An Egyptian man working for the US Consulate showed up at my fiance's mother's home yesterday asking 20 questions about my fiance and his ex-wife, their divorce, etc. etc. (Didn't ask a thing about me!)

Is this standard procedure? Tuesday it will be 3 weeks since his interview and we were under the impression that since the CO congratulated him and said he'd be getting his Visa in about 3 weeks that we were all done. Then this guy shows up and grills my fiance's Mom and his sister-in-law who was visiting his Mom. He tried to get H's sister-in-law to admit she was his ex-wife! He asked the guard about H and if he knew if H and Mona were divorced and the guard told him that it was none of his business to ask all these questions... Mom told him the same thing when he asked her why the guard didn't know about the divorce... isn't ANYTHING private she asked!

H's ex-wife and his children live only a block away from his Mom. They visit Grandma (even his ex does) on a regular basis. H stays with his Mom (she lives alone and is in her 80's) most of the time, but has another flat that he shares with several guys. He stays there when he gets off work late and doesn't want to bother his Mom by waking her up at 3:00 am. We used his Mom's address and phone for all of our paper work because she is always home to recieve phone calls, DHL packets, etc. And he's there nearly every day of the week for at least 1/2 the day and many nights. He was also thinking of giving up the other flat because he will hopefully be travelling soon...

I don't know where this will take us. Mom told them that he's been divorced from Mona for about 5 years, but that he didn't do the court divorce papers until about 18 months ago... (same as we told them). I wish she had thought to have the man go over to Mona's house and check it out since she's right around the corner, but no one thought of that.

Anyone know what the next step will be??? Is this routine or are we in for some kind of long drawn out investigation????

I think the only air coming out of my lungs for the near future will be HEAVY Sighs,

Definitely NOT routine. Red flag of some kind must have poped up. I've only seen a few visits to beneficiaries neighborhood in the past 4 years bouncing around forums.

Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the US Embassy in Cairo..........kind of makes me embarassed
to be from the US.........

Think of it from CO's point of view. He gives his mom's address, but he also has a second home. Some nights he stays in his other home. He says he has been divorced 5 years, but it has only been legal for 18 months. To a CO that in itself looks suspicious. Then to top it off when he shows up at the door and questions about it they tell him it is none of his business. Well maybe it isn't, but I think the consulate does think it is their business since they are trying to determine if he truly is eligible to get a visa.

I know it sounds harsh, but just hang in there. As long as he can provide a reasonable explanation for it all he should be fine.

Yes this is very routine in Egypt. We also had a home visit to my husbands parents. Many people from Egypt who are in the visa process will have these home investigations so don't be worried! The CO also had told my husband he would receive his visa in approx 3 wks but had to wait 7 months...just hang in there and Good luck!!!

The guard told the investigator that it was not the guard's business what H did in his personal life... that he didn't keep track of the marriages and divorces of everyone in the neighborhood... My Mother-in-law answered all his questions but when he questioned her about why the guard didn't know she told him that it wasn't the guard's business to know, that families deserve a level of privacy.

Yes there are reasonable explanations for everything, but when will we get a chance to provide them and to whom???? Seems the interview was the chance for this.

It is very very very common for people in Egypt to get divorced informally long before they bother to do the paperwork. And all of this information was provided to the consultate long before the interview.

I guess I'm just wondering what the next step it.

Actually I've read several of these CO's home investigations and it seems to be a new trend in the last year from what I am reading. Don't fret.

In Egypt it is common to have a home investigation. My husband had one and many other people from Egypt have had one as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I feel you on being ticked at the questions though....try having the CO ask when and how often you have sex!!! THAT one sent me over the edge lemme tell ya!

we had 2

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=75044&st=0

I totally understand why they would like "independent verification" of the situation, but it's really kind of ridiculous to expect the doorman to know what's going on with everyone in the bldg... H has been married and divorced from Mona 3 times over 20 years.. so how would he know if they are "on again, or off again"...

The other part that seems totally ridiculous is the fact that they have the divorce papers stamped by everyone in Egypt! He's changed his ID card to show he is divorced at the Police station, and that required them verifying his divorce papers. He is either married or he's divorced, and they have nothing to show that he's still married.... so now they have become the morals police???? Are they really so interested in trying to protect me??? Are they going to send me a letter and tell me that they can't give him a visa because they THINK he's been cheating on me???? YA'SALAAM!

As for the question about how often we have sex..... I'd LOVE to hear that question! Because that might mean we were TOGETHER!

Who knows, maybe they don't ask couples our age this question... I did get asked that question when I went through AOS with my first husband 25 years ago.... It was like the Newlyweds game show... him in one room, me in another, compared our answers... The Egyptian Government also asks this question in a slightly different way if you apply for Citizenship based on marriage to an Egyptian. Guess the interviewers get as red in the face asking it as the petitioners get answering it...

I'm trying to keep a positive outlook but not knowing when we will have a chance to explain, or to whom is driving me crazy... Just afraid all our hard work may have gone down the drain and our case file will end up in a round file... At our age we need to be together soon while we can still remember each other!

Worst part if the feeling of powerlessness over the whole situation. No one to call, no where to go to get answers.

Oh GAWD!!

Okay so it was the doorman that said that. Yeah like everyone confides in the doorman on their personal life?

Anyway it sounds like you have your ducks in a row, and it sounds like this really is common there. Just keep in close contact with your SO and hang tight. They will call him when they are ready. I know it is hard but it is worth it.