Deyooluv: Hello v.o
Pls i need ur advice. I have a girl friend i met online for like 3month now but am confuse how to go join her for marriage since she is so concern about me moving to come join her.
I need ur advice on what type of visa i should be applying?
I wanna marry her since she fits my kinda girl i want

If she's a U.S. citizen, she can file the I-129F petition for a fiance on your behalf. Or, you two can spend some actual time together, get to know each other, meet each other's families, talk about your plans and goals and dreams, find out if you're really compatible, think things over very well, find out what it's like to have a serious argument and whether you can patch things up afterward, learn if you really really love each other, and after long discussion and some meaningful time spent in each other's company, you could get married. Then she could file the I-130 petition for a spouse.

VisaOfficer:

If she's a U.S. citizen, she can file the I-129F petition for a fiance on your behalf. Or, you two can spend some actual time together, get to know each other, meet each other's families, talk about your plans and goals and dreams, find out if you're really compatible, think things over very well, find out what it's like to have a serious argument and whether you can patch things up afterward, learn if you really really love each other, and after long discussion and some meaningful time spent in each other's company, you could get married. Then she could file the I-130 petition for a spouse.

Thanks so much our own VO for the above because if we all use this to guide our relationships our immigrant visa as spouse will be a smooth ride and I believe also no question from the vo will come outside all u lined out here

DobraDobra:

Thanks so much our own VO for the above because if we all use this to guide our relationships our immigrant visa as spouse will be a smooth ride and I believe also no question from the vo will come outside all u lined out here

Well, Lord knows I've issued visas to plenty of people who only met three months ago online, but I always kind of worry about them afterward. Then again, plenty of people in the world have arranged marriages and only meet on their wedding day and everything turns out fine, so...

Good morning, the Radiant One,
I had to register again due to the data loss.
I got a notification from NVC that the new wait times for documents review is now at least 60 days. This has added at least 2 weeks to the normal wait time of 20 business days.
I wish to know if you are aware of this(I realised it is a general notification), and if it will have any impact on the scheduling of interviews at the Consulate. By this I mean if that delay will be considered and IV interview appointments wait times will be reduced. I am asking because my prospective employer paid for my licensing exam in October(last date for 2014) and I was hoping we would have been through with all processing by now since we got our I140 approved since Feb.
I'm also curious to know if you group all IV interviews together or you have slots for different categories. E.g DV, IR, EB, K visas, etc.
Thanks for your time ma'am

VisaOfficer:

Well, Lord knows I've issued visas to plenty of people who only met three months ago online, but I always kind of worry about them afterward. Then again, plenty of people in the world have arranged marriages and only meet on their wedding day and everything turns out fine, so...

Good day ma,

What you just said is related to a situation of a cousin of mine. She met and got married on a first time visit to her U.S citizen hubby{his also a Nigerian} due to some health issues restricting the husband from air travel. She will soon go for her interview at Lagos consulate but she's kinda scared of the horror stories about the rate of visa refusals. Though her hubby submitted all his medical reports from U.S and a letter explaining why he met and got married on a first time visit together with the application to proof his point. I hope she won't be given a tough time at the embassy during her interview considering the fact that they got married on a first time visit.

sisitodun: Good morning, the Radiant One,
I had to register again due to the data loss.
I got a notification from NVC that the new wait times for documents review is now at least 60 days. This has added at least 2 weeks to the normal wait time of 20 business days.
I wish to know if you are aware of this(I realised it is a general notification), and if it will have any impact on the scheduling of interviews at the Consulate. By this I mean if that delay will be considered and IV interview appointments wait times will be reduced. I am asking because my prospective employer paid for my licensing exam in October(last date for 2014) and I was hoping we would have been through with all processing by now since we got our I140 approved since Feb.
I'm also curious to know if you group all IV interviews together or you have slots for different categories. E.g DV, IR, EB, K visas, etc.
Thanks for your time ma'am

Greetings! You asked whether we will reduce IV wait times in light of the delay at NVC. Well.... the delay at NVC is going to be what causes longer wait times at post. I'm not disrespecting my colleagues at NVC -- they process millions of cases from all over the world, and are working hard to do it more quickly and accurately. But there's nothing we can do, out here, to make things faster back there, or to cut wait times. We take whatever they give us as soon as they have it ready.

For scheduling purposes, I think of visas as IV, DV, Ks, and adoptions. (There are all sorts of other things that we see every week, but these four are the main ones.) NVC sends us the IV cases -- basically, everything but Diversity Visas, fiance cases, and adoptions. DVs, of course, come from KCC. Both KCC and NVC ask posts ahead of time how many appointments we can handle in a given month, and if they end up having more than we ask for, they ask us if we can add appointment slots. ( In Lagos we say "Yes, we can!" ) Fiance (K) applicants schedule themselves online. There's no wait for a K appointment in Lagos right now, by the way; we have plenty of open appointments. Adoption petitions come to us from the National Benefits Center, and we contact petitioners and let them tell us when they want to come in. We're nice that way.

So non-DV immigrant visa cases are sort of all grouped together, because NVC sends us whatever they have ready to go each month (IR1s, F2Bs, E5s, you name it). We send them a list of dates that looks like "Oct. 9: 25 applicants 7:00 AM and 15 applicants 10:00 AM," and they send us the cases.

That's probably way more information than you were looking for.

eoc4ever:

Good day ma,

What you just said is related to a situation of a cousin of mine. She met and got married on a first time visit to her U.S citizen hubby{his also a Nigerian} due to some health issues restricting the husband from air travel. She will soon go for her interview at Lagos consulate but she's kinda scared of the horror stories about the rate of visa refusals. Though her hubby submitted all his medical reports from U.S and a letter explaining why he met and got married on a first time visit together with the application to proof his point. I hope she won't be given a tough time at the embassy during her interview considering the fact that they got married on a first time visit.

If she can talk reasonably and credibly about the relationship, she'll likely be fine. Getting married on a first visit isn't a disqualification or a fraud indicator; it's just somewhat less robust than a couple who have several visits before and after the wedding to talk about. But as I said, we issue these all the time.

VisaOfficer:

Greetings! You asked whether we will reduce IV wait ...But there's nothing we can do, out here, to make things faster back there, or to cut wait times...

That's probably way more information than you were looking for.

Thanks for your prompt and detailed response. I was not asking if you could influence their wait times though. I was asking if you would take on more cases because of their backlog. It is comforting to know you take on more, if you are asked. Great job!
You have enlightened me and answered my questions.
Thanks once again for the outstanding work you are doing here. There's no other place where one could have found such genuine information. I'm grateful.

hi vo, i concur with @sisitodon. Right now i am waiting on a case complete from NVC, hopefully first week in september for ir5. Will i be able to get an appt in october? if not can i write to the consulate and get an earlier appt? Thanks for your help always.

lee818: hi vo, i concur with @sisitodon. Right now i am waiting on a case complete from NVC, hopefully first week in september for ir5. Will i be able to get an appt in october? if not can i write to the consulate and get an earlier appt? Thanks for your help always.

NVC has already asked us for our October schedule, so it is doubtful that your case will be scheduled in October if it is not yet complete.

Unless there is a genuine life-and-death emergency, we are unable to expedite appointments.

VisaOfficer:

If she's a U.S. citizen, she can file the I-129F petition for a fiance on your behalf. Or, you two can spend some actual time together, get to know each other, meet each other's families, talk about your plans and goals and dreams, find out if you're really compatible, think things over very well, find out what it's like to have a serious argument and whether you can patch things up afterward, learn if you really really love each other, and after long discussion and some meaningful time spent in each other's company, you could get married. Then she could file the I-130 petition for a spouse.

Thanks for ur reply. I appreciate so very much but i still av some questions begging for answers.
What is the possibility of me being granted the visa after my fiance must have filed in the fiance visa since we are yet to meet in person?
Furthermore can u give me an insight how the processing is like? My fiance is waiting for me to give her go ahead to file on my behalf.
Thanks

@visa officer.
Hello sir, please i really need ur help.I went for my visa interview f1 VISA.I was granted visa and ask to come back in 2 wk time. By next wk it wil be 2wk and i have not gotten any mail.What do u think is delaying it and what should i do since my school have resume.please reply.thank.

Deyooluv:
Thanks for ur reply. I appreciate so very much but i still av some questions begging for answers.
What is the possibility of me being granted the visa after my fiance must have filed in the fiance visa since we are yet to meet in person?
Furthermore can u give me an insight how the processing is like? My fiance is waiting for me to give her go ahead to file on my behalf.
Thanks

If you have never met in person at all, it's unlikely that the visa will be granted. There's a space on the I-129f petition where the petitioner is asked whether you've met in person in the past two years; if not, frankly, it's going to be hard to convince me that you have a bona fide relationship. Not impossible, but.... seriously, you met online three months ago and have never met in person and you want me to give you a visa? The explanation had better be super-compelling.

Brainpower365: @visa officer.
Hello sir, please i really need ur help.I went for my visa interview f1 VISA.I was granted visa and ask to come back in 2 wk time. By next wk it wil be 2wk and i have not gotten any mail.What do u think is delaying it and what should i do since my school have resume.please reply.thank.

This is a question for my non-immigrant visa colleagues at https://www.nairaland.com/1792662/u.s-non-immigrant-visas-listening . Thanks!

VO Sir, marrying on a first time visit and of course considering the fact of being a moderate family just trying to make ends meet.My wife trying to make ends meet.Having making one more visit may be during or before interview.Ma cos tickets are very expensive.Thank u

joechima: VO Sir, marrying on a first time visit and of course considering the fact of being a moderate family just trying to make ends meet.My wife trying to make ends meet.Having making one more visit may be during or before interview.Ma cos tickets are very expensive.Thank u

We know tickets are expensive. As I said, we issue plenty of visas to people who got married on their very first trip. To paraphrase an earlier response, if people can talk reasonably and credibly about the relationship, they'll likely be fine. Getting married on a first visit isn't a disqualification or a fraud indicator; it's just somewhat less robust than a couple who have several visits before and after the wedding to talk about.

[quote author=VisaOfficer]

We know tickets are expensive. As I said, we issue plenty of visas to people who got married on their very first trip. To paraphrase an earlier response, if people can talk reasonably and credibly about the relationship, they'll likely be fine. Getting married on a first visit isn't a disqualification or a fraud indicator; it's just somewhat less robust than a couple who have several visits before and after the wedding to talk about.[/quote. Thank U SiR

Dear V.O,
Good afternoon to you ma!
I'm just curious...
With your experience and with all the DV cases under going administrative processing, have there been pending cases that exceeded the deadline date (30th of September) in Nigeria?
And if they were do you finally acknowledge the people if they have been cleared or not?
That's after the 30th of September.... Or the embassy never attends to the cases after the deadline date and just leave it pending?
I just want to know should one try to apply for a visa either visiting or schooling afterwards ...

Ddream77: Dear V.O,
Good afternoon to you ma!
I'm just curious...
With your experience and with all the DV cases under going administrative processing, have there been pending cases that exceeded the deadline date (30th of September) in Nigeria?
And if they were do you finally acknowledge the people if they have been cleared or not?
That's after the 30th of September.... Or the embassy never attends to the cases after the deadline date and just leave it pending?
I just want to know should one try to apply for a visa either visiting or schooling afterwards ...

Good afternoon,

Unfortunately it is extremely likely that some pending cases will still be pending at the time of the Sept. 30 deadline. At that point, because Diversity Visas cannot be printed after September 30, the cases will be closed. I'll try to make sure that everyone is notified at that time. (There are quite a few cases involving applicants who simply never showed up for their interviews and never contacted us in any way; we likely won't reach out to them, because in most cases we don't have any contact information for them.)

Diversity Visa applicants are free to apply for other visas at any time.

Best of luck to you!

VisaOfficer:

If you have never met in person at all, it's unlikely that the visa will be granted. There's a space on the I-129f petition where the petitioner is asked whether you've met in person in the past two years; if not, frankly, it's going to be hard to convince me that you have a bona fide relationship. Not impossible, but.... seriously, you met online three months ago and have never met in person and you want me to give you a visa? The explanation had better be super-compelling.

Thanks again for your soonest response. Since you said i will be unlikely to be granted visa base on the circumstances we met. i want you to tell me if you dont mind what do i need to do? Am thinking of insisting of her coming over here but my worry is that my fiance is scared of coming over because of the insecurity we have over here. Am confuse on what to do.
Thanks

Hello vo I want to know about adopting a child of 15year old girl........how to go about it and document to produce

Dear VO, I am getting married next year and I intend to apply for a tourist visa with my spouse to visit. The US on a 2 week tour, pls advise me on what exactly to do to ensure we don't get refused. I am not a first time traveller but she is.

Hi Visa Officer,

I applied for an expedite for my I-130 petition for my spouse from NVC on August 8 due to a medical condition I am facing and I attached documents as evidence from my doctor, with a recommendation that I will need care. I had already sent off my AOS and am awaiting an IV fee invoice. Approximately and realistically, how long should I expect to hear back from NVC? Most importantly can it be up to the 60 days that the NVC has put forth? And if the expedite gets approved, how long until the interview is scheduled at your consulate? I really need to know because I am currently in a bad state, and I am on bedrest in pain and thus cannot cook or take myself to doctors appointments, and without revealing too much, I'm at risk for being hospitalized again at any moment from now.

Deyooluv:
Thanks again for your soonest response. Since you said i will be unlikely to be granted visa base on the circumstances we met. i want you to tell me if you dont mind what do i need to do? Am thinking of insisting of her coming over here but my worry is that my fiance is scared of coming over because of the insecurity we have over here. Am confuse on what to do.
Thanks

Sorry, I can't give that sort of advice. Every relationship is unique.

morjid: Hello vo I want to know about adopting a child of 15year old girl........how to go about it and document to produce

Please see http://adoption.state.gov/ for this information.

dickoflife: Dear VO, I am getting married next year and I intend to apply for a tourist visa with my spouse to visit. The US on a 2 week tour, pls advise me on what exactly to do to ensure we don't get refused. I am not a first time traveller but she is.

This is a question for my non-immigrant colleagues at https://www.nairaland.com/1792662/u.s-non-immigrant-visas-listening . However, we are not in the business of telling people what they need to do to ensure that they don't get refused. You should tell the truth, and if you qualify for the visa, you'll get a visa.

Mar127: Hi Visa Officer,

I applied for an expedite for my I-130 petition for my spouse from NVC on August 8 due to a medical condition I am facing and I attached documents as evidence from my doctor, with a recommendation that I will need care. I had already sent off my AOS and am awaiting an IV fee invoice. Approximately and realistically, how long should I expect to hear back from NVC? Most importantly can it be up to the 60 days that the NVC has put forth? And if the expedite gets approved, how long until the interview is scheduled at your consulate? I really need to know because I am currently in a bad state, and I am on bedrest in pain and thus cannot cook or take myself to doctors appointments, and without revealing too much, I'm at risk for being hospitalized again at any moment from now.

Good morning,

I'm sorry to hear you're not doing well. However, please keep in mind that cases are generally only expedited when there is a life-or-death emergency. I'm not sure how long it takes NVC to respond to such requests -- my interaction with NVC usually begins at the point when they're ready to send us complete cases. If the expedite request is approved, the case will be sent to us as soon as it's documentarily complete.

Thanks for the prompt response, visa officer. Yes I was recently hospitalized for a life or death medical emergency and at risk of being hospitalized for the same emergency at any moment. What is a general time frame from when the case is complete at a NVC to a case being scheduled for interview? And would I also have to notify the consulate again of my emergency, at that point?

Mar127: Thanks for the prompt response, visa officer. Yes I was recently hospitalized for a life or death medical emergency and at risk of being hospitalized for the same emergency at any moment. What is a general time frame from when the case is complete at a NVC to a case being scheduled for interview? And would I also have to notify the consulate again of my emergency, at that point?

When a case is accepted for expedited processing, as soon as it is documentarily complete, it is sent to post. Here in Lagos that takes around a week, usually. You wouldn't need to contact us again -- once it's expedited, it's expedited.

Thank you very much once again for the response; it's greatly appreciated.

VisaOfficer:

You can e-mail LagosIV@state.gov and request that we return your marriage certificate and attestation of birth. The medical report and police certificate are part of our files now. It does appear that your wife failed to convince the Consular officer that she is academically qualified for the visa, so no visas can be issued in this case.

Good day VO.

sequel to your reply, i have out of town, because i went for a course.

I sent a mail to the e-mail address u gave me, but i have not received my document with you, their response was, "i should come over to your office to receive it".

Please i will be very happy if my document could be send to my address, because i dont know if time may permit me if i need it for other things.

Turlest:

Good day VO.

sequel to your reply, i have out of town, because i went for a course.

I sent a mail to the e-mail address u gave me, but i have not received my document with you, their response was, "i should come over to your office to receive it".

Please i will be very happy if my document could be send to my address, because i dont know if time may permit me if i need it for other things.

Someone must come to us to retrieve the document - or you must make arrangements (pay for postage, etc.) to have the documents mailed to you. Thank you for your understanding.