Picking up Visa vs. waiting for it in the mail?

[BabyFaceWife 11]

Does anyone know if you can make arrangements to pick up the Visa at the embassy after you're approved rather than waiting for it in the mail? It's really hard to try to figure out how to book our flight back if I have no idea when we're going to be able to leave because we have to wait for the Visa! If I book a flight and then we get it sooner than expected then I'm wasting days away from work, and if we don't get the Visa in time for the flight then we'll have to pay a fee to change the flight. My fiancée has never left his country let alone been on a plane so I'm not going to leave him to fend for himself, I'm going to fly back with him.

I'd love to hear other's experiences and how you planned your trip home!

Does anyone know if you can make arrangements to pick up the Visa at the embassy after you're approved rather than waiting for it in the mail? It's really hard to try to figure out how to book our flight back if I have no idea when we're going to be able to leave because we have to wait for the Visa! If I book a flight and then we get it sooner than expected then I'm wasting days away from work, and if we don't get the Visa in time for the flight then we'll have to pay a fee to change the flight. My fiancée has never left his country let alone been on a plane so I'm not going to leave him to fend for himself, I'm going to fly back with him.

I'd love to hear other's experiences and how you planned your trip home!

And sorry forgot to specify this is for the Santo Domingo embassy!

[janet&adonis 57]

It depends on the embassy. If you pay domex and ask to pick up visa and passport it could be ready as little as 3 days. However, sometimes you get approved from the consulate, and pay domex, but the visa/passport is in administrative processing and it could be weeks or months.

I have the same dilemma as you. My plan is hopefully the visa will be ready in 3 days. If it is we will fly back together. If not, my fiance will have to fly alone to miami, and i will wait for him there.

[Tu chikita 0]

There is no set # of days. So that return fare.. is basically a last minute thing.. I have my cita Oct 23rd.. WED. mid week appt. So in my case I understand they count working days.. So 3 to 5 working days would be from Oct 28th thru Oct 30th. To be safe I booked my return flight for .Sat Nov 2. By then if approved we should have visa on hand. By the way we will also opt to pick it up..

[Natalie y Richard 14]

I understand you want to plan, we all did or do. Most of our fiance's have never left the country including mine. They all did just fine traveling by themselves. There are plenty of people that know he is traveling on staff and assist rather well. Besides once he is in it's not like you can be with him while they ask him questions during point of entry so you will be separated anyways. I would not take that chance on buying plane tickets because its different from every case. Our visa was issued 4 days after interview and was ready to be picked up at domex 3 days after that, but my friend Monica who was just approved had her interview on Monday and her visa in hand by Wednesday. Its all a gamble but your fiance being a man from DR will know how to fend for himself. Don't start babying him now they get used to that!!! Hope you don't get offended it's just the truth! Good Luck!

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K-1 Process to Caribbean Regional Forum~

~Inquiry is embassy-specific~

[RD007 4]

I understand you want to plan, we all did or do. Most of our fiance's have never left the country including mine. They all did just fine traveling by themselves. There are plenty of people that know he is traveling on staff and assist rather well. Besides once he is in it's not like you can be with him while they ask him questions during point of entry so you will be separated anyways. I would not take that chance on buying plane tickets because its different from every case. Our visa was issued 4 days after interview and was ready to be picked up at domex 3 days after that, but my friend Monica who was just approved had her interview on Monday and her visa in hand by Wednesday. Its all a gamble but your fiance being a man from DR will know how to fend for himself. Don't start babying him now they get used to that!!! Hope you don't get offended it's just the truth! Good Luck!

HAHAHAHAHA it is soooooo true!!!