hi from algeria!!

[hollyw 0]

im bummed that i dont have time to read all the posts; but i just wanted to say hiiii to everyone and that i made it safely to Oran via Paris. we took the boat 23 hours!!!! but we have been here for about a week and it is just great. it took me a couple days to get used to everything; but now i feel completely at home ... except i dont know where anything is on this keyboard!!! our appointment to file our petition is on monday, so wish us luck!!! hopefully they will accept everything all at once... ill be back to update!! hope everyone is well!!!

[Yasi 0]

im bummed that i dont have time to read all the posts; but i just wanted to say hiiii to everyone and that i made it safely to Oran via Paris. we took the boat 23 hours!!!! but we have been here for about a week and it is just great. it took me a couple days to get used to everything; but now i feel completely at home ... except i dont know where anything is on this keyboard!!! our appointment to file our petition is on monday, so wish us luck!!! hopefully they will accept everything all at once... ill be back to update!! hope everyone is well!!!

Hiiiii...

Good luck with your petition and have a great time...

[Meriem_DZ 37]

Hi Holly, Hope you are having a great time. Good luck at the Embassy. We are very fortunate to have a good one.

Meriem

[jpaula 20]

Welcome!

I finally saw Oran for all of one day as we passed through the other week. Just enough time to drive along the coast a ways and get back into town for a good meal (a fish place up on the hill). It had a much different feel than Algiers, felt the Sea more there Liked it alot. Hope you do to.

And, we have our visa interview on Sunday so we'll break them in for you!

[samir_shannon 0]

hello holly!!!!!!!! i wish i was in algeria too i never got to see oran tho. i hear it is so nice there

[iceyspots 0]

Glad you made it there safely!!!

just a quick question, how long does DCF take in Algeria? Were you given an estimated time?

[jpaula 20]

just a quick question, how long does DCF take in Algeria? Were you given an estimated time?

We are doing DCF in Algeria. Our time line is not exactly normal as we have to file a waiver and so have spent much time preparing that. Our I-130 was speedy as can be, though. We called for an appointment, got one the next day (note: I was not an Algerian resident at the time) and they approved the I-130 on the spot and told us to call when we had everything ready for the visa interview. We FINALLY have everything ready and I called for an appointment and, again, was offered one for the next day. As our visa will be denied and we will turn in our waiver I can give no indication of how quickly it takes a normal case to be approved, but from what I have seen the Embassy is great. Not alot of Americans around here (about 900 total in the country according to the Embassy and most are working for the oil companies in the South) so you get alot of attention and quick responses. And, they are actually really nice!

They are kind of funny because the Americans who work there never leave the Embassy. When I first arrived I went to register and, being one to ask alot of question, asked if they had a map of Algiers (none exists except for these 16 enormous folios), where to cash traveler's checks (good luck on that one), a safe neighborhood to rent an apartment (they all live at the Embassy) etc. Finally they asked, "What are you DOING here?" I told them my husband was Algerian and they said "Well then you know more than we do." So, for logistical support...not so good. But they are nice and at least humor you.

[hollyw 0]

well, here i am, back sooner than i thought i would be!! the internet cafe is air conditioned go figure. my husband and i called the embassy this past monday and we were also offered an appointment time anytime we wanted, the next day even. we asked for one next week because we still had to get documents translated (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc). this is the email i recieved from the embassy about filing directly at the consulate in Algiers:

Dear Madam,

Thank your for your message. All information how to fill out the I-130

and the documents required are in our website:

http://algiers.usembassy.gov/family_based.html

It's faster when you fill out the I-130 in Algeria. If you have all

the requirement documents for the 2 steps, we can process the visa within

a month. Waiting time for the appointment: for I-130 is 2 days. For the Visa is

1 Week to 2 weeks.

The US Citizen should be here only the day when he petitions his

spouse. U.S. Consular Section in Algiers accepts

I-130 from any U.S citizen even he/she is not resident in Algeria.

The I-864 should be notarized and have

only your last income tax (2005) form 1040 and W2 if apply.

If you didn't fill out taxes, you should

provide a legal statement, explaining why you don't.

In this case you will need to have a co-sponsor. More information

concerning the form I-864 is in the following link:

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics//howdoi/affsupp.htm

You will find more information about the requirement to petition your

husband on the following link:

http://algiers.usembassy.gov/family_based.html

Sincerely,

Consular Assistant

it SOUnDS like it will be no problem at all... but who really knows!! ill be able to report more after our appointment. we have EVERHInG we need, so if we are able to give them everything all at once (which im hoping we will be able too... ive been carrying around a huge stack of papers and folders for two weeks now ) then we will be all set.

Algeria has been great, its funny, it is exactly what i expected but also verydifferent. Medys family has been great, my arabic has vastly improved, although his mother is disappointed that i cant remember any of the names of any of the vegetables that she uses to cook. his little sister watches a lot of mtv and i have to constantly say... not all American girls are like that... we have visited a lot of family and every two feet we drive in the car medy sees a friend that he has to jump out and talk to for twenty minutes (because he hasnt been home for two and a half years). but anyways, hopefully i will be able to provide everyone with more information when i return... in the meantime good luck to everyone still waiting and to all those who have been approved, congratulations and i hope you have a great reunion!!!

[upstategal 0]

Glad you had a safe & are having an enjoyable trip

Best wishes at the embassy

[Henia 11]

Glad to hear from you Holly...have been thinking about you ...what your news was...Have alot of FUN...take pics for us and talk to you soon....

[iceyspots 0]

well, here i am, back sooner than i thought i would be!! the internet cafe is air conditioned go figure. my husband and i called the embassy this past monday and we were also offered an appointment time anytime we wanted, the next day even. we asked for one next week because we still had to get documents translated (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc). this is the email i recieved from the embassy about filing directly at the consulate in Algiers:

Dear Madam,

Thank your for your message. All information how to fill out the I-130

and the documents required are in our website:

http://algiers.usembassy.gov/family_based.html

It's faster when you fill out the I-130 in Algeria. If you have all

the requirement documents for the 2 steps, we can process the visa within

a month. Waiting time for the appointment: for I-130 is 2 days. For the Visa is

1 Week to 2 weeks.

The US Citizen should be here only the day when he petitions his

spouse. U.S. Consular Section in Algiers accepts

I-130 from any U.S citizen even he/she is not resident in Algeria.

The I-864 should be notarized and have

only your last income tax (2005) form 1040 and W2 if apply.

If you didn't fill out taxes, you should

provide a legal statement, explaining why you don't.

In this case you will need to have a co-sponsor. More information

concerning the form I-864 is in the following link:

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics//howdoi/affsupp.htm

You will find more information about the requirement to petition your

husband on the following link:

http://algiers.usembassy.gov/family_based.html

Sincerely,

Consular Assistant

it SOUnDS like it will be no problem at all... but who really knows!! ill be able to report more after our appointment. we have EVERHInG we need, so if we are able to give them everything all at once (which im hoping we will be able too... ive been carrying around a huge stack of papers and folders for two weeks now ) then we will be all set.

Algeria has been great, its funny, it is exactly what i expected but also verydifferent. Medys family has been great, my arabic has vastly improved, although his mother is disappointed that i cant remember any of the names of any of the vegetables that she uses to cook. his little sister watches a lot of mtv and i have to constantly say... not all American girls are like that... we have visited a lot of family and every two feet we drive in the car medy sees a friend that he has to jump out and talk to for twenty minutes (because he hasnt been home for two and a half years). but anyways, hopefully i will be able to provide everyone with more information when i return... in the meantime good luck to everyone still waiting and to all those who have been approved, congratulations and i hope you have a great reunion!!!

Thanks so much for the info!! It seems luck such a speedy process.... Damn... those two months I spent in Algeria I could've probably just filed DCF... bleh...

[hollyw 0]

just thought i would give everyone a quick update on how our DCF is going.. my husband and i flew to algiers on monday morning and hung out and had coffee until our 3:00pm appointment. we got to the embassy about an hour early and figured we would just wait for an hour or more. there were about 10 other people and they took us first and right away! we barely had a chance to sit down. a man took all our papers for the I130, went into the back for about ten minutes and then a different man (american) came back out and asked us basically how we met and told me there was a travel warning in algeria and then said everything looked great and we were approved. i paid the filing fee and he told us to take our seats and they would call us again. after about five minutes we got called back up to the window and we handed over all of our other papers for the second step (affidavit of support, police certificates, medical exam, etc etc). he was amazed that we had everything and jokingly asked us if we wanted our Visa right at that moment. i wanted to say, actaully yes we would thanks. they did NOT want the Xray that we had been carrying with us all day (has this happened to anyone else??). he just said to bring it to the US.. maybe we would need it there. then he said we would have to come back on a sunday to finish filing everything because they only process the second step on sundays. so, note to everyone: make an appointment on a sunday if it is not convenient to get to Algiers!! we have already bought another plane ticket to fly back this sunday.. luckily its not that expensive!! they only asked for a couple photos of the two of us for evidence.. when he saw our huge green folder full of letters and emails and phone cards and photos he said it wasnt necessary but we should bring it for the next appointment. everyone was really really nice. all and all it was pretty painless!! i will be back with another update after this sunday... everyone have a great weekend!!!

Edited August 18, 2006 by hollyw

[myfellah 0]

Glad to hear it was pretty painless and GOOD LUCK on Sunday.

Doreen

[Together4ever 1]

Good luck!

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I am glad everything went well. Hope you are having a great time in Algeria!!!

Meriem