601 Processing Times for Rome?

[allousa 1]

My husband just had his interview last week. File is to be sent to Rome for final processing. I'm here in America with our 16 mo. son. Anybody have experience with processing times in Rome?

[jpaula 20]

My husband just had his interview last week. File is to be sent to Rome for final processing. I'm here in America with our 16 mo. son. Anybody have experience with processing times in Rome?

Rome gave us a 90-180 day window from the date they received it. It was adjudicated in almost exactly 3 months. This does seem to be on the fast side compared to most other cases I have seen go through Rome. Good luck!

[allousa 1]

The officer at the Consulate said it could take anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months. I've read so many different things that it's hard to get an accurate approximation.

How long did the whole process take you?

[jpaula 20]

How long did the whole process take you?

The I-601 part of the process took about 6 months start to finish (the whole porcess is another story entirely). That is to say from the day of his interview to the day he got on a plane to come home. It took exactly a month for the I-601 to make its way from the Consulate in Algiers to Rome, three months for them to approve it, six weeks for them to get it back to Algiers and then a few weeks to finish up paperwork for the final interview. Diplomatic pouch is not the world's fastest form of transport, but the files show up eventually.

Again, we had a pretty short wait as far as these things go. But, I do think that Rome usually comes in at around 6 months. They also tend to answer their phone if you want to ask them directly. And, you can check your status on line, although I think it is updated only once a month.

[allousa 1]

My husband and I have been waiting for so long to be together, it's hard to believe this could all be over in 6 months. I've held it together fairly well the past 3 1/2 years...but this home stretch is about to drive me out of my mind. It's been so hard for him too, being away from his son.

If you don't mind me asking, what was your main argument for the I-601? My husband overstayed his initial visa, but returned to Morocco himself. He has no criminal history either. We've stated that it is not safe for me and our son to live in a Muslim country as we are Americans and the fact that I am the only child caring for two elderly family members. I believe these fall under Level 2 for the I-601.

I'm just really sweating it. To have come this far and be denied. AGH!

[jpaula 20]

My husband and I have been waiting for so long to be together, it's hard to believe this could all be over in 6 months. I've held it together fairly well the past 3 1/2 years...but this home stretch is about to drive me out of my mind. It's been so hard for him too, being away from his son.

If you don't mind me asking, what was your main argument for the I-601? My husband overstayed his initial visa, but returned to Morocco himself. He has no criminal history either. We've stated that it is not safe for me and our son to live in a Muslim country as we are Americans and the fact that I am the only child caring for two elderly family members. I believe these fall under Level 2 for the I-601.

I'm just really sweating it. To have come this far and be denied. AGH!

I know that feeling. When we finally could see a light at the end of the tunnel it was all a bit surreal. He has been back in the States since Feb and we still don't really believe it.

If the I2US site were up and running you could get alot more info on Rome. They seem to approve the majority of N. Africa waivers. If you document it well you can basically use government sources to show why you can't live there. Most of our hardships revolved around the conditions in Algeria. I was living there at the time so I included both first hand and official reports about what life was like for me there. I don't have medical issues or children, but I did give a huge pile of organized, specific evidence regarding life in Algeria. I went one by one through religious freedom, political freedom, women's rights, violence agianst foreigners, violence in general, economic conditions, the social effects of civil war, etc. So, I won't promise anything, but my feeling is that Rome knows it is next to impossible for us to move to N Africa permanently and, should you document this well, is looking to approve them.

Check in to see if www.immigrate2us.net is working. If it gets it technical issues figured out it is a great place for you to get more info.

[allousa 1]

My husband and I have been waiting for so long to be together, it's hard to believe this could all be over in 6 months. I've held it together fairly well the past 3 1/2 years...but this home stretch is about to drive me out of my mind. It's been so hard for him too, being away from his son.

If you don't mind me asking, what was your main argument for the I-601? My husband overstayed his initial visa, but returned to Morocco himself. He has no criminal history either. We've stated that it is not safe for me and our son to live in a Muslim country as we are Americans and the fact that I am the only child caring for two elderly family members. I believe these fall under Level 2 for the I-601.

I'm just really sweating it. To have come this far and be denied. AGH!

I know that feeling. When we finally could see a light at the end of the tunnel it was all a bit surreal. He has been back in the States since Feb and we still don't really believe it.

If the I2US site were up and running you could get alot more info on Rome. They seem to approve the majority of N. Africa waivers. If you document it well you can basically use government sources to show why you can't live there. Most of our hardships revolved around the conditions in Algeria. I was living there at the time so I included both first hand and official reports about what life was like for me there. I don't have medical issues or children, but I did give a huge pile of organized, specific evidence regarding life in Algeria. I went one by one through religious freedom, political freedom, women's rights, violence agianst foreigners, violence in general, economic conditions, the social effects of civil war, etc. So, I won't promise anything, but my feeling is that Rome knows it is next to impossible for us to move to N Africa permanently and, should you document this well, is looking to approve them.

Check in to see if www.immigrate2us.net is working. If it gets it technical issues figured out it is a great place for you to get more info.

That really gives me some hope. We have such a history together and have providing so much documentation for it. I've just been hoping that if they focus on that, they will see that we really are a family that needs to be together.

Our attorney suggested that the political issues themselves should be reason alone. Thanks for giving me confidence about that. I will definitely look into the other website. I can't believe it's taken me all this time to find these two websites.

My head is spinning at the though of my hubby coming home. It might not have been so difficult had we not been together for a couple of years in the State before he got stuck in Morocco. A sad note though, my father and my husband were very close and had become very good friends. He was sad when my husband couldn't come back and did alot and gave me alot of emotional support in trying to get him back home. My dad passed away suddenly from cancer this past fall. My husband was really upset about not getting to see him. He was able to call him and talk to him a couple of days before he died though. My dad talked all the time about being with us at the airport when my husband got to come home. I can't help but think he is putting a "heavenly" touch on my husband's file to get him home.

[jpaula 20]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I lost my mom to cancer at the beginning of all of this, so I know it doesn't make things easier--nothing like compounding pain. But, it also makes you realize you just have to fight for it. I had my mom's voice in my head through the worst of this and it both hurts like hell and helps.

E-mail Rome. Just ask for confirmation that they have received the waiver. They respond and it lets them know you are on top of it, not going to fall through the cracks. They were always very friendly to me, via phone or e-mail.

[allousa 1]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I lost my mom to cancer at the beginning of all of this, so I know it doesn't make things easier--nothing like compounding pain. But, it also makes you realize you just have to fight for it. I had my mom's voice in my head through the worst of this and it both hurts like hell and helps.

E-mail Rome. Just ask for confirmation that they have received the waiver. They respond and it lets them know you are on top of it, not going to fall through the cracks. They were always very friendly to me, via phone or e-mail.

If and when (inshallah) his I-601 is approved. It's sent back to the Moroccan consulate, right? What is the next step? Do they just issue a visa that he picks up and is ready to come home? He currently has a Palestinian passport that expires April 2008, so we are hoping he will be able to travel before that happens.

[jpaula 20]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I lost my mom to cancer at the beginning of all of this, so I know it doesn't make things easier--nothing like compounding pain. But, it also makes you realize you just have to fight for it. I had my mom's voice in my head through the worst of this and it both hurts like hell and helps.

E-mail Rome. Just ask for confirmation that they have received the waiver. They respond and it lets them know you are on top of it, not going to fall through the cracks. They were always very friendly to me, via phone or e-mail.

If and when (inshallah) his I-601 is approved. It's sent back to the Moroccan consulate, right? What is the next step? Do they just issue a visa that he picks up and is ready to come home? He currently has a Palestinian passport that expires April 2008, so we are hoping he will be able to travel before that happens.

Yes, it will be sent back to Casa. It can take a few weeks for the file to show up. Every consulate is different and as we went through Algiers that is the one I know. They are fast bec. there are very few Americans in Algeria. Casa is probably a different story. They will schedule an interview that is officially a visa interview. But, as you have already had the first visa interview at which he was denied this one is much faster. His inelligibility will have been lifted with the approval of the waiver and they should have all the other info they need. You will need to update any part of your application that has expired. This usually includes the medical and the aff of support. You may or may not be put on AP. When that is clear he should be issues his visa. I would try to find someone who has done a waiver through Casa as they will be able to give you Consulate specific info. Through Algiers we had visa in hand 2 weeks after Algiers got the file from Rome.

[allousa 1]

jpaula - I did send Rome an email inquiring about whether my husband's file had gotten there or not yet. I was very polite and thanked them for their help in advance. Thanks for the suggestion.

Someone else on here recommended a website that has the cases listed and their status. It's only updated once every 15 days.

I'm glad that they have that though. It would be great if all of the Consulates had that.

Thank you for all of your help!