CR1 is DQ, current wait time for interview in Manila?

[NeonParticles 126]

Just now, An D said:

It's ridiculous and unacceptable. Seems that tourist and fiancee visas are faster than spousal visas at this point. Screw spouses right? 

It's wild because late last year you'd hear people getting expedited for no reason... then they just stopped.  Nothing makes sense with what they're doing.  

I do understand that a lot of folks are applying for fiancee visas because they're being processed faster than tourist visas and are much more likely to be approved than tourist visas.  The whole process needs to be fixed.  

[Evan757 37]

On 6/13/2023 at 7:09 PM, aaroncv3 said:

Just checking in.  Nothing to report on our end.  The silence was too loud, so I thought I would break it.  🤣  Hope everyone is having a good week.

 

Oh, we decided to take a risk and schedule the medical exam for July before receiving an interview letter.

 

I think we might be able to do the CFO online.  I'm not completely sure.  Ang pinay na asawa ko is the one in the Facebook group.

 

I'm here in the Philippines with her, and I need to extend my visitor visa again.  We'll need to commute to Sta Rosa this week or next for that.

 

In the same boat. Have an IR1, been DQ'd since Feb 2 and live here with my filipino wife. This is becoming a serious problem as my boss has been extraordinarily patient for me to return but I don't suspect that will last forever.

I thought we needed to have the interview letter to schedule the medical exam?

[An D 27]

 

1 minute ago, Evan757 said:

 

In the same boat. Have an IR1, been DQ'd since Feb 2 and live here with my filipino wife. This is becoming a serious problem as my boss has been extraordinarily patient for me to return but I don't suspect that will last forever.

I thought we needed to have the interview letter to schedule the medical exam?

Supposedly, they'll let you take the exam still but you have to sign a waiver indicating that you understand it expires in 6 months and without having a visa interview scheduled, you are risking it expiring and they are not at fault, or something along those lines. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by An D

[top_secret 2,421]

It's been confirmed first hand by a number of people recently that Saint Lukes WILL let you take an immigration physical prior to having an interview letter by signing a waiver.

 

What's stunning about this thread, is that when it started back in February, US Embassy Manila was up to about mid January scheduling CR1/IR1 and CR2/IR2.  Back at the end of January there were multiple reports of people getting interview letters in as little as 2 weeks from becoming documentarily qualified.  Here we are at the end of June already and I can't find a single normal non-expedited CR1/2 or IR1/2 that has received an interview letter for US Embassy Manila since.  Not even one.  Not here, not on any FaceBook groups, not on Reddit, not even on tiktok.  Absolute silence about any normal non-expedited CR1/2, IR1/2 scheduling at US Embassy Manila since February and increasingly loud and more voluminous grumbling on social media about lack of ANY new scheduling of spousal visa interviews.  I think it is accurate to say that at the start of 2023 the backlog seemed to be about 2 weeks.  And now mid 2023 you have people still waiting from about the start of 2023.

 

In the exact same timeframe US Embassy Manila has made stunning improvements in their backlogs for B1/B2 visas.  Last year it was showing like 650 days to get a B1/B2 interview.  Now that's down to about 150 days.  I think K1's have gotten some relief at US Embassy Manila lately too.  But if one were cynical, given the timeframe of spousal visa backlogs growing substantially longer, while at the same time nonimmigrant visa interview wait time dramatically shortened it would at least seem like they put spousal  visa interviews on the back burner for a few months while they focused on other backlogs.

[aaroncv3 106]

31 minutes ago, top_secret said:

What's stunning about this thread, is that when it started back in February, US Embassy Manila was up to about mid January scheduling CR1/IR1 and CR2/IR2.  Back at the end of January there were multiple reports of people getting interview letters in as little as 2 weeks from becoming documentarily qualified.  Here we are at the end of June already and I can't find a single normal non-expedited CR1/2 or IR1/2 that has received an interview letter for US Embassy Manila since.  Not even one.  Not here, not on any FaceBook groups, not on Reddit, not even on tiktok.  Absolute silence about any normal non-expedited CR1/2, IR1/2 scheduling at US Embassy Manila since February and increasingly loud and more voluminous grumbling on social media about lack of ANY new scheduling of spousal visa interviews.  

So, a thread has emerged on one of the FB groups suggesting the cause... Essentially a case of "left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing":

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/972773457060541/permalink/1008829523454934

 

Particularly this comment:

 

They said they switched to total self scheduling in February. No more waiting for them to schedule it for you. Previously this was only available for expedited cases. This is also around the time this started happening. This is in line with an email my senator received back from the embassy last month as well. They said expedites are no longer necessary as all scheduling is done by the applicant manually now through the embassy visa appointment service center, and gave a call a number to schedule the interview. We never called because it didn't make sense at the time. This is starting to make some sense now though. There is a breakdown between the systems and I think nobody noticed. Hard to believe though. The reason I think that is because if they truly did switch to 100% self scheduling, NVC would need to send them the cases as soon as they're DQ so they can enter the visa scheduling system. They don't appear to be making their way and I doubt NVC is purposely holding them hostage.

 

I'm a little slow to get all the info, partly because I'm not the one in FB (my wife is).. and many times the info is in Tagalog, so I need my wife to translate it if it not a simple text like "Talaga ba?  Jusko!" 🤣

 

[An D 27]

3 minutes ago, aaroncv3 said:

So, a thread has emerged on one of the FB groups suggesting the cause... Essentially a case of "left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing":

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/972773457060541/permalink/1008829523454934

 

Particularly this comment:

 

They said they switched to total self scheduling in February. No more waiting for them to schedule it for you. Previously this was only available for expedited cases. This is also around the time this started happening. This is in line with an email my senator received back from the embassy last month as well. They said expedites are no longer necessary as all scheduling is done by the applicant manually now through the embassy visa appointment service center, and gave a call a number to schedule the interview. We never called because it didn't make sense at the time. This is starting to make some sense now though. There is a breakdown between the systems and I think nobody noticed. Hard to believe though. The reason I think that is because if they truly did switch to 100% self scheduling, NVC would need to send them the cases as soon as they're DQ so they can enter the visa scheduling system. They don't appear to be making their way and I doubt NVC is purposely holding them hostage.

 

I'm a little slow to get all the info, partly because I'm not the one in FB (my wife is).. and many times the info is in Tagalog, so I need my wife to translate it if it not a simple text like "Talaga ba?  Jusko!" 🤣

 

That's my comment, lol. And that's not a lie. This is what they told my senator:

 

"The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines has been processing immigrant visas across all categories. The CR1/IR1 visa class has always been one of the prioritized visa categories. There is no need to request to expedite the interview appointment since appointment scheduling for this visa class is available through the U.S. Embassy’s Visa Information and Appointment Service Center. We suggest that the applicant contacts our service center as soon as s/he can while there are still available slots and schedules his/her appointment accordingly."

 

They literally said to schedule it on our own and an expedite is pointless. And yet we can't schedule it because our case is still with the NVC. Manual scheduling was always only for expedites.

 

There is a major breakdown somewhere between the NVC and the embassy. It's very very obvious now after the email reply that promoted that group post to be made to begin with. The embassy said that starting in February, all scheduling is done manually by the applicant. Yet that's clearly not possible as the cases remain at the NVC. So either the systems are unknowingly broken, or they lied, or they have no idea what they're talking about. 

 

This entire saga is so bizarre and I can't believe this total incompetence by our government.

[aaroncv3 106]

21 minutes ago, An D said:

I can't believe this total incompetence by our government.

🤣

[Evan757 37]

6 hours ago, An D said:

That's my comment, lol. And that's not a lie. This is what they told my senator:

 

"The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines has been processing immigrant visas across all categories. The CR1/IR1 visa class has always been one of the prioritized visa categories. There is no need to request to expedite the interview appointment since appointment scheduling for this visa class is available through the U.S. Embassy’s Visa Information and Appointment Service Center. We suggest that the applicant contacts our service center as soon as s/he can while there are still available slots and schedules his/her appointment accordingly."

 

They literally said to schedule it on our own and an expedite is pointless. And yet we can't schedule it because our case is still with the NVC. Manual scheduling was always only for expedites.

 

There is a major breakdown somewhere between the NVC and the embassy. It's very very obvious now after the email reply that promoted that group post to be made to begin with. The embassy said that starting in February, all scheduling is done manually by the applicant. Yet that's clearly not possible as the cases remain at the NVC. So either the systems are unknowingly broken, or they lied, or they have no idea what they're talking about. 

 

This entire saga is so bizarre and I can't believe this total incompetence by our government.

I asked my congresswoman for help and the NVC told them:

"Thank you for contacting the office of Congresswoman Jen Kiggans regarding your spousal visa issue. Per your request, I contacted the Department of State on your behalf. The agency has informed me that the U.S. Embassy in Manila will provide the NVC with a list of available appointment dates and times.  The NVC will schedule this case for an interview appointment when an open appointment date is available.  These appointments are scheduled on a on a first-in, first-out basis. "

 

I am reaching the absolute limit of my sanity.

[luckygal 1]

There were 3people who got case ready early today as shared in the FB group chat.

 

IR1 Dq 5/31/23 not expedite

CR1 Dq Jan2023 expedite

Not sure category Dq 4/25/23 expedite denied but received another email that the case was already sent to Manila

 

Hoping for more good news.

 

[Evan757 37]

3 minutes ago, luckygal said:

There were 3people who got case ready early today as shared in the FB group chat.

 

IR1 Dq 5/31/23 not expedite

CR1 Dq Jan2023 expedite

Not sure category Dq 4/25/23 expedite denied but received another email that the case was already sent to Manila

 

Hoping for more good news.

 

DQ on 5/31??? Not expedite? We've been DQ'd since Feb 1st and we haven't seen anything. 

 

 

[luckygal 1]

3 minutes ago, Evan757 said:

DQ on 5/31??? Not expedite? We've been DQ'd since Feb 1st and we haven't seen anything. 

 

 

I read it again my bad. He said expedite denied.

[aaroncv3 106]

23 hours ago, Evan757 said:

In the same boat. Have an IR1, been DQ'd since Feb 2 and live here with my filipino wife. This is becoming a serious problem as my boss has been extraordinarily patient for me to return but I don't suspect that will last forever.

Similarly, I have gracious friends looking after my house in the US, and a friend I've hired to maintain the yard.

 

As wonderful as it is to be with my wife, I concurrently have continuing responsibilities in the US.  I regret the prolonged inconvenience to the aforementioned caretakers by this ongoing immigration limbo.

 

Family comes first though.  I check in with those friends frequently.  They are, of course, as gracious as anyone could hope -- and, of course, statedly eager for our return.

 

All in all, we are quite blessed.  Despite the prolonged delay, I remain optimistic.

Edited June 16, 2023 by aaroncv3
Formatting, grammar

[PsychoGF 11]

my husband just got DQed May 26th and I'm feeling a little hopeless with these updates. We're not getting any younger so we just want to start building our family while we still can, but LDR is causing us this misery.

I would understand if they just "decreased" the ILs for CR/IR1. Like limiting it to a certain number but still surely give out some consistently.

but completely stopping them since January with the exception of those expedited? absolutely insane.

To think that CR/IR1 cases are always current and a priority, there shouldn't even be a need to have our cases expedited. 

and I also read somewhere that Consul General McGovern is on vacation so we can't even get any replies to emails.

Clearly there's something wrong but ofc, the embassy in MNL won't admit that.

 

 

[aaroncv3 106]

Just wanted to remind everyone that, today, we are 1 day closer to our destination.

 

There are problems we can't fix; there are times, it seems, that we can do nothing but wait.

 

The waiting is not easy -- I know -- but hard times make strong men.

 

I know we live in a time when a positive mental attitude is mocked and ridiculed, doubt is reasonable, and outrage is glorified.

 

But your hope, today, could be the difference, today, between a family made stronger or a family made weaker.  Your hope is crucial, even if it doesn't match the world around you.

[GR90 3]

Check your CEAC messages it appears a large group of us from the Facebook Group have received messages today informing that our case has been expedited! 

 

Note: We got documents approved (NVC) 4/18 

Edited June 26, 2023 by GR90
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