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| Manila, Philippines |  Review on July 16, 2015: |
jhonster
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
The Manila embassy is a joke in comparison to how the Embassies work here in the U.S. I am an American citizen born and raised here. If you have a problem there, DO NOT ask a Filipina/Filipino who works there for help. Go DIRECTLY to one of the windows and ask to speak to a supervisor. The Filipino support staff there will tell you to write a letter to Consulate or call them, and of course....since they take your cel phone away from you at the entrance...you cannot do that without leaving. We got there on time for our interview. Supposedly, the issue of my wife's "explanation letter" from the NSO had already been taken care of. The Embassy was supposed to have sent someone to get my wife's "letter of explanation" because of the comments that were put there by the Philippine NSO. We went through the motions like everyone else. Had to go up to the windows a few times where they asked for paperwork and made her do her swear in. But the next to last time my wife went up to the window, I went up with her. The man at the window said he needed to speak with my wife privately. So I stepped away, that's when they told her they didn't have the letter from the NSO and that they'd have to have that before they could issue her & her daughters Visa. I nearly lost it. I walked up to the window and told this man that I called the Embassy before I got on a plane to come to the Philippines to pickup my wife and daughter. The Embassies supervisor told me they would make dead sure they had the letter of explanation there in time for our interview. Obviously they didn't make sure it was. The guy told me there was nothing he could do. I friggen lost it. I asked to speak to a supervisor, he refused my request. I got even more pissed off. I asked him, "who do you think you are? You HAVE to let me speak to a supervisor". He said no and that we should wait for the next window with instructions....have a nice day. I went back outside and got my cel phone. I tried to call the Embassy to speak to the U.S. Ambassador. Obviously, he doesn't take call. So I managed to speak to his assistant and told her the story. I also emailed my Senators and Congressmans office (since they were closed from the time difference). I went back inside and asked how I could speak to someone in charge. They told me I'd have to call the Embassy or write them a letter. I said "WHAT!!!!????....where here NOW for our interview!! I need this resolved NOW!!!". So she said, "sorry...that's the way it is". So I walked up directly to one of the windows, flagged down an Embassy employee and explained what just happened....that this stupid state dept employee/clown told me I couldn't speak with a supervisor about my wifes letter of explanation....and how the Embassy was supposed to have it here waiting for us. She said, "oh....he should have gotten you a supervisor". I told her, "you think!!??". I was OUTRAGED at this point. A couple of hours later and after speaking to two or three people, I finally spoke with the supervisor who was supposed to have gotten our letter of explanation there. They told us to sit down and wait, that they sent someone especially to NSO to get it. We waited another 1 1/2hrs where in the meanwhile, they called my wife back up again and told her that she's been approved & that the next window will call us back up again. The last window called us up again and said THE VERY SAME EXACT THING!! THAT THEY CAN'T RELEASE THE VISA UNTIL THEY HAVE THE NSO'S EXPLANATION LETTER!!! WHAT THE HECK!!!!???? I Had to tell this new guy, who was VERY rude (not allowing us to interject before he finished his whole speech), that the Embassy had sent someone to pick it up just now!! So I had to AGAIN....ask for the supervisor!! The supervisor came over AGAIN and corrected the man and said, "she's almost back here with the letter of explanation from the NSO". So they told us to sit down again and to wait until they have the letter. We had been there since 6:30am. Now it was pushing 1:30pm. As we started to walk back to our seats, the supervisor said, "she's here at the gate....they have your document. They will call you up again and tell you how to get your Visa". So we sat down again. In another 1/2 hour they called us up again and said, "ok....we have everything and your Visa is approved. You just have to go to the window and set it up for delivery to the messagers service" (2go I think it's called??). So we did and were relieved that we were finally through this phase. That was a Tuesday. I had this week and the next to actually get the Visa's in hand. They told us it would probably take a week or so to be delivered. Later that week, I started calling the 2go to see if the Visa's had shown up yet and they didn't. Even Friday they were not there yet. By the next Monday, I was calling the Embassy to see if they had released them yet. They said they didn't. So once again, I had to speak to a supervisor and explain to them that I had a plane ticket to leave that coming Saturday....and my wife and daughter needed to be on that plane WITH ME!!! So the Embassy had to change direction and set up our Visa's to be picked up at the Embassy instead. They stalled me AGAIN for another two more days. I had to call each day and make sure the ball was kept rolling forward. They said to come Thursday and that the Visa's would be ready to pick up that day. I made another appointment online to go to the Embassy that Thursday at 6:30am again. We got there, waited to get in, went through all the security checks, etc....and then got inside. To which we were told the Visa's were not ready yet. SURPRISE!!!! Now you know why people want to kill someone or some thing when they have to deal with USCIS, NVC, The Embassies or any other immigration related entity. They are idiots. They left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. And there is ZERO accountability when it comes to actually doing their jobs and getting their jobs done in an efficient and timely manner. So....I had to start all over again with getting a supervisor at one of the windows and explain it all over again. Thank goodness I already knew how to deal with this from the last experience, otherwise they would be telling me to call them or write a letter like they wanted me to do last time. Such idiots. Anyways....we got the Visa packages in like a couple of hours after that. They obviously had their heads up their butts when they told me they would have them there waiting for us when we got there that day. If there is one thing I can say with dealing with USCIS, NVC & or the consulates or embassies, it's this. DO NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. CALL OFTEN AND CHECK ON THE STATUS' OF YOUR PACKAGE. GET A NOTEBOOK AND DOCUMENT WHEN YOU CALL, WHO YOU SPOKE WITH AND THEIR I.D. NUMBER, ALWAYS ASK FOR A SUPERVISOR. AND IF YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE WITH THEM, THEN ASK TO SPEAK TO THEIR SUPERVISOR. KEEP GOING UP THE FOOD CHAIN UNTIL YOU GET TO SOMEONE WHO CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING DONE. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BE STERN WITH THEM. THEY ARE NOT DOING YOU ANY FAVORS. THEY ARE BEING PAID FOR THIS SERVICE. AND IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH A U.S. AGENCY, THEY HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS IN WHICH THEY MUST MEET. IF YOU GET NOWHERE WITH ANY OF THE U.S. GOVT AGENCIES, THEN TALK TO THE SPECIAL LIAISON WITH YOUR CONGRESSPERSON OR SENATOR. THEY ALL HAVE ONE. DO NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. These people are paid to represent you, not the other way around. Anyway....I hope this review helps those that are going to go through this traumatic experience. Just make sure you document EVERYTHING and keep good records of EVERYTHING. Good luck and IM me if you have any questions.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #17345