Angela F

Thank you both for responding to my question.  The new position and my current position are well above the poverty guidelines, I was moreso concerned about having to resubmit the affidavit of support (I-864) and then having to wait for it to be re-approved.  My concern is if this would delay our appointment.  The embassy in Ghana is a bit unorganized and I just did not want any additional delays.  

Hello,

We were approved for the CR1 in February and still waiting on an appointment through the embassy in Ghana.  I have an opportunity for a new position and was advised that I could not change jobs until everything has been approved.  I started the process in November 2021, and I just do not want to delay any longer.  Any advice will be helpful. Thanks!

I am so frustrated right now. The embassy in Accra has asked my love to return now four times to pick up his visa. He was initally told to come on July 25th (two days after his interview), then asked to come back on August 3rd (the machines were supposedly slow), then was told that there were too many people to process, and because his wedding is August 10th, for him to return on Monday, August 3rd. Well guess what, he returned on Monday, only to be told that the person who processes visas did not come to work. Which according to the receptionist, this person does not work on Mondays. So why in the world would they have him come back on Monday? I am so angry with the embassy in Ghana. I have called both of my senators, my congress person, the national visa center, homeland security, immigration services and passport services, and still nothing. My senators office said they are working on it, I guess I need to go in sit in someone's face. The federal offices all told me that our paperwork is in order, and it has been approved, that it was simply a machine problem in Accra (yeah...right). My honey told me that the security guards at the embassy said that they do this to people all the time, they want to see how serious they are about getting the visa. I am not sure what else we should be doing. I have already cancelled our wedding scheduled for this friday, August 10th, and I am at the point that I want to travel to Ghana and walk into the embassy myself and see what the problem is. But of course, money does not grow on trees and this is not a real option. Any advice?

Congratulations! It seems like the embassy in Nigeria is much more efficient then the embassy in Ghana. I know you must be estactic.

[i love the idea of a pre-paid visa. I wish I would have thought of that. I did add my love to my current celluar calling plan, received a free phone, and mailed it to him. He will use it to call me as soon as he lands. He is on a direct flight from Ghana to New York, and I wanted to be able to reach him right away. I thought about sending money, but we have a wedding next week, and I actually have no money to send...at least for now!

I know exactly how you are feeling right now. My Kwame returned his packet 4 in January only to get a July appointment date. I contacted my congressperson and they received a lame email from the embassy in Ghana indicating that they were a busy post, and it would be unfair to move his appointment above all others. I then tried my Senator's office, and had no luck there (makes me worried, because he is running for president, and his office had no luck either). I also requested the help of some friends of the President of where I work, and still no luck. I am not what is wrong with the embassy in Ghana. The people there are so great, ,however the service is horrible. I will say that those seven months went really fast. It helped that I was able to visit in May, and so, now, in about 4 days, my favorite person will be here with me to start our life together as man and wife.

Don't worry, God's plan is always better than our own. Spend this time preparing for your spouse to come.

Congratulations! I know you feel so relieved. And I love your quote at the end of your post. I felt the same way when I first stepped foot on African soil.

Congratulations! My fiance has his appointment on Monday, July 23rd, and I keep reading how everyone had to pay a $100 fee. Is this something new? Or in addition to the $100 fee paid at the Standard Bank? I just want him to be totally prepared. He paid a $100 fee for the Visa appointment a while ago at a Standard bank and was told to take the receipt with him. My concern is will there be an additional $100 fee that he should be prepared to pay. Thank you for your response. Angela

Thanks everyone for all the kind words. I'm so happy everything went well for us. Though now he is still waiting for the visa due to a slow machine. Who knows?!

I just read your post about the embassy is asking that you return on the 22nd to pick up the Visa. Were you able to speak with someone about this? We have our appointment on the 23rd, and he has a plane ticket for August 1st. The good news is that his ticket is changeable without a fee, the bad news is that are wedding is scheduled for August 10th. So, if that machine (if that is really the problem) is not fixed by the time he has his appointment, then I might be in some trouble. Do you think we should be calling our congressperson to have them check on the Visa machine? Or do you think we should be calling the Embassy ourselves? I am now starting to worry. I do hope that I am able to read that your fiance has his visa in hand...and soon. Please keep us posted. Thanks! Angela

Thank you for sharing the details of your interview. My fiance has his interview on July 25th and I am so worried. But you have given me hope, especially on your fiance being able to pick up his visa on Friday. I pray that my fiance gets as nice of interviewer as you and your fiance. Again, congratulations!

Make sure to track when the embassy receives the medicals and have documentation of that (an email) because what can happen is you can get everything done and tell them you'd like the date moved up and then they say they are waiting for the medicals without even checking to see if the medicals have come in.

This is tricky, though, because the police report needs to be within 90 days of the interview, but if you get it done now to try and get a date moved up and then can't, you have to get another police report. (Sounds easy, but the police aren't exactly logical, reasonable people who would easily understnad this dilemma. And then the medicals are good for six months (I believe: could be wrong) but when you get to the U.S. and want to adjust status, the meds have to be within one year of that interview, too. So if you do the medicals now and don't get an earlier interview, you might have to do them again for the first interview and will definitely have to do them again for the AOS interview. It's a lot of money. I know it's worth it, but when you realize you're spending all that money because of an interview date hassle, it's very frustrating.

We were VERY lucky to get our date moved up. I advise you to go through the American staff of the consulate (hate to say it, but the Ghanaian staff will not lift a finger from what I experience and hear all the time) with clear, brief, polite emails and calls. Go through both the consular staff and the U.S. citizen services. If you can go to Ghana, go in person to both the embassy and the consulate U.S. Citizen services office.

Good luck!

Thank you for your insight. What email address would you recommend that we send email too in order to get our date changed? I have sent request to my congressman and my senator, and nothing so far, but I would like to send something to the embassy. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Angela

I noticed Sankofa mentioned me in one of her posts and I just thought to reply. Yes, we have an interview date set in March (few more weeks to go!!) and we started the K1 process in November '06. Initially, we were given June '07, but it was changed to March '07.

The entire process for us has been very smooth so far. When we first decided to start the K-1 visa process, I was going to hire a lawyer. I went for a consultation with a lawyer and she gave me a lot of adivce to sucessfully complete the process. She actually encouraged me to file the papers on my own and not to hire her unless I run into any problems with the Ghana embassy or US gov. So that's what I did and so far so good.

Advice given to me:

1. Keep copies of EVERYTHING.

2. Do not send NVC any originals (photo, cards, etc)

3. Organized your package to the NVC well (provide a cover page)

4. Write sworn Affidavit letters (both you and your fiance should write one)

5. It is OK to hand print documents (I129/G325)

6. MOST IMPORTANT: Contact your Senator's office. They are there to help us. All of my communication to the Ghana Embassy has been through the Senator's office (MA residents: Emily Winterson). Don't wait until you are in a predicament before you contact them. Fax a letter to their office with your case number(s) and they will contact the Ghana Embassy.

How did you get your appointment moved from June to March? We have our appointment in July, however, I will be traveling to Ghana in May and would love for my Kwame to return with me in May. Was it your Senator's office that helped you get the appointment changed? We applied in September, was approved in December, turned in packet 3 in January, and have a date in July. Any information you provide will be helpful. Thanks! Angela

Try North American Airlines. I haven't used them. A friend of ours going to Togo left yesterday out of BWI to Accra. (Accra isn't that far from Lome) I think she paid about $1000. Another friend is leaving this week to Lome through Accra via Amesterdam from Atlanta on Air France/KLM for $1000.

I am most likely going to go with North American Airlines the next time I go as they have direct flights to Nigeria from New York (of course I am transfering another location to go to New York). I think is a little better as it saves me from Going through Europe or London.

Six months...this is seven months away and the people at the Embassy would not, could not, or was just plain mean about giving a reason why we had to wait so long. I was told that if I were in Ghana, which you will be, that I could go to the Embassy and request a change of date. Your finance is unable to do so because they are not American Citizens, but, you can walk right on into the Embassy and request a change. I am travelling to Ghana in May with my job, but I am not sure if I can wait that long to see my Kwame.

In the meantime, I have put in a request with my Congressman to see if our appointment can be moved up. Please keep your fingers crossed. Angela

Congratulations! Praise God! This gives the rest of us hope! Maybe Accra is turning things around.

I am fairly new to Visa Journey and I am scared to death about the Embassy in Ghana. I am learning so much about all the ins and outs of this whole process. IF you are getting the raw deal now, what should I expect when my K1 is approved and my fiance finds himself in some mess like this? Should I be contacting my congressional office now? I live in Illinois and I have friends who work for Barack Obama's office, so if I must, I will start calling his office now. I am sorry that you are having such a hard time. Corruption, corrupts the mind as well.