All Japan Filers

[Ling Ling 22]

Happy New Year, folks. I hope you all have a few beers left in the fridge to nurse them hangovers.

Regarding interviews in Tokyo:

When I went to the US embassy in Tokyo a few years back to get my prerequisite "I'm not some scumbag with a wife and kids back in the US" form notarized to be married in Japan, they had two lines out front- one for US citizens, and one for non-US citizens. Being a US citizen, I queued up behind the dozen or so of my compatriots and was inside in a jiffy.

The non-US citizen line stretched out the gates, around the block, and halfway to Sendai. There were buzzards circling overhead.

My question: Is my wife required to wait out front for hours with all the heathens, or can she tell the security guard that she has an appointment and scoot right in the door with the (God bless 'em) Americans? Her interview is in less than 3 weeks' time.

Cheers,

U. Wally

I haven't seen a line for US citizens at the Tokyo Embassy for quite some while. And, yes, she will have to wait in the foreigner's line. It makes no difference if she has an appointment or not, it will not get her a better spot. That "appointment" thing is highly overrated anyway. It's first come, first

in. So, tell your wife to be early or at least on time. Best of luck and Happy New Year.

I was in Tokyo 4 times last year, and each time there was some kind of line for foreigners into the Embassy.

We set my wife's interview time for first thing in the morning, so she didn't experience a line by getting there a little early.

I'll check with her, but I have a feeling that the interview letter does give you a bit of "juice".

[Uncle Wally 2]

I was in Tokyo 4 times last year, and each time there was some kind of line for foreigners into the Embassy.

We set my wife's interview time for first thing in the morning, so she didn't experience a line by getting there a little early.

I'll check with her, but I have a feeling that the interview letter does give you a bit of "juice".

Hey boss,

Any word from your wife about showing the security feller the appointment letter and getting in quicker?

Cheers,

U. Wally

[s-luvs-k 0]

Hey everybody,

Long time gone but I wanted to tell everyone that everything you are going through right now is all worth it. It is the hardest thing I have don e and now I am getting ready for the change over to no restrictions on her gree card this summer. But stick with it. Trust me. And everyone who has kept this thread alive: you guys are awsome.

PS- s-luvs-k is on the inside of my wedding ring now.

[Uncle Wally 2]

Can the visa interview at the embassy in Tokyo be conducted in Japanese if my wife doesn't understand some of the questions in English? When I was there to get something notarized, I noticed that the staff all seem bilingual, and last I knew, fluency in English wasn't a prerequisite to attaining a visa to live in the US.

Anybody's spouse/fiance go through the interview in Japanese or combined Japanese/English?

[Justin and Masako 0]

Can the visa interview at the embassy in Tokyo be conducted in Japanese if my wife doesn't understand some of the questions in English? When I was there to get something notarized, I noticed that the staff all seem bilingual, and last I knew, fluency in English wasn't a prerequisite to attaining a visa to live in the US.

Anybody's spouse/fiance go through the interview in Japanese or combined Japanese/English?

When we went through they asked my wife if she needed or wanted to do the interview in Japanese. She didn't but there was at least the option to. Actually we really didn't have any questions asked of us. Just forms to hand in (just medical I think) and waiting time.

I'm sure they can accommodate someone who isn't fluent in English.

[Uncle Wally 2]

Can the visa interview at the embassy in Tokyo be conducted in Japanese if my wife doesn't understand some of the questions in English? When I was there to get something notarized, I noticed that the staff all seem bilingual, and last I knew, fluency in English wasn't a prerequisite to attaining a visa to live in the US.

Anybody's spouse/fiance go through the interview in Japanese or combined Japanese/English?

When we went through they asked my wife if she needed or wanted to do the interview in Japanese. She didn't but there was at least the option to. Actually we really didn't have any questions asked of us. Just forms to hand in (just medical I think) and waiting time.

I'm sure they can accommodate someone who isn't fluent in English.

Glad to hear it, and thanks again for your response.

She's gonna try to go for it in English, but that will certainly be a relief to her to know that she has the option to switch over to J-go if she needs to.

[Uncle Wally 2]

I tell ya, if it ain't one thing with Uncle Sam, it's another.

I've never had anything lost in the mail between here and Japan, but I still opted to pay $26 bucks to send my wife the birth certificate, copy of my passport, et cetera that she needs for her interview via 'Express Mail'.

Well, we're 2 weeks and running since I've sent it and she hasn't received it, and the tracking hotline a$$holes are no help. Christ, a good old postcard just takes a week. This Express ####### is supposed to be on the road Sundays and holidays and whatnot.

We're too close now to her interview date for me to gather everything and get them to her in time, looks like we may be changing our interview date due to more bureaucratic incompetency. We'll hold out to the last moment and hope for the best, though.

Anyone know if we can change it by days or weeks, or are we just gonna be shoved in with next month's round?

[Ling Ling 22]

I tell ya, if it ain't one thing with Uncle Sam, it's another.

I've never had anything lost in the mail between here and Japan, but I still opted to pay $26 bucks to send my wife the birth certificate, copy of my passport, et cetera that she needs for her interview via 'Express Mail'.

Well, we're 2 weeks and running since I've sent it and she hasn't received it, and the tracking hotline a$$holes are no help. Christ, a good old postcard just takes a week. This Express ####### is supposed to be on the road Sundays and holidays and whatnot.

We're too close now to her interview date for me to gather everything and get them to her in time, looks like we may be changing our interview date due to more bureaucratic incompetency. We'll hold out to the last moment and hope for the best, though.

Anyone know if we can change it by days or weeks, or are we just gonna be shoved in with next month's round?

Didn't you send everything to NVC? Did they TELL you to bring original BC and copy of passport? All that stuff should've gone with your IV package.

OH...I just remembered to ask the wifEy about her interview...she's back in Tokyo again.

As for changing your interview date...if you go through NVC, you'll absolutely be bumped into the next month.

If you go through the Embassy, you might be able to get an earlier replacement interview.

My wife sent a package from Tokyo on Nov. 5th, it arrived on Dec. 20th.

Get back to me on your checklist...you may have nothing to worry about.

[Ling Ling 22]

Here's a link to wifEy's interview report.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2368798

She (and many Japanese) are a bit more patient and not as aggressive as most of us (Americans) are.

Meaning, most of us would stick the appointment letter in the guard's face, and ask why we were standing behind people without appointments.

So...just because she didn't use the letter to improve her position in line, doesn't mean it wouldn't.

And just because you tell your wife to use the letter to improve her position in line, doesn't mean she will.

Oh...she also mentioned that there was only 1 line....but when she went for her business visa there were 2 lines.

As I recall, if you're facing the Embassy, there are usually 2 lines. The one on the left is for US citizens, and the one on the right is for non-US citizens.

You have to show a passport or some proof of official business just to get on the same block as the US Embassy.

I remember visiting Embassy Row in Washington DC, and the Japanese Embassy there....they had all these African guards around the Embassy.

Weird.

[Uncle Wally 2]

Cheers for the link and info.

My lawyer sent me a package of stuff to forward to my wife for her to bring to the interview, and that's what was possibly lost in the mail. It was possibly redundancies of stuff they should already have from NVC just to be safe, but I think I recall a checklist from NVC addressed to my wife that included some of the stuff in the package.

I guess I'll have to call the lawyer to see what he says. All I know is "Express" mail is malarkey. I chose that option mainly because the guy at the post office said that would be the only way to get a receipt signature for international post.

[Istan-ns 0]

Cheers for the link and info.

My lawyer sent me a package of stuff to forward to my wife for her to bring to the interview, and that's what was possibly lost in the mail. It was possibly redundancies of stuff they should already have from NVC just to be safe, but I think I recall a checklist from NVC addressed to my wife that included some of the stuff in the package.

I guess I'll have to call the lawyer to see what he says. All I know is "Express" mail is malarkey. I chose that option mainly because the guy at the post office said that would be the only way to get a receipt signature for international post.

I did the 46$ FEDEX route to send like 6 pieces of paper. Which seems insane that it would cost that much more than a post card. I feel you on that.

Luckily it got to her place last thursday. The other documents I hand delivered to her when I went to Japan over the new years; I felt safer going that route. A much better 1100$ to spend and I got to meet her parents.

Hopefully everyone is ready for the interview on the 20th (only 2 days from now)! I see a few VJers will be there.

Good luck.

[Uncle Wally 2]

My lawyer, wife, and I had a conference call the other day and the lawyer said that even though the post office lost our stuff, she shouldn't reschedule her interview. He said that as she had her own appointment letter from the NVC, she'd get to have her interview. Should they need anything else, she'd probably be able to send it to them later. He said they should have a copy of most of the stuff that was lost anyway, he had me send it to be on the safe side.

As I type this, she should be making her way through security to get into the embassy for her 9:30am interview.

[Ev&Saya 0]

I am sending my fiance my i-134, do you think fed ex is safer than the post office?

[Uncle Wally 2]

I am sending my fiance my i-134, do you think fed ex is safer than the post office?

I think so, but that opinion is based upon my negative experience with USPS.

Also, in my unsuccessful bids to track down my lost parcel, a Postal Service lady told me that "we don't have our own planes, so sometimes things are delayed depending on how much extra room FedEx has on their planes."

Sounds like it's going to be carried by FedEx anyway, might as well be in a sack that's a priority for them.

[Justin and Masako 0]

My wife has been really depressed lately because of our long winter and not having any other Japanese to talk to locally. I was wondering if there were any other filers in the NW Wisconsin or maybe the Twin Cities (Minneappolis, St. Paul, MN) area. If there are I would love to hear from you. Maybe we could do a get together.

Thanks,