Manila Interview Appointment

[JRluvsLhyn 0]

Next time I go for jollibee and red ribbon

even better

[annalyn 3]

what's the number of USembassy?

[TomJK 2]

Hi everyone

I know they released dates over the weekend and I also know that I stayed online without sleep for 13 hours. I never saw any change in my screen and I refreshed it every three or four seconds. I need to find out if there is something wrong with the profile or why it will not let me schedule any appointments.

My fiancée returns to the Philippines in ten days from his job on the cruise ship so maybe he will be able to find out what is wrong.

What an insane process and so impossible. I need all the good karma I can get.

Tom

[sweet cakes 326]

what's the number of USembassy?

http://manila.usembassy.gov/contact.html

- Check the "Immigrant Visa" section.

[TomJK 2]

New Question:

Since it seems that my fiancee's profile page is correct my question is that I was literally online on the page all weekend, once time for 13 straight hours, I carried my laptop with me everywhere, i refreshed the page every 15 seconds, I stayed awake and didn't sleep or anything and i NEVER saw even for a second any dates appear. I thought the dates would at least appear for a second or two and then disappear, but NOTHING ever came up on my screen. I know that they released dates. Is there any reason they did not appear even for a second on my screen? Do they ONLY appear if you have a chance to grab them?

Just wondering that if they never appear unless you can get one then how can you select or click one at all?

Tom

[llindsay 21]

New Question:

Since it seems that my fiancee's profile page is correct my question is that I was literally online on the page all weekend, once time for 13 straight hours, I carried my laptop with me everywhere, i refreshed the page every 15 seconds, I stayed awake and didn't sleep or anything and i NEVER saw even for a second any dates appear. I thought the dates would at least appear for a second or two and then disappear, but NOTHING ever came up on my screen. I know that they released dates. Is there any reason they did not appear even for a second on my screen? Do they ONLY appear if you have a chance to grab them?

Just wondering that if they never appear unless you can get one then how can you select or click one at all?

Tom

Yes and No. If a date is available then it will show up as long as it is still available and will stay there until all the slots are filled. With that being said if someone cancels a appointment it will show up but that means there is only 1 slot open for that date and you might see it but your not the only one who sees it. You might click on continue like your going to grab that date but then on the next page it tells you that there is no more appointments to schedule and what happen was that someone beat you to the punch and got to it first. Then if you refresh your screen that date will not show up on your dashboard anymore. This has happen to me before.

[Twentyten2010 2]

Trust me....this refreshing the screen process will literally drain all of the life out of you, and add lots of stress. My fiancé is talking about giving up due to our luck at getting an interview date being the worst....lol....of course I have to soothe her with words of positivity. Make sure that we are all staying positive for each other! When it is completed & over with, we will all be thankful that we didn't give in to this horrible process. On that note, let me keep refreshing my screen while my baby (fiancé) is asleep in Manila.

[foofighter38 0]

So basically you have to wait online to get an appointment? Will the embassy ever give you an appointment if you don't go online and wait forever? I was told that a large number of appointments for the interview are done by the people at St. Luke's. Was I told incorrectly?

[Happy in love 1]

Getting an appointment is the most absolutely the most frustrating thing at I have done.

But to be honest I am sitting here in the US with a roof over my head and food in my refrigerator, my fiancé also has a roof over her head and food on the table. The typhoon created unimaginable devastation to people’s lives their families. There are children with no parents, their parents that have lost children and have nowhere to work living underneath the plastic tent.

The monsoon and typhoons season is once again upon Philippines again. I’m pretty sure the embassy’s very overwhelmed with the daunting task of helping the people. As much as I want my fiancé to get the visa I understand their people in need that make up before me.

I believe if I’m patient and understanding it will work out!

[TomJK 2]

Can I ask one more question? I have NEVERseen a date EVER, has this happened to anyone else on here? I also dont mine waiting and know there is a huge number but I have been doing this for over a month and have never seen a single time when there was even a date available. Is this normal?

[foofighter38 0]

I have never, ever seen a date.

[annalyn 3]

http://manila.usembassy.gov/contact.html

- Check the "Immigrant Visa" section.

thank you so much!

[amerikano1 3]

I have never, ever seen a date.

Be positive-I know it's difficult. I started May 18 doing the refreshing game and finally got a cancellation date May 30. It's much like fishing. I got a nibble one day (saw a date that was too soon--only two days later) so I threw that fish back. Hooked the big one on May 30 for June 19 interview date. When you're fishing, you just mindlessly enjoy the world, rather than curse at it. Stay diligent--you will get there.

[TomJK 2]

Getting an appointment is the most absolutely the most frustrating thing at I have done.

But to be honest I am sitting here in the US with a roof over my head and food in my refrigerator, my fiancé also has a roof over her head and food on the table. The typhoon created unimaginable devastation to peoples lives their families. There are children with no parents, their parents that have lost children and have nowhere to work living underneath the plastic tent.

The monsoon and typhoons season is once again upon Philippines again. Im pretty sure the embassys very overwhelmed with the daunting task of helping the people. As much as I want my fiancé to get the visa I understand their people in need that make up before me.

I believe if Im patient and understanding it will work out!

Lonesome what a noble and intelligent person you are.

[Ed and Gina 45]

One might think that USCIS/State Department and the Embassy would be a little more proactive in how they're handling this situation. The huge influx of petitions/expedites has completely overwhelmed the system/process thereby negatively imacting everyone! Expedited petitions are only as good as the ability to get an appointment once the petition has been approved. There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of Typhoon Yolanda expedited "beneficiaries" trying to get an appointment - along with the several hundred K1, K3, and other visa types - each and every month - ALL competing for the same slots.

Many have complained about how difficult it is - quite understandably. My wife and I are also frustrated. I think that "patience" is at it's wits end for just about everyone who's been trying to get an appointment. What it takes to get an appointment is astoundingly ridiculous!

Perhaps it would help if everyone wrote to the State Department in the US, with their ideas of how to remedy this situation. My thought is that there should be a unit set up in the Visayas that can handle expedites locally - more efficiently and expeditiously. That the USCIS/State Department release more visas to the Philippines to accommodate the huge influx. That the Yolanda expedites have a separate process in order to truly expedite their cases in an efficient manner. All of which would relieve the tremendous impact on the US Embassy in Manila. Manila should also set up a separate unit to deal with the Yolanda expedites. Yes, it means additional personnel, office space, equipment, and other resources, etc. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

While writing to your Congressman/Senator is useful, you will get the same reply from most of them..."it's a tough situation." This situation demands more direct contact with the Agency(ies) that oversee Embassy operations. The Embassies take direction from the State Department. Not from within.

Make your voice heard. At this rate, the situation will only get worse, long before it gets better.