US Consulate in Guayaquil, Ecuador

[MandyAlex 32]

INTERVIEW SCHEDULED FOR A COUPLE WEEKS FROM NOW!

Out of curiosity, did you schedule the interview for 2 weeks b/c they didn't have earlier slots available or b/c that's what best work for you, all things considered? Although 2 weeks don't seem like a long wait, I guess what I'm trying to gather is if the consulate is pretty much backed up or there are plenty of open slots for when one is ready. I'm just trying of get a head start in my planning and come up with an "unofficial" time frame for my case. I have not receive the case number from NVC yet, but it should be anytime now, I'm hoping by next week's end. I'm also considering that buying the plane tickets a few weeks ahead of time (vs last minute), should save me a little money. I'm doing K2 also and things could add fairly quick, if you know what I mean... ? lol. Thanks in advance for your reply, have a great weekend!

[MandyAlex 32]

Santy says he's pretty sure you DO need the flight info on the form, and the permission papers do need to be done before she leaves. So mom will have to wait until paperwork is done, because if it's not, her daughter can't leave. Also, it's pretty expensive to not have the mom go with her because she'll need to pay a flight attendant to be in charge of the daughter.

Honestly - If it's possible, they should travel together.

Santy is like 99% sure this is correct info because his brother had to do it to attend our wedding. However, he ended up traveling with his older brother, which counted as an adult who could be in charge of him.

Thanks so much for the reply. You're correct when saying that is more expensive if the daughter travels alone, but I forgot to mention that the aunt will be traveling with her, so that's a big, big plus for us. They both be traveling like a week or 2 before the 90 days are up to get married so they can present at the ceremony.

Thanks so much for sharing the info about the Permiso de Salida and what should be included. We have tried to contact the Ministero del Interior for information and guidance but our calls and emails have been unsuccessful. We'll make sure to include the fight's details and get it notarized, legalized and whatnot before the mom leaves.

Thanks so much for sharing the info ?, regards.

Edited June 25, 2016 by MandyAlex

[SantyAndAllie 155]

Of course! that's great to hear about the aunt going with her daughter! That's perfect! We were glad Santys brothers could go together, too. It definitely saves money!

And yeah - we scheduled everything as early as we could. Like I said, we had a strict timeline. We had already planned our September wedding (not knowing about fiancé visas when we did a year and a half earlier lol), so we needed to do everything ASAP, hence our quick marriage. So we took the earliest date which was actually almost a month or so out.

Then we ALSO bought the tix ahead of time to save money, but I can tell you this - we did nottt save money. We ended up paying double what we normally pay just to get him here quickly without paying a ton. We really wanted him to be here the 4th of July, too, so we had bought tickets thinking we'd have the visa by then (based on past timelines). It was really not worth it, and immigration offices even tells you they don't recommend you make any solid plans (ie: buying plane tickets) without the visa in your hand. No one could've predicted the DOS issues last year that delayed our visa in multiple stages (the NOA2 delay AND the visa printing delay because of DOS issues). So we were screwed out of hundreds of dollars in plane ticket fees because of it, thinking we would save money buying ahead of time just so he could be here ASAP. We just didn't want to wait anymore! Lol. And we bought the tix AFTER the visa was approved, too.

So that's just why I personally don't recommend getting tickets without having the visa unless they're reallyyy far in advance OR you get them after you've finished the interview and are waiting the visa (again, having a few weeks out to buy you time). As much as visa timelines are helpful, they can also be dangerous because you just can't predict those kinds of things from case to case.

I can tell you that average waiting time isn't very long, and the postal service sends them very quickly, so if you've already bought them you should be OK. mine is just a cautionary tale - but one that can very well happen to anyone. Of course we would be the ones it happens to, hahaha. Sigh. Murphy's law!

[MandyAlex 32]

Thanks for the reply Sandy... No, I haven't bought the plane tickets yet. I'm aware the consulate warns all applicants to wait until visa is in hand, and now with your experience I definitely follow your advise, better safe than sorry lol. Thanks!

[SantyAndAllie 155]

Thanks for the reply Sandy... No, I haven't bought the plane tickets yet. I'm aware the consulate warns all applicants to wait until visa is in hand, and now with your experience I definitely follow your advise, better safe than sorry lol. Thanks!

Definitely! We went against all of the cautionary tales we heard because we were so desperate to have him here on 4th of July and pretty confident we'd make it! We gritted our teeth and accepted spending a few extra hundred just to get him here ASAP hahahah!

Easier said than done, but don't let yourselves get too stressed beforehand, and remember that you're so close to the finish line & being able to be together forever! It is seriously the most relieving thing ever. I remember ALL too well what I was like exactly a year ago. June was the worst, and then July 14th came, and it was all up from there, hahaha!

PS- I'm Allie (USC); hubby is Santy (Santiago)! Lol. I use this more than he does, but he also hops on sometimes - usually to advise our Ecuadorian friends who are more comfortable in Spanish! <3

[TBoneTX 45,244]

Update from early in this thread, sigh man:

I found the current whereabouts of the IV Section Chief at GYQ when we were all hosed there.

I wrote him a respectful letter of query on behalf of my contemporaries and me.

I assume that the Citizen Services people at his current locale forwarded it to him.

He didn't answer the first time.

He didn't answer the second send of 3 weeks thereafter.

This is unsurprising, because he has new things to do.

This is old to him yet fresh to us.

We should have complained at the time, or closer to it.

Presumably sharp immigration lawyers warned us of retribution if we'd complained then.

We found out not long ago that this was a complete straw dog.

We might never get answers.

Today is the 8-year anniversary of our hosing at GYQ.

The above never answered.

I have insights from other sources that I'll compile and post soon.

Those who had easier times at GYQ, count your blessings.

I hope that my admonitions over the years made your or someone's experience easier.

[davidloveasarson 0]

Forgot to post an update here!!

My fiance and I had our interview at the Consulate in Guayaquil 2 weeks ago today and were approved!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!! We were super ecstatic and were definitely jumping of excitement in the Consulate!!! haha.

I don't know why, but for some reason I thought the interview would be like at a desk or something. I was surprised when it was through a window like we were at a bank or something!

Process was pretty easy once it was all said and done. I do realize that our relationship is about as legit as they could come b/c I lived in Ecuador, we've known each other for over 3 years, dated for a year and a half, have taken tons of trips together, have similar ages, and are both bilingual, etc... Nothing even semi-fishy. I was glad it was simple though!

They called up my fiance once to the window to receive some of the documents brought (birth certificate, criminal record, etc.), scan fingerprints, and asked about 8-10 short questions. They had my original i-129f packet sent to the States there and it was funny watching her separate the forms from the LOADS of evidence I sent in of our relationship! Then we were told we could sit back down and I remembered the 2 part interview from all of the prior reviews and instructions by all of YOU! We waited maybe 30-40 min and got called back up by another guy who scanned her fingerprints again and asked about 4 questions - when did you meet? Has he ever come visit you? Where does he live? etc... I piped in on a couple of those questions too b/c they weren't asking me anything and I told my fiance to answer direct/to the point, but there were a couple questions I felt needed expanding like that we took a vacation with my parents to Africa, etc... Then before we thought the interview had really even begun he said, "Felicidades, están aprobados!" and handed us the blue slip with DHL instructions to retrieve her passport!!! We didn't even have to turn in Financial affidavits of support (which I had on me) or anything! It was super quick. We were shocked and ecstatic!!! We had a great day celebrating in Guayaquil and then off to Riobamba to spend time with her family and plan the wedding!!

Somebody else was also interviewing this month. Hoping your results were good too?!
My fiance's visa is supposed to arrive via DHL tomorrow, woohoo! So stoked! Off to the states in just 39 days!!

I know we're just beginning with the rest of the steps for residency, but I am so excited to finally get to marry my princess and bring her to the states!! Thanks for all of your help!

[davidloveasarson 0]

Does anyone know who to contact when the address that the US Consulate gives you to pick up your package doesn't exist? We selected DHL pickup in Riobamba and the address they've given us to pick it up at is apparently a DHL office that closed 3 years ago.... The DHL Ecuador site lists that all of their DHL's in Riobamba are ServiEntrega's.... Playing the rat race trying to go to all of them and see who has our package! What a mess.

[MandyAlex 32]

Davidloveasarson, congratulations of your visa approval and thanks for posting the consulate review. As far as you visa delivery package, I would call DHL customer service and request the address of their local cartage agent in Riobamba. This is a normal practice of the big all-cargo airlines like DHL, UPS, FedEx, to subcontract their services with other companies in small (and slow business) destinations to provide pickup and delivery services for them. If it happens to be Servientrega, then I'm sure someone at Servientrega can give you some answers. Does Servientrega has more than one office in Riobamba? I don't believe so but, did the consulate provide you a tracking number?

http://www.servientrega.com.ec/index.html

[davidloveasarson 0]

Davidloveasarson, congratulations of your visa approval and thanks for posting the consulate review. As far as you visa delivery package, I would call DHL customer service and request the address of their local cartage agent in Riobamba. This is a normal practice of the big all-cargo airlines like DHL, UPS, FedEx, to subcontract their services with other companies in small (and slow business) destinations to provide pickup and delivery services for them. If it happens to be Servientrega, then I'm sure someone at Servientrega can give you some answers. Does Servientrega has more than one office in Riobamba? I don't believe so but, did the consulate provide you a tracking number?

http://www.servientrega.com.ec/index.html

She finally got it yesterday! They send it to a totally different place and just expect you to know that. How crazy! Thankfully my fiance had a couple friends who also got visas recently and they told her what office it's at. It's certainly not DHL and it's certainly not where the Consulate told us it was mailed to. It's in hand now though, hurray! 36 days until U.S. entry!!!

[TBoneTX 45,244]

Congratulations, David. Good that you were there on the premises.

[MandyAlex 32]

Hello everyone, trying to get information about the documents required for the interview at GYQ. I read that it's recommended to translate to English the birth certificate, police clearance, divorce decree, etc, but is this really necessary? If so, where did you got them translated in Guayaquil? The consulate does not mention anything about translating documents on packet 4. Thanks for sharing your individual experiences. ?

[TBoneTX 45,244]

Documents in the native language of the country of interview don't need translation.

[TBoneTX 45,244]

Today (Oct. 9) is the 8th anniversary of Mrs. T-B.'s POE.

The then-visa chief at GYQ hasn't answered my complaint letter, which isn't surprising.

I got really bad advice from an AILA lawyer who suggested not complaining until after citizenship.

In reality, there was nothing that the Consulate could have done to us after POE, drat it.

Re-read the first few pages of this thread for a sense of the fun that we all experienced.

[TBoneTX 45,244]

I just re-read the first 10 or 11 pages of this thread.

I then went and hugged Mrs. T-B. pretty hard.