iceman33

Me and my wife (Japanese) went to the CR-1 interview at US embassy in Tokyo today (8/11). I want to share my experience.

Our scheduled time is 9:30 am, but we arrived at 8:45 am. There are no line at the security check so we went into the embassy directly.

Inside the embassy, we had to take a ticket number (seems like first come, first serve) and wait for our turn.

At around 10:15, we were first called and go to the counter to hand in the medical exam result and other required documents. Afterward we were instructed to wait.

At around 11:15, we were called again to go to the counter for fingerprint. Afterward we were instructed to wait.

At around 12:00, we were called the third time to go to the counter for the "interview", which we were only asked a few easy questions:

Question 1: Describe how you met

Question 2: When did you get married? did you hold a ceremony?

Question 3: Where do you plan to live after moving to US?

Question 4: Did you meet each other's parents?

We did not have to show any supporting evidence. After the questioning, the agent stamps and checks on some documents and told us my wife's visa is approved and should get her passport back within a week.

Conclusion: interview is super easy, but it took more than 3 hours since we had to wait for most of the time. Also, inside the embassy is very cold so a jacket is recommended if your wife is wearing a sleeveless dress.

From iceman.

Me and my wife (Japanese) went to the CR-1 interview at US embassy in Tokyo today. I want to share my experience.

Our scheduled time is 9:30 am, but we arrived at 8:45 am. There are no line at the security check so we went into the embassy directly.

Inside the embassy, we had to take a ticket number (seems like first come, first serve) and wait for our turn.

At around 10:15, we were first called and go to the counter to hand in the medical exam result and other required documents. Afterward we were instructed to wait.

At around 11:15, we were called again to go to the counter for fingerprint. Afterward we were instructed to wait.

At around 12:00, we were called the third time to go to the counter for the "interview", which we were only asked a few easy questions:

Question 1: Describe how you met

Question 2: When did you get married? did you hold a ceremony?

Question 3: Where do you plan to live after moving to US?

Question 4: Did you meet each other's parents?

We did not have to show any supporting evidence. After the questioning, the agent stamps and checks on some documents and told us my wife's visa is approved and should get her passport back within a week.

Conclusion: interview is super easy, but it took more than 3 hours since we had to wait for most of the time. Also, inside the embassy is very cold so a jacket is recommended if your wife is wearing a sleeveless dress.

From iceman.

Whats up everyone...good to see other Nihon filers here...

For those of you who did the medical check, what documents did yuo need to give or turn in to get the check? our I-129F is stuck at NVC even though its been 7 weeks since CIS sent me NOA2. We are basically trying to get as much stuff done ahead of time so that once NVC and CIS get their heads out of their a** we can get the interview scheduled right away. Thank for the help!

My wife just took the filled up DS230 to the doctor's office without the problem. I suggest call ahead and ask what they'd accept (that's what we did)

quick question, my wife's interview is scheduled at 9:30 am on 8/11 (Tokyo). Any idea of how early should I plan to arrive? Is 30 minutes enough? How long would the line be at the entry of embassy usually?

my case was completed on 6/11 and I got a 8/11 interview at Tokyo...

my case was completed on 6/11. called NVC within a week and the operator told me that I missed the July scheduling because they only schedule interviews at the 2nd of each month for the following month. That is a bunch of #######. It turns out they schedule my interview at the 3rd week of June and forward the package to US embassy in Tokyo on 6/23. My interview date is set at 8/11.

I paid both fee bills online, generated both barcode cover sheets, and sent in AOS and DS230 at the same time. No problem whatsoever.

In only 5 weeks after NOA2, our case was completed at NVC! We could've done in 3 weeks, since my wife spent an extra 2 weeks to obtain and mail her police certificate from Japan. Anyhow, the online payment is really a life saver and NVC is very good at reviewing the case documents (only spend 4 business days doing so). Check out my timeline.

The NVC operator told me that a July interview is unlikely due to the capacity at the Tokyo embassy, so right now I am looking at an August interview perhaps..

Good luck to you all

4 days for me to get to NVC. AOS and IV bills were generated 2 days after the arrival at NVC.

It means they've started work on your case .... you're not approved till you get the "approval notice sent" email or update on the website .... or a random NOA2 in the mail.

Vermont have only approved a couple of I-129F's since Christmas ..... most are left by the wayside

WHAT ABOUT I-130? IS THERE A WAY TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS BY CALLING OR SOMETHING.

nope, you absolutely cannot do anything. If you have passed 180 days since your receipt date (aka NOA1 date), you can write to your congressman or senator and maybe they can open the inquiry. Notice that even though USCIS claim they HONOR the date that your package arrives their mail room, it is totally bulls and not even senators office can do any good.

Long story short, you just have to sit tight and hope VSC can have mercy on you...

sorry, double posted..

It means they've started work on your case .... you're not approved till you get the "approval notice sent" email or update on the website .... or a random NOA2 in the mail.

Vermont have only approved a couple of I-129F's since Christmas ..... most are left by the wayside

WHAT ABOUT I-130? IS THERE A WAY TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS BY CALLING OR SOMETHING.

nope, you absolutely cannot do anything. If you have passed 180 days since your receipt date (aka NOA1 date), you can write to your congressman or senator and maybe they can open the inquiry. Notice that even though USCIS claim they HONOR the date that your package arrives their mail room, it is totally bulls and not even senators office can do any good.

Long story short, you just have to sit tight and hope VSC can have mercy on you...

hey guys,

My wife's case will be completed at NVC in next couple weeks and it will be forwarded to the US embassy at Tokyo. Does anyone knows what's the usual time frame for a CR-1 interview to be scheduled after the case is completed at NVC? One or two months or longer? I know it depends on how busy the embassy is, but please speak from experience if you have any. Thanks!

What the heck is a police certificate? My husband lived in the US his whole life Illegal. Does he need one fromthe US too?

um...I assume you are the USC and your husband is the beneficiary? Police certificate is required either at the interview or when you send in the DS230 package (depends on NVC instruction). It's to demonstrate that the beneficiary has a "clean" record and it is ussed at the country/city where he lives after age of 16. Since your husband is already in US, I have no idea if a police certificate is required..someone might know this better than me..

Hi,

I submitted my wife's police certificate along with her DS230. The question is, will that police certificate be forward to the US embassy in Tokyo (where she will be interviewed), or does she need another copy of police certificate at the interview? She spent 8 hours on round-trip bus last time just to get her police certificate, and we will be kicking ourselves if we need another copy...

I've never heard of NVC requesting a police certificate. If you sent it to them, call them and ask if they'll forward it. In the future, don't send things unless they are asked for. If you can't get a firm answer from NVC, then its up to you whether you want to risk a delay in the visa or get another one.

Follow the existing process instead of inventing your own.

Talked to the lawyer on the phone, she said NVC did request the police certificate. But NVC will forward all the stuff to the Embassy so we won't need another copy.

Hi,

I submitted my wife's police certificate along with her DS230. The question is, will that police certificate be forward to the US embassy in Tokyo (where she will be interviewed), or does she need another copy of police certificate at the interview? She spent 8 hours on round-trip bus last time just to get her police certificate, and we will be kicking ourselves if we need another copy...

I've never heard of NVC requesting a police certificate. If you sent it to them, call them and ask if they'll forward it. In the future, don't send things unless they are asked for. If you can't get a firm answer from NVC, then its up to you whether you want to risk a delay in the visa or get another one.

Follow the existing process instead of inventing your own.

Appreciate the comment, but did not appreciate the tone.

Hi,

I submitted my wife's police certificate along with her DS230. The question is, will that police certificate be forward to the US embassy in Tokyo (where she will be interviewed), or does she need another copy of police certificate at the interview? She spent 8 hours on round-trip bus last time just to get her police certificate, and we will be kicking ourselves if we need another copy...

Did NVC request the police certificate to be submitted?

we used the online payment system to generate the barcode cover sheet so we didn't receive the DS230 instruction sheet before we submitted it. However, we are also working with a lawyer and she said we needs to send in the police certificate along with the DS230.

Hi,

I submitted my wife's police certificate along with her DS230. The question is, will that police certificate be forward to the US embassy in Tokyo (where she will be interviewed), or does she need another copy of police certificate at the interview? She spent 8 hours on round-trip bus last time just to get her police certificate, and we will be kicking ourselves if we need another copy...

My AOS and IV fee bill invoices were generated simultaneously and I can see them on the online payment website, just 10 days after my I-130 is approved. I paid both immediately. It took 2 days to clear the payment, after which you can print out the bar-code cover sheet and use them to send out the AOS and DS230 package. I expect to finish my NVC stage soon. By then it will only take me one month since the approval of I-130.

so now do I wait for couple weeks for NVC to send me some instruction on the online fee payment? The online payment site sounds like they will send the instruction with my case number and IIN written on it...or, should I just call them to try to get those two numbers?

The online payment link

https://ceac.state.gov/CTRAC/Invoice/signon.aspx

thanks!

I am December filer and I received my NOA2 in mail today. The online status totally sucked as it did not update and I never received any e-mail noticing me. I filed for CR-1 only, no K-3.

I-130 sent: 12/30/2007

VSC received: 12/31/2007

NOA1 generated:2/6/2008

Sole "Touch": 5/5/2008 (it's actually an update for approval)

NOA2 generated: 5/2/2008

NOA2 received in mail: 5/8/2008 (no prior e-mail notice)

hi Justin,

please update my entry. My NOA2 was generated 5/2/2008.

oh never mind, just got my NOA2 in the mail..

hey Amastar, did you get any "touch" before receiving your NOA2 e-mail? My timeline is very similar to yours and I just got a touch on 5/5. Dunno what to make out of it.

hey Amastar,

did you get any "touch" before receiving your NOA2 e-mail? My timeline is very similar to yours and I just got a touch on 5/5. Dunno what to make out of it. I also submitted my wife's new passport biographic page to VSC about 3 weeks ago, so I am kindda afraid the touch was just to update that information and not someone actually adjucating it..

I got a touch yesterday as well. I am 12/31 filer for I-130. NOA 2/6. Visible online on 2/24 (like most people).

tested successfully