senators.

Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary, Consular Affairs

Stephen A. Edson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Washington, DC 20520

Ms. Mary B. Marshall, Consul General

Gary L. Sheaffer, Consular Affairs

US Consulate General, Montreal

US CONGEN

P.O. Box 847

Champlain, NY, 12919-0847

Director , National Visa Center

32 Rochester Avenue

Portsmouth, NH 03801

Mike Becraft, Executive Vice President – Mission Services Group

Steve Hagan, Senior Vice President – Outsourcing

SI International

12012 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 800

Reston, VA 20190-5869

RE: Stall in IR1/CR1 spousal immigrant visa interviews in Montreal

Dear public servants,

Please take action to resume scheduling of IR1/CR1 interviews for Canadians at the US Consulate in Montreal. The last group of Canadian spouses in my online community waiting in Canada for their IR1 or CR1 interview in Montreal had cases complete at the National Visa Center in the first few days of April, 2007. In February 2007, the waiting time for an IR1/CR1 visa interview was the expected 2 months after the “case complete” date at National Visa Center. After the first few days of April, NVC and Montreal stopped allocating interview time and scheduling interviews for us. We are now 6 months beyond, with no progress in the queue.

NVC and Montreal have continued to support interviews for other visa classes at Montreal. K non-permanent visas for spouses with case complete dates well after March continue to receive interview invitations for Montreal. There are K spouses with case complete dates from summer of 2007 who already have their interview dates for this fall! Yet case-complete separated IR1/CR1 spouses living in Canada who’ve been in the system for longer, are still waiting in a stalled line for their interviews.

If I saw movement in the queue, I would not be feeling so desperate as to write you in this fashion. In the current situation, is looks like my husband and I are going to be separated indefinitely.

Whose policy or error is it to pass over IR1/CR1 spouses waiting for their interview - State Department Consular Affairs? The Montreal Consulate? The NVC? The NVC’s visa processing contractor? One or all of you are responsible for this. Please help!

Sincerely,

Trailmix, thanks for keeping the stat table updated... I've provided just a little updated info for our case.

Member.....(sent I-864)........(sent DS230)......Case complete @NVC..........Interview.........DTI

C&C............05/01/07............. 05/01/07................06/08/07

so, it is confirmed. We are not on the October list. Have seen none of you who is.

Second letter to Senator John Dornyn (TX) goes in mail tomorrow providing update.

Letter to Mary Marshall, Consul General, Gary Sheaffer, Consular Affairs and Susan Bell, Public Affairs at Montreal going out tomorrow.

Seeing hubby this weekend for a few days, then will start on more letters for people I can think of (other Senator, reps even why not,

how about some names and addresses for NVC administrator(s)?

Oh and I was thinking of letter to a Montreal media outlet although I can't imagine they think Montrealers care a McPoulet Sandwich about people trying to get into America.

ANY IDEAS ON MEDIA OUTLETS - Sounds Crazy but why not the NYT or Washington Post? KNOW OF ANY NATIONAL US PAPERS WITH A REGULAR IMMIGRATION COLUMNIST? OR A MAINSTREAM NEWS BLOGGER WHO COVERS IMMIGRATION?

C&C

I just called them..

Their waiting list is for MARCH!!

Called who... which waiting list????

OOPs, never mind.

I just wanted to stick this in there - IR1 and CR1 interviews are apparently on a different timeline as well.

Karina, an IR1 with case complete in June, had her interview already, so maybe you're next in line.

Really? I was wondering why she got an interview while the rest after March hadn't - so Karina is the one IR1 on the list besides us (that's married longer, right?)

As for us CR1s, we're just screwed. I haven't seen any of us get interviews scheduled since March.

But that shouldn't be. I don't see why a K application for recent spouse or fiance should take a shorter time than a CR for same. That's what should be emphasized in complaints... Hey guys, Ks are important, but did you forget about us????????

A very bleak future. Something about being married a year and a half and not being allowed to live together.... "American Family Values" my ###.

Exactly.

This morning I was told to call back Friday. Fantasizing that they suddenly found the boxes with our files in them and are scrambling to adjust...

Tonite the NVC phone line is just a busy signal - I think they may actually have phone off the hook until Wednesday... they must be pretty sick of us.

Just adding what I can about our timeline with some commentary thrown in.

Met in 1999, engaged eve of the Millenium, Married 2001. I moved to Canada on a work visa, became Canadian resident and citizen pretty quickly and easily. We always wanted to end up in the US. Our story is one of being a bit too slow.

We received DS-230 and I-864 foms at the same time in August last year.

• We delayed in submitting these because we were both living in Canada and I had to re-establish domicile… we weren’t prepared for that limitation. It took several months for us to ensure we understood relevant aspects of this and for me prepare to leave my current job, etc. We were scared about the timing. We thought the interview wait would be only a few months, so we didn’t want to submit our forms to early, have the interview scheduled and me potentially not have at least a job in the US to show re-domiciling. We decided to wait to submit the forms until I got a job offer. This happened in early May of this year.

• DS 230 and I-864 Mailed May 1, 2007. Had we known of the time lag, we would have felt comfortable submitting the forms earlier and before I had a job offer. We hadn’t heard of K visas… don’t think they were around when we started the process, and we didn’t track those developments. Heck, had we just submitted our applications two months earlier, we’d be there already. I’ve noticed there are K people at Montreal who getting interviews quicker than IR/CR people from complete dates.. a two month schedule which is what we should be getting too – I don’t think the intention of the K program was to make permanent immigrants in the queue wait longer.

• End of May. NVC sent back DS 230 asking for two bizarrely meaningless corrections. Justifying their existence I guess. Resubmitted overnight.

• Case complete at NVC June 6 2007.

• Since July we called every day for a long time. Lately just monthly. We did not plan / expect this long of a separation. Neither of us have major family / friend support systems, especially hubby who is left behind, very down and now living in a motel since we sold our house in July. Economic stress, new job at my end with lots of pressure, this totally sucks - Marriage ain't meant to be by telephone - it's really a strain. Plus I promised him he wouldn't have to live through another northern winter!

I’m praying for the April IR1/CR1 people to get an October interview, at least that would show progress. I’m totally on board with a major cafuffle of letter writing, emails and calls and complaints, whatever you can think of.

the empty half of C&C that lives in Texas now

So sad, yet funny, yet sad. This is the automaton response from Montreal "Operator 5" on the topic of "Can we please get the panel physicians names to get the physical done and please tell us what documents we will need for the interview because we might only have a few days?"

Right, like they know. Hubby just made an appointment with the good Dr. in TO. Thanks for the tip!

Just wrote a letter to the US senator for Texas who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary subcommittee for immigration et al., complaining of the apparent stall in interview scheduling in Montreal since early April.

Please, one of y'all with the file complete dates in april, tell us you have an interview for October!!

I'm scheduled for the Medicals Soon so I will do that and wait it out.

Glady, what do you mean by that - can you get yourself scheduled for and get a medical BEFORE you get your interview letter? I thought you had to wait until you get your letter, although then I know you may not have a lot of time to schedule it. Please explain how you are going about this. Did you get a list of doctors who can do the exam somehow and get an appointment in advance? Hubby's in Toronto so would be looking for a doc there.

Thanks for adding us. When I get a moment I'll look thru our files and see what other dates I can find. Our experience has been they've always taken just a few weeks to process each thing, UNTIL NOW.

I noticed some of you have not tried or have trouble getting thru to NVC. We've noticed that the best time to call is at about 7:45 am their time.

Just talked to hubby and he just talked to NVC whereas I talked to them last night. Last night I was told we are not on the list, but his morning hubby was told us they haven't finished scheduling for October yet. As others of you have said before, trying to make sense of what they have to offer will just drive you crazy.

BTW, i talked to an immigration lawyer after our September rejection and was told that for Mexico the wait is 12 months. She also commented on the often extremely short notice you have for the interview if you only rely on the letter in the mail. With the extra time involve in mail, you could get your mailed notice just a couple weeks before the interview not giving you a lot of time to plan. Something to be aware of - I guess we should be grateful there is even this number to call to get the info maybe a little earlier. Which is why I'd like to find out what documents are requested at the interview... am sure will find something on this if I read some more threads but please share what you know.

Good luck to all

C

PS just noticed I didn't mention, yes we are waiting for the interview in Montreal... funny how I used to think that was a nice place.

Hi,

After yet another disappointing month's call tonite to NVC, I thought I might search the internet and found you. THANK YOU all you that are here and comelly for starting this post.

I dont' have all the dates for our case but for those of you who are waiting for an interview here are the ones that matter:

Our case was complete June 6, 2007 and I just got thru to NVC tonite. Scheduling for October is done.

I'm sorry to say we are not on the October list. I know you all know how that feels. We're married 5 years so whichever visa that is.

From the stats you are compiling here it seems that if your case was complete after mid-April, you are SOL so far.

I'm anxious to see if those of you with case complete later in April or in May will get anywhere in October.

Guess next I'll call and write to Senator's office per your examples/suggestions, but I'd like to know what the results for the rest of you are. It would be good to be able to cite the delay we are seeing in our growing sample.

Thanks again for being here, it's a small reassurance.

Two questions:

1. Has anyone had issues with being able to get cross border to come visit US spouse? Hubby was bothered once but he convinced them he was going back after the weekend. I hear technically coming to US is not allowed but border guards routinely let such cases across.

2. CAN someone reiterate the list of documents hubby will have to bring to the interview? Good to be prepared since there is such short notice.

Sad, Sad C