JenAndBabs

For Diversity Visas delta in Accra offers a special immigrant price, and it is MUCH cheaper. Call the agent through the number for that region which you can find on the Delta website. She would have to go to their offices and pay cash for the ticket. We thought we could get that price for my fiance, but it turned out that K-1 visas did not qualify (which seemed unfair!).

Jen and Babs

11 months after our initial interview, after AP, a stolen passport, 3 police certificates and 2 medical clearances, we have the visa!! The embassy called Babs last week and asked him to come in this Wednesday with his passport and updated medical. His medical was finished in just three days, he had to run and pick it up on the same morning as his appointment at the embassy. The CO told him that his name causes extra AP, and then he said he didn't want to delay him any longer, so he told him to come back today, only 2 days later, to pick up the visa.

We are just thanking God and praying for a safe journey!

Jen and Babs

Got it!!!! Praise God!!! So happy!

Jen and Babs

Woohoo!!! The embassy called Babs this morning, and also emailed me back to say that they are sorry for the confusion and that he should come in next wednesday with his passport and updated medical!!! Yay! We are praying, and hoping that this is good news.

Jen and Babs

I called the DOS and according to their records we are still in AP. Which confirms the email was a mistake by the embassy (they still haven't written me back). The DOS had our whole history there with them, so maybe I will call them more often instead of emailing the embassy constantly for our status.

Jen and Babs

Thanks. I will try to call them if I don't get a reply to my email on monday. My feeling is that it's probably a mistake, because the CO told my fiance after the robbery that it would be impossible for someone to use the stolen passport to take his visa. Also no one ever even called him to say it was ready. But either way, we have to figure out what is going on.

Jen and Babs

Okay, we are at ten months since our initial visa interview for the K-1. In June my fiance was told he was approved, but when he went to pick up the visa, he was given a white form and told that he was still undergoing admin processing, and that they would call. My congressional offices all looked into it and received the same answer, admin processing--nothing anyone could do. My last email to the embassy went unanswered. Finally last night I emailed them again with my normal status request, and they sent back this reply today (which is kind of quick for an embassy reply):

"Thank you for your email inquiry.

Our records show that the visa was issued and picked up.

We hope this information is helpful to you."

What???? That's news to me and my fiance! He definitely has not picked up any visa or been called since June. Now I'm really afraid we have fallen into a black hole. I'm also a little worried since Bab's first passport was stolen back in May (he had a new one issued with the same number--this was at the time of the approval/denial). It seems unlikely that someone could have used that one to get his visa, though.

Anyway, all I can do is email the embassy back and try to get my congressional offices involved again, but does anyone know what else I can do?

Jen and Babs

There have been a lot of threads on this topic (age difference) with widely varying opinions and experiences. Here is one from last year that links with several others: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/285003-age-difference/

Jen and Babs

I have heard of people having trouble when the woman is significantly older. You may have to work harder to prove your relationship.

Jen and Babs

You can never have too much paperwork for this! They may not even look at it, but it's better to be safe. In Ghana they seem to mostly focus on phone logs and tax transcripts, judging from my own experience and what some others have written.

Jen and Babs

No updates yet...they still haven't replied to my last email from three weeks ago. But, a new week is here, and it could be any day!

Jen and Babs

Congratulations!!!! He is beautiful!

Jen and Babs

They go to the embassy to pick up packets 3 and 4, but the embassy mails out a letter telling them when to come. You can email the embassy and ask them to email you when packets 3 and 4 are ready so that you can inform your fiance.

Jen and Babs

I'm sorry you're sick, and I hope this all works out soon! A lot of times Admin processing is open-ended, so it's good that she has a date to come back. You could email--it won't hurt. They take about two weeks to answer. You could also contact your congressional offices, they could at least make an inquiry for you. By the time the embassy replies and the congressional offices have reported back to you, it will already be September, but I think it's good to be persistent anyway.

Jen and Babs

FYI: I don't know if anyone has already posted about this, but, just to be aware:

http://ghana.usembassy.gov/dvlottery.html

A computer error at the ghana embassy means all DV winners will be redrawn. I don't know if the resulting back up could cause delays all around.

Jen and Babs

If you are from Ghana DO NOT make any decisions based on the DV lottery for 2012! A computer error caused them to notify the wrong people as winners. So they are going to have to pick over again. You can read about it here:

http://ghana.usembassy.gov/dvlottery.html

Congratulations!!!

Hi! My fiance and I are going through a similar situation. They told him on his June 15th appt that he was approved and took his passport and told him to come back on the 24th to pick up the visa. The 24th became the 30th. Then they told him that they were sorry, they wanted to give him the visa but our case is still in administrative processing and they returned his passport and said they will call him at some undetermined future date. It's so frustrating! At least we didn't get his plane ticket, but I did lease an apartment that is now empty. And I also have to change our July 18 wedding date (which at least I didn't put down any deposits on). When we had the good news that we were approved, we couldn't help getting really excited and making plans and getting our hearts set on the time we were going to be spending together really soon.

I hope everything is resolved with your fiance's visa really soon! I'm sure it will happen soon for you but it is hard to be patient when you have it so close.

Jen and Babs

I know it is frustrating. You can't call the embassy, but you can email. You can ask them to email you the appointment letter as well as your fiance, that way you will get it and you can inform your fiance when to pick up the packet. That is what we did and it worked well. My fiance never received a letter from them at all--it never reached him, but I emailed him what they sent me, and then he had no trouble picking up the packet. Just make sure to include your case number in your email (also the embassy has two addresses, one for immigrant visas, one for nonimmigrant, but I believe that I send all my k-1 correspondence to the immigrant visa address, even though k-1 is technically nonimmigrant).

I know it is REALLY frustrating waiting a long time for an interview (although you never know, they may be better now) but just hang in there. At least you will have a date to prepare for! It just gives you more time to prepare your evidence, send him paperwork and copies, and for your fiance to get the medical and police certificate (although he should wait until closer to the interview to do those). And lots of people on VJ will be suffering through the same thing you are. Good luck!

Jen and Babs

Babs was told to pick up his visa today at 3. When he was called, the CO told him that she was very sorry and she knows he has been patient and that they wanted to give him the visa today, but, even though our documents are fine and our relationship is fine, the case is still in admin processing (what???). She gave him back his passport and a white sheet and said she'd call.

We've already done 6 months of admin processing, before they called him back and told him he was approved. During this whole approval drama, Babs was attacked by armed robbers on his way to the embassy, had to get a new passport, and also got a new biometric birth certificate (which he gave to the embassy when he turned in the new passport for the visa two weeks ago). Why would they call him in multiple times and make him do all that running around if they were just going to take it back? What could have happened? And what can we do about it?

The white sheet says something like: "The visa has been temporarily refused according to INA section 221g as we lack certain documents or information needed to reach a final decision." They didn't ask for any documents, but circled "awaiting results of administrative processing" and then the CO wrote "We'll call" and signed it.

I'm so frustrated. After the robbery, it's really difficult waiting every time Babs goes to the embassy and worrying about what could happen. On the up side, he's buddy buddy with all the security and embassy staff by now:)

Jen and Babs

They will make you wait outside, but when your fiance mentions that you are out there, they may call you in. That is what happened with us. When the CO asked about me, my fiance told him I was outside, and the CO sent him to come call me in. Then we completed the interview together.

Jen and Babs

Congratulations!!!

Jen and Babs

Visa approved!!!! Pick up on the 24th! There was a missing stamp on his brand new Ghana passport, but they let him go and take care of it this morning and everything was done by afternoon.

Praise God!!

Jen and Babs

CONGRATULATIONS!! We had the same good news today!!

Jen and Babs

Congratulations!!!

Jen and Babs