CASABLANCA

[sarah and hicham 3]

Hello!

I wanted to start this thread to hopefully help those going through Casablanca, Morocco. We all know how much of a nightmare this Consulate is and I hate to see people wait months and years to get their visas. I was thinking we could post tips for people about how to prepare for the interview such as what documents and proofs are needed and also how to prepare people in case their case is returned to USCIS. I am not too familiar with cases being returned but I know we have a few members who can offer great advice about how to handle that.

I will start with my experience in Casa and some things that I think are vital:

My then fiance and I didn't have any red flags but we were still really nervous about going through Casa. After we got the NOA2 is when I really started gathering proof to send to Hicham. We had emails, phone card receipts, skype history pages, airline tickets, passport stamps, hotel receipts from Morocco, and a letter from my friend who traveled with us in Morocco last year.

Paula (Ohiobuck) gave me some good advice to establish a relationship with my Congressman prior to the interview in case I needed their help right after the interview. I think this is great advice and I would reccoment everyone do this a month or so before if possible.

So here are the possible outcomes for an interview in Casablanca (If anyone wants to add to this list that would be great):

1. Visa is approved, come pick it up the same day or following day

2. Visa is approved but given 221g for security checks in Washington.

3. Visa is pending approval due to missing documents or proof.

4. Visa is not approved and petition is returned to USCIS to be reaffirmed and sent back to Casa for second interview.

Now for what can be done in the above cases:

1. pick up the Visa!

2. You can call the Department of State and ask them about your case and if the security checks are pending or cleared. Once they are cleared you can email Casablanca to find out if and when they will issue the Visa. This can take days, weeks and even months. Be patient!

3. Gather missing documents or proof and return to the Consulate the following day if possible. The Consulate also might tell you when they want you to return. They might then issue a 221g for Security checks in Washington in which case refer to #2 above. They might also approve the visa and have you come pick it up the next day after the needed papers are submitted in which case refer to # 1!

4. Contact Senators and Congressmen ASAP (same day if possible) to have them help you overturn the decision to return the petition to USCIS. Try to get a copy of the 221g and give it to Senators and Congressmen. I am not too sure about this case, but maybe call the Consulate also to try to find out what happened and what their reasons are for returnning the petition.

Ok those are the most obvious ones I can think of for now... if anyone else has something to add please do!

Although having your Congressmen and Senators may not help to overturn a decision to return a petition to USCIS it is worth the time and effort to contact them prior to the interview to sign release forms so that they can help you right away. It's best to sign the release form before the interview. What I did is I sent an email to my Congresswoman's office with some brief background information about our case and I also said I might need their help in the future.

More to come later.....

[StupidJourney 0]

This might also be a good spot to post any questions people were asked during the interview, or experiences with particular COs. I'll post questions after Hamid has his interview, but maybe other people can share too!

[~*Dorothy*~ 2]

Sarah,

As always you come up with some good ideas...I hope that there will be some more support from other members...Everyone knows how unpredictable Casablanca can be and I feel that your idea would be a good starting point for a lot of people who will be goinf thru Casa...Let's see...

Stay well...

Dorothy

[sarah and hicham 3]

Posting questions from interviews of course is a good idea to help get people prepared...

I hope this thread will be helpful to those going through Casa.

[AichaKandisha 0]

I'm hoping that this may help others in similar situations when told to wait for their call (I apologize ahead of time for the detailed/wordy post):

As some of you already know, my fiance had his interview Nov. 2nd. The CO asked him to bring more pictures. He went back the next day (Friday) to give more pictures. The man at the window said that he couldn't take them and told him to come back on Monday. He took the pictures again on Monday. Then he got a call a couple of hours later and was told that he also needed to bring emails, chats and phone records. My fiance told him that he already gave those at the interview; 300 pages in fact and the CO only asked him to bring more pictures. The man wanted to argue with him so he told the man that he would print them all again and bring them the next day. When he turned them in, he asked the man if that was everything that he needed to bring and he said yes and that he will get a call in a week for the visa.

After waiting 8 days, I kept wondering if the man at the window put it in the right folder, or if he knew what he was doing, etc. So I sent 3 emails from different addresses to Casa. No response at all. I called Casa (011-212-224-30578) and the lady transferred me immediately to a recording that said I needed to send an email. I called the DOS (202-663-1225-be sure to have your case #) to ask if his security checks have been cleared. They said that the only information they had was that the case was still pending and they asked if he showed up for his interview.

I called the DOS the next day in which they told me Casa is waiting for more proof of the relationship! Another call to Casa and when the lady answered the phone and she wanted to transfer me again to the recording I told her (quite firmly) please, I need to talk to someone! After finally telling her it had been 2 weeks since I sent my last email (ok-so it was only 2 days) and I got no response, she said to please hold. Another lady got on the phone, I explained everything, after being put on hold again, she said ok, yes we do have everything and we don't need any more proof. Everything is ok. We need to do some more AP and we will call him the middle of next week for the visa. I asked is this for the security checks? She said yes and we should have those shortly and he will get a call from them to come for the visa-it may be toward the end of next week.

I believe that his file was just sitting on someone's desk and who knows how long it would have sat there if I hadn't called.

I wish for all of you a short, speedy and successful end with this consulate.

[sarah and hicham 3]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=20535&hl=

This is the thread where I posted a copy of the 221g Hicham got from the Consulate saying they needed to do further security checks in Washington DC before they could issue the visa.

[StupidJourney 0]

I just wanted to give info about Hamid's interview experience, for people who are waiting.

Get there early. He was the first one there, so he was interviewed first, out of the K1 visas. (They did interviews for tourist visas first though).

I am SO GLAD we reviewed this question: Who is the petitioner? When I first asked him, he didn't know what the word meant, so he was prepared for that. It was the first question.

Know dates! Dates of travel, dates when relationship was begun, when did you meet, etc. Also know dates of fiance/spouse's past relationships too.

He was asked if we plan to stay in the U.S. forever or not.

Have you met the American fiance/spouse's family? Be prepared for an answer if you haven't (my parents plan on going there this summer, so that might have helped even thought hey haven't met yet)

They wanted to know what languages the petitioner spoke.

Also, be prepared to supply information even if they don't ask. For example, when they asked him about my languages, he said, "she speaks Arabic too because she was in the Peace Corps." Even though I put that on my application, the CO acted surprised by that. SO, they might not have known had Hamid not added that info.

Also, his interview lasted 15 minutes or so.

If I get any more info from him, I will add it here!

[morocco4ever 63]

I'm hoping that this may help others in similar situations when told to wait for their call (I apologize ahead of time for the detailed/wordy post):

As some of you already know, my fiance had his interview Nov. 2nd. The CO asked him to bring more pictures. He went back the next day (Friday) to give more pictures. The man at the window said that he couldn't take them and told him to come back on Monday. He took the pictures again on Monday. Then he got a call a couple of hours later and was told that he also needed to bring emails, chats and phone records. My fiance told him that he already gave those at the interview; 300 pages in fact and the CO only asked him to bring more pictures. The man wanted to argue with him so he told the man that he would print them all again and bring them the next day. When he turned them in, he asked the man if that was everything that he needed to bring and he said yes and that he will get a call in a week for the visa.

After waiting 8 days, I kept wondering if the man at the window put it in the right folder, or if he knew what he was doing, etc. So I sent 3 emails from different addresses to Casa. No response at all. I called Casa (011-212-224-30578) and the lady transferred me immediately to a recording that said I needed to send an email. I called the DOS (202-663-1225-be sure to have your case #) to ask if his security checks have been cleared. They said that the only information they had was that the case was still pending and they asked if he showed up for his interview.

I called the DOS the next day in which they told me Casa is waiting for more proof of the relationship! Another call to Casa and when the lady answered the phone and she wanted to transfer me again to the recording I told her (quite firmly) please, I need to talk to someone! After finally telling her it had been 2 weeks since I sent my last email (ok-so it was only 2 days) and I got no response, she said to please hold. Another lady got on the phone, I explained everything, after being put on hold again, she said ok, yes we do have everything and we don't need any more proof. Everything is ok. We need to do some more AP and we will call him the middle of next week for the visa. I asked is this for the security checks? She said yes and we should have those shortly and he will get a call from them to come for the visa-it may be toward the end of next week.

I believe that his file was just sitting on someone's desk and who knows how long it would have sat there if I hadn't called.

I wish for all of you a short, speedy and successful end with this consulate.

This sounds like good news! I have been wondering how things are going with you. It should be soon then.

I would love to add some advice on this thread. If he has family in the US they are going to want to know. My husband said he heard that question asked for every single interview this last time he was there. I am sure this is what bogged our case up, they asked him more questions about his sister here in the US than about us.

They will want to know:

What visa they came on

How many times they have talked to the petitioner

When was the first time they talked to the petitioner

Did this person arrange your marriage (yes they asked him that straight out)

We never saw this as a red flag, so we weren't prepared. They got confused about his sisters marital status and assumed she came here with a fraud marriage. We were able to gather proof that she is still married to the man that brought her over, and send it in with the rebuttal, but you would be wise to prepare for this question if it arises. In our case I had the county records showing her marriage date and spouse, as well as their current mortgage agreement. I also provided them with a divorce decree from the ex that lives here that they thought she was married too. This clearly stated that he was married to his other sister that has never been to the US. I tell ya, I had to think long and hard to come up with physical evidence to prove this mix up.

[StupidJourney 0]

szsz posted this on another thread, and I'm adding it here for anyone's reference. Looks like a compilation of questions that were asked of several different people, so some might not apply to your particular case:

What is your fiancée’s name?

Where does she live?

Where does she work?

When was she born?

How did you meet her?

When did you meet her?

When did you become engaged?

What made you decide to use the internet to find her?

Is she divorced?

What is her ex-husband's name?

When did she get divorced?

How long were they together?

Does she have children?

How many?

What are their names?

How old is she?

When was she born?

How long has she been working for XYZ?

Have you met her parents?

Have you talked to them on the phone?

Do they approve of your relationship?

Does your family approve of your relationship?

When was your fiancée party?

Who was there?

Was any of her family there?

Why weren't they there?

Where did you have the fiancée party?

Why didn't she bring her children?

What religion is she?

What is your religion?

When did she visit you?

How long did she stay each visit?

What do you do for work?

How do you communicate with her?

How many times a day do you talk to her on the phone?

She asked for the emails.

She asked to see the pictures.

Why does she only have one dress?

Why are all of the pictures with her just in one dress?

Where is she from

What does she do

When is her birthday

What did you send her

When was she here

Did you have an engagement ceremony

Where do her parents live

Where does her brother live

What does he do

What is her parents address

What does your wife do?

What do you do?

Who are the people in the pictures?

What did you send to your wife?

What did she send to you?

How many times was your wife married?

What are the names of her ex-husbands?

When was her last divorce?

When did you meet your wife?

When were you married?

What were the exact dates of your wife’s visit?

Does your wife have children?

How many and what are their names?

Where do your wife's parents live?

What did you do when your wife was in Morocco?

Where was the wedding?

Do you talk to women online?

How to you talk to your wife?

When did you meet your wife

Were you talking to a lot of women on the net

What do you and your wife talk about on the phone

Do you have family in the US

How many times has your fiancée been married

How many times has your fiancée been divorced

Who has custody of the children

Where do your wife’s ex husbands live

Will you be a good father to her child(ren)?

Edited November 23, 2006 by sonicliz

[jordanianprincess 0]

szsz posted this on another thread, and I'm adding it here for anyone's reference. Looks like a compilation of questions that were asked of several different people, so some might not apply to your particular case:

What is your fiancée’s name?

Where does she live?

Where does she work?

When was she born?

How did you meet her?

When did you meet her?

When did you become engaged?

What made you decide to use the internet to find her?

Is she divorced?

What is her ex-husband's name?

When did she get divorced?

How long were they together?

Does she have children?

How many?

What are their names?

How old is she?

When was she born?

How long has she been working for XYZ?

Have you met her parents?

Have you talked to them on the phone?

Do they approve of your relationship?

Does your family approve of your relationship?

When was your fiancée party?

Who was there?

Was any of her family there?

Why weren't they there?

Where did you have the fiancée party?

Why didn't she bring her children?

What religion is she?

What is your religion?

When did she visit you?

How long did she stay each visit?

What do you do for work?

How do you communicate with her?

How many times a day do you talk to her on the phone?

She asked for the emails.

She asked to see the pictures.

Why does she only have one dress?

Why are all of the pictures with her just in one dress?

Where is she from

What does she do

When is her birthday

What did you send her

When was she here

Did you have an engagement ceremony

Where do her parents live

Where does her brother live

What does he do

What is her parents address

What does your wife do?

What do you do?

Who are the people in the pictures?

What did you send to your wife?

What did she send to you?

How many times was your wife married?

What are the names of her ex-husbands?

When was her last divorce?

When did you meet your wife?

When were you married?

What were the exact dates of your wife’s visit?

Does your wife have children?

How many and what are their names?

Where do your wife's parents live?

What did you do when your wife was in Morocco?

Where was the wedding?

Do you talk to women online?

How to you talk to your wife?

When did you meet your wife

Were you talking to a lot of women on the net

What do you and your wife talk about on the phone

Do you have family in the US

How many times has your fiancée been married

How many times has your fiancée been divorced

Who has custody of the children

Where do your wife’s ex husbands live

Will you be a good father to her child(ren)?

I was just thinking it would be a good idea to put all that info in this thread and just keep one running

[mybackpages 0]

Somewhere someone had uploaded the checklist from the consualte about what is needed (the checklist from packet 3/4). I can;t seem to find it. I'll keep looking but if someone knows where it is could we add it here?

I got so absorbed with the NOA2 that now I feel like i am learning about the process all over again.

[sarah and hicham 3]

MBP I felt the same way! Once the NOA2 came I was asking questions all over the place and felt clueless as to what was going to happen. Don't worry we're here to help!

Ok now I am going to post our interview experience:

First I would like to say that I personally think that preparation is key. SOme feel that drilling the men with questions prior to the interview is "coaching" them and that it shouldn't be done. I think that it's important to ask them questions as if they are in the interview. If a man doesn't know dates or names or basically any info the Consular Officer might ask they might look at that in a negative way. I prepared a binder for Hicham to take with him along with a photo album with names dates and places labeled on and next to the pictures (####### I know). Hicham had never been through an interview or anything else that is similar so I wasn't sure how he would do under the pressure. I don't think he knew either but he was happy to go over possible questions before hand.

I went to Casa for the interview and the night before we just made sure everything was in order and went through some questions etc. The morning of we were both pretty nervous. We got to the Consulate at about 7:15 am with an appointment time of 8 am. We waited in line for about 20 minutes until we realized that everyone in line was there for tourist visas so Hicham asked the guard if he was supposed to wait in the line or not. The guard told him to come to the front and made sure he had his appt. letter then they took him through the gate. I watched until he went inside then I decided to go get some coffee which lasted about 5 minutes. Hicham had the Asian woman who he said was really nice.

She asked him:

my name

my DOB

what he got my for my birthday

what I do

Where I live

my parents names

my brothers name

what they do

where they live

when I visited

how we met

how we communicate

He showed her all evidence I think except for a few things. He was given a 221g for security checks in Washington and he was all smiles when he walked out of there. She told him she would call in about a week. When I got back to the states I called DOS on Fri a couple of times and towards the end of the day I was told the checks were complete. I was also getting that they were pending from others so I wasn't sure what to think. I called again on Monday and they were cleared but Tues was a holiday (4th of July). On Wednesday I went to my Congresswoman's office to sign the privacy waiver or whatever it's called and was told they would call the following morning. Thurs morning I was talking to Hicham when the Consulate called him to come get his visa. He dropped off his passport at about 9 am and came back at 3 pm to pick it up.

That's that!

Sarah

[limah 1]

Hello All...

I've been looking at this thread since the first day Sarah posted it. I have also been kind of hesitant to respond, I guess cuz my husbands interview didn't have the outcome we were hoping for.

I didn't need to drill my husband about any personal questions as far as my family goes, or any personal issues for that matter. We talk everyday, so there was no need for a "dress rehearsal". Do I think that is what killed it for him? Absolutely not. I am still trying to figure out what the hell happened, and how the majority of the people that interviewed after hin passed with flying colors. All of the evidence, he had it. From pics to phone bills to letters and emails, he even had pics of the surprise birthday/bridal party my class threw for me 3 days before I left..... I am wondering why she "ONLY LOOKED AT THE WEDDING PICTURES"?! Nothing else..... But the officer that interviewed him, had "doubts about our marriage" ####### is she talking about? Anyway...... He also had the asian lady, maybe she was havin a bad Monday, I'd like to blame it on "aunt flo" or menopause...gotsta be one or the other, cause "nice".... we aint seein it!

My husbands english is damn near better than mine on top of the fact that he speaks 3 other languages..... so it wasn't a language barrier that did it iether..... still trying to put it together....

He was asked pretty much the same questions that you all have posted here. He knew what my mother passed from, and how long she has been deceased, and the fact that my father remarried 7 years after her death, and that my youngest sister is 2 years old. Yeah I know, my daddy need to wrap it up already! But these things he knew because again, we talk everyday.

I also heard that the 221(g) is not a denial, depending why they send it back. Got this info from one of the horses mouths at USCIS. The rep I spoke to said Ishpould be getting something in the mail with "questions on it" for validation of our marriage. This is by far the dumbest thing I ahve ever heard, esp after reading posts about abuse and the husband that wants the wife to have an abortion, just the variation of decit and sadness that I have seen on here and the fact remains that "THEY ARE HERE", and aI am STILL talking to my husband on a F**KING WEBCAM! IT JUST PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!!

So now we are wondering, and I've asked this before... What happens when he has the intercview for the CR-1? Not a question for anyone sprcifically. NVC replied to an email and said they are processed separately, whatever that means. Fees already been paid, so we are just waiting. I still smell bullsh**, he's gotta interview at the same place and will probly get he same lady, if he can even get the interview to begin with.

Did I say how our experience SUCKS???!

Still no defintion on the day I am leaving for Morocco, it has to be when the gilrie girl is on christmas break tho 4 sure. So its looking like the end of December, if all goes well, with my luck, who knows?

How is that for an experience?

bye

[mybackpages 0]

Hello All...

I've been looking at this thread since the first day Sarah posted it. I have also been kind of hesitant to respond, I guess cuz my husbands interview didn't have the outcome we were hoping for.

Limah, Thank you so much for posting your experience. I know how difficult it must be for you to share this because things are still unresolved. BUT I truely believe that sharing all our experiences can help others who come along here. I wish you all the best!

[morocco4ever 63]

Hello All...

I've been looking at this thread since the first day Sarah posted it. I have also been kind of hesitant to respond, I guess cuz my husbands interview didn't have the outcome we were hoping for.

I didn't need to drill my husband about any personal questions as far as my family goes, or any personal issues for that matter. We talk everyday, so there was no need for a "dress rehearsal". Do I think that is what killed it for him? Absolutely not. I am still trying to figure out what the hell happened, and how the majority of the people that interviewed after hin passed with flying colors. All of the evidence, he had it. From pics to phone bills to letters and emails, he even had pics of the surprise birthday/bridal party my class threw for me 3 days before I left..... I am wondering why she "ONLY LOOKED AT THE WEDDING PICTURES"?! Nothing else..... But the officer that interviewed him, had "doubts about our marriage" ####### is she talking about? Anyway...... He also had the asian lady, maybe she was havin a bad Monday, I'd like to blame it on "aunt flo" or menopause...gotsta be one or the other, cause "nice".... we aint seein it!

My husbands english is damn near better than mine on top of the fact that he speaks 3 other languages..... so it wasn't a language barrier that did it iether..... still trying to put it together....

He was asked pretty much the same questions that you all have posted here. He knew what my mother passed from, and how long she has been deceased, and the fact that my father remarried 7 years after her death, and that my youngest sister is 2 years old. Yeah I know, my daddy need to wrap it up already! But these things he knew because again, we talk everyday.

I also heard that the 221(g) is not a denial, depending why they send it back. Got this info from one of the horses mouths at USCIS. The rep I spoke to said Ishpould be getting something in the mail with "questions on it" for validation of our marriage. This is by far the dumbest thing I ahve ever heard, esp after reading posts about abuse and the husband that wants the wife to have an abortion, just the variation of decit and sadness that I have seen on here and the fact remains that "THEY ARE HERE", and aI am STILL talking to my husband on a F**KING WEBCAM! IT JUST PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!!

So now we are wondering, and I've asked this before... What happens when he has the intercview for the CR-1? Not a question for anyone sprcifically. NVC replied to an email and said they are processed separately, whatever that means. Fees already been paid, so we are just waiting. I still smell bullsh**, he's gotta interview at the same place and will probly get he same lady, if he can even get the interview to begin with.

Did I say how our experience SUCKS???!

Still no defintion on the day I am leaving for Morocco, it has to be when the gilrie girl is on christmas break tho 4 sure. So its looking like the end of December, if all goes well, with my luck, who knows?

How is that for an experience?

bye

I hate to see you going through this, and I know exactly how you feel. After 3 years since I met my husband an I am still seeing him on a webcam and talking to him on a headset on a daily basis. It just sucks.

I will tell you now, I truly believe their minds are made up before the interview. Occasionally though they will find one that they intended to approve that doesn't have the answers to the questions, then they are denied as well. I would bet yours was set to be sent back right from the start, and it wouldn't have made any difference what he would have said at the interview.

The 221g is a soft denial. Basically it means they don't have any factual evidence that would support a total denial (212). The case now goes back to the USCIS along with a detailed reason for their denial to give your husband a visa. If it is the California Service Center they will send you an I-797 stating that they have recieved your case back, and will send contact you when they make a decision. This takes some time. They will research it, possibly give you some/all of the reasons for the denial, send you a NOIR (Notice of Intent to Revoke), and from there you will be able to fight the case. If this is the California Service Center they will give you 30 days from the date they sent out the NOIR.

Now for the CR1 interview. Is the processing complete at the NVC? If so they will send it to Casablanca because they don't know yet about the 221g. He will have an interview date but I highly doubt they will actually interview him. I would still have him go to the interview though to show he is not giving up. The reason I say this is because our I-129F was approved after we had our CR1 denied. Opposite from yours, but similar non the less. I had a feeling that they wouldn't interview him, but he did the medical again and went anyway. I even contacted Casa about the returned case, but they never responded. Well when he got there they sent him home and told him they would hold the application until after a decision was made on the returned petition.

One way or the other it is wise to continue as far as you can with the CR1. When it does get reviewed and he gets a second interview they will process the CR1 instead of the K-3.

Sorry to hijack the thread, this is a subject near and dear to my heart.