August 2014 Interviews

[LifeOnHold 186]

Don't worry, you did not need to do anything. And CONGRATS!

Once again, CONGRATS!

About the Visa, I believe above all I got lucky, as my visa was issued the 18th and mailed the 22nd arriving today.

Before all this computer problems started http://bigstory.ap.org/article/glitch-crashes-global-us-passport-visa-operations

But there is one thing, because they made us take off the sponge protection of the return envelope, the brown envelope that we are not suppose to open it is torn, kind of badly.

Is that going to be a problem?

Plus, my husband just change his address, rented a new home for us, how do we communicate that: send e-mail to uscis? At the POE?

Why don't you take the Chronopost Envelope and the brown envelope so that at POE they can see that it was torn while being mailed to you and you had nothing to do with it.

If the address they have is an address where family lives, then you can keep it. At least that is what we were told at the interview. It is just a place where they can send you mail.

[CBCB 8]

VISA APPROVED!

It took 2 hours, everyone was friendly. I got really worried when they told me I might have to come back in a week because there was a computer system problem and that they couldn't access my ds260... right before she was going to give up, it got unlocked!

I'll write a review of the embassy.

PS: when the PO told me congrats and that we were approved, I just left. I had nothing to sign before leaving right? I got so surprised the interview itself took only 3 minutes I was confused and just left without asking...

Congratulations! You must have been so worried with "the computer problem"... Glad everything turned out well.

Enjoy your last weeks in France! I just arrived yesterday in the States! Such a long journey!... All over!

[cindy0908 55]

I really want to get my passport back! with a visa on it of course.... Don't know how long they can fix the computer problem, I couldn't book flight..I'm sorry..murmuring now...

[LifeOnHold 186]

I really want to get my passport back! with a visa on it of course.... Don't know how long they can fix the computer problem, I couldn't book flight..I'm sorry..murmuring now...

.

Don't worry, I'm feeling the same way. It's like we were so close to the end and now we are back to waiting with no answers... Again.

Congratulations! You must have been so worried with "the computer problem"... Glad everything turned out well.

Enjoy your last weeks in France! I just arrived yesterday in the States! Such a long journey!... All over!

Welcome to AMERICA!!! But most importantly to being with the one you love <3

[LifeOnHold 186]

Hey folks! Waving from the Hudson Valley in New York with some friendly advice about Social Security Numbers!

We very clearly ticked the box saying we wanted Julie to get her Social Security Number (it's in the DS-260). Someone on the list (thank you, whoever you were) said it was good to remind the CBP officer at the POE to make sure the box was checked on their screen too, because that is really the place that the SSN request is generated.

We very carefully mentioned it to both the first CBP officer at JFK, and he heard us, but didn't comment. We also mentioned it to the second CBP officer in the secondary room after he said that everything would be sent to the address specified in the DS-260. I said something like - that means the Social Security Number too, right? And he said, Oh, you can go to your local office to apply for that.

Neither of us was willing to push a CBP officer further and tell him to check the box on the screen, so we just got out of there.

But we did wonder if the SSN request was in the system, or whether we needed to go into our local office. I really didn't want to go to our local office. We live in a very small town that is not, as a whole, well-educated or very wealthy, and I've been in the SSN office before, and it wasn't too pleasant.

But since Julie needs a Social Security Card in hand before she can apply for a Driver's License, we wanted to make sure the SSN generation was in process.

So we went to the office and Julie went up and checked to see if they could tell if a request had been generated. As it turns out, the clerk helping her (who had to be in her early 40s) had NEVER processed a CR-1 or IR-1 visa applicant before! She had to look everything up! We had to wait about 35 minutes in line - there were about 10 British young people ahead of us who were summer camp counselors getting their SSNs - so I found a paper copy of the application that Julie had filled out before her number was called.

And...it turned out that the CBP officers had NOT generated the SSN request. Julie immigrated 8 days ago, so that has put us at least a week behind on getting the SSN.

However - the clerk said she'd get it in the mail within a week, most likely, which is still a week ahead of what we'd been told it would take when it was generated via the DS-260.

My advice? I think it probably depends on your POE - and JFK has three terminals that handle international flights - so perhaps it's only Terminal 7 that doesn't tick the box on the system. But double-check - either at POE, or...go into your local office if you can. Try to make sure you understand whether they've done it at the POE - otherwise, you will HAVE to go to your local office.

By the way - New York is a tough state in which to get a license if you are anything but Canadian. They do not allow reciprocal privileges for any other country. Julie, at nearly 60 years old, will be required to get a learner's permit first, take at least 5 hours of driving lessons, and take both a written and a driving test. I've got to teach her how to parallel park.....

Sukie in NY

The second CO we spoke to at the interview told us that as soon as we arrive we would need to go to our local Social Securoty office to get my husband's social. I was actually surprised someone ever told us. My friends went thru this same process last year and also chose to receive their SS at home. They waited for weeks and nothing arrived. They finally figured out that they had to go to thei local SS office. So they had warned me about it.

NJ is pretty easy going for an immigrant to get their license. You just need to take the written road test and pass it with 80%. And you can even keep your original license, which is nice. If I wanted to get a license in Portugal, I would have to give up my American license... Not cool.

Hope your enjoying time together at "home."

[Gurubabe 19]

Thanks dwheels, I've collected my passport and package, I was just being worried for nothing, my case status on CEAC, still shows administrative processing, and last update date was the interview date.guess it's a hitch in their system.

[observatorka 197]

Medical done! Interview in 11 days!

[Sukie 1,454]

Hi Sukie,

I don't know if you're aware of it but until this business is concluded, Julie can use her foreign driver's license, as long as it is in English or accompanied by an international permit. At least this is the case in all the States I visited and rented vehicles from, unless this rule is not applicable to fresh immigrant arrivals. Just make sure she's insured.

PS. It was me who suggested nudging the CBP officer... sorry it didn't work and am glad you didn't overdo it.

MoBar - I THOUGHT it was you!!! Yes, we know that her Australian license is good - BUT - New York requires her to make the first move on her driver's license within 30 days after she immigrates. Many police officers wouldn't know this, but that's what the law says. Since she cannot even apply for her learner's permit until she has the SSN card, that's why we need that card ASAP.

Since Oz drives on the "other" side of the road, I do (most) of the driving when we are in the States, and she does most of the driving when we're in Oz. But we each need to be licensed in the "other" country!

Sukie in NY

[Yhan2x 37]

UPDATE!

[MsGoyave 45]

Congrats!!! Can't believe the system decided to crash now.

You had nothing to do. Just skip away from the US Consulate lol. Wonder if it was the same young girl who interviewed us.

Thanks lifeonhold! VJmembers have been a great support for us!

At the embassy the lady told me some portuguese had to come back this week because they couldnt access the ds260 last week! She was a bit embarrassed... But I am really glad it finally worked out! Hope the visa won't be delayed too much. Is your ceac status still at "ready"?

The girl who interviewed me was young, brunette, probably with Asian origins. She was nice but her French was a bit tough to understand!

Congratulations! You must have been so worried with "the computer problem"... Glad everything turned out well.

Enjoy your last weeks in France! I just arrived yesterday in the States! Such a long journey!... All over!

Thanks a lot! I hope the visa won't be delayed for too long, but it's a real relief. The interview was really quick and all the proofs I prepared were useless! I'm happy you are already in the US, enjoy it!!

UPDATE!image.jpg

Thanks a lot for the update! This is good news!

[MsGoyave 45]

Congrats! Don't worry, just leave nothing need to sign.

Thanks a lot! I got worried! ;-)

[MsGoyave 45]

Don't worry, you did not need to do anything. And CONGRATS!

Thanks a lot! You received your visa pretty quickly! You must be so relieved! Now it's time to pack ;-)

[ragex 13]

UPDATE!image.jpg

Sweet!

[FD&MDVL 58]

This is not good: consulate system for processing passports and visas has crashed.

http://apne.ws/1z55ZEb

I agree- NOT good- but things happen for reasons--

all along I been making lemonade--

I have grown through this process- rolling with the punches--

not easy but I carry the serenity prayer with me in times of need.

You cant make this stuff up- reality is stranger than fiction, I MUST write this all down someday soon. although I don't think I will ever forget the delays and delays and delays.

[Chia&sean 17]

UPDATE!image.jpg

Thank you!!