US Embassy Dakar

[BIG_O 0]

Just a quick update on our case. I called NVC today and was given the NVC receipt number. The file was received by NVC on November 2nd, and was forwarded to the consulate in Dakar today. My fiancee went for her medical yesterday. She was sent to two labs. One was for her chest X-ray, the other for blood work. She received her X-ray results the same day. She went back today for her blood work results today. She's due in for her vaccination shots tomorrow and the medical process should be completed then. I am really hoping for a December interview...

[Zee Bee 61]

Good luck!!!

[Ta Ta 1]

best wishes

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I hope you get that. Good Luck! Thanks for keeping us up to date.

[BIG_O 0]

Hi guys, apparently one needs to purchase a special type of prepaid calling card just to make an appointment for the interview... So, one calls in and gives the operator your pin number for validation before they'll assist you with the appointment. I guess we are directly funding the service...

[Zee Bee 61]

Hi guys, apparently one needs to purchase a special type of prepaid calling card just to make an appointment for the interview... So, one calls in and gives the operator your pin number for validation before they'll assist you with the appointment. I guess we are directly funding the service...

I don't understand how that works. So, you call them to say that you want to make an appt, they tell you to go and buy this special calling card, you call them back, give them the PIN and then you get the appt?

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I wonder if it's the same as on the Ghana consular site. On the site it says you have to go and pay the "fee". I thought that was the $100 visa fee which seemed like a scam because what if you get denied and they already have your fee for a visa you can't get? But anyway, after you pay the fee, then you can go online with the barcoded information from your receipt of payment to complete the required forms for your interview. If you are applying for a tourist or student visa, that's also how you get your interview date.

[Zee Bee 61]

I wonder if it's the same as on the Ghana consular site. On the site it says you have to go and pay the "fee". I thought that was the $100 visa fee which seemed like a scam because what if you get denied and they already have your fee for a visa you can't get? But anyway, after you pay the fee, then you can go online with the barcoded information from your receipt of payment to complete the required forms for your interview. If you are applying for a tourist or student visa, that's also how you get your interview date.

The $100 is the visa application fee I believe. For tourist visas and such you need to pay the fee at a bank and get a confirmation number from them in order to get an interview date. For the K visas, you take it with you to the interview.

I am just confused as to why they would want you to pay for a calling card....seems kind of bizarre to me

[Zee Bee 61]

I answered my own question.

For future reference:

To schedule an interview to submit a visa application at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, you must call the U.S. Visa Information Service (USVIS) at (+221) 33-869-63-00. USVIS also offers information about the visa application process. This is a user-pays service and the charge is 7,800 CFA for 9 minutes. Unused minutes can be reused at a later time. Pre-paid PIN cards are available at venders throughout Senegal, The Gambia and Sierra Leone. For a complete list of vendors, please click on the link to right. If you cannot purchase a card yourself, someone can purchase one for you and email/call you with the PIN number.

So its like buying time to talk to them....crazy

[Ta Ta 1]

Hi guys, apparently one needs to purchase a special type of prepaid calling card just to make an appointment for the interview... So, one calls in and gives the operator your pin number for validation before they'll assist you with the appointment. I guess we are directly funding the service...

[/quote ]

Yes it is a hassle. And they will never talk to you by phone if you have a problem with your case. Only email and usually 7-10 days wait for a response.

I just got this from Dakar regarding the 2. interview appointment:

Due to circumstance beyond our control, we were unable to process the DNA results as scheduled. We are working as fast as possible to reduce the backlog. We will contact the applicant when we are ready to proceed with the case.

Eligibility Review Unit (KC)

[BIG_O 0]

I'm guessing that the mini department that sets up the appointments for the visa interviews is funded, at least partially by the money we spend purchasing the card. It is beginning to feel like a nickle and dime process... Oh well. I asked my fiancee to purchase a card today and forward me the pin. By the way, does anyone know if a appointment will be setup, if the file has not reached the consulate yet?

[BIG_O 0]

Any indication that December will be a busy processing time at the consulate?

[Ta Ta 1]

If they wouldn't do so many useless first interview appointments only to be thrown into AP and so many useless DNA tests things would

run more smoothly.

The 2. interview load is so heavy that it almost doubles the workload on that fact alone.

No you won't get an appointment until your case has been received. Yes it is very likely for you to have a December interview.

I think the shift is due to internal restructuring , staff and resource issues than an increase in applicants. Who knows !

I would like to know what percentage of applicants will have a second interview

[Destiny'sJourney 0]

Hello Big O,

Hopefully things will go much more smoothly for you and your fiancee than it did for the last few VJ couple who had to deal w/Dakar.

Shanon

[BIG_O 0]

Hello everyone, we have our interview date. 12/27. Hopefully there will be one more reason for a new year celebration. I am scheduled in Dakar on 12/15... By the way, the department that schedules the appointments is like an outside contractor of some sort. They are very customer friendly and they basically just schedule appointments...