G & Oxy

Please call them and confirm, if that's what the advice sheet says. Ask also the means of payment and if you will be allowed to pay on your appointment day. I did my medical back in 2010 and I paid for it on the day of appointment. Things might have changed.

Hi Nyosh,

Yes, I understand that things have changed slightly and payment is now a medicals prerequisite.

pdnov142012,

In the meantime (before they respond to your email), please see page 93 of this thread (the posts from July 15, 2013) http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/160251-nairobi-embassy-thread/page-93 and also page 96 for the well detailed message by klrm (k and r) posted on August 8, 2013 http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/160251-nairobi-embassy-thread/page-96 It seems payment is now required before medicals and this is to be deposited in a recommended bank upon assessment of the amount payable.

Best wishes!

I haven't been by here in a while, but I just wanted to check on everyone's timelines. Mine is still at a standstill... I was at initial review for a while... then RFE response review... now I'm back to initial review after submitting a change of address on April 25th.

Boo!

Hi,

Hope you get your approval soon. I also submitted a change of address in April, which made my status revert to initial review and my AOS was at a standstill until its approval today (8/27) without an interview.

I have great news- my fiancé's interview was two days ago and he was approved!

Here is a summary of his interview (I was not there, so this description may not be as detailed as others'):

He arrived at the Embassy at 6:45 for an appointment at 7:15, went through all the security checkpoints, and then waited in the outside area for 2 hours. Finally they called his name and asked him to submit his DS-156, DS-156K, and DS-230. Then they told him to wait again. This time he waited, and waited, and waited for 4 HOURS! During this wait he had a very good viewpoint of what was going on for other applicants in their interviews and many people went ahead of him (one lady was denied a tourist visa to see her friend, but refused to leave the interview window- she proceeded to complain that she had proof of everything needed and that they should give her the visa for half an hour- finally it was granted and she did a dance!). My fiancé and two other K3 applicants were the only ones who had to wait for such a long time. My fiancé could see which interviewers were nice vs. mean and which ones were likely to deny vs. approve so he prayed for the nice woman to call his name. And four hours later, she did!

During the interview, she asked for his passport-sized photos and affidavit of support (which she barely looked at). She was very nice and carried out the interview as if it were a conversation. She asked him if he had met my parents (he hasn't) and if I had met his, when we met for the first time, and went through some of the photographs I had submitted with the I-129F (she returned them to him after). Then she promptly told him, "Everything seems to be in order. Your passport will be available in one-week with the visa. Welcome to your new life!" He said he would have hugged her if there was no glass between them!

Now we hope for him to join me in the US in 2 weeks, get married right away, and start the process for the green card. If anyone has questions about specific parts of the process, I can follow-up with my fiancé. I know this thread on VJ has been very helpful to us and we are very happy to help others!

For those still undergoing the process, all the best of luck. The wait, and paperwork, pays off... Now on to the next challenge!

Congratulations

Hi all,

I haven't posted to the forum before, but I've been following everyone's conversations to get tips and tricks since last August when my fiancé and I submitted the I-129F. It was recently approved and now we've started gathering all the materials for the interview (date yet to be set).

One quick question about the police certificates: on the K visa instructions sheet, it says that "Each applicant is required to submit a police certificate from the police authorities OF EACH locality of the country of the applicant’s nationality or current residence where the applicant has resided for at least six months since attaining the age of sixteen." Since my fiancé has lived in three localities for 6 months or more, does this mean he needs to get police certificates from each one?

As far as we were aware, the police certificate issued is by the CID in Nairobi is a "Certificate of Good Conduct" not limited to one locality, but applying to the entire country. Is this a correct interpretation? In your experiences is this the only one you/your fiancé(e)'s obtained?

Thanks for your help!

Congratulations on your NOA2 and welcome to this thread, averie. I confirm that your interpretation is correct. Your fiancé needs only ONE police certificate in Kenya (Certificate of Good Conduct) and this is presumably valid for the specific year in which it is obtained. The certificate may be obtained from any of the three localities where your fiancé has lived (whichever is convenient for him as his fingerprints will, in any case, be sent to CID headquarters in Nairobi for all necessary police checks and the certificate will eventually be sent back to the locality where he made the application). If he is in Nairobi, he should go directly to the CID headquarters along Kiambu road and he'll be able to get his certificate within approximately 2 weeks of his application (or earlier if he is lucky). The only advantage of applying for/obtaining a police certificate directly from Nairobi is that it will take a shorter time compared to applying for it from other localities within Kenya.

Mrsaloto,

Congratulations and all the best in the rest of your visa journey. As our process (just like Jill's) was a K1, i'm not in a position to offer any advice on CR-1 timeframe.

Hi all,

How's everyone doing? I've been busy getting married and settling in. I just read Jill's and Joy's update. Beautiful pictures, Joy! I'll attach a picture of my wedding too. Things have been amazing. But I miss Mauritius like crazy. I miss the warm weather and the beach and the sand and the people and the food!! lol. I'm in New Jersey and the weather is cranky. And yes everyone seems to think pizza is staple food! I'm starting to hate pizza here. Other than that, I love the diverse cuisine and restaurants. I'm starting to have favorites. Also, i love free refills! I can never finish a cup to get a free refill, but the idea of getting a free refill is amazing!

Anyways, here's a picture for you.

Love of love.

Lovely pic, Zay Congratulations on your nuptials. I feel you on pizza and for me the list extends to cheese or anything containing cheese, including tv food commercials...yikes!

Taatabunny,

My belated congratulations on the birth of your son

Joy,

Your wedding photos are beautiful Congratulations to you and Aaron.

Jill,

We wish you all the best in your (Ben's) intended ROC.

Nyosh,

lol, summer Having survived winter, I guess i'm so ready for more outdoor fun times ahead..spring (though its still so cold), SUMMER, fall

To all those with recent approvals, congratulations and all the best on the rest of your visa journey. Those waiting for their approvals, I wish you a speedy process. Demmy and all those waiting for interviews, good luck.

Hi,

I'm also a January filer, waiting for EAD/AP approval and AOS interview. My biometrics appointment was on February 12, 2013 in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Congratulations to all those who have received their EAD/AP combos....and good luck to those of us waiting for EAD/AP approval and/or interview dates.

Happy holidays to you all

Just wanted to break the silence So, in the process of getting acquainted with my new home and switching from British English (in Kenya, we call it the Queen's language) to American English...I've learnt from my fiancé that the word 'thrice' does not exist in American English...you say 'three times' and the pronunciation of 'squirrels' is so different from Kenyan pronunciation

He's here! The first 6 days have gone better than I could have even imagined. It already feels like he's always been here.

Hanging out with a frog at Boston Common...

Awwwww, that's a really cute photo of you two and the frog

So happy for you and yours

Visa approved for my mum!!!!!! Thank you so much visa journey family. This site was truly helpful and i'm so glad i found it!!

Congratulations

Massachusetts Bee Gees

APPROVED!!!!

I'll post a longer review from Aaron soon, but in general, it went really well. He got a (the?) blonde lady, and said that the interview lasted only 3 minutes and that she never looked at any of the documentation/photos he brought (i.e. she seemed to have already decided before seeing him). We are so relieved & happy!

Yaaay!!! Congratulations!!

Hey all....it has been a really long time since we posted on this thread.....we are one of the original starters of this thread back three years ago.....just wanted to give you all hope and know that the journey will one day end.....my husband passed his citizenship/naturalization interview today!!!!! We only have the oath ceremony left to be sworn in.......we should get the date in the mail soon.

So, stay encouraged and persistent and positive and patient!!!!! The process will come to an end one day........you just have to go through each phase step-by-step.......always tell the truth and be consistent about all your answers.....you are asked the same things at every step of the way and you should ensure that you answer the same replies every time. Good luck and God Bless!!!!

Hi,

Congratulations on your (husband's) citizenship and thank you for being one of the pioneers of this lovely thread. Thanks also for your time in updating us on your wonderful progress.

Welcome home G. Enjoy every minute of it. Wish you guys all the best in all you do. Are we invited for the wedding

Thank you, Nyosh and Jaqi.

@Nyosh- I'd be so happy if you all attended my wedding on 12/12/12 ? I will keep you posted....

WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME HOME This news has made my day. Enjoy every second together as you get acquainted with your new home, Gloria. I am soooooo happy for you both, for you have come such a long way. All my love, always. ~Jill

Thank you, Jill....for being there for us. Many thanks to you and all the good people here who've enabled us reach this far. You've been of great help?

Hey guys, how is everyone doing??? Keeping busy.............. Looks like it. Wishing everyone well!

Hi, I had a safe trip and arrived in Massachusetts on October 14 :-) I'm finally with Oxy and loving every minute together here. My POE was at Logan Int'l, Boston and I was only asked whether we will get married. @Joy, I wish you and yours success in your upcoming interview

Joy, it'll be OK. Yes, it's a very, very tiring and draining process, but I promise you...you will get through it shining bright in the end. If you can survive this, you can survive anything, lol. Try to hang in there, honey. We're all here for you~

Well said, Jill

Hey good people!

Guess what? The blonde lady hasn't gone anywhere! But she's been nice to me!!!

YAY, I got approved!!

congratulations

I'm so happy for you and yours

Congratulations

Thank you, Jaqi...and many thanks for keeping this thread alive.

Nick&Ann, Congratulations I'm so happy for you

Thanks for the well wishes guys!....Just home and we are APPROVED!!!!!!!!!, visa should be in hands in 6 days. I will write a full review later but it was very simple in the end for us, arrive, wait, money, wait, forms, wait, interview 2hrs 30mins in total. No extra evidence asked for regarding relationship (we had a whole forest worth of stuff), questions simple directed to all 3 of us. me Tommy and Chana, will give all details later. Only 3 k1 applicants there no other visa applicants.

congratulations

Thank you Gloria. Can i just type out a letter explaining why i didn't include the names...without actually including them?? Can you help me with the wording too?

Nick&Ann,

I've sent you a PM. Hope it's helpful.

Thank you, KASH2011 and Nick&Ann.

Congratulations on your approval once again and thank you so much for posting. I want to ask you a question as a lawyer. My birth certificate has a name that i have never used. DO i need to include this on the forms where it says other names used. It only appears on my birth certificate and no where else. On the petition i didnt include it on the other names section. For consistency with your petition, i advise that you exclude it and in case they notice and ask, just explain as you've set out here. I doubt they will ask about your other name if it does not appear on your passport and police certificate.

. Alternatively, you may include your other name and explain on a separate sheet of paper that this was inadvertently omitted in the petition as you have never used the name.

Also what is evidence of engagement. I don't have any because we were waiting to choose out a ring in the states. SO what do i do? Do you think this will affect the outcome of my interview? I read in a previous thread here on VJ that current letters of intent are sufficient evidence of engagement. If they inquire about an engagement ring, which i think they are unlikely to ask, just be honest and answer that you were waiting to choose out one in US.

We front loaded our petition with evidence. But i have a whole lot of evidence and my fiance has only visited me once last year and we met November 2010. But i have phone logs, chats, emails, video chat screen shots and so many other things. Carry all your evidence. There is no requirement for the number of visits, as long as you have evidence that you met within the last 2 years from the date of your petition and that you have proof of ongoing relationship.

I guess i'm just scared about tomorrow... please help .Don't be scared...you need your confidence and all will be well. Goodluck

Gloria~

That is an absolutely thorough and lovely review. Thank you for posting your experience as it will help others who are currently going through the process. Things have changed a little since Ben and I went through so thank you. I know so many others are thankful for your post and will benefit from it.

Yes, I firmly believe that a decision is made before you attend the interview. I know many people don't know this...and it's not a requirement on the I-129F petition, but, frontloading your petition with relationship evidence is key, especially when you're going through an Embassy such as Nairobi. Like I've said in the past, Ben's was approved before he was even asked a single question (just like yours)

Congrats on everything...I knew you'd glide right on through...and you did, and you didn't have the blonde woman! Yeah!!!! Stay blessed and lots of love, xoxoxo.

Jill,

Thank you for your kind words and for all your guidance.

Thank you, Nyosh....my learned 'lucky' friend

Joy, thank you. I guess the USC can wait at a nearby cafe/restaurant which is a walking distance, or at a place called The Village Market http://www.villagemarket-kenya.com/about.php?id=20, though these places are open from 8.00am. I confirm that although i submitted DS230 Part I and II, the lady at Window 5 returned my part II (I cannot remember whether she returned only one part II or both). I advise that you carry both parts and let them determine the relevant one. Do print your MRV deposit slip/receipt as you'll need to show this at one of the security checks. All the best

Thank you, Katie.

We found invaluable information on this thread (thanks to wonderful people like you, Jill and all the others who shared their experiences). I'm following your footsteps (if i may call you VJ veterans)in helping others who will also go through this process.