Kate.Alday

We got DQ today! We received a RFE a couple of weeks ago (small mistake on my form I-864--I typed the date and did a wet signature. They wanted me to handwrite the date as well). We've been planning on requesting an expedite, but didn't want to wait any longer for DQ, so I emailed the embassy last week. They asked me to email the NVC instead, and this morning we got the approval! DQ came within an hour after that email.
 
For those interested in the timeline-
 
Submitted docs: 6/19/20
RFE: 7/8/20
Requested expedite: 7/19/20
Expedite approved: 7/23/20
DQ: 7/23/20

Here's my final post here (I think)!
 
My wife got an expedite in late June, and was interviewed immediately after her notification. Yesterday, four weeks after her interview, she received her visa and passport in the mail.
 
I want to thank everyone who's posted here, as their experiences and advice have helped us immensely throughout these last 19+ months (I still can't believe it took us that long). I also want to wish everyone good luck moving forward. I hope other members here are soon able to reunite with their loved ones! Stay healthy and safe, everyone!

Husband had his interview in Prague today..........APPPPPPPRRRROOOOVVVEEEDD!!!!!!! The man at the embassy said he should have his visa in hand in 3-5 business days!!! 
 
Hallelujah!!! Thank you to everyone in this chat and all the others who were so helpful and encouraging along the way!!!! I hope you all are approved/interviewed soon and reunited with your loved ones ASAP!!!

Hello everybody! Very glad to see so many interviews were done. So happy for you guys! Congratulations 🎉 
But we found ourselves in a difficult situation. Our cases were expedited and in embassy already, but we can’t cross the border because it’s closed between Poland and Belarus 😩
 
We got email from embassy where they tell us: “We are sorry to inform you that due to border closure with Belarus, we are currently not able to schedule an appointment for all three cases. We would schedule the appointment as soon as the border is open.” 
 
What bad luck 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Just got this email from visa medicals in London.
I assume this is a relatively new thing? I was actually walking to a photo booth on my lunch break as this came through, so that's saved me a few pounds!

Hello everybody! Very glad to see so many interviews were done. So happy for you guys! Congratulations 🎉 
But we found ourselves in a difficult situation. Our cases were expedited and in embassy already, but we can’t cross the border because it’s closed between Poland and Belarus 😩
 
We got email from embassy where they tell us: “We are sorry to inform you that due to border closure with Belarus, we are currently not able to schedule an appointment for all three cases. We would schedule the appointment as soon as the border is open.” 
 
What bad luck 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It's frustrating that interviews are being scheduled around the world.... And Moscow is not even planning to schedule interviews in the near future

Hahaha oh my god so I am reading this to my husband and he immediately goes "Habibi I am not good with dates, you know that". I continue asking him when we got married and he confidently says June (it's September).
 
Oh boy.

So... super easy question right? I ask my husband (beneficiary) and he excitedly says.. Feb 15!!
WRONG, our marriage date is Feb 6. 😲
 
I am going to need to make him study for these SIMPLE questions. I want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Voilà ! Interview done! 🤩
Still have to receive the Passport but we are closer than ever to being fully together.
 
For your info, my husband was able to travel to France from California with : a proper Covid test certificate issued less than 72hours before his flight, copy of my passport, copy of our Livret de Famille.
 
My review is right there ->> https://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=France&page=1&dfilter=5&topic=
but honestly nothing new compared with the previous posts on the subject.
 
🤪 Take care you all, thank you for your great support.
Alix

Case has changed from at NVC to Ready! I'm so excited! 

Husband had his interview this morning at the Stockholm embassy! Because of the short notice we have some things to fix (a 221g with a checklist) but the interviewer said he was willing to approve the visa if the list gets completed. 
1. Get the official name change document and an authorized translation
2. Medical exam (scheduled for tomorrow)
3. Send back passport (we had to keep it for the medical)
4. Register on the travel docs website with a passport drop off address
 
The interview took about 1.5 hrs. We were there 40 minutes early and were told to go for a walk 🙃 (the last time we had an embassy appt, 4 years ago, we were there an hour ahead of time). Once in there he had to wear a mask and they only scheduled 3 people at a time so that it wasn't too crowded. They also had a fire alarm go off in the middle, so everyone had to exit for about 10 minutes.
A woman took the originals from the civil docs and scanned them as well as DS-5540. She also asked him what his plan was if his "Plan A" for getting a job didn't worked out and if we intended to move before mid-November, but specifically said it wasn't an interview question.
Interview questions (that he remembers 😉)
-When and where we met
-When we got married
-How many times have you traveled to see your wife in the US
-How often has your wife come to see you
-Where will you live in the US
-Are you healthy (I guess this is as much as they officially brought up the DS-5540)
Hopefully the rest of the process goes smoothly and we have the visa in hand before too long! And that all of you guys will be further on your way towards the end of this crazy process!

Hello everybody, today I got a notice stating that the local embassy accepted my request to expedite my wife case. Now we just have to wait for embassy to resume visa services. 

I cant find my original post in here.. but wanted to update!!!!!
 
My husbands case was approved for expedite at the Prague embassy on July 2nd. after what felt like the longest 3 weeks of waiting, today we scheduled his interview by calling the embassy...for THIS Thursday!!!!!!!!!! My heart is overflowing with happiness, relief and honestly some disbelief that it is actually our interview time!!! 4 months apart almost to the day...what a way to celebrate that-by receiving a hope of reunion soon!!!
 
I know how hard it is to wait and not have answers during this bizarre time for immigration and humanity as a whole...but I am still praying and here for everyone who is waiting for their turn!! It will come, and we will all virtually celebrate your victories together!!! Find strength in your relationship and each other, and find ways to communicate and bond with each other while waiting it out..it is all we can do❤️
 
Good luck to everyone, i will update on Thursday how it goes!!!

Hi David,
 
Thank you 😃.
 
Here is the review I posted for my experience at the embassy:
 
« My CR-1 interview at the Paris, France embassy took place on the 20th of July 2020 at 9:00 A.M.

I arrived at 8:45 A.M, but was only able to go through the security gate/screening at 9:00 A.M.

I had to wear a mask.

They check your bag and pockets, you cannot bring a laptop, food or drinks. You have to leave your cell phone turned off with the security staff.

Afterwards, I was asked to give my passport, my police certificate, my interview letter and my DS-260 confirmation. It was just so I could give those documents to the next person inside the embassy.

When I got in, I sat in a room with 20+ booths were you will get called to speak to the embassy staff.

I almost did not wait and was called by an employee of the embassy. The woman asked me for my passport, my police certificate, my interview letter and my DS-260 confirmation as well as my photograph, my birth certificate and my mariage certificate. She gave me some explanations about the next steps and my entry in the U.S. She also took my finger prints.

After that I was asked to sit down and wait for the Consular Officer. He called me and asked me to swear that I will say the truth. He asked me 5 or 6 questions:

- How did you meet?
- What kind of work to you plan on doing when arriving in the U.S?
- When and where did you get married?
- Where do you live right now?
- Where will you live in the U.S?

The interview lasted about 5 minutes. At the end he told me that I was approved and welcomed me in the U.S.
He also said that I will only receive my passport in the mail, the packet/enveloppe is not used anymore, the information are sent directly electronically to the POEs. The send the passports back on Thursdays through UPS, so I should get my passport back approximatively within 4 or 5 business days.

Then I exited the embassy and got my cell phone back.  

My whole visit lasted 45 minutes (9:00 A.M till 9:45 A.M). »
 
I hope that answers your questions !
 
Laurent 

At finally we got accepted expedite request! Passed more than 14 days to get response. US embassy in Poland. 

Hello everyone,
 
Just a quick update to let you know that I had my interview this morning at the Paris embassy and I got approved  !
 
Do not hesitate if you have any questions about the interview process  .
 
Have a good day !
 
Laurent

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 💙

Interview scheduled for 5th august!

At finally we got accepted expedite request! Passed more than 14 days to get response. US embassy in Poland. 

Interview on Monday!
 
Just checked into hotel, around the corner from US Embassy in London. 
 
Can't wait to get this done with. 
 
Would be awesome if I got my passport back the same day, but not making plans for that to happen. 
 
 

My wife's interview was a few days ago and she received the passport stamp in hand! They sent a note saying there's no sealed packet to hand carry anymore.

It doesn't always qualify. It honestly depends on the embassy. But as far as wanting to expedite because you miss your spouse, one could argue that that's literally every person in this forum. Most of us haven't seen our spouses (and kids in some instances) in at least 4 months. If everyone got expedited for this reason, it would essentially mean that expediting is useless. That said, if you feel you have a genuine need to expedite, by all means try. Be honest and write the reasons that are affecting you personally and see what they say. 

Just called and booked my medical for 31st July!! I explained that I don't have an interview date yet but my case is expedited and showing as In Transit on CEAC,  and I want to make sure I have my medical results in time for my interview so I'm not sat in Administrative Processing. They were really helpful and happy to book it for me.
 
It's very bittersweet because I'm so excited that this is finally happening after so long in this process, but I'm also very sad because I wish more people in this forum could get their cases moving forward again and be able to feel the same excitement as me.

That’s great! Congratulations 🎉