Hi Tim,
Hope you guys had a good weekend. I read the story about you and your wife on another website. Congratulations.
Yes - I must agree with you that I wish I could have hooked up with you before our interview. Oh well, it sucks, but we have to keep pressing forward.
Let me clarify any confusion. I married my husband Feb 2, 2004. After I returned to the states, I immediately filed the necessary paper work for a K-3 visa which eventually turned into a CR-1. Filled out tons of paperwork, endured long lengthy separations, (I hope I still have a marriage after what the US govt has put us through), and we finally received a letter with the appointment date for the long awaited interview. The goal - to get his visa so that we can be together and get on with our lives. The appointment date was for Friday August 4, 2006. The most depressing day of my life.
There were three main problems which caused the consulate not to issue his visa. 1. They had not received his results back from medical exam. No problem. I was willing to wait a few extra days. 2. The birth certificate that he submitted to the consulate had incorrect information. Who ever typed it up, typed up two different birth years. Human error. It happens. We were told by the consulate that they would research and verify. 3. Background verification. On one of the applications, a question was asked if whether or not he had ever been arrested. Now I work for a large company, I am in management, I filled out the paper work, I work between 50-55 hours a week, and there is 4 hour time difference between us. I assumed my husband had never been arrested. I was not going to call my husband at 2:00 in the morning to ask him a bunch of questions. I never bothered to ask my husband the question. I sent the paper to him to sign. The application is in English. My husband is not fluent in English. What was I to think? The background check reveals that he was arrested in 1997 when he was twenty two years old. We were told to get contact the police department to get a police report to show the final disposition of this arrest and bring it back to the consulate. He has to do that and submit his fingerprints. I am assuming after these two steps are completed, they will determine if he is eligible for the visa.
As an American, I am not accoustomed to, the way business is done in the Domincan Republic. When I first arrived home back in August, I was too depressed to do anything. It broke my heart that I left there without my husband. Not taking anything away from my husband, but he has told me for the last three months that we need to get a lawyer in order to get the documentation required by the US consulate. My american response is, "You got to be kidding?" You can't go to the local police station or court house and pay a fee to get this documentation? Like I said, I am American, and I am not accoustmed to the business practices in the Dominican Republic. His visa has not been denied, dismissed, or inadmissable at this time.
All I want to do is help my husband to satisfy the consulate's request, so that we can start our life together.
As far as the police certificate, I looked for that information over the weekend, and unfortunately I do not have it. We did not make a copy of it before we submitted it to the consulate. I never saw the police certificate. I wonder if the consulate can fax the police certificate to me? They have the original. What I will do is call my husband in the morning, and ask him to call the consulate and ask them if they can fax the police certificate to me, and ask how are they going to resolve this discrepancy since the police certificate he submitted was clean and the background check reveals different information? - My husband submits a clean police certificate and the background check reveals other information, and now we are penalized with more separation and more anxiety. This process is unfair, and it takes its toll emotionally and psychologically.
Will I have a husband by the time this is resolved? :ermm:
The 601 waiver that you mentioned. I have no idea what that is. I have been researching it for the last few hours. I have looked at the state department's web site, visa journey website, and google. I am not clear if this is the next step we should take.
I hope this background information helps. What next steps do you suggest?
Erica