Nairobi Embassy Thread!

[Nyosh 5]

APPROVED!! He said it was the easiest interview ever. The woman only asked him 4 questions:

How did you meet?

How long were you in Hong Kong? (We met up on vacation there a couple of years ago)

What did you do there?

What do you plan to do when you get to the US?

Then the only document she wanted was the I-134, and didn't ask to see any of the supporting documents he had with him. Then she said, "Okay the hard part is over, your visa has been granted" -- or something to that effect.

Only bad part is that his passport needs to be sent through DHL and they estimated 1-2 weeks. I wish I knew so we can plan his flight, but when it comes to things in Kenya I just never trust deadlines. But whatever, at least we know he'll be here!! It's surreal after all this time.

Thanks for everyone's support and advice!

Yay.........................Congrats!

[Dorah 6]

Hello everyone.Am from Uganda and new to this forum,we filed for a k-1 and got approved 20 december,Please i'd like you guys to enlighten my brains with some knowledge and kinda stuck and confused.What to i need inorder to do the medicals ?How can i schedule an interview at he Nairobi consulate? Ive read that things keep changing there all the time.Any help will be appreciated. Merry xmas

[yketwaroo 10]

Hello.

I have a question about the common muslim name "security" check. I come from a moderate muslim family but I'm an atheist myself. I'm also not a resident of Kenya. actually I'm from nowhere near that region but some 3000 miles away. My question is, given that I'm a foreigner in kenya but have muslim name will they still take days to clear me?

Also, everything what Dorah28 asked.

information about the Nairobi consulate is sketchy. Reading the reviews on the consulate, seems like playing a mugs game while blindfolded. Any help much appreciated

[katie & sifa 25]

Hi guys & happy new year!

Here are a few links that might be able to answer your questions about medical exams & how to schedule appointments.

http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas/visa-packets.html

Within that link you will find the instructions for what you need to do for the K-1 including a list of approved doctors to do the exam.

http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas.html

This is information on how they are doing interview scheduling now.

Hope that helps at least a little!

As for the name checks, can't help there and really no one can - it's really a crapshoot who goes through AP and who doesn't, I think. If you have a common name it may take longer. Your religion doesn't really have anything to do with it (they may do extra name checks on people with common Muslim names, I am not sure, but the fact that you are atheist wouldn't change that.)

[Dorah 6]

Hi guys & happy new year!

Here are a few links that might be able to answer your questions about medical exams & how to schedule appointments.

http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas/visa-packets.html

Within that link you will find the instructions for what you need to do for the K-1 including a list of approved doctors to do the exam.

http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas.html

This is information on how they are doing interview scheduling now.

Hope that helps at least a little!

As for the name checks, can't help there and really no one can - it's really a crapshoot who goes through AP and who doesn't, I think. If you have a common name it may take longer. Your religion doesn't really have anything to do with it (they may do extra name checks on people with common Muslim names, I am not sure, but the fact that you are atheist wouldn't change that.)

Thanks Katie & Sifa,

PLease can you clarify this for me,Is it acceptable to pay the visa application fee at the embassy cashier?

Secondly its worrying me that my petitioner has only visited me once and thats last May for 3weeks.

Do you think thats going to cause some hick ups during the interview?

Thirdly what DHL location would you advice me to choose not so far from the embassy?

And do we submit everything ,i mean the application forms and the relationship evidence on the day before the actual interview?

Thanks for taking the time to respond

Nice day

Edited January 2, 2012 by Dorah28

[katie & sifa 25]

Thanks Katie & Sifa,

PLease can you clarify this for me,Is it acceptable to pay the visa application fee at the embassy cashier?

Secondly its worrying me that my petitioner has only visited me once and thats last May for 3weeks.

Do you think thats going to cause some hick ups during the interview?

Thirdly what DHL location would you advice me to choose not so far from the embassy?

And do we submit everything ,i mean the application forms and the relationship evidence on the day before the actual interview?

Thanks for taking the time to respond

Nice day

When we were going through the visa stuff you had to pay the fee at the Commercial Bank of Africa, you could not pay it at the embassy. Things may have changed since this was in January 2010, but as far as I know that's still how it works.

I'm not sure about the petitioner only visiting once causing issues during the interview. My now husband & I lived in the same town in Kenya for quite a while (almost a year) before I moved back to the states & petitioned him and our interview only lasted a few minutes but I don't know if that was the reason it was so short. Maybe someone else can speak up? I think you'd be ok as long as you can prove that it's a bonafide relationship.

Also can't really say about DHL locations, when we went through it you went back to the embassy to pick up your passport with the visa in it. From looking at the DHL website it seems like probably the closest one is the Village Market location. If you're staying in city centre then International House would probably be pretty convenient. Most of the other locations are pretty far out and not really close to the center of town or to the embassy. If you're from Uganda could you pick it up in Kampala or something? Or are you just planning to stay in Nairobi until you get it? It looks like they have locations in Kampala, Jinja, Mbarara & Fort Portal - anything close to you? It might be worth inquiring if you can get it there if that's more convenient for you.

I think they are doing the interviews now where you drop everything off the day before and then go back the next day for your actual interview, correct.

Hope that is helpful

[Nyosh 5]

Hey Dorah28, you can only pay for the K1 visa at the CBA bank in Westlands. You produce the receipt as proof of payment at the embassy.

About your petitioner, dont worry even if He visited you once, just have proof that he was with you for those three weeks, things like photos of different places you visited (should be dated), photos of engagement, hotel receipts e.t.c. About picking up the visa, you can always request that you pick up your visa at the embassy,or as Katie says, the nearest DHL location near the embassy is at Village Market. Also, about the documents, you can call the embassy and they will advice you on what to do coz some people get to present their documents one day and the following day they get go for their interview. Things keep changing in Nairobi Embassy, when I had my interview I presented my documents on the day I had my interview. Just be ready with everything, be confident and have proof to back your case. Good luck.

[shefellfromheaven 18]

Happy New Year to all!

[Ben and Jill 37]

Ben and I went through the Nairobi Embassy in May of 2011 on a K-1. Things may have changed since then. The best thing for you to do is to go to the Nairobi Embassy website and click on the visa section. They do not allow you to pick up your visa at the Embassy any longer; you must use DHL (however...Ben was allowed to pick his up ONLY because they had to retake his fingerprints and they felt we had been inconvenienced enough). They are trying to minimize the people in and out of the Embassy as much as they can. We had to pay our visa fee using MPESA...you can do that OR you can pay it at the bank that is listed on the Embassy website (those are the only choices you have in paying the fee...you cannot pay it at the Embassy). Again, it could have changed since then, so the best thing to do is go straight to the source. Email the Embassy Consular section and inquire as to whether or not they have received your package....don't wait for them to contact you. They are very good at responding to emails. They will further instruct you on the forms and medical, etc., which is all located on the Embassy website. Ben had his medical at IOM in Nairobi and they were very good and thorough. There are only two places you can have your medical that the Embassy will accept...IOM in Nairobi, and the other one is all the way in Mombasa. The medical in Nairobi will take two half days.

You will provide your paperwork the day before your actual interview, so you will go there twice...the day before to drop everything off, and then back again the following morning for your actual interview. Good luck with everything with many blessings along the way. We're here to help.

[Dorah 6]

Oh wow.thank you guys,you've really helped me alot atleast i now know where to start.Actually ive already got the NVC case number i guess my file will be in Nairobi in the next 1week or so.

Atleast with all this valuable information from you guys i won't look like someone lost in the jungle when i get to Nairobi,by the way its going to be my first time there.

So another question,what hotels do you think a convinient for me,affordable price and safe enough,i will be flying to Nairobi soon but i don't want to give people the impression that i don't even know where am going so i'd be glad if you gave me some particular names of nice places i can stay that are not so far from the embassy and the medical.

Have a blessed day xoxox

[Dorah 6]

Thank you very much Ya'll

Edited January 4, 2012 by Dorah28

[Ben and Jill 37]

Oh wow.thank you guys,you've really helped me alot atleast i now know where to start.Actually ive already got the NVC case number i guess my file will be in Nairobi in the next 1week or so.

Atleast with all this valuable information from you guys i won't look like someone lost in the jungle when i get to Nairobi,by the way its going to be my first time there.

So another question,what hotels do you think a convinient for me,affordable price and safe enough,i will be flying to Nairobi soon but i don't want to give people the impression that i don't even know where am going so i'd be glad if you gave me some particular names of nice places i can stay that are not so far from the embassy and the medical.

Have a blessed day xoxox

OK, so you have your NVC case number...that's great. Email the Embassy ASAP with your Case Number in the "subject line" and inquire as to whether or not they have received your file. Give them all information...your name, your petitioner's name, your case number, your date of birth, etc.) They should have your file already honestly.

You could stay at Chester House Apartments on Koinange Street...it's really reasonable, or you could stay anywhere in town around that area and you will be fine. You can negotiate a rate pretty much anywhere in Nairobi. IOM (medical) is also right in Nairobi and you can take a taxi (matatu's are cheaper, but you should have the taxi waiting for you when you leave the Embassy or call them when you get out ~ I think that's way easier than trying to get a matatu at that point, but that's just my personal preference if it were me). Stay in town and you'll be superfine

[Ben and Jill 37]

OK, so you have your NVC case number...that's great. Email the Embassy ASAP with your Case Number in the "subject line" and inquire as to whether or not they have received your file. Give them all information...your name, your petitioner's name, your case number, your date of birth, etc.) They should have your file already honestly.

You could stay at Chester House Apartments on Koinange Street...it's really reasonable, or you could stay anywhere in town around that area and you will be fine. You can negotiate a rate pretty much anywhere in Nairobi. IOM (medical) is also right in Nairobi and you can take a taxi (matatu's are cheaper, but you should have the taxi waiting for you when you leave the Embassy or call them when you get out ~ I think that's way easier than trying to get a matatu at that point, but that's just my personal preference if it were me). Stay in town and you'll be superfine

Also, one more thing...you still have quite a lot of forms to fill out before your interview can be scheduled and you can find all of those forms on the US Embassy website/Nairobi. You can schedule your own interview once all forms are completed, and you've paid the visa fee. Your interview won't likely be for approximately another month and half or so depending upon when you complete your forms and the Embassy interview schedule, etc. Once we completed all forms and paid the visa fee, we scheduled our interview and only had to wait about two and half weeks for the interview

Edited January 5, 2012 by Ben and Jill

[Dorah 6]

Also, one more thing...you still have quite a lot of forms to fill out before your interview can be scheduled and you can find all of those forms on the US Embassy website/Nairobi. You can schedule your own interview once all forms are completed, and you've paid the visa fee. Your interview won't likely be for approximately another month and half or so depending upon when you complete your forms and the Embassy interview schedule, etc. Once we completed all forms and paid the visa fee, we scheduled our interview and only had to wait about two and half weeks for the interview

Thanks Ben and Jill,am surely going to contact the Nairobi embassy next week and inquire whether they received my file.Atleast i now know where to start.

[Dorah 6]

Hi there,

Hope all you guys are doing great,We i'd like some information from you guys about how you send mail to your loved ones in Africa.

My fiance wants to mail me all the necessary documents to take with me at the interview but i have no proper address,he wants to send it through DHL or FEDEX.

However my greatest concern is that i live in an area where we have no landmarks or plot numbers.So heres my question,How did you address your mail when sending it to Africa?

I really can't afford to loose those documents.

Thanks for your input