robbery during delivery of visa

[VivaBaños 2]

hello everyone.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Here´s the story.

My husband I had our interview in Guayquil Ecuador on October 14th. They asked us to submit a joint sponsor (in spite of the fact that NVC had approved us) but besides that they approved us in the interview and were very polite and helpful. All we needed were joint sponsors. We had to wait for the papers to be sent from the US from the joint sponsor. DHL delayed a 3 day delivery time for 8 days...it was sitting in another city (¨being reviewed¨) in Ecuador. You can imagine that my husband and I were beyond livid.

The forms finally arrived and we sent them on to the Consulate, using the only service they accept--DHL. The papers arrived fine and we were approved and the visa was issued. Thursday the Consulate sent the visa via DHL to the closest service center (one hour away, where we were to pick it up). I received the text message and email as proof that it´d been sent.

Yesterday (friday) when calling to verify that the package had arrived to the office where we were planning to pick it up, DHL gave us the run around for nearly 2 hours and then finally told us that the DHL truck had been robbed.

I called the Consulate immediately. DHL had known about this situation for more than 2 hours and had not contacted the Consulate. I gave them the news.

My Senator´s immigration rep knows about all of this and is trying to assist us with some answers.

As of right now the Consulate is askign for us to RESEND I-864s, DS-230 and all supporting documents, and of course we have to get a new passport issued, new police report, new copy from the medical exam.

DOesn´t the Consulate keep a copy of all of that information (I-864, DS-230)?? I understand getting the new passport for the visa, but why must we have to go through the hassle of getting all of these documents AGAIN?

And add to that, DHL is trying to jerk us around and not pay for anything except the visa and passport reissuing. All of the documents cost $ and they don´t want to pay!

Sorry for unloading but I´m hoping some of you who have had similar situations might be able to offer a word of advice. I´m planning to visit the Embassy in Quito on Monday to see if they can assist at all...since the Consulate and the Embassy are different.

Any tips?

ps. happyinlove, your mailbox is full. i tried to send you an update but it wouldn´t let me.

[happyinlove012408 0]

I am so sorry to hear about this Viva. I just deleted some of the old messages so you can email me now. I can't believe this happened to you. The should have all of those documents with them. Did you take a copy of all the documents? Ask them if you can send them the copy instead. I definitely agree that you talk to the embassy now instead of the consulate. Good luck and please email me. I hope everything works out soon.

[pushbrk 12,898]

hello everyone.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Here´s the story.

My husband I had our interview in Guayquil Ecuador on October 14th. They asked us to submit a joint sponsor (in spite of the fact that NVC had approved us) but besides that they approved us in the interview and were very polite and helpful. All we needed were joint sponsors. We had to wait for the papers to be sent from the US from the joint sponsor. DHL delayed a 3 day delivery time for 8 days...it was sitting in another city (¨being reviewed¨) in Ecuador. You can imagine that my husband and I were beyond livid.

The forms finally arrived and we sent them on to the Consulate, using the only service they accept--DHL. The papers arrived fine and we were approved and the visa was issued. Thursday the Consulate sent the visa via DHL to the closest service center (one hour away, where we were to pick it up). I received the text message and email as proof that it´d been sent.

Yesterday (friday) when calling to verify that the package had arrived to the office where we were planning to pick it up, DHL gave us the run around for nearly 2 hours and then finally told us that the DHL truck had been robbed.

I called the Consulate immediately. DHL had known about this situation for more than 2 hours and had not contacted the Consulate. I gave them the news.

My Senator´s immigration rep knows about all of this and is trying to assist us with some answers.

As of right now the Consulate is askign for us to RESEND I-864s, DS-230 and all supporting documents, and of course we have to get a new passport issued, new police report, new copy from the medical exam.

DOesn´t the Consulate keep a copy of all of that information (I-864, DS-230)?? I understand getting the new passport for the visa, but why must we have to go through the hassle of getting all of these documents AGAIN?

And add to that, DHL is trying to jerk us around and not pay for anything except the visa and passport reissuing. All of the documents cost $ and they don´t want to pay!

Sorry for unloading but I´m hoping some of you who have had similar situations might be able to offer a word of advice. I´m planning to visit the Embassy in Quito on Monday to see if they can assist at all...since the Consulate and the Embassy are different.

Any tips?

ps. happyinlove, your mailbox is full. i tried to send you an update but it wouldn´t let me.

Your complete case file would have been in the DHL package so you could carry it to the POE and turn it over to the CBP officer upon your arrival. So, no, the Consulate would not retain the case file for an issued visa.

[VivaBaños 2]

hello everyone.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Here´s the story.

My husband I had our interview in Guayquil Ecuador on October 14th. They asked us to submit a joint sponsor (in spite of the fact that NVC had approved us) but besides that they approved us in the interview and were very polite and helpful. All we needed were joint sponsors. We had to wait for the papers to be sent from the US from the joint sponsor. DHL delayed a 3 day delivery time for 8 days...it was sitting in another city (¨being reviewed¨) in Ecuador. You can imagine that my husband and I were beyond livid.

The forms finally arrived and we sent them on to the Consulate, using the only service they accept--DHL. The papers arrived fine and we were approved and the visa was issued. Thursday the Consulate sent the visa via DHL to the closest service center (one hour away, where we were to pick it up). I received the text message and email as proof that it´d been sent.

Yesterday (friday) when calling to verify that the package had arrived to the office where we were planning to pick it up, DHL gave us the run around for nearly 2 hours and then finally told us that the DHL truck had been robbed.

I called the Consulate immediately. DHL had known about this situation for more than 2 hours and had not contacted the Consulate. I gave them the news.

My Senator´s immigration rep knows about all of this and is trying to assist us with some answers.

As of right now the Consulate is askign for us to RESEND I-864s, DS-230 and all supporting documents, and of course we have to get a new passport issued, new police report, new copy from the medical exam.

DOesn´t the Consulate keep a copy of all of that information (I-864, DS-230)?? I understand getting the new passport for the visa, but why must we have to go through the hassle of getting all of these documents AGAIN?

And add to that, DHL is trying to jerk us around and not pay for anything except the visa and passport reissuing. All of the documents cost $ and they don´t want to pay!

Sorry for unloading but I´m hoping some of you who have had similar situations might be able to offer a word of advice. I´m planning to visit the Embassy in Quito on Monday to see if they can assist at all...since the Consulate and the Embassy are different.

Any tips?

ps. happyinlove, your mailbox is full. i tried to send you an update but it wouldn´t let me.

Your complete case file would have been in the DHL package so you could carry it to the POE and turn it over to the CBP officer upon your arrival. So, no, the Consulate would not retain the case file for an issued visa.

This info is exactly correct. We had to complete the I-864s and DS-230 again because of the envelope we present at the point of entry.

We got all the papers together and presented everything in person yesterday at the Consulate and they printed the visa and gave us the sealed envelope.

I´m so happy!

They told us that my husband will face an extra round of questioning because of the robbery and these replacement documents upon arrival.

thanks for the responses!

Yay for finally being able to write some good news!

[Arlington 5]

hello everyone.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Here´s the story.

My husband I had our interview in Guayquil Ecuador on October 14th. They asked us to submit a joint sponsor (in spite of the fact that NVC had approved us) but besides that they approved us in the interview and were very polite and helpful. All we needed were joint sponsors. We had to wait for the papers to be sent from the US from the joint sponsor. DHL delayed a 3 day delivery time for 8 days...it was sitting in another city (¨being reviewed¨) in Ecuador. You can imagine that my husband and I were beyond livid.

The forms finally arrived and we sent them on to the Consulate, using the only service they accept--DHL. The papers arrived fine and we were approved and the visa was issued. Thursday the Consulate sent the visa via DHL to the closest service center (one hour away, where we were to pick it up). I received the text message and email as proof that it´d been sent.

Yesterday (friday) when calling to verify that the package had arrived to the office where we were planning to pick it up, DHL gave us the run around for nearly 2 hours and then finally told us that the DHL truck had been robbed.

I called the Consulate immediately. DHL had known about this situation for more than 2 hours and had not contacted the Consulate. I gave them the news.

My Senator´s immigration rep knows about all of this and is trying to assist us with some answers.

As of right now the Consulate is askign for us to RESEND I-864s, DS-230 and all supporting documents, and of course we have to get a new passport issued, new police report, new copy from the medical exam.

DOesn´t the Consulate keep a copy of all of that information (I-864, DS-230)?? I understand getting the new passport for the visa, but why must we have to go through the hassle of getting all of these documents AGAIN?

And add to that, DHL is trying to jerk us around and not pay for anything except the visa and passport reissuing. All of the documents cost $ and they don´t want to pay!

Sorry for unloading but I´m hoping some of you who have had similar situations might be able to offer a word of advice. I´m planning to visit the Embassy in Quito on Monday to see if they can assist at all...since the Consulate and the Embassy are different.

Any tips?

ps. happyinlove, your mailbox is full. i tried to send you an update but it wouldn´t let me.

Your complete case file would have been in the DHL package so you could carry it to the POE and turn it over to the CBP officer upon your arrival. So, no, the Consulate would not retain the case file for an issued visa.

This info is exactly correct. We had to complete the I-864s and DS-230 again because of the envelope we present at the point of entry.

We got all the papers together and presented everything in person yesterday at the Consulate and they printed the visa and gave us the sealed envelope.

I´m so happy!

They told us that my husband will face an extra round of questioning because of the robbery and these replacement documents upon arrival.

thanks for the responses!

Yay for finally being able to write some good news!

A good ending to an awful story!! Keep us updated!! There wasn't any questioning in Miami for my wife, just a lot of waiting (3 hours), but it shouldn't be bad.

[TBoneTX 45,309]

It's amazing that ANYONE has had cooperation from this ####### consulate. Regardless, Guayaquil is reputedly the most dangerous city in Ecuador for crime.

Arlington, congrats on actually getting the visa on the first try, and glad that the advice for the U.S. citizen to BE THERE paid off. Everyone else should heed this, si man.

I will wait until the verdict (ha!) on my mother-in-law's visitor's visa request (snort, guffaw) before I post my own review of the ####### consulate. Expect your computers to explode. One of my attorneys (with recent service as a vice-consul in Venezuela) recommends without reservation that I file an after-visa complaint with the DOS and with the Consul General himself (in Guayaquil). It's months later, and I remain absolutely livid, and I'm coaching at least three other Americanos (on & off VJ) regarding their own problems with the ####### consulate.