I-130 Approved in Ankara, Turkey!

[camistanbul 0]

My husband and I went to our interview today at 11:00am at the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. For DCF here, you must send

everything beforehand, so the only things we had to bring were (according to the Embassy's checklist):

- medical report

- $355 fee

- proof of bona fide relationship

- proof of domicile

We arrived at 9:30 and got let in at 10:00. The guards were really nice and before we knew it, we received our number and

went into the waiting room. There were lots of applicants there, mostly from Iran, and the atmosphere was pretty tense. When

our number was called, we both went up to the window and the officer asked, "Is this your wife?" My husband said yes, and

she said "You can sit down, if we need you we'll call you." So I sat down and tried to listen to what they were asking my husband.

The consular office asked when we got married (in April) and she said, "So not long, huh?" but my husband just laughed and said yes,

but we've been living together for the past two years. She asked my husband about my job in the US before I lived in Turkey,

what I did and where I lived, and what my job was in Istanbul. She asked about my family in the US and if my parents were

still married, what jobs they had, and if I had any siblings. My husband of course knew all of these things, so he was able to

answer without any problems. My husband is Turkish but he has a British accent, so she was asking him about that -- why

he has a British accent and not an American one if he's married to an American. My husband said, "I'm working on that!" and

explained that he worked with British people for a long time and it just kind of happened that way. She also flipped through

my tax forms and asked about our income, where we were planning on going in the US, etc.....

After about 5-10 minutes of questions, she said "OK, take this receipt to the UPS desk and you'll get your visa in 5 working

days!" :dance: :dance:

We were ecstatic!

The only problems/questions I have.....

1) She gave us a receipt for the $355 we sent in with the original forms (which were sent in May) and we didn't have to pay

any additional fee. So I think their instructions are incorrect -- we had been expecting to pay ~800 USD total. Was that correct?!?

We kind of freaked out when we realized this, but we realized this after we had left the building. When we went to ask the

guard, he said "If they didn't ask for it, you didn't need to do it."

2) She never looked at any of the proof we prepared! Not the photos, letters, emails -- nothing! I guess my husband did such

a great job that she didn't need to. Too bad I lost so many nights of sleep fretting over this!!!!

3) When we walked in, they asked for 2 more biometric photos. *What!?!?* This was never listed anywhere and fortunately,

my husband had 2 photos with him. The lady asked if we had sent them with our forms (yes, because we had to send

EVERYTHING with the forms) so maybe that was why it was OK. Minor panic attack though.

4) When will we get the sealed packet that we're supposed to take to the US? They didn't give anything to us, so I'm assuming

it will come in the UPS package with my husband's passport and visa?

Anyway, it was a fairly anticlimactic day, but I'm OK with that! We were pretty worked up about it, but it all seems to

have worked out.

[Penguin_ie 5,992]

Wohoo!!!!

Looks like they forgot to ask you nto pay the second fee- I had to pay 400 dollars at interview. Lucky you, more moving money! I got the MBE on the day, but I also got my passport with visa on the day...

Edited August 11, 2008 by Penguin_ie

[happyinlove012408 0]

congrats on your interview.

[redglasses 1]

1) Yeah, you guys were lucky. Here in Tokyo, we have to pay $355 for the I-130 petition and $400 for the IV interview.

4) Correct. The sealed envelop will come with your husband's passport + visa in the mail.

Congratulations on your approval!

[Mina76 0]

OMG, That is Fantastic News!!!

We haven't seen an approval from Ankara in a while now,

Congratulations on getting your Visa approval camistanbul!

Edited August 12, 2008 by Mina76

[Yiyi and Chris 0]

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[beccainturkey 0]

Congradulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:dance::dance::dance::dance::dance::dance::dance:

[kaffy 2]

Congratulations on your approval!!!

[camistanbul 0]

Thanks everyone!

We received his passport and the sealed packet in the mail today!

Yayyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mina76 0]

Thanks everyone!

We received his passport and the sealed packet in the mail today!

Yayyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow that was quick, Congratulations again camistanbul!!!

[mynameisCat 0]

Yay! Congratulations!

If I were you, I'd keep the money you'd set aside and save it for if they tell you that it needs to be paid, at least until you actually get into the States. But I'm paranoid.

[camistanbul 0]

Yay! Congratulations!

If I were you, I'd keep the money you'd set aside and save it for if they tell you that it needs to be paid, at least until you actually get into the States. But I'm paranoid.

That's what we're planning to do. It's so bizarre to me that they didn't ask for it, so I know it may be asked for later.... better safe than sorry!

[beccainturkey 0]

I don't think they would have forgotten, would they? I mean, if so, that's a REALLY big mistake. But yeah, it's always better to be safe than sorry! Congrats againnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

When are you guys leaving???

[camistanbul 0]

I don't think they would have forgotten, would they? I mean, if so, that's a REALLY big mistake. But yeah, it's always better to be safe than sorry! Congrats againnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

When are you guys leaving???

Well, we're really curious about your interview so please let me know if the same thing happens to you or not! Please don't mention us to them though!

We're planning on leaving in early November. We're in Marmaris now staying with my husband's parents, so life could be worse! We want to spend some time with them before we leave and since it's a beach town, we get a little holiday in the meantime. When are you guys planning on leaving?

[Nasturtium 500]

Unless they have some kind of extra fee no one else has to pay, the $355 should have been it. They always send everyone who does Cr-1/IR-1 something saying that you need to pay a visa fee, but really you pay that when you file the I-130 so we're always all asking the same thing.. like do I need to pay that again? There is no other visa fee beyond that... so I would think if they tried to get more I-130 $$ out of you, then it would be either a mistake or someone hoping to pocket it

ETA: congrats!!

Edited August 16, 2008 by julianna