July 2015 Interviews

[ogbeifun 0]

Case complete 5/26, still no interview date yet. Soooooooooooo sad

[Maharosa 251]

My husband just had his interview on Wednesday in Cairo and he was not asked for an update AOS or my 2014 tax return. I assume this is because my income is and has been well above the poverty line. I sent everything just in case. Better to have it and not need it.

Sukie - thank you so much for your help! You are great!

That is my next question - do I have to re do my 1-864 if I am including my 2014 tax return? Also will I have to re do it for my joint sponser as well? (Meaning I will need to include his 2014 tax return?) I had submitted the i-864 before the 2014 return was due.

Thanks again!

OK - here is my own story (I'm the USC). I submitted my AOS on April 9, 2013, with 2010, 2011, and 2012 tax transcripts. They were scanned into the system on April 15th - tax day. Our interview was scheduled on June 6th, and occurred on July 1st.

We were not required to present 2013 taxes at all, nor was I required to update the I-864. I had my tax transcript for 2013 with me at the interview (I was able to attend the interview with my spouse), volunteered it, and the CO said they were not needed.

Now, my spouse was from a low-fraud country, and I made significantly over the Poverty Line. So that might have played into the fact that I was not required to present an updated I-864 or my latest tax information. I think Israel is a low-fraud country, no?

I would take updated tax information with you in case you are asked for it (or your spouse). But I really don't think you need to worry about an updated I-864 unless NVC or your Embassy/Consulate has mentioned it. Especially if you and your joint sponsor are comfortably over the poverty line.

Best of luck to you!

Sukie in NY

Edited June 12, 2015 by Maharosa

[akazmi 3]

hmmmm ..... could be..... I'll try emailing Mtl again tomorrow and see what happens.....

I called NVC this morning and they said they haven't send my case to US embassy in Montreal but they sending it really soon.

[ChristinaG 91]

I called NVC this morning and they said they haven't send my case to US embassy in Montreal but they sending it really soon.

"really soon" what the heck is that - today? Monday? July 2nd?

***sigh***

Thanks for the update akazmi!!

[just87 4]

My processing site still says, NVC. Wonder when they will decide to ship it.

[ChristinaG 91]

oh wow

I just got off the phone with Rose from NVC - who called me! I almost did not answer because the caller ID came up "unknown". But she wanted to confirm we would be attending the interview, that we need to book a medical, and we need to register for courier services. When I told her yes we're attending, the medical is booked already, and the registration completed, she laughed and said she wised more of her calls were that easy ~ lol ~

I asked her if she could see in our notes if the files had been shipped out yet. Not yet, but should be within the next couple days. She mentioned that getting rescheduled at Montreal is really difficult. I said no harm in asking though and she laughed.

She was really pleasant to speak with Hey NVC get more people like her please!! LOL

[chanteuse 1]

oh wow

I just got off the phone with Rose from NVC - who called me! I almost did not answer because the caller ID came up "unknown". But she wanted to confirm we would be attending the interview, that we need to book a medical, and we need to register for courier services. When I told her yes we're attending, the medical is booked already, and the registration completed, she laughed and said she wised more of her calls were that easy ~ lol ~

I asked her if she could see in our notes if the files had been shipped out yet. Not yet, but should be within the next couple days. She mentioned that getting rescheduled at Montreal is really difficult. I said no harm in asking though and she laughed.

She was really pleasant to speak with Hey NVC get more people like her please!! LOL

Rose emailed me this morning saying the exact same thing! I will have to email her back saying it's all been done

[bhava9 0]

My processing site still says, NVC. Wonder when they will decide to ship it.

I have my interview date on July 6th ..Mumbai consulate...status still shows at NVC

[dwheels76 5,466]

OMG!!!

i just got my interview!!! CC was 06/08/15 and i totally didnt expect that!!!

i red the interview letters 5 times before i realised that its true

SD 04/23

CC 06/08

Interview 07/23

Congratulations.

[just87 4]

I have my interview date on July 6th ..Mumbai consulate...status still shows at NVC

It will get there by 6th. Have you made courier pickup arrangement on ustraveldocs?

[dwheels76 5,466]

Case complete 5/26, still no interview date yet. Soooooooooooo sad

Congratulations. Welcome to the group You are added to the spreadsheet.

[shadowflex 8]

Hey Guys,

I hope this can help you prepare for your interview. This is a recount of my experience at the American Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria on 11th June, 2015

The Lagos Embassy is a very busy one.You will be amazed at the number of people you would find waiting as early as 5:30am. The embassy divided the process into 2 stages. The first stage is to pass security checks and get into the waiting area. The Second stage is the entry into the Main building which happens to be across the street to the waiting area.If you plan to drive yourself, there is a private car park very close to the embassy where you would get to park for 500 naira. In my case i drove and i was glad i did. I had set my alarm to go off at 15mins interval from 4:30am incase i overslept but luckily for me, i was up by 4am (more like i never slept).

I got out of my house by 5am and i was at the embassy less than 30mins later. I figured that was too early so i sat in my car and called my wife to while away time...Around 6:45am i decided to leave the car park and move close to the cluster of people waiting around the waiting area. There were some people lined up on a queue in front of the waiting area, i found out they were 7am appointments. By 7:30am ,they started calling 8am and i gladly joined the queue. We were told to bring out our interview letters and open the sealed medical report envelopes. They claimed no sealed envelope would be allowed into the embassy. They also made announcement for prohibited items like sharp objects and the likes. We eased our ways into the waiting area where we were manually searched before being told to proceed to the section where our Interview letters were checked and ticked against a guest list they had.(some people's names were not on the list and were told they had been rescheduled for other dates). Again, lucky me, my name was there. I was given a green paper tally and a contact slip to fill (PLEASE KEEP THESE ITEMS WELL, YOU WILL NEED THEM LATER) then directed to join a sit-down queue. This queue marked the beginning of the big wait. I sat down on this queue waiting for my turn for close to 1 hour 30 minutes before my batch was finally called and led across the street to the other Stage, The Embassy proper!

At the entrance of the main building, there is a security check point like those at the airports where you get to remove your belt, watches, rings etc...From there, we proceeded through a pathway that led into the interview room. Just by the entrance into the room, i was told to push a button that generated a service number which ended up being my interview tally which i would later be called with. When i got in, i saw another set of chairs which were completely occupied and just behind those chairs was another queue which had people standing and waiting. I joined the queue as i was instructed and i was told to listen for my name. I found out the interview process itself requires 2 stages, document confirmation/submission stage, then Interview stage. I stood on this new queue for about an hour before i heard my name. The following conversation ensued between the Nigerian document officer (DO) and i;

DO: Let me have what you were given outside

Me: (I gave her the Green tally and the filled contact form)

DO: What number did you pick at the entrance?

Me: (I showed her my interview tally number)

DO: Your wife is very beautiful (she had opened my file and saw the pictures submitted to nvc)

Me: Thank you very much ( I can't deny it, this statement reinstated my courage which was starting to dissipate by fear of the unknown...lol)

DO: Can I have copies of your wedding cert and birth cert please?

Me: (I gave them to her, I had carefully arranged my documents from the previous night, it really helped)

DO: Your police certificate please

Me: (Gave it to her. I already had it in front of me before she mentioned it. While i was waiting on the queue, i already mastered the documents they were collecting)

DO: Is that a copy of your international passport? ( She said pointing because i already had it in front of me again)

Me: Yes (gave her)

DO: Please provide one passport sized photograph

Me: (I gave her)

Do: That's all for now, Please take a seat and you would be called again

Me: Thank you very much

I packed my documents and moved back to find a seat but it wasnt christmas so there was no chair for me. They were giving preference to senior citizens, pregnant women and ladies before men. So i stood with other men and wondered how much more my legs can support me. By this time it was around 10.30am. I stood there looking at the display numbers coming from each Visa Officers window. About 15 mins after, my number flashed and i gracefully walked towards a young caucasian woman who would later do me the honor of approving the visa. The following conversation ensued;

Me: Good morning (with a smile)

VO: Good morning ( She picked up her headset and microphone)

VO: Can you please raise ur right hand?

Me: (I raised it)

VO: Do you swear to tell the truth?

ME: Yes i do

VO: I am going to take your finger prints now ....( I placed my right fingers first, then left then both thumbs together)

VO: who is calling for you? (looked away for a moment)

Me: My wife

VO: How did you meet?

Me: Through her sister

VO: Please tell me more about it

Me: (started the story when she interrupted midway)

VO: Where and when was this?

Me: Told her

VO: Did you start courting from then?

Me: Nope we were only friends till 2011

VO: When did you get married

Me: Told her

VO: How did it happen?

Me: I told her

VO: When and how did she get into the US?

Me: Told her

Vo: How often does she visit?

Me: Every year

VO: When was the last time you saw her?

Me: 2014

VO: What does she do?

Me: Told her

VO: Where does she live?

Me: Right now?

VO: Yes

Me: Told her

VO: Who lives with her?

Me: She lives alone ( Told her the details of the house)

VO: How do you communicate?

Me: Phone calls majorly ( Truly, we are always on the phone)

VO: Ok, do you have any other evidence you want to use to support your case?

Me: Yes i do ( I handed her 50 pictures i had printed solely for this purpose)

Vo: (Goes through pictures and asks questions basically about people, places in the pictures)

Me: (Explained to her the various occasions the pictures were taken which spans from the year we started dating through when i proposed, the introduction, the registry, the engagement party and the church wedding)

VO: How many people were at your engagement?

Me: Between 400 to 500 people, i am not sure

VO: This must have been a fun wedding ( She mentioned pointing to one of the pictures)

Me: Yes it was ( I smiled and pointed out to her the dancing time picture)

Vo: Great,do you have anything else?

Me: Yes, this is a call record from 6th March till 6th June 2015 ( I gave her a 24 pages call records i had printed from my wife's telephone coy)

VO: She calls you all the time?

Me: No, i call too but i didnt bring my call records

VO: what's the time difference between Nigeria and Illinois?

Me: 6 hrs

VO: Ok good

Me: Do you want more evidence?

VO: Sure, i'd take it if you have it

Me: Here is her flight itinerary for the previous 3 years (she takes it and checks very well, not sure what she was trying to find)

VO: Ok thanks

Me: And here is an excerpt from our FB conversation

VO: (collects it and looks through, then punched something on the computer) Ok great

Me: Are you ok with that or do you want more?

VO: No thank you, I am ok with these. (Places my passport on some sort of sensor, i heard a beep)

VO:Here are your original documents that you submitted in the process. Here are the pictures you submitted too. And you can have all these other documents back too ( she returned all my documents and pictures)

At this point she continued to type away on her keyboard while i took the time rearrange my documents back into the transparent folder i took.

VO: Ok great, everythings checks out fine. I am going to approve your visa at this time! (Paused and smiled at me)

Me: Thank you ( I dont know if i smiled or didnt lol)

VO: ( She was saying a lot of things and bringing out different papers while i stood there with the approval echoing in my head...lol..later the documents turned out to be where to pick up the visa, how to pay for the greencard fee and also my right as a lawful permanent residence

VO: Unfortunately, we are having computer problems at the moment so i cannot tell you a specific date to pick up the visa but we would send you an email as soon as it is ready and you can pick it up at the DHL office in the address given to you.

Me: Thats ok.Thank you very much, its greatly appreciated

VO: You are welcome ( With a very big smile)

I picked up my folder, went to the loo first then later eased myself out of the interview room

THE END.

Hmmmn, now my take on the whole process. I strongly believe my case was already approved before i was interviewed. Please don't ask me to explain how because i cant. But the whole process was more like a confirmation. I also do not think those guys need to be psychics to figure out who is lying and not. Those questions were simple but how they came was well targeted.

Above all, i want to give thanks to God almighty and of course my fellow VJers who have contributed in one way or the other into this process. God bless you all

NB:

Please indulge and forgive the typos and mistakes in this review, i sort of rushed to type it

[Rachel23 9]

Congratulations shadowflex

Thanks for sharing ur interview details

[duvalin 3]

oh wow

I just got off the phone with Rose from NVC - who called me! I almost did not answer because the caller ID came up "unknown". But she wanted to confirm we would be attending the interview, that we need to book a medical, and we need to register for courier services. When I told her yes we're attending, the medical is booked already, and the registration completed, she laughed and said she wised more of her calls were that easy ~ lol ~

I asked her if she could see in our notes if the files had been shipped out yet. Not yet, but should be within the next couple days. She mentioned that getting rescheduled at Montreal is really difficult. I said no harm in asking though and she laughed.

She was really pleasant to speak with Hey NVC get more people like her please!! LOL

Nice, they called you too!! I am guess they are sending the files within a month or so from the actual interview to Montreal, maybe!

And I am also I am wondering, does anyone who has gone through the process in MTL, can you please tell me if my spouse (sponsor) can go inside the embassy and wait in the waiting room? I read the security section on the consular website, but it doesn't say anything about spouses or sponsors not being able to go in.

Edited June 12, 2015 by duvalin

[ogbeifun 0]

Thanks Dwheels76. And pls will like to ask if july interview is full. Lol

Thanks Dwheels76. And pls will like to ask if july interview is full. Lol