NEED URGENT HELP: PASSPORT MISSING AT EMBASSY

[jilwrinkle 0]

Okay... anybody who can put me in touch with someone inside the daunting walls of the American Embassy in Manila gets my greatest gratitude.

Here is the background:

My wife had her K1 immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Tuesday, November 8th.

Unfortunately, Monday, November 7th was a national holiday: Epril (my wife) was unable to pick up her required medical examination results from St. Luke's Medical Center in Manila that day because the offices were closed.

Due to the fact that Epril had to be at the embassy for her interview very early on the morning of the 8th, she went to her interview without the medical results. The embassy interviewer said that was no problem: Just go with her passport to St. Lukes after the interview, pick up the medical records, drop the passport and medical records back at the embassy, and everything would proceed as scheduled.

Epril went with her passport and picked up her medical records. However, when she returned to the embassy, the embassy was closed. The people at St. Luke's foresaw this happening though, and told her that since the embassy would be closed (and Epril needed to catch her flight back to CDO), Epril could use the embassy's official courier (called "2Go") to deliver her passport and medical records to the embassy. This is what Epril did.

And that is the last we have heard of Epril's passport and visa application... 2-1/2 weeks ago. (Typical processing time is half that.) We do have an electronic (online) confirmation that the visa and passport arrived at the American embassy, but nothing since.

Calling/faxing/e-mailing the embassy so far has yielded no results (and barely automated acknowledgement of receipt). I really want Epril to be here in America for Christmas, as we have plans and everything... and this situation is looking to ruin it.

SO: Can anybody put me in DIRECT CONTACT with somebody inside the American Embassy in Manila, who can do a search for my wife's lost passport and medical packet? At least find out if it is being processed, and is just taking a while? Anything would be helpful.

Thanks very much.

[jilwrinkle 0]

(Double posted at the regional/Philippines section for more replies/exposure. Thanks for understanding.)

Okay... anybody who can put me in touch with someone inside the daunting walls of the American Embassy in Manila gets my greatest gratitude.

Here is the background:

My wife had her K1 immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Tuesday, November 8th.

Unfortunately, Monday, November 7th was a national holiday: Epril (my wife) was unable to pick up her required medical examination results from St. Luke's Medical Center in Manila that day because the offices were closed.

Due to the fact that Epril had to be at the embassy for her interview very early on the morning of the 8th, she went to her interview without the medical results. The embassy interviewer said that was no problem: Just go with her passport to St. Lukes after the interview, pick up the medical records, drop the passport and medical records back at the embassy, and everything would proceed as scheduled.

Epril went with her passport and picked up her medical records. However, when she returned to the embassy, the embassy was closed. The people at St. Luke's foresaw this happening though, and told her that since the embassy would be closed (and Epril needed to catch her flight back to CDO), Epril could use the embassy's official courier (called "2Go") to deliver her passport and medical records to the embassy. This is what Epril did.

And that is the last we have heard of Epril's passport and visa application... 2-1/2 weeks ago. (Typical processing time is half that.) We do have an electronic (online) confirmation that the visa and passport arrived at the American embassy, but nothing since.

Calling/faxing/e-mailing the embassy so far has yielded no results (and barely automated acknowledgement of receipt). I really want Epril to be here in America for Christmas, as we have plans and everything... and this situation is looking to ruin it.

SO: Can anybody put me in DIRECT CONTACT with somebody inside the American Embassy in Manila, who can do a search for my wife's lost passport and medical packet? At least find out if it is being processed, and is just taking a while? Anything would be helpful.

Thanks very much.

[sunandmoon 450]

phone number 632 301-2000 ext 5184 or 5185 for inquiries in the Immigrant Visa Unit. you have to be persistent to get thru. perhaps someone knows another ext number.

Edited December 3, 2011 by sunandmoon

[Tim/Mav 305]

It dont appear her Passport and Medical records are lost. Just taking a bit longer. You yourself stated: She had to depart and will await a VISA and her Passport in the Mail.

Slow down and chill. For all you know it has been issued and in the mail. I know your question is : How do I know. Who do I call. ..

Patience. I think just a delay in her getting the Mail.

[jilwrinkle 0]

phone number 632 301-2000 ext 5184 or 5185 for inquiries in the Immigrant Visa Unit. you have to be persistent to get thru. perhaps someone knows another ext number.

Yeah, I tried dialing those extensions for about 2 hours last Wednesday and never got through. Thanks for the thought though.

[jilwrinkle 0]

Thanks for the thought, but considering that the average wait time for a visa at Manila is currently less than 9 days, and we are coming up on 28 days, I think it is safe® to assume that something has gone amiss. Patience would have been called for at 14 days... or at 21 days. Not at 28 days.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Yeah, I tried dialing those extensions for about 2 hours last Wednesday and never got through. Thanks for the thought though.

Wednesday was a Filipino holiday, almost bet the embassy was not open... after all it is the government .. they like to shut down for EVERY holiday.

[Tim/Mav 305]

I don't know. Try this number if you have'nt already. 011-632-301-0958

[jilwrinkle 0]

I don't know. Try this number if you have'nt already. 011-632-301-0958

I just tried to dial that number (I know... Saturday morning there, so nobody would answer, but I was curious as to what the number might be) and it said "The number is incorrect. Please dial again."

[jilwrinkle 0]

Wednesday was a Filipino holiday, almost bet the embassy was not open... after all it is the government .. they like to shut down for EVERY holiday.

Either the embassy was not closed, or I mis-remembered the day I tried calling: When you call the 301-2000 number and the embassy is closed, that is the first thing the automated voice says, and it does not give you an option to dial any extensions.

[dukeandduchess 141]

There might be a delay because her passport came via courier. They also sometimes hold passports for further processing despite being told the visa has been approved. It almost took me 3 weeks to get my passport with my visa back in Canada. It's not always an instant thing. Look for a phone number and keep emailing them until you get an answer if you're super worried about it.

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

***** Duplicate topic from K1 forum merged to this one as it is a country specific issue *****

[Zharren Young 32]

thats the problem when you have delays in your docs being submitted at the USEM, anything to follow takes forever to be looked at again. keep emailing if you cant go thru the phones.

[Tahoma 2,292]

phone number 632 301-2000 ext 5184 or 5185 for inquiries in the Immigrant Visa Unit. you have to be persistent to get thru. perhaps someone knows another ext number.

^^^ :thumbs:

Yeah, I tried dialing those extensions for about 2 hours last Wednesday and never got through. Thanks for the thought though.

Keep trying that number. Try it early-- between 7-8 am Manila time. Be persistent.

Also, email them.

28 days is not a long time if your case is in administrative review.

Good luck.

[Kevin&Lenith 36]

ok silly question did u contact 2go and verify that it was actually delivered and when?