Jennifer + James

I also recommend Elmeiz! My parents stayed there when they came to visit, and they were very comfortable. It is in a quiet neighborhood and it is not a huge place, kind of homey actually. They did have A/C and internet, and though the internet at the hotel was mostly reliable, there is a good internet cafe just down the road called Scoops (they also serve ice cream yum!).

Dansoman is a bit farther from the center of Accra, but still really full of activity. Osu is more lively, and probably has more tourists. It just depends what kind of environment you prefer.

Have fun!

This is no consolation for you, but we just ended up re-doing my son's medical instead of enduring an endless search.

An option we are considering also. The civil surgeon who completed the vaccination supplement for us is quite reasonable... It just seems such a shame, another costly frustration to deal with...

My fiance tried and tried and tried and tried to get a copy of the medical after he was done to no avail. At least in Ghana, it is against their policy to give you copies of anything except for the vaccination card.

I read on here where someone said to ask at POE for a copy of the medical from the IO. I don't know how feasible that is.

It's worth a shot definitely. Probably safer than trying to open and re-seal that silly envelope!

I did read that post about finding the documents in the "temporary file." Some other people suggested on other forums that it seems people get RFEs if their case is transferred to the California Service Center, which is where our case was also sent to. I just wish my senator's staffer was more confident in possibly finding it somewhere! I'll let everyone know if we meet any success...

We got an RFE on our AOS because the USCIS lost my husband's medical documents!

The medical was completed in Ghana before he was even granted the visa to come to the US. To be safe, we did file the I-693A Vaccination Supplement. We got his work permit, and his parole authorization, no problem. We thought all we had left to do was wait for that Green Card to show up, but then we got a letter saying the documents have been "misplaced." They asked us to send another "copy" or complete the entire medical again with a US civil surgeon!

We of course dont have a copy because the medical (physical exam done at Holy Trinity, vaccinations at Akai House, and blood test at MedLabs) was sent to the Embasy in an ominous "sealed envelope." And the embassy gave us another "sealed envelope" to submit to the immigration officer at his POE. We never got a copy!!!

We called all three clinics, but of course they don't keep records. And who knows how long it will take for the Embassy to respond to our email. I have contacted my senator, but they arent really sure they can do anything about it. Someone else in the AOS forum said their senator was successful in relocating the documents somehow, but we only have until the end of June, and with no confidence on my senator's part, we don't really know what to do next. We might have to do the medical again...and that is expensive.

For those of you getting ready for the interview, I suggest trying as hard as possible to get a copy of the medical documents before they get sealed up in those envelopes. Professionally, it should be a requirement...

And if anyone else had a similar experience and somehow found the documents, please let us know any tips!

My husband got a temporary EAD at the JFK Port of Entry, which we are really happy for! But it expires on the same day as his K-1 visa. What if it expires before we receive his renewed permit throught the AOS process? (We are filling his I-765 with the rest of the papers in the Adjustment of Status Package.) Can he continue working, or does he have to stop and wait for the renewed EAD?

It doesn't make sense to give the temporary EAD at the POE if he can't continue working after it expires while we have filed the renewal application and just have to wait for the bureaucrats to get to his paperwork! If the EAD typically takes 90 days, we would have had to file the AOS Package the very day he arrived... and we didn't even get married until a month after his arrival!

Any ideas?

I also wanted to be at the interview.

And it worked out very well for us that I was around before the interview, because we were trying to get his interview date changed. I was able to go to the embassy (on three different occasions) and plead for someone to understand our situation and move up his interview. Finally it worked!

But when I went along for the interview...I turned out not to be so helpful! When we got into the waiting room, we had a difficult time finding seats together, but we were lucky and it was nice to sit and wait together and sort of get prepared mentally. When after an hour they finally called his name, I went up to the window with him. But maybe I shouldn't have because the security guard saw me and asked James, "why did you bring your wife with you?" and i answered "i came on my own, he didn't bring me." and he said, "you were not supposed to come, you must sit down." so i went to sit where we had been, and he said "no no no, you must sit on this side!" so he led me to the "us citizens waiting area" where there were like 10 open seats that those on the other side could have very much appreciated...

and when james was finished at the window, I tried to wave him over to me, but the security guard wouldn't let him sit there because he was not a us citizen! what a meanie. so james was called up to the window at least three other times, and i had no idea what was going on! i just sat and prayed on the other side of these tall plants that separated the citizens from "the others." it looked kind of suspicious that they kept calling him then sending him back to wait, but i guess that is the process!

after about another hour and half of that, james turned from the window, looked at me and smiled! so i got up and we left, blue slip in hand. they never called me to the window, and i asked james if they asked about me, he said he told them i was there and have been there for the past several months, but thats all! basically they asked about his work, and our engagement party trying to figure out if it was a real wedding. they ask questions in a round a bout way so that they trick you into giving the wrong answer, but james figured that out and set them straight!

so i think that its really up to your fiance. even if you were there, you might end up sitting in a corner like me! but certainly, the truth of your love will shine through no matter what. he will barely have to do anything but be honest!

heheh that yes looks sooooo beautiful!!! Thanks for keeping such good track Zee!

Another update!!!

James was approved at his interview this morning!!!!!!!!!!!

We feel so blessed that everything has worked out in time for us yipppeeeee!!!

Great news! We finally were able to reschedule our interview date! It is amazing that we have actually accomplished something in this process!

We have been trying to reschedule ever since James received Packet 4 in July with the assignment of a February interview date. After emailing and calling failed, I contacted my Senator. His influence got us pretty quick results...too quick though, a date in September. After being told a million times that it was not possible, we had not even started the medical and police reports process, so we couldn't make the date. But we thought the Senator might be able to get us another date, and we felt like we had time since I am studying in Accra this semester and we didn't plan to return to the United States until Christmas. But the Senator requests received no reply throughout September, October, and November.

We got nervous, and we decided to type up a letter explaining our whole situation. I went to deliver the entire two page plea to the Director of Public Affairs on Monday last week, but I was told that he was not in the office. So I delivered the letter through the Service Center and made an appointment through his Secretary for Wednesday. When I reached the embassy on Wednesday, the security guards called the Director to say I had arrived, but he said he didn't know about any appointment and he had a meeting to go to so he couldn't meet me. So I made an appointment with him for Friday. But when I got there on Friday, the security guards said he wasn't in his office again. I told them, "Please, I am not leaving without speaking to somebody today." And ten minutes later, by chance, another person working in the Public Affairs office was passing through the security, and the guards asked her to see if the Director was expecting me. He came down to escort me in ten minutes later!

When we reached his office, he said he didn't receive any letter, so what exactly was I there to talk to him about? So I explained the whole situation. The basis for our request to reschedule our interview date is that I am registered to resume classes in the States next semester, and I came here to study this semester simply to be around for the interview and go back to the States with James! Plus, I explained, we knew they could reschedule for us because they had done so in September. He was sympathetic, but said he couldn't/didn't know what to do about it. But then he said he would call the Consular section to see what they could do.

So he called the guy, and he agreed to meet us in the lobby. It turns out that he said he had received my letter, even though we had addressed it to the Director of Public Affairs, I guess they screen all letters and send them to the proper section. So he asked me to explain myself one more time, and then he said the best thing ever, "Ok, I believe we are willing to accomodate you in your situation." !!!!! James will be going for his interview a week from tomorrow !!!!!

Persistence, a strong case, and a whole lot of luck, that seems to be the recipe!!! The Consular guy was sure to remind me "I can't guarantee your fiance will be granted the visa at this interview..." but I sure pray he will be!

My fiance and I are still struggling to change our interview date. We feel the same about missing Christmas! We are also planning our wedding for January. It is so difficult to have all our plans hanging in the air like this.

I mentioned in the post linked by knl that contacting my senator got us a pretty quick results. And now we are regretting that we didn't take that early interview date, because we have not heard any news from my senator's staffer since. I am now planning to contact my other senator because I have proof their influence can get us somewhere.

We are theorizing though that the embassy only reassigns dates within a few weeks of receiving an appeal. Maybe they only know of openings a few weeks out. So maybe that is why they couldn't give us November when we asked in September. Now that it is getting to November, maybe we will hear something...

But has anybody else been successful in moving up the date through other channels of influence?

congratulations on getting through the packet 3 & 4 step!!! i am so glad that you got such an early interview date. my fiance also picked up packet 4 at the end of july, but was assigned an interview date of february 19, 2008!!! :S we are working hard to get it rescheduled. we contacted my senator, and she corresponded with the embassy. the first response got us an interview date a week from that very day. but we were not expecting such an early appointment, so we had none of the medicals or police report prepared!!! so with hopes high, we didnt go to the early one and rather pleaded that we get a date somewhere in november, especially since both my fiance and i will be in ghana until then. as of yet, we have not heard anything! :( please say a prayer and cross your fingers that we might get moved up! best of luck with everything...hope to see you at the embassy!!!

Hey Bassi and Zainab and ZeeNusah. i saw your post and wanted to tell you we also went through a long wait to get packet 3. have you contacted the embassy at all to find out about your case? try to email them and find something out if you havent. my fiance made several calls and i also sent several emails to the US citizenship services at the embassy. we insisted that the wait was too long, and possibly packet 3 got lost in the mail, and we pleaded that my fiance to be allowed to pick up packet 3 directly from the embassy. after two months of that they agreed and said he could come to the embassy on any wednesday at 7:30 am with a copy of the the email reply to get him in. we were so happy, he went the next wednesday and received packet 4, but sadly it seems they are assigning interview dates pretty far out. he was given a date in february... we are fighting now to get it changed with the help of my senator's office, but i guess what i am suggesting to you is maybe if you start to pressure them a bit, you will be able to get things moving quicker. i agree the waiting is the hardest part. but i wish you all the best!

Oh this is such beautiful news!!! We are sooooo happy for you! It is great to see someone who also started this process in January has already completed it!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really hope we will soon follow you!!!!! We will keep you and your husband in our prayers as you start your life together in the United States!

I flew from Milan to Accra last summer with Alitalia. It was pretty nice. The attendants were pretty friendly, but I was sitting next to an older woman from Nigeria, who I don't think had much experience flying, and they were a bit short with her. Other than that, it worked out fine. They do make a stop through Lagos like most airlines. And also they were very helpful when I had a problem with agency that scheduled my ticket. Just before leaving I went to the main office in Accra, and the people there made sure my tickets were booked through. I am sure you will be happy flying with them.

My fiance just called after leaving the embassy this afternoon (he waited from 7:30 am to 3:00). He finally was able to pick up Packet 4 today, and we are so grateful to have it, except for they assigned us an interview date of February 14!!! Everyone there this morning seems to have been given February dates! We are shocked! We were hoping for an October or November date... We would like to try to move it up until at least then. We really plan to return to the US for Christmas.

I read some previous posts about people trying to move up their dates, and it seems emailing the consulate and ACS is a good way to go. I will also be travelling to Ghana in a week, so does it pay to also go directly to the embassy? Has anyone had any new sucesses?

Thanks for all your help!

Wonderful news!!! CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks for posting about the interview too. It's good to know what it's like. And I am really hoping we bump into each other in Accra.

Sankofa, I just noticed that too! How exciting!!! My family and I are also traveling to Ghana the first of August. Maybe we will run into you. And GOOD LUCK to your fiance tomorrow! Surely all will go well! I will say some prayers for you both as well. I would love to hear how it goes, be sure to let us know!

And thanks to both of you for replying. We were wondering if the move maybe effected things... I will definitely call my senator just so that they know at the embassy we are serious about this. We will keep fighting.

hey everybody. im frustrated. and i dont know if anyone has any tips...

my fiance and i have been waiting nearly two months to receive packet 3 from the embassy in accra. our case was forwarded to them on may 14th. and since then we both he and i have emailed numerous times (using both the consular and usc services addresses). the first time they responded saying they havent received our case yet (and that was the second week of june). the second time they said they mailed the packet to james on june 19th. that was exciting, except that we got that response around june 30th, and james had still not received it (and he and his po address are right in accra). james also has tried calling to no avail, and when he went directly to the embassy, they wouldn't allow him in even with all the approvals papers and everything.

i emailed them again last week, and this time they have refused to reply. tomorrow i will contact my senator... but i just dont know why this is causing us such a hold up. it bothers me because he has all the things ready for packet 3. we want to return it and get packet 4 with the interview date. the longer we have to wait for packet 4, the further out that interview date will be. ??? ??? aii, i am kind of exhausted! thanks for letting me vent. if anyone has any insight, we would really appreciate it...

congratulations congratulations congratulations!!! it seems like the consular officer was quite chatty! but how cool both you and your fiance could be there together! that is very exciting! have a great time in ghana, and a wonderful flight back to the united states.

Best of luck!!! Surely all will go well. And have a wonderful time in Ghana while you are there!

We had a touch on 6/10 as well. I think we should wait another week or so to see if it arrives. Hopefully it will, otherwise I will contact my congressman as well. I was really encouraged by my latest call to the CSC though, and I think the touch says something too, but I guess we can never be sure with them!!!

Thanks Jennifer, I appreciate all your insite, I only wish I had used my brains (my head was in cloud 9, lol) for the first visit to keep all that stuff and get more pictures I only got a few. I'm going back to visit him by this weekend, I can't wait, I miss him so much, I will try to get more pics, maybe of us outside our motel room, in the taxi, & public places, but all his friends & family are in Nigeria so those pics have to wait till I get there.

you said you would have never left ghana, except for you ran out of money, did you have to be self supporting while you were there? I am under the understanding that my fiance's family will care for me financially while Iam there. Besides that, is there something more that I need to know?

Again thanks,

Denise

I wasnt thinking of gathering evidence when I was with him either! That is why I wanted to make sure to tell you to keep it in mind. You will have a much easier time this way. But also keep enjoying yourselves, dont get preocuppied with visas!

Yes, for me I was supporting myself. It is wonderful if your fiance's family can support you. As long as you have established this with them, you should be fine. Have a wonderful time back in india!

Jennifer

What a cool way for you two to meet!

How long will your fiance be in India? Maybe the first thing you should look into is if you can do direct consular filing there. Otherwise, you have to decide if you want to apply for a K-1 or K-3 visa. K-1 is if you are engaged and plan to get married after your fiance arrives in the US. K-3 is for if you are already married. So you can decide which process you like best. You can read a great comparison of all these ways in the guides section here on visajourney (see the blue tabs on top!)

It is important to try to document the time you spend together, no matter which way you go, I think, because you need "evidence" of your relationship for the petition. Taking photos when you are together whether in India or Nigeria, in groups and at well known places, is a great idea. If you can show somehow that your fiance is in India and you have your airline ticket to meet him, that could also work. I included a copy of my latest flight itinerary. We also included copies of emails to each other. If you talk to each other on the phone, try finding a phone card company that keeps a record of numbers you called (pingo.com is a good one!). That was another evidence we submitted. There are more suggestions in the guides section as well.

And definitely you can live in Nigeria while you wait for his visa. That will be a wonderful opportunity for you both!! I would never have left Ghana, except that I ran out of money and had to return for school. I will be going back in August, though, and have planned a study abroad semester so I can be there!

Good luck with everything! I remember feeling overwhelmed at first, but just take it one step at a time. And congratulations to you and your fiance!

Please let us know if you receive it! I am going to try calling using these prompts as well.

I had the other response about $200 from the USCIS operator. There was another thread on this issue, where someone said they somehow got through to CSC as well and gotten help through them too. I really don't think we should have to pay $200!

Thanks for the tips!

Great update! I just got through to CSC by following the prompts for an RFE, and before I even started my schpeel about not getting the NOA2, she said "Ok, it seems there is a problem, the notice was sent back to us. There seems to be a problem on all notices that were sent out for approvals on that day. We will send you a duplicate copy and you do not have to pay any fee. You can expect it within 20 days."

I was like Wow!! that is exactly the information I wanted to hear!

So I don't know if you have to call to make sure you get the duplicate...but at least she acknowledged that there was a problem with the May 3rd people. Hopefully they will correct the problem for everyone!

That was the implication - whether that is fact, I don't know. We'll see. I think that's the experiment the CSC operator was conducting for me. And it was the implication I got from the USCIS operator, but I didn't get too specific.

I would call the 800 #, go through the RFE prompts, see what you get out of a CSC operator and go from there.

Please let us know if you receive it! I am going to try calling using these prompts as well.

I had the other response about $200 from the USCIS operator. There was another thread on this issue, where someone said they somehow got through to CSC as well and gotten help through them too. I really don't think we should have to pay $200!

Thanks for the tips!