meno-is-mine

your "half-marriage" as u call it, or the katb ketab, is a legal marriage, assuming that you both actually signed the marriage contract at the ministry of justice (unless there's another way to do it legally)... that religious marriage is recognized by the US government as an actual marriage, despite the lack of consummation... many of the couples here on VJ petition for their husbands after their Katb-Ketab only.

Took 8 days from the NVC case complete. Check out my timeline! =)

I meant file to the US address of course, but using your current address as your address in Egypt. You still send the petition to the US lockbox address. I was writing you a long private message when u sent this. I'll respond there for everything else. Lol

Thanks for your reply! So If I start the process reguraly in October, when would be the average time to finish and have visa in hand based on your experience? I need to be in the US by June, MAX, for Dental School!!! will it be possible!!

Thanks again!

Well, I can't tell you for sure, but I suppose we can estimate. USCIS wait can be 5 months on average (give or take a month), that puts u in March/April timing for an NOA2. The NVC stage CAN be completed in a month or two. That's mid May-June already. Interview date for me was assigned 1 month after NVC completion. Then you must factor in AP time. This is all based on average wait/processing times. My opinion is that under normal filing circumstances, consider a solid 10-11 months from the initial filing date for visa to be in hand.

If filing fom Egypt will reduce your NOA2 wait to 1-3 months (I'm not sure), then it seems like a visa in hand by June is possible. It'd be cutting it really close and it would assume an AP of no more than 3 months (AP times are unpredictable, by the way). But you never know. One couple I know of filed and had visa in hand in just 8 months total. He didn't get AP but don't bet that your spouse won't either.

I wish you luck, but Octobet to June for filing to visa in hand seems a bit unlikely from Cairo Embassy with the AP and all. Keep us posted though! one more question, why file in October, start filing ASAP if you have your documents ready. If I was hard-pressed for June, I'd be filing yesterday!

No more DCF in Cairo, BUT I've heard that if you live abroad and put ur international address as ur current address, then ur USCIS wait may be shorter... i don't know this for sure and havent followed ppl's cases too carefully to know this for sure, but i have heard several couples file "from Egypt" and claim a shorter wait for NOA2... but officially, there is no more DCF as NY_BX mentioned...

To whom do you refer as "they" who "always recommend...."?

LOL, at the time when I was preparing documents for NVC, i was unsure of what was required... i didnt quite understand the statement posted on the NVC site... when i say "they" i refer to random VJ members... there are some VJ members that insisted that getting translations was a MUST no matter what, and others that stated the rule as it, that its just recommended but NOT necessary (assuming the docs were in the official language as the embassy of course).... i had inquired with at least 3 NVC operators as to what was required and the 3 said they were NOT required... so i took a chance and believed what was clearly stated on the NVC site... better?

Hi,

I am filling out the DS-230. Are these all the documents below I need to send with it? Also, my husband's birth certificate is certified but not in English. I think all documents must be in English and he should have it translated? And this must be sent with the I-864 together? After this is sent do we get some kind of approval letter and or medical exam date?? Just want to make sure of everything...

Thanks for any advice!

Documents sent with DS-230

2 passport sized photos

original marriage certificate

any police certificates after the age of 16 if longer then six months of stay in any country

biographic page of passport

birth certificate (certified)

military record

divorce document if any

Hey!!! the only thing i see missing from ur list is the photocopy of these original documents... about the translations, they always recommend that u do translate the documents BUT it is NOT required as long as the documents are in the official language as the place where the interview will be held, meaning Arabic for the embassy in Cairo... i didnt send in ANY translations and was approved just fine despite people insisting that translations are a must... also, about the police certificates, they ARE supposed to be sent in with this IV packet... yes they expire after 3 months for egypt, so i had my hubby get a new one because when the interview time came it was expired, but at the interview, the consul told him that he didnt have to get a new one cause they still consider the recently expired one valid, but i thought it was better to be safe than sorry... take care!!! and get those packages out!!!

My hubby had a simple, short interview and says his CO was very pleasant and easy to talk to. He had absolutely no problems with her. He had lots of evidence with him but wasn't asked for many of it, not even my updated tax info. CO told him he was approved but the case had to undergo mandatory AP. They didn't keep his passport. He DID pay the DHL fee. He did have AP. but overall the experience was pleasant I must say. Btw, my hubby doesn't speak much English and his very American CO was able to speak enough Arabic to conduct the interview well without a translator.

Has anyone ever tried making sobia?

We bought Sobia powder from a supermarket in Egypt last summer and made it here when we came back. Wasn't too bad but not as tasty as off the street. Lol

Speaking of drinks, has anyone tried karkaday (hibiscus tea)? I saw some at the health food store and it looked intriguing. I asked Mohamed about it and he said it was good. Has anyone else tried it and liked it?

My mom boils the leaves/plant ALL the time. Been doing it for years. Tastes great. We drink it chilled. We have recently tried the tea, not bad either!

What is there to touch on an administrative processing case? The dates have always changed until that last day, but he has remained on AP for 27months. Nothing new...

I also believe the response date is an update or touch in the case. You mentioned why this would happen in AP, well, I was told that 3 different agencies are responsible for the AP checks and approval doesn't occur until all 3 approve the case. So it could be any one of the 3 updating/touching the case.

For those in AP....

does this site work to check your status of AP?

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx

Hi Micki!!! Hope things are better. To answer ur question, NO!!! Lol, it doesn't work. At least not for us. The first time I checked it it said "REFUSED" with a post date of 24 July. I freaked out and called DOS the next day to verify what's the deal. I was told that the system is just new and doesn't reflect any changes. That everything is the same as it was and that the more accurate tracker is through the IV portal through embassy site. I don't think that gets updated too often either though. I think the best info is by calling DOS and the embassy.

Yes, In Egypt they rip you off everytime you receive any mail of any type.

People pay again to send the package 3 back to the Embassy and again at the interview to have them send your passport w/ the Visa in it.

My husband paid 67 pounds each time. DHL did have the OP's package 3 and her fiance picked it up from them this morning. They're moving forward

The best of luck to you! I hope your husband will receive his visa soon

Thanks for the info... Hopefully it'll be very soon for us. I pray it does anyway. I'll have my hubby call in a few dys to see if there's any action.

He probably won't be contacted by the embassy, it takes 1-2 weeks for them to put it in their system. My husband wasn't contacted by the Embassy. They sent out his package 3 by DHL. My husband called his local DHL office each day to ask if they had a package for him, after calling each day DHL ask for his phone number so they could contact him when they were going to deliver it, DHL did call him to make sure they had the right address when they received it and he paid 67 pounds to take it from them. Have him call DHL to see if they have a package for him. Good Luck

To Add: Back when we did it it took 4 days to receive, but now things are alittle slower.It might be sitting at the DHL office. If they can't find your fiance's address they will return PK3 to the Cairo Embassy, make sure he checks with DHL soon.

Wow!!! He had to pay an additional fee to DHL cuz he picked up from them in-person? Whats the fee paid during the interview used for then? for the embassy to send out the passport + docs after visa is issued? I hope I can get my hubby to keep calling his local DHL as well and ask them if he can pick up the package when its ready. He sent in his passport to the embassy earlier today.

My husband received a call yesterday from the Embassy in Cairo and the Lady who spoke to him said they had finished reviewing his documents and asked him if he was ready to travel before November, "OF COURSE" ,my husband said than she asked him to send a new Criminal record ( the one in their files has been expired) and to have a TB (Tuberculosis) exam done with any of the doctors who did his medical test before, she asked Khalid to send this to her by DHL as soon as he gathered this documents.

Today I call DC and they confirmed the person who call my husband was from the embassy and they did requested those documents. she also stated the case is undergoing AP but they need the documents to move forward with the case.

We are a little confused because first the woman from the embassy said we finish checking the documents and DC said is additional documents but he is undergoing AP, so than i wonder why was he asked if he was ready to travel before Nov.

does any one out there has ever has this experience, I hope our case is getting closer to getting the visa, but regardless the situation at least we know some one is working on his case. And we are both so happy to know this

Congrats. Seems like there's movement in your case. Hopefully visa will come soon.

Checked mine. Post date is 24 July and also says "REFUSED". Hope that's not really the case as DOS has reassured me all is well and to just wait the AP out.

Congrats!!!

No updates...I have not contacted Senator Gillibrand or my other senator and congresswoman since my last post....mostly because my last experience was like pulling teeth from them....I do want them to make another inquiry - but I have just been waiting for now...I had to take a step back for a bit - this process was getting to me too much....I feel as though it doesn't really help and I just haven't had the energy to keep fighting when it's not working...I'm thinking of contacting them again soon so I will be sure to post any updates...

cool... i am also in AP right now, its been six weeks since interview... tomorrow's my anniversary ;( anyhow, i contacted a senator's office last monday and left a voicemail so that they can get back to me, before that I had filled out a constituent inquiry form on their site, called 2 more times after that and still got no where. Decided to contact another senator today. sent a message online, and will follow up with a phone call tomorrow hopefully...

The embassy has been of no use to us. we call them every week. today the hubby called and some girl answered and told my husband that 6 weeks isn't a long enough wait (easy for her to say) and that it could be more like 7-8 months!!! she told my hubby that when its ready, they'll send him his visa in his passport to which he replied that he has his passport cuz they didnt take it from him... the grl told him to just call the embassy every 15 days and ask if the AP is done... seems like a run-around, i'd hat e to think that his AP will really last 7-8 months...

Yep and I see you have moved to the West Coast

hmm, no actually, i'm still in NJ!!! lol, is my profile misleading? i'm in north jersey, essex county area, very much still on the east coast, thats why i liked the willowbrook mall comment, although i prefer garden state plaza hehe

i'd choose liberty state park or the hoboken waterfront instead, and watch the beautiful NY skyline lit at night...

North New Jersey

Willowborrk Mall

fellow jerseyan I see.. Hehe

I hope everyone enjoys Ramadan with their families this year. May the fast be easy on us all in this heat!

Any updates OP?

Sorry for the delay reporting ..

My wife visa was approved on 6/10 and we got the passport back on 6/18. She is States' side now and life is good.

Thank you all for your help and companionship.

Congratulations!!!

it takes a little while... check out the NVC filers - july 2012 thread for the most current NVC happenings... saylin is there and she has a spreadsheet in her signature that lists many people recently on VJ who are and have gone thru NVC for a good year or so back... she lists dates from the NOA2... and for every NVC step... that's your best source of info

Ok well when you put it that way it makes sence, BUT it seems the other ppl from our country had there's on that day. puffff.

Do you have an idea how long again you'll gonna be in AP?

ohhh man i cant imagine any wait worst than USCIS.

PS: HAPPY 4TH

No, no indication on how long AP is, unfortunately. They literally say they cannot predict how long it will be. Thats the worst, not knowing anything!!! anyway, Happy 4th to u too!!! hope ur enjoying a fireworks display somewhere.

Ohhh ok I feel a little better now. He did get blood work done. I just thought it all had to be done n in the envelope. I didnt see y they won't do it right there n then. Thx much n I missed u too, its like twitter we keep following ppl lollll. 2 more week till Interview.

Aww, good luck girl!!! I was wondering the same, why didn't my husband get vaccinated on the first visit?! Lol. I think they need to know what he has present in his blood too, so they don't unnecessarily administer any vaccinations needed.

I'm just waiting now for hubby's AP to end. It's been a month and two days now since his approval at the interview. the waiting is worse than the USCIS wait if u can believe that!