moroccousa

Simo got a call today!! Yay!! Tomorrow 3pm in Casablanca...to pick up his Visa.

I'm so happy!

He should be here before Thanksgiving, I will truly have something to be thankful for.

Thanks for all your support everyone!

I'm sorry to ask this, but is there any way we could not discuss presidential politics or politics at all that do not relate to the specific process of getting Visas for our loved ones?

I just think that we all have one goal here, a common goal, and in sorts, we are a type of virtual community that needs to be supportive of one another. I am all for discussions of politics with lots of very different perspectives represented, but I think they need to be built on trusting, open, caring relationships that we can't really form in such a forum that is virtual, short-term, transitory...etc...I really think that talking about the slant of the media, or our political views can only be divisive for us, since we don't really have the ability to have those sincerely open and trusting relationships we need to be able to get past some of our differences and look for common ground.

I know that there are hundreds, thousands even of explicitly political fora that would be great for sharing your views about politics, but here doesn't really seem like the place. Am I alone?

Clearly we are uniquely positioned to be advocates for our loved ones and may have strong views on immigration, US State Dept. bureaucracy, specific regional issues (like the Middle East, since I see you went through Casa too)...which might be appropriate to discuss, but just blanket statements about the media bias or supporting one candidate over another doesn't seem useful here. I hope that others might agree with me.

Also, such posts take away space on the central pages for those who have legitimate questions and concerns about the visa process. Perhaps they should have the priority right now.

Thanks, I hope that we can agree on this.

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to ask a question to other MENA applicants -- my fiance had is interview at Casa on October 15th (Wed) and he said it went really well -- just a few questions, how we met, what I did in Morocco, what I was doing in the US now, where else he had traveled. She did not ask for evidence or documents of financial support at all. He said he felt really good about it -- she gave him a form that said they have to do mandatory AP, nothing else required of him, and the CO actually told him that it "wouldn't be long". So all this is great news of course! Then on Thursday, the very next day, I get a call on my cell phone (the number we had provided) from a Bethesda, MD area code, but the lady says she is calling from the Consulate just to inform me that my fiancé's visa has been approved and that he would be getting a call from the Embassy shortly (a day or two).

Have any of you had a similar experience? I was kind of suspicious actually that his AP would only take a day! I got the feeling that they might be 'testing' us almost....I guess we will know if he really does get that call on Monday or not....

Just asking for anyone who has had similar experiences.

Thanks,

Elizabeth

Hey all! I have a weird question -- I want to see if this has happened to any of you

I just got a call on my cell phone (my permanent number) from a 301 area code, saying it was the Casablanca consulate, (maybe it was, it just wasn't a Moroccan number, of course I am sure the Embassy can arrange that sort of thing) and the woman said that my fiancé's visa had been approved! I was obviously so excited. They said that he would be getting a call from them in the next day or two!! That is super fast! I was just wondering if this had happened to any of you, especially those who had to go through AP, (his interview was yesterday!) because I was a tiny bit suspicious that this was actually part of the AP process....but I called Simo up instantly anyways, and told him the good news!

I mean, nothings certain till the visa is in the passport and the passport is in hand, but this is good news nonetheless!

Has this happened to any of you?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I couldn't bear to read about everyone's interviews and fiance/es finally coming because we were stalled waiting for the interview (6 weeks wait time)...so I just avoided the whole site! But...I'm back because things are finally rolling again...

Simo had his interview today (finally!!!) I figured out that the Casablanca consulate pretty much closed down for all of Ramadan (the whole month of September) and so even though I am soooo frustrated that we had to wait an extra month to get to this point, I know that it is all worth it, and we have been so strong supporting each other. He said it went really well, things out of Casablanca have not been good recently, so many reports of rude COs and rejections for no reason, but Simo says his interview went really smoothly -- the lady said no need for evidence or financial support or anything, just wanted to know where Simo had traveled, how we met, where I lived in Morocco, what I was doing now. That's it!

She said it "wouldn't be long" which is great! Of course being Moroccan, we have to go through mandatory AP -- but it seems like the good kind, where all is asked is just a little time. Let's hope its really a little time, not a lot!

So, we are thinking, the next week or two he should get the visa, and a week or two after that, boarding the plane! I am so excited, and adjusting well, I'm in my first year of PhD program, so balancing the multiple stresses is hard...but luckily I have a whole week off for Thanskgiving, so we are thinking that is when we will do the quick courthouse wedding/honeymoon and just get Simo settled in.

I can't wait. I know we have been so lucky, as I was living in Morocco for so long that it really hasn't been THAT long since we've seen each other, but this whole process just seems to drag on and on...boo!

Ok, just wanted to let you all know that things are going well for us! And I can't wait to go through the whole EAD/AOS process with you all! You have been so supportive!

Hello,

I have two questions for those of you who are more experienced!

My fiancé and I are still waiting for his interview, but I am doing research in advance to see what is required for the AOS. We did not have to submit an affidavit of support as part of the interview process (Casablanca does not require/suggest one). So I am just now getting the forms ready.

I am currently on a graduate fellowship, (I am a PhD candidate, full-time) and my stipend is well above the poverty guidelines. I have a letter of support from the fellowship office outlining that this support will continue for at least 3 years and the amount that it provides.

Yet, I am still concerned, because as a student, I have had low incomes in the past and have been traveling significantly and my taxes from 2 years ago would not have qualified.

So, should I go ahead and get a co-sponsor (not a problem) or will my graduate fellowship suffice? Do any of you have experience with this?

Secondly, does the I-864 need to be notarized or not? Some confusion there....

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Hello,

I have two questions for those of you who are more experienced!

My fiancé and I are still waiting for his interview, but I am doing research in advance to see what is required for the AOS. We did not have to submit an affidavit of support as part of the interview process (Casablanca does not require/suggest one). So I am just now getting the forms ready.

I am currently on a graduate fellowship, (I am a PhD candidate, full-time) and my stipend is well above the poverty guidelines. I have a letter of support from the fellowship office outlining that this support will continue for at least 3 years and the amount that it provides.

Yet, I am still concerned, because as a student, I have had low incomes in the past and have been traveling significantly and my taxes from 2 years ago would not have qualified.

So, should I go ahead and get a co-sponsor (not a problem) or will my graduate fellowship suffice? Do any of you have experience with this?

Secondly, does the I-864 need to be notarized or not? Some confusion there....

Thanks!

Elizabeth

I just called DOS again (I had a hunch) and found out that our Packet 3 was sent out today (yay!) but our Interview date was set for October 15th. Simo is really depressed about this! I already called him. He just feels like his whole life is on hold and we both miss each other so much. And for young men from the MENA region, AP after the interview can be really time consuming, 2 weeks min, so he is just upset about the thought of not making it here till November. I had thought the interview date would be more around 4 weeks, looking at other people's recent interview dates in Casa.

Now I am going to try to be really nice to the people at the consulate to try to get our interview date moved up, I don't know if that is possible at all in Casablanca, but I have to try right?

Any advice?

Thanks!

Lizzie

Hi all,

I just called DOS and found out that our Packet 3 was sent out today, and our interview date was scheduled for October 15th. Simo is really depressed about this...according to others who had been through Casablanca, we were expecting the wait time to be a lot less (3 or 4 weeks).

I was wondering if any of you have had any luck at moving up your interview date, and if so, how you went about doing this.

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Thanks Kim!

Simo and I are kind of in the same situation...we've been dating for 4 years, and lived together in Morocco for almost two years, but I had to come back to start my PhD program, but had I know that this process would really take this long, I would have started so much sooner!

I have not heard nearly as good reviews of the Casablanca consulate (in fact, it consistently gets bad reviews) so I don't know if they will be accommodating at all, but I asked...which is really all I can do! With Ramadan actually, no one wants to leave during the whole month, so I feel like we might be a little lucky, if they have only a few visa requests...but I can't be sure.

Thanks for your help though! I will keep you informed!

Question for Kim:

Hi! I just contacted the DOS in DC, and the lady told me that our packet got to the Casablanca consulate on August 12 (according to the NVC it was just sent out on the 12th, arrived the 18th) and that no Packet 3 has been sent out yet.

Boo!!

I feel like all this shuffling papers has taken so long! We are waiting for that Packet 3, because I think mentally everything will feel so much more real once Simo actually has an interview date.

So, we don't need anything special to have the Packet 3 sent out early at all -- I just want it sent out now, especially because Ramadan is starting September 4th, and the pace of life slows down soooo much then, so I am worried! So, I am emailing the Consulate now but I wanted to know if there is anything in particular I should say to get them to be nice to me and speed up this interview process (according to others from Morocco, the time between Packet 3 arriving and Interview date can be very short). What do you say to get them to expedite the interview date? (We don't really have a reason other than our impatience)

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Hi

Can someone explain what it means to "contact DOS" and how I do that?

Thanks!

Hi,

We are waiting for our Packet 3 from Casablanca (our packet arrived on August 18th), and have heard from others who have gone through the process that we might not have much time to get everything together, so we are working on that now.

I have an important question for other K1 petitioners through Casablanca, I have consistently read and heard that Casa is exceptional in that it does not required any financial information to get the visa (i.e. no affidavit of support required). Because of that, I have not been preparing that information at all (I know I will need it for adjustment of status, but I have just returned from living abroad and am starting a PhD program in September, so suffice it to say I really am in transition and am not really ready to fill out all that information quite yet)

So, my question is for those who have recently gone through Casa, did you fill out the affidavit of support or not? Did you think it would help your fiancé at the interview or are we fine without it? Or do I really not need to worry about it?

Also, how long was it between when the packet arrived at the consulate, how long you got Packet 3 and how long the interview was scheduled...

Thanks for any tips!

Elizabeth

Hi all!

After being held for a few (depressing) weeks at the NVC, I called and found out that our case had finally been sent to Morocco and according to DHL, it made it on Monday! We are so excited.

So, now we are working on getting everything ready for the interview, and I just read above that I was not supposed to have sent the original NOA2 to Simo (I thought he had to have the original hard copy) so I had it sent by registered mail to Morocco, but it hasn't arrived yet (it's been 3 weeks) -- he is going to check on it now, but I know this is a problem. I am wondering if I can contact the USCIS and ask for a second version of the hard copy. Luckily, we had it scanned in before we sent it, so that Simo can just print it out and have it at the interview....

Do you think that would be possible to get a second copy sent to us? Also, Kim I read that you are doing something to expedite the process at the embassy in NZ, what are you doing and how do you do that? I don't think we will need to do that, since Simo can't come until Ramadan ends anyways, but I would like to know what the options are.

Thanks for any help on these questions! And good luck for all of you waiting out there!

Hi,

We are really praying for all of you to get quick NOA2s...I have a quick concern maybe someone can help me with. We were approved on 7/21 and I know for sure our case was at the NVC by 7/25 because I called and they confirmed. As of 7/29 we got another notice saying it was still there....and I just called again and our case is still at the NVC, it has been two weeks now! I am really worried, even though the lady said there was explicitly no problem, she said we should call back at the end of the month!

That seems unreasonable! I am really depressed about this, because even though we got our NOA2, our case is nothing until it is at the Consulate! Can anyone tell me why this might be? Why is it being held up?

Thanks so much,

Elizabeth

Hi,

I have now received 2 letters, identical in content, dated 7/25 and 7/29...saying that my case has been received and will be processed...but no indication of when they would be mailed out to Morocco...is this considered normal?

Or should I be worried that they are holding my case at the NVC for some reason?

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Hi everyone,

We are really praying for you all to have quick and easy NOA2s...I know a ton will be coming in the next week!!

So for those of you who have already gotten your NOA2 and been tracking it...I read the description above on how to do it through DHL, but don't understand at all...

What exactly do we type in for the Reference number? Do we need to get that from the NVC?

Any explanation on this would be great!

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Hey,

We got our NOA2 on 7/21 and I just called the NVC hotline today and they said that our case was there at the NVC, no indication of when it would get sent to Morocco. But my USCIS account hasn't been updated at all -- it just says the last time it was touched was 7/22, does anyone know how we keep track of this stuff now?

How do we get the DHL tracking number? etc? Will our USCIS account continue to be updated or are things done there now?

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Hi Everyone!

I haven't been active on this forum at all, but I have been obsessively checking my USCIS account and updates to the forum. And I've been excited to hear about your touches...well...exciting news!

I had to go on a trip to rural Oman for the past 3 days and didn't have access to email, but when I returned...and email stating our case was approved was waiting in my Inbox!!

We are listed as "Simo and Lizzie" on Igor's list, our NOA1 was 4/21 and the last touch that I had heard of was on 5/21, but we were approved on Monday 7/21, with no touches last week!!

Good luck to all of you who are waiting!

<3 Lizzie

Hi Carolyn,

I can't speak from personal experience (as we are still waiting for the K-1 visa) but from my experience living in Morocco and talking with families, including my fiancé's, you are right, it should not be an issue. I am quite positive that none of his brothers could get the visa, and it is not even worth trying, his sister also might be difficult, but parents and grandparents, especially ones who have families, houses and/or retirement benefits in Morocco (and presumably speak no English) are not considered flight risks. The first time she gets a visa it might be for just the exact dates of the trip, but if she returns and applies again, she should probably be able to get the 10 year visa, which allows for unlimited travel for 10 years (this is what my fiancé's grandmother has, his Aunt lives in Florida). And you should take comfort knowing that applying for a tourist visa is actually a lot easier than what we are going through! If she is older and hasn't traveled abroad before, you might want to start the process of getting her a Passport.

That's my opinion! Good luck!

Yay! Congrats! So....just for those of us monitoring, that's seven weeks between when the case was received by the embassy and your interview date...that seems about average for Casa. And it's 9 weeks between the NOA2 and Casa interview....good to know, hopefully our NOA2 will come quickly and easily!

Congrats again, and good luck in the next phase!

Once the account is set up, the transfer on payal is instant. It's the fastest way to transfer money around that I know of.

Oh, I see what you mean, to remove it from the account if you don't have a paypal debit card - true that.

I think that in principle PayPal might sound like a better option, but I am quite certain (having worked with a lot of Moroccans when I lived there) that Moroccan banks are not set up to do stuff internationally (like Moroccan credit cards can't buy stuff online) and PayPal doesn't have a special site for Moroccan banks specifically, so there is no way to actually do it. I also had to deal with this, and had to use Western Union.

Let me know if you find a better way!

Hi April,

I just left Morocco actually after living there for 19 months, unfortunately...but I know a ton of Americans in Rabat and some in Casa too, if that's where you are. I am hoping to come back to visit again in August or September though, if you are still there....let me know what city you are in.

Lizzie

Congrats!!

It went so quickly for you! I am praying ours goes so fast too! Please keep us informed on how the interview goes, and everything that Casa asks for in Packet 3. We filed only 3 weeks after you, and will hopefully be following you through the process, so I'm really curious as to how it all goes.

Congrats again! I hope everything proves really easy for you,

Lizzie

Touched 2x!

We filed in mid-April....received, processed all around 4/20...we were just touched on 05/20 and then again on 05/21...I'm hoping they are moving boxes so we are getting to the top of the pile!!

Any other recent touches??