awaterlily

I am expecting to get my appointment for interview in Ankara.

My case was completed at NVC last month and I heard on NVC's automated response system that it was forwarded to Ankara a few days ago.

I would like to ask a few questions if you do not mind:

Who sends the appointment letter?
When does this happen? How long after this forwarding to Ankara takes place?

What does the consulate in Ankara ask for (if they do) from us (the beneficiary and the petitioner) ?
Could you please detail your husband's CR1 journey for me and people in similar situation?

I request the same from solcayto also.

Thank you.

Hello everyone

Haven't posted in awhile.... ....been kinda keeping to myself. Glad to see things are moving along. Congrats to all those who have made some headway!!

Just wanted to say "HI" to everyone and "Hello" to all the new people.... Glad to see your posts

I wish everyone ALL the best
Peace to All,
Debra




Those who have not asked the question are not ready to accept the answer... [attachmentid=1086]

If your case is a CR1/IR1 visa type, the interview appointment letter/instructions is sent by NVC to the designated agent (petitioner?).

If NVC automated message indicates your case has been forwarded to the consulate, I suggest calling NVC again & speak to a rep to learn of your interview date.

To learn more about the visa interview/requirements, please visit the US embassy - Ankara website:

http://ankara.usembassy.gov/visa_services.html

Best advice: be honest and be prepared.

Bring documentation to prove the validity of your relationship. My husband put together a nice little scrap book with a mixed assortment of photos. He also brought greeting cards/birthday cards, etc.

The consular may ask you if you have chat/phone records. If you saved your internet chats/phone records she may want all of them. If you didn't save them - no worry (we didn't either)

GL!

~waterlily

Hi Everyone!! Well, I have been waiting for 2 weeks for the NVC to tell me if my case was approved. I got tired of waiting and called today. They told me that I have been placed on Administrative Processing, but that our case was complete 5/1. Well this makes no sense to me at all. So, I guess I will just keep calling everyday until I can find out what is happening. They wouldn't tell me why, they just said that it was. I haven't heard of a case going to AP before the consulate. Oh dear

Hi joyeann,

Congrats on your case complete! I hope your AP goes through quickly.

According to the embassy website, Iranian applicants require additional security clearances before the interview can take place.

http://ankara.usembassy.gov/iranian_applicants.html

I think there are a few Iranian VJers that went through Ankara. Perhaps they could share their experiences with you.

Best wishes,

waterlily

How's everyone doing?

Again - so sorry for not posting much lately. We are still in the "settling in" phase but things are starting to wind down.

cheers,
waterlily

Hi everyone!! Found out this morning that the Administrative Processing is complete. It took them a total of 9 days! So, all thats left is the interview and hopefully his clearances will be completed by then (fingers crossed)

awaterlily!! Settling in..... What fun, after all this immigration stuff...!!!!

Joye

Hi Everyone!!! Happy Mother's day!!!

I called NVC yesterday and they said that the package was mailed to Ankara on May 12th!!! Woohoo! I was just wondering how long does it usually take NCV to schedule the interview?

Also, what else should I be sending to my hubby to prepare for the interview?

I can't believe that we are so very close!!!! Come on NVC!! !

Joye

Ok, 21 days left and the paranoia is setting in!

I mailed all of my originals to NVC as they requested. I don't have more originals. They said that they would return them at the interview. It is the I-864 (completed in April), police certs and our marriage certificate.

Do I need to try and get more originals for the interview or can I just send the copies to my husband to take to the interview??? Anyone else do the CR1/IR from Ankara that is familar with this???

OI! I am so paranoid now!!!

Hey Everyone! I know it's been several months, I started a new job and other things have been going on in my life that have kept me super super busy. Well, my husband got his SSN card about a month ago and is still having trouble finding work. He has applied to many places but nothing has come of it. He went to one interview and didn't get the job. It's really hard to find work in Austin for Americans who have lived in Austin and knows how it works, so I'm not surprised. But keep your fingers crossed for us. Hope everything is good with everyone else.

Peace,

SOL

Good Luck SOL!! I hope your hubby finds something soon!!!

Congratulations joyeann!

As far as I know from reading the appointment letter/the last packet the NVC has got all the originals already and they forwarded it to the embassy in Ankara. If they need anything else it would be expired documents like police certificate ( I think they do not ask this from Iranian applicants).

Congratulations again for getting the interview date after so long a wait.

My interview was scheduled for June also. However I am in the US and I might re-schedule it for September.
However I read at the Consulate's website that most security clearances expire in 3 months. Does anyone have any idea how andtill when I can postpone my interview date in order to keep those clearances still valid? But I think it would be safe to take as many documents (original and copies) to the consulate for the interview as possible.

Have a great weekend you all!

Congrats Joye & Ali!!! Good luck on the interview.

Hi Deb_Res,

Any update on your interview date???

Hi Joye,
Thanks for asking. How is everything going for you and your baby ? I just posted the latest news in the forum and you won't believe it! I will cut and paste it here for you to read.

Well... It was going on 9 weeks without any word after our NOA2. My lawyer basically told me to chill out and wait, security checks could take months. I wouldn't let it rest... A new friend of mine from VJ told me I should call the NVC to make sure it's not sitting there. So I called and they said our petition was forwarded to the Ankara Embassy on 3/21/06. I emailed the embassy and explained that I have not heard a thing in 9 weeks and could they please tell me the status of my case. They emailed back in one day and told me they forwarded Packet 3 to my lawyer on 3/24/06!!!!!!! When I heard this I almost exploded ! 2 months were wasted for nothing ! I forwarded the email from the embassy to him and called him. He called me back and apologized. Whether true or not, he said that his secretary, who was fired 3 weeks ago, miss filed my Packet 3. And while he was away on business last week the new secretary found the Packet and he thought they just received it! And to make up for it he said he will do my AOS for free, which would have cost me $2,000. I wasn't going to hire him for the AOS, I was going to do it myself with the help of VJ, but hell I'm going to take him up on his offer and take up his time and money! All I can say is always rely on your gut feeling/instincts. All along I felt something was not right and sure enough I was right.

Now we have Packet 3 !!! Finally !!! My question is this: Our NOA1 was approved on 3/1/06, our NOA2 was approved on 3/16/06, where do we fit in with the IMBRA Law? Are we ok because our NOA1 was approved before 3/5/06? Or do they go by the NOA2 date on 3/16/06?

~Debbie

Hello everyone

I hope everyone is doing fine and all is going well...adjusting, job hunting...etc...etc....etc...

Glad to see things moving along for those of you who are at Ankara, your time is sooo soon. Congratulations!!! I remember it as if it was yesterday.....

Wishing you All the Best
Peace to All,
Debra

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DEBRA & CANDEMIR!!!
Tomorrow is their 1 year Anniversary!!!!

Best wishes for many, many more years of health and happiness!!!

Thank you Betty & Seyhan

and congratulations on receiving the Green Card


Peace to All,
Debra & Candemir

Happy Anniversary Debra and Candemir! I wish you both many more years of love and happiness!

Congratulations Betty and Seyhan on getting your green card! Way to go!!!

Happy Anniversary Debra and Candemir

Happy Happy Happy Anniversary Debra and Candemir!!

Thank You..


joyeann & Deb_Res
so soon now and you will be together with your sweethearts...
then the memory of this process will slowly fade and new beginnings will be replaced...

awaterlily
I hope adjusting is going well for you both ...keeping busssssyyyy??
(LOL) this last year has been one crazy ride!

Wishing Everyone all the best,
Peace to All
Debra & Candemir

morning! well ali had his interview yesterday and they told him that his fbi name check was not complete. We wondered about this since we were only given 22 days notice for his interview. Anyone have any idea of how long these take? The CO told him 4 weeks, but their website says 4 months

So sorry to hear of your news joyeann. I pray the FBI check comes back ASAP.
I am sorry to not have any info to help you on this matter but at least can offer
you some support.

Best wishes to you both,
Peace to All
Debra

Thank you Debra!!

I am hoping that they will be done in the 4 week timeframe that they told him. He was planning on coming the first part of July anyway so that would work out perfectly. .

He did say that almost none of the men there got their visa's, and that they have to wait for the checks as well. So it doesn't sound like AR at least I hope not!!

Hi Joye,
I'm so sorry to hear this news I hope and pray that you and Ali will be together soon... I just don't understand why they are scheduling interviews before the security checks are complete??? It makes no sense! It's making me worry now whether the same thing will happen to Resul when we finally do get an interview date Ohhhh... This is quite a journey we all chose, huh? How did Ali's actual interview go? Any pointers for us? Did they actually say that he will get the visa as soon as his FBI check was complete? Keep me posted Joye. Again I'm sorry for your disappointment. If you need someone to talk to I'm here!

~Debbie

Hey Deb,

When we got the interview the embassy had only had our packet for 22 days. So we figured we may have a problem with the security checks. It says on their website that it takes 8 weeks usually for them to get done.

Ali said that the lady that interviewed him was very nice. The interview lasted about 15 mins. Some of the questions she asked

Why did you get married so quickly
What do you like best about your wife
Who are the people with you at your wedding
Will you work when you get to the US
How did you and your spouse meet

She then said that his check was not complete and he will need to check the internet to see when his case number is there showing the checks are complete. She also requested my 2005 return, which I thought NVC had sent, but I will resend it. Then she had him sign the DS230 part 2 and swore him him.

Make sure you send a complete copy of your I-864. I had a horrible time with DHL and alot of our information I wasn't able to scan in, in time. Ali said that 7 out of 10 men had the same problem and will have to come back. But he was thankful that the interview was completed. He said he was so nervous he wasnt able to sleep for 2 days so after it was done he slept 24 hours straight.

joyeann....

congrats! it sounds like your interview went very well.

i pray your clearance processing goes quickly.

keep us posted.

cheers,
waterlily

Hi Deb!! Just checking in to see if there is any news? You will prolly have your interview here shortly!

Hi Joye,
Thanks for the info on the interview. I really hope they process the FBI check fast for you guys! I can't believe you have been apart from each other for almost a year and a half

No news on us. I Global Expressed the papers(Packet 3) to Resul and he received them on Thurs. So now he is working on them and getting his passport, police report, and military records. Then he has to find a translator to translate the police report and military records... Then he will Global Express everything back to me and my lawyer wants to check over everything and then we will send it to the Embassy from here. So, no interview anytime too quick here! I think we will have to file for an extension. My NOA2 expires on 7/16/06. I think my lawyer will file for it by the end on June.

I hope to God that when we finally do get to the interview part of this, Resul's FBI check will be done! Especially since the lawyer held us up for 2 months, and by the time we finally hand in Packet 3 it will be at least 3 months, and I'm sure when we get our interview date it will be in a month or two from then... So that there gives them 5-6 months to complete the check (I HOPE!!!)...

I don't think you realized that I will be going to the interview with Resul when it happens. My lawyer basically told me I have to go because we will have a better chance of getting the visa if they see me with him. So I will be going back to Turkey whenever our interview date is. And I think I will go meet his family then too. He is about 8 hours from Ankara. We might go spend a couple of days in his city? The first time we met in Istanbul and that's about a 13 hour bus ride from Resul's city. So Ankara is a bit closer. I have met his entire family on cam, but I will be nervous to finally meet in person! At least I know they are happy with me and will welcome me with open arms.

Take care Joye and I will keep you posted on things!
Good night...
~Deb

Hi Deb!
Sounds like you guys are coming right along!! Ali wasn't able to get his vacination card either, so he had all the shots redone and they gave him some kind of international card. He only had to have 1 shot in Turkey and it was like $60.

That is awesome that you will be there with him!! Ali said that the lady he had was very nice.

Keep me posted!!

I am still wondering since they had him sign the DS230 and swear in do you think that means everything is ok?

I had a question regarding this, because I have read accounts from people who have had interviews at different Embassies, and not all of them allowed the spouse to enter the interview with them. I would also, like you........... be able to be with my wife and travel back to Turkey to be with her when her interview time comes up. (I am hoping it will coincide ..of course...with my time off from work).

Since several of you have already had your interviews (or your spouse has).....if you went to Ankara with your spouse to the embassy , what happened then? Were you allowed to stay with him\her for the whole time and interview? What is it like at the embassy?

I have been to the US consulate in Istanbul several times. Is the setup the same or similar? (I assume the interviews for a green card would not be the same as those for a tourist or student visa, and would not be done from behind a window?)

I am thinking we would take the train from Istanbul to Ankara......about 8 hours as mentioned above...... and then find our way to the embassy from there.

We have a ways to go until her interview (the I-130 was just sent about a month ago), but I want to plan ahead.

Thanks

Actually is it done behind a window as if you were going to the Bank with a live teller.

I was with my husband at his interview in Ankara and so were many other couples there too, they will call you and your spouse can be with you while he or she is being interviewed.

It does sometimes help to be there for reason as in my husband's case with the officer interviewing him could not understand him and so she asked me the questions and I answered her, but I guess it really depends on who interviews you.

Good Luck to everyone still waiting for their coming up interviews

Mina

Thanks for the reply.

That ``bank teller`` approach is the same thing as the consulate in Istanbul......and all too familiar. My one question however, is that looking at your timeline and experiences in regards to you and your husband is that you filed a k-1.

I have to wonder if the interview done for an I-130, where they are actually adjusting status in Turkey, as opposed to the USA...is the same. I sure hope not, because after having been with my wife and seen what her and everyone else goes through to get a visa at the consulate.....the lines......the crowd......waiting for a number to be called......and then finally having such an impersonal and sterile interview while standing from behind a window......I had hoped the process for a green card would be different. It`ll be stressful enough on her as it is, .......let alone on top of that make her go through the same routine and process as done at the consulate. I was hoping it would at least be a more relaxed setting.....where she could sit and discuss it all with someone in a private room, etc.

Maybe someone else reading this thread who had a spouse adjust status in Turkey could answer that?

In either case, thanks for your reply (it was interesting and helpful information)..........and any others I might recieve on this.

Well I should know more about this topic too being that I was married once before to another turkish man a few years ago and we were married in Istanbul and did a spousal visa I-130, so it's basically the same way that they will interview all the couples at the Ankara Embassy.

I'am sorry to hear that this will be a stressful time for your wife when her time comes for her interview, but she should really try her best to be calm and relaxed since the officer interviewing will understand that everyone going through this process is nervous at first.

But if everything is in order and the marriage is true and valid to the interviewing officer then of course she will be fine, believe me these people can tell if a marriage is genuine or not. if anything is missing the officer will let her know and give her a form with the missing evidence checked off.

Eventhough you don't really have to be there with your wife at her interview I still strongly believe it is best to go with her, not only for moral support but it also helps for the officer to see the couples together.

Good Luck to you both and Hope Everything goes well during your interview.

Thanks again for that info. Lets us both be a bit more mentally prepared for what will happen when it actually does happen. Believe me, we have both been to the consulate enough these past few years , that she is practically an expert now on that process. I am sure she`ll do fine. It`s probably me that`s the nervous, worrying one.

What surprises me is that they do the interviews for the green card that same way. Up until now, I always imagined it being done another way....like in a room etc...

We`ve actually been married now for nearly 2 and a half years......and she is probably way more
``Americanized`` than most Turkish spouses, having lived and studied in the USA for nearly 10 years. She lived in Chicago, then Texas, then Florida. I am sure the transition to America, when she comes for good, will be nothing compared to what it must be for most spouses from Turkey who have not really been in the USA for so long. I am in Istanbul now, with her here for the summer, and just what I see here each day makes me understand just how very different our cultures can be at times. Must have been some kind of ``culture`` shock for your husband

Thanks again for your reply.

Hi Joye,

Any word yet on Ali's security check? Do you check the embassy's website weekly to see if he he was cleared? I keep checking for our case # ever since this happened to you. Going to the lawyer to compile Packet 3 and Fedex it out this week. I'll keep you posted!

~Deb

Hi Deb!! Nope nothing yet. They did say it would take 4-6 weeks and today is day 19. I check every day. My home page is set to the security checks!! Any news on when your interview is?

Hi
I am new here!
My husband is from Southeast Turkey, not far from Urfa, and I am from Georgia.

Has anyone tried travelling to a non-american destination while waiting for the K3 or the CR-1 to process?

I went to Turkey for almost a month in Jan/Feb and got married while there. My husband lives with his parents and brothers and sisters. His (our) family is wonderful!! Even though I do not speak much turkish besides the very basics we got along really well and by the time I left everyone was in tears, sad to see me go. Because of my limited time there my husband and I did not have a very big celebration or honeymoon. The family wants to have a wedding party for us when i go back in September.
In the meantime, I am trying to get us on a honeymoon, so we can have some alone time. I have a timeshare in Aruba and thought that would be an ideal place to go, well of course Turkish people need a visa to go . I called the netherlands embassy and explained that I was an american wife and was taking my turkish husband to Aruba. They said if he has american visa no problem, I said we are working on that and it could be months before one is issued. Well the person I talked to told me to gather up my employment pay stubs for 3 months, (he is not currently working as he usually works during the tourist time in marmaris but decided this year not to go as foolish me thought he might be coming to the USA in June or July),have the resort reservation, proof of health insurance thru my employer, his round trip plane ticket, I think that was all. I got all that and gave it to my husband, well when he called to make his visa appointment they said forget the wifes info bring his fathers employment stuff and get travellers insurance.
He goes for his appoint with both mine and his fathers info his passport and plane tickets and the resort reservation which is in both our names. The appointment is to take about one hour with a decsion before he leaves - NOT! They tell him to come back in a week, lucky for him he has family in Istanbul he can stay with during this time because it is a 20 hour bus ride to home. He goes back a week later and they say they can not make a decsion on the visa they have to send it to Aruba for the decision and he should have his passport with or without visa in 10 days. That was June 19th, still no word. I had
to make my plane reservations July 3rd or the price went up $200 or cancel the reservation for the resort and lose nothing on my timeshare by the 3rd. So I have my plane tickets hoping his visa comes thru!! If not I maybe honeymooning by myself. My plane ticket is not cancelable but I can change it for $100 if my plane change which I could use for part of my ticket back to turkey this fall. Can anyone relate to this??

Right now I am so sick of VISAS, I want to sell my house and belongings and just move to Turkey!!!

Sorry for the long post.

Nice to have a Turkey forum....I had to laugh when I read about all the bread someones husband eats,
when I lived with his family bread was the staple of every meal, and i also am not a big bread eater, and
they had a fit if i did not eat enough bread, they had 4 or 5 different variety of bread while i was there. Some
was like a loaf of bread, some was like a pizza crust, and some were like tortillas.

Good luck on your visa journeys!!

Hi Michele&Omer,

Ugh this sucks! I am sorry to hear that it is taking so long. I found this info at an aruba website, where they say it can take up to 4 weeks. Hopefully your husband will have his visa in hand shortly!! Maybe you can call the foreign affairs nuber in Aruba?




All Visa applicants should submit the following supporting documents:
· A completed and signed application form
· 2 photographs
· A valid passport
· Proof of economic solvency: the last three monthly bank statements
(must be original), bank letter alone will not suffice.
· Employment letter showing salary, position, total time on job, guarantee of employment upon return
· If self employed, excerpt of the company’s registration from the Chamber of Commerce
· If you are visiting family or friends, a letter of invitation
· Flight and Hotel reservations

Applications for a visa can be done through the representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Embassy or Consulate) or directly through the Department of Foreign Affairs in Aruba. In both cases, applications for tourist-visas will be handled with priority in order to facilitate the tourist as much as possible.
In other cases, the entire procedure might take up to four weeks and the visa will be handed over to the interested party by the Dutch Embassy and/or Consular Officials in the country where the application has been done or by fax if the application has been done directly through the Department of Foreign Affairs of Aruba.
J.E. Irausquinplein 2-A, Oranjestad
Tel: (297) 583-4705, Fax: (297) 583-8108

Yes he has turned in all the requested documents and photos with the application.
I wanted to have him file for the visa in May but the embassy told him to wait for June. Turns out June 2nd they started a new process where you not only pay for the visa but you have to pay for the appointment as well, and the fees they listed are lower than what he was charged. He paid for his appointment on June 2nd like he was told and then when he called the embassy to say he had his pin number to make the appointment they said it took 24 hours to get it in their system. So he calls on monday and they want to make his appointment for the next day well with a 20 hour bus ride and having to get his fathers documents that just was not a possibilty so they made his appointment for the following monday which was the 12th but they did not send the visa request to Aruba until the 19th.
Our reservations are for the 17th to the 27th of July. He did call and say he had mail today but ofcourse he is not home this week as he is working for his family picking apricots out of the orchard. His dad sent the mail on the bus for him to get on Wednesday. I hope it is his passport with the visa inside!

Thanks for sending the info if that mail is not his passport i will certainly try calling Aruba and see if they can tell me the status of his application.

He also has a layover in Amsterdam both coming and going to Aruba and he has said that the embassy understood that so his visa should be good for transit there as well, if not, I am not sure if we have time to get that amended.
After making all these reservations and applying for the visa I found out that Venezula does not require visas from people in Turkey and Venezula is like just a few miles from Aruba, wish I had known that months ago. But something to think about if this doesnt work out for us.

Some other good news I just got my RFE for the K-3 visa on Monday so that hopefully that will be moving soon. I am also working on the CR-1 visa we have turned in AOS bill and his choice of agent just waiting for the package from them as well.

Michele

Welcome Michele! And good luck with everything. I have no advice for you, but just wanted to say Hi! Also wanted to respond to the bread eating statement! LOL! I noticed the same thing! Resul must eat the equivalent to 2 loaves of bread a day! I was amazed! He said to me "Baby, don't you like to eat bread?" and I said "I love bread, unfortunately it doesn't like me!!!" (as I have the weight problem and he doesn't ). So good luck with everything and keep smiling!

~Debbie

**BUMP**

Hi!! Any updates out there???

Hey Joye!
The only news I have is that we sent Packet 3 into Ankara on Wednesday! So now we will be waiting for Packet 4. Wait... Wait... Wait... As you know

~Deb

Deb isn't packet 4 the interview letter? And packet 3 is that what went to the NVC? Our interview was scheduled really quickly.. so you should be getting ready!!

My family is not from Turkey, but we have similar trends that are geared towards our lifestyles in our home country. For example, the sleeping with the we hair or air conditioned. We have that too in Panama, but we have thick nappy hair that doesn't seem to dry easily a nighgt so you feel stuffy in the morning waking on a bed of we hair. The airconditioning we have is full of mold and mildew and sucks in polution from the streets. That nasty stuff also gives you a cold. However, we have better blow dryers here and less humidity so both your hair and the airconditioning doesn't get musty.
My 2cents say let him/her do it there way and before you know it, they'll be doing it the US way w/o thinking.
cheers
Chispas

so soon now Deb_Res

Wishing everyone all the best

Peace,
Debra

Hi Joye & Debra!

Yes, Packet 4 is the interview letter . And as Debra said it will be so soon !!! I saw another couple's timeline for Turkey and the embassy received their Packet 3 on June 14 and their interview is about the middle of August. So I'm assuming ours will be in late August to mid September So I will keep you all informed! Any word about Ali's visa Joye?

~Deb

Hi Deb!! WOOHOOO!! You will have your honey with you soon!!! I can't wait to read "visa in hand"

Nothing new yet with Ali's visa. Still waiting... they should be updating the website again tonight I will just keep checking. We are coming up on week 5. I will call DOS again tomorrow just to see if the woman says there is only 1 check to clear Just to make sure that they say 1 lol

Keep me posted!!

Good news at last!!!

The mail my husband recieved was not his visa but the DS-3032, which we had already sent an email for and had been accepted.
He got back home on Monday and called the Netherlands Embassy (my call to Aruba Foreign Ministry got me nowhere) and they told him to call back on Tuesday afternoon. When he called on Tuesday, they said they had just gotten his package back from Aruba and YES it contained his visa!!!!!!
He wanted to pick it up instead of them UPSing it but they said that would be another appointment cost and they rather just send it...so at this point we are planning on leaving on Monday for our HoneyMoon!!!!
We still are being cautious until he has his passport and visa in hand but we are excited just the same!!!!

Now to find a birthday present for him....which will be on the 23rd while we are in Aruba.

Wishing everyone the best on their journeys,

Michele

P.S. Just a quick silly question...
My husband wears his wedding ring on his right hand and when I look at the other men in his family they wear their rings on the right also....is that something turkish or just something you think is just in their family? Then i wonder should i wear mine on the right hand too?? Any insights would be wonderful.