dillygoose

Mai i ur hbby should make appointment online and go to the embassy personally to see what is happening this is what we Somalis do lol

Kamal did you make your appointment and go to the embassy?

Let us know how that goes.

We might try that too after some more months.

If we could just get an update or a real response from the embassy I'd feel better. I really feel like our case hasn't been touched at all. Not at all in this amount of time?? 4 months and counting.

girl this process is beyond frustrating..this process can take away someone life no joke... STRESS IS KILLING ME....

You know what you're probably right. I realized that I cannot be happy throughout this process unless the visa is in hand. It's just so frustrating though I thought the interview was going to be it. But now we're in a uncertainty stage again. But God is good and he WILL get us all through this. InshAllah. ??

The stress is indeed killer.

I really wish they processed things in a few months as they say they do when you look it up.

God willing we will have answers and visas before too much longer!!

There is reason to hope. Just have to be patient.

And wait....

Hey Mai (bookman)

Did the embassy ever respond to your email?

Congrats on the update PAhopeful! That was fast!

I really hope he doesn't he is filled with so much hatred.

Kamal consider yourself lucky that you're not here these days.

Its been a difficult time - the talk has been ugly. Not just from Trump but other politicians as well.

Honestly it makes me very nervous...

Hopefully once the election is over it will settle down.

Welcome PAHopefulDNP!

Thanks for telling your story. Its good to come together and know that there are plenty of us in the same waiting situation.

I think its definitely a good sign they kept your husband's passport. And not getting a 221g slip is a good sign too.

We have the same for us (kept passport, no white paper, no further documents requested)

4 months for us since the interview and no updates since then.

The embassy responds with much the same email you got from Islamabad.

Keep us updated and we will all keep hoping and praying we can be with our loved ones soon! God willing

Yes, but I wonder if that would cause more problems (he going to another Country). They have not called or email about his passport. Should we request it?

I would not have your fiancé go to another country and think you're going to keep on the same timeline for your visa.

Even though your application is with USCIS now, it has to go back to an embassy to be approved and issued. Another interview has to happen etc then you're adding 2 countries into the mix.

I thought you were suggesting the move so you could be together somewhere in the world?

Hi all,

I requested my Congressman to investigate. They answered today. Case was definitely sent to USCIS, they will inquiry with them now.

I called NVC today and they said they had no record of my case being there (mind you, I called Thursday and they specifically said it arrived NVC on Monday 11th.

I am very depressed, it is recommended I find a lawyer. It is expensive. My husband and I have talked about him going to Dubai for work in the meanwhile, or even me trying to invite him to my Parents Country (Dominican Republic) where maybe he can get his papersvesa from there faster and move over there. It is a lot to digest. I just ask God for strength, and to top it off, people talking to me about what if my husband married me just for the visa. It is a real hell. I knew people always had that on the back of their mind, but now they feel more comfortable with the idea of letting it know to me. This is horrible. I just trust in God, that everything will work out for good.

First, I want to say, I'm sorry you have to go through this.

Secondly I want to advocate getting a lawyer. Which is without question expensive. But as I understand it, the congressperson will be limited in what information they can get and how they can help you specifically with the next part of the process.

Thirdly, don't listen to the noise. You know in your heart if there's reason to doubt. If you can keep going on his visa to come here, if you need to change your course and go somewhere else, then God and your heart will tell you.

For us personally, we've been talking about some other plans, in case we are faced with the same situation. None of us are guaranteed visas and we might very well be looking at years before getting them. I don't think we are willing to be apart for years and waiting on the US government. That's just what we decided. Life like this is too horrible and we both feel like we are in this waiting pattern that is keeping everything on hold.

I hope you will keep the faith and keep praying. I will do the same for you and for all of us.

Be strong in your love. There's always reason to hope. Even when it doesn't seem like it.

I made a rule for myself which was I would only check twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night.

I break my rule sometimes. But I try not to because whenever I see there's been no change my heart gets extra heavy for a while.

Sometimes it's better to force myself to not think about it.

But it's hard to not check a thousand times a day!

I called NVC today. The person I spoke to was pleasant enough.

They didn't tell me anything. Just that they would try to inquire with the embassy about my case.

I guess that's better than nothing.

Technically they can't do anything I know. Its in the hands of the Cairo embassy and they have no inclination to communicate with me beyond the same form letter response.

I did confirm since I was on the phone with them that they have my correct phone number and email address. Because I'm worried about that.

I wonder has anyone had any luck or any experience calling the embassy? Can you speak to a person? Is that possible?

I haven't told my sis or brother about this as it may bother them

It seems pretty common for cases not to be processed at the same time. I wouldn't worry to much about that.

I read a couple stories from people where the parent - or child - received their visa before the other.

Keep your hopes up!

Hi. We filed in October 2015. Interviewed at the Cairo embassy on March 15th.

Since that time we have been in AP.

Our case has not had any updates. They kept my fiances passport and we have not been asked for any further documents.

In fact the CO at the interview said we were approved but they have to do 'mandatory AP'

For security background checks I believe. At least that's what I'm being told.

We are hopeful but the wait is hard. Mostly I just wish we could get 1 update so at the very least I could feel like someone is working on our case.

I'm glad so many others here are already in the States and married. Best of luck to everyone on a happy future together!

Congratulations!

And Happy Birthday!

Thanks for helping so many people with advice and telling your story here.

We all need hope and help on this difficult journey.

Enjoy your new life as a couple (living in the same place)!

Many red flags. We met online, I have a son and he does not have kids; he is Muslim and I am Christian; we married on first visit because of his religion. The interview had lots of questions, he could not answer 2 because he did not know the answer. They stayed with his passport an originals and handed him a 221good with no request.

Hmm maybe that lends itself to the 'not bonafide relationship' reason then...

How was your evidence? Did you really pile it on for your application?

Red flags don't mean your case is definitely denied. It just means you have to work extra hard to prove its a true relationship - from the embassy perspective.

Egypt as you know is considered a high fraud country. Unfortunately.

Still they kept the passport...

Make sure you keep records of everything for when you get the chance to resubmit.

Hopefully your congressperson will be able to find something out - a little. I don't think they can do much.

(Re discrimination. Absolutely! I actually did some research on findings from the ACLU. They've taken on lots of cases and done studies which show a very high number of muslim males from MENA denied visas - and in a prolonged agonizing way. Some really depressing and horrible stories of what people have gone through. I don't know that I recommend anyone read up on it, because it will just make you sick to your stomach, but the stories are there. I'm talking about extremes like waiting 6, 7, even 10 years with no answer.)

Any case I'm confident if you get your evidence and keep on top of this, you'll be out of this hell.

Please keep us posted. Who knows what can help us. Or what things we are up against.

You've got our support!

Can you guys believe that they have not even returned my husband's passport??? or at least email abouto it. These are his personal documents, and we would have thought they stayed with it because they were going to issue it. This procedure is unacceptable, very unprofessional.We are devastated. We wrote to the congressman and they said they will investigate further. I told them this seems like racism, due to the fact that they don't give a reasonable explanation for not approving. Horrible!

It is horrible. I'm truly sorry.

It looks from what I've been reading that would deny your visa for 2 reasons: 1. they found something in AP (that didn't go along with the information that you had already submitted - i.e. they think you lied or misrepresented something) or 2. they don't think you have a bonafide relationship.

Can you think of anything you were told either by the embassy or by the CO or from the congressional inquiries that would lead you to one of these conclusions?

In terms of the first point, I've already heard from someone who was mistakenly confused with another person (similar names) and that caused A LOT of headache for them. I sent an attachment to you about that.

In terms of the second point, it seems from what I've read that the CO will often make a decision on a case based on the evidence submitted before the interview. The interview then is a formality. Or if at all questionable, well then it seals the deal.

Again in both of these scenarios, the embassy and/or CO have made a mistake. It can be corrected with more evidence. But it will take time. (A Year or so is what I'm reading??)

And HELL YES they should give the passport back!

They kept it. That's supposed to be a good sign.

Maybe that leads the the conclusion that they found something in AP.

If the CO believed your relationship and kept the passport....

??

I'm wishing for good things Mai!

I pray you will be done soon.

I don't know what to think for the rest of us...I'm hopeful we can get the answers we need....

Its harder than I thought it would be.

rep told me yesterday that, " it seems like the embassy tried to get in contact with u July 1st to submit passport, have u submitted passport already? NO was my answer. Did u tried contacting the embassy? No. Call the embassy or email the embassy they requested passport July 1st". Okay thank you. Called NVC again this morning to make sure what rep told me yesterday. My question was, can I get an updates on my case? Of course, rep told me "it looks like embassy tried to get in contact with u last week to submit passport, did u received a call from embassy? No. Contact the embassy They need passport". I am planning on emailing the embassy requesting to redo hubby's medical but that will be done after they request passport. I cannot Redo medical now because I donot have any green light. Yes. If AP is done and medical have few weeks to expired embassy would request new medical before issuing visa. But if this is the case why can't they request new medical now. Medical has to be redone because if hubby's gets visa, he will be traveling to the US at the end of August.

All these situations of the embassy NOT being able to successfully communicate with the petitioner are deeply troubling.

I mean I just don't understand how it can be that hard??!!

And the back and forth between NVC and the embassy of who has what information and when. Its just nuts.

What a huge disappointment...

Everyone here (as far as I've read) usually advises emailing the embassy and/or contacting your congressperson. Neither of which have proven to do anything (for me) - and for others.

I just don't understand how we are supposed to be patient, not knowing anything, them not telling us anything, and they don't communicate correctly. And now it seems there's a new thing entirely, which is checking with NVC.

-- As a side note, I have read from others going through the Cairo embassy who had their visa issued that the embassy just waited with their passport - didn't call or email when it was done. The only reason they got it back was THEY contacted the embassy to request it. That seemed small at the time because you could find out you're issued from ceac. But now I'm thinking maybe they just don't contact you about most things when they should. I don't know...

Wow! Well god speed.

That's the longest I've ever heard.

I don't think I could do it myself.

I hope you get an answer soon.

No.they read my email I guess because case was updated this morning.. Do u thank those people care about us? Waiting until the end of this week. I am guessing that they re waiting until around the 20th to contact us just to request new medical.. I read somewhere that once case reaches 5months embassieses request new medical..hubby's medical expired August 20th. or it could be they re doing another background check or documents verification.. Fingers crossed..AP is a nightmare!!!!?

Yes they must have read your email. I guess they are waiting on purpose.

I'm not sure what they could possibly get out of waiting a week to make you do a new medical now. I'm not saying that isn't the reason they are making you wait, I just think that's a silly reason.

Especially since they don't even have the passport yet...

I understand having an updated medical before the visa is granted (since that would be the time when the beneficiary would be traveling to the US).

Maybe that means you're going to be approved as soon as the medical is redone?

You said NVC told you they were done with AP background checks yes?

We've always had a reply email within a week (usually less). Or else no reply at all.

If they don't respond after a week or two then my guess is they are choosing not to respond.

Yes keep us posted.

Luckily it hasn't been that long yet.

Still keeping my fingers crossed for you.

i am very much stress and frustrated as this point. I emailed embassy since yesterday but no reply as yet. Status updated to today's date. Yes they read my email but do not care about us.. I called NVC again this morning same message embassy is requesting passport but when will embassy contact us? Smh.... Cry...

I'm sorry to hear this!

I figured since you didn't write before they didn't email you back yet.

But I was hopeful....

I wrote my question at the same time you wrote your reply!

We're on the same page! Not so much the embassy

email the embassy n ask for updates on ur case like I did today.. Good luck!?

Mai did the embassy respond to you? From your email to them about what NVC told you?

I'm really hoping that the embassies (all of them) will do their best to be in contact about cases.

That's what they tell us they will do.

dillygoose,

Here is one more thing. (I can't seem to put an attachment in a private message. So I'm just going to post it here)

This was in response to a conversation I had (name intentionally omitted because it was a private message exchange).

But I think it might be helpful for you in your case.

Again this is from someone whose application was at the Cairo embassy.

dillygoose,

They said that they sent the case back to NVC on June 29th. I just emailed them requesting for a second interview where I can attempt if needed. I hope they haven't sent to NVC yet because of the holidays.

I'm attaching some screenshots of what other people have said about this process.

I don't know specifically myself. But it seems like other people on VJ have experience with this.

These responses were to another person who applied for a IR/CR through the Cairo embassy.

The original person who posted didn't write back with any other details or information to speak of.

The subject title was "Please help, feel confused."

Maybe you can find it and read the whole thing. But I put the screenshots below for what is the most useful information in that topic discussion.

Yes, we sent all the required documents back to them yesterday, though they won't receive it until this Sunday. ..I'll be sure to keep you posted ...

Did you case get an update? Does it say you're in AP?

Just trying to get a sense of the progress (or lack of progress!) on cases at the Cairo embassy.

Wishing good things for you!