Interview Result: 221(g)

[TotalMistake 0]

Hello VJ Friends,

First and foremost, thank you to all of the VJ members for sharing your valuable insight and depth of knowledge. I have successfully managed to get my Fiance (beneficiary) all the way through his interview simply by reading the guides and stalking the forums for months and months. With that being said, I am unfamiliar with how to post in the country specific portal, so MOD's please move at your discretion.

My Fiance had his K-1 Visa interview a few hours ago at the Tirana, Albania Embassy. Per the Packet 3 instructions, everything (forms, birth cert, police certs, tax transcripts, proof of relationship, pictures, boarding passes, passport stamps, Facebook and Skype chats, Letter of Intent, etc.) was sent and checked by the Embassy before an interview was scheduled. We both felt fairly confident that we would not be issued a 221(g) for missing documents since the Embassy already acknowledged that they were completed and scheduled our interview (this is an Albania specific procedure).

My Fiance said the interview went well and was quick. His English is very good so the interview was conducted in English. The CO mentioned that we had already submitted plenty of proof of an ongoing relationship and asked if he had any additional evidence to share. My Fiance provided a couple of hand-written letters/anniversary cards with a few more pictures. The CO kept the letters and pictures and issued a 221(g) with the following reason stated:

"More evidence of relationship to sponsor, such as photographs, correspondence, or other evidence of relationship over time."

What else should we submit to them that we haven't already provided??

Here is what the Embassy has received thus far in regards to proof of our ongoing relationship:

- About 25 pictures of us together w/ his family and friends (all dated, with names and locations)

- Facebook messages spanning our entire relationship (I picked about 2 days per month)

- Skype Conversations & Calls (I picked about 2 days per month)

- Letters of Intent to Marry for each of us (signed)

- Original boarding passes showing travel to Greece and Albania several times

- Passport stamps correlating with boarding passes mentioned above

- Engagement ring receipt

- Expedia travel itineraries for the above mentioned trips

- Hand-written cards and Anniversary letters (with envelopes showing when they were sent by Post office)

Any help and/or input is greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

Not familiar with your consulate for the country so I am taking a stab from my experience in our situation.

Is there a significant age difference or something that might have caused a red flag?

Exactly how many times have you visited your SO?

And how long have you two known each other?

If it just more evidence...find more evidence.

Has your families ever met? Spoken? Maybe one or more of the members can write a letter acknowledging you know each other?

Also you mention the interview went fine...drill your SO and ask specific questions of what was spoken of.

I wish you good luck ...it is not a fun time, I know

[bestofboston 36]

Recommend that you get some affadavits from friends and relatives that have met your fiancee that state proof of your on going relationship and submitt them. That is usually very helpful.

[SweetDelish 38]

I'm not sure it would help, but evidence for having met could be relevant here too, the RFE for that has included affidavits from friends and relatives of your relationship, that could be good? both your relatives and his?

[baron555 934]

Emails?

Send more Skype stuff

Draft a letter describing the evolution of your relationship. Refer to the different evidences as proof of each step of the relationship.

We had the same thing and I sent in more plus the Relationship Evolution letter and were approved the next business day.

Be very specific.

Reference dates and places and to the evidence that depicts that.

Include all the lovey dovey stuff (two people that are intending to marry should be lovey dovey; leave out the X-rated stuff but include all the other stuff.)

My letter was about 3-4 pages long. Be verbose and describe the relationship, show how is came to begin, what you talked about, how your feelings grew, blah blah.

Edited November 8, 2012 by baron555

[TotalMistake 0]

Not familiar with your consulate for the country so I am taking a stab from my experience in our situation.

Is there a significant age difference or something that might have caused a red flag?

Exactly how many times have you visited your SO?

And how long have you two known each other?

If it just more evidence...find more evidence.

Has your families ever met? Spoken? Maybe one or more of the members can write a letter acknowledging you know each other?

Also you mention the interview went fine...drill your SO and ask specific questions of what was spoken of.

I wish you good luck ...it is not a fun time, I know

Thank you so much for your response. In my opinion, there is not a significant age gap between us. My Fiance is 26 and I am 29. I met my SO in September of 2011 while traveling through Greece, and then stayed in constant communication. I visited him is his home country of Albania in January 2012 then again in April/May 2012. I haven't been back since because we were hoping he would be with me after only a few months apart. The CO did ask him if I take a lot of vacation from work which I thought was interesting.

I will definitely pull more evidence together, and get letters from friends and family. Our families have never met, however they have communicated over Skype and are more than aware and supportive of our relationship. Thanks for your input!

Recommend that you get some affadavits from friends and relatives that have met your fiancee that state proof of your on going relationship and submitt them. That is usually very helpful.

I was thinking the same thing I'll pull additional Skype and Facebook conversations that have not been submitted, send additional pictures, and letters from our family and friends. Thank you

[TotalMistake 0]

I'm not sure it would help, but evidence for having met could be relevant here too, the RFE for that has included affidavits from friends and relatives of your relationship, that could be good? both your relatives and his?

I honestly feel like we provided more than enough proof of having physically met, but based on your comment and other, affidavits definitely seem like they will help a ton! Thanks

[TotalMistake 0]

Emails?

Send more Skype stuff

Draft a letter describing the evolution of your relationship. Refer to the different evidences as proof of each step of the relationship.

We had the same thing and I sent in more plus the Relationship Evolution letter and were approved the next business day.

Be very specific.

Reference dates and places and to the evidence that depicts that.

Include all the lovey dovey stuff (two people that are intending to marry should be lovey dovey; leave out the X-rated stuff but include all the other stuff.)

My letter was about 3-4 pages long. Be verbose and describe the relationship, show how is came to begin, what you talked about, how your feelings grew, blah blah.

Drafting a personal letter describing our evolution as a couple is brilliant! We really don't email each other often. Most of our communication is done through Skype since I can get it on my phone and we can essentially text message each other throughout the day, and video call too. I can definitely pull more Skype and Facebook conversations, which include lovey dovey stuff I will also include letters from family and friends, but your idea of a Relationship Evolution Letter that ties with the other evidence is just wonderful and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million!

I hope the Embassy feels the same way

[baron555 934]

Drafting a personal letter describing our evolution as a couple is brilliant! We really don't email each other often. Most of our communication is done through Skype since I can get it on my phone and we can essentially text message each other throughout the day, and video call too. I can definitely pull more Skype and Facebook conversations, which include lovey dovey stuff I will also include letters from family and friends, but your idea of a Relationship Evolution Letter that ties with the other evidence is just wonderful and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million!

I hope the Embassy feels the same way

If they kept the passport, then all should be just fine.

My letter was very descriptive and I used the third person a lot....ie....

After telling about a portion of our relationship I'd then add in a short paragraph such as>>>>

As anyone can see here are two people who are getting to know each other and are following the normal progression of a relationship.

Also I pulled out all the stops and brought into the subject of her two year old son, who was coming along on a K-2.

I included screen captures of him playing in the background while we chatted on Skype, or her and he "talking" with me on Skype. I also included some photos of his room that I was preparing for him, his "new" toddler bed, photos of him as a small baby that I had printed and framed and placed on a shelf in his bedroom.

I also mentioned that we two would dedicate our lives for this small boy and how could anyone deny him the chance for a better and happier life. Cry cry cry !!!

She had her interview and got her 221g on a Thursday, we talked about it on a Friday (Moscow is 8 hours ahead) and during the day on Saturday I compiled everything and then on a Sunday mailed off a 10 lbs box of more evidence and my letter to the Embassy via FedEx to arrive within 3-4 days. I took the liberty to email the Embassy about 20% of the evidence (some of it the same that had been sent in the front

loading and what she brought to the interview) along with the letter.

By Tuesday morning I received an email that their visas were approved. The FedEx box arrived later that week!

I am a firm believer my letter did the trick.

Do Not Allow the Embassy to keep two people apart that were meant to be together. They must approve this visa so you two can be together and be happy. You promise to them that this is very real, very important and utterly necessary.

[SweetDelish 38]

I honestly feel like we provided more than enough proof of having physically met, but based on your comment and other, affidavits definitely seem like they will help a ton! Thanks

Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly, I meant, using that as a guide to get evidence of your relationship, if its used in the past for physically meeting, then perhaps it can be used in another context, like proof of an ongoing relationship, your friends and family writing letters about seeing your relationship evolve, from the beginning to now.

But it looks like baron555 might be onto something useful for you.

[Sabrina81 2]

Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly, I meant, using that as a guide to get evidence of your relationship, if its used in the past for physically meeting, then perhaps it can be used in another context, like proof of an ongoing relationship, your friends and family writing letters about seeing your relationship evolve, from the beginning to now.

But it looks like baron555 might be onto something useful for you.

Hi. I am going crazy too. My husband had interview september 27th. We had everything they said. Plane tickets, notarized letters from family friends,skype,facebook, western union tickets for money. on and on. We are still waiting over 2 months later. Im going crazy. They have the power

[mkg265 2]

Hello VJ Friends,

First and foremost, thank you to all of the VJ members for sharing your valuable insight and depth of knowledge. I have successfully managed to get my Fiance (beneficiary) all the way through his interview simply by reading the guides and stalking the forums for months and months. With that being said, I am unfamiliar with how to post in the country specific portal, so MOD's please move at your discretion.

My Fiance had his K-1 Visa interview a few hours ago at the Tirana, Albania Embassy. Per the Packet 3 instructions, everything (forms, birth cert, police certs, tax transcripts, proof of relationship, pictures, boarding passes, passport stamps, Facebook and Skype chats, Letter of Intent, etc.) was sent and checked by the Embassy before an interview was scheduled. We both felt fairly confident that we would not be issued a 221(g) for missing documents since the Embassy already acknowledged that they were completed and scheduled our interview (this is an Albania specific procedure).

My Fiance said the interview went well and was quick. His English is very good so the interview was conducted in English. The CO mentioned that we had already submitted plenty of proof of an ongoing relationship and asked if he had any additional evidence to share. My Fiance provided a couple of hand-written letters/anniversary cards with a few more pictures. The CO kept the letters and pictures and issued a 221(g) with the following reason stated:

"More evidence of relationship to sponsor, such as photographs, correspondence, or other evidence of relationship over time."

What else should we submit to them that we haven't already provided??

Here is what the Embassy has received thus far in regards to proof of our ongoing relationship:

- About 25 pictures of us together w/ his family and friends (all dated, with names and locations)

- Facebook messages spanning our entire relationship (I picked about 2 days per month)

- Skype Conversations & Calls (I picked about 2 days per month)

- Letters of Intent to Marry for each of us (signed)

- Original boarding passes showing travel to Greece and Albania several times

- Passport stamps correlating with boarding passes mentioned above

- Engagement ring receipt

- Expedia travel itineraries for the above mentioned trips

- Hand-written cards and Anniversary letters (with envelopes showing when they were sent by Post office)

Any help and/or input is greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance

I'm stumped, all I can think of is more photos of YOU with HIS family. Getting accepted by an Albanian family is a big deal.

I think my husband and I submitted less stuff. We did live together for a total of three months before getting married and had been in a relationship for a year and a half before getting married. Any proof you lived together? Hotel stays? Apartment rentals? I sent him in with boxes of photos (I was taking a photography class when we first started dating in Italy) and some handwritten letters (he doesn't email). My husband's interview was conducted in Italian since the interviewer didn't speak Albanian and my husband's English was iffy at the time. Is your fiance's English really good? I'm playing Devils Advocate here.