Delay in Guayaquil, wait 6-8 weeks?!?

[MoonStar9913 0]

I just wanted to see if anyone has had any similar experiences and/or to warn those who might be about to go through the same. As you can see in my timeline below we are applying for a K-1 visa and we already have our USCIS approval and the National Visa Center already forwarded our application to the embassy in Guayaquil. We already have everything ready (medical, payment, etc) and want to make our phone call to schedule the interview. According to what I read on here once people had received notice that Guayaquil had received the application people have not seemed to have problems making their appointment. So, after I received an e-mail from Guayaquil stating that they were ready to proceed with the case and I could download the Packet 4 we called the Visa Information Service to make the appointment.

And this is when the fun began. We called (having paid $12 for our pin) and the man told us that even though we were in Guayaquil's system we were not yet in the Visa Information Service's system yet and to wait one more week. How frustrating! I thought that once we were in Guayaquil's system there was no problem. So, we dutifully waited another week (and a day because of phone line problems) and called back. Of course our pin didn't work anymore so we paid another $12 and tried to schedule our appointment. Now, the lady told us that we have to wait 6-8 WEEKS from when Guayaquil receives the application before we can call. I have not read anything about this long of a wait from other people and there is NO information on Guayaquil's website about it either. The packet 4 says you can call as soon as you have everything together. I want to know what happens if I call in 6-8 weeks and it is still not in the system, another $12 for nothing? And what about the first guy who told me that I only had to wait one week. Why are they saying something different now?

Well, I just wanted to warn people who might be at this step now as well as see if anyone else has had this experience. So, please if you have let me know so we can help each other through the process. Or, as well, if your timeline is similar to mine and you have NOT had this problem, please let me know so that I can tell them that other people are receiving their interviews without this delay. Thank you very much everyone....this journey is the hardest one of my life...

[TBoneTX 43,059]

Yo, K. -- welcome to the "getting hosed by Guayaquil" arena, si man.

I'd bet serious money that those apes on the $12 PIN line get commissions based upon how many times they can get you to call back. When they were jerking me around, they were actually giggling with glee. If you call again, immediately ask and write down the name of the clerk who answers, and immediately request to speak with a supervisor, "without delay." Yell, if necessary.

An alternative is to try to sidestep the PIN debacle by e-mailing your question to IVGuayaquil@state.gov -- you may get a convoluted answer, but at least they'll answer, usually within 48 hours.

The third alternative is to call the "U.S. Citizen Services" phone line (see Embassy Information) and insist on speaking with an American.

More than a year later, I still have vivid mind-movies about the hellish debacle, so you're not alone, si man.