petshop

Had my CR1 interview in Montreal on Thursday, October 28. Visa was approved. But I am still waiting for my visa to show up!! It's already three business days since my interview. Meanwhile, everything is packed, and I am sitting here with all my boxes, and the movers are waiting to be given the go ahead to come pick up my things. But I have no idea when the visa would arrive. It is already three business days!! DHL can't tell me anything because I was never given a waybill or tracking number. Calling that CSC line was useless. They said keep checking the website, and I said, I was told the website takes a few days to update and usually people get the call from DHL even BEFORE they see the website update that their visa has arrived and is ready for pickup. This is TERRIBLE!!!!

OK, just got my visa. DHL had it for three hours before they had time to call me. Yay!!!

Had my CR1 interview in Montreal on Thursday, October 28. Visa was approved. But I am still waiting for my visa to show up!! It's already three business days since my interview. Meanwhile, everything is packed, and I am sitting here with all my boxes, and the movers are waiting to be given the go ahead to come pick up my things. But I have no idea when the visa would arrive. It is already three business days!! DHL can't tell me anything because I was never given a waybill or tracking number. Calling that CSC line was useless. They said keep checking the website, and I said, I was told the website takes a few days to update and usually people get the call from DHL even BEFORE they see the website update that their visa has arrived and is ready for pickup. This is TERRIBLE!!!!

Ugh! That's so frustrating! Is it too much to ask that, after putting us through everything we've been through that the system at least *work*?

I will say that for me phoning did work fine, but I did select option 1. Also, I think I actually called the 604 number. It was clear to the operator that the consulate in question was Montreal, but I at least think that we're allowed to call the number that's local for us to avoid incurring long-distance charges. I may be suffering form pregnancy brain here, but I am pretty sure I called 604. And I *know* my confirmation email specifies that my appointment is in Montreal (and it give the Mtl consulate address we all know, etc.)

C.

Hey, thanks, C . . . I did try the 604 number as well . . . same thing. Line went dead . . .

I just wanted to check to confirm that they got my DHL registration which I did online correct. Anyway, I can always try again later in the week.

Option 4 is just not working right now . . . take care.

Karen

I never came across exactly the same security warnings you got. However, I did get a notice about the site's security certificate. It did make me a little nervous. I would recommend that you all *call* and do your rescheduling or dhl registration over the phone. That's an option, and the operators are nice.

I sure do hope there's nothing malicious going on in connection with the site...but at best it's glitchy. So, CALL. Deal with the phone operators.

Just to clarify: I don't mean call NVC or DoS; I mean call the operators who work for this new system. I gave the link to the numbers yesterday.

C.

Hi C:

I am glad you had no trouble getting through to an operator at the 514 number. I tried calling this morning, had to listen to the long recording, then selected option 4 (for visa information and to schedule an appointment) . . . after selecting that option, the line went dead (disconnected) . . . this happened 6 separate times . . after selecting option 4, the line disconnected.

Note: I didn't want to select option 1 (to review or change an appointment I have scheduled through this service) because this required me to enter my passport number etc into the AVR system, and I didn't want to do that since I don't want to change my appointment. And neither did I schedule an appointment through this service . . . so, option 4 is the correct option.

Anyway, this attempt to talk to a live person has taken the past 30 minutes of my time, and to no avail . . . this is frustrating to say the least . . . and gives me no confidence in the system.

Thanks for suggesting that we call . . . it is a good idea. Maybe I can try again tomorrow.

Cheers,

Karen

I used the new CSC site to register my DHL location last night . . . with no problems at all.

But today, I tried a few times to login, using different computers, and even different browsers (Mozilla, Chrome) . . . because I keep getting a security warning!!

Something along the lines that: "You attempted to reach usvisa-info.com, but instead you actually reached a server identifying itself as www.usvisagroups.com. This may be caused by a misconfiguration on the server or by something more serious. An attacker on your network could be trying to get you to visit a fake (and potentially harmful) version of usvisa-info.com. You should not proceed."

Anyone else encountered this problem today??

Weird!

Petshop

This link is fine - it is safe: http://canada.usvisa-info.com/

But going there using this link is not - spoofing: http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/us_immigrant_visas

Cheers,

petshop

I used the new CSC site to register my DHL location last night . . . with no problems at all.

But today, I tried a few times to login, using different computers, and even different browsers (Mozilla, Chrome) . . . because I keep getting a security warning!!

Something along the lines that: "You attempted to reach usvisa-info.com, but instead you actually reached a server identifying itself as www.usvisagroups.com. This may be caused by a misconfiguration on the server or by something more serious. An attacker on your network could be trying to get you to visit a fake (and potentially harmful) version of usvisa-info.com. You should not proceed."

Anyone else encountered this problem today??

Weird!

Petshop

Im still confused as to whether we should still bring the envelope or go through the dhl site thingy. I mean we were scheduled the old way so I would think we would just continue with the usual way but now that there is the "new system" I am just not sure.

Hi Devon, from what I read, it seems that the ExpressPost envelope is no longer used. Instead, we are to register for the DHL location of our choice . . . in the NVC P4 letter we got, page 1, it does refer us to go to www.immigrantvisas.state.gov website and select the "Embassy/Consulate General-Specific Interview Guidelines" . . . anyway, I went to the CSC site, selected Courier Information, logged in, and registered for my DHL location.

Glad you are still doing the happy dance

Cheers,

Karen

Got news that jken (K1) got scheduled today - for an October 13th interview.

So, they scheduled shewolf and mtlgato (CR1) for October 8th, and now they are scheduling a K-1 for October 13 . . . perhaps this could mean that Montreal may have some spots left open for CR1/IR1's for the last two weeks of October . . . at least that's what I am hoping for.

Seems there is still hope anyway for those of us CR1/IR1's who completed just after shewolf and mtlgato did . . .

Cheers,

petshop

PS. My new date is Oct. 28. That was the latest date I could get. It'll still be hard, but way more possible than Oct. 8!!!

C.

Hi C:

I am so VERY HAPPY for you!! I am almost in tears . . . so glad you could change your interview date . . . I was just thinking of you over the weekend, and I am so glad things have worked out this way . . . all the best with the rest of the pregnancy, and have a safe delivery.

Karen

Honestly, if they don't speed up *significantly* soon, the backlog is just going to get so bad that it will be beyond ridiculous. It's ridiculous already.

Well, as of today, the "summer holidays" excuse is officially OVER.

C.

We were all so happy when shewolf and mtlgato were scheduled last Wednesday Sept 1st for their interviews in Montreal for October 8. I thought for sure we would hear of more interviews this week after Labor Day . . . but nothing so far . . . so very disappointing. I hope we will hear something next week, I really hope so . . . there's still three more weeks left in October after Oct 8 . . . surely they can slot some interviews in there for us during that time. It's already over 16 weeks since our completion dates . . . mine, Canadiandggal, CAN2US, Craig-n-Jacquie, Musi . . . how much longer are we supposed to wait?

I am still waiting for that elusive NVC email to pop up in my Inbox

Well, I know that. What am I supposed to do????

Hey, C . . . congratulations on the interview date, and I am going to pray that you are going to have an on-time baby, or even a couple days earlier . . . God knows what you need . . . I am confident the timing would work out for you and the baby I mean it.

Well, at least this theory helps me feel that it's not totally random who they bother to email and who they don't bother to email...

On another subject...

What are we all thinking re: the probability of a whole cluster of October interviews?

Who here thinks there will be a bunch of October interviews? Who thinks that, yet again, we'll get another month with no or very few interviews scheduled?

c.

Well, I am with my good friend Canadiandggal on this . . . LOL! I am hopeful that we will get a bunch of October interviews, but if we, the "May completes" don't hear anything by September 13-14, then it doesn't look too good for us that we would get an October date. Yeah, Devon, I agree, November would be rather ridiculous. November would be 6 months from our completion dates.

They have scheduled K-1's, then the DCF CR-1's, so I am hoping it would be our turn next . . . sometimes I feel like they have put us on the back burner or "forgotten" us . . . the whole bunch of us!!

So, here's to hanging in there for another 2 weeks and hope for the best.

And when you get that email, let us all know ASAP . . . it would give the rest of us hope that things are finally moving for us CR-1's.

Cheers,

petshop

I've called them many, many times...and had the congresswoman and senator check on the case. They always confirm that I'm in line for an interview, etc. But I never did get that "case complete" email.

C.

I didn't get the email either. When I called the NVC, they said they don't send out an email when the case is completed. Maybe this is only for people who did electronic filing like zenaxe? I really don't know. All I know is that the AVR system says my case is complete, and all the NVC operators I have talked to over the past 2-3 months confirm (after looking at the screen) that my case is complete . . . and that "everything is set to go!"

Well, it has been 14 weeks since my case completed . . . hopefully all the "May" people will hear soon . . . perhaps the week after Labor Day? LOL! Ha ha . . . hope that would be so . . . we've waited far too long . . .

Cheers,

petshop

For me, a late October date would actually be a lot better than a Sept. date. By late October, my baby might be 4 weeks old and we could probably manage to get there. In Sept., I'll be too pregnant to travel. But, w/ a "case complete date" of May 12, I figure I probably will get a Sept. date.

If you get Oct. and I get Sept., we should trade! If only such a thing were possible...

Good luck!!!

C.

Thanks for the reply, C.

And Good Luck!! I really wish you all the best with everything . . . hope the the timing works out for you.

Is your husband planning on attending the interview with you? I think it is better to have the spouse there, but my husband doesn't think it is necessary . . . but I think it would look better . . . as proof of relationship . . .

My case was completed on May 20, 2010. Still waiting for an interview date for Montreal . . . I agree with "mtlgato" . . . chances of us getting an August interview date are practically nil right now . . . I am hoping to get a date for September then . . . please, please, please. October would be unbearable, agree?