What to expect at Warsaw US Embassy Interview (September 2022)

[TBoneTX 43,487]

I posted in your other thread:

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"Your story evokes memories of how Mrs. T-B.-to-be and I got hosed at our consulate.  That, however, was a case of gross incompetence, poor management, and evil.

 

"I echo the post above, I respect you for your patience and persistence (your capabilities are among the elite on this site), and I'm pulling hard for you.

 

"My only idea is to try what I tried:  contact via the U.S. Citizen Service unit (separate from the consular units) at the embassy.  I had to do this by phone, but you're there in person.  Tell them that you need to speak with the chief of the Immigrant Visa Unit.  The U.S. unit will try to blow you off, multiple times.  Play your ultimate trump, as many times as it takes:  'Are you a U.S. citizen?  No?  Well, I am, and I need to speak with the chief of the IV Unit now.  Please make sure that I'm connected with a human being and not a recording or voicemail.'"

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(Back "live" now)  I had a phone number for the State Dept. Bureau of Consular Affairs from years ago; I don't know if it's still valid or if that person is still there, but if I find it, I'll post it.

[TBoneTX 43,487]

14 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

if I find it, I'll post it.

Here.  This is from 2008, after we got hosed in Guayaquil and I was "ordered" to appear for what turned out to be a Stokes interrogation (and not even by a CO, but by a Foreign Service National [local native employee]).  Most of this is for general knowledge (little solace given your urgency, I know), but at least this gives you some fodder for later.  I've highlighted segments to attend to.

Quote

I actually got a call back from Shirley, a supervisor with the DOS Visa Dept.  Phone number on caller ID was 202-861-0945.  She spent 29 minutes on the phone with me.

 

She says that the "2 weeks" estimate is truly a general estimate:  "We wish that the consulates wouldn't give a timeframe, because sometimes the processing takes longer."  It's because they're reviewing documents or because of workload, and they get backed up in summertime.  The volume is huge; their primary goal is to review and either issue or deny.  COs are required "by law" to do what's right regarding issuance, so multiple calls or contacts don't hurt the petitioner's cause; however, the time taken to respond to inquiries can take away from other things that they have to do.

The consular/visa corps undergoes "ongoing training" to ensure that people are "provided courteous treatment" (ha!).  Complaints about this can be directed to the Chief of the Consular Section (ha).  The Vice-Consul will be apprised of it but won't be the one to rule on it.

"Administrative processing" means many things that she's not privy to: either internal handling, or security checks, with no clear timeframe.  Only the consulate can answer that (ha).

"Comeback appointments" (like ours) are allocated only certain slots, because the #1 priority (ha) is to process cases (ha).  There may be hundreds of cases ahead of ours, and they're worked on schedules.

She was interested to hear about the illegal questions asked, and that an FSN was the interviewer, but she didn't comment.

Our written complaints can go (only by hard copy) to:

Public Inquiries Division
Bureau of Consular Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2401 E Street NW
Washington, DC  20522-0106.

Due to screening of mail for anthrax or whatever, it could take 2 weeks before they get what we send them, and a reply could take 2 to 4 weeks.  Sending by FedEx or DHL is the same.

So, we're back to ground zero as far as timely help.  At least the lady was patient and soothing.

 

Steven, what are the chances of involving your Congressman?  Congressmen have zero influence over the consulates, but maybe an inquiry will get Warsaw off the dime.

Edited September 7, 2022 by TBoneTX

[JayFromTexas 60]

Any luck, Steve? Give us an update when you can. 

[FJinSD 14]

For StevenInAtlanta:

Any updates on the sh*tshow you've been forced to endure? 

Have you crossed paths with any other couples with similar cases while there?

Hoping the BEST outcome for you guys - and encourage you to hang with it. 

 

*side note - with the 'September 19th' policy looming it looks like you may be one of the final few who are processed through Warsaw in the foreseeable future.

[JayFromTexas 60]

23 hours ago, FJinSD said:

For StevenInAtlanta:

Any updates on the sh*tshow you've been forced to endure? 

Have you crossed paths with any other couples with similar cases while there?

Hoping the BEST outcome for you guys - and encourage you to hang with it. 

 

*side note - with the 'September 19th' policy looming it looks like you may be one of the final few who are processed through Warsaw in the foreseeable future.

Steve and his wife have either made progress and they are making their way back to Russia/America OR Steve is in jail for strangling a consular official! 😅

[TBoneTX 43,487]

1 hour ago, JayFromTexas said:

strangling a consular official

That was really, really, REALLY hard to refrain from during my/my contemporaries' time.  

[StevenInAtlanta 41]

@TBoneTX @JayFromTexas @FJinSD

 

It's now Monday the 12th September 5:15PM Warsaw time.  No so much as a peep from the Embassy and I sent them a message on Friday last week in response to my Wednesday inquiry about a status on my wife's visa processing.  As you might recall on Wednesday I sent them a note indicating that I had previously submitted the week before the requested federal income tax form from 2021.  Their response Friday morning was that they had not received the tax "transcript" requested but did confirm they received the form 1040.

 

In my response I indicated that all the pre-interview instructions as well as the green sheet of to-do items my wife received at her interview clearly indicated "OR"  I mean that a Federal Tax Return (1040) OR a tax transcript was acceptable as prof of income...that it was not an AND condition. I further detailed and forward the pre-interview instructions with that portion highlighted in red (the OR part) and said that all written communications I had received indicated that a federal tax for 1040 was acceptable as proof of income and that unless they could demonstrate to me that a tax transcript from the IRS was now part of the official immigration document requirements to please continue with the processing as I had fully complied with the previous written instructions.

 

To that communication that I received a confirmation to, I have as of this moment not gotten a reply. 

 

This afternoon, while checking the ustraveldocs.com web site for our status, I noticed, much to my surprise that the status area that once said "Your application/passport is currently at the embassy" had been updated to "Document Delivery Instructions" ....but there are no instructions and the link does nothing.  So it is possible, but I am withholding great joy that maybe the visa was processed and they are planning to get the visa to the mailboxesETC location or deliver to us the instructions to pick it up at the embassy.

 

So...using the ustraveldocs.com feedback feature, I sent them another email.   An email asking if there were further instructions pending the pickup of either her completed passport with US immigrant VISA or just her original passport.  

 

We are praying hard that it is a situation where the visa was approved and is being sent to the mailboxesETC for pickup rather than just returning her passport. If they are returning it only, then I take that as a cyber bird finger for telling them that a 1040 was sufficient for income verification based on all my written communications and instructions received.  And to that I respond with "Pfffft!" Lets go Brandon!

 

Ill post the communication streams below....

[StevenInAtlanta 41]

Immigrant Visas Warsaw	Fri, Sep 9, 9:13 AM (3 days ago)
to me Dear Madam,

 

thank you for your correspondence.  We do not have the IRS tax transcript.  The tax documents submitted on August 30 include the forms 1040 and 8995.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Immigrant Visa Unit

Consular Section

U.S. Embassy Warsaw

/ak

 

========================

Steven Seale <steven.seale@gmail.com>	Sep 9, 2022, 12:00 PM (3 days ago)
to support-poland, Goncharova, Immigrant, me

Hello,

 

Yes, according to the official written pre-interview instructions received on 27, March 2022 (shown below in red text) the 1040 tax return that was uploaded 30 August as requested is ALSO an acceptable document for the purpose of income verification. The wording indicates either a transcript OR the most recent Federal Income Tax Return (form 1040).  This is clearly explained in the written instructions received prior to the interview. Note that for the document qualification phase of our petition the previous year of 2018, form 1040 is accepted as proof of income.  

 

To our knowledge there has been no change in the official requirement for a IRS transcript only, a 1040 is apparently still acceptable and we have the written instructions that indicate this to be true.  You should be assured that moving forward will be within the official guidelines. There is absolutely no inference or reference to a transcript being the only acceptable evidence.  Please continue to process our visa petition unless you can provide some evidence of a recent change to the official processing guidelines indicating that a transcript is the only acceptable proof of income.

======================

[StevenInAtlanta 41]

Hello Sir or Madam,

 

We can see that the Dashboard for our case has changed recently and that now "Document Delivery Information" appears but there are no instructions and the link does not open another window or browser tab. It is our hope that my wife's passport and US Immigrant Visa has been successfully processed and we are awaiting further instruction on when and where to pick up her passport.

 

We are running VERY close on time to remain in Warsaw, our scheduled flight is Thursday 15th Sept at 9PM, we must leave for the airport by approximately 6PM.

 

[smoothoperaytor 40]

We've been waiting for over a year and our DQ was a few months ago. I think it'll be another year. We were asked to upload a new police report, which we did. They take about 2-4 weeks to get in her city. I'm guessing we'll need another one by the time we have our interview. The thing is, we don't know when that will be. To be "safe", we could constantly keep an active police report every 6 months, but that's silly.

 

So many annoyances and inconveniences with this process.

[slavaskii 885]

1 hour ago, StevenInAtlanta said:

Hello Sir or Madam,

 

We can see that the Dashboard for our case has changed recently and that now "Document Delivery Information" appears but there are no instructions and the link does not open another window or browser tab. It is our hope that my wife's passport and US Immigrant Visa has been successfully processed and we are awaiting further instruction on when and where to pick up her passport.

 

We are running VERY close on time to remain in Warsaw, our scheduled flight is Thursday 15th Sept at 9PM, we must leave for the airport by approximately 6PM.

 

We all wish you the best, Steven. I'm certain your wife must be feeling very fortunate to have someone like you consistently on the ball.

 

Did you ever tell the Embassy how you wanted the passport returned? As in, either through USTravelDocs or another application? For the K-1, I recall specifically one of the last stages with signing up for the interview was detailing the document delivery information. We either had the choice of mailing to a Polish address or picking up in Warsaw/Krakow. I really wish I could remember, but I'm not sure if our choice (pick-up in Warsaw) was always detailed on that USTravelDoc's homescreen. Most certainly, it did not update when the visa was actually ready; we only knew when we got an email from the 'mailbox' pickup location.

 

That being said, do immigrant visas get picked up from the Embassy or the 'mailbox'? If mailbox, you can actually call them and ask if it's there - you just have to give the passport number. 

[StevenInAtlanta 41]

@slavaskii

"We all wish you the best, Steven. I'm certain your wife must be feeling very fortunate to have someone like you consistently on the ball."

 

It has been a great source of strength to return to this post and read the encouragement from others that have either endured this journey or that are on the journey and that have offered their encouragement.  Though I have not yet crossed the goal line with the football I feel like I am close but I know its 4th quarter and there are just seconds on the clock.  I'm hoping for that hail Mary play that every sage quarterback has in his playbook.

 

"Did you ever tell the Embassy how you wanted the passport returned? As in, either through USTravelDocs or another application? For the K-1, I recall specifically one of the last stages with signing up for the interview was detailing the document delivery information. We either had the choice of mailing to a Polish address or picking up in Warsaw/Krakow. "

 

When we registered on the ustraveldoc.com website (which by the way is a requirement!) it was a step in the registration process for your interview to select your point of delivery. The choices were either 1 of 2 MailboxesETC or a polish address.  We picked the MailboxesETC in Warsaw, (about a 20 minute drive by car from the Embassy) option of course since we have no polish address other than our AirBNB apartment home that has changed each week.

 

"USTravelDoc's homescreen. Most certainly, it did not update when the visa was actually ready; we only knew when we got an email from the 'mailbox' pickup location."

 

That is good to know but not reassuring that the people that run and interact with the system are actually maintaining it with the users (visa seekers) best interest in mind.  I would like to think that it is a matter of work load, they are just overrun with applicants and short staffed.  I'll give them that but on the other hand, I dont think its reasonable to expect someone to wait 1-3 days for a response to a critical question when they are in town for the interview only and having to potentially make extended travel plans to overstay their plan because of extended delays at the embassy processing something seemingly as simple as an updated birth certificate and police report that has been translated AND certified and sealed by the translator and presented to the Consulate Officer during the 90 second interview.  This topic we discussed above.  I dont believe that the CEAC and ustraveldocs.com systems are directly connected, I THINK that the US Embassy in Warsaw Poland help desk that you call (number above) is acting as an intermediator relay of information between the embassy and CEAC...or it is the Ebbassy personnel that are charged with updating the CEAC system, which they do not seem to be doing. I say this because we still have documents in CEAC system that were uploaded over 2 weeks ago that still show submitted but not 'accepted'...eventhough from the communications we are getting from support-poland@ indicate they have been reviewed.

 

Stay tuned, the saga continues

 

 

All

 

[StevenInAtlanta 41]

@smoothoperaytor

"We've been waiting for over a year and our DQ was a few months ago. I think it'll be another year. We were asked to upload a new police report, which we did. They take about 2-4 weeks to get in her city. I'm guessing we'll need another one by the time we have our interview. The thing is, we don't know when that will be. To be "safe", we could constantly keep an active police report every 6 months, but that's silly."

 

We ran into this problem because the war in Ukraine started and we had to delay and reschedule our interview.  The original police certificate that we had previously uploaded to CEAC expired during the waiting and trying to find flights.  That took about 4 months.  Anyway, the lesson learned is that once you have your interview date, be sure that the police certificate will still be valid at the time of the interview. For us, the Russian certificate was good for 1 year and it had to be translated to English.  We got her certificate in 2 weeks in Russia after the Covid 19 period, during the Covid 19 period we got it in like 3-4 days.

 

My suggestion is to determine how long it is going to take to get it, and if it's not in English, get the final one obtained for the interview translated and certified AND UPLOAD IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO CEAC profile so that it is already there during the interview and of course take the original with you to the interview.  Translation services was not expensive (I think we paid $150 US for all 5 needed documents) and it took only about 5-7 days total.  That way the Embassy CO can not send you away like they did us to upload it then play a 2+ week waiting game for them to just push the silly accept document box.

[JayFromTexas 60]

Others have a lot more knowledge and experience in these matters than I do, Steven, so I can't add much there. But I can tell you I'm thinking of you and I'm sending good positive energy to you and the "good people" at the embassy so that your case will be concluded very very shortly.

 

Jay

[Zoothie 8]

Why do you say the certificate was valid for 1 year? NVC states 2 years since the date of issue...

Edited September 13, 2022 by Zoothie