Contacting Embassy After Interview

[hopeful0811 23]

This is my first time creating a topic, so I hope I've done it right. 

 

Does anyone know if there is any way to actually speak on the phone to the immigrant visa department at the embassy, or (long shot), to the officer who took my interview?

 

I had my interview on 16th March for CR1 visa. My 2nd wedding anniversary was yesterday 17th April. It was mutually agreed with myself and the officer that my CR1 visa would be refused at my interview, for no reason other than so he can approve it as an IR1 visa on my anniversary. My passport etc. was all kept by him at the embassy. He did say the CEAC website could take a few days to update showing he has approved it. Today, 18th April, it has updated but still showing refused. This has made me very concerned, because it should have been accepted as of yesterday. The officer was 100% happy with all documents and forms, so maybe he's just forgotten to update it yesterday?

 

I've just tried phoning the embassy, but they're so unhelpful, just repeating that they don't deal with visa queries. They're literally the people I need to speak to! So I've submitted a contact form, but with 0 clue when they might get back to me.

 

Has anyone else been in this situation? Is there any other way I can contact the embassy? Am I just being impatient and maybe he has done it, and I just need to wait? I've been worried about something going wrong with this since my interview, so I'm quite panicked.

[Boiler 45,314]

10 year GC is determined by how long you have been married at the date of entry so that makes no sense.

 

Never heard of anyway to contact them direct.

[hopeful0811 23]

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

10 year GC is determined by how long you have been married at the date of entry so that makes no sense.

 

Never heard of anyway to contact them direct.

Yeah, the first person I spoke to at my appointment who took my documents and fingerprints said they can change it to IR1 at the border upon entry, but then the officer who did my interview said he's not heard of that before and offered to wait a month and approve it as IR1. Because of the way he spoke about it, whilst he couldn't officially say "I recommend this option", it was heavily implied to just wait a month. I'm now so worried that this was a mistake and I've caused bigger issues and it's so frustrating that I can't talk to anyone about it

[Boiler 45,314]

Sounds like you are just waiting

[hopeful0811 23]

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Sounds like you are just waiting

I hope I'm just being impatient and the website just hasn't updated to reflect my actual status.

[Crazy Cat 41,610]

 

1 hour ago, hopeful0811 said:

Yeah, the first person I spoke to at my appointment who took my documents and fingerprints said they can change it to IR1 at the border upon entry, but then the officer who did my interview said he's not heard of that before and offered to wait a month and approve it as IR1. Because of the way he spoke about it, whilst he couldn't officially say "I recommend this option", it was heavily implied to just wait a month. I'm now so worried that this was a mistake and I've caused bigger issues and it's so frustrating that I can't talk to anyone about it

The CO is wrong.  There was absolutely no reason to delay issuance of the visa.  2 year vs 10 year Green Card is determined by USCIS records after entry....not by CBP at the border.  Keep in mind that your visa will expire 6 months after your medical exam...or sooner.

[hopeful0811 23]

4 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

 

The CO is wrong.  There was absolutely no reason to delay issuance of the visa.  2 year vs 10 year Green Card is determined by USCIS records after entry....not by CBP at the border.  Keep in mind that your visa will expire 6 months after your medical exam...or sooner.

Yes my medical was in February so I have until mid-August until that expires. I feel very frustrated that the officer steered me towards this delayed option unnecessarily. It was the fact he said he'd not heard of it being changed upon entry that ultimately made me choose it, because I thought surely he'd know about it.

 

I guess I can only hope he has remembered to do it and my case will be updated in the next few days. I have literally no idea what to do otherwise. The embassy has my passport and other information.

 

--

 

Have anyone contacted the embassy via the contact form - how long did it take to get a response?

[Chancy 6,241]

5 hours ago, hopeful0811 said:

It was the fact he said he'd not heard of it being changed upon entry that ultimately made me choose it, because I thought surely he'd know about it.

 

The CO was correct as far as the actual visa sticker is concerned -- once you get a CR1 visa stuck in your passport, it will not get changed into an IR1 visa, no matter when you travel to the US.  BUT, visa is not the same as immigration status or green card.  USCIS will determine your status based on your US entry date vs wedding date on the marriage certificate, not whether you have CR1 or IR1 visa in your passport.  You will still get IR1 status if you first enter the US with your CR1 visa after your 2nd wedding anniversary.  Having IR1 status entitles you to a 10-year green card.

 

[visacats 9]

20 hours ago, hopeful0811 said:

Yes my medical was in February so I have until mid-August until that expires. I feel very frustrated that the officer steered me towards this delayed option unnecessarily. It was the fact he said he'd not heard of it being changed upon entry that ultimately made me choose it, because I thought surely he'd know about it.

 

I guess I can only hope he has remembered to do it and my case will be updated in the next few days. I have literally no idea what to do otherwise. The embassy has my passport and other information.

 

--

 

Have anyone contacted the embassy via the contact form - how long did it take to get a response?

I've just sent them a message about my own case which is pending the receipt of a police vetting response from the US consulate in Auckland.

 

They state 2-5 days on the page but who knows. It does have a field for your case number though so it appears at least possible that comms there will be picked up and sent.

[hopeful0811 23]

15 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

The CO was correct as far as the actual visa sticker is concerned -- once you get a CR1 visa stuck in your passport, it will not get changed into an IR1 visa, no matter when you travel to the US.  BUT, visa is not the same as immigration status or green card.  USCIS will determine your status based on your US entry date vs wedding date on the marriage certificate, not whether you have CR1 or IR1 visa in your passport.  You will still get IR1 status if you first enter the US with your CR1 visa after your 2nd wedding anniversary.  Having IR1 status entitles you to a 10-year green card.

 

I wish the officer knew that, and I wish I did too.

[hopeful0811 23]

9 minutes ago, visacats said:

I've just sent them a message about my own case which is pending the receipt of a police vetting response from the US consulate in Auckland.

 

They state 2-5 days on the page but who knows. It does have a field for your case number though so it appears at least possible that comms there will be picked up and sent.

I'm driving myself mad with worry, hopefully they respond within that timeframe. I checked my case this morning and it says updated again today but still refused. I'm hoping that means stuff is happening in the background? Because before this week, it hadn't updated since 6th April (even though my interview was 16th March).

 

If nothing happens this week then next week I might have to argue with the embassy on the phone until I get somewhere, but I'm not sure that would get anywhere. I think I might just be a bit too impatient right now, as it's only been a few days. It's just worrying me that it's updating daily as refused, and not changing to approved, making me think the officer has forgotten. But he has my passport etc. and I am definitely hoping that the embassy wouldn't just leave that lying around with no knowledge about it.

 

Sorry, I'm rambling haha. This is what my brain has been like since yesterday morning. I just wish I could talk to them on the phone. It would be resolved within minutes.

[CynRob 0]

1 hour ago, hopeful0811 said:

I'm driving myself mad with worry, hopefully they respond within that timeframe. I checked my case this morning and it says updated again today but still refused. I'm hoping that means stuff is happening in the background? Because before this week, it hadn't updated since 6th April (even though my interview was 16th March).

 

If nothing happens this week then next week I might have to argue with the embassy on the phone until I get somewhere, but I'm not sure that would get anywhere. I think I might just be a bit too impatient right now, as it's only been a few days. It's just worrying me that it's updating daily as refused, and not changing to approved, making me think the officer has forgotten. But he has my passport etc. and I am definitely hoping that the embassy wouldn't just leave that lying around with no knowledge about it.

 

Sorry, I'm rambling haha. This is what my brain has been like since yesterday morning. I just wish I could talk to them on the phone. It would be resolved within minutes.

I'm actually in the same boat I had my interview and the officer needed to investigate a few things, he kept my passport and said I should hear something in about a couple of weeks so my interview was on April 6th and tomorrow will be 2 weeks, for now ill just keep waiting and hoping that they don't forget about me.  I've seen some comments from other users that it will still say refuse until they issue your visa. even after approval. hopefully you'll hear something good pretty soon. it's really hard trying to be patient when you don't know if you got approved or not. 

[hopeful0811 23]

14 minutes ago, CynRob said:

I'm actually in the same boat I had my interview and the officer needed to investigate a few things, he kept my passport and said I should hear something in about a couple of weeks so my interview was on April 6th and tomorrow will be 2 weeks, for now ill just keep waiting and hoping that they don't forget about me.  I've seen some comments from other users that it will still say refuse until they issue your visa. even after approval. hopefully you'll hear something good pretty soon. it's really hard trying to be patient when you don't know if you got approved or not. 

I am so relieved to hear someone else is in the same boat (that I'm not alone!). It's so frustrating isn't it. I know that all my docs and forms are okay, as the officer actually said he was "completely happy with everything" and would have issued the visa there and then if I hadn't decided to wait (even though I know now that was unnecessary...).

 

Yeah it's the fact it's still saying refused that's making me panic. I am one of those people who likes to know what's happening, when, why etc. so I can plan, even if those plans are just in my head. I don't like the not knowing, so I'm going slightly bonkers. For all I know, my passport has been lost down the side of a desk and they've forgotten. Or, my visa has already been approved and it's being processed, but the CEAC website just won't update for a while. I don't understand why we can't get a phone call from the officer saying that everything has been sorted, that would make it so much easier. I read on the website that for "normal" interviews, it can take 7-10 days to process the approval, and then another 3 or so days to get your docs back in the mail (or be ready for pickup, whichever you chose). So possibly I was approved on Monday as planned, but I won't know till at least next Monday at the earliest. I might have a heart attack before then LOL

[hopeful0811 23]

Okay, I can stop panicking now lol. Just checked the website, and my status has changed to visa issued and my visa has been printed. I'll receive it in the post in the next few days or so. Woo! Crisis averted, although I'm still not happy that this delayed option was presented to me! But I suppose that's water under the bridge now.

[clericbeast 12]

On 4/19/2023 at 12:44 PM, CynRob said:

I'm actually in the same boat I had my interview and the officer needed to investigate a few things, he kept my passport and said I should hear something in about a couple of weeks so my interview was on April 6th and tomorrow will be 2 weeks, for now ill just keep waiting and hoping that they don't forget about me.  I've seen some comments from other users that it will still say refuse until they issue your visa. even after approval. hopefully you'll hear something good pretty soon. it's really hard trying to be patient when you don't know if you got approved or not. 

which embassy? did the officer say what they needed to investigate?