Applying Outside Canada; interview location question

[micbc]

Primary Applicant is American
We are living in Germany as they are working for American military
Do I submit form stating we will interview in USA or Germany?
Or could we stipulate "in Germany prior to xxxx date and in USA after xxxx date?

 

[Mightytonewheel]

Primary Applicant is American
We are living in Germany as they are working for American military
Do I submit form stating we will interview in USA or Germany?
Or could we stipulate "in Germany prior to xxxx date and in USA after xxxx date?

Your posting is a little unclear. Principal applicant is American, sponsor is (presumably) Canadian. When you say "they" are working for the American military, who is "they"?

Anyway, there's nowhere on the application where you can state where you would like to be interviewed. If the principal applicant is American and the application is outland, CIC will send the application to the regional office in America. If an interview is required (which is rare), it will take place the US. There's no provision to allow applicants to have interviews wherever they happen to be located at any given time.

If you plan to apply while living in Germany and then move to the US, I would state your residential address as in Germany. You can change your address after you submit your application.

 

[Decoy24601]

Your posting is a little unclear. Principal applicant is American, sponsor is (presumably) Canadian. When you say "they" are working for the American military, who is "they"?

Anyway, there's nowhere on the application where you can state where you would like to be interviewed. If the principal applicant is American and the application is outland, CIC will send the application to the regional office in America. If an interview is required (which is rare), it will take place the US. There's no provision to allow applicants to have interviews wherever they happen to be located at any given time.

If you plan to apply while living in Germany and then move to the US, I would state your residential address as in Germany. You can change your address after you submit your application.

I just wanted to point out that this is false. American applicants are sent to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada first. If an interview is necessary they will forward it to either Los Angeles or New York.There is an option in the country specific guide for the U.S. to choose between these two options, but I think they mostly have people do their interviews at the former place, since I've never seen anyone on here who has needed an interview have theirs done at New York. Sometimes, if the principal applicant is a resident of another country the CIC will take that into consideration when choosing an office to process the application, but it's uncommon. Interviews for Americans are very rare and are normally due to serious red flags like criminal history.

 

[micbc]

I can't find the Ottawa mailing address only the Missisauga one and my magic jack app won't let me call the CIC office. Can anyone help please?

 

[scylla]

I can't find the Ottawa mailing address only the Missisauga one and my magic jack app won't let me call the CIC office. Can anyone help please?

All applications are sent to Mississauga first - regardless of where you're applying from.

 

[micbc]

Ok great! Just to clarify, I send to Mississauga then it would be rereouted via CIC to the Ottawa branch?

 

[yamgia]

Ok great! Just to clarify, I send to Mississauga then it would be rereouted via CIC to the Ottawa branch?

That's correct.

 

[Sunset0505]

I just wanted to point out that this is false. American applicants are sent to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada first. If an interview is necessary they will forward it to either Los Angeles or New York.There is an option in the country specific guide for the U.S. to choose between these two options, but I think they mostly have people do their interviews at the former place, since I've never seen anyone on here who has needed an interview have theirs done at New York. Sometimes, if the principal applicant is a resident of another country the CIC will take that into consideration when choosing an office to process the application, but it's uncommon. Interviews for Americans are very rare and are normally due to serious red flags like criminal history.

We lived 4 hours drive from NYC/CIC and had to fly to LA for interview...and it was at our cost...

 

[Decoy24601]

We lived 4 hours drive from NYC/CIC and had to fly to LA for interview...and it was at our cost...

That's terrible. I don't know why they even still list NY as an option for interviews anymore. I haven't heard of a single time people had their interviews in NY in years. I hope you were able to make a bit of a vacation out of such inconvenience.

 

[CDNPR2014]

That's terrible. I don't know why they even still list NY as an option for interviews anymore. I haven't heard of a single time people had their interviews in NY in years. I hope you were able to make a bit of a vacation out of such inconvenience.

NY isn't listed as an interview option. There are no interview options given. Interview letters only provide LA as the place for the interview. NY doesn't process anything to do with spousal sponsorships anymore. If you go on the website for the NY Embassy, you'll see there is no mention or information for that type of application. If it's still on CIC's website, it shouldn't be there... and we all know how long it takes CIC to fix wrong information.

 

[MilesAway]

NY isn't listed as an interview option. There are no interview options given. Interview letters only provide LA as the place for the interview. NY doesn't process anything to do with spousal sponsorships anymore. If you go on the website for the NY Embassy, you'll see there is no mention or information for that type of application. If it's still on CIC's website, it shouldn't be there... and we all know how long it takes CIC to fix wrong information.

That is not correct. Taken directly from the USA guide:

CHOICE OF INTERVIEW LOCATION
If you are required to attend a personal interview at a visa office in the USA, indicate your first choice for interview
location is (check one):
No Preference
Los Angeles, California
New York, New York
The Regional Program Centre will try to meet your interview location preference, however, this may not be
possible in every case. Files will be assigned to each interview location in a process that will result in
approximately equal times to interview for all applicants

 

[CDNPR2014]

That is not correct. Taken directly from the USA guide:

CHOICE OF INTERVIEW LOCATION
If you are required to attend a personal interview at a visa office in the USA, indicate your first choice for interview
location is (check one):
No Preference
Los Angeles, California
New York, New York
The Regional Program Centre will try to meet your interview location preference, however, this may not be
possible in every case. Files will be assigned to each interview location in a process that will result in
approximately equal times to interview for all applicants

Actually, this is COMPLETELY ACCURATE based on real world experiences, not what is written in a country specific guide that has not been updated to reflect the NYC embassy no longer handling spousal sponsorship cases. Every single person who has reported a interview as a US applicant has received instructions for interviewing in LA. There is NO Option for NY provided in the interview letter. Take a look at the poster above who is FROM NY and was REQUIRED to interview in LA. I also know someone personally from NY who had to travel to LA at their own expense for the interview. All other reports on this forum are consistent with this.

We lived 4 hours drive from NYC/CIC and had to fly to LA for interview...and it was at our cost...

There are NO interviews in NY for spousal sponsorship. The interview letter ONLY gives LA as an option. I challenge you to find a US applicant who required an interview for spousal sponsorship in the last 2ish years and was able to do it in NYC. I will bet you a million dollars you will not be able to find one!

 

[MilesAway]

I agree that no members here have ever been requested to attend an interview in NY, however you stated that no options were given, while the guide does ask you to list your preferred location (so that they can promptly ignore it).
It is baffling that CIC still lists NY in the interview options when clearly it is not an option anymore.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I agree that no members here have ever been requested to attend an interview in NY, however you stated that no options were given, while the guide does ask you to list your preferred location (so that they can promptly ignore it).
It is baffling that CIC still lists NY in the interview options when clearly it is not an option anymore.

The option i am referring to is in the interview letter, not the guide. it's not baffling at all... CIC does not update things that they don't see as a priority, so it's not surprising they still haven't removed that damn form - which isn't even a required document on the checklist by the way. it just is annoying that is causes major confusion for applicants and frustrating for those on the East coast who get triggered for an interview.

 

[Sunset0505]

Actually, this is COMPLETELY ACCURATE based on real world experiences, not what is written in a country specific guide that has not been updated to reflect the NYC embassy no longer handling spousal sponsorship cases. Every single person who has reported a interview as a US applicant has received instructions for interviewing in LA. There is NO Option for NY provided in the interview letter. Take a look at the poster above who is FROM NY and was REQUIRED to interview in LA. I also know someone personally from NY who had to travel to LA at their own expense for the interview. All other reports on this forum are consistent with this.

There are NO interviews in NY for spousal sponsorship. The interview letter ONLY gives LA as an option. I challenge you to find a US applicant who required an interview for spousal sponsorship in the last 2ish years and was able to do it in NYC. I will bet you a million dollars you will not be able to find one!

The consulate told us that in fact NY stopped doing interviews but there was such a back log they started again...problem is that is like 24 month waiting period...our file would have stayed there but Ottawa sent it to LA because NY had not reopened..LA requested the file transfer from NY..that is why we had to go to LA...