ginny20

We just put down the year they were born and there was no problem. Just problems with them typing in things incorrectly into the system. Like his DOB and today, when we found out he has been registered as a B-1 instead of a K-1 at the border and is having all kinds of problems obtaining a social security card because of it. Very frustrating!

We are planning on getting married in a very small ceremony at a mosque (just us, my parents, my sister and her husband) and taking a honeymoon trip afterwards. Because of financial and other constraints--both of us moving back to the US and having a lot on our plates, the fact that neither of us are psyched about wedding planning, and our friends and family are spread all over the country--I would rather not have a wedding party right now. Do you think this will be a problem with immigration at some point? We have a lot proof of our relationship, but I'm wondering if this could be an issue later on down the road.

I would also get the first few pages of your passport translated. In Los Angeles county at least, you will need a certified translation of any non-English picture ID to get the marriage license and it has been a real pain to get it done here in the US. Much easier/cheaper in Morocco.

My fiance also tried to insist on me not going out on my own at first, but it turned into a terrible pattern of dependence that was difficult to break out of in the long run. I do not recommend it if you are living there permanently! It's better to just plunge in with both feet and get out there, to start speaking the language, interacting with people, etc. Moroccan women go out all the time by themselves to run errands, visit their friends, and just to window shop. Sometimes people do get mugged, but it's the same in the States. I think when you don't know what's going on, it's easy to feel threatened, but the chances that something would actually happen to you are very slim. I've never heard of Western women here getting raped or killed by unknown people or anything like that. People are scared to mess with Westerners, usually. Most people are very nice and helpful and extremely patient with language stuff. Be friendly, but stand your ground if they try to take advantage. There are lots of games going on, social relations are not nearly as straightforward as they are in the US.

Once people in a neighborhood know you belong there, they leave you alone. Living in Morocco requires a thick skin--it's easy to get into arguments with people when trying to get stuff done, but you just need to persist and learn the game of getting your way here. My Moroccan friends often tell me they leave the house ready for a fight, and I'm the same way now. It's fun, though, once you start to develop relationships with people over time and get to know and trust them (vedors, neighbors, even bureaucrats), it's amazing what you can get done!

Also, I know a lot of Americans who have been quite successful in Morocco in terms of career/business, but it all depends on what you want to do, how much capital you have, education, language, etc. Morocco is a very hot place to invest, especially now that they have a free trade agreement with the US, and you can make a lot of money in real estate, import/export, tourism--depending on where you live and who you know! Although with the current state of the global economy...?

I've lived in Morocco for the last 2.5 years and have felt very safe-much safer than I do living in Chicago. I have felt very little judgement or harassment about being American-most people are sympathetic to the fact that although the government is bad, the American people are not necessarily responsible. Morocco is not a democracy and the idea that people are responsible for government isn't common. I get hassled more in France for being American than I do here.

The most judgement I have felt is from upper class people, but I feel like there is an envy that runs deep in the upper class here (especially in Fez where I live), and isn't necessarily due to politics. Envy is a big problem in Morocco in general, but I've only felt it directed towards me with the upper class. People in the supposedly 'dangerous' working class neighborhoods and countryside where I have worked have been extremely kind and open-minded in terms of talking about politics--even, for example, when Sadam Hussein was hanged on the Eid lKbeer and the video was replayed over and over again on Al Jazeera. I find Moroccans to be very flexible, in general, and not terribly ideological. Depends on the person, though, of course.

I feel completely safe doing things on my own, walking by myself, etc., in most of the major cities except sometimes at night. The most harassed I have felt on the street is in major tourist areas (old city of Fes, Essouaria, etc.), but if you dress and act appropriately it's fine.

It is true that PDAs are completely unacceptable here, although holding hands seems to be fine. I think after you spend a few months here, though, you adapt to this and it feels odd to engage in that kind of behavior. A lot of people seem to have that idea that if something happens to a Westerner, the person in charge could be severely punished, but I've never actually heard of this happening. My fiance certainly is not concerned about this. I think there was a case of a member on this forum whose American wife died in Morocco and nothing happened to him. It seems to me to be more of an urban myth.

This is not to say that living in Morocco is easy--especially if you don't speak the language. I was unhappy for the first 9 months I was here, but as my language and connection to people improved, so did my experience. I also have major career goals that my experience here will help me to attain, which was highly motivating. Struggling with the difficulties in doing day-to-day things is very taxing, though. Life also feels a lot more boring here--there isn't much of a public culture and people tend to stay home a lot. Even in Casablanca, it feels like there isn't much to do coming from a big American or European city. It's been an amazing and intense experience here, but I am happy to be returning soon to the States.

They don't usually issue tourist visas for people who have immigrant visas pending because having applied for an immigrant visa shows that you intend to immigrate.

I have to agree with you and most likely would have blown up at her too. I think its hysterical how someone can say these things and have had hardly any contact w/ an American family (other than the one their son/daughter married into) and then they pass judgment. Perhaps she watched it in a movie...typically any ignorant comment I have been confronted w/ by others not raised here has come from their watching movies, etc.

I have NEVER let our babies cry and wasn't raised this way by my family either. I also babysat as you did and the instructions I received from the family I worked for was to not let their son cry. The funny thing is what I have viewed overseas is the opposite of what she has said. I have seen children running around in the streets much younger than I'd care to admit without parent supervision.

IMHO, I think Americans spoil their children too much and we over do it with the picking them up, over feeding them, over stimulating, etc. The actual opposite of what she claimed was the American way.

I was just at a family's house in rural Morocco who has a newborn and his grandmother was telling me that her and her daughter believe it is not good to pick up the baby very often, because he will become spoiled. In fact they swaddle him (which I think is a great idea) and leave him by himself on the floor or bed most of the day. They did tell me that babies don't cry until they are six months old (because of swaddling) and were surprised that they do in the US! Anyways--just goes to show that parents in the 'Arab world' also have all different kinds of ideas about how the should raise their children and there are no set rules. I think most parents most places in the world are pretty good--we're wired instinctively to empathize with our kids and understand what they need--and then there are always the few who are unfortunately too consumed with their own pathology to be able to do so!

I am so sorry this happened to you! It's angering to hear how they treat people. In addition to your senator, you should try to contact your representative, because they are usually more responsive to constituent requests, especially around election time!! You can find your representative at: http://whoismyrepresentative.com/ by entering your zip code.

I would also try to call the Casa consulate--it's hard to get through but if you keep calling and insisting I know for a fact that sometimes people get through. You might want to start with American citizen services (on Casablanca consulate website) and insist that they transfer you or even the emergency number at night (I'm pretty sure that goes straight to a consular official). I would be nice, but firm and say that it is imperative that you talk to someone before they send back the petition, and it's only fair that they let you talk to someone because this could have an extremely adverse effect on your life. Maybe also mention that you are getting your congressperson involved.

Good luck!

Personally, I think this thread shows that too many Arabs/muslims are immigrating to the west for the wrong reasons. Wanting to make more money in the US or wanting to take advantage of the welfare system in Europe is not a valid ground for immigration. Immigration is not a right it is a privilege! And privileges have to be earned. If you have no desire to assimilate to the culture of the country that you chose to move to then you have no right to stay. If you want to wear an abaya and live like a ME muslim then you should stay in the ME. I think it should be far harder for muslims to immigrate to the west as the majority refuse to assimilate and insult those that were generous enough to allow them the privilege of living in their country. We have as much right to maintain our more advanced and egalitarian standard of living as you do to retain your old-fashioned way of life. After all, if islam and the ME is so great then why are you trying to leave it? I'm getting sick of Arabs whine about the prejudice they experience in the west when the extremely mild difficulties they face in the west are nothing compared to what foreigners/non-muslims suffer in the ME. You can smell the hypocrisy coming off the average arab from a mile away. And I think Hanginginthere's description is a pretty mild and tame depiction of the average Arab, not all of them; but the average and it wasn't racist, it was pretty accurate. Only when you say All rather than some, average or most is there a problem. Sometimes pointing out the truth of what the average person in a culture behaves like hurts. And that is what we are pointing out here, the average; not all. And when individuals or whole societies refuse to admit their faults then they are doomed to continue those faults.

I do find your words a bit harsh. I find there are a lot of people here from the middle east that came here to improve their life. If that is what makes them happy then go for it. I think they have every right to wear their Abayas and live like a ME muslim. The only difference is that they don't have the right to dictate how others choose to live.

As for whining about prejudices. Well it is very real, and I have witnessed it. I find it quite sad that an entire culture is judged soley on the actions of radicals.

As for the individuals and societies that refuse to admit their faults, well that can be stated on many cultures, Americans as well.

The majority of us here are derived from immigrants. I may have been raised here all of my life, but I know for a fact that the only people that can claim to be original Americans are the Native Americans. I thank them for the right to live here. I thank them for allowing me to live in their country as to how I was raised, not by their traditions.

I hope this doesn't end up to be another flame thread. That was not my intentions. Just to point out that there are times to speak up, and then there are times to let things slide. The woman that S&S encountered needed to be addressed. Do I think it will change her opinion of Americans? No. But I would certainly hope that it will let her know that sometimes it is best to keep her opinions to herself. I only wish that more people could simply look inside themselves to find their own faults rather than constantly looking in others for theirs.

Frankly after being called 2 3 4 5 times and being told not to cry, to take care of someone who is CLEARLY not taking care of me and being made to sit in the car during my sons funeral service and glared at as I tried to talk to my AMERICAN mother and then the babys flowers being not allowed on the grave and to have not a single person in the janazza warmly greet my mother with some kind of condolence and the only conversation with me was to tell me that I needed to move the baby out of the KUFFAR cemetary, I hardly see where I HAVENT experienced reverse racism or ill treatment. That imam could have been gracious to my mom. They could have let us come up to the grave as he was lowered into it. And I could have been treated like a human being after the death of my child. Its been AMERICANS who have sent flowes. AMERICANS who have fed me. Not a single person from his family or from the masjid offered to bring food or has helped me in ANY WAY. An american sent over food from boston market and my husband wouldnt eat it because it was from someone from a CHURCH..

God help me in my topic. Culture problems dont come out when everything is hunky dorey and tragedy doesnt happen. When tragedy beyond your wildest dreams happen, you see the differences in culture. Imagine ANY OF YOU , including you Ta me what ever your name is being told you couldnt watch your baby go into the grave or have some weird guy in a dress glare at your KUFFAR mother all along criticising your funeral arrangements, terrorising your family further. For all of that, I paid the plot the service and the ambulance bills are arriving as I speak. And I am supposed to sit by and think some bimbo telling a very nice American girl that she s not a good mother or americans arent good mothers. I buried my child and I have had absolutely NO SUPPORT from any non american, The non americans tell me I was only allowed to cry 3 days and I am supposed to get over it. The non americans who have NO FUNERAL EXPENSES in their countries cant imagine what I have had to shoulder. Instead of hugs ,condolences, I get phone calls NOT TO CRYN NOT TO MOURN and that it was Allahs will. The whole Allahs will I can buy but not all the nasty kuffar comments. the complete lack of respect for my american christian family by the participants in the jannazza. My mother who never has had an ill word to say about anyone and she is 73 years old and a respected college professor has an AWFUL taste in her mouth from what happened. Can you imagine being yelled at to stay away from your grandchilds coffin?

All this talk is well and good but if you dont think there are VERY MARKED differences between american women and arabs, you need to have your head examined. We are without a shadow of a doubt, leaders thinkers and doers. It may not be the womens fault. They may be raised to be servers and subservient. They can live in fear of being divorced verbally ( Ive lived that and so have others) and their rights mean nothing. Here in the USA if a man divorces you, it has to be in the courts. Please dont think in anyway when *(*& hits the fan that culture doesnt matter. It does. I ve lived it. I may not always voice things politically correct but I was greviously wronged. And I get sick and tired of people being in THIS COUNTRY not appreciating what they have here.. bashing everything and everyone around them

I wanted to say HEY IMAM>. YOUR DA WAH sucks. How can I ever show my american family or any other woman at that service that islam is fair when they were treated so badly by muslims.. Just food for though.. Ruminate over what I just said if you will

I love you guys but I had to say something because what happened to my family really sucked. You dont see the deepest cultural divisions until the world is pulled out from under you

I am very sorry for this hell that you've been through. It sounds like a nightmare and your husband, his family, and his Salafi 'friends' from his mosque have been extremely disrespectful of you and your wishes. That being said, this is not the norm, in the US or in Morocco, amongst Muslims. Only a tiny minority of the Muslim community would consider itself Salafi and most Muslims here in Morocco that I know really do not like this rigid way of practicing their religion. Over the years that I have lived here, I have experienced a lot of deaths and they were nothing like what you described. We go to the cemetery at least once every other month to visit my fiance's father and others' graves to tend to the garden that is planted on his tomb, clean the headstone, and read Qur'an. The many Moroccan women that I know here who have lost children grieve for years for them, but no one tells them they shouldn't cry. People don't buy that Salafi interpretation of Islam here very often.

In Morocco, people also now have to be divorced in court--this verbal divorce is not valid unless it is in front of a judge and the man has to pay a lot to his wife. Women are also allowed to divorce men in Morocco (the family laws changed in 2002). Otherwise, it doesn't count. Women that I hang out with work long hours, and I have had the honor to meet many brilliant and kind female judges, lawyers, doctors, university professors, primary school teachers, etc. Women who stay at home work extremely hard--especially in the countryside (50% of the country) where women do back-breaking farm labor, in addition to household chores. And those women are fierce!

I totally understand your anger towards your husband and his family and think it's great that you can get support from this forum. There are a lot of other people who need support through difficult immigration processes and going through the adaptation process to the U.S., as well. Your comments about many or most Muslims and Arabs being the way your husband and his family are simply are not true. You got a bad apple who practices an extreme form of Islam, which does totally suck, but that doesn't mean you have to insult the families of other people who are perhaps also looking for support.

Personally, I think this thread shows that too many Arabs/muslims are immigrating to the west for the wrong reasons. Wanting to make more money in the US or wanting to take advantage of the welfare system in Europe is not a valid ground for immigration. Immigration is not a right it is a privilege! And privileges have to be earned. If you have no desire to assimilate to the culture of the country that you chose to move to then you have no right to stay. If you want to wear an abaya and live like a ME muslim then you should stay in the ME. I think it should be far harder for muslims to immigrate to the west as the majority refuse to assimilate and insult those that were generous enough to allow them the privilege of living in their country. We have as much right to maintain our more advanced and egalitarian standard of living as you do to retain your old-fashioned way of life. After all, if islam and the ME is so great then why are you trying to leave it? I'm getting sick of Arabs whine about the prejudice they experience in the west when the extremely mild difficulties they face in the west are nothing compared to what foreigners/non-muslims suffer in the ME. You can smell the hypocrisy coming off the average arab from a mile away. And I think Hanginginthere's description is a pretty mild and tame depiction of the average Arab, not all of them; but the average and it wasn't racist, it was pretty accurate. Only when you say All rather than some, average or most is there a problem. Sometimes pointing out the truth of what the average person in a culture behaves like hurts. And that is what we are pointing out here, the average; not all. And when individuals or whole societies refuse to admit their faults then they are doomed to continue those faults.

Having worked with hundreds of people who define themselves as Arabs in Morocco over the past four yeas, in Arabic, I find this characterization of 'Arabs' bizarre and ridiculous. Saying that most people (or the 'typical' person) of a particular racial or ethnic group have characteristics that, because of their membership in that group, make them inferior to another ethnic group(s) is racist, period. Also, where in the law does it say wanting to make money in the US is not a valid reason to immigrate? Economic reasoning motivates most migration historically and all over the world.

I'm getting sick of Arabs whine about the prejudice they experience in the west when the extremely mild difficulties they face in the west are nothing compared to what foreigners/non-muslims suffer in the ME.

Suffering??? I’m not suffering. There’s a lot of foreigners/non-muslims that live here and I doubt they are suffering, in fact most of us/them don’t want to leave! We are spoiled by the gracious generosity and hospitality that’s provided to us by people who live here. I haven’t met one foreigner living in Jerusalem or Palestinian Territories who’s described their stay as suffering.

Did you travel to the mid east and suffer?

I agree with you. In Morocco (having lived here for four years), Westerners are consistently treated better than Moroccans by the government and other Moroccans. People show extraordinary hospitality towards foreigners most of the time and 95% of both ex-pats and tourists that I've met have been very impressed by people here and how they are treated. That's not to say that it isn't difficult and frustrating at times to live abroad. I think any time someone is displaced outside of their cultural and ethical comfort zone-it's emotionally hard to deal with that.

Sorry, I think I posted this incorrectly. I was referring to the comments from yesterday, namely: "You dont see ANY imaginative discovery or inventions coming out of the arab world right now", "Its not like the ALL ABOUT ME arabic culture where people become slaves to THEIR INTERPRETAION OF RELIGION.", and "their lack of personailty, independence, their pettiness and materialism and lack of ANY KIND OF INTELLECTUAL capacity, we would all have a field day. I told my mom the only time I ever get along with my husband is if I talk to him like hes either 3 or mentally disabled. If I ever spoke with any kind of normal authoratative tone in my voice like American men, some of these guys get disturbed. I found alot of these women to be whiney, self centered, immature, selfish, materialistic and gossipy," which I found personally very offensive.

I'm sorry to change the tone, but I think this kind of language is very dangerous in any context for the reasons I stated above. Again, I think if this were directed towards other racial/ethnic groups people would be more horrified, but maybe I'm wrong. I haven't lived in the US for several years.

in a thread about how crappy it is for this woman s&s knows to say a bunch of garbage about american women, it's equally ####### for anyone to turn around and say this kind of stuff. i don't see how any reasonable person can "crack up" over it. not that this kind of rubbish isn't par for the course around here.

Please explain, I am sooooooooooooooooo confused I ride the short bus.

The OP is basically a compaint, justified imho, that someone was bashing Americans, but the point above is that in turn bashing Arabs not only doesn't solve the problem it's doing the same thing as the woman in the OP did. It's not really funny either. Was the woman wrong? Of course! Should the OP have to apologize merely due to her age? Oh heck no! Is it justified to bash all Arabs because of this one ignoramus? Oh heck no!

That's it in a nutshell I think.

I agree this rant against Arab women is racist and highly offensive (more so than the Syrian woman's comments, which are pretty bad). Especially because it contributes to dangerous and untrue stereotypes about Arabs (and by association Muslims) in a public forum that would seem to be especially against such a thing. These stereotypes (that Arab culture is backwards, oppresses mindless women, and is inferior) , and the immigration policies based on them to some extent, are why many of us suffer through an extra difficult visa process. Not to mention the great violence perpetrated against Arabs by our government, which is also implicitly supported by these stereotypes . I'm surprised people haven't responded more vigorously to this. I think if the same thing were said about Jewish women or African American women, there would be a lot more outcry (which would be the correct response, of course!) It's quite disturbing to me that racist discourse, which is not accepted with any other racial or ethnic group, seems to be OK to use when it comes to Arabs in the United States, even in such a seemingly MENA friendly place!

Slapping a child in the face or hitting a child on the head in any way, at least in Illinois, is considered a reportable offense for mandated child-abuse reporters. This does not necessarily mean that it can be prosecuted--the laws are not this specific--just that it needs to be reported to child protective services by those who are required to do so by law so that they can investigate whether or not the child is actually being abused. It takes a lot more than a slap in the face to have a child removed from a home, though, in my experience working in the field of mental health.

I've been doing research on children in Morocco for the last four years and slapping children in the face and hitting them on the head seems to be fairly common (although many people are also very against hitting children in this way), along with hitting them with all kinds of objects--a lot of which would be considered abuse in the U.S. (any hitting with objects is also reportable in the US). It depends on the family, though, corporal punishment varies greatly here. Most people that I've workedwith seem to think it is a lot kinder to the child to hit them, than to put them in 'time out' or to ignore them when they behave badly. It's interesting because I really have observed very little emotional withdrawal as a punishment technique here, which seems more common in the US.

People also raise their children differently according to how their children are going to need to function when they grow up. So, the argument for not responding immediately to a crying baby has often been that children need to learn early on to be independent and rely on themselves for emotional soothing. This doesn't necessarily make sense in a Moroccan village, for example, where kids will never be expected to be 'on their own' in the future. In this rural Moroccan context, where there is very little police presence and children have to learn to fight and withstand pain--it makes sense that people use corporal punishment. The emotional effects of 'co-sleeping' have been studied, as have the effects of spanking, and it neither seem to make much difference in the long run to the emotional health of a child (measured by American standards, of course). In the psychological literature what seems to matter is consistency over almost anything else.

That Syrian woman sounds 'mismooma' (poisonous), as they say in Morocco. I would stay away from her!

Very interesting post. Thank you. This supports what my husband told me about corporal punishment, that it happens but isn't accompanied by any emotional isolation or really any longterm anger from the parent; it's simply done for the good of the child. He doesn't understand time-outs and isolative punishment here. He also doesn't understand how a 15-year-old can go to prison here, even juvie. He told me when a teen acts out in Morocco, it's generally considered the parents' fault.

We have discussed the fact that the social context matters, that slapping a child's face here where it is generally not supported by society (and the child knows that) could be more damaging to the child than it would be in Morocco where it is more acceptable.

Good luck with your research. Sounds fascinating.

Thanks caybee!

I completely agree with you that hitting has a very different meaning in the US and have also tried to impress this on my fiance!

Interestingly enough, there are hebs draree sghar ('children's prisons) in Morocco (one in Fez and one in Sale, at least) and judges are increasing sending children there (mostly lower-class and even rural kids). I work with one 14-yr old boy who ended up there for 4 months after paralyzing another kid in a fight. The fact that you are seeing more young people go to jail, I think, has to do with a lot of changes in ideas about children and the family in Morocco that are occurring.

its a ""lottery" people enter for years/lifetime and never win. Its the rare exception to be picked

Although for the last few years Moroccans have won 10% of the 50,000 slots that they offer. The USG is trying to promote 'modertate Islam' in the US and sees Morocco as a place from which such Muslims come. I've actually seen quite a few of my acquaintances here in Morocco win.

Slapping a child in the face or hitting a child on the head in any way, at least in Illinois, is considered a reportable offense for mandated child-abuse reporters. This does not necessarily mean that it can be prosecuted--the laws are not this specific--just that it needs to be reported to child protective services by those who are required to do so by law so that they can investigate whether or not the child is actually being abused. It takes a lot more than a slap in the face to have a child removed from a home, though, in my experience working in the field of mental health.

I've been doing research on children in Morocco for the last four years and slapping children in the face and hitting them on the head seems to be fairly common (although many people are also very against hitting children in this way), along with hitting them with all kinds of objects--a lot of which would be considered abuse in the U.S. (any hitting with objects is also reportable in the US). It depends on the family, though, corporal punishment varies greatly here. Most people that I've workedwith seem to think it is a lot kinder to the child to hit them, than to put them in 'time out' or to ignore them when they behave badly. It's interesting because I really have observed very little emotional withdrawal as a punishment technique here, which seems more common in the US.

People also raise their children differently according to how their children are going to need to function when they grow up. So, the argument for not responding immediately to a crying baby has often been that children need to learn early on to be independent and rely on themselves for emotional soothing. This doesn't necessarily make sense in a Moroccan village, for example, where kids will never be expected to be 'on their own' in the future. In this rural Moroccan context, where there is very little police presence and children have to learn to fight and withstand pain--it makes sense that people use corporal punishment. The emotional effects of 'co-sleeping' have been studied, as have the effects of spanking, and it neither seem to make much difference in the long run to the emotional health of a child (measured by American standards, of course). In the psychological literature what seems to matter is consistency over almost anything else.

That Syrian woman sounds 'mismooma' (poisonous), as they say in Morocco. I would stay away from her!

It took him exactly two weeks, which is what they told him would probably happen at the interview. However, as others have pointed out, this can vary greatly depending on your situation. From people who have posted on this site, as well as people my fiance talked to at the consulate, it seems like most people are getting their visa between 1-4 weeks in Casa right now.

This site has information on the kinds of security checks they might do and how long they can take. http://greencardlawyers.com/answers_for/Vi...ritychecks.html

2.) My fiance had his interview at the end of July and we did not submit a 212--we were told not to when I emailed them.

3.) They didn't ask us to see anything except the photographs--it seems like you have more than enough!

4.) I emailed the consulate regarding this issue as well, and they told me that it's correct that the police reports go through Rabat.

6.) They did not allow me to go into the interview with him (I waited outside across the street). I have heard on this forum that they do sometimes call the fiance in, though.

That wasn't the case with us.

Good luck!!!

Ginny20-

How long did it take before they gave him his visa after the interview?

Thanks.

No don't worry, what you did is right! Every local police station sends the request to Rabat, then Rabat issues the report and sends it back to the local station where you applied. The reason I emailed them was because my fiance has lived in many different cities in Morocco and I wanted to make sure he didn't need a record from each city. But since everything is centralized, and the report only comes from this centralized location, only one report is needed, no matter how many cities you have lived in.

2.) My fiance had his interview at the end of July and we did not submit a 212--we were told not to when I emailed them.

3.) They didn't ask us to see anything except the photographs--it seems like you have more than enough!

4.) I emailed the consulate regarding this issue as well, and they told me that it's correct that the police reports go through Rabat.6.) They did not allow me to go into the interview with him (I waited outside across the street). I have heard on this forum that they do sometimes call the fiance in, though.

That wasn't the case with us.

Good luck!!!

hi friend ,

i was reading this answer from you : emailed the consulate regarding this issue as well, and they told me that it's correct that the police reports go through Rabat.

i want ask you caus am confused, am going threough my interview in few days and i got my police record from the city where i live, so what police record from Rabat are you talking about ? do i need aniother one from Rabat too ?.I appreciate your help.thanks much.

Congratulations to you both!!

Has anyone had this kind of experience coming through JFK? I am actually going to be with my fiance next month when he enters the country, but reading this is freaking me out! Do you think it will help that I will be with him?

2.) My fiance had his interview at the end of July and we did not submit a 212--we were told not to when I emailed them.

3.) They didn't ask us to see anything except the photographs--it seems like you have more than enough!

4.) I emailed the consulate regarding this issue as well, and they told me that it's correct that the police reports go through Rabat.

6.) They did not allow me to go into the interview with him (I waited outside across the street). I have heard on this forum that they do sometimes call the fiance in, though.

That wasn't the case with us.

Good luck!!!

Actually my fiance paid 1100 MAD, so a bit more than $100, but it was at the end of July. Maybe call one of the other doctors that you can use to see if they have lower fees?

We went to the Moroccan woman in Casablanca and she only charged $100 in July.

I wrote a one-page single spaced explanation of exactly how and where we met, all significant dates in our relationship (when we started dating, when we got engaged), the nature of the time we spent together, my relationship with his extended family, his relationship with my family, when we plan to get married, etc. and attached it to the application. If you read the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), the consulate is not supposed to deny your application for anything that has already been approved by the USCIS (so anything that you include in this initial petition), unless it can prove it was fraudulent. So, it's a good idea to include as much as possible as to the validity in the initial application. .

They automatically renew your petition. I'm not sure if you can go to the medical appointment without the packet, but if you'd like I can ask my fiance to give me the number of the doctor he went to in Casa and you can call and ask them. Also, I don't think it matters if you type or handwrite, as long as they can read it, but make sure you fill out the correct version of each form, if you are downloading them from the internet.

I found that the only time I could get through to someone at the NVC was 10-15 minutes after they opened in the morning!