His interview was scheduled for 12:30 noon. As I instructed him to do, he arrived at the embassy at 11:30 AM. He met with the guard at the main post and they reviewed his appointment letter. The guard told him to come back no earlier than 12:15 Noon. Jihed was laughing in spite of himself because I gave him a rather nasty speech about Tunisian lateness and that this day of all days was not the day for him to lolly gag and arrive late to the embassy. After having some coffee he returned at 12:20 Noon and was let inside.
He went through the same kind of security that he and I went through when we went there in June 2007 to get our "Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry" They reviewed his letters again. Gave him a locker to put his cell phone inside. They opened his bag and instructed him to remove the papers he needed for the interview. They also instructed him to place his wallet inside the locker, taking with him only the money he would need for any fees. As soon as this was done he was on his way into the Embassy.
The American Embassy in Tunis is divided into two "sections" One area for Americans and one area for Non-Americans. The area for Americans is typically empty and the area for Non-Americans is typically FULL to maximum capacity. As was the case on Monday. Jihed said he was surprised because he found a large number of Libyans sitting in the waiting area. He spoke with a few of them and they told him they were getting visas to come to the USA and that it was only taking 24-48 hours. These were not marriage or fiance visa and he did not get more information. I do not know if these were some kind of work or political freedom visa orders. However he did tell me that not one of the people he spoke with, spoke any English and that they were all being provided translators for the day's interview.
He sat for about 15 minutes waiting after he registered with the man at the window (Just checked in, gave his name, etc and was told to have a seat) And then a lady came out and called his name. He walked to her and she asked him, "Are you ready for your interview now? " He laughed and told her, "I was born ready ma'am" She got quite a chuckle out of that one.
He said she took him back to an office, where it was just him and her and a computer. He had all of his evidence with him. Although the book I sent him never did arrive (and still has not) he had pictures in the hundreds, a few emails he printed, the customs forms of all the packages I had sent to him, and extra official copies of all our important documents.
She asked him, "Does your wife speak Arabic or French?" And he told her she does speak Arabic but her French is very bad. The woman laughed and told him that her French was poor as well. She gave him the option to have the interview in Arabic since he and I can also communicate this way. He told her that he would prefer to do the interview in English. She told him she was going to be speaking very fast and was her sure that he was comfortable with that - He told her "Ma'am no one speaks as fast as my wife does when she is nervous or angry with me. I'm sure I will be fine" Again the consular laughed and said very well, English it is.
He said the total interview lasted less than 20 or 25 minutes. She never looked at any piece of paper he had. She did not want to see any photographs, no emails, nothing. Several times during the questioning he answered her and referred to a picture that he attempted to put in front of her, and she told him, "It's okay Jihed, I do believe you" Finally he asked her why she did not want to see any of the pictures and she told him your wife already sent us everything under the sun, really we do have everything here in this folder.
He laughed and laughed and told her, yes this is my wife's personality and it is because of her that I have this huge bag with me today filled with our lives for the last 3 years. The questions that she asked him were very simple. She asked him about how we met. He told her that we met on myspace three years ago. She said Myspace?
And then laughed some more 
She asked who contacted who first - He told her that I had contacted him and offered to show her the first message I sent to him in September 2005 and she again declined waving it away and said I do believe you. She asked him why I had contacted him. He told her that I had many Tunisian friends here and was hoping to visit Tunisia after a trip to Italy the next year and I wanted to make friends with people there. She said very well and asked him what did the Tunisian friends she had in the USA tell her about Tunis that made her want to come so much? And they both looked at each other and just laughed and laughed. (I'm not sure what kind of joke that was 
) She asked him about the four visits I had taken there, including the last one when we married. He told her I had stayed there two weeks for each trip and then for almost 40 days in the last trip. She said Wow! more than a month? She must have a nice job!! And this led her to question him about my work here. What do I do? How long have I been here? Do I like my job here, etc. He answered all of her questions.
Next she asked him what his family thought about me. She had particular interest in what his mother's opinion was of me. (Tunisian boys and their Mommas lol) He told her that all of his family absolutely loved me and that his mother had taken to me very well and that we all got along just fine. He told her that his family was very open minded and just wanted for him to be happy. He told her a few fast and funny stories of my time there. She seemed rather shocked that with the exception of my first trip, all of the other times I stayed in his family's home. She looked at the papers and at him and said, so you mean that in the period from August 2006 to July 2007 your wife was in Tunisia for close to 3 months? He grinned and told her that was true. And again she said wow that's great.
She did ask him why I had not returned since July 2007. Being the smart boy that he is, he did not want to allude that financial reasons were a part of it (He said I didn't want her to think that you do not make good money or that something on the i 864 was un true) So I told her that we talked and felt it was best for you to stay in the USA. That you had taken a lot of time away from your job to be with me and that you wanted to make sure your boss was happy with you. That the immigration process was long and hard and that it was necessary for me to be here to work on all the papers and respond to USCIS and NVC in a timely matter. He told her this has been the hardest 10 months of my life, but I reminded myself every day we were working toward something bigger which is inshallah never having to be apart again. - She really liked that answer.
She asked him about my son, but the question was in the form of "Do you know your wife has a child? " And he looked at her very strangely and said of course I know my wife has a child, his name is Aaron, he is 5 and he's so cute. She asked him how Aaron's name is spelled and had him call it out to her as she hand wrote it on a piece of notebook paper. She told him, "Very good" But in my mind I'm wondering, has that question ever been asked of someone and they replied with, "No I did not know that my spouse had a child"
She asked him questions about himself. His family and what he does in Jendouba. She wanted to know about his studies - About the year that he did not pass - I did not know him then, it was the first year of Uni and he had his head in the clouds as he says. He told her that he was in the last year now and as soon as the exams were finished he would be done. She asked him when the exams were? And he told her today and all this week. She apologized and said, you should have called, we would have re done your interview for another time. He laughed and said you really do not know my wife!
But he told her he'd already made the arrangements at Uni to complete the exams at another date. (He is still not sure if/when he is going to do it ) He told her about working with his father there in his father's business and she asked him a few questions about that. The last thing she said to him was, when do you want to take the visa? He answered her, "For me it's okay when you are ready, but if you are asking this question for my wife, she wants me to take it yesterday" She laughed and told him, "She really is an American, huh?"
She said everything looks fine but I need you to return tomorrow and bring me one last Bulletin Number 3 (Tunisian police report) and your passport. Then she said Congratulations Jihed!! And that she hopes we will be very happy and have a great life together. He told me she was the nicest woman ever and that she loves to laugh. But that she does talk very fast. Luckily his English is perfect, even slang and he did not find any problems talking with her.
Side note on the Bulletin Number 3 for all those Tunisians going through this process. All of the sudden getting a B3 has become a huge problem filled with so much drama. A year ago when Jihed wanted one to send with our original i-130 it took him a day's time to get it. However this time, two weeks before his interview he requested one and as of the day of the interview the police in Jendouba still did not have it for him. They told him come back later, we are busy right now and it is not ready. So after the interview since he was already in Tunis, he went back to Avenue Habib Bougourbia and stopped at the Interior Ministry Office. All the certificates go through this place anyway, even the one he would have taken in his home town. He talked to a man there and told him what he wanted. The man gave him so many problems. Demanded to see the paper from the Embassy, demanded Jihed's passport and Tunisian identification card, even asked to see a copy of our marriage license in Arabic and a copy of my passport. Jihed had all of this on hand, which seemed to really shock the man (But he'd just come from the Embassy so of course he had it all) And when the man looked over all those papers, he told Jihed give me 2 Dinar. Jihed gave him the money. And then the man says, come back on Friday. Jihed said WHAT???? My husband telling me this story was actually rather funny, he told me "Habibaty I swear I was going to go across that desk at him and choke him!" So Jihed told the man WHATEVER and left. On the way out he called Baba in Jendouba and explained it to him. Baba was furious. He said just come home Jihed and you will have the B3 tonight or I'm going to be in jail!
I love his Dad!! On the train ride on the way back to Jendouba, Baba called and told him, I have the B3 from the police station here, no worries. The crazy party about this is that my husband has never been arrested, he's never had any legal problem, I'm not even sure if he's ever killed a fly and they were giving him that much trouble about a stupid piece of paper. I thank god that his father has that kind of influence and pull in the town because it really looked like we were not getting that paper any other way.
So today DH returned to Tunis and went to the Embassy. He met the woman again and gave her the B3 and his passport. She told him Jihed I am so sorry but this is going to take 24 hours to do so leave it with me and return tomorrow for the passport. He was a little aggravated but he's calm so he told her thank you and went to leave. On the way out he stopped and talked to a man at the front desk to inquire about whether he would need to bring money and pay tomorrow when he came back for the passport. Well I'm not sure what this man told Jihed (Tunisian man) but it confused him so much that he just left the Embassy and went back to the train station. I called him and he was so confused that I called the Embassy myself just now.
I spoke with the woman who conducted his interview (Jihed was right she is so nice and she does love to laugh) and she told him honey I just finished his passport now, I completed all the authorizations and he is ready to go. Tell him I said come back tomorrow any time after 1 (when she comes back from lunch) and his passport is on my desk now and ready for him. I said does he need to bring you any other papers, forms, or money? She told me no you are all good to go and bon voyage! What a relief!!
So Wednesday is going to make three round trips 2.5 hours each into Tunis and back for Jihed, but he's taking it well. I think he's just a little bit tired. But inshallah (I see no reason why not but maybe God does) He will have his passport back in his sweet hands tomorrow and be ready to go.
I'm looking at flights right now for next week and hoping that we can get it together for then.
If anyone has any more specific questions about the Tunis Embassy, the consular or how things went please PM me and I will be so glad to help you! Or post it here and I will reply to you.
Thank you all again. The MENA slumber party was amazing and just the thing that I needed. For all your prayers and well wishes, I am so greatful!! You're all amazing! Fi amen Allah. God Bless you all!
hope algiers gives us an interview soon