Experience With Nigerian Embassy

[kelly1290 0]

Hello All,

I am in need of help. I would like to ask who to complain to when an embassy official did a field interview of a family member and did not identify themselves, so the family member refused to answer questions because the investigator acted as though she was a policewoman. The embassy investigator walked away and the family member then later found out from her youngest son that this was a lady from the embassy. She then ran after the investigator and said that I don't know who you are, but I can state the fact that my son is happily married, but the investigator refused to listen to her then and just drove away.

My question is should I complain to the Department of State? Isn't DOS over the embassies?

Thanks,

Deb

[Ta Ta 1]

Yes, DOS ( Department of State ) is the correct avenue to complain to about this investigator. You can also email the chief consul at the embassy

and explain what happened and ask for identification from another investigator for a second filed visit.

The assumption of the investigator that anyone should just answer questions of unknown people that show up on the door step is ridiculous and

disrespectful.

I urge you to also take this complaint to your representative and let him confront the embassy with that issue. It is wrong wrong wrong !!!!!!!

I am so sick and tired of Africans being treated like they have no rights. I am about to blow a gasket. Let us know what happened.

[Simply_Uno 1]

Yes, DOS ( Department of State ) is the correct avenue to complain to about this investigator. You can also email the chief consul at the embassy

and explain what happened and ask for identification from another investigator for a second filed visit.

The assumption of the investigator that anyone should just answer questions of unknown people that show up on the door step is ridiculous and

disrespectful.

I urge you to also take this complaint to your representative and let him confront the embassy with that issue. It is wrong wrong wrong !!!!!!!

I am so sick and tired of Africans being treated like they have no rights. I am about to blow a gasket. Let us know what happened.

{dang, Omoba , me thinx this hit a nerve within you .}

you did give good advice and I hope that lady gets herz

if she's going to do her job, atleast do it right!!

to the op, plz. keep us informed, I'll be praying for ya

[kelly1290 0]

Thanks for much for your input Omoba. Though this field interview only happened yesterday (and I am surprised they moved on this so quickly as his interview was only on Aug. 12), I don't want her negative opinions to reach a CO before his 2nd interview and keep them from issuing him a visa. She first interviewed someone in the neighborhood, but not a neighbor that knew him very well. She asked about my husband using his native name and not the name everyone knows him by, so at first the guy on the street said he didn't know him, but when she asked again using the name everyone knows him by, then he said, yes, I know of him. She asked him if he was aware whether he was married or not and the guy said, no, he was not sure because he didn't know him that well. Then, she caught his little brother and asked if he was aware of our marriage and he said yes, but his wife is not in Nigeria, but in USA. She asked how my husband was to him and he answered that he is my older brother, then she wanted to talk to his mother. His mother was standing in the doorway of her home and the investigator greeted her and said good afternoon, are you the mother of Michael, and she replied yes, hope there is no problem. My mother-in-law then asked again, hope there is no problem? Then the investigator said madam just answer my questions, and my mom-in-law said no. My mother-in-law became afraid because of her approach like she was the police, and she knew of someone else who was arrested for marrying a white lady and they had to pay 700,000 naira to get him out. We all know how corrupt the Lagos police are. The investigator wouldn't say anything more, so his mother asked her again who she was and the investigator just turned and walked away. My husband's brother then told his mom that she was from the embassy, so when she found that out, she ran after her and said that she didn't know where she was from, but to state the fact, my son is happily married, and all the investigator would say was, then why don't people in the neighborhood know anything about it, and then left in her car.

In my opinion, after accusing my husband of not really loving me, but only using me, she should have been more worried about whether he had a hidden family instead of how much noise was made about our wedding. My neighbors here don't know anything about my marriage to him. I dont' even talk to my neighbors, so how does that hold any bearing on whether our marriage is bonefide? I havent' liked this woman since she interviewed me. She is very rude and condescending and treated me as if I was a victim of my own husband, and accused my husband of lying about loving me and that he was only using me for a benefit without having any proof of that at all. I did my own investigation of my husband before I even married him and I took 2 years before deciding to marry him. I checked out everything he told me and with time found them to be true. She didn't find out anything about him having a hidden family and at least the one family told her he was aware of our wedding and that I was from US, and she would have gotten more from my mother-in-law had she treated her respectfully and identified herself when asked.

Thanks for everyone's reply. I need to get to work on this before anything more negative comes of this.

Deb

Yes, DOS ( Department of State ) is the correct avenue to complain to about this investigator. You can also email the chief consul at the embassy

and explain what happened and ask for identification from another investigator for a second filed visit.

The assumption of the investigator that anyone should just answer questions of unknown people that show up on the door step is ridiculous and

disrespectful.

I urge you to also take this complaint to your representative and let him confront the embassy with that issue. It is wrong wrong wrong !!!!!!!

I am so sick and tired of Africans being treated like they have no rights. I am about to blow a gasket. Let us know what happened.

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

Good Luck Deb. Being proactive is good.

[kelly1290 0]

Good Luck Deb. Being proactive is good.

Thanks B and Z. I am sort of thinking though, would complaining to DOS before anything negative has happened be in our best interest because what if she didn't use any info about his mother, but instead used the info she got from his brother? What if she didn't say anything negative about our case because she didn't find anything like a hidden family or children and nothing where he lied about anything. Would I make our case worse by saying something to DOS about her not identifying herself if she didn't even say anything negative about my husband to CO?

What is your opinion?

[Zee Bee 61]

Deb, sorry you are going through this.

I know that you want to be proactive about this (and it very unfair how they are treating your case) but I don't know if caling DOS or contacting the chief CO is going to do any good. All you can do is complain, I doubt that it will have any bearing on how they view your case. I don't think that they would discount what the investigator says over what you say.

I would say sit tight and wait to see what comes of all this. If the investigator relays everything as you did, then anyone with half a brain would understand why your MIL was cautious. In fact, it may work to your advantage.

I suggest you inform your elected rep of this incident so that they are aware, but leave complaining to DOS for now.

We are praying for you

[kelly1290 0]

Deb, sorry you are going through this.

I know that you want to be proactive about this (and it very unfair how they are treating your case) but I don't know if caling DOS or contacting the chief CO is going to do any good. All you can do is complain, I doubt that it will have any bearing on how they view your case. I don't think that they would discount what the investigator says over what you say.

I would say sit tight and wait to see what comes of all this. If the investigator relays everything as you did, then anyone with half a brain would understand why your MIL was cautious. In fact, it may work to your advantage.

I suggest you inform your elected rep of this incident so that they are aware, but leave complaining to DOS for now.

We are praying for you

Thanks for your prayers and advice Zee Bee! That is exactly my sentiments after I sat and thought about it for a moment. They are already looking at our marriage suspiciously as there is an age difference, so I don't want to jump the gun when nothing has happened negatively yet. Though she is a rude person and though she was wrong for refusing to identify herself I suppose doesn't mean that she would view my MIL negatively when in fact, she got what she needed from my brother-in-law and there was nothing found like children or other girlfriend's or wives. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize our case, so I think I will hold off until he is called back and goes through the 2nd interview. Then we will know better what to do.

Thanks! I just needed someone to confirm what I was already starting to think.

Deb

[Ta Ta 1]

Good Luck Deb. Being proactive is good.

Thanks B and Z. I am sort of thinking though, would complaining to DOS before anything negative has happened be in our best interest because what if she didn't use any info about his mother, but instead used the info she got from his brother? What if she didn't say anything negative about our case because she didn't find anything like a hidden family or children and nothing where he lied about anything. Would I make our case worse by saying something to DOS about her not identifying herself if she didn't even say anything negative about my husband to CO?

What is your opinion?

I agree also to wait until you know if she used the info negatively. But if you get a denial make sure you immediately

notify the chief consul and representative. She may just act like she has a corn cobb up her hiney but shed a positive light

on her findings.

I also think we don't have to take all the bologny we are faced with and need to speak up when treated unfairly from the

investigators.

There are regulations they have to abide by and the lack of checks and balances can get out of hand.

[kelly1290 0]

Good Luck Deb. Being proactive is good.

Thanks B and Z. I am sort of thinking though, would complaining to DOS before anything negative has happened be in our best interest because what if she didn't use any info about his mother, but instead used the info she got from his brother? What if she didn't say anything negative about our case because she didn't find anything like a hidden family or children and nothing where he lied about anything. Would I make our case worse by saying something to DOS about her not identifying herself if she didn't even say anything negative about my husband to CO?

What is your opinion?

I agree also to wait until you know if she used the info negatively. But if you get a denial make sure you immediately

notify the chief consul and representative. She may just act like she has a corn cobb up her hiney but shed a positive light

on her findings.

I also think we don't have to take all the bologny we are faced with and need to speak up when treated unfairly from the

investigators.

There are regulations they have to abide by and the lack of checks and balances can get out of hand.

Thanks Omoba! I knew you would understand if no one else did. I don't want to jeopardize our case by jumping the gun before anything negative has happened, so I will be doing just that...waiting. I am sure he will be called back shortly and I have made copies of all email correspondence I have had with the investigator and will keep all copies of correspondence with the embassy whenever they answer my inquiry.

[Ta Ta 1]

Hope everything will be going positively and he will get the visa soon.

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I don't think complaining to DOS will net any results, negative or positive. I remember you saying that you had the CO's email address. Maybe you could send her a note, not complaining, but just stating that your mother in law contacted you concerned that her hesitatnce to speak to a stranger could negatively affect her son's case and would like to offer to speak with her again if she needs a more complete interview.

[kelly1290 0]

I don't think complaining to DOS will net any results, negative or positive. I remember you saying that you had the CO's email address. Maybe you could send her a note, not complaining, but just stating that your mother in law contacted you concerned that her hesitatnce to speak to a stranger could negatively affect her son's case and would like to offer to speak with her again if she needs a more complete interview.

No, I don't have the CO's email address. I have the email address of the investigating officer that interviewed both me and my husband. She is the same one who showed up at my MIL's house. I guess I could try that and see what happens. Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought of that.

[idocare 3]

I guess you can report the officer for not identfying herself but then again I'd be happy that the

officer did indeed come and question your in laws and their neighbors. When there's nothing to hide there's nothing to worry about. The officer should of gotten that much outta her investigation, like you said she didn't find a wife or children.

Nigeria is known for marriage scams thus the officer did what she is being paid to do. The way she

went about it may not be the way we'd do things here but neither is our way of life like theirs.

Things will work out, I know how you feel tho; as I was a nervous wreck thru-out the process of getting my ex-husband here with me. I wrote my congressman and all that all in the name of love.

All my ex-husband had to do was sit back and wait, it was me making sure that he got his visa and he did. I know it's hard to do but try to relax, your already married so your petition should go thru

providing that all is in order.

[kelly1290 0]

I guess you can report the officer for not identfying herself but then again I'd be happy that the

officer did indeed come and question your in laws and their neighbors. When there's nothing to hide there's nothing to worry about. The officer should of gotten that much outta her investigation, like you said she didn't find a wife or children.

Nigeria is known for marriage scams thus the officer did what she is being paid to do. The way she

went about it may not be the way we'd do things here but neither is our way of life like theirs.

Things will work out, I know how you feel tho; as I was a nervous wreck thru-out the process of getting my ex-husband here with me. I wrote my congressman and all that all in the name of love.

All my ex-husband had to do was sit back and wait, it was me making sure that he got his visa and he did. I know it's hard to do but try to relax, your already married so your petition should go thru

providing that all is in order.

Thanks Idocare! I did email the investigator and was just brief and to the point that my MIL was concerned that her hesitation to speak to a stranger would negatively affect our case and she invited her back if she needed a more complete report. I never got an answer back from her and I probably won't get one, but it was worth a try. I decided to hold off on any complaints about her because nothing negative has happened yet, so need to fix what isn't broke yet. Maybe the neighbors (even though the only neighbor she questioned was not sure if Mike was married or not as he didn't know him well enough) and his brother's interview will be sufficient. We will know more once he is called back and I hope they are as quick with calling him back as they were to do the investigation. Lagos is getting better about that. Mike's interview was Aug. 12, so that was only 2 months past the interview that they did the investigation.

All our ducks are in a row, so we are confident everything will turn out okay.

Deb