Letter of complaint re: US Embassy in Nairobi/medical exam

[mmarlo 1]

04/03/2007

Dear Pat,

My case (NRB##########) is currently in the hands of the US Embassy in Nairobi, but we have had a really difficult time dealing with them. They have some unbelievably unfair policies that seem to make this process go on forever. The expiration date on my petition is approaching fast--it expires April 25, and I am deeply concerned that it may expire before my fiancee has her visa in hand. Because the case is currently overseas, I don't know if you can help, but if you can somehow expedite the process and see to it that the expiration date of the petition is extended, I would be most appreciative.

The process for getting a medical exam in Kenya and dealing with the US Embassy in Nairobi in this regard has been very frustrating. The packet 3/4 materials that my fiancee was given when she picked up the materials March 5 indicate that she needed a letter from the Embassy to make the appointment for the medical exam, so after she had completed all of the other packet 3/4 materials, paid her application fee, etc., she made an early-morning trip on March 20 to the Embassy (about 2 hours from her apartment) to return the other materials and pick up the letter necessary to schedule the doctor's exam and schedule her interview. When she got to the Embassy, however, she was denied entrance, with the explanation that she needs an appointment to see a consular officer--a rule which had not been explained to her when she picked up the packet 3/4 materials.

The appointment with a consular officer was scheduled for nearly a week later, March 26, at which time she was told that she needed to have already completed the medical exam to set up her interview and that contrary to what the packet 4 materials say, she doesn't need a letter to do so. Essentially she had wasted a week of her time and two trips to the Embassy, four hours round-trip travel time each time plus waiting at the Embassy itself, due to misinformation given by Embassy workers earlier in the month.

The process for completing the requirements of the doctor's exam has been even more frustrating. Later in the day on March 26, my fiancee went to the doctor's office to schedule the medical exam. Their policy forbids them from setting up the exam over the phone or over email. (Can you imagine such a policy by a doctor's office in the US?! The office is 90 minutes from my fiancee's house, and she has to make a trip there and back just to set up the exam.) She went back to the doctor's office the following day Tuesday, March 27, for the first part of the exam, where they took some medical specimens for laboratory analysis. She was then sent to another clinic in another part of town for her x-ray. She went back to the doctor's office on Thursday, March 29 for the second part of the exam where they completed her blood work and where she had the physical exam with the doctor. On Monday, April 2, my fiancee had to make her fourth trip to the doctor's office to receive some missing vaccinations. After already making four trips to the doctor's office, she had to make a fifth trip yesterday, April 3, to collect the results of her exam. For some reason that we can only surmise to be an intentional complication of the process for potential immigrants, the doctor's office does not forward the results to the Embassy, so my fiancee had to travel back to the doctor's office to pick up the results. However, as she was traveling back home after picking up the results, the doctor's office called her to notify her that there was some problem with part of the results and instructed her to return today, April 4, to rectify the problem. Six visits to the doctor's office for what should be a routine medical exam. (I can't even imagine how difficult this must be for someone who does not already live in Nairobi; my fiancee is "only" 90 minutes from the doctor's office, but many others would be much, much farther away.)

Making matters worse is the lack of interaction between the doctor's office in Nairobi and the US Embassy and the Embassy's policy of only accepting materials by an appointment. My fiancee had been told to schedule an appointment to see a consuler officer after she had picked up the results of her medical exam. I thought this appointment was the interview itself, but I was wrong. She had to schedule an appointment with the Embassy just to drop off the results of the medical exam. So after she had picked up the results yesterday afternoon, she called the Embassy to make the appointment. She was given a date of April 12--8 days later--to *drop off* the results of the medical exam. Only then will her interview be scheduled. If we are lucky, the interview will take place within another week of the appointment with the consular officer, by April 19, but my sincere concern is that my approved petition expires April 25 and that there may be other delays that would cause further problems to our earnest effort to get a visa for my fiancee. I emailed the Embassy about a month ago to express this concern, but they told me that they cannot extend the expiration date of the petition, a claim that I know to be false because I have spoken with other individuals who have gone through other Embassies/Consulates and who had their petition deadlines extended by up to four months.

This series of interacting policies by the US Embassy and the (American) doctors they employ is simply unbelievable and clearly can be designed only to penalize potential immigrants to the US. It is extremely embarassing that this is the face of our government in a foreign country with whom we are allies, and the fact that my fiancee is being treated in such a demeaning way (i.e., all signs say that she is not welcome since she has to unnecessarily navigate so many artificial obstacles that cannot be justified by national security concerns) is infuriating.

I am sorry for sending such a long message, but I wanted to explain the depth of my frustration, and the lengths to which my fiancee has gone to follow all of the requisite procedures. As I noted above, I would greatly appreciate if you could try to move forward my fiancee's appointment for returning her medical documents and/or the date of her interview. She has quit virtually all activities unrelated to acquiring the visa due to the full-time committment it requires and therefore is available on any date for either appointment. If it is not possible to move the appointment dates forward, perhaps it is possible to ensure that the expiration date of the petition is extended so that it does not expire before my fiancee is granted her visa.

Should you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me ...

Best regards,

Michael

[boo boo 1]

Wow.....bless your fiancee's heart....poor thing. I truly hope that everything has improved in your case. It makes no sense how things are being ran there and it needs to improve, hopefully your letter will help (in some way).

[taurean 0]

Best of luck with your situation. It makes no sense what they are putting your fiancee through.

[randolady 1]

Rahh, I'm so sorry to hear that things are still going poorly for you! How frustrating!

I'm looking forward to getting the NOA2, but dealing with the Tanzanian side of things is going to be really exhausting. Ombeni doesn't have his BC yet (I've been nagging him since January to do so), and he has to travel to Dar es Salaam (an 8 hour bus ride each way) to get his police records, medical exam, and to pay the visa application fee. Craziness! Plus, I sincerely doubt that there's any kind of vaccination record for him, so he'll probably have to get jabbed a million times. Maybe he can do some of those in Arusha? Ack. I really hope the medical won't require six trips.

[Otto 83]

Double/Triple Post...

Edited April 7, 2007 by Karin und Otto

[Otto 83]

Double/Triple Post

Edited April 7, 2007 by Karin und Otto

[Otto 83]

Well I most certainly hope Pat (whoever that is) is someone in a position to help/do-something...

It's a disgrace and sounds much like the military Catch-22.

[SoL. 0]

I wish everything gets better and solved soon. It's really sad how sometimes our government's bureaucracy puts our loved ones thru such a torture just to get here to be with us.

Good luck

Edited April 7, 2007 by Sol-de-Verano

[mmarlo 1]

Thank you for all your kind wishes. I am happy to say that today, when Jacinta went to drop off her medical exam results, the Embassy officer had the good sense to carry out the interview today and had the kind heart to approve her! She can pick up her visa on the 26th and will be coming here shortly thereafter! I can't wait!

[a&o 4]

Great news! Congratulations!

[Sankofa 0]

That is absolutely wonderful!!! Congratulations and keep us updated on your reunion!!!

Sankofa

[Queen Jenn 0]

Thank you for all your kind wishes. I am happy to say that today, when Jacinta went to drop off her medical exam results, the Embassy officer had the good sense to carry out the interview today and had the kind heart to approve her! She can pick up her visa on the 26th and will be coming here shortly thereafter! I can't wait!

I am sooooo HAPPY FOR YOU. BIG CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SAMMYLEE 1]

Thank you for all your kind wishes. I am happy to say that today, when Jacinta went to drop off her medical exam results, the Embassy officer had the good sense to carry out the interview today and had the kind heart to approve her! She can pick up her visa on the 26th and will be coming here shortly thereafter! I can't wait!

THAT'S VERY GREAT NEWS!! CONGRATS TO BOTH OF YOU.

[safitu 0]

Thank you for all your kind wishes. I am happy to say that today, when Jacinta went to drop off her medical exam results, the Embassy officer had the good sense to carry out the interview today and had the kind heart to approve her! She can pick up her visa on the 26th and will be coming here shortly thereafter! I can't wait!

CONGRATS! IM SO HAPPY FOR U 2, ESP AFTER ALL U HAD TO GO THRU TO GET HERE. WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST...

:dance: :dance:

PS-PLEASE LET US KNO DETAILS OF THE INTERVIEW.

[forchika 4]

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH!!!!!!