Kingston field office closing!!!

[HawaiianCecil 31]

I just read that USCIS is closing the Kingston Embassy on March 1 and its stating that the embassy in Santo Domingo will assume all duties. Does this mean we will have to fly to the Dominican Republic for his interview??? I'd appreciate any kind of insight into this because I'm just in disbelief...Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.....Any Jamaica VJ members that gets an interview scheduled after March 1 - please share!

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Here is the US Embassy in Jamaica website http://kingston.usembassy.gov/index.html there is nothing on here about any closing. Please post what you read and where did you ge this information.

Edited January 26, 2013 by LIFE'SJOURNEY

[HawaiianCecil 31]

Here is the US Embassy in Jamaica website http://kingston.usembassy.gov/index.html there is nothing on here about any closing. Please post what you read and where did you ge this information.

Read it on the USCIS website so I have to assume that it's true.....

On March 1, 2013, USCIS will permanently close its field office in Kingston, Jamaica and the USCIS Field Office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic will assume Kingston’s former jurisdiction.

The Kingston Field Office had jurisdiction over Jamaica, Anguilla, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.

After March 1, 2013, applications or petitions previously accepted at the Kingston Field Office should be filed as directed below.

Edited January 26, 2013 by HawaiianCecil

[JEWELLA 10]

I just read that USCIS is closing the Kingston Embassy on March 1 and its stating that the embassy in Santo Domingo will assume all duties. Does this mean we will have to fly to the Dominican Republic for his interview??? I'd appreciate any kind of insight into this because I'm just in disbelief...Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.....Any Jamaica VJ members that gets an interview scheduled after March 1 - please share!

I'm no immigration expect and such,i just visited the USCIS website and from my understanding it's not the embassy/consulate that is closing.It is the USCIS field office is closing off at the Kingston Embassy.

oh by the way it is the USCIS filed office that you file immigration petition with and not the actual embassy where you have your interview.

Edited January 26, 2013 by DOLLYBABY

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I think it just means they are getting rid of DCF and the field office in Jamaica.

I think they'd be clear if the IV unit at Kingston was closing though. We don't have an IV unit in Denmark or Norway any more and the cases are processed in Sweden. *shrugs* It wouldn't be the end of the world.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I just read that USCIS is closing the Kingston Embassy on March 1 and its stating that the embassy in Santo Domingo will assume all duties. Does this mean we will have to fly to the Dominican Republic for his interview??? I'd appreciate any kind of insight into this because I'm just in disbelief...Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.....Any Jamaica VJ members that gets an interview scheduled after March 1 - please share!

USCIS has nothing whatever to do with embassies and consulates, that is the Department of State. If the consulate is closed before your interview you will hae to go to whichever consulate is designated as the alternate.

[HawaiianCecil 31]

I think it just means they are getting rid of DCF and the field office in Jamaica.

I think they'd be clear if the IV unit at Kingston was closing though. We don't have an IV unit in Denmark or Norway any more and the cases are processed in Sweden. *shrugs* It wouldn't be the end of the world.

Maybe not if you live as close as you do but for someone in Jamaica, it is a very big deal to have to travel to the Dominican Republic.....

[HawaiianCecil 31]

I'm no immigration expect and such,i just visited the USCIS website and from my understanding it's not the embassy/consulate that is closing.It is the USCIS field office is closing off at the Kingston Embassy.

oh by the way it is the USCIS filed office that you file immigration petition with and not the actual embassy where you have your interview.

Right, so if they close the field office then I'm looking at going to Dominican Republic......

I just read that USCIS is closing the Kingston field office on March 1 and its stating that the embassy in Santo Domingo will assume all duties. Does this mean we will have to fly to the Dominican Republic for his interview??? I'd appreciate any kind of insight into this because I'm just in disbelief...Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.....Any Jamaica VJ members that gets an interview scheduled after March 1 - please share!

Meant field office, not embassy but still not good....

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Maybe not if you live as close as you do but for someone in Jamaica, it is a very big deal to have to travel to the Dominican Republic.....

Uhhhh, it is 950 km or about a 9 hour drive for us from our city in Denmark to Stockholm and will cost a lot in fuel and bridge tolls about. We don't have a car, so we'd actually have to use the train, which is an at least 10 hour trip and not cheap.

The distance between Kingston and Santo Domingo is 722 km.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Nola123

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

USCIS does not issue VISAS. It does affect the direct consulate filing. If the only thing closing is the USCIS field office, it should not affect the issuance of K-1 visas.

[HawaiianCecil 31]

USCIS does not issue VISAS. It does affect the direct consulate filing. If the only thing closing is the USCIS field office, it should not affect the issuance of K-1 visas.

Thank you for that reply! I certainly hope not....

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

On March 1, 2013, USCIS will permanently close its field office in Kingston, Jamaica and the USCIS Field Office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic will assume Kingston’s former jurisdiction.

I's exacly as it is written, the field office, there is nothing about the consular being closed. All interviews are held at the US Consular in Jamaica.

Two different agencies tha two diffren aspects of the visa process.

The field office of USCIS receives and review visa petiions for DCF

The US consular revivews and awards and approves visa.

[HawaiianCecil 31]

Uhhhh, it is 950 km or about a 9 hour drive for us from our city in Denmark to Stockholm and will cost a lot in fuel and bridge tolls about. We don't have a car, so we'd actually have to use the train, which is an at least 10 hour trip and not cheap.

The distance between Kingston and Santo Domingo is 722 km.

Yeah, I'm from Sweden so I am well aware of the tolls, distances. There are no direct flights from Jamaica to the Dominican Republic at all so he'd have to go via Miami and of course, driving is not even an option for him

Anyways, good luck to you on your journey!

[JEWELLA 10]

Right, so if they close the field office then I'm looking at going to Dominican Republic......

no you won't go to Dominican republic for an interview.it's just the USCIS field office is closing. USCIS field office is the department that you locally go to file your original petition (s)...it's kinda like the Vermont center and California center etc.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

No one goes to any USCIS field office for anything so I don't know what all the talk about travel is all about.