Help! Changed interview date in Rio

[dvit 1]

I've never posted before but have been gratefully following advice on here since before we even filed for the fiance visa. And everything has gone very smoothly...until today. The consulate in Rio called my fiance in Brazil and told him they were sorry, but that they would not longer be able to have his scheduled interview on January 6th and needed to move it to January 7th. They refused to tell him why. We have had this interview date scheduled since the first week of November, and have both made plans to travel to Rio so we can be at the interview together. My flight to come back to the US leaves the evening of the 6th, his flight back home to Salvador leaves the morning of the 7th. We both spent considerable money on our travel plans (if you can imagine how expensive it is to fly from New York in the dead of winter to Rio for Reveillon...well, yeah, it cost a lot) and have non-refundable tickets. We did everything right - we had confirmation in writing, reconfirmed via email, had every reasonable assurance that the interview would occur on the 6th and now they call us the week before Christmas with this news.

Is there anything I can do as the USC? The woman at the consulate who spoke to my fiance (she was a native Portuguese speaker so there was no chance that anything was misconstrued) said we shouldn't worry, I don't need to be at the consulate with him, etc....but that's not the point! I really WANT to be there with him. And certainly he needs to be there! We planned our entire holiday season around this interview...for nothing, it seems.

We are not made of money - this process has cost us a lot, as has planning for a wedding and for the fact that he won't be able to work for a while. It's like they don't understand that people have lives and jobs outside of this process - except they certainly care about the money those jobs provide when it comes to making decisions about our future.

Sorry, this turned into a bit of rant, but I'm just so frustrated!!! Any suggestions would be really helpful, particularly as they apply to the Rio consulate.

[Otto 83]

You could contact the Embassy/Consulate directly.

**Topic is "US Embassy and Consulate Discussion" related; moving thread there where it may be more appropriate.

[Mrs. Diaz 1]

Awww... I'm so sorry!!! This is just the worst scenario ever... well, at least a really bad one! I wish that I could say that you will be alright. But I really can't, cuz there is probable not much anyone can do about this. They changed the interview date for some unknown reason and I don't think they will "change it back". But you have to try to talk to them, make them change the interview date back to the original one. It might work if you call them up again!? Don't give up!

Good luck!

I've never posted before but have been gratefully following advice on here since before we even filed for the fiance visa. And everything has gone very smoothly...until today. The consulate in Rio called my fiance in Brazil and told him they were sorry, but that they would not longer be able to have his scheduled interview on January 6th and needed to move it to January 7th. They refused to tell him why. We have had this interview date scheduled since the first week of November, and have both made plans to travel to Rio so we can be at the interview together. My flight to come back to the US leaves the evening of the 6th, his flight back home to Salvador leaves the morning of the 7th. We both spent considerable money on our travel plans (if you can imagine how expensive it is to fly from New York in the dead of winter to Rio for Reveillon...well, yeah, it cost a lot) and have non-refundable tickets. We did everything right - we had confirmation in writing, reconfirmed via email, had every reasonable assurance that the interview would occur on the 6th and now they call us the week before Christmas with this news.

Is there anything I can do as the USC? The woman at the consulate who spoke to my fiance (she was a native Portuguese speaker so there was no chance that anything was misconstrued) said we shouldn't worry, I don't need to be at the consulate with him, etc....but that's not the point! I really WANT to be there with him. And certainly he needs to be there! We planned our entire holiday season around this interview...for nothing, it seems.

We are not made of money - this process has cost us a lot, as has planning for a wedding and for the fact that he won't be able to work for a while. It's like they don't understand that people have lives and jobs outside of this process - except they certainly care about the money those jobs provide when it comes to making decisions about our future.

Sorry, this turned into a bit of rant, but I'm just so frustrated!!! Any suggestions would be really helpful, particularly as they apply to the Rio consulate.

[Bethany 1]

I'm sorry to hear this, these setbacks are especially tough when you're so close! There is nothing you can really do and considering you aren't married yet (meaning consulates are tyically harder on engaged couples), I would caution you not to make too big of a fuss, the consulate could see that in a negative light (forget that anyone in love actually wants to be together! ugh) they could see it as a rush to be in the States, not to be together or the financial stuff. I would suggest you just call the airlines and try and get the best deal possible for changing your flight, even non-refundable fares can be changed. Good luck!

[Ladylethal 12]

You as the USCIS can try contacting the consulate and explaining the hardship of the sudden change, but you might just have to change your flight.

[Dias Melhores 0]

Sorry to hear about the trouble. I am sure they have their reasons for changing the date (staffing shortages, overbooked, etc.). You should try to call them for a reschedule considering your situation. When my wife and I went to Rio for the interview, we stayed longer in anticipation of getting the visa delivered to our hotel room (and for any other potential delays). There probably are other visa interviews that could wait an extra day, so maybe you can convince someone to keep your appointment on the 6th. Be careful when you call; remember they are the ones who give the visa and if you get too pushy with them they may bump you out a month later!!!

That's a bummer you can't stay a little while in Rio... The weather is much better this time of year than in NY

Good Luck

[Dias Melhores 0]

another thing to consider is the time frame. It takes a good part of the day to complete the interview. If you are going to be there, hopefully your flight leaves very late on the 6th. The consulate is not close to the Rio airport, so you may end up missing your return flight if it's too early. Make sure you get to the consulate at least one hour before they open! There will be a line of visas for tourism and another line for K1. Ask the security person where your line is!

[DoneWaiting 15]

Unfortunately, dates and schedules are subject to change with no reason, it sucks.. Contacting the USCIS or the NVC will not make any difference. As soon as your application is sent to the country of destination, everything is under their jurisdiction and control [in this case Rio/Brazil].

Now, the above words should not stop you in contacting the embassy to enquire and clarifications. You have not been the first and the last one to suffer unexpected changes in schedule without previous notice. Just make the best out of it and prepare changes if necessary on your part. I know this time and process and time consuming, expensive too and over all emotionally tiring... But, the end result worth the wait and the stress..

Best of luck

[dvit 1]

Maybe I'm wrong here, but I do think it's on the whole just rather...well, crappy is the best word I can think of...to give us less than three weeks notice (really, only about a week and a half of business days given the two back-to-back holidays). I've tried emailing, and have gotten responses that seem to be written by a computer program. They are insultingly deficient in both information and clarity. I also find it troubling that we must tread carefully with the consulate or risk being tossed to the bottom of the pile. As far as I was aware, agents of the State Department shouldn't be acting like functionaries in a fascist regime. Nor should we really be comfortable with accepting this type of behavior from them.

Sigh.

Has anyone heard of other people being contacted about changing the appointment in Rio?

[Dias Melhores 0]

Maybe I'm wrong here, but I do think it's on the whole just rather...well, crappy is the best word I can think of...to give us less than three weeks notice (really, only about a week and a half of business days given the two back-to-back holidays). I've tried emailing, and have gotten responses that seem to be written by a computer program. They are insultingly deficient in both information and clarity. I also find it troubling that we must tread carefully with the consulate or risk being tossed to the bottom of the pile. As far as I was aware, agents of the State Department shouldn't be acting like functionaries in a fascist regime. Nor should we really be comfortable with accepting this type of behavior from them.

Sigh.

Has anyone heard of other people being contacted about changing the appointment in Rio?

@#$@ happens sometimes. I don't disagree with your comments, but the bright side of this is that you have an interview date and it's very soon...

[klicristina 0]

Maybe I'm wrong here, but I do think it's on the whole just rather...well, crappy is the best word I can think of...to give us less than three weeks notice (really, only about a week and a half of business days given the two back-to-back holidays). I've tried emailing, and have gotten responses that seem to be written by a computer program. They are insultingly deficient in both information and clarity. I also find it troubling that we must tread carefully with the consulate or risk being tossed to the bottom of the pile. As far as I was aware, agents of the State Department shouldn't be acting like functionaries in a fascist regime. Nor should we really be comfortable with accepting this type of behavior from them.

Sigh.

Has anyone heard of other people being contacted about changing the appointment in Rio?

yeap, CO had 2 weeks off.