How I transferred my immigrant visa interview from Dublin to Bucharest

[johnnyirl 7]

Despite me telling people transferring an immigrant visa interview to a different embassy in a country which I am not a resident or citizen, it appears there are still some who do not believe it. So let me explain exactly how I did it. I am now living in the US having moved in December 2021.
 

Step 1. In July 2021 after having being ‘At NVC’ for almost 12 months, I contacted the embassy in Bucharest directly asking if they would adjudicate my immigrant visa. They replied in August 2021 and said that they would, and asked the NVC to transfer my case from Dublin to Bucharest. I received a new case number beginning with ‘BCH2021’ (old number was ‘DBL2020******’.

 

Step 2. I got my petitioner to send an expedite request based on the grounds that unless I immigrated as soon as possible they would withdraw the petition and this would not be in the interest of the USA. The request was accepted.

 

Step 3. The embassy in Bucharest reached out to me directly to schedule an interview and I went there a few weeks later and did both the medical and interview in Bucharest. The visa was issued.

 

The rules are the rules, but this is my experience and it shows that the rules are not always enforced. Those who told me that I am EB-3 and this is a CR* forum and for me to get lost - learn how to treat people with respect. Also EB-3 visas and CR* visas are both immigrant visas and are both handled by the NVC so there is commonality in the handling of the visa scheduling.

 

[Redro 4,611]

1 hour ago, johnnyirl said:

Despite me telling people transferring an immigrant visa interview to a different embassy in a country which I am not a resident or citizen, it appears there are still some who do not believe it. So let me explain exactly how I did it. I am now living in the US having moved in December 2021.
 

Step 1. In July 2021 after having being ‘At NVC’ for almost 12 months, I contacted the embassy in Bucharest directly asking if they would adjudicate my immigrant visa. They replied in August 2021 and said that they would, and asked the NVC to transfer my case from Dublin to Bucharest. I received a new case number beginning with ‘BCH2021’ (old number was ‘DBL2020******’.

 

Step 2. I got my petitioner to send an expedite request based on the grounds that unless I immigrated as soon as possible they would withdraw the petition and this would not be in the interest of the USA. The request was accepted.

 

Step 3. The embassy in Bucharest reached out to me directly to schedule an interview and I went there a few weeks later and did both the medical and interview in Bucharest. The visa was issued.

 

The rules are the rules, but this is my experience and it shows that the rules are not always enforced. Those who told me that I am EB-3 and this is a CR* forum and for me to get lost - learn how to treat people with respect. Also EB-3 visas and CR* visas are both immigrant visas and are both handled by the NVC so there is commonality in the handling of the visa scheduling.

 

Questions:

1.) Did you provide your visa category when you wrote Bucharest?

2.) Did you state how long you had been waiting for an interview via Dublin?

3.) Did you give a reason for why you wanted the case transferred?

OR

Did you just write an email saying

 

To whom it may concern, 

I'm @johnnyirl and I'd like to transfer my case to your embassy.

Regards, 

@johnnyirl

 

Not being facetious, just wondering about the process and the information you provided. 

[johnnyirl 7]

20 minutes ago, ROK2USA said:

Questions:

1.) Did you provide your visa category when you wrote Bucharest?

2.) Did you state how long you had been waiting for an interview via Dublin?

3.) Did you give a reason for why you wanted the case transferred?

OR

Did you just write an email saying

 

To whom it may concern, 

I'm @johnnyirl and I'd like to transfer my case to your embassy.

Regards, 

@johnnyirl

 

Not being facetious, just wondering about the process and the information you provided. 

Would be happy to answer your questions. For the record, I didn't write "I'm JohnnyIrl...".

 

I gave the following information:

• How long I'd been waiting at the NVC and in particular, how long I'd been documentarily qualified.
• My visa category.
• That Dublin was completely backed up and that they stopped responding to my emails.
• That the interview was for me and a derivative (my spouse).
• That we were available to travel to Romania at short notice and are both double vaccinated.
• Other than that I didn't really provide any more information.

The embassy replied like that 'We understand you and your spouse have been waiting a long time to be adjudicated. We accept your request to adjudicate your visas and we'll be in touch when we receive your file from the NVC.'

 

Then I got in touch with my petitioner and got them to send a letter on official letterhead paper and signed by the CEO to the NVC expedite email address. It was approved by the embassy and they got in touch with me directly to schedule the interview.

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

****Moved from the CR-1/IR-1 discussion area to the Work Visas forum as OP was not a CR-1 visa holder****

[Redro 4,611]

8 minutes ago, johnnyirl said:

Nothing in my process of moving embassies had anything to do with the type of immigrant visa I had. This is general knowledge that every immigrant visa applicant should know.

Congrats on getting your IV interview moved to a different embassy..

But, I will counter your type of visa did impact your process. 

As Dublin has consistently been issuing CR1/IR1 visas since July 2020 but have ignored other IVs. 

 

What was your reasoning behind choosing Bucharest and not another embassy like London, Frankfurt or Paris?

 

[Holly&Andreas 38]

43 minutes ago, ROK2USA said:

Congrats on getting your IV interview moved to a different embassy..

But, I will counter your type of visa did impact your process. 

As Dublin has consistently been issuing CR1/IR1 visas since July 2020 but have ignored other IVs. 

 

What was your reasoning behind choosing Bucharest and not another embassy like London, Frankfurt or Paris?

 

I'm interested to know this as well. My husband is Romanian and we will be going through the Bucharest embassy. Does OP have ties to Romania and that's why he picked Bucharest and was approved to interview there, or was it some other reason such as low processing times?

[Dashinka 24,656]

1 hour ago, johnnyirl said:

Nothing in my process of moving embassies had anything to do with the type of immigrant visa I had. This is general knowledge that every immigrant visa applicant should know.

You are correct.  This story may be best served in the Embassy and Consulate forum.

 

Also, thanks for your information.  It is great when members come back and relate their success stories.

 

Good Luck!

[johnnyirl 7]

4 hours ago, ROK2USA said:

Congrats on getting your IV interview moved to a different embassy..

But, I will counter your type of visa did impact your process. 

As Dublin has consistently been issuing CR1/IR1 visas since July 2020 but have ignored other IVs. 

 

What was your reasoning behind choosing Bucharest and not another embassy like London, Frankfurt or Paris?

 

You're right to a certain point, the motivation to move embassy was influenced by the situation at Dublin. But the context of my experience was to describe HOW I managed to move embassies, not why. There is an assumption that people reading this will find it helpful and might prompt them to do something similar.

 

At the time, Trump had issued PP 10041 and also there was a Schengen-wide ban on entry due to Covid. Since Romania is not in the Schengen area and at the time they had Covid under control, I looked up the NIV wait times and they were only 2-3 days. Now, I figured, if they are processing NIV interviews fast, they must also be a short waiting period for IV interviews. So I threw caution to the wind and asked the IV unit in Bucharest if they would accept a transfer request. Honestly, from the first response I got from them to the point I got my visa, they were very accommodating and courteous. It is clear that the Department of State rules on embassy transfer are not strictly followed in all cases. The embassies are seen to somewhat dance to their own tune.

[johnnyirl 7]

3 hours ago, Dashinka said:

You are correct.  This story may be best served in the Embassy and Consulate forum.

 

Also, thanks for your information.  It is great when members come back and relate their success stories.

 

Good Luck!

Thank you very much. Honestly it was hard to get the information out. My first thread was deleted. My second thread was moved (after I myself was told to move on), and besides yourself and perhaps one other person, the big shots here seem to be threatened that I proved something they apparently thought was impossible. As you say I only came back to help out but I might critique this site by saying egos are going to get in the way of people getting the info they need. That's not directly towards you by the way, and thanks again for showing respect when others are seriously lacking it.

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

14 minutes ago, johnnyirl said:

You're right to a certain point, the motivation to move embassy was influenced by the situation at Dublin. But the context of my experience was to describe HOW I managed to move embassies, not why. There is an assumption that people reading this will find it helpful and might prompt them to do something similar.

 

At the time, Trump had issued PP 10041 and also there was a Schengen-wide ban on entry due to Covid. Since Romania is not in the Schengen area and at the time they had Covid under control, I looked up the NIV wait times and they were only 2-3 days. Now, I figured, if they are processing NIV interviews fast, they must also be a short waiting period for IV interviews. So I threw caution to the wind and asked the IV unit in Bucharest if they would accept a transfer request. Honestly, from the first response I got from them to the point I got my visa, they were very accommodating and courteous. It is clear that the Department of State rules on embassy transfer are not strictly followed in all cases. The embassies are seen to somewhat dance to their own tune.

I suspect that the "WHY" is the most important factor which consulates consider.  I think your experience was the exception rather than the norm.  Simply, a person can ask ANY consulate to accept their case......but, I suspect MOST consulates would not be so accommodating to someone with no connections or residency in their jurisdiction.  Congratulations, but I would NOT expect similar results for anyone else who is "consulate shopping".

Edited May 2, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[johnnyirl 7]

Just now, Crazy Cat said:

I suspect that the "WHY" is the most important factor which consulates consider.  I think your experience was the exception rather than the norm.  Simply, a person can ask ANY consulate to accept their case......but, I suspect MOST consulates would not be so accommodating to someone with no connections or residency in their jurisdiction.  Congratulations, but I would expect similar results for anyone else who is "consulate shopping".

Exception or not, it is possible and I explained how to do it. If Bucharest accepted based on the grounds of a long delay, then others with more pressing reasons you would only imagine would have a better chance of success.

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

1 minute ago, johnnyirl said:

Exception or not, it is possible and I explained how to do it. If Bucharest accepted based on the grounds of a long delay, then others with more pressing reasons you would only imagine would have a better chance of success.

Anyone can ask ANY consulate to accept their case....That is common knowledge.  Providing a VALID connection to that consulate is a different aspect completely.

[Penguin_ie 5,995]

**** several posts bickering off topic about where this thread should be removed.  This thread is in its correct forum. ******
Penguin, Lead Moderator

[johnnyirl 7]

49 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Anyone can ask ANY consulate to accept their case....That is common knowledge.  Providing a VALID connection to that consulate is a different aspect completely.

True - but you're missing the point. I came on to share my experience on changing embassy, and you lot just can't take it. And initially didn't believe it. 

[STO Overland 137]

No worries, it’s all good craic here (sometimes). Congratulations on your success and thanks for sharing.