Robin Mateje

On 12/28/2016 at 6:42 PM, Robin Mateje said:

Fair enough. There is an interview scheduled for her next week. We just got the note from the consulate.

Just got done with her interview and she got her visa. No questions about her previous stays in the USA. She was asked if both my sister and I were in the states and whether or not she has property in India. Both were answered as affirmative. The AP is also gone from the portal and it now says issued! Thanks for your help!

Fair enough. There is an interview scheduled for her next week. We just got the note from the consulate.

That could very well be it. However, she's followed the stay limits given by the officer at the port of entry. Anyways, it's in AP now and we'll see where this goes. thanks for the help.

Could be just routine processing, or they may need to dig deeper. Being called for an interview is always a possibility.

Has she ever stayed close to the 6-mo limit on any previous trips?

Hey KirrenHby - The latest status says that her passport is with the US consulate. Yeah she's stayed close to the 6-month limit on pretty much every visit to the US. My parents would come and spend time with my sister and I, we would go on mini trips and visit family in the States. She's never overstayed, always followed the law and what not. It must be routine processing. I think its high time we started her Green Card process and not deal with all this.

Could be just routine processing, or they may need to dig deeper. Being called for an interview is always a possibility.

Has she ever stayed close to the 6-mo limit on any previous trips?

Hey KirrenHby - The latest status says that her passport is with the US consulate. Yeah she's stayed close to the 6-month limit on pretty much every visit to the US. My parents would come and spend time with my sister and I, we would go on mini trips and visit family in the States. She's never overstayed, always followed the law and what not. It must be routine processing. I think its high time we started her Green Card process and not deal with all this.

Could be just routine processing, or they may need to dig deeper. Being called for an interview is always a possibility.

Has she ever stayed close to the 6-mo limit on any previous trips?

Hey KirrenHby - The latest status says that her passport is with the US consulate. Yeah she's stayed close to the 6-month limit on pretty much every visit to the US. My parents would come and spend time with my sister and I, we would go on mini trips and visit family in the States. She's never overstayed, always followed the law and what not. It must be routine processing. I think its high time we started her Green Card process and not deal with all this.

My bad -- you probably meant Administrative Processing.

So I just checked the status and it says "Your visa case is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing. This processing can take several weeks. Please follow any instructions provided by the Consular Officer at the time of your interview. If further information is needed, you will be contacted. If your visa application is approved, it will be processed and mailed/available within two business days."

What processing does it really need? She has traveled to the US multiple times, followed all the laws and never overstayed. Is this just routine processing, or does it mean that she needs an interview? Any advice?

Hey Boiler - what do you mean by AP? Andhra Pradesh or Advance Parole?

I don't think you need to list traffic infractions. The ones you've listed aren't any crimes involving moral turpitude. Moreover, you've paid them off so you should be all good.

Hello there - my mom's US B2 visa just expired - it was valid from 2006-2016. We just reapplied and she qualified for the interview waiver and got her 10 printed (biometrics) 3 days ago. Her case is currently "The current status of your passport is In Transit To Post."my mom has been in the US several times, followed all the laws and never overstayed.

Any ideas on how long it will take for her to get her B2 visa? We have applied in Hyderabad, India. My sister is a US citizen and I am a US LPR. I am in India right now and ideally will be able to help her do the running around to get her visa before I head back to the states. Thanks for your help!

Hi all - I have a US Permanent Resident and want to apply for citizenship. My wife and I have been married for 5 years and I am now eligible. In the past, I had come to the United States as an F1 student and signed up for Selective Service (even though I am not required to) and have a selective service #. Will the fact that I signed up for SS pose an issue with my application for Citizenship?

Congratulations, thats great news for you and your family - so the Embassy didnt mention your overstay - or was it forgiven?

Hello - nope, they did not mention it period. This was a CR1 Visa and the only questions they had and were concerned about was my relationship with my wife. This is awesome news for us.

My wife and I went to Chennai the day before the interview. I had some issues with my application because I previously went to the United States on a student visa and had worked using my Social Security. I left the US voluntarily (no deportation/removal...). My lawyer had advised me on answering questions to the tee - and given the fact that my wife (petitioner, sponsor and US Citizen) was with me, I was more confident. I grabbed all the evidence of our marriage - photographs, photographs and more photographs, bank statements, lease, etc. We have been living together in India for the past one year - so we had enough documentation to prove that we were together.

We stayed at the Maris hotel - it is not far from the consulate in Chennai. The morning of the interview, it rained heavily, I had a cup of coffee and we grabbed an auto and got to the consulate. There was a super long line outside the consulate - since I was on a CR1/IR1 Immigrant Visa Appointment, I went to the interview 40 minutes prior to my show up time and gave the clerk in the window my interview letter and passport. He gave me a token number.

THE INTERVIEW TIME DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. IF YOU GET A CHANCE, GET TO THE CONSULATE EARLY. THE TOKEN NUMBER DETERMINES YOUR TIME FOR THE INTERVIEW.

The guards at the gate thoroughly check you and all the documentation I had was made into a mess. All the envelopes were opened and contents examined - they were all then stamped as being Security Verified. I was angry with the guards, they were pretty ruthless - I had my stuff in order and they totally messed it up.

I then waited in a small lounge, and was told that for Immigrant visas, I would have to run over to the next building.

In the next building (its nice, AC, toilets...) I was waiting with a bunch of children, families, and old people. There were 3 windows designated for Immigrant visas and a bunch more for non-immigrant visas.

Patience is the key here, grab a seat, go through your documentation and watch the monitor for your number. I waited over 1 hour before my number was called. I rushed to the counter. There was an Indian lady who looked at all my documents, opened my Medical report and put all my documents in a folder and asked me to wait. She said that a US visa officer will call me for an interview.

I then sat back at my seat for almost one more hour - time was going by really slow and I was getting impatient and wanted to get done. I then went to the bathroom and as the odds would strike, my number was called then! I ran to the window and it was not the interview.. it was another Indian lady who wanted my fingerprints! I gave her all ten and then she asked me to wait at my seat till my number was called again.

I waited for about 45 minutes. Like I said earlier, there were 3 windows for Immigrant visas - 2 of them manned by male officers and one female. The male officers' interviews were much longer than the female. The female had a bunch of children and families being interview and everyone was giggly and laughing. I prayed that I would get the female officer during the interview.

Suddenly, my number was called! I had the female officer. She was young (early 30's at the most). She said good morning and asked me if the interview could be conducted in English - I was ok with that. Here is what happened -

Jacques: Ma'am, my wife, Lisa is waiting outside. They did not allow her inside the consulate, if you have any questions, just so you know, she's out there.

Officer: oh ok, sorry that they did not let her in. We have limited space here. (the office looked pretty empty by that point).

Jacques: No worries.

Officer: Raise your right arm and take the oath (she held my papers face front).

Oath taken.

Officer: How did you and Lisa meet?

Jacques: In a class on Inter cultural Communication

Officer: Has Lisa been living with you?

Jacques: Yes, Ma'am, she's been here with me for a year.

Officer: Did her family come to the wedding?

Jacques: Yes Ma'am, the core of her family came over, but her grandfather could not.

Officer: oh ok - can i see some pictures

I showed her all the photos - our wedding album would not fit through the window, so I showed her about 150 loose pictures of me, my wife and our families.

Officer: good - do you have any pictures of the marriage being consummated?

Jacques: Yes Ma'am (I showed her a couple)

Officer: Congrats! Your visa is approved.

Jacques: Awesome! Thank you. I don't know what to do now :-)

Officer: Well, first celebrate and then you're going to America!

I thanked her and ran out of there like the wind. Then I paid my VFS Fees and got my visa by courier in 3 days!

Lessons learnt -

1. Get to the consulate early

2. All envelopes are examined, it would be easier if you had all the envelopes in one folder and all the contents in another. Once they are examined, you can put them back in.

3. Eat a breakfast - you will be waiting (I ate some Idli and coffee). The prices for snacks in the consulate are pretty exorbitant - although you will not feel like eating.

4. PLENTY OF DOCUMENTATION - Carry almost everything you have - no shame - I printed out all our email conversations, chats, photos, itineraries, hotel receipts and more.

5. Wear formals - wear something formal - I wore a blazer and my lucky blue shirt :-)

6. AT THE INTERVIEW - SMILE, DON'T LOOK NERVOUS. LOOK JOVIAL AND CONFIDENT (no matter how messed up your case is) and it will work in your favor. Look the officer in the eye, have a smile on your face and then answer the question.

Remember - the officers are working to help you succeed - you want to make their job easier, so smile and look pleasant and be confident in your answers.

7. Celebrate when you get the visa! Go get a beer and decompress after you are done.

I had a fantastic visa interview experience (although I never want to go through it again )

Cheers all!

thanks for the speedy response. I know that it is possible -- my friend (who came in illegally) and stayed in the country for over 10 years and then got married and had to move to Ecuador (he was in deportation proceedings). He filed at the Embassy in Quito, Ecuador and got it approved and is back in the states. Remember, he came in illegally, so there would not be a waiver to file -- unless the extreme hardship comes into the picture.

I have hired the same lawyer that my friend, above, had used during his immigration.

Also, check this video out

I am kinda confused -- I called the NVC and they said that the case is looking very good.

My visa expired in 2005 - I was in the country till 2009 (june). I left without any governmental interference (deportation proceedings, etc.) Will the 601 apply to me then? Will they tell me that right at the consulate?

I don't have a degree certificate. I did not finish up college - I started to work and got jobs around. And to answer the second question, I did not leave the country and try to enter with a Student Visa. I am in touch with a Lawyer who seems certain that it is a pretty straight forward case - that kind of puzzles me. Any pointers folks can throw at me?

Hello everyone!

Just joined visa journey today and am excited to post. I was in the United States on a F1 visa, did not attend school for the entire period. I stayed there for almost 10 years and worked odd jobs. I had a D/S stamp on the 1-94.

Last Fall, I moved to India and then married my long time American girlfriend - we've been married for 6 months now. I submitted my i-130 application and that got approved and the case is now with the National Visa Center for further processing.

What kind of questions do you think I will be asked at my visa interview? This is a petition for an immigrant visa based on marriage, do you think there would be issues with previous overstay?

I appreciate your help.

Thanks,

Sam