South Africa CR1/IR1 Visa Filers

[TamDill 29]

1 hour ago, WilliamSmith said:

Hi all,

 

I was about to book myself a massage this morning, as all of the spa's have opened up,  when I realised that if the government is fine with me being in a room for 90 minutes with someone giving me a massage then surely they should be fine with me being interviewed. Perhaps even through a glass window like they have at banks. They did it like that when I had an interview for a B1 / B2 visa in Dublin a few years ago. If that is not possible, I can be 2m away, wearing a mask while limiting the number of people in the embassy. I find it absolutely insane that they are not open for interviews but so many other (more dangerous) things are open.

 

With that said, I know we live in a world where logic doesn't always get taken into account when rules and regulations are put in place but I am also not okay just hanging out until they have no other choice but to open up. I think we need to set a date and if we don't hear anything from them (say end of July or Aug), then we need to take some action. Start emailing / calling weekly, getting immigrations lawyers involved, contacting Congressmen / Senators or even starting a petition. I know all of these things will probably not achieve much on their own but perhaps together we can put some pressure on someone in the embassy to start taking this seriously. I most certainly do not want to wait another 6 months to be with my loved ones in the US after already waiting more than a year. Especially because we are so close to the end and the thing standing in our way is so ridiculous.

 

Sorry about the rant, today is just one of those days!

 

Any thoughts are welcomed. 

This is the exact conversation my husband and I have been having the last few weeks. You can get a massage, eat out, gamble, but we can't have a simple 15 minute interview to get to our loved ones. I agree with the set date idea, I've been thinking the same thing. I say end July - it would have been four months of closure by then. If we are all putting pressure (respectfully) it might help speed things up. I know the numbers are peaking here, but Western Cape is already stable and numbers declining and I would think the rest of the country is not far behind. I think immigration lawyers as well as Senators / Congressmen will help hugely and a petition as an extra push. My husband's Senators office has been incredibly helpful. Countries like London who are as open as we are, are already getting interviews scheduled and expedites are going through. I've seen a few approvals from countries where their lockdown is stricter than ours with more limits on domestic travel. Our visas are declared mission critical and according to the State website all embassies and consulates are processing mission critical visas - so why not SA https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/phased-resumption-routine-visa-services.html

Quote

All of our missions are continuing to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services.

 

I don't imagine they have many visas to process in general with proclamation . They don't do a lot of CR1 / IR1's each month from what I've seen (maybe 4 -10 a month of each) so there shouldn't be much of a backlog. They're processing athletes as mission critical, I would think family would be more important. I'm concerned by the time they do start scheduling us there won't be repatriation flights left and we have to wait for borders to open. We are right by the end, I just wish they would work us and process us already. I don't see why they can't.

[April M 28]

4 hours ago, WilliamSmith said:

Hi all,

 

I was about to book myself a massage this morning, as all of the spa's have opened up,  when I realised that if the government is fine with me being in a room for 90 minutes with someone giving me a massage then surely they should be fine with me being interviewed. Perhaps even through a glass window like they have at banks. They did it like that when I had an interview for a B1 / B2 visa in Dublin a few years ago. If that is not possible, I can be 2m away, wearing a mask while limiting the number of people in the embassy. I find it absolutely insane that they are not open for interviews but so many other (more dangerous) things are open.

 

With that said, I know we live in a world where logic doesn't always get taken into account when rules and regulations are put in place but I am also not okay just hanging out until they have no other choice but to open up. I think we need to set a date and if we don't hear anything from them (say end of July or Aug), then we need to take some action. Start emailing / calling weekly, getting immigrations lawyers involved, contacting Congressmen / Senators or even starting a petition. I know all of these things will probably not achieve much on their own but perhaps together we can put some pressure on someone in the embassy to start taking this seriously. I most certainly do not want to wait another 6 months to be with my loved ones in the US after already waiting more than a year. Especially because we are so close to the end and the thing standing in our way is so ridiculous.

 

Sorry about the rant, today is just one of those days!

 

Any thoughts are welcomed. 

I really understand how you feel. There have been others that have gotten their visas and came already through the lockdowns. It just seems excessive to keep us waiting but their is nothing we can do. I so like your ideas and again they could count them as negative as well. I talked to a lawyer briefly and ask what to do. I have talked to an immigration liaison through the state department where I live and they're supposed to be looking at the case. I have no idea if this is going to help or hurt but I am at the end of the time table and I see all the work going on at the embassy with zoom and founding being given from America but yet I still wait and we are hurting with life decisions waiting one others to reunite us. I have not heard a thing back yet. We need to live together not apart. Don't get me wrong , I have to be here for medical reasons and he can't come yet so we have been working together to prosper in our lives together despite all the craziness of this world so we are handling it. But come on, married people are family and one with each other. This wait is just not right. 

We have done all that was asked and more now. 

Can't wait to see my husband in real life very very soon. 

[mimi206 8]

@TamDill Hello 👋, do you hear anything from Johannesburg US Embassy ? 

 

Edited July 23, 2020 by mimi206

[April M 28]

6 minutes ago, mimi206 said:

@TamDill Hello 👋, do you hear anything from Johannesburg US Embassy ? 

 

We are in Kenya and they say they are working to open airport first so end of July beginning of August. 

I'll believe that when I see it😂🤣 

[TamDill 29]

12 hours ago, mimi206 said:

@TamDill Hello 👋, do you hear anything from Johannesburg US Embassy ? 

 

Nothing yet,  but my case went from in transit to ready yesterday. So I'm thinking it'll be soon 🤞 Have you had any updates yet? 

[April M 28]

2 hours ago, TamDill said:

Nothing yet,  but my case went from in transit to ready yesterday. So I'm thinking it'll be soon 🤞 Have you had any updates yet? 

That is awesome👍

[mimi206 8]

@TamDill great, I didn’t hear nothing new still @ Joha. how do I know my case is ready? 

Thanks 

[TamDill 29]

32 minutes ago, mimi206 said:

@TamDill great, I didn’t hear nothing new still @ Joha. how do I know my case is ready? 

Thanks 

@mimi206 go to CEAC site and click the check status link 

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by TamDill

[mimi206 8]

@TamDill Yessss, main ready too ,🙏Thank you 

our case is going parallel.

[TamDill 29]

10 minutes ago, mimi206 said:

@TamDill Yessss, main ready too ,🙏Thank you 

our case is going parallel.

You're most welcome @mimi206 I'll definitely let you know if hear about an interview date please let me know your side as well. I think our interview date might be the same as well 😉

[Neeeeek&LilHummus 1]

Is Home Affairs open to obtain the needed documents (unabridged birth certificate)? Also is a police clearance obtainable at this time? 

[April M 28]

17 minutes ago, MavisAndBoclay said:

Is Home Affairs open to obtain the needed documents (unabridged birth certificate)? Also is a police clearance obtainable at this time? 

I am highly interested in the answer to this question. 

[IsItLekker 183]

1 hour ago, MavisAndBoclay said:

Is Home Affairs open to obtain the needed documents (unabridged birth certificate)? Also is a police clearance obtainable at this time? 

We were able to get a police clearance and get it apostiled by DIRCO but it has taken more than 5 months. That was with the help of an agency. I have no idea what the timeline looks like without their assistance. We were quite annoyed with how the agency handled everything, but my mother and brother-in-law used them before and had much more favorable results (less than a month). As for Home Affairs, that is a lot less clear. If it is anything like DIRCO, they could be open in theory, but closing every other day due to someone getting COVID and having to sanitize the entire building. If you need these documents, I highly suggest applying for them right now since there is no way of knowing how long it is actually going to take.

[TamDill 29]

3 hours ago, MavisAndBoclay said:

Is Home Affairs open to obtain the needed documents (unabridged birth certificate)? Also is a police clearance obtainable at this time? 

Yes both are open there probably will be a backlog though. Home affairs was shut down for about 2 - 3 months and police clearance about 3 - 4 months. When I did my PCC late last year it took about 2 months total. Wasn't bad at all but I'd expect there's a backlog now. Didn't use an agency, was a pretty smooth process. Birth certificate was about the same amount of time, did it earlier this year,  but I used an agency to get it done faster.- Doc Assist 

[TamDill 29]

Visas issued by post - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/immigrant-visa-statistics/monthly-immigrant-visa-issuances.html

 

June stats have been released and everywhere is doing CR1/IR1 visas except JHB. This includes Brazil and India who's numbers are way above ours.

 

@April M Kenya has processed CR1/IR1 visas in June (Nairobi) maybe worth enquiring again on your case. If I understand correctly you're in Kenya?