How long before the interview…?

[MeliA 3]

I’m not really sure which section to post this in, so I’m going with here.

 

We are in Ethiopia.

 

I got an email from NVC saying our expedite case was approved (finally!). It also said it could take up to 2 weeks for the file to be transferred.

 

We were planning a trip abroad for Easter in 3 weeks, but now I’m nervous about the timing of everything and wondering HOW QUICKLY they will schedule an interview from the time NVC sent the file. Do we need to cancel our trip or is it going to take something like 6 weeks or more?

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from IR1/CR1 Process & Procedures to IR1/CR1 Progress Reports ***

 

[Tadu 1]

On 3/19/2022 at 7:59 AM, MeliA said:

I’m not really sure which section to post this in, so I’m going with here.

 

We are in Ethiopia.

 

I got an email from NVC saying our expedite case was approved (finally!). It also said it could take up to 2 weeks for the file to be transferred.

 

We were planning a trip abroad for Easter in 3 weeks, but now I’m nervous about the timing of everything and wondering HOW QUICKLY they will schedule an interview from the time NVC sent the file. Do we need to cancel our trip or is it going to take something like 6 weeks or more?

Hello MeliA,

Congratulations on your visa approval. I also expedited mine for spousal visa case, but at the time the nvc  said the embassy there was not working and the nvc kept my request. Did you resubmitted yours or how did they accept it?

Again, congrats!

[MeliA 3]

12 hours ago, Tadu said:

Hello MeliA,

Congratulations on your visa approval. I also expedited mine for spousal visa case, but at the time the nvc  said the embassy there was not working and the nvc kept my request. Did you resubmitted yours or how did they accept it?

Again, congrats!

Yes, we resubmitted it after the embassy reopened.

[MeliA 3]

On 3/19/2022 at 2:59 PM, MeliA said:

I’m not really sure which section to post this in, so I’m going with here.

 

We are in Ethiopia.

 

I got an email from NVC saying our expedite case was approved (finally!). It also said it could take up to 2 weeks for the file to be transferred.

 

We were planning a trip abroad for Easter in 3 weeks, but now I’m nervous about the timing of everything and wondering HOW QUICKLY they will schedule an interview from the time NVC sent the file. Do we need to cancel our trip or is it going to take something like 6 weeks or more?

In case anyone else happens to follow this thread....

 

The interview was scheduled within a week, and for about 5 days after they notified us, so about 2 weeks all together.

They saw my husband's other visa in his passport and let him keep his passport knowing he would need it as he still hasn't finished his medical check up. 

They said they would call him when they get his papers and be able to put the visa in his passport same day. I guess we'll see.....

[Cammar 0]

Hi MeliA, Congrats. Finally, It’s the time to be united with your other significant. I imagine how excited you are. I’m about to start a similar process. Wish me the best. 

[MeliA 3]

43 minutes ago, Cammar said:

Hi MeliA, Congrats. Finally, It’s the time to be united with your other significant. I imagine how excited you are. I’m about to start a similar process. Wish me the best. 

Actually, we've lived together the entire time, so....

What do you mean you're "about to start a similar process"? But really, good luck, the whole thing isn't easy.

[Cammar 0]

14 minutes ago, MeliA said:

Actually, we've lived together the entire time, so....

What do you mean you're "about to start a similar process"? But really, good luck, the whole thing isn't easy.

I’m based in Minnesota while my partner is based in Turkey as legal resident now. I’m trying to choose carefully which embassy should we go with ( your thoughts on this are appreciated). I’m about to start a petition so we can live together in the states.
I assumed you guys are under a similar process but it seems you are living together but not the states. 

Yeah, I’m aware that this process is long and stressful so I’m trying not to except quick outcomes.
I was going through your timeline though and all I can say is you are very very dedicated person. Hard work will pay off soon.  

[MeliA 3]

38 minutes ago, Cammar said:

I’m based in Minnesota while my partner is based in Turkey as legal resident now. I’m trying to choose carefully which embassy should we go with ( your thoughts on this are appreciated). I’m about to start a petition so we can live together in the states.
I assumed you guys are under a similar process but it seems you are living together but not the states. 

Yeah, I’m aware that this process is long and stressful so I’m trying not to except quick outcomes.
I was going through your timeline though and all I can say is you are very very dedicated person. Hard work will pay off soon.  

In our case, we're very fortunate because we were able to expedite (although I don't know if medical reasons makes us fortunate, really...), so it is less than a year and half, which is very fast. Many people in ET have still been waiting 2 years to get an interview at the embassy. You profile shows Ethiopia, so is that the other option aside from Turkey? I don't know what the timing in Turkey has been due to COVID, but I would imagine better than here. However, by the time your paperwork is all approved by USCIS and NVC (it sounds like you haven't started yet?) maybe the timing in Ethiopia will have improved some. Either way, starting now and going through ET, expect it to take about 2 years for a CR-1/IR-1. K-1 is usually faster. Not sure what you're going for since you said "partner."

Edited March 31, 2022 by MeliA

[Cammar 0]

2 hours ago, MeliA said:

In our case, we're very fortunate because we were able to expedite (although I don't know if medical reasons makes us fortunate, really...), so it is less than a year and half, which is very fast. Many people in ET have still been waiting 2 years to get an interview at the embassy. You profile shows Ethiopia, so is that the other option aside from Turkey? I don't know what the timing in Turkey has been due to COVID, but I would imagine better than here. However, by the time your paperwork is all approved by USCIS and NVC (it sounds like you haven't started yet?) maybe the timing in Ethiopia will have improved some. Either way, starting now and going through ET, expect it to take about 2 years for a CR-1/IR-1. K-1 is usually faster. Not sure what you're going for since you said "partner."

According to the two immigration attorneys  that I had paid consultation sessions with, waiting times were doubled because of COVID 19 plus trump policy. As you mentioned, it’s improving now and hopefully it will return to the normal level.

I am afraid that we are not eligible for K1 visa even though it is faster  so we have to go with IR1/CR1.

Yeah, I didn’t start yet. Our two main options are Addis Ababa and Ankara. I’m open for other options if the embassy waiting times are significantly shorter. I think that I don’t have to pick an embassy until our petition is approved by Uscis ( takes about 6 month after filling I-130 ) 

Thanks Melia. 
 

[MeliA 3]

17 minutes ago, Cammar said:

According to the two immigration attorneys  that I had paid consultation sessions with, waiting times were doubled because of COVID 19 plus trump policy. As you mentioned, it’s improving now and hopefully it will return to the normal level.

I am afraid that we are not eligible for K1 visa even though it is faster  so we have to go with IR1/CR1.

Yeah, I didn’t start yet. Our two main options are Addis Ababa and Ankara. I’m open for other options if the embassy waiting times are significantly shorter. I think that I don’t have to pick an embassy until our petition is approved by Uscis ( takes about 6 month after filling I-130 ) 

Thanks Melia. 
 

Unfortunately, you don't get to just pick an embassy because they have shorter wait times. You have to be a physical resident of that country (or have been in the past) to have a case transferred to another embassy.

BUT hopefully by the time you get some of this going, wait times will be down. There are a lot of embassies around the world who are pretty well caught up....so try to find out about Turkey.

[Cammar 0]

11 hours ago, MeliA said:

Unfortunately, you don't get to just pick an embassy because they have shorter wait times. You have to be a physical resident of that country (or have been in the past) to have a case transferred to another embassy.

BUT hopefully by the time you get some of this going, wait times will be down. There are a lot of embassies around the world who are pretty well caught up....so try to find out about Turkey.

I’m aware that my partner has to be physically and legally be resident of that country. It’s easier to arrange that before the beginning of the process. I’m doing my research on Turkey. So far, I know that Turkey has very high  volume of refugees. 

[Nati Z. 0]

I had requested for NVC to expedite due to medical reasons and they said they will send the package to the US Embassy in Addis Ababa because that's where my wife and my newborn son reside at. Then I get a notification from the NVC that the package has reached the embassy and the status is "Ready". However it has been close to a moth and it hasn't been scheduled for a visa appointment date. When I asked NVC using the public inquiry for they said the embassy has control over the interview date now. When I then asked the embassy, the gave me a blanket response something along the lines of "we're still going over the backlog that is been amassing for a while due to covid." What can I do now to be heard and so that my wife and newborn son can join me here in the US? BTW, my son is now a US citizen on account of me being one and we finished processing his Report of Birth Abroad certificate and his US passport.