Whats going on at the USA embassy in Cairo

[Staashi 371]

I am feeling the same way - I really feel like I am going crazy. I am definitely not sure that we are going to be together - next Tuesday may be the end of our marriage. Financially I make enough to barely support us, have been at the same job for 9 years so that isn't the problem but we have big red flags and no evidence before marriage. If I were a pretty 25 year old Nepali-American girl it would be no problem, we could be married after only knowing each other for 2 weeks but I am white, 16 years older than him and too old to have kids so hard to pull the 'Nepali tradition' card. I feel like it is almost certain that he won't get the visa and I have been fooling myself these last 2 years. I know that if he got denied I am financially unable to fight it, can't afford a lawyer, and if they decide he is a fraud because the CO thinks I am too old or ugly to be lovable or if he gets nervous and messes up our meeting dates etc. and the petition gets sent back to USCIS then really we are at a dead end. I don't know many people that could write an affidavit on our behalf - I can't even ask my own family because my stepfather is paranoid of having any dealings with the federal government. We will just have to give up - since we are already married it isn't as if we could marry and file a K-3 after a denied K-1. It is one thing to say 'well I could go to his country' but c'mon that really isn't feasible. There are no jobs for Nepalis let alone foreigners. There are thousands of Nepalis willing to risk expoitation even death in order to have a better life in a foreign country and I always knew that no matter how much we both love Nepal and want to go back that him coming here and us working for a few years and saving money was part of 'the deal' - if he doesn't get the visa then I really don't think he will want to stay with me. Hopefully I am underestimating his true intentions but I know I cannot fool myself... I cannot give him a ticket to a better life, I cannot give him children, really honestly besides love and support what can I give him??? In a way it is good we are not together now, I am trying hard not to let my anxiety and doubts show so he won't be more nervous than he already is but inside I am going nuts - it has been a nice dream these last couple of years that after a life of loneliness maybe I might have a shot at love and marriage but now my own government will take even that small chance away.

Dolma, you'll be in all my prayers next Tuesday.

[crazyinEgypt 0]

Most, ok all the of egyptian men I've known and seen here have had some period of time where they are on AP. Some where only for a few weeks, others for over a year. There's nothing you can really do about it. Be prepared for your interview, but even that doesn't mean anyone will have a short AP. Good luck to you

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Dolma, you'll be in all my prayers next Tuesday.

Dolma and her Govi will both be in our circle of Good Vibes and luvz indeed.

[sara535 15]

Dolma (((hugs))), take a deep breath

I know you are bracing for the worst, but the rest of us are hoping and praying for the best for you!

[LucyLovesRicky 0]

I understand you all are venting but be a little more reasonable.

Standing in line having papers stamped is a form of beaurocratic bs. It may not be long and drawn out but it's still beaurocratic #######.

Look I had a fairly long AP and yeah it sucked but I didn't expect anything less. When it was all said and done I appreciated that the embassy/immigration took the time to be somewhat thorough.

Yes, this is partially true. I could just enter Egypt pretty much anytime I want but I still would have to go through beaurocratic bs in order to obtain an extended visa. However, if it weren't true I wouldn't assume that I would be owed a visa to Egypt simply because I was married to an Egyptian.

You are not really into comforting your fellow man, are you? Do you also poke bruises?

People are just venting here, not actually looking for someone to offer your brand of "Tough Love"!

And I have 5 year permission to live in Egypt in my passport wasn't a any bearocratic bs, just stood in a line, paid a fee. Sweet and easy.

Well, it's hard o be reasonalbe these days, Mine comes and goes on a daily basis. I can be more resonable when my heart and soul is not in an almost physical unbearable pain of missing my husband. I wish I could be as calm and logical as you seem to have been when you were waiting for your husband.

But I have never been totally sure we'd ever be together because of lack of co-sponsor and other problems I have not shared. So, I have been in crisis mode for almost 3 years and it's so tiring on the nerves and mind. I have cried rivers in the last 3 years.

I just feel I can't take much more and my husband feels the same. We feel trapped with no way out. We are having a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am usually a nice person so I'm sorry if I'm being a b****, really I'm not trying to be at all.

I am feeling the same way - I really feel like I am going crazy. I am definitely not sure that we are going to be together - next Tuesday may be the end of our marriage. Financially I make enough to barely support us, have been at the same job for 9 years so that isn't the problem but we have big red flags and no evidence before marriage. If I were a pretty 25 year old Nepali-American girl it would be no problem, we could be married after only knowing each other for 2 weeks but I am white, 16 years older than him and too old to have kids so hard to pull the 'Nepali tradition' card. I feel like it is almost certain that he won't get the visa and I have been fooling myself these last 2 years. I know that if he got denied I am financially unable to fight it, can't afford a lawyer, and if they decide he is a fraud because the CO thinks I am too old or ugly to be lovable or if he gets nervous and messes up our meeting dates etc. and the petition gets sent back to USCIS then really we are at a dead end. I don't know many people that could write an affidavit on our behalf - I can't even ask my own family because my stepfather is paranoid of having any dealings with the federal government. We will just have to give up - since we are already married it isn't as if we could marry and file a K-3 after a denied K-1. It is one thing to say 'well I could go to his country' but c'mon that really isn't feasible. There are no jobs for Nepalis let alone foreigners. There are thousands of Nepalis willing to risk expoitation even death in order to have a better life in a foreign country and I always knew that no matter how much we both love Nepal and want to go back that him coming here and us working for a few years and saving money was part of 'the deal' - if he doesn't get the visa then I really don't think he will want to stay with me. Hopefully I am underestimating his true intentions but I know I cannot fool myself... I cannot give him a ticket to a better life, I cannot give him children, really honestly besides love and support what can I give him??? In a way it is good we are not together now, I am trying hard not to let my anxiety and doubts show so he won't be more nervous than he already is but inside I am going nuts - it has been a nice dream these last couple of years that after a life of loneliness maybe I might have a shot at love and marriage but now my own government will take even that small chance away.

I really feel your pain and I know exactly how you are feeling on some of the points you made. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. I wish you the very best.

Morning MENA members

my interview is on the 23 of march, so please your prayer with ours and everyone else who's waiting

is there anyone else who have the interview on this day, please let us know

good luck to me and all

God be with you and I wish you a speedy AP.

[LucyLovesRicky 0]

I know what Astarte is saying. Basically that you all should have been prepared for the long haul. That doesn't make it any easier though and especially the newbies that have recently seen people sail through Cairo with no problems. It's weird but when I was going through this, even though my wait was 8 months in AP, I was actually one of the quicker ones compared to those who came before me. Because of that both my husband and I knew it would be about as long as it was. Did that make it easier? No I still bawled my eyes out a lot and so did he and we still stressed out about the unknown. Basically you'll go through an almost rollercoaster experience with some days being all accepting of the wait and other days acting like a 2 yr old, temper tantrums and all.

All I can say is try not to think about it. Try to keep yourself busy with other things because bottom line, if you're prepared for the interview, it's all up to God in the end. There is nothing really that you can do to speed things along. I contacted both Senator Kennedy and Congressman Tierney and while I guess I'll never really know if they helped, it still took a good 6 months or so after they became involved.

I really wouldn't compare a man coming from Egypt going to the US to a woman going to Egypt. Seriously common sense should kick in at some point since we are living in an after 9/11 period. Of course there's going to be extra scrutiny.

Really, we were just venting on a particularly bad day. Since I didn't know about this site until almost the end. I really had no idea the wait could be this long. I obviously knew it could be around a year but I had no idea that 3 years later I'd still be apart from my husband. And yes, I realize all of that is not the fault of the immigration. Most of that time was searching for a co-sponsor.

[jpaula 20]

I think one thing you have to realize when dealing with this process is that the US gov't, in granting an immigrant visa or even the K1/K3, is not merely giving someone residency but also a path to US citizenship. So while it may be, from our point of view, a question of asking to be allowed to live in the US with our spouse, it is much more than that from the point of view of the gov't. When I applied for Algerian residency I got lucky and did not have too much of a problem (many do as laws there are applied capriciously and it is really just hit or miss). It was just the usual runaround, mounds of paperwork, etc. But, this residency gave me no future right to citizenship. When I really think about it, I am still surprised that someone can come to the US on a K1, get married, do AOS and then divorce and STILL get US citizenship. I wonder in how many other countries it is the case where a divorced non-citizen resident can naturalize on their own. The fact that you can do this in the US makes the scrutiny much more intense. Every country takes the right of citizenship seriously--as they should.

[Staashi 371]

I think one thing you have to realize when dealing with this process is that the US gov't, in granting an immigrant visa or even the K1/K3, is not merely giving someone residency but also a path to US citizenship. So while it may be, from our point of view, a question of asking to be allowed to live in the US with our spouse, it is much more than that from the point of view of the gov't. When I applied for Algerian residency I got lucky and did not have too much of a problem (many do as laws there are applied capriciously and it is really just hit or miss). It was just the usual runaround, mounds of paperwork, etc. But, this residency gave me no future right to citizenship. When I really think about it, I am still surprised that someone can come to the US on a K1, get married, do AOS and then divorce and STILL get US citizenship. I wonder in how many other countries it is the case where a divorced non-citizen resident can naturalize on their own. The fact that you can do this in the US makes the scrutiny much more intense. Every country takes the right of citizenship seriously--as they should.

Truly excellent point!

[doodlebugg 10]

Just read this post to find out why the USEMs are so hard on people: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2733170

This stuff happens...let them do their jobs, maybe you'll be the one who escapes issues like this...maybe not.

I hear what you're saying but to be honest I don't see how a long AP would have helped that woman in that thread. To me, if a guy is intent on scamming the woman, what harm is it for him to wait even a year or two for that pot of gold? It's not like he'd have to endure great emotional hardship since he's just feeding her line after line, you know? For me, I think the ones that would break apart due to the lengthy wait would be the ones who just can't bear the emotional burden of not being with the one they love and not knowing for certain that they'll finally be together. Just my two cents.

I do think that it's a necessity for the embassy to weed out the terrorists obviously but seriously unless there's a blatant boo boo that the dude made, which he probably wouldn't make since his whole life is at stake, it's extremely hard to catch. My ex screwed me out of a LOT of money and still is today by his nonpayment of childsupport but everyone and their mother fell in love with him and told me countless times how lucky I was to be married to such a "gem".

[ya falaha! 0]

I agree, Bridget. I can't count the number of times I was ready to throw in the towel just out of frustration and uncertainty. Oh and having a phone/internet marriage is no way to live. Uncertain because I wasn't 100% sure he'd even get here and I'd have wasted all that time for nothing.

Just read this post to find out why the USEMs are so hard on people: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2733170

This stuff happens...let them do their jobs, maybe you'll be the one who escapes issues like this...maybe not.

I hear what you're saying but to be honest I don't see how a long AP would have helped that woman in that thread. To me, if a guy is intent on scamming the woman, what harm is it for him to wait even a year or two for that pot of gold? It's not like he'd have to endure great emotional hardship since he's just feeding her line after line, you know? For me, I think the ones that would break apart due to the lengthy wait would be the ones who just can't bear the emotional burden of not being with the one they love and not knowing for certain that they'll finally be together. Just my two cents.

I do think that it's a necessity for the embassy to weed out the terrorists obviously but seriously unless there's a blatant boo boo that the dude made, which he probably wouldn't make since his whole life is at stake, it's extremely hard to catch. My ex screwed me out of a LOT of money and still is today by his nonpayment of childsupport but everyone and their mother fell in love with him and told me countless times how lucky I was to be married to such a "gem".

[doodlebugg 10]

Exactly!!! I would worry about what if he doesn't get through AP and then what do I do? I couldn't very well relocate my children and tear them away from their dad so that would be the end of that marriage. A few times I thought of throwing in the towel just because it was all too hard to handle for me. I would think that someone who is scamming someone wouldn't have these emotional issues so the wait would be no biggie, though it would obviously stress out the USC.

I agree, Bridget. I can't count the number of times I was ready to throw in the towel just out of frustration and uncertainty. Oh and having a phone/internet marriage is no way to live. Uncertain because I wasn't 100% sure he'd even get here and I'd have wasted all that time for nothing.

Just read this post to find out why the USEMs are so hard on people: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2733170

This stuff happens...let them do their jobs, maybe you'll be the one who escapes issues like this...maybe not.

I hear what you're saying but to be honest I don't see how a long AP would have helped that woman in that thread. To me, if a guy is intent on scamming the woman, what harm is it for him to wait even a year or two for that pot of gold? It's not like he'd have to endure great emotional hardship since he's just feeding her line after line, you know? For me, I think the ones that would break apart due to the lengthy wait would be the ones who just can't bear the emotional burden of not being with the one they love and not knowing for certain that they'll finally be together. Just my two cents.

I do think that it's a necessity for the embassy to weed out the terrorists obviously but seriously unless there's a blatant boo boo that the dude made, which he probably wouldn't make since his whole life is at stake, it's extremely hard to catch. My ex screwed me out of a LOT of money and still is today by his nonpayment of childsupport but everyone and their mother fell in love with him and told me countless times how lucky I was to be married to such a "gem".

[Imua 0]

I think one thing you have to realize when dealing with this process is that the US gov't, in granting an immigrant visa or even the K1/K3, is not merely giving someone residency but also a path to US citizenship. So while it may be, from our point of view, a question of asking to be allowed to live in the US with our spouse, it is much more than that from the point of view of the gov't. When I applied for Algerian residency I got lucky and did not have too much of a problem (many do as laws there are applied capriciously and it is really just hit or miss). It was just the usual runaround, mounds of paperwork, etc. But, this residency gave me no future right to citizenship. When I really think about it, I am still surprised that someone can come to the US on a K1, get married, do AOS and then divorce and STILL get US citizenship. I wonder in how many other countries it is the case where a divorced non-citizen resident can naturalize on their own. The fact that you can do this in the US makes the scrutiny much more intense. Every country takes the right of citizenship seriously--as they should.

Truly excellent point!

I agree - I know in Nepal until the law was changed recently(a few years ago) children could not be granted the right of citizenship based on the status of their unwed/widowed/divorced mothers, so I imagine it would not be easy for a divorced ex-wife of a Nepali man to get/keep Nepali citizenship. Like in Algeria residency is very easy to get if you are married to a Nepali citizen. I wanted to pursue Nepali citizenship among other reasons so I would be allowed inside Pashupatinath temple(even though my FIL is on the temple council because I am considered non-Hindu by race I cannot do puja with my husband, however if/when I become a Nepali citizen it will be OK...) ...also I would no longer be charged the humiliating 'gora price' to go to museums etc. once I can whip out that citizenship card. Unfortunately unlike the US Nepal(and India) do not recognize dual citizenship so if I had to renounce my citizenship I don't think I would do it.

[Staashi 371]

Exactly!!! I would worry about what if he doesn't get through AP and then what do I do? I couldn't very well relocate my children and tear them away from their dad so that would be the end of that marriage. A few times I thought of throwing in the towel just because it was all too hard to handle for me. I would think that someone who is scamming someone wouldn't have these emotional issues so the wait would be no biggie, though it would obviously stress out the USC.

I agree, Bridget. I can't count the number of times I was ready to throw in the towel just out of frustration and uncertainty. Oh and having a phone/internet marriage is no way to live. Uncertain because I wasn't 100% sure he'd even get here and I'd have wasted all that time for nothing.

Just read this post to find out why the USEMs are so hard on people: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2733170

This stuff happens...let them do their jobs, maybe you'll be the one who escapes issues like this...maybe not.

I hear what you're saying but to be honest I don't see how a long AP would have helped that woman in that thread. To me, if a guy is intent on scamming the woman, what harm is it for him to wait even a year or two for that pot of gold? It's not like he'd have to endure great emotional hardship since he's just feeding her line after line, you know? For me, I think the ones that would break apart due to the lengthy wait would be the ones who just can't bear the emotional burden of not being with the one they love and not knowing for certain that they'll finally be together. Just my two cents.

I do think that it's a necessity for the embassy to weed out the terrorists obviously but seriously unless there's a blatant boo boo that the dude made, which he probably wouldn't make since his whole life is at stake, it's extremely hard to catch. My ex screwed me out of a LOT of money and still is today by his nonpayment of childsupport but everyone and their mother fell in love with him and told me countless times how lucky I was to be married to such a "gem".

Yes, but what I was pointing out is that there are methods to the USCIS/DOS madness...even though they don't get everybody who is a scammer. Second, they want people to struggle in AP - get their senators and congressmen involved - why? It shows you all are into this relationship - you're willing to fight for it, you're vested. So often, people can't take it and they do throw in the towel, but for those that hang in there, there seems to be a positive light at the end of the tunnel - and the relationship seems to make it.

[jpaula 20]

Are we going on the assumption that AP is for the purpose of making a couple sweat it out rather than giving either the Consulate or DHS investigate the relationship/security checks? I mean, I am pretty cynical overall, but I would be rather surprised if this is the case.

I only base this on reading VJ for a very long while, but I thought what makes Cairo unique is that, in addition to the DHS name checks etc, the Consulate actually investigates the relationship with house visits and the like whereas in most counties AP only involves the name check/security issue. So, in Cairo AP is not over until both DOS and DHS have done their thing. Are there other countries where the Consulate does independent follow up investigations either after or before the interview?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Jordan.