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| El Salvador |  Review on December 20, 2009: |
EMP y CMZP
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Working with the Salvadoran Embassy has been interesting. They always conduct two interviews, one week apart. At the first interview, my fiance was asked to present additional co-signer support at the second interview. My parents provided a second Affidavit of Support (I-134), but since we had only a week, the documents were scanned, sent by email, and printed by my fiance. He attended his second interview and was told that everything was in order, his visa was approved, but he needed to provide the original documentation of the second I-134 in order to receive the visa. He didn't complete the final steps of the process which are: paying $13 for the visa to be sent and getting fingerprinted.
We sent the original I-134 form directly to the embassy and it was received a week later. When I called the Call Center (horrible, cold, robots of people), they told me processing time takes at least 45 days and I should call back then. All of our plans had been made for the following month, so this was very discouraging news. The generic consulate email told me that my fiance had been found Ineligible at his second interview (though verbally told that he had been approved) pending requested documentation. They said that after processing, they would be in contact with my fiance.
A week and a half later (15 days til departure date) my fiance tried to gain access to the Embassy with the original supporting documents in hand (we were worried that just the original I-134 form would not be enough). He was rejected, saying he must send the documents by Cargo Expreso and that processing time was two months. That same day, a contact at my Senator's office facilitated a Congressional Inquiry about our case. Also, I was able to obtain the Consul General's direct email and sent him an email asking for help. I am thinking the Congressional Inquiry had more to do with the following actions, but maybe I persuaded the Consul General into action...Anyway, here comes a complete 180:
That same day, my fiance received 3 phone calls from the Embassy, progressively telling him better news: 1) Come back and finish processing the visa (fingerprints, payment) 2) Nevermind, things look like they are working themselves out, we will advise 3) Everything is taken care of, we will send out your visa to you and it should arrive within 4 days at the latest. His visa arrived in 2 days.
I am so happy that things worked out for us, but it has been quite the emotional roller coaster, and can't help but be angry at the Embassy for what seems like unnecessary strife. They had no real reason to ask for the original documents, and it wasn't even necessary in the end that he be fingerprinted or pay the $13. This inconsistency is maddening. Our lives are pulled around at the whims of these people working at the Embassy. It is good to know that by getting involved Congressionally, it can put the Embassy in check. However, a lot of it is luck (if my fiance had had his interview with another agent, they probably wouldn't have asked for the original docs). Dot your i's and cross your fingers with this Embassy... 
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #5437