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Interviews for Ethiopia

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Lidiya and I were notified that our case was complete on March 12, and our interview letter date was June 25, so it was almost 3 1/2 months. I'm not sure, but the timeframe may also be connected to your initial filing date; ours was December 2013. What you won't get from NVC is information. I called several times and they would only tell me it had been sent to the US Embassy in Addis, but they had no other -- and had no way of getting any other -- information. It was very frustrating. Lidiya had her interview yesterday and was approved (!!), so stay strong.

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Lidiya and I were notified that our case was complete on March 12, and our interview letter date was June 25, so it was almost 3 1/2 months. I'm not sure, but the timeframe may also be connected to your initial filing date; ours was December 2013. What you won't get from NVC is information. I called several times and they would only tell me it had been sent to the US Embassy in Addis, but they had no other -- and had no way of getting any other -- information. It was very frustrating. Lidiya had her interview yesterday and was approved (!!), so stay strong.

awesome!! thanks for coming back and sharing.. and congrats on your approval !!! happy endings happy life!

yea it looks like 3 and half months is the norm now.. so a few should be hearing something for September

USCIS : 7 months
Marriage : March 21, 2014
I-130 Sent : April 18, 2014
I-130 NOA1 : April 22, 2014
I-130 Approved: November 14, 2014 
after two service request

NVC6 months
Received : December 1, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : January 1, 2015
Pay AOS Bill : January 9, 2015
Submit DS-261 : January 7, 2015
Receive IV Bill : January 15, 2015 
called after AOS showed paid, they released it overnight)
Pay IV Bill : January 23, 2015
Send IV and AOS: January 29, 2015
Scan date: February 3, 2015
Checklist: March 19, 2015
 (only need to send south Africa police report)
Case Complete: June 3, 2015 

EMBASSY: 10 months
Interview appointment letter : December 4, 2015
Interview Date : January 21, 2016 
medical wasn't complete
Second interview date: April 4th 2016
Interview Result :APPROVED!!!

Visa Received : 4/13/2016 ( they sent us a email stating our visa was ready for pick up)

USA LIFE
US Entry :4/29/2016 
Social Security : 5/10/2016 (filed from the actual office)
State ID: 5/14/2016
Started working!!: 5/25/2016
Finally paid green card fee: 6/24/2016 ( note said we will receive it within 60 days)
Green card in hand: 7/5/2016 10 year green card we done!! 

1st king born: 6/30/2016

April 2017 update: Marriage still going strong, baby boy getting bigger. Life is good 

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Congrats to you and Lidia for hanging in there. 18 months process to me is truly along time. 1. My questions did you have to provide more documents which held ur case up for such a long time frame. 2. Can you provide any details(eg. Interview questions). Thank Woody

A56

CRI-1 Journey

I-130 Sent: July 2nd, 2014
I-130 NOA1: July 14, 2014
I-130 Approved: December 15, 2014
NVC Received: December 29th, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill: February 18, 2015
Receive IV Bill: April 17th, 2015
Sent IV Package and AOS Package: April 20th, 2015 (Completed before April 15th, 2015 with only 2011, 12 and 2013 Tax

Doc's,** but have my 2014 ready at the Interview if asked**)

SCAN DATE: ???

CC Date: July 06th, 2015 as of 1/19/2016 still awaiting.

CC Email: July 13th, 2015 Via Email @ 1 am in the morning.

Interview email: NEVER CAME

Interview Date: March , 2016

Interview results:

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Congrats to you and Lidia for hanging in there. 18 months process to me is truly along time. 1. My questions did you have to provide more documents which held ur case up for such a long time frame. 2. Can you provide any details(eg. Interview questions). Thank Woody

I'm not sure exactly what they took from her before the interview. She said she gave them her passport and an updated copy of the police certificate (it hadn't been a year yet, but she was nervous about it, so I told her to go ahead and get a new one). I had her go get new passport photos, just in case, and I sent her updated tax/income info for the AoS. For evidence, she took with her ~200 photos of our wedding and honeymoon, about 40 pages of Rebtel call logs, and about 50 receipts of bank/Moneygram transfers. During the interview, the CO didn't ask to see anything she had brought (she had a big photo album and a binder for all of the documents). Perhaps because he could see she was well prepared; I don't know. It sounds like he asked a lot of questions. Most of them expected, I guess. Details about how we met, names and birth dates of my kids, my mom's name and where she lives, information about my ex-wife.

One thing I can say is don't let family/zemed, neighbors, etc get you worked up over what you should take. Some people have experienced it, but most have only heard 2nd/3rd/4th hand stories of the interview process and want to give you "advice" to "help" you. Honestly, it is far more of a hindrance, than a help. Lidiya was so worked up over what she thought she needed from 100 people telling her take this, and take that, that neither one of us were getting any sleep. I kept telling her to tell them "thank you very much" and ignore them.

You are at this point in the process because it is pretty much finished. If there is an update to what you initially sent them to establish bonafides of marriage, civil documents, or AoS, then have that. If you have photos, take them. I think they are far more valuable than the receipt to a hotel (someone tried to tell Lidiya she needed to call all of the hotels we stayed in on our honeymoon and have them sent receipts for our stay. I told her they were crazy and no hotel in Ethiopia is going to have receipts from 2 years ago). Most of all, be honest and genuine, and give simple answers to only the questions they ask. Don't feel the need to make something up. If you don't know, say you don't know. If you don't remember, say you don't remember. Contrary to what some like to tell you, they aren't there to trick you. They also aren't the Ethiopian government, so a lot of the overly complex beureaucratic BS that you might expect from the Ethiopian government won't really apply. No, every document you have doesn't need to be authenticated and stamped by eighteen different offices; no, it doesn't really matter that "your" wareda is Yeka, but now you live in Lafto. Unless you bring it up; so don't. Relax, be friendly and polite, be confident, be honest, remember to breathe, and SMILE!

Hope this helps!

Edited by benbu75
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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

thanks for that I think you have helped all of us!!! lol because boy those stories are something they tell!

USCIS : 7 months
Marriage : March 21, 2014
I-130 Sent : April 18, 2014
I-130 NOA1 : April 22, 2014
I-130 Approved: November 14, 2014 
after two service request

NVC6 months
Received : December 1, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : January 1, 2015
Pay AOS Bill : January 9, 2015
Submit DS-261 : January 7, 2015
Receive IV Bill : January 15, 2015 
called after AOS showed paid, they released it overnight)
Pay IV Bill : January 23, 2015
Send IV and AOS: January 29, 2015
Scan date: February 3, 2015
Checklist: March 19, 2015
 (only need to send south Africa police report)
Case Complete: June 3, 2015 

EMBASSY: 10 months
Interview appointment letter : December 4, 2015
Interview Date : January 21, 2016 
medical wasn't complete
Second interview date: April 4th 2016
Interview Result :APPROVED!!!

Visa Received : 4/13/2016 ( they sent us a email stating our visa was ready for pick up)

USA LIFE
US Entry :4/29/2016 
Social Security : 5/10/2016 (filed from the actual office)
State ID: 5/14/2016
Started working!!: 5/25/2016
Finally paid green card fee: 6/24/2016 ( note said we will receive it within 60 days)
Green card in hand: 7/5/2016 10 year green card we done!! 

1st king born: 6/30/2016

April 2017 update: Marriage still going strong, baby boy getting bigger. Life is good 

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

my PD date is april 21 2014 so we also are on 16 months and counting of waiting so I think we also will finish in 18 months sigh lol

USCIS : 7 months
Marriage : March 21, 2014
I-130 Sent : April 18, 2014
I-130 NOA1 : April 22, 2014
I-130 Approved: November 14, 2014 
after two service request

NVC6 months
Received : December 1, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : January 1, 2015
Pay AOS Bill : January 9, 2015
Submit DS-261 : January 7, 2015
Receive IV Bill : January 15, 2015 
called after AOS showed paid, they released it overnight)
Pay IV Bill : January 23, 2015
Send IV and AOS: January 29, 2015
Scan date: February 3, 2015
Checklist: March 19, 2015
 (only need to send south Africa police report)
Case Complete: June 3, 2015 

EMBASSY: 10 months
Interview appointment letter : December 4, 2015
Interview Date : January 21, 2016 
medical wasn't complete
Second interview date: April 4th 2016
Interview Result :APPROVED!!!

Visa Received : 4/13/2016 ( they sent us a email stating our visa was ready for pick up)

USA LIFE
US Entry :4/29/2016 
Social Security : 5/10/2016 (filed from the actual office)
State ID: 5/14/2016
Started working!!: 5/25/2016
Finally paid green card fee: 6/24/2016 ( note said we will receive it within 60 days)
Green card in hand: 7/5/2016 10 year green card we done!! 

1st king born: 6/30/2016

April 2017 update: Marriage still going strong, baby boy getting bigger. Life is good 

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

2013?? wow how are you making it?!! thanks for your info

still waiting on interview

Yaya2014: April 22

BRSIS: April 30

etsegenet: May 7

ItsGonnaBeWorthIt : June 3

missabdi : July 1

A56 & A69: July 6

Edited by ItsGonnaBeWorthIt

USCIS : 7 months
Marriage : March 21, 2014
I-130 Sent : April 18, 2014
I-130 NOA1 : April 22, 2014
I-130 Approved: November 14, 2014 
after two service request

NVC6 months
Received : December 1, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : January 1, 2015
Pay AOS Bill : January 9, 2015
Submit DS-261 : January 7, 2015
Receive IV Bill : January 15, 2015 
called after AOS showed paid, they released it overnight)
Pay IV Bill : January 23, 2015
Send IV and AOS: January 29, 2015
Scan date: February 3, 2015
Checklist: March 19, 2015
 (only need to send south Africa police report)
Case Complete: June 3, 2015 

EMBASSY: 10 months
Interview appointment letter : December 4, 2015
Interview Date : January 21, 2016 
medical wasn't complete
Second interview date: April 4th 2016
Interview Result :APPROVED!!!

Visa Received : 4/13/2016 ( they sent us a email stating our visa was ready for pick up)

USA LIFE
US Entry :4/29/2016 
Social Security : 5/10/2016 (filed from the actual office)
State ID: 5/14/2016
Started working!!: 5/25/2016
Finally paid green card fee: 6/24/2016 ( note said we will receive it within 60 days)
Green card in hand: 7/5/2016 10 year green card we done!! 

1st king born: 6/30/2016

April 2017 update: Marriage still going strong, baby boy getting bigger. Life is good 

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

I know right it's killing me man

was there any reason why it took so long? mine is long but not as long as yours

7 months at Nebraska service center , got approved after 2 service request! :angry:

8 months at NVC <_< only 30 days were our fault! 7 months not lol

2 months waiting for interview so far :clock:

Edited by ItsGonnaBeWorthIt

USCIS : 7 months
Marriage : March 21, 2014
I-130 Sent : April 18, 2014
I-130 NOA1 : April 22, 2014
I-130 Approved: November 14, 2014 
after two service request

NVC6 months
Received : December 1, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : January 1, 2015
Pay AOS Bill : January 9, 2015
Submit DS-261 : January 7, 2015
Receive IV Bill : January 15, 2015 
called after AOS showed paid, they released it overnight)
Pay IV Bill : January 23, 2015
Send IV and AOS: January 29, 2015
Scan date: February 3, 2015
Checklist: March 19, 2015
 (only need to send south Africa police report)
Case Complete: June 3, 2015 

EMBASSY: 10 months
Interview appointment letter : December 4, 2015
Interview Date : January 21, 2016 
medical wasn't complete
Second interview date: April 4th 2016
Interview Result :APPROVED!!!

Visa Received : 4/13/2016 ( they sent us a email stating our visa was ready for pick up)

USA LIFE
US Entry :4/29/2016 
Social Security : 5/10/2016 (filed from the actual office)
State ID: 5/14/2016
Started working!!: 5/25/2016
Finally paid green card fee: 6/24/2016 ( note said we will receive it within 60 days)
Green card in hand: 7/5/2016 10 year green card we done!! 

1st king born: 6/30/2016

April 2017 update: Marriage still going strong, baby boy getting bigger. Life is good 

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

wow nothing yet? :clock::cry:

USCIS : 7 months
Marriage : March 21, 2014
I-130 Sent : April 18, 2014
I-130 NOA1 : April 22, 2014
I-130 Approved: November 14, 2014 
after two service request

NVC6 months
Received : December 1, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : January 1, 2015
Pay AOS Bill : January 9, 2015
Submit DS-261 : January 7, 2015
Receive IV Bill : January 15, 2015 
called after AOS showed paid, they released it overnight)
Pay IV Bill : January 23, 2015
Send IV and AOS: January 29, 2015
Scan date: February 3, 2015
Checklist: March 19, 2015
 (only need to send south Africa police report)
Case Complete: June 3, 2015 

EMBASSY: 10 months
Interview appointment letter : December 4, 2015
Interview Date : January 21, 2016 
medical wasn't complete
Second interview date: April 4th 2016
Interview Result :APPROVED!!!

Visa Received : 4/13/2016 ( they sent us a email stating our visa was ready for pick up)

USA LIFE
US Entry :4/29/2016 
Social Security : 5/10/2016 (filed from the actual office)
State ID: 5/14/2016
Started working!!: 5/25/2016
Finally paid green card fee: 6/24/2016 ( note said we will receive it within 60 days)
Green card in hand: 7/5/2016 10 year green card we done!! 

1st king born: 6/30/2016

April 2017 update: Marriage still going strong, baby boy getting bigger. Life is good 

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Nothing at all.... :ranting:

wow nothing yet? :clock::cry:

12/08/2014 TSC approved I-130.

12/12/2014 TSC shipped case to NVC.

12/19/2014 NVC received.

01/26/2015 Case # assigned and completed DS-261.

01/30/2015 Received AOS invoice and paid.

02/02/2015 Mailed AOS + IV packets

02/10/2015 Scan date for AOS + IV packets

03/23/2015 Received a checklist for AOS

03/27/2015 Mailed checklist response

03/30/2015 Checklist scan date

04/22/2015 Case completed at NVC

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

I Called NVC to get a update on my case. Nothing new. still waiting for the letter of interveiw date. :ranting::protest:

56

A56

CRI-1 Journey

I-130 Sent: July 2nd, 2014
I-130 NOA1: July 14, 2014
I-130 Approved: December 15, 2014
NVC Received: December 29th, 2014
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill: February 18, 2015
Receive IV Bill: April 17th, 2015
Sent IV Package and AOS Package: April 20th, 2015 (Completed before April 15th, 2015 with only 2011, 12 and 2013 Tax

Doc's,** but have my 2014 ready at the Interview if asked**)

SCAN DATE: ???

CC Date: July 06th, 2015 as of 1/19/2016 still awaiting.

CC Email: July 13th, 2015 Via Email @ 1 am in the morning.

Interview email: NEVER CAME

Interview Date: March , 2016

Interview results:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Just to add another name on the waiting list;

Yaya2014: April 22

BRSIS: April 30

etsegenet: May 7

ItsGonnaBeWorthIt : June 3

missabdi : July 1

A56 & A69: July 6

Mehari: May 27

I know for fact that there are some countries where you only have to wait a couple of weeks to get your case scheduled for interview. It's really frustrating and ridiculous that we've to wait all this time to get interview appointment.

I posted my frustration about this on this website, but I'd like to thank Yaya2014 for showing me the right spot and sending me the link.

I'll keep you guys posted if I hear anything from NVC.

Thanks,

Mehari

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