Need advice about highly complicated K1 circumstances

[brightfuture78 118]

Hey everyone,

 

It's been a while since I was last here. The last thread I posted was about how my fiancé was in the final stages of the K1 Visa process, attended her medical exam at St. Luke's and was ultimately sentenced to 18 months of TB treatment. Yes, you read that right... 18 months of going to St. Luke's, every single day that they were open for business. 

 

Anyhow, in early November of 2020 she completed this treatment. On the final day, St. Luke's scheduled her to come back in on December 28-29, 2020 to re-take her medical. This is not by our request - they just went ahead and scheduled it for her and handed her a piece of paper with the time, date, and required fee. 

 

At first, I took this as good news that this nightmare would soon be over. We re-paid the visa application fee (the consulate didn't give a rat's *** when I wrote them an email explaining that it expired through no fault of our own). However, when I went to the website after paying the fee to see if we'd be able to schedule an interview within the next 3 months, all I found was a message informing me that "There are currently no interviews available."

 

That's when I came here and found out that apparently they are not allowing anyone to schedule their own interviews due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are instead issuing interview dates at some point after their case is forwarded to the Consulate in Manila. Am I understanding that correctly? If so, I have no idea where that leaves my fiancé whose case has been in limbo since well-before these COVID-19 protocols started.

 

I have written to US Consulate Manila several times explaining our unusual circumstances, asking for instructions on what to do, and each time they've replied with a canned response, citing articles that don't specifically address our situation. I can't get anyone there to converse with me like a human being. I even requested an expedited interview due to the fact we have been in this process with St. Luke's for nearly 2 years already, and are desperately trying to avoid having to start all over again if her medical results expire. They seemingly denied my request (replied with a list of conditions that qualify for expedited interview - none of which specifically applied to us).

 

I have no idea if St. Luke's is going to request an expedited interview on her behalf after she passes her medical. I have no idea whether the Consulate would actually approve the request even if St. Luke's did. My fiancé says St. Luke's didn't say anything to her about it other than mentioning that an interview needing to be scheduled within the 30 day timeframe in which the medical exam results would be valid. 

 

I feel like after everything we've been through with this already, we're stuck between a rock & a hard place and no one at the consulate seems to give a ****. I'm lost as to what to do and have zero confidence that it's all just going to work itself out if we wait and see how this plays out. 

 

Any advice/recommendations?

 

Thanks.

[Boiler 45,651]

Medical should be good for 6 months?

[brightfuture78 118]

3 Months is what SLEC informed her the results would be good for. I don't know if this is specifically related to her treatment there and the fact that she was previously indicated for TB.

[JonSeattle 202]

Mixed in with the frustration you feel is a lot of great news: your fiance has been cured of TB, she didn't get COVID, there is a very effective vaccine that will be distributed by soon, and the COVID situation in the Philippines is such that a new administration might be willing to re-open the embassy there. Hang in there, it's getting close now.

Edited December 11, 2020 by JonSeattle

[brightfuture78 118]

Definitely thankful that she's cured. Though, admittedly I still question whether she legitimately had TB to begin with. She was asymptomatic. and in the initial testing I believe she provided them with 3 sputum samples, all were negative for TB culture growth except one??? And never showed up again in all of the testing she endured throughout the 18 months of her treatment. Seems weird to me, but if she actually had it, I'm glad it was treated.

[jm302music 25]

Man, I definitely feel your pain there.  My fiancée and I have been trying to complete our process since 2016!

 

I'll spare you the details, but our complications have been similar (although definitely not as bad!) to yours, specifically with the medical certification.  2020 was finally going to be our year, and then the pandemic hit.

 

I don't know how much value my advice carries since we haven't actually completed our process yet.  But I agree with your inclination that the situation isn't going to just work itself out. 

 

When we can finally continue with our process, we'll be doing our third medical, paying a third visa fee, and undoubtedly repeating a lot of other costs, too.  Given those facts, we've just decided to not take any more steps until we're sure we can complete the process once and for all.  That would mean waiting until the pandemic lockdowns are over worldwide and "normal" travel resumes.  And that's probably going to mean waiting until late 2021 or even early 2022.  That's a pretty dismal outlook, but one based on the reality of the hardships and hurdles that we've experienced so far.

 

I know you mentioned that St. Luke's had just scheduled a new medical without even consulting either of you.  That kind of stuff that's happening right now is so frustrating, especially when coupled with the other frustration you mentioned of not being able to actually talk to a real person and get solid information.

 

I guess since they're making you pay again for that new medical that they've scheduled in December, I'd probably recommend just cancelling the appointment so that you're not paying all that money for nothing (and causing your fiancée to have to spend yet another two days at St. Luke's).  Given the fact that "normal" travel probably won't return until well on into 2021, she probably wouldn't be able to use that medical certification before it expires, which would then result in still ANOTHER medical before she could travel.

 

Anyway, as I said, my advice plus a dollar will get you a large drink at McDonald's, so take it for what it's worth.  At least know that there's somebody else out here in much the same boat as you two.  I wish you all the best with getting through this and finally being together one day.

Joel

 

 

[user555 196]

On 12/11/2020 at 11:33 PM, brightfuture78 said:

I have written to US Consulate Manila several times explaining our unusual circumstances

 

 

Contact PWB. He had a similar case with medical expiring twice. They were going to make them do it a third time, and he contacted his senator who contacted the embassy and they did a Consular Review or something where some big boss looks at the mistakes of the embassy's underlings; his visa was issued in 2 days. 

SLEC and the USEM are full of incompetence. I've got two totally opposite answers from the USEM in the same week. The employees are as clueless as most. 

[payxibka 10,045]

On 12/11/2020 at 10:11 AM, Boiler said:

Medical should be good for 6 months?

Not after TB treatment 

[PWB 213]

On 12/11/2020 at 9:33 AM, brightfuture78 said:

Hey everyone,

 

It's been a while since I was last here. The last thread I posted was about how my fiancé was in the final stages of the K1 Visa process, attended her medical exam at St. Luke's and was ultimately sentenced to 18 months of TB treatment. Yes, you read that right... 18 months of going to St. Luke's, every single day that they were open for business. 

 

Anyhow, in early November of 2020 she completed this treatment. On the final day, St. Luke's scheduled her to come back in on December 28-29, 2020 to re-take her medical. This is not by our request - they just went ahead and scheduled it for her and handed her a piece of paper with the time, date, and required fee. 

 

At first, I took this as good news that this nightmare would soon be over. We re-paid the visa application fee (the consulate didn't give a rat's *** when I wrote them an email explaining that it expired through no fault of our own). However, when I went to the website after paying the fee to see if we'd be able to schedule an interview within the next 3 months, all I found was a message informing me that "There are currently no interviews available."

 

That's when I came here and found out that apparently they are not allowing anyone to schedule their own interviews due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are instead issuing interview dates at some point after their case is forwarded to the Consulate in Manila. Am I understanding that correctly? If so, I have no idea where that leaves my fiancé whose case has been in limbo since well-before these COVID-19 protocols started.

 

I have written to US Consulate Manila several times explaining our unusual circumstances, asking for instructions on what to do, and each time they've replied with a canned response, citing articles that don't specifically address our situation. I can't get anyone there to converse with me like a human being. I even requested an expedited interview due to the fact we have been in this process with St. Luke's for nearly 2 years already, and are desperately trying to avoid having to start all over again if her medical results expire. They seemingly denied my request (replied with a list of conditions that qualify for expedited interview - none of which specifically applied to us).

 

I have no idea if St. Luke's is going to request an expedited interview on her behalf after she passes her medical. I have no idea whether the Consulate would actually approve the request even if St. Luke's did. My fiancé says St. Luke's didn't say anything to her about it other than mentioning that an interview needing to be scheduled within the 30 day timeframe in which the medical exam results would be valid. 

 

I feel like after everything we've been through with this already, we're stuck between a rock & a hard place and no one at the consulate seems to give a ****. I'm lost as to what to do and have zero confidence that it's all just going to work itself out if we wait and see how this plays out. 

 

Any advice/recommendations?

 

Thanks.

We went though that mess with St Lukes as well and they screwed up at every turn. My advise may be accurate, but today who knows.  The USEM will not talk to you or schedule you for an interview until they receive the physical results from St Lukes so don't waste your time until after she completes physical.  What frustrated us was USEM allowed our physical to expire, 6 months is limit, and then rescheduled her for a new physical.  She had to complete sputum protocol again and three days after the USEM received her physical they returned her passport and told her to reschedule for another physical.  This was an obvious mistake by USEM and we unloaded on them with all we had.  Requested Consul General review petition,  Involved our State Senator and laid out step by step the mistakes that USEM/St Lukes made in processing our K1 Visa.  USEM contacted her and told her to return passport and two days later issued visa. All of this happened this month (December 2020) and just goes to show that they can and will issue a visa if you can hold them accountable.   Best of Luck to you.  No one should have to endure a process like this.    

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

On 12/11/2020 at 10:33 AM, brightfuture78 said:

Hey everyone,

 

It's been a while since I was last here. The last thread I posted was about how my fiancé was in the final stages of the K1 Visa process, attended her medical exam at St. Luke's and was ultimately sentenced to 18 months of TB treatment. Yes, you read that right... 18 months of going to St. Luke's, every single day that they were open for business. 

 

Anyhow, in early November of 2020 she completed this treatment. On the final day, St. Luke's scheduled her to come back in on December 28-29, 2020 to re-take her medical. This is not by our request - they just went ahead and scheduled it for her and handed her a piece of paper with the time, date, and required fee. 

 

At first, I took this as good news that this nightmare would soon be over. We re-paid the visa application fee (the consulate didn't give a rat's *** when I wrote them an email explaining that it expired through no fault of our own). However, when I went to the website after paying the fee to see if we'd be able to schedule an interview within the next 3 months, all I found was a message informing me that "There are currently no interviews available."

 

That's when I came here and found out that apparently they are not allowing anyone to schedule their own interviews due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are instead issuing interview dates at some point after their case is forwarded to the Consulate in Manila. Am I understanding that correctly? If so, I have no idea where that leaves my fiancé whose case has been in limbo since well-before these COVID-19 protocols started.

 

I have written to US Consulate Manila several times explaining our unusual circumstances, asking for instructions on what to do, and each time they've replied with a canned response, citing articles that don't specifically address our situation. I can't get anyone there to converse with me like a human being. I even requested an expedited interview due to the fact we have been in this process with St. Luke's for nearly 2 years already, and are desperately trying to avoid having to start all over again if her medical results expire. They seemingly denied my request (replied with a list of conditions that qualify for expedited interview - none of which specifically applied to us).

 

I have no idea if St. Luke's is going to request an expedited interview on her behalf after she passes her medical. I have no idea whether the Consulate would actually approve the request even if St. Luke's did. My fiancé says St. Luke's didn't say anything to her about it other than mentioning that an interview needing to be scheduled within the 30 day timeframe in which the medical exam results would be valid. 

 

I feel like after everything we've been through with this already, we're stuck between a rock & a hard place and no one at the consulate seems to give a ****. I'm lost as to what to do and have zero confidence that it's all just going to work itself out if we wait and see how this plays out. 

 

Any advice/recommendations?

 

Thanks.

Bro, all of this sucks so hard. I really feel bad for you to be honest with you. 

But I got to say that it is awesome to see someone else from Greensboro on here. Where in Greensboro are you from, and where is your fiance from? I live down around Forest Oaks and my wife is from Davao City. 

[brightfuture78 118]

22 hours ago, PWB said:

We went though that mess with St Lukes as well and they screwed up at every turn. My advise may be accurate, but today who knows.  The USEM will not talk to you or schedule you for an interview until they receive the physical results from St Lukes so don't waste your time until after she completes physical.  What frustrated us was USEM allowed our physical to expire, 6 months is limit, and then rescheduled her for a new physical.  She had to complete sputum protocol again and three days after the USEM received her physical they returned her passport and told her to reschedule for another physical.  This was an obvious mistake by USEM and we unloaded on them with all we had.  Requested Consul General review petition,  Involved our State Senator and laid out step by step the mistakes that USEM/St Lukes made in processing our K1 Visa.  USEM contacted her and told her to return passport and two days later issued visa. All of this happened this month (December 2020) and just goes to show that they can and will issue a visa if you can hold them accountable.   Best of Luck to you.  No one should have to endure a process like this.    

Thanks for sharing that, and good to know you were able to get it resolved. I was considering cancelling my fiancé's scheduled re-medical until I got a clearer idea of whether or not USEM would help, but you're right - the physical results need to be sent over from St. Luke's in order to take the excuse that her medical exam is still pending off the table. Maybe it will help back up my explanation for all of this, if they have the whole documented history in front of them to look at. I'm not going to just let them ignore this case. A modicum of empathy is all that's required to see that this situation deserves some consideration to be expedited. There's a K2 involved, by the way - as if things weren't complicated enough.

 

16 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Bro, all of this sucks so hard. I really feel bad for you to be honest with you. 

But I got to say that it is awesome to see someone else from Greensboro on here. Where in Greensboro are you from, and where is your fiance from? I live down around Forest Oaks and my wife is from Davao City. 

I stay in North Greensboro, close to the airport. Fiancé is from Ozamiz. 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by brightfuture78