jmcl10

1 hour ago, CS_Bradshaw said:

yeaahhh.... was thinking to change the date too, but trying to fly there in the end of this year if everything goes well, so i didn't change it, lol.

 

yes, i think they only accept the medical check up from 2 hospital for Tokyo area, so i am going to the one that closer from my place, gonna do it this Friday.

take the one near tokyo tower (tokyo medical surgical clinic) hassle free. Medical needs appointment btw.

On 8/22/2020 at 2:01 AM, dancingorca said:

Hi everyone,

Just an update that I entered US last week.

No checks on COVID at the airport, very smooth entry. They confirmed if the address in the system was up to date and that was it.

 

Hope you all get to be with your loved one soon😊

hello after your interview how many days did it take before your ceac updated from AP to issued?

5 hours ago, vj-nv-55 said:

Hi.  I am flying into the US this coming week. What was your port of entry, may I ask?  Mine will be LAX.  I would love to know what it is like at LAX.  

what airline did you choose?

I finally got visa approved today August 21🎉

I got in the embassy 8:30AM and went through the airport type security check. Got myself a number from the kiosk and arranged documents according to what was written on the paper given. Handed out documents for checking. Was seated and waited to be called till 0945 got fingerprints taken. 0955H was interviewed by the consul and was asked the following:

Who filed for your petition?

how and when did we meet?

who messaged first?

When did you get married?

Where was he when you first met?

Where is he now?

First marriage for both of you?

Any children?

I see You got nursing educational background?

How did you come to Japan?

Birth Certificate and Marriage certificate was handed back to me. 

Your visa is approved it will come to your mail within a week.🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳

I finished the interview in 1.5hrs it was smooth and people at the embassy were so nice.

1 hour ago, TaKane said:

Yeah everything went well except being asked for proof of insurance 😫

 

any suggestions or recommendations?

insurance? is that the one for public charge rule?

1 minute ago, carpfan said:

FamilyMart, lol.

 

Good luck!

she didn’t use any professional photo studio? 

22 minutes ago, carpfan said:

Thanks!

 

She said it was incredibly easy. They just asked simple questions like where did you meet your husband, what's his name, date of birth, do you have any kids together. 

 

She brought a ton of supplemental evidence but they never asked for anything.

congratulations! where did she got her passport photos taken?

3days away from my interview

11 hours ago, JGG5 said:

Quick heads up. Wife was rejected under Section 221 (g) for noncompliance with the INA's requirements:

"PCS orders indicating transfer to US or letter from company confirming position in JPN"

 

Embassy kept my wife's passport and said once I sent in a company letter indication transition back to the US she would be approved. 

 

I was in Japan under SOFA on a Letter of Authorization (LOA) as a MDA government contractor. We don't receive PCS orders. So, I sent the embassy my most recent LOA (confirming position in Japan) and a copy of my signed offer letter (confirming my transition to the US) for my current position. Apparently another lady there was having a similar problem. 

 

If your spouse has an upcoming interview please be sure to include any documents you have indicating either a transition to the US or employment in Japan. Just in case. 

provide the documentation needed and send it via mail and you will get your approval soon😊

8 hours ago, islanderfever said:

Wife’s visa was APPROVED! There were about 10 appointments today in Tokyo. She said she had I nice experience at the embassy and an easygoing interview. I’ll update later on her whole process when she gets back from Tokyo. 

would like to hear more about how her interview went and what are some of the questions would love to take some notes! Congrats!

3 hours ago, TaKane said:

Awesome!

 

We are still waiting.......

ohhhh so interview day is moved to tomorrow’s date? could be exposure to someone with corona. Atleast it was rescheduled asap.

Good luck on the interview. Mine will be a week from now.

1 hour ago, 攀弥旺 said:

I'm pleased to update you guys, our visa has been approved! @TaKane @jmcl10

congratulations! so happy for you guys!

4 hours ago, vj-nv-55 said:

Hello @TaKane     

 

I had my interview this morning. 

I arrived at 8:10 am (my appointment was at 8:30). I was told by the security guard to wait till 8:15 when they start letting people in. Before getting there, I had to show my appointment letter (printed from email) to two police officers standing near the gate. There were a LOT of officers standing to guard from the ultra right wings screaming toward the Embassy (it's Hiroshima A-bomb Day today).

I was escorted into the embassy at 8:15.  (For those who need to use a restroom before getting in, the building right next to the embassy has clean restrooms on the first floor.)

The security gate was just like any airport. You are not allowed to bring lap-top computers.  Only one cell-phone is allowed. They will ask you to turn off the Bluetooth function.

At the entrance into the building, at the reception, you will hand in your passport and you will receive a clear file case and a sheet of instruction -- what to do while waiting to be called by the intake officer.

Upon entering the visa section, you are to take a number and wait till your number is called (and shown on the monitor).  By this time you are supposed to have all the required documents ready in order into the file case.  Remember to write your full name on the back of the two photos. 

In the visa section (waiting room), there are restrooms, a beverage vending machine, a photo booth, and a water dispenser.  The room was pretty chilly with the air conditioners, partly because the room was practically empty. 

At 8:20, my number was called and I turned in all the documents.  At this stage, there were 2 other parties in the room.  Here, the officer asks basic questions.   The office opened the police certificate here. She was very friendly and kind. 

1.  Have you ever lived other than US/Japan?

2.  First marriage?  Any children?

3.  Any criminal record?

4.  Any rejection at US Immigration before?

5.  Med report is sent electronically?

6.  Mother (Father)'s maiden names

 

At 8:35, I was called to do the fingerprints.  The officer was very gentle and nice. Fingerprints are taken just as you do at the immigration at a port of entry ---  different from the way they did at the Police. Around between then and 9 am, another four applicants arrived.  Total 7 including me.

After that, the wait was a bit long. I saw a couple of officers talking behind the counters and frequently checking their computer screens. At 9:20 I saw a supervisor-look-like office coming out from the behind and chatted with the officers at the counter, and then they did little fist pumps.  I did not know what it meant but I took the liberty of interpreting it as a good sign -- "we can issue visas now!!" 

 

Though my number was #3, I was the first one to be called for the interview (around 9:25). Interestingly, they asked to take my fingerprints (right hand only) again.

Here are the questions the officer asked:

 

- What is your spouse' name?

- Where did you meet?  When? 

- Where do your spouse's parents live?  Where are they from?

- What does your spouse do for work?  How about yourself?

- Where are you planning to live in the US?  --- I told them we already have a house with no mortgage.

- How long were you together before getting married?  Had a big wedding party or what?

 

No question about insurance and finance.  No mention on DS5440.  The interview was short and simple.  8 minutes or so. Since the officer (and myself) was wearing a mask, it was not easy to hear, but he was generous enough to repeat if I looked confused or stuck.

 

At the end, the officer said, "OK. Everything's good. Approved. Congratulations" with a warm smile.  He said I will have my passport/visa on hand within a week or so. I could not ask for any better officer.  He was so friendly, gentle, and willing to be helpful.

 

Till the very last moment I heard the long awaited (we started in Feb 2019) word, "APPROVED", I was so afraid what if my visa is on hold like some people on July 31. 

 

I was out of the Embassy at 9:35.  The Ultra Right Wing were still screaming.....I rushed into the Hotel Okura and had a sigh of relief.  

 

 

 

congratulations! glad that everything went well for you. I hope i get the same experience as you did on the 21st. Now time for you to shake the stress away

3 hours ago, TaKane said:

For sure...just need to take a with a grain of salt. But at least it gave a glimpse of what was happening.

Did see other approvals in other part of the world which is good. 

Guess there is only one way to find out - go to the interview (ours is next week). 

let us know how your interview turned out. I’m scheduled on the 21st

5 hours ago, JGG5 said:

I saw the same. Here is another one from a different thread. This time the experience was a bit more global but again, the discussion died quickly and has never picked up since. Look for a post by Cccl. Their experience was in Japan. 

 

 

isn’t that the public charge rule is currently on hold just recently? this is confusing. Oh well better have the public charge form ready

Finally got my interview schedule on the 21st. Got it almost a month after i sent out an expedite request 😍🙏🏻

6 hours ago, 攀弥旺 said:

The embassy had me upload a copy of my passport a few days before the interview, i also had her print out a copy of my passport just in case to take to the embassy. They did not mention needing an joint sponsor when she was taking her interview at the embassy

it says INA requirements hmmm i wonderwhat could that be. I hope you guys gets approved soon! 🙏🏻

12 hours ago, 攀弥旺 said:

Here are some notes from our interview earlier today, She arrived at the embassy; did the standard procedures at the embassy. She arrived at the reception and the receptionist asked for her passport to file, then she went and got her number card (Number 007), and to be ready with her documents. She got called up three times to hand in documents, take finger prints and to take her interview. Total time at the embassy was ~1:30. After she was finished, she received an letter containing below, I'm entirely sure if our visa is ineligible due to the recent public charge ruling or just because of the pandemic. Her passport was not given back to her after the interview, it is giving me some hopefully it gets approved soon but I'm not holding my breath on it.

 

The questions she was asked:
1. Husband's name

2. How we met

3. How do we see each other

4. How did i think when she sees me

5. Last time we met, where and when

6. Origin's of my last name

you guys received a 221g, did they require you to submit certain documents after? maybe they need for you to submit a joint sponsor if your income didn’t pass poverty guidelines.

Public charge rule is currently on hold tho’

54 minutes ago, carpfan said:

May 20. It looks like Tokyo assigned a bunch of interview dates on one day, so hopefully they'll get to you in the next batch.

me keeping my fingers crossed thanks tho’

On 7/11/2020 at 2:22 AM, Nathan B said:

Hey everyone! I have been a VJ member for awhile now, but just found this thread. My wife's CR1 was DQ in early June and she is currently waiting on an interview at the embassy in Tokyo. I went ahead and submitted an expedite request to NVC based on forced separation due to COVID-19 (I have seen several other members post on VJ that this has worked for them). I had to cut my 3 year work assignment in Japan short and return to America at the end of March. I doubt it will work, but we are willing to try anything at this point.

following

On 7/17/2020 at 7:20 AM, carpfan said:

Same here, DQ'd late May, interview Aug 17.

actual dq date please

2 hours ago, hannahjsf said:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't figure out whether you'll get an interview soon or not from that previous post as they're at a different embassy to you. Each embassy is reopening at it's own pace. It might be that you will get an interview soon, but I'd recommend looking at the timelines of others who are also interviewing at Manila embassy. Also bear in mind when looking that some may be expedited cases and are an exception.

I have my fingers crossed for you though and hope you hear something very soon 💙

was following the post on tokyo embassy  

On 7/17/2020 at 1:01 AM, Nathan B said:

Looks like we finally have some action in Japan! That is very encouraging!

i got dq’d june 2 keep me posted!

On 7/17/2020 at 7:59 AM, carpfan said:

Finally got an interview date in Tokyo. Aug 17. DQ'd May 20.

I got dq’d June 2. Been waiting for interview schedule to be issued. Finally some ray of light since May 20 isnt so far from june 2. Fingers crossed ❤️😍

On 7/16/2020 at 11:16 PM, islanderfever said:

Just received an Interview Appointment email from NVC. Interview is scheduled for my wife at the Tokyo Embassy in August. Wife was DQ’d in mid May. Normal case, no expedite.

if they are already working on mid may qualified cases this means we are getting close  we got dq’d june 2 I hope interview letter comes this week. We tried sending expedite requests but no reply yet

On 3/11/2020 at 5:15 AM, Shemuz said:

That’s what I was thinking too. But then how did they approve an October case now when they haven’t even finished up with August? 

easier and faster approvals only if the military member is stationed abroad and is covered by what they call military blanket entire process only takes 2-3mos