Aly123

My fiancé will be flying in from Sint Maarten Friday into Miami with his esta . For those of you who Have traveled post COVID on esta outside of Job letter what else should he have ready? He always flies through Miami and never has trouble but I just have a bad feeling they will give him a hard time with everything going on. Also for those of you who have contacted CBP before hand, what email did you use? 

23 hours ago, mryrth said:

I'm sure this has been answered before, but wanted to ask about an expedited visa for personal family reasons. 

 

Our K1 paperwork has been sitting at the NVC since April 28, 2020 and we are under the impression that our visa in a holding pattern just like all other K1's. The embassy in Belgrade, Serbia has been open since early June and are currently interviewing and approving CR1 visas at this time because they're "mission critical."

 

My father, is currently in a care facility with severe Alzheimer's disease and I'd really love for my fiancee to meet him (even through a window since they're not allowing people inside) before he passes.

 

Also, my grandmother (my mom's mom who helped raise me when my mother passed away when I was 11) is not doing well. She had cancer and a stroke about 5 years ago and had been going downhill ever since. Yesterday, it seems as though she's had another stroke and it doesn't look like she will hold on much longer. 

 

I didn't know if parents or grandparents would be a consideration for an expedited case or not. Thank you in advance for any helpful information. 

Past four months I was trying to get an appointment for my fiancé before my grandmother passed with no success. The last thing she wanted was to see me get married. She passed Monday and they won’t even give him a interview to attend the burial. It really hurts because they had such a close relationship but the embassy isn’t big on showing compassion these days 

I rescheduled mine for September 16th also through the website . I tried to contact the embassy today.

They finally pulled the plug on my grandmother this morning. For the past 4 months we’ve been pleading with the Embassy for an emergency appointment So that she could live to see me get married with no success. When I contacted Paris Embassy this morning apparently death doesn’t qualify an emergency appointment either. Like the whole time they’ve been quoting that you can only get an appointment with cases involving life or death, now they backtrack and say actually you can’t get one for death either. How heartbreaking and insensitive. Now he won’t even be here for her burial and he meant so much to her. These people really lack compassion. I’ll never understand how someone can travel for something as trivial as a business meeting/ or to invest, but my fiancé can’t support me during this difficult time. Make it make sense.

P.s sorry for the rant I’m just so frustrated. This year has literally been a nightmare

-   any alien whose entry would not pose a significant risk of introducing, transmitting, or spreading the virus, as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the CDC Director or his designee;
what exactly does this mean?  How can the one establish this?

also what qualifies as humanitarian travel?

Thank you for your email.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-visa-services-and-restrictions.html

https://fr.usembassy.gov/visas/

Please monitor this website for up to date information on our operating status.

As of March 16, 2020, the United States Embassy in Paris, France is canceling routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa appointments. From March 16, 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France is not accepting applications by mail-in. 

We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time. 

If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-fr/niv/information/faqs#need_earlier_appt, or contact us at fae_contactus+fr+mrv+en@visaops.net, or call +33 1 82 88 29 57 (Local Number), or dial +1 703 543 9342 (If you are calling from within the United States), to request an emergency appointment.

Applicants with questions about visa applications currently in process with the Embassy may send their inquiry via ParisIVPending@state.gov for immigrant visa applications.

We are not conducting Returning Resident Visainterviews (SB-1) at this time.

If you are a Diversity Visa (DV) lottery winner and have either been issued a visa or are waiting for your interview, please be aware that the Presidential Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S. Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the COVID-19 Outbreak includes all Diversity Visa holders.  As the proclamation will expire on December 31, 2020, all currently issued Diversity Visa holders for this year must reapply for next year’s Diversity Visa lottery.

K (Fiance) visa holders in France remain subject to the Presidential Proclamation on the Novel Coronavirus which prohibits entry into the United States anyone who has been present in the Schengen Zone within the previous 14 days.  There are very limited exceptions to this proclamation; please reference the proclamation for more information

If you have an active petition (Form I-129), please know that all petitions are effectively extended until we resume visa operations.

It is not possible to extend an issued visa.  If you are unable to travel due to U.S. government policy and your visa expires, you may be eligible for a no-fee replacement.

Sincerely, 

Immigrant Visas

U.S. Embassy Paris
 

this is the email I received from them. I’m not sure if it was automatic but definitely not what I was hoping to hear  

Hey everyone! I saw on Department of States Twitter that certain embassies would be opening up their schedule for routine services. https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2020/5/summer-2020-travel-advisory-us-embassy-consular-services-and-covid-19-restrictions
Then I saw on this website that France was opening up the schedule for non immigrant appointments in August. Did anyone hear from/ call the embassy to confirm this? My fiancé has Interview been rescheduled for the three times on August 5th. Hopefully this means that this one might not get cancelled.

Hey everyone! I saw on Department of States Twitter that certain embassies would be opening up their schedule for routine services. https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2020/5/summer-2020-travel-advisory-us-embassy-consular-services-and-covid-19-restrictions
Then I saw on this website that France was opening up the schedule for non immigrant appointments in August. Did anyone hear from/ call the embassy to confirm this? My fiancé has Interview been rescheduled for the three times on August 5th. Hopefully this means that this one might not get cancelled.

25 minutes ago, Pinkrlion said:

It is specific to the Jamaica Embassy.  I do not know about the France Embassy.  

Yeah I know. I was wondering were you saw that about the Jamaica Embassy. Progress anywhere is a good start

3 hours ago, Pinkrlion said:

Somebody else posted that they are issuing K-1s

Found the website - https://www.andrewsmemorialhospital.com/usmedical/

 

Wow that’s great news! Where did you see that at.

1 hour ago, Desireehaj said:

I have heard that sometimes emailing and contacting the USCIS, consulate or NVS a lot, can actually make it worse and they just let it expire. This is due to them being repeatedly contacted, therefore they ultimately have the power so they just toss your case aside. However if you have a lawyer bothering them, then that is a different story. I know of two couples who contacted their congressman and senators and it hurt their case more than help. I know my fiancé kept emailing all these different emails he found to check on our case, he didn’t get any response. I then found some other emails including one specifically for US citizens and I got a response very quickly. This is also from my personal experience every case and US consulate office is different.  

Sorry to hear about the couple you know. This was not the case in my situation as my case is already at the embassy and my interview already scheduled. So I guess it varies from situation to situations. They were very helpful to my situation 

23 minutes ago, tris&kris said:

@Aly123

 

Great job! 
 

Don’t be discouraged if you hit a brick wall with the embassy. Encourage your senator to reach out to Department of State and Department of Homeland Security about providing exceptions for the travel ban and deeming K1s mission critical. 

Thanks! I mentioned that on my privacy release form. If I have any updates I’ll report back 

I finally got a response from my senator which I really wasn’t expecting since they are usually busier than the House of Representatives.

Dear Ms. Wyche,

I appreciate the trust and confidence you have shown in me by contacting me with your letter in which you requested my assistance with the visa application of your fiance, Mr Allicock.

The Privacy Act of 1974 prohibits any federal agency from sharing information about an individual without the individual's authorization.  Therefore, I am enclosing a Privacy Act Release. Please complete the form and return it to my office at the following address:

The Honorable Mark R. Warner
Attention: Wanda Almanzar
8000 Towers Crescent Drive
Suite 200
Vienna, VA 22182
P: 703-442-0670, F: 703-442-0408
casework@warner.senate.gov
*Please note mail delivery may be significantly delayed. It is strongly recommended you email or fax your response if possible.

Please know that my top priority is to provide efficient and effective constituent service to all Virginians.  Upon receipt of your completed Privacy Act Release, I will begin work on this matter by contacting the U.S. Embassy Paris, France.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator

https://1997-2001.state.gov/feedback1.html

Also along with contacting Representatives I was able to find this link with numbers, emails, and fax directly to department of state. You can try contacting them an expressing your concerns about K1s not being included as mission critical. The more voices they hear on the matter the better chance of action. It’s worth a shot.

25 minutes ago, SETETA said:

Do you have an e-mail for submitting to Representative Wexton? SHe is also my Rep and I would like to request assistance as well with my case as the Embassy is not providing any updates. Thank you! I went to her website but only saw a general form. I filled out the privacy act form in case. 

I did receive an email from someone who works for her but it was just for clarification. Make sure you email Saira Bhatti. The representative that actually called me is from my parents district. Some districts are busier than others so if you have friends that live in different districts you can try reaching out to different representatives. I actually reached out to 6 and heard back from four.

Thank you for contacting me regarding your visa concerns.

The agency will require a completed Privacy Release before discussing your confidential information with my office. I have enclosed a blank release for your convenience.

The completed release should be returned to Saira Bhatti at Saira.Bhatti@mail.house.gov, or mailed to my Sterling District Office, along with any current correspondence between you and the U.S. Department of State. Upon receipt, an inquiry will be directed on your behalf. 

In the meantime, should you have additional questions, please contact my staff assistant, Saira Bhatti, in my Sterling District Office.

Sincerely,
 
Jennifer Wexton
Member of Congress
 

This is what I received  from my Representative. I’m filling out the form now.

4 hours ago, Ken & Yana said:

Ah yes, thanks for the correction about nationality not being relevant.  
 

It still seems like they’re choosing not to process K1’s because of the travel ban (9996).  And I agree with the sentiments here that this isn’t right.  

The US Embassy in Paris told me that it’s not the travel ban that’s causing them to not process K1’s because if you research other places not affected by the travel ban are also not processing K1’s. The reason they are not being processed is due to the fact that “routine visa services have been suspended”. Recently certain visas have been updated to be classified as mission critical.( For example spousal visas) K1’s however were left off the list as mission critical. So one of two things need to happen. Either routine services must be resumed, or K1 visas must be moved on the list of mission critical visas by the Department of State. Once that happens then they can finally start processing K1 visas.

2 hours ago, sl1pstream said:

They've been scheduling more and more IR-1 visa appointments lately. No K1s so far and the people who've successfully scheduled theirs before, keep getting them cancelled. There are plenty of rumors floating around from people who heard this or read that, but no one's actually posted proof that anyone really has.

19 hours ago, Fabercham said:

It feels like the dates opening up is a bit of a fluke.

 

found a petition to ask embassy to process & issue K1s:

 

https://www.change.org/p/robert-wood-johnson-robert-wood-johnson-us-embassy-london-to-process-k1-visas-now?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_22955422_en-GB%3Av11&recruiter=640704350&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=tap_basic_share

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/process-k1-visas-immediate-family-visas-are-exempt-covid-related-travel-bans
 

here’s another petition that includes other embassies as well

12 minutes ago, Henry357 said:

Exactly, there is a major difference under all US laws. I don’t even think a fiancé is considered a relative in most cases under US law;  a spouse is your next of kin and even has common property right in a lot of states.
 

 
 

 

I mean K1 are under the Immediate  Relative and Family Sponsored visas on the Travel State Dept  Website. So obviously somebody considers them relatives. Lol

So I guess that means K1 visas are left out again. Even though technically K1 visas were a part of the exception for the presidential proclamation, but that probably won’t matter. 
 

“embassies and consulates will continue to provide emergency and mission critical visa services.  Mission-critical immigrant visa categories may include applicants who may be eligible for an exception under this presidential proclamation, such as: IR/CR1, IR/CR2, IR/IH-3, IR/IH-4, SQ, SI, and certain employment-based medical professionals, as well as cases involving an applicant who may age out”