Medical exam costs - Egypt

[dillygoose 21]

Our case is a k1 so some of that is a little different for us.

Scheduling the interview was not straight forward. I'll spare you the hassle we had back and forth with the embassy. Hopefully they've fixed the system some.

Basically we got an email from the embassy (previously called packet 3) that gave a bunch of instructions. One of the steps was to pay a fee to a CIB bank branch. To do that you take a document printed from ustraveldocs.com (after you create a profile) to the bank and they give you a receipt. After a 24-48 hour period you log back into the ustraveldocs website and enter the number on the payment receipt to be allowed to schedule your interview.

There should be specific instructions in that email you got from the embassy about your medical exam and other documents you need for the interview (they used to mail it and that's why it was called packet 3).

But most things have changed from the old mailing process, including being able to schedule the interview online.

If you go to ustraveldocs.com and choose Egypt there's a lot of information there. But be sure to read the email from the embassy very carefully because that's how they communicate the process.

NVC is supposed to send a physical letter to the petitioners home. In our case that was my NYC address. Sounds like you live in Egypt so I'd assume that might be different for you than it was for us.

[lukamari 6]

I'm concerned that we've never received any email or letter from the embassy. NVC didn't send me a letter. They sent my husband the letter. It was sent to him here in Egypt, the letter shows (I have an emailed version we printed). They sent the email to both of us. I've never received a letter from NVC about his interview, addressed to me, the petitioner. Yes, I live here, but my mailing address is not in Egypt. I have kept my US mailing address as I lived with my parents back home, my drivers license, bank account, voter registration card, etc, are all linked to it. I did this for the domicile requirement for the affidavit of support. My mother has sent me my mail twice since I've been here.

I emailed the embassy last Sunday, so 10 days ago, asking why we've not received anything from them. No reply as of now.

For his medical, I followed the instructions inside the letter addressed to him for his interview date. I also found some embassy instructions attachment on the embassy website that was last updated in April this year.

[lukamari 6]

Oh, and the letter was dated like the first week of May, and he has yet to receive the mailing at his home.

[dillygoose 21]

That seems odd.

You can do a status update on the uscis website. You can also do a status update on the ceac website (that's from through the department of state). To find that one go to ustraveldocs.com for Egypt and click on the contact us page.

You should have a case number assigned to you by the embassy and another case number that NVC/uscis use.

We had an issue with getting the form to take to the CIB bank (the ustraveldocs website had an error). It was totally their mistake, which they finally fixed, but the embassy made us wait a full month and a half before they responded to us and corrected the issue.

It's good you have kept your US domicile. Maybe it's simply they got confused about where to send the letter?

It's also good you emailed the embassy though as I mentioned they aren't quick about responding even when they made a mistake.

You can call the NVC. They are open in the mornings Monday-Friday. The phone number is on the State department website. I have it written down at home but as I said I'm in Egypt now so I'm without my files.

[lukamari 6]

I never check the USCIS website anymore since the case went to NVC. I've always used CEAC since then. For weeks now the status or location has shown Cairo.

Maybe your letter went to you because it's a K1 visa? Perhaps they did get confused about my address but I honestly don't see why they would. NVC has always sent me mailings to the US. Like I said, I haven't even received an email with his appointment letter address to ME - only a copy of the one addressed to him.

The CIB stuff is for K1 visas, right? I've never seen anything about that in our paperwork. I think the only things we have to pay still are the Aramex fee to deliver the passport and green card fee.

I find this embassy to be sorely lacking in communication. Maybe that's all of them, I don't know, but I find it unacceptable how long they take to reply, and even then sometimes they don't at all! We had submitted an expedite request back in September. They never replied with an acceptance or rejection.

Either way, I think we're alright, even though as you say, this is odd. I've double checked our email accounts and there's nothing from the embassy.

The only case number I've been using is the NVC one, that starts with CRO. That's not the same one embassy uses?

Thank you, by the way, for the advice and suggestions!

[dillygoose 21]

The CRO number is the embassy case number. There is another case number that is on your NOA1 and NOA2, that starts with WAC (or ours did)

The fee we paid is just called an application fee, I don't know if that's for K1 only or not.

It's supposed to work that you apply to USCIS in the US once they approve your case (NOA 1&2) then they send it to the embassy for the completion of the process.

If you have an embassy case number then sounds to me like you're on the right track.

The embassy is awful terrible horrible at communicating. I doubt if they're all as bad as this one, maybe, but I'd guess there's other countries that have their act together a little more. It doesn't really make much difference because unfortunately this is the only embassy we have.

I also think they are probably over run with cases and are short staffed. I also think they don't care one bit about making people wait weeks and months. My favorite is when I've asked them a question (when their website was in error) and they answered us back twice with the completely incorrect answer.

It's like they didn't even read or understand the question. They just assumed that we were idiots and doing something wrong when in fact the problem was on their end.

They also lost some documents we sent and asked us to send the same thing again. I had pictures documenting everything and scanned everything too. We sent it all right back again right away, the very same day in fact. But to say that was frustrating is an understatement.

I sincerely hope that doesn't happen to everyone. May your process be smoother!

[Halalbrother 23]

You're welcome @mariea

1- you need to make sure that you confirm the interview appoitment with NVC.

2- you need to collect all the documents you need specially Aramex paper( because a lot of people wait in the line and don't have the right size of pictures or Aramex paper.

3- be sure you are coming before your interview from 30 to 45 minutes.

4- please don't bring any electronic devices except cellphone and don't bring cigarette or lighter, also please don't bring your purse.

5- arrange everything before you go and check your documents many time because you will from another city.

6- no food allow inside.

7- say the true.

8- don't talk to much with the consular officer just respond what he ask for.

9- bring pictures of both of you together and some evidence of relationship will be good in case they will ask for.

10- there is no 10

Wish for you a good and easy interview day.

Peace