The Embassy lost our documents...

[Tahoma 2,292]

Hi fellow VJ'ers...

I thought I would share this one with you. Are you ready for this?

My fiancée had her interview on Monday, February 23. At the end of her interview, the only thing that stood between her and a visa was one box that I did not put an "X" in. The missing check mark was on the third page of the I-129F. Not a problem. Since they needed her to submit an original (and not a scan nor a fax), I sent her an original via Fed Ex.

She submitted the new I-129F on Thursday, February 26. We celebrated...the long wait was nearly over...her visa should be delivered in about a week! It was time for her to return to Bacolod and start packing! But wait...

The next morning, she was awakened by a phone call. It was the Embassy calling (what are the chances of that happening!). Embassy case worker #1 asked her if she had in her possession our I-134 and my other financial documents which she had submitted to the pre-screener before her interview. She did not, since they had not returned them to her after her interview (do they routinely return the I-134 and the other financial documents?).

Case worker #1 asked her to resubmit our I-134 and the other financial documents.

When my fiancée told me what had happened, I called Grace at the Embassy. Grace put me through to case worker #2, who was the one responsible for our case. He finally admitted that he lost our I-134 and our financial documents. He agreed that we would not have to resubmit our I-134 nor any of our other financial documents. He said that he would give the consul our case so that her visa would be expedited. He assured me that my fiancée would receive her visa within a week. But wait...

My fiancée is on her way to the Embassy right now. She doesn't trust them, and wants to make sure they have a copy of our I-134. She will also give them copies of my other financial documents from the previous year, as she does not have another copy of any of them from the current year. She's taking no chances...and I don't blame her.

I'm left wondering if the "lost" documents are a result of incompetency on the part of the Embassy personnel, or if Friday morning's phone call from case worker #1 was the beginning of a shakedown.

~ pangga

[Jose Rizal 1]

It happens wrong as it is. In fact the website during my interview days had specific instructions to bring extra copies just in case something gets lost. So when I was interview, I brought extra copies of all documents submitted to the NVC.

[tallcoolone 102]

Your fiance is doing right by staying on top of this situation.

I am sure they mis place files from time to time, Nobody is perfect and as the saying goes "###### Happens"

Stay diligent and I think you will get the result you are looking for shortly.......

[Tahoma 2,292]

It happens wrong as it is. In fact the website during my interview days had specific instructions to bring extra copies just in case something gets lost. So when I was interview, I brought extra copies of all documents submitted to the NVC.

That is very good advice...always bring extra copies of everything...and I mean EVERYTHING!

My fiancée had extra copies of NEARLY everything. She even had an extra copy of my I-134. However, when the Case Worker called my fiancée and told her that he had lost our I-134 and our other financial documents, he told my fiancée that she would have to provide an original I-134 from me. Thank goodness we got that straightened out, or she would have had to wait around another few days in Manila for me to send another original.

She also had an extra copy of my I-129F, but they wanted another original. We really learned our lesson!

I would recommend to everyone to send their beneficiary an extra ORIGINAL of all the important documents because you never know what's going to happen.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Your fiance is doing right by staying on top of this situation.

I am sure they mis place files from time to time, Nobody is perfect and as the saying goes "###### Happens"

Stay diligent and I think you will get the result you are looking for shortly.......

I was surprised by how my phone call to our Case Worker got his attention...and I agree with another posting you made about how they treat Americans better than Filipinos...that has been our experience in dealing with two different Case Workers at the USEM.

I think we are good to go now...but I will feel a lot better when the visa is finally in her hand.

Thanks for your posting.

~ pangga

[HappyDancer 7]

thanks for posting. this was very helpful!

[Tahoma 2,292]

thanks for posting. this was very helpful!

Walang anoman...and good luck with your interview...the weather forecast for the 27th is BRIGHT PINK all day long!

Baby ko found the interview to be the easiest part of the entire visa process. She fell in line, gave them her fingerprints, gave the pre-screener our documents, answered a few questions from the pre-screener, and then chatted for a few minutes with the Consul Officer. The Consul Officer knew that love was in the air!

The only problems she had were the paperwork issues, which we resolved. We were actually more anxious about the medical, but we were worrying about nothing, because she passed the medical exam with flying colors.

Malapit na!!!

~ pangga