Waiting and waiting and waiting

[Neferure 18]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone here can give me some help or guidance on the K1 visa process.

My fiancé is in Yemen. I contacted the NVC last week via email, they still had not responded to me by Monday so I called them. The rep. told me that they no longer had the paperwork and it had been sent to the embassy in Sanaa, Yemen on December 7, 2012. My fiancé has not been scheduled an appointment by the embassy as of yet. It was to my understanding that the embassy schedules the appointment for the K1 applicant. Is this correct, or will he have to use a form is found online (DS160 or 156?)that once you fill out you can then schedule an appointment with the Embassy.

After I contacted and found out that the paperwork had been sent to the Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen I contacted the Embassy to see what the status of the paperwork is (I originally filed I129F in July 2012) and they told me they didn't have it and to contact the NVC. I am so frustrated with this process! These people are sending me in circles. Has anyone else had this problem? Also, the original paperwork is going to expire on 03/23/13 but the Embassy told me not to worry and it won't expire while in this stage of the process. I'm worried it will expire and all this time I'm waiting will be a waste!!!

If anyone has advice or experience to share, I would greatly appreciate it!

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Just call NVC 603- 334- 0700 and DOS 202-663-1225 and ask where your case is. If they can't find it call your senator to make an inquiry. No, it will not expire while in process. When it has been received by the embassy contact them on how to proceed.

[samename 28]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone here can give me some help or guidance on the K1 visa process.

My fiancé is in Yemen. I contacted the NVC last week via email, they still had not responded to me by Monday so I called them. The rep. told me that they no longer had the paperwork and it had been sent to the embassy in Sanaa, Yemen on December 7, 2012. My fiancé has not been scheduled an appointment by the embassy as of yet. It was to my understanding that the embassy schedules the appointment for the K1 applicant. Is this correct, or will he have to use a form is found online (DS160 or 156?)that once you fill out you can then schedule an appointment with the Embassy.

After I contacted and found out that the paperwork had been sent to the Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen I contacted the Embassy to see what the status of the paperwork is (I originally filed I129F in July 2012) and they told me they didn't have it and to contact the NVC. I am so frustrated with this process! These people are sending me in circles. Has anyone else had this problem? Also, the original paperwork is going to expire on 03/23/13 but the Embassy told me not to worry and it won't expire while in this stage of the process. I'm worried it will expire and all this time I'm waiting will be a waste!!!

If anyone has advice or experience to share, I would greatly appreciate it!

Neferure,The last post by Ebunoluwa,was correct contact NVC and your senator or congressman if necessary . when they locate your case,If i am not mistaken in Yemen, you use the Ds160 and you set your own k1 appointment.I posted the link below with the information i found.Hope this helps and i'm wishing you the very best!

http://yemen.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html

Edited March 14, 2013 by samename

[baron555 934]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone here can give me some help or guidance on the K1 visa process.

My fiancé is in Yemen. I contacted the NVC last week via email, they still had not responded to me by Monday so I called them. The rep. told me that they no longer had the paperwork and it had been sent to the embassy in Sanaa, Yemen on December 7, 2012. My fiancé has not been scheduled an appointment by the embassy as of yet. It was to my understanding that the embassy schedules the appointment for the K1 applicant. Is this correct, or will he have to use a form is found online (DS160 or 156?)that once you fill out you can then schedule an appointment with the Embassy.

After I contacted and found out that the paperwork had been sent to the Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen I contacted the Embassy to see what the status of the paperwork is (I originally filed I129F in July 2012) and they told me they didn't have it and to contact the NVC. I am so frustrated with this process! These people are sending me in circles. Has anyone else had this problem? Also, the original paperwork is going to expire on 03/23/13 but the Embassy told me not to worry and it won't expire while in this stage of the process. I'm worried it will expire and all this time I'm waiting will be a waste!!!

If anyone has advice or experience to share, I would greatly appreciate it!

The paperwork will not expire. They have it or it's in between and all will be fine. Give at least three weeks between NVC and the Embassy for it so show at the Embassy.

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

First off I am curious how you contacted the Sanaa Embassy. They do not have a phone line for routine office matters or appointments. There is only the dispatch phone for Americans in trouble in Yemen. So was it email?

Secondly:

Is your fiance of Yemeni origin? If so - welcome to USE Sanaa. See my comments below for what you are in for.

If your fiance is not of Yemeni origin do the following:

- Buy him a plane ticket to his country of origin and have him fly back there

- Inform NVC you want the case transferred from Sanaa to his country of origin. Sana'a will comply because they will be happy to get a case off their desks.

- The new embassy gets the case and he interviews there

If you don't do the above, or if your fiance is Yemeni, expect to wait AT LEAST one year after sending in the DS-160 for the interview appointment. They have a backlog of over 1 year for K-1 NIV and IV immigrant cases. Many IV people have been waiting a year and a half for their interviews. The US Embassy in Sanaa is perhaps the most understaffed, least organized in the world. Their website instructions are contradictory and they are very, very slow to respond to emails. Again if he's Yemeni after the interview expect he will spend several months in Administrative Processing while they investigate his background and also your relationship. In their own words, all cases are fraudulent until proven otherwise. They will ask for a list of references (relatives, friends, colleagues) they can call to verify his marital status and your relationship. They wait several months before making these calls because they think they are more likely to get the truth rather than a scripted story.

All you can do is email them reminders every once in a while that your fiance is still waiting for his interview appointment and that your I-129F petition expires on XX/XX/XXXX. This will not expedite his case in any way, but it will remind them you refuse to fall through the cracks.

Even if you try to get the case moved to Jordan (which they allowed in 2011 when Sanaa was closed - don't know if they will allow it now) he will still need to have his medical exam done in Yemen because they require a drug test for Qat that doctors don't perform in Jordan.

As for the I-129F petition expiration, don't worry about it. No K-1 visa at Sanaa will ever be issued before its corresponding petition expires. They will renew it for you.

I know this all sounds very harsh but this is the reality Yemenis seeking visas to the US deal with. I do feel a lot of empathy for the Embassy staff because they are in a very dangerous situation and many days they probably can't even get to work safely. Not to mention there are constant militant attacks on the power grid which leaves much of the country with intermittent blackouts. I wish I could believe things will get better in the near future, but I don't see Yemen post "revolution" improving any time soon. A whole lot of good it has done them *sarcasm*.

If you ever need someone to vent with, feel free to PM me. We Yemen petitioners are few in number. Wishing you all the luck in the world

[Neferure 18]

Thanks for the reply. I contacted the Embassy by email. I did find a phone number for the Embassy and I called the line, but they said they do not take visa inquiries by phone. So I am stuck with communication by email. My fiance is Yemeni. How long have you been in the process of the K1 visa? Has your fiance filed the DS160? Has he tried to schedule an appointment? I have received very fast replies when emailing them. It was the NVC who was slow to reply. This whole process sucks, and it's like being punished for doing things correctly. I did write my congressman last night to see if I can get some assistance.

I really don't like the fact that the NVC said they sent the paperwork to Sanaa and then Sanaa says they don't have it. It was sent to them by the NVC on 12/07/12... Should have been there by now and they should have a record of it.

First off I am curious how you contacted the Sanaa Embassy. They do not have a phone line for routine office matters or appointments. There is only the dispatch phone for Americans in trouble in Yemen. So was it email?

Secondly:

Is your fiance of Yemeni origin? If so - welcome to USE Sanaa. See my comments below for what you are in for.

If your fiance is not of Yemeni origin do the following:

- Buy him a plane ticket to his country of origin and have him fly back there

- Inform NVC you want the case transferred from Sanaa to his country of origin. Sana'a will comply because they will be happy to get a case off their desks.

- The new embassy gets the case and he interviews there

If you don't do the above, or if your fiance is Yemeni, expect to wait AT LEAST one year after sending in the DS-160 for the interview appointment. They have a backlog of over 1 year for K-1 NIV and IV immigrant cases. Many IV people have been waiting a year and a half for their interviews. The US Embassy in Sanaa is perhaps the most understaffed, least organized in the world. Their website instructions are contradictory and they are very, very slow to respond to emails. Again if he's Yemeni after the interview expect he will spend several months in Administrative Processing while they investigate his background and also your relationship. In their own words, all cases are fraudulent until proven otherwise. They will ask for a list of references (relatives, friends, colleagues) they can call to verify his marital status and your relationship. They wait several months before making these calls because they think they are more likely to get the truth rather than a scripted story.

All you can do is email them reminders every once in a while that your fiance is still waiting for his interview appointment and that your I-129F petition expires on XX/XX/XXXX. This will not expedite his case in any way, but it will remind them you refuse to fall through the cracks.

Even if you try to get the case moved to Jordan (which they allowed in 2011 when Sanaa was closed - don't know if they will allow it now) he will still need to have his medical exam done in Yemen because they require a drug test for Qat that doctors don't perform in Jordan.

As for the I-129F petition expiration, don't worry about it. No K-1 visa at Sanaa will ever be issued before its corresponding petition expires. They will renew it for you.

I know this all sounds very harsh but this is the reality Yemenis seeking visas to the US deal with. I do feel a lot of empathy for the Embassy staff because they are in a very dangerous situation and many days they probably can't even get to work safely. Not to mention there are constant militant attacks on the power grid which leaves much of the country with intermittent blackouts. I wish I could believe things will get better in the near future, but I don't see Yemen post "revolution" improving any time soon. A whole lot of good it has done them *sarcasm*.

If you ever need someone to vent with, feel free to PM me. We Yemen petitioners are few in number. Wishing you all the luck in the world

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

Thanks for the reply. I contacted the Embassy by email. I did find a phone number for the Embassy and I called the line, but they said they do not take visa inquiries by phone. So I am stuck with communication by email. My fiance is Yemeni. How long have you been in the process of the K1 visa? Has your fiance filed the DS160? Has he tried to schedule an appointment? I have received very fast replies when emailing them. It was the NVC who was slow to reply. This whole process sucks, and it's like being punished for doing things correctly. I did write my congressman last night to see if I can get some assistance.

I really don't like the fact that the NVC said they sent the paperwork to Sanaa and then Sanaa says they don't have it. It was sent to them by the NVC on 12/07/12... Should have been there by now and they should have a record of it.

As others posters said you can find out where your application is by calling the NVC and DOS hotline numbers. I suggest try your luck with the DOS line. Your congressperson's staff can also inquire for you. What were the instructions given for submitting packet 2 to NVC? If it's at the Embassy then yes by all means your fiance should fill out the DS-160 form online, print out the confirmation and try to schedule his appointment online. If that doesn't work then email the embassy again and include the case number (Starts with SAA). I'm pretty sure they will email your fiance with the interview date when it's available. I haven't gotten to where you are at yet but I have been in contact with others who have already been through the whole ordeal. I'll see if they can offer you any further advice.

[Neferure 18]

I did contact the NVC, but they told me they sent the paperwork to the Embassy in Sanaa on December 7, 2012. When I inquired with the Sannaa Embassy, they told me (in email) that they didn't have the paperwork yet. It doesn't take 3 months for paperwork to get there, so I'm concerned they mis-placed or lost it! I did find a number for the DOS Visa section - (202)663-1225 - is this the correct number to contact someone there? After the USCIS approved and completed the paperwork, they forwarded it to the NVC. I then got the NOA2 from the USCIS and a letter from NVC shortly after. Now we are in limbo waiting for an appointment. He was filling out the DS160 today (we didn't know to do this until I did some digging on the internet) I'm praying he can make an appointment soon....UGH.....

As others posters said you can find out where your application is by calling the NVC and DOS hotline numbers. I suggest try your luck with the DOS line. Your congressperson's staff can also inquire for you. What were the instructions given for submitting packet 2 to NVC? If it's at the Embassy then yes by all means your fiance should fill out the DS-160 form online, print out the confirmation and try to schedule his appointment online. If that doesn't work then email the embassy again and include the case number (Starts with SAA). I'm pretty sure they will email your fiance with the interview date when it's available. I haven't gotten to where you are at yet but I have been in contact with others who have already been through the whole ordeal. I'll see if they can offer you any further advice.

[TBoneTX 45,284]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the Case Progress subforum. ***

[Neferure 18]

UPDATE: Well, a little movement in the right direction today. Received a reply from the embassy in Sanaa stating they received the paperwork on March 11th (NVC said they sent on December 07, 2012 *really* it takes that long to send?) and they will contact me when there is an available appointment. Not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon!

<a href="http://daisypath.com/"><img src="http://dvcf.daisypath.com/Ozu6m4.png" width="400" height="80" border="0" alt="Daisypath Vacation tickers" /></a>

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone here can give me some help or guidance on the K1 visa process.

My fiancé is in Yemen. I contacted the NVC last week via email, they still had not responded to me by Monday so I called them. The rep. told me that they no longer had the paperwork and it had been sent to the embassy in Sanaa, Yemen on December 7, 2012. My fiancé has not been scheduled an appointment by the embassy as of yet. It was to my understanding that the embassy schedules the appointment for the K1 applicant. Is this correct, or will he have to use a form is found online (DS160 or 156?)that once you fill out you can then schedule an appointment with the Embassy.

After I contacted and found out that the paperwork had been sent to the Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen I contacted the Embassy to see what the status of the paperwork is (I originally filed I129F in July 2012) and they told me they didn't have it and to contact the NVC. I am so frustrated with this process! These people are sending me in circles. Has anyone else had this problem? Also, the original paperwork is going to expire on 03/23/13 but the Embassy told me not to worry and it won't expire while in this stage of the process. I'm worried it will expire and all this time I'm waiting will be a waste!!!

If anyone has advice or experience to share, I would greatly appreciate it!

[X Factor 1,112]

UPDATE: Well, a little movement in the right direction today. Received a reply from the embassy in Sanaa stating they received the paperwork on March 11th (NVC said they sent on December 07, 2012 *really* it takes that long to send?) and they will contact me when there is an available appointment. Not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon!

<a href="http://daisypath.com/"><img src="http://dvcf.daisypath.com/Ozu6m4.png" width="400" height="80" border="0" alt="Daisypath Vacation tickers" /></a>

3 months to send

[Neferure 18]

3 months to send

Yes... The embassy in Sanaa is VERY VERY slow with processing. I have heard it could be 9 months to a year and a half before an appointment gets scheduled. Hoping and praying it doesn't take so long and things can move a little faster....

[X Factor 1,112]

Yes... The embassy in Sanaa is VERY VERY slow with processing. I have heard it could be 9 months to a year and a half before an appointment gets scheduled. Hoping and praying it doesn't take so long and things can move a little faster....

That is insane. They need to make some serious changes and hire more people