All Japan Filers

[Zefah 0]

Johnny & Yumi - Thanks! Hope things are going well with you two as well!

Lauraandfrogger - Sorry to hear about the medical. I didn't need to get any shots, just a blood test. Maybe because I was raised in the states, I already had the vaccine done or something. I'm not sure which one we're talking about here. As for plane tickets, I fly JAL too. I searched for one way tickets at first but they were 2-3 times more than roundtrip. So I just ended up buying a roundtrip and thinking of abandoning the ticket back. I don't think its a big deal. I mean, you paid for it and all... theres nothing they can do about it.

Thanks for all of the replies. I am going to try one of the other boards since this topic isn't necessarily specific to Japan. Hopefully I can find someone who has been in a similar situation.

[Akiko 0]

Johnny & Yumi - Thanks! Hope things are going well with you two as well!

Lauraandfrogger - Sorry to hear about the medical. I didn't need to get any shots, just a blood test. Maybe because I was raised in the states, I already had the vaccine done or something. I'm not sure which one we're talking about here. As for plane tickets, I fly JAL too. I searched for one way tickets at first but they were 2-3 times more than roundtrip. So I just ended up buying a roundtrip and thinking of abandoning the ticket back. I don't think its a big deal. I mean, you paid for it and all... theres nothing they can do about it.

Thanks for all of the replies. I am going to try one of the other boards since this topic isn't necessarily specific to Japan. Hopefully I can find someone who has been in a similar situation.

Good luck!

[redglasses 1]

It seems pretty quiet here this two weeks.

I hope things are going well for all Japan filers.

[Akiko 0]

Yes it has been quiet around here.

I will be sending in applications for AOS soon. Just doing the finishing touches.

Hope everything is going well for everyone else as well.

[Anonymous 57 0]

I haven't been on in a while either.

We've just been hanging in there until the interview. We decided not to buy plane tickets until he's had his interview so... yeah. And thanks for all of the advice, everyone! I think we'll end up buying a round trip and ditching the return ticket too.

Our interview is tomorrow and Kenchin is going to Tokyo today on the Shinkansen. He's super, super nervous. He said that he's barely slept. I'm pretty nervous too. I can't wait for tomorrow~!

Will update when I know what happened.

[Zefah 0]

Well I think I got that I-864 business figured out. Now I just need to have the wife get a physical examination at one of the designated hospitals and we should be ready for the visa interview. When I was thinking about that I realized that I had no idea how to make an appointment for the interview. The form we received from the embassy just had the standard phone number on it which requires you to pay approx. 2000 Yen just to talk to someone.

Can anyone offer some guidance on this matter? How should my wife go about setting up an appointment for the interview? The wife and I both reside in Japan and filed the I-130 at the embassy in Tokyo.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Edited September 7, 2009 by Zefah

[redglasses 1]

Hi Zefah,

Tokyo DCFers can request an interview appointment through the US embassy website.

http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivapptrequest.html

[Anonymous 57 0]

Okalie dokalie... yeah, somehow I'm not surprised at this point, but poor Kenchin had a pretty hard time. After waiting for his interview and watching other people talk to an officer for five minutes and then scream, "Yatta!" and dance around, it came to his turn. The officer he got spoke some Japanese... at first. Then, he got pulled into a room with the officer and a Japanese translator and grilled for over an hour. Luckily, I had spent a lot of time explaining immigration law and our situation to him so even though they asked him over and over if he had overstayed and about his work and B2 application and other such potentially incriminating questions he understood and was able to answer them honestly (that he hadn't done anything illegal or that would get him an automatic visa denial) and knew what was going on. Also luckily, we guessed that they would give him a hard time about my divorce from my abusive ex-husband and I sent a huge packet with all of the restraining orders and letters from the District Attorney and a few pretty gruesome evidence pictures of my beaten up face (take that, evil embassy!) to take with him to his interview just in case. Apparently he showed the pictures to them and they moved on with the questioning.

He said that the question he was most surprised with was when they asked him how much he paid for our engagement rings after he showed one of them to the officer. Um... he had the certificate of purchase and he was wearing one of our matched pair and they had a picture of me wearing mine, why would they ask how much it was? I think we already made it pretty clear that they really existed. Were they going to accuse him of buying a cheap brand ripoff or something? Does that make one ineligable for a visa? "Your ring was made in Taiwan. No visa for you."

Even though he was pretty frustrated, apparently the interview went as well as it could... and then they collected his passport and he asked them if he was approved. They said, "We have to check some things in the computer and if everything's okay you should probably get the visa. We'll send your passport back within a week." He said, "Probably?" and they said, "Well, we think that everything should probably be okay we have to check some things in the computer." He then asked, "So, can I assume that I passed?" and they replied that they thought that he would get the visa but they weren't sure. So we STILL don't actually know what's going on. Jeebus. Figures.

I asked Kenchin several times but he said that they claimed that they would send his passport back within a week. I'm just worried that they secretly mean that they'll send it within a week AFTER they've run the checks which might take several months, knowing immigration process.

Has this actually happened to anybody else or just us?! Does anybody have any input?

[Akiko 0]

Okalie dokalie... yeah, somehow I'm not surprised at this point, but poor Kenchin had a pretty hard time. After waiting for his interview and watching other people talk to an officer for five minutes and then scream, "Yatta!" and dance around, it came to his turn. The officer he got spoke some Japanese... at first. Then, he got pulled into a room with the officer and a Japanese translator and grilled for over an hour. Luckily, I had spent a lot of time explaining immigration law and our situation to him so even though they asked him over and over if he had overstayed and about his work and B2 application and other such potentially incriminating questions he understood and was able to answer them honestly (that he hadn't done anything illegal or that would get him an automatic visa denial) and knew what was going on. Also luckily, we guessed that they would give him a hard time about my divorce from my abusive ex-husband and I sent a huge packet with all of the restraining orders and letters from the District Attorney and a few pretty gruesome evidence pictures of my beaten up face (take that, evil embassy!) to take with him to his interview just in case. Apparently he showed the pictures to them and they moved on with the questioning.

He said that the question he was most surprised with was when they asked him how much he paid for our engagement rings after he showed one of them to the officer. Um... he had the certificate of purchase and he was wearing one of our matched pair and they had a picture of me wearing mine, why would they ask how much it was? I think we already made it pretty clear that they really existed. Were they going to accuse him of buying a cheap brand ripoff or something? Does that make one ineligable for a visa? "Your ring was made in Taiwan. No visa for you."

Even though he was pretty frustrated, apparently the interview went as well as it could... and then they collected his passport and he asked them if he was approved. They said, "We have to check some things in the computer and if everything's okay you should probably get the visa. We'll send your passport back within a week." He said, "Probably?" and they said, "Well, we think that everything should probably be okay we have to check some things in the computer." He then asked, "So, can I assume that I passed?" and they replied that they thought that he would get the visa but they weren't sure. So we STILL don't actually know what's going on. Jeebus. Figures.

I asked Kenchin several times but he said that they claimed that they would send his passport back within a week. I'm just worried that they secretly mean that they'll send it within a week AFTER they've run the checks which might take several months, knowing immigration process.

Has this actually happened to anybody else or just us?! Does anybody have any input?

I've never heard of such a thing.

But if they took his passport, I would think it means good news. They should look up everything on the computer at that spot during the interview. Or they can at least tell him to have a seat so they can make the finishing touches. If there was something wrong, I'd assume he'd get denied right then and there. I think everyone has the right to know if they passed or not instead of taking your passport and make you go through the pain & agony of waiting.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Although you might want to get another person's input on this.

Anywho, I hope he receives his passport with the visa as soon as tomorrow.

Good luck!

[Anonymous 57 0]

Thanks for the reply, Akiko. It made me feel a little better, at least. Just one more week until we know, I guess.

We both think that it should be at least 90% OK, but after being delayed in some shape or form at every stage during this process we are a little worried.

It's funny because before the interview he was worried that they wouldn't tell him then and there if he was approved or not and I assured him that they do tell you. I too think that it's unfair that they told everyone else but not him and they didn't even offer to "look stuff up in the computer" (if that's even what they're going to do) while he waited after basically wasting an hour of his life with their interrogation. I told him to ask if they didn't tell him straight up if he was approved or not, which is why he asked them multiple times, but... yeah, I've never heard of this either. At other consulates, maybe, but I thought they were pretty straightforward in Japan.

I guess I've been officially nominated to write the book on non-standard Japanese K-1 visa procedures.

[vny 0]

Hey Lauraandfrogger,

I'm not sure what all that was about at the embassy, but being that they took his passport without flat out denying him, I think that is a good sign. They did take my wife's passport at the interview too, but they told her that she passed. As you probably already know, they will take it so that they can put the VISA page in the passport and then they will mail it back to him. I think if they were going to deny him, they would have already told him. Not wanting to jinx it, but I think a Congratulations is in order.

Good luck and yes, you should know by the end of this week. My wife got her passport back in a couple of days.

Let us know what happens.

Best Wishes,

vny

Edited September 8, 2009 by vny

[redglasses 1]

Okalie dokalie... yeah, somehow I'm not surprised at this point, but poor Kenchin had a pretty hard time. After waiting for his interview and watching other people talk to an officer for five minutes and then scream, "Yatta!" and dance around, it came to his turn. The officer he got spoke some Japanese... at first. Then, he got pulled into a room with the officer and a Japanese translator and grilled for over an hour. Luckily, I had spent a lot of time explaining immigration law and our situation to him so even though they asked him over and over if he had overstayed and about his work and B2 application and other such potentially incriminating questions he understood and was able to answer them honestly (that he hadn't done anything illegal or that would get him an automatic visa denial) and knew what was going on. Also luckily, we guessed that they would give him a hard time about my divorce from my abusive ex-husband and I sent a huge packet with all of the restraining orders and letters from the District Attorney and a few pretty gruesome evidence pictures of my beaten up face (take that, evil embassy!) to take with him to his interview just in case. Apparently he showed the pictures to them and they moved on with the questioning.

He said that the question he was most surprised with was when they asked him how much he paid for our engagement rings after he showed one of them to the officer. Um... he had the certificate of purchase and he was wearing one of our matched pair and they had a picture of me wearing mine, why would they ask how much it was? I think we already made it pretty clear that they really existed. Were they going to accuse him of buying a cheap brand ripoff or something? Does that make one ineligable for a visa? "Your ring was made in Taiwan. No visa for you."

Even though he was pretty frustrated, apparently the interview went as well as it could... and then they collected his passport and he asked them if he was approved. They said, "We have to check some things in the computer and if everything's okay you should probably get the visa. We'll send your passport back within a week." He said, "Probably?" and they said, "Well, we think that everything should probably be okay we have to check some things in the computer." He then asked, "So, can I assume that I passed?" and they replied that they thought that he would get the visa but they weren't sure. So we STILL don't actually know what's going on. Jeebus. Figures.

I asked Kenchin several times but he said that they claimed that they would send his passport back within a week. I'm just worried that they secretly mean that they'll send it within a week AFTER they've run the checks which might take several months, knowing immigration process.

Has this actually happened to anybody else or just us?! Does anybody have any input?

OMG, that is awful. I am sorry that he had to go through all of this.

I even didn't know they have the separate inquiry room in the visa section.

As others say, I think it is a good sign that they took his passport.

If there is something wrong in your case, they usually give you instruction at the interview.

I really hope he will get his passport and the yellow envelope back soon.

Please let us know how things go.

Edited September 8, 2009 by redglasses

[Ling Ling 22]

Just passing through... congrats to those that have received recent visas...and patience to those who are in the process.

We're doing fine...I'm learning Nihongo. Enrolled in a saturday (3.5 hour) class at the local college. It's taught by a native speaker.

It's only the 2nd class meeting, and I'm already reading and writing Hiragana. I still need to work on my vocabulary, and I'm

not looking forward to the Katakana sections. All in all, it's pretty cool....just thought I'd throw that out to those of you who may have struggled for years

trying to learn Nihongo.

Anyway...I hope everybody is happy or on their way to happiness.

[redglasses 1]

Just passing through... congrats to those that have received recent visas...and patience to those who are in the process.

We're doing fine...I'm learning Nihongo. Enrolled in a saturday (3.5 hour) class at the local college. It's taught by a native speaker.

It's only the 2nd class meeting, and I'm already reading and writing Hiragana. I still need to work on my vocabulary, and I'm

not looking forward to the Katakana sections. All in all, it's pretty cool....just thought I'd throw that out to those of you who may have struggled for years

trying to learn Nihongo.

Anyway...I hope everybody is happy or on their way to happiness.

That's awesome, Ling Ling!

My husband minored in Japanese in college and lived in Japan for 4 years.

He is a excellent in listening, but seems too shy to speak Japanese, at least with me.

The consequence is... he talk to me in English and I talk to him in Japanese.

That's how my English doesn't improve at all

Come here to show off your Japanese sometimes!

[vny 0]

Just passing through... congrats to those that have received recent visas...and patience to those who are in the process.

We're doing fine...I'm learning Nihongo. Enrolled in a saturday (3.5 hour) class at the local college. It's taught by a native speaker.

It's only the 2nd class meeting, and I'm already reading and writing Hiragana. I still need to work on my vocabulary, and I'm

not looking forward to the Katakana sections. All in all, it's pretty cool....just thought I'd throw that out to those of you who may have struggled for years

trying to learn Nihongo.

Anyway...I hope everybody is happy or on their way to happiness.

Hey Ling Ling,

Not sure if you found it, but here's a pretty good website I've been using. http://www.nihongodict.com/ It has a lot there and you can learn the kanji too. And right above the search box, they have the words hiragana and katakana, so you can click those the characters show and when you hit the character, it will go into the search box so you can actually type the japanese words too. Been using it to write emails to my wife, but she said that some of the translations are old. Didn't know they came up with new words, but for the most part it works. And since I don't have a japanese keyboard, if I know the word in hiragana (or katakana), I can type it out into the search box and just cut and paste it into my email. It's a little pain that way but it works for a few words or so that I add to the emails.

Good luck on your studies, we are all still learning too. I guess it is a lifetime thing, learning I mean...

vny