JayandZou

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your thoughts.

Hi everyone,

My husband has his citizenship interview in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday morning. Wanted to know if I should be there? My husband said I should just go to work but I want to make sure it's not going to seem strange to the IO>. Does the IO come out into the waiting room to call his name or is it just a clerk? Of course, I'm happy to go so if it makes a difference in the mind of the IO, I want to be there. I'd like to know how it works.

Can anyone whose been on an interview let me know your thoughts?

Thanks!

Your husband will need a transit visa to travel thru Spain and would have to apply for a tourist visa if he is leaving the airport altogether to spend the night. We tried this last year with my husband and when you add up the time and money it takes to get the visas it's not any cheaper.

Thanks for all your replies! Yes, it seems that if he stays in the same terminal without leaving the airport, he doesn't need a Visa. So, in Madrid, Terminal 4 is American Airlines and Royal Air Maroc is there too. Instead of EasyJet, he can take Royal Air Maroc.

Thanks for the Delta link too!

No visa for Spain required, if not leaving the airport, the one night stay probably will need a transit visa. I think in the madrid airoport they have an area when u can have some food and can relax for abt 20euros!

Thanks for your replies. I think if he stays in the same terminal (Terminal 4) and just goes from American to Royal Air Maroc, he would be fine. My question was if he needed to change Terminals to Terminal 1 for Easy Jet. When I've done it, you take a bus to the other terminal and you easily just leave the airport. So, I'm guessing that staying in the same terminal is what we need to do in order to avoid a visa.

Hi All,

I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with Spain's visa requirements. My husband who has a Moroccan Passport and a US Temp Green Card wants to travel back to Morocco. We want to book a round-trip ticket from Los Angeles to Madrid, Barajas on American Airlines. In Madrid he would pass through immigration and then go to another terminal to take a regional Easy Jet flight a few hours later. On the way home from Morocco, he would have to spend 1 night in Madrid to get an early flight back home on American Airlines.

Does anybody with a Moroccan passport or non US passport have any experience doing this through Madrid? Do we need to obtain a 1 day transit visa from Spain for both days? I won't be traveling with him so I don't want him to have any issues. This would be the first time he has gone back home since arriving here 1.5 years ago. I've done this many times but I have a US Passport.

Please let me know and thanks much!

Jayme

Hi All,

My husband who has a Moroccan Passport and a US Temp Green Card wants to travel back to Morocco. We want to book a round-trip ticket from Los Angeles to Madrid, Barajas on American Airlines. In Madrid he would pass through immigration and then go to another terminal to take a regional Easy Jet flight a few hours later. It's a much cheaper way to get to Morocco. On the way home from Morocco, he would have to spend 1 night in Madrid to get an early flight back home on American Airlines.

Does anybody with a Moroccan passport have any experience doing this through Madrid? Do we need to obtain a 1 day transit visa from Spain for both days? I won't be traveling with him so I don't want him to have any issues. This would be the first time he has gone back home since arriving here 1.5 years ago. I've done this many times but I have a US Passport.

Please let me know and thanks much!

Jayme

Thanks to all for your recommendations! I will look into them. The Peace Corps book seems good but a little overwhelming to learn by myself. I wish they had a hard copy I could buy but I guess I need to print out the 200 pages on my printer!

Thanks again,

Jayme

To all those interested in learing Darija, you can download a free copy of the Peace Corps textbook at this website:

http://friendsofmorocco.org/learnarabic.htm

If anybody learning in Minnesota is interested in starting a Darija conversation group, I'd be happy to organize something!

-Jenny

Hi Everyone,

Well, my Moroccan husband has been in the States for 5 months with me and we just had our 3 month wedding anniversary! Our AOS appointment is next Wednesday. Wish us luck!

I'd really like to try to learn Moroccan Arabic. It's frustrating not to be able to speak to his family. Of course, I could learn French but they all speak Arabic to each other and it would be nice to understand a little of what is going on when I visit them... or even when he's talking to them on the phone. His mom called me on my cell the other day and all we said 1 million times to each other was "Labas, labas aleek, kolchi mazziane, beher, beslama etc." Ridiculous!

I wish there was a Moroccan Arabic class I could take here in Los Angeles but I don't think there is. If you know of any in LA or online, please let me know. I researched some books on Amazon including:

1. Travel Talk Moroccan Arabic - Audio CD (Arabic Edition)

2. Moroccan Arabic: Shnoo the Hell is Going On Hnaa? A Practical Guide to Learning Moroccan Darija - the Arabic Dialect of Morocco by Aaron Sakulich (2009)

3. A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic With Mp3 Files (Georgetown Classics in Arabic Language and Linguistics) by Richard S. Harrell (Author), et al.

Has anyone read any of these books or do you have any good recommendations for me?

Thanks so much! Chokrane!

Jayme

Hi Everyone,

Well, my Moroccan husband has been in the States for 5 months with me and we just had our 3 month wedding anniversary! Our AOS appointment is next Wednesday. Wish us luck!

I'd really like to try to learn Moroccan Arabic. It's frustrating not to be able to speak to his family. Of course, I could learn French but they all speak Arabic to each other and it would be nice to understand a little of what is going on when I visit them... or even when he's talking to them on the phone. His mom called me on my cell the other day and all we said 1 million times to each other was "Labas, labas aleek, kolchi mazziane, beher, beslama etc." Ridiculous!

I wish there was a Moroccan Arabic class I could take here in Los Angeles but I don't think there is. If you know of any in LA or online, please let me know. I researched some books on Amazon including:

1. Travel Talk Moroccan Arabic - Audio CD (Arabic Edition)

2. Moroccan Arabic: Shnoo the Hell is Going On Hnaa? A Practical Guide to Learning Moroccan Darija - the Arabic Dialect of Morocco by Aaron Sakulich (2009)

3. A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic With Mp3 Files (Georgetown Classics in Arabic Language and Linguistics) by Richard S. Harrell (Author), et al.

Has anyone read any of these books or do you have any good recommendations for me?

Thanks so much! Chokrane!

Jayme

UNFORTUNATELY... we have to wait... i live in the LA area too... *___*

waiting again ><

Thanks everyone! Oh joy... more waiting! At least my husband is here with me so the waiting is not such a big deal. Patience is a virtue.

How funny! My husband just checked the mail and there was our Biometrics letter. We are scheduled for 9/16. Yay!

UNFORTUNATELY... we have to wait... i live in the LA area too... *___*

waiting again ><

Thanks everyone! Oh joy... more waiting! At least my husband is here with me so the waiting is not such a big deal. Patience is a virtue.

Hi All -

Quick question. We got the NOA 1's for my husband's I 485 and EAD dated August 17th. Do we need to wait until they send us a letter for a Biometrics appointment or can we go to our local office and just show them our NOA 1? We live in Los Angeles. Also, do we go to the local office in Downtown LA or is there one closer to Santa Monica?

Thanks!

Jayme

My husband and I just got married 2 weeks ago in California and are about to send in our AOS package. I have 2 questions please!!

Once yr husband get EAD,he can apply CA DL

1) We went to the DMV yesterday so he could get his Temp Drivers License and they wouldn't give it to him because his I-94 was going to expire on Aug 27th. They said we needed to come 2 months before the passport expires. So here is my question. In order for him to get a license, he needs to have an updated passport or I-94 I guess? Also, it said we could have an approved NOA. So... how long does it take to get an approval? Did anyone else run into this problem? I can't believe he won't be able to drive this whole time. Do they send you something new to put in your passport? Since we are married now, he is legal but his passport will be expired after Aug 27th. Any answers would be appreciated.

Yes,you can travel inside this county,airport staff do not check I94,bring a copy of NOA after submitting yr I485 packet is neccesary

2) Also, we were planning to travel to NYC in early October and then I realized his I-94 will be expired, what can we do to get his passport up to date so we can travel. If the airlines see that his I-94 is expired, I can't imagine they will let him travel. Can we travel with an expired I-94 if we have a certified marriage certificate with us? Help!!!

Thanks so much!!

THANKS!!!

My husband and I just got married 2 weeks ago in California and are about to send in our AOS package. I have 2 questions please!!

1) We went to the DMV yesterday so he could get his Temp Drivers License and they wouldn't give it to him because his I-94 was going to expire on Aug 27th. They said we needed to come 2 months before the passport expires. So here is my question. In order for him to get a license, he needs to have an updated passport or I-94 I guess? Also, it said we could have an approved NOA. So... how long does it take to get an approval? Did anyone else run into this problem? I can't believe he won't be able to drive this whole time. Do they send you something new to put in your passport? Since we are married now, he is legal but his passport will be expired after Aug 27th. Any answers would be appreciated.

2) Also, we were planning to travel to NYC in early October and then I realized his I-94 will be expired, what can we do to get his passport up to date so we can travel. If the airlines see that his I-94 is expired, I can't imagine they will let him travel. Can we travel with an expired I-94 if we have a certified marriage certificate with us? Help!!!

Thanks so much!!

Hi All,

I have a quick question. My fiance is flying from Casablanca to JFK next Friday so I'm preparing an email to make sure he knows how to fill out the 1 94 form. Does he also have to fill out the typical US Customs and Border control form? I'm assuming he does but I don't know if it's the exact one I usually fill out.

Anyway, we are staying in NYC for a few days before we fly home to Los Angeles. When it says to write your US Address/Hotel Destination, should I have him write the address of where we are staying in NY??? Or my address in Los Angeles?

Thanks!!

He will have a customs declaration form on the airplane, but not exactly the same as yours. Write your address on the form, it is his "fianl destination". He will get the I-94 when he arrives. It is a simple form but there are CBP people around the passport control area to help him if he needs it. It is New York, so you may have to use blunt force to get them to help, but they will eventually

Thanks for all the great answers! I can't wait for him to get here! Whoo hoo!

Hi All,

I have a quick question. My fiance is flying from Casablanca to JFK next Friday so I'm preparing an email to make sure he knows how to fill out the 1 94 form. Does he also have to fill out the typical US Customs and Border control form? I'm assuming he does but I don't know if it's the exact one I usually fill out.

Anyway, we are staying in NYC for a few days before we fly home to Los Angeles. When it says to write your US Address/Hotel Destination, should I have him write the address of where we are staying in NY??? Or my address in Los Angeles?

Thanks!!

Congratulations, JayandZou That wasn't too long a wait! Take him up to the top of the Empire State Building, followed by a long romantic walk in Central Park, perhaps some boating on the lake. What better introduction to the U.S. of A. could you give him! It's so beautiful here now.

Thanks EVERYONE for your great responses! I'm walking on air today. We are sooo beyond thrilled. Yes, I will definately take him around and I have family/friends in NYC too! Everyone can't wait to meet him but I don't want to overwhelm him. We'll have 3 days in NY and then fly home to LA!

By the way, what is the 1 94? And... is there there anything else besides the I 94 and the EAD that he needs to get at POE Immigration?

Thanks!!

Hi All!

I'm thrilled because my fiance just got his Visa in his passport!!! Yay!!! I'm so excited to finally be able to plan our lives.

I have one question. I live in Los Angeles but I will be in NYC next week and I thought it might be easier (since there are direct flights from Casablanca to JFK) to have him meet me there. Is there any problem with Immigration with him flying into another state? We would stay in NY for a few days and then fly back to Los Angeles together.

Anyone know the answer?? I don't want him to have any problems when he gets to JFK since I live in Los Angeles. Of course, I would be at JFK to pick him up.

Thanks so much for all your help and support!

Hi All!

I'm thrilled because my fiance just got his Visa in his passport!!! Yay!!! I'm so excited to finally be able to plan our lives.

I have one question. I live in LA but I will be in NYC next week and I thought it might be easier (since there are direct flight from Casablanca to JFK) to have him meet me there. Is there any problem with him flying into another state? We would stay in NY for a few days and then fly back to Los Angeles together.

Anyone know the answer??

Thanks so much for all your help and support!

Congratulations, JayandZou Thanks for the detailed review - what an ordeal! Curious that she didn't want to see your photos - if she was looking for proof, why wouldn't she want to see those?! My husband will be going through this next month and I'll be waiting outside too. Do let us know when he gets the visa - hope it's soon.

Thanks to all for your good wishes! I'm back in the US today with much gratitude for how it all worked out.

Vivian - I think it's a good idea to be outside waiting for your husband. He should definately tell the CO that you are in Casa with him in case she wants to ask you anything. I don't know if it's normal protocol but I'm certainly glad I was there.

Hoping for a call in the next couple weeks!

Hi all! My fiance was approved but it was crazy stressful. Felt like we were in a TV movie. I wrote a review for the Moroccan consulate so if you are interested, feel free to read it. I ended up going into the consulate to explain our relationship and some of the CO's concerns. Thank God I was in Casa because I don't think he would have gotten his approval if I wasn't there to clear up her concerns.

I just left Casablanca today and feel a huge sense of relief! The CO gave us the 221g form and said he would be called in about a week. She didn't look at any of our pics and didn't keep our emails/chats or plane tickets etc.

Now.. we just wait for them to call. Please keep good thoughts!

Yeah, there's really no way to know how things will turn out. A quick summary for us is in my 'signature'. We only knew each other 7 months before he got his visa, but I also went to visit him twice before we sent the K1 packet, and again for his interview (he took my passport in with him). I'm 11 years older than he is; he was never married, I was divorced; different religions and all that... I have three kids; didn't know Arabic or French, but his English was decent.... somehow it all worked out for us. We sent an average sized K1 packet, I guess, but then he took a whole bunch of stuff to the interview. I think our prayers helped quite a bit.

I wish you a smooth journey.

Best of luck!

venusfire

Venusfire...That's interesting that your fiance took YOUR passport into the interview with him. I'm going to Morocco tomorrow and my fiance's interview is next Wed so maybe I should give him my passport to take in with him too? It shows I'm in Morocco but I never like to be without my passport.

I've been to Morocco 4 times before the K1 packet was sent and 2 times after. I hope that will help us... and we have all the evidence. I'm also older than him. He speaks great English so I think that's a positive too. Keep good thought for us PLEASE! Wishing everyone tons of good luck to be reunited with your beloved mates ASAP.

All my best,

Jayme

I HAD AN ADVANCED LETTER SENT. IF IT DID ANYTHING, IT SLOWED OUR CASE DOWN. WE WERE SENT THROUGH FRAUD PREVENTION, EVEN THOUGH MY WIFE IS THE NIECE OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT IN HER COUNTRY!!!!

Wow... Thank you for that advice. I called my congressman's office back and they said it would be a positive letter but maybe I should just wait on it and see what happens. At least they would know about our case and could get involved if I needed it. I certainly don't want to SLOW IT DOWN! Ugghhh... Thanks for the advice

And thanks Rosie for your thoughts too!

I'm so glad I found this thread. Just today I was thinking of writing to my Congressman to alert him of our situation in case I need to contact him if something goes wrong at my husband's interview in June, i.e. if he gets placed in "additional processing" without a specific reason or timeframe or, heaven forbid, denied. I was thinking it would be a good idea for my Congressman to have the facts of the case and my signed release form ahead of time as an extra safeguard. I'm going to be in Casablanca for the interview and if something goes awry, I'd want to contact my Congressman immediately to have him deal with the consulate on my behalf, as it seems this consulate won't discuss the matter directly with citizen spouses. I don't think I'd ask for an advance letter to be sent though. I'm not anticipating any problems at the interview. We've known each other for more than 6 years, have been married 7 months, have a ton of bona fide marriage evidence, he has an unusual Berber name, etc., but like others, I've read some of the miserable stories about this consulate

Good luck with your interview JayandZou, and do let us know how it goes.

Hi Vivian,

Yes, I decided NOT to have my Congressman send the advanced letter. I called them back and told them I changed my mind but I did say that I'm happy you know about our Case/Interview so if something goes wrong, I can call them immediately. I must have called the Congressman's office 4 or 5 times and the young guy who answered each time was so helpful. I think he'll remember me if I need to call in the next few weeks.

I will also be in Casablanca with Zouhir for his interview. They don't allow the petitioners inside the Consulate but at least I'll be close-by for loving support. We have a ton of evidence as well from 6 trips to Morocco in the last 16 months. I pray that makes a difference but who knows these days.

Good luck Vivian and thanks for your good wishes! Good luck to all!

The OP might want to write a PM to Marc Ellis (immigration attorney), who is a member of VJ under the name ellis-island.

It would be very interesting, and perhaps valuable to many VJ members, to hear what Mr. Ellis says about an advance letter.

I emailed Marc so we'll wait for his answer. Good idea.

If the case is refused & returned, ask the congressional rep for a copy of the return memorandum,

or at least the specific factual reasons - not boilerplate - the visa was denied.

Most of them won't carry it that far. They'll just 'express an interest' and the consulate will send

back a bland boilerplate reply. Then your rep will say, "so sorry, nothing more we can do."

We had one recently from Mary Landrieu that DEMANDED in very strong terms a re-interview.

It demanded that I be present at the re-interview. It pointed out the out dated information

a refusal had been based on.

Rather than go through the hassle of trying to reply to a certain loser of a refusal -

point-by-point, the chief took the easy way out and approved the visa, over-riding

the interviewing officer.

If your Congressional rep gets pissed off at the way his or her constituents are being treated --

they can help a lot. If they don't care, they won't be much help.

Thanks Marc. So you are saying it's only beneficial to get the Congressperson involved AFTER the interview if there is a problem, not before.

The OP might want to write a PM to Marc Ellis (immigration attorney), who is a member of VJ under the name ellis-island.

It would be very interesting, and perhaps valuable to many VJ members, to hear what Mr. Ellis says about an advance letter.

I emailed Marc so we'll wait for his answer. Good idea.

I HAD AN ADVANCED LETTER SENT. IF IT DID ANYTHING, IT SLOWED OUR CASE DOWN. WE WERE SENT THROUGH FRAUD PREVENTION, EVEN THOUGH MY WIFE IS THE NIECE OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT IN HER COUNTRY!!!!

Wow... Thank you for that advice. I called my congressman's office back and they said it would be a positive letter but maybe I should just wait on it and see what happens. At least they would know about our case and could get involved if I needed it. I certainly don't want to SLOW IT DOWN! Ugghhh... Thanks for the advice

And thanks Rosie for your thoughts too!