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Visa Issued - With a summary of how we did it

By Shauna&Wael in US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

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Shauna&Wael Collaborator

Shauna&Wael   211

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
Posted

Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well.

The day has come, today my husband picked up his visa at the embassy :wow: HOWEVER, getting to that point was outrageous. I would like to start by saying I know our journey is nowhere NEAR as difficult as other people's (not that it's a competition...) but I thought sharing this story might help others.

Interview - July 16th - Not told if he was approved, they kept his passport

About a week after his interview I called the embassy to inquire (which is how I found out it was approved). I asked to speak with someone in charge of immigrant visas. The man told me he was approved but the background check wasn't completed yet.

Anyone dealing with this embassy can tell you the operator (which is always the same woman) is incredibly rude and has hung up on me more times than I can count. The rest of the staff are hit and miss. On the rare chance you're connected with someone, they will give you details on the case. Most of the time, they will make you run around in circles telling you to call back at certain times like it's a game.

My memory is a little fuzzy here but around 2 weeks after I spoke with the man at the embassy, I called DOS to ask if the background check had been completed. They informed me everything has been cleared and the embassy is ready to issue the visa. After this point in time I was not able to reach someone at the embassy for around a month (case status on CEAC remained at "Ready" with very sporadic status updated date changes).

After I felt like I had been dragged through the mud enough by the embassy (I believe we were past the 60 day waiting mark at this point), I opened a case with my senator's immigration office.

In between these stages I did reach someone at the immigrant visa unit at the embassy and he told me the visa is ready to be issued but keep waiting, we're busy, bla bla bla. When I pressed, he told me OK, your husband can come next Wednesday to pick up the visa. Of course when he showed up after a long journey, it wasn't ready and everyone else BUT HIM got their visas. At this point we were furious. The very last time I called the embassy, the operator told me I can NO LONGER call about immigrant visa cases. Obviously this woman hates me because I don't truly believe their policy changed. I would like to also note, that I was as polite and friendly as humanly possible every time I called the embassy.

My case worker's first attempt to email the embassy was left unanswered (they give a grace period of around 4 weeks). My case worker informed me they were required to respond to his second attempt (congressional inquiry) within 2 days. Of course, no response. He asked me to give him 1 more week to work on it which I did. Friday of the end of that week, the case went into Administrative Processing on CEAC and the status updated date changed all through the weekend. The following Tuesday it changed to ISSUED.

From the words of my case worker, after his second email got no response, he "made a call to Washington", to get the situation resolved.

If you read through my short novel, I thank you. I am grateful for all of the help we received from this website, and I'm sure I won't be a stranger here. Best of luck to anyone on this hellish voyage, and feel free to contact me for additional advice or questions.

"A million years if I could live,
A thousand lives if I could give,
I would spend it all again with you,
Don't forget where you belong,
Only with me you are strong,
Not even the gods above can break,
Baby what we have"

Shaikh Apprentice

Shaikh   2

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Pakistan
 Timeline
Posted

Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well.

The day has come, today my husband picked up his visa at the embassy :wow: HOWEVER, getting to that point was outrageous. I would like to start by saying I know our journey is nowhere NEAR as difficult as other people's (not that it's a competition...) but I thought sharing this story might help others.

Interview - July 16th - Not told if he was approved, they kept his passport

About a week after his interview I called the embassy to inquire (which is how I found out it was approved). I asked to speak with someone in charge of immigrant visas. The man told me he was approved but the background check wasn't completed yet.

Anyone dealing with this embassy can tell you the operator (which is always the same woman) is incredibly rude and has hung up on me more times than I can count. The rest of the staff are hit and miss. On the rare chance you're connected with someone, they will give you details on the case. Most of the time, they will make you run around in circles telling you to call back at certain times like it's a game.

My memory is a little fuzzy here but around 2 weeks after I spoke with the man at the embassy, I called DOS to ask if the background check had been completed. They informed me everything has been cleared and the embassy is ready to issue the visa. After this point in time I was not able to reach someone at the embassy for around a month (case status on CEAC remained at "Ready" with very sporadic status updated date changes).

After I felt like I had been dragged through the mud enough by the embassy (I believe we were past the 60 day waiting mark at this point), I opened a case with my senator's immigration office.

In between these stages I did reach someone at the immigrant visa unit at the embassy and he told me the visa is ready to be issued but keep waiting, we're busy, bla bla bla. When I pressed, he told me OK, your husband can come next Wednesday to pick up the visa. Of course when he showed up after a long journey, it wasn't ready and everyone else BUT HIM got their visas. At this point we were furious. The very last time I called the embassy, the operator told me I can NO LONGER call about immigrant visa cases. Obviously this woman hates me because I don't truly believe their policy changed. I would like to also note, that I was as polite and friendly as humanly possible every time I called the embassy.

My case worker's first attempt to email the embassy was left unanswered (they give a grace period of around 4 weeks). My case worker informed me they were required to respond to his second attempt (congressional inquiry) within 2 days. Of course, no response. He asked me to give him 1 more week to work on it which I did. Friday of the end of that week, the case went into Administrative Processing on CEAC and the status updated date changed all through the weekend. The following Tuesday it changed to ISSUED.

From the words of my case worker, after his second email got no response, he "made a call to Washington", to get the situation resolved.

If you read through my short novel, I thank you. I am grateful for all of the help we received from this website, and I'm sure I won't be a stranger here. Best of luck to anyone on this hellish voyage, and feel free to contact me for additional advice or questions.

Congratulation Dear, at last you got it :wow:

Shauna&Wael Collaborator

Shauna&Wael   211

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Congratulation Dear, at last you got it :wow:

thank you very much friend, now i must pay it forward so let me know if i can ever help :)

"A million years if I could live,
A thousand lives if I could give,
I would spend it all again with you,
Don't forget where you belong,
Only with me you are strong,
Not even the gods above can break,
Baby what we have"

Ebunoluwa Veteran

Ebunoluwa   6,136

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Cyprus
 Timeline
Posted

Congratulations and wishing you a happy reunion.

Spoiler

 

I-129F Sent : 3-31-2014, NOA2: 4-6-2014

NVC Received : some dinkelsberry yehoo in the house of clingons send our petition to the wrong consulate.

Consulate Received : July 30,2014 Transfer to right embassy complete.

Interview Date : Oct 22, 2014

Interview Result : AP , requesting another PC (not expired) and certified divorce decree (was submitted)Stokes interview via phone for petitioner 4 hrs after interview.

Oct 23 email notification visa approved.
Visa Received : Nov. 3 , 2014 VISA IN HAND.

US Entry : Nov. 21, 2014

Marriage : Dec 27, 2014

AOS send : May 12, 2015, received May 14, 2015 USPS priority

Email &text : May 18, 2015, check cashed May 19,2015, return receipt May 21, 2015 stamped USCIS Lockbox, NOA1 (3x) May 22,2015

Biometrics : June 1, 2015 letter received for appointment June 8, 2015, successful walk-in June 1, 2015

RFE : June 12, 2015 for income not meeting guideline. Income does ( ! ) exceed guideline.

RFE response : June 26, 2015 returned with a boat load full of financial evidence.

UPDATE: July 5, 2015 updated on all 3 cases, RFE received June 30, 2015.

Service request : Aug 12, 2015, letter received that it will be processed within 90 days from receipt of RFE.

UPDATE: Aug 24, 2015, EAD card being produced/ordered. ( 102 days from AOS receipt day and 55 days from RFE response received.) Thank you Jesus !

Emails : Aug 24, 2015, EAD approved, EAD card ordered.

I-797 EAD/AP approval notice received : Aug 27, 2015

EAD/AP combo card mailed : Aug 27, 2015, EAD/AP combo card received: Aug 31, 2015

Renewal application send for EAD/AP : May 31,2016 (AOS pending over 1 year). Received June 2, 2016,Notice date June7, 2016, emails,texts, NOA1 hard copy

Service request for pending AOS April 21, 2016, case not assigned yet.
Service request for pending AOS June 14, 2016, tier 2 said performing background checks.
Expedite request for EAD/AP Aug 3, 2016, Aug10 notification >request was received, assigned, completed. RFE letter requesting evidence for expedite, docs faxed Aug18

*Service request for I-485 Aug 3, 2016, Aug11 notification> request was assigned. Service request Dec 2, 2016.
AOS Interview letter received Aug 12, 2016

AOS Interview September 21, 2016.

Second Biometrics appointment letters received for EAD and AOS on Aug 15, 2016 for Aug 17 ( 2 day notice).

Second Biometrics completed Aug 17, 2016

Third Biometrics appointment letter received Aug 19, 2016 for Sept. 1, 2016. WTH ?!

EAD/AP (renewal) approval Aug 22, 2016, NOA2 received Aug 25, 2016

Renewal EAD in production notification text and online, expedite successful 4 days after RFE request response was faxed, Aug25mailed,Aug29received.

Sept. 21 Interview, 2 hour interview, we were separated and asked about 50 questions each for an hour each. IO was firm but professional, some smiles.
Several service requests made, contacted Senator and Ombudsman. Background checks still pending.
July 21, 2017 HOME VISIT.  Went well. Topic thread in AOS forum.
Waiting to skip ROC and get 10 yr GC due to over 2 year while pending AOS
AOS APPROVED Oct. 4, 2017 * Green card in hand Oct 13, 2017 !!!!!

First K1 denied after 16 month of AP. Refiled. We are a couple since 2009. Not a sprint but a matter of endurance.

 

CallMeShams Community Regular

CallMeShams   34

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Jamaica
 Timeline
Posted

Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well.

The day has come, today my husband picked up his visa at the embassy :wow: HOWEVER, getting to that point was outrageous. I would like to start by saying I know our journey is nowhere NEAR as difficult as other people's (not that it's a competition...) but I thought sharing this story might help others.

Interview - July 16th - Not told if he was approved, they kept his passport

About a week after his interview I called the embassy to inquire (which is how I found out it was approved). I asked to speak with someone in charge of immigrant visas. The man told me he was approved but the background check wasn't completed yet.

Anyone dealing with this embassy can tell you the operator (which is always the same woman) is incredibly rude and has hung up on me more times than I can count. The rest of the staff are hit and miss. On the rare chance you're connected with someone, they will give you details on the case. Most of the time, they will make you run around in circles telling you to call back at certain times like it's a game.

My memory is a little fuzzy here but around 2 weeks after I spoke with the man at the embassy, I called DOS to ask if the background check had been completed. They informed me everything has been cleared and the embassy is ready to issue the visa. After this point in time I was not able to reach someone at the embassy for around a month (case status on CEAC remained at "Ready" with very sporadic status updated date changes).

After I felt like I had been dragged through the mud enough by the embassy (I believe we were past the 60 day waiting mark at this point), I opened a case with my senator's immigration office.

In between these stages I did reach someone at the immigrant visa unit at the embassy and he told me the visa is ready to be issued but keep waiting, we're busy, bla bla bla. When I pressed, he told me OK, your husband can come next Wednesday to pick up the visa. Of course when he showed up after a long journey, it wasn't ready and everyone else BUT HIM got their visas. At this point we were furious. The very last time I called the embassy, the operator told me I can NO LONGER call about immigrant visa cases. Obviously this woman hates me because I don't truly believe their policy changed. I would like to also note, that I was as polite and friendly as humanly possible every time I called the embassy.

My case worker's first attempt to email the embassy was left unanswered (they give a grace period of around 4 weeks). My case worker informed me they were required to respond to his second attempt (congressional inquiry) within 2 days. Of course, no response. He asked me to give him 1 more week to work on it which I did. Friday of the end of that week, the case went into Administrative Processing on CEAC and the status updated date changed all through the weekend. The following Tuesday it changed to ISSUED.

From the words of my case worker, after his second email got no response, he "made a call to Washington", to get the situation resolved.

If you read through my short novel, I thank you. I am grateful for all of the help we received from this website, and I'm sure I won't be a stranger here. Best of luck to anyone on this hellish voyage, and feel free to contact me for additional advice or questions.

Thanks for sharing. I admire your persistence.

It is unfortunate the foolishness one has to put up with at the Embassy stage. Either they have too much or they feel they have too much power. It is something else.

Shauna&Wael Collaborator

Shauna&Wael   211

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Congratulations and wishing you a happy reunion.

Thank you so much!

"A million years if I could live,
A thousand lives if I could give,
I would spend it all again with you,
Don't forget where you belong,
Only with me you are strong,
Not even the gods above can break,
Baby what we have"

Shauna&Wael Collaborator

Shauna&Wael   211

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for sharing. I admire your persistence.

It is unfortunate the foolishness one has to put up with at the Embassy stage. Either they have too much or they feel they have too much power. It is something else.

Let's just say there are plenty of people working there who shouldn't be working there. The mind games are horrendous and definitely the icing on the cake when going through this process.

What once started out as persistence turned to pure rage and something that couldn't be stopped! Lol!

"A million years if I could live,
A thousand lives if I could give,
I would spend it all again with you,
Don't forget where you belong,
Only with me you are strong,
Not even the gods above can break,
Baby what we have"

TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,536

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted

Thanks for the thorough update with the good news, and commendations on your persistence!

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

3rd Collaborator

3rd   84

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

Congratulations on finally getting your approval. I can't even imagine how frustrating that all must have been.

AOS

09/02/2015 - Enter United States @ Raleigh Durham International Airport, NC under VWP

14/02/2015 - Fly to San Francisco, CA

09/05/2015 - I-94 Expires

22/05/2015 - Civil Surgeon Medical Examination

28/05/2015 - Received Sealed Envelope

04/07/2015 - Married in Vegas

14/08/2015 - Sent I-130, I-485, I-765 & I-131 to Chicago Lockbox

21/08/2015 - Emails/Texts of Acceptance for I-130, I-485, I-765 & I-131

24/08/2015 - I-130 & I-485 Cheques Cashed

27/08/2015 - Paper NOA1 Received

14/09/2015 - Biometrics Letter Received

23/09/2015 - Biometrics Complete

17/10/2015 - EAD/AP Card Produced

21/10/2015 - EAD/AP Card Mailed

24/10/2015 - EAD/AP Card Delivered

31/10/2015 - Received SSN

06/02/2016 - Interview Notice Delivered by Post

09/03/2016 - Interview

09/03/2016 - Approved at Interview + Card Ordered

14/03/2016 - Green Card Mailed

16/03/2016 - Green Card Received

ROC

05/02/2018 - Sent I-751 to California Service Centre

07/02/2018 - I-751 Received

09/02/2018 - Extension Letter Arrived in Post

12/05/2018 - Biometrics Reused Letter

18/08/2018 - 18 Months Extension Letter

19/04/2019 - 1-751 Approved + Card Produced

Naturalisation

09/12/2018 - Sent N-400 Application Online

14/12/2018 - Received Paper NOA1

02/01/2019 - Biometrics Scheduled

06/02/2019 - Biometrics Rescheduled

Shauna&Wael Collaborator

Shauna&Wael   211

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

The really hard part of this is you have to use the visa 6 months after the medical exam

so, pay the $165 and get the ticket and welcome to the US

Don't worry his medical expires in June, and we booked his ticket for November :)

It will take every army in the world to keep this man away from me!! lmao

Thank you everyone your words really mean a lot to me.

"A million years if I could live,
A thousand lives if I could give,
I would spend it all again with you,
Don't forget where you belong,
Only with me you are strong,
Not even the gods above can break,
Baby what we have"

Marti Apprentice

Marti   2

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
Posted

Your trials with the embassy and having to get a senator involved are very similar to what my husband and I faced.

That embassy is a mess and in need of a "house cleaning"

You're right about that woman. I filed a formal complaint against her and the embassy as a whole. I spent 2 months emailing and calling. Not one email or phone call was returned. It was not until the senators office pushed that we got results.

On Monday my husband picked up his visa.. and just about 10 minutes ago he left Tunisia headed for his first stop over before he is finally home. He will be here tomorrow night at 6pm.

I am happy to hear your story had a happy ending. i have been following it.

Congratulations!

Shauna&Wael Collaborator

Shauna&Wael   211

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Tunisia
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Congratulations! I know you are so glad it's over.

thank you, yes, very happy. i hope your journey is over soon or will be. no one deserves what us folks have to go through.

"A million years if I could live,
A thousand lives if I could give,
I would spend it all again with you,
Don't forget where you belong,
Only with me you are strong,
Not even the gods above can break,
Baby what we have"

 
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