ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
It's OK. I don't take it as belittling me. It is true that I only found this site the other day, well along into the process. It is also true that it took us a while to get our documents together before sending them back to the consulate.

I am hoping that the 95 day average reported here for the Montreal Consulate is what we will experience. That will put our interview in Late June. Would I rather it were sooner? of course. But the real issue is not knowing. I would rather be told a specific date so we could plan for it.

In the meantime, also thanks to this site, I can call the DOS each week and have them check the case. At least that is something which is specific to my case, and not a generic "average" or "estimate". It's better than nothing.

Thanks to all of you for responding to this thread. Waiting and watching the mail every day is a process that I know EVERYONE on here has been through and is still going through. It is a good thing to have people to share the wait with.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-21 10:09:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
I just spoke with DOS (I got the phone number from posts here smile.gif ) All they could tell me was that we are not yet scheduled. I will call them once a week I guess, until we get the notice.

Thanks to all of you for the encouragement and information. It is appreciated more than you realize.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-21 08:37:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
To Poprocks and Hugglebuggles -- dumb question - what is DOS? What is the number that I call?

Thanks for the encouragement!
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-21 06:00:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE


QUOTE (Karin und Otto @ Apr 20 2009, 06:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My concern right now would be to make sure your approval notice doesn't expire - or is extended by the Consulate.


I inquired. The consulate told me that it would be extended by them automatically. Thanks for thinking of it.

Edited by RichardMiami, 20 April 2009 - 05:59 PM.

RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 17:58:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
QUOTE (poprocks @ Apr 20 2009, 06:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
we returned our packet 3 March 5th, and our interview was last Friday! They have been fast this past month, but things could change....

Good luck!



This is VERY interesting!! WHen did you get the notice about the interview??
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 17:51:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
QUOTE (beans @ Apr 20 2009, 03:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
no need to blame the ex you had months prior to your approval to get the papers in order


Please don't be judgmental. You can't get papers together until you know what is required. Once we did, we proceeded. I am not finding blame, just stating facts.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 15:09:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
QUOTE (Karin und Otto @ Apr 20 2009, 03:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You would be there already (or close to anyway) had you returned the Package 3 faster - are you saying you took 3 months to respond back with the package 3?


Yes. We had to get papers from her exhusband. The delay was unavoidable.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 14:53:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
QUOTE (Karin und Otto @ Apr 20 2009, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
~~~since a majority of people (in my opinion) probably return this package very quickly. good.gif


Thanks again. As I noted in my timeline, it took a while for us to complete the package - there were child custody documents to get and the wait for the medical was long. So the Consulate did not get the package until 3/28/09. That calculates to June. If it were 95 days from 12/27 - we would have been there already I think.

RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 14:39:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
Thanks again. We did not get the package back to Montreal until about two weeks ago telling them we were ready, so I guess that is when the 95 days will start, if they are still on that type of timeline.

This is a very long and drawn out process. I apologize for being frantic.

Also: THANKS to Canadian Wife for the reply also!!
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 13:07:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
Karen and Otto

Thanks for answering. I am still unclear.. sorry. That timeline says 95 days from NVC to interview at Montreal. But the package of forms was all mailed to Montreal. I am confused? Sorry to keep asking.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 12:57:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
I updated the timeline as best I can.

Can you clarify something for me please?

Is it 95 days to get the appointment scheduled? Or 95 days to actually have the appointment?

Thanks again.

Edited by RichardMiami, 20 April 2009 - 12:48 PM.

RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 12:47:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdvice needed PLEASE
My Fiancee is Canadian - we have filed all the papers for a K1 Visa, had the medical, and informed the Consulate (Montreal) that we are ready for the interview. Today, I received an email from them, asking how long it takes to get the interview. They responded that it takes 4 -6 months to get an interview.

We are besides ourselves. This has been in process for almost a year already. I am living in Canada with her.

How do we get the interview earlier? Is there any way? Is there a fee I can pay? ANYTHING?

We need to get home. Home is in Miami. There must be a way.

Any help you can give me, any advice, any leads, is GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you in advance.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-04-20 12:27:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionWe have our INTERVIEW DATE
I just got off the phone with the Dept of State - our interview in Montreal is set for June 25th!!! We are very, very excited. This is huge wonderful news after waiting and waiting and waiting.

THANKS to the Visa Journey forums for all your support and help and knowledge. I didn't even know about the DOS phonebank until someone here told me. I have also researched the interview itself, the documents we will need, even the hotels - all thru this website.

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT! biggrin.gif biggrin.gif biggrin.gif

NEXT STOP MIAMI!!!!!
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-05-04 08:35:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN 400 after THREE years??
My wife just got all her conditions approved! :) Her third anniversary since getting her green card is coming up in a few months.

I have been a US citizen all my life (more years than I want to admit!

So I was researching next steps on line, and I came up this: USCIS Info

It says, clearly, that since she has been married to me continuously for all this time, she can apply for naturalization after her THIRD anniversary, and not have to wait for the fifth anniversary.

Am I reading that correctly???????????
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2012-08-09 16:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAPPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU to everyone for the Congratulations! kicking.gif

The mover is picking up our stuff on Saturday (tomorrow) and the airplane is booked for SUNDAY MORNING! We have all our papers ready for the crossing, and are so incredibly excited. kicking.gif kicking.gif

I will post a review of the crossing early next week.
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-07-03 06:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAPPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello all! After all the months of stress, paperwork, fees, etc. I am very pleased to share the fact that our K1 has been approved. kicking.gif kicking.gif

The interview was far from "automatic". We were first in line at the Montreal Consulate at 6:30 am. At about 7:50, the guard showed up to open the door. He checked our appointment letter and sent us down stairs.

Downstairs, we went through a very thorough security check. It was very professionally done. Don't even try to bring in a cell phone, ipod or anything else electronic!

After a short wait we were sent up the elevator to the 19th floor. There we had to wait again (get used to waiting - bring a small book or magazine, it will help) until we were called to the Window. At the window, the woman checking us was EXTREMELY thorough. She sounded a bit negative and picky, but I realized that what she was doing was a good thing. She organized every document and looked for missing items, details etc. She found some - but fortunately we were able to correct them. It was a demanding but useful review. (Note - our package was a bit complex due to the accompanying children, custody documents, etc.)

Then we waited again for the interview. The officer interviewed my fiancee and her daughter without me, asking them the usual "where did you meet?" and "how many times have you been to the US?" questions. He was very polite and friendly. I was then called in and asked a few simple questions, and he concluded with a big smile and handed us the Welcome to the United States letter! biggrin.gif

It was almost noon at that point, but we were done! Now we wait for the Visas to come in the mail. We are hoping to work it all out to cross on July 5th - to be followed by our wedding, and then, of course, start the AOS process... LOL.

For anyone reading this - the Visa Journey website is GREAT. It has been and continues to be a great help to us. This would have been much more difficult without VJ!! good.gif

Thanks again to the organizers of this website! You guys are GREAT
RichardMiamiMaleCanada2009-06-26 07:58:00