Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Middle East and North Africa	If your denied then???	Every case is different, not one alike. Some had 2, 3 interviews....no time frame. If you get denied the 1st time you can withdraw the petition once it gets back to the USA and refile another K1 or marry. Focus on your 1st interview right now so that hopefully you don't have to worry about additional interviews.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-09 08:10:00
Middle East and North Africa	Percentage of approvals from Casablanca?	From what I have seen over the past few years Casa is getting stricter. VJ members are probably only a small percentage of the actual visa petitions filed. On a daily basis many people come out refused from Casa. It seems common to get a 2nd interview these days, even the well prepared ones.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-11 08:04:00
Middle East and North Africa	Outcome of those who re-filed petitions from Morocco	i just started a poll in regards to this...lol...like minds think alike i guess Monica I voted	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-15 12:43:00
Middle East and North Africa	Outcome of those who re-filed petitions from Morocco	1st k1 denied....re-filed a 2nd k1 with success	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-15 11:53:00
Middle East and North Africa	Case left Casa	But it looks like you waited a LOOOOOONg time to file again. So by the time you files again you two had several years already in the relationship, right? Yes, we had been together 4 years at that point which had a stronger advantage.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-19 19:58:00
Middle East and North Africa	Case left Casa	Our first K1 never got reviewed or closed. When the 2nd k1 was filed we withdrew the 1st k1 at the same time. It was noted on our 2nd k1 approval notice that there was another petition filed previously. Our 2nd petition was successful.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-19 08:18:00
Middle East and North Africa	flying to the USA	My husband only had a 30 minute wait.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-05 07:53:00
Middle East and North Africa	UPDATE on Casa Interview	I found this post on a lawyers blog: A cable in February of 2004 was sent from the Department of State to all embassies and consulates issuing visas concerning denials and returns of visa petitions. Part of the cable contained this information: "In adjudicating visa cases involving petitions, posts should bear in mind three important factors: A. the consular officer's role in the petition process is to determine if there is substantial evidence relevant to petition validity not previously considered by DHS, and not to merely readjudicate the petition; B. the memo supporting the petition return must clearly show the factual and concrete reasons for recommending revocation (observations made by the consular officer cannot be conclusive, speculative, equivocal or irrelevant) and; C. consular officers must provide to the applicant in writing as full an explanation as possible of the legal and factual basis for the visa denial and petition return. Post must maintain a copy of the returned petition, other evidence relevant to the case, and a copy of the written notification of the denial." "In general, an approved petition will be considered by consular officers as prima facie evidence that the requirements for classification - which are examined in the petition process - have been met. Where Congress has placed responsibility and authority with DHS to determine whether the requirements for status which are examined in the petition process have been met, consular officers do not have the authority to question the approval of petitions without specific evidence, generally unavailable to DHS at the time of petition approval, that the beneficiary may not be entitled to status due to fraud, changes in circumstances or clear error on the part of DHS in approving the petition. Conoffs should not assume that a petition should be revoked simply because they would have reached a different decision if adjudicating the petition." ...Yet in 2010, consular officers across the globe have felt free to ignore this information and regularly deny family-based visa petitions for subjective reasons, and then refuse to give any clear reasons for denial. A clear framework and set of rules should be distributed AND ENFORCED at all US Embassies and Consulates.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-15 12:53:00
Middle East and North Africa	UPDATE on Casa Interview	yeah...i found it...got it filed out, just have to get it in the mail Still trying to figure out what is best to do...wait, refile k1 or get married & do CR-1??? Maybe i should start a poll...that could be interesting to see Monica Just letting you know that I filed a FOIA and they contacted me about 1 year later with basically no info. My Senators office also told me that the FOIA was holding up my review. Whenever a request is made on a petition it holds up the service center from reviewing it. Our 1st petition never got reviewed though.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-15 11:50:00
Middle East and North Africa	UPDATE on Casa Interview	I had been told our case would be reviewed within 18 months when our 1st case got denied and returned to the VSC, that never happened. K1's are not a priority to them. And I know of a married couple that were waiting for a review over 2 years and still nothing.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-15 10:55:00
Middle East and North Africa	UPDATE on Casa Interview	Gmorning everybody!! Ok...emailed the embassy & they replied already...here is what they said. Dear Madam, Thank you for your email inquiry. Mr. XXXXX’s visa has not been denied. His petition was returned to the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on June 14, 2010 for further review. In order to seek information on the status of the case, you should contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. However you are advised to wait a few weeks before contacting USCIS to allow them to receive and review the file. Due to the personal nature of the information, the file was sent via registered diplomatic pouch. Regards, Immigration Visa Unit United States Consulate General 8 Boulevard Moulay Youssef Casablanca, Morocco Email Address: ivcasablanca@state.gov Public inquiries number: 0661 99 83 64. Hours: 3-4 pm Frequently asked questions: http://casablanca.us...e.gov/faqs.html nz en They can't say it's a denial which is why it goes back to the USA. Depending on your service center you could get a NOID and have a chance to fight it, expired/closed notice or nothing. Since it is still in Casa, FIGHT IT NOW !	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-15 09:04:00
Middle East and North Africa	UPDATE on Casa Interview	ok...so they won't renew it? It will expire on june 25th like its supposed to? Monica Even though it says it expires you can still fight it, don't give up. Your chance is to fight it now while they still have it. There have been cases where it was turned around and approved. You want to keep this at Casa right now. In the event it does come back down the road...you can withdraw the 1st petition, refile another k1 or marry. The consulate will not tell you the reason of denial. Go over the questions they asked your fiance. Any red flags such as age, religion, prior marriage....? This is a tough time right now but put all your strength into fighting this now.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-14 13:56:00
Middle East and North Africa	UPDATE on Casa Interview	They are amazing. Been there..... They just did not want you coming to the Consulate so they knew to wait until you left. Try to get your Congressman/Senators on them now before the case gets sent back. BTW they will tell you they sent the case back but usually it sits in Casa for at least 1 to 2 months. I hope you can get some results soon.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-06-14 11:43:00
Middle East and North Africa	Buying plane tickets	I have heard it's wise to shop for tickets on a Tuesday	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-02 13:28:00
Middle East and North Africa	Moroccans find love online	Moroccans find love online 2010-07-01 For many Moroccans, the internet opens up a new door on romance. By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat – 01/07/10 link More Moroccans are turning to the web to find their soul mate. Increasing numbers of Moroccans are bucking tradition to find spouses through the internet, and some are looking for love far from their homeland's borders. Couples and singles alike who spoke with Magharebia said their quest for romance had been facilitated by new technology, including the World Wide Web. Farid Mekkaoui, 36, was married two years ago to Sophie, a 27-year-old French woman. They became friends through an internet discussion forum and conducted a virtual relationship for a year. Then they met in Agadir, where they decided to seal their union. "Today we live in Marrakech," said Mekkaoui, who works in a hotel. "My wife's found a good job here. I never thought I'd end up marrying a European girl. But the internet makes the whole world accessible." Morocco has seen a rapid spread of internet technology in recent years, ranking it second in the Arab world in terms of internet users. Cutting-edge Web 2.0 tools such as Twitter are also gaining ground. Bouchra met her husband Mjid, a Moroccan living in Italy, on the internet. After a year and a half of interaction, they decided to get married. Bouchra is now getting ready to join him in the country where he now lives. Bouchra, who asked that her name be withheld to protect her privacy, said relationships over the internet can now be trusted more than those forged face-to-face. "At least with the internet, you know how to work out whether a relationship is genuine or not," she said. "People have more time and opportunities to get to know each other at a deeper level, if they're sincere." "In the past, I had three relationships with local men. But they didn't work out. But then my first relationship over the internet has gone well," she added. Several young people reported turning to the internet to overcome their shyness. Ahmed Ghourbal, 22, said that getting to know young women over the internet can be easier than doing the same thing in everyday life. "Today's social networks offer huge opportunities for meeting people. That's where I'm looking for my soul-mate. And I'm convinced I'll find her soon, because I've made virtual friends with dozens of girls," he said. Sociologist Ali Chaâbani told Magharebia that marriages based on internet relationships are a phenomenon which has grown in recent years due to the development of new technologies in Morocco. Chaâbani said that while this approach has overtaken traditional relationships, so far, there has been no research to evaluate the phenomenon. He expressed concern that internet relationships may not be built on "healthy, solid" foundations. "The internet provides rich pickings for swindlers and liars. Few relationships are genuine, with noble intentions. A great many relationships entered into over the Web, even those which result in marriage, end up failing, although we have seen some successes," said the sociologist. He said that most of the relationships established with a view to marriage target people overseas, because many young people hope to live abroad to improve their social standing and discover new cultures. Hakim Mehdi said that for the past two years, he has been visiting discussion forums to find a loving relationship that leads to marriage to a young woman in Europe or the US, so that he can realise his dream of finishing his higher education at a prestigious international school and working abroad. "I'm not looking to take advantage of the one I'll love and who'll agree to become my wife. I think it's all right to have ambition, especially if you're an open-minded, tolerant person. I'm looking for love and a future career at the same time," he said. Samira Nouaimi, a young Moroccan woman who lives in France, says that French people of Moroccan origin are starting to become less trusting of virtual relationships. Whether male or female, she said, they do not want to be used as little more than a stepping-stone by people who dream of emigrating.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-08 19:39:00
Middle East and North Africa	Transition to the US	When my husband(fiance then) first arrived I gave him a grand tour of the neighborhood.....local Mosque, supermarkets, Costco, the library, a local map, fire dept, local police, hospital ..... and so on. He joined a writing class at the local library which helped him so much, also he got a chance to meet others from different cultures. I made sure he got acquainted with our kitchen appliances I had purchased many spices in Morocco...especially CUMIN. I cook a lot of Moroccan food which makes him feel at home. I encourage him to talk to his family often, thank goodness for the internet I decorated our living room with Moroccan design and put his family pics all over the walls, tears came to his eyes when he walked in. Next adventure is learning how to drive it's bad enough New Yorkers are the worst drivers	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-07 12:00:00
Middle East and North Africa	Marriage in Morocco	So looking into my future, if for some reason my fiance is denied his visa in Casablanca (as we know many are) and we decide in the near future to go ahead with a wedding in Morocco what do I need to bring with me as far as paperwork? I know like the usual, passport, birth certificate, what else would I need?? Marriage requirements	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-14 08:02:00
Middle East and North Africa	Calls to Egypt	Is that a pinless calling system? The system (africom) that I use has a higher rate, but it's pinless calling. I can call from my phones and it will automatically register as my account and I only have to enter the # I'm calling - no account or pin number, etc. Thanks. Yes it's pinless. Just set up your account with your home/cell numbers and you can also all speed dials. It gives you a detailed report of each call made, I believe it holds up to 2 years of reports. I'm not sure if they still have this but if you sign up with them (at least $25)and put Wafin.com as the referral you will get a credit(something like $20). I've been using them for years.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-12 15:03:00
Middle East and North Africa	Calls to Egypt	We use www.joinvip.com for Morocco(.4 cents a min to a landline)however they do have a mideast plan. I never had a problem with them.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-12 13:07:00
Middle East and North Africa	any body hear about that : visa cancled without prejudice	There have also been numerous home visits in Morocco.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-09 12:09:00
Middle East and North Africa	any body hear about that : visa cancled without prejudice	Home visit? that can't be normal can it?? when did home visits start for a k1 visa? It's not common but it can happen for any type of visa if fraud is suspected.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-09 08:53:00
Middle East and North Africa	any body hear about that : visa cancled without prejudice	Maybe since you called the embassy several times they got suspicious of your intentions?	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-01 13:55:00
Middle East and North Africa	Casa Interview Today	My fiance had his interview in Casa this morning, but I am a little confused and wondering if anyone else had a similar situation . I don't have all the details yet because I am at work but I will see if I can get more from him later. He said the interview went well and they asked him a lot of detailed questions, but did not give him much of a hard time. In the end they gave him slip of paper without anything but his name and interview date on it and told him they would contact him. They did keep all of his paperwork, pictures and his passport. Does this mean they are reviewing his evidence, AP, second interview??? Not sure if I should email the embassy myself to inquire...or if I should just wait and see... This whole thing is soooo stressful!! It is making me crazy not to know.... Jackie It sounds like they will review the case and possibly get a 2nd interview or just issue the visa. Hopefully the visa.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-12 07:20:00
Middle East and North Africa	WE GOT IT!!!!	Mabruk	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-07-13 13:33:00
Middle East and North Africa	Bank Statements ?'s	We were not asked for bank statements however I printed the last 3 months before the interview and had a letter from my bank.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-04 08:06:00
Middle East and North Africa	New Diplomatic pouch #	Monica, It took 3 months for our case to come back. There is no way that they send any cases back so soon.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-06 13:33:00
Middle East and North Africa	Possible MENA issue at the consulate?	Thanks to all who have answered. I appreciate the words of support and advice. I do have another question/ concern about the interview. Both my fiance and I were asked what my family thinks about the relationship. This has been an issue from almost day one- not too hard to figure out... my family is Christian, we live in the "Bible Belt" and in the south where, to many people skin color, how much money you have, and how many karats you can afford matters. My family is not particularly thrilled and would much rather I be engaged to a doctor's son with freckles and blond hair and a church membership. However, my fiance and I agreed that we would not make this public information in our lives (yes, I know I'm sharing this over the internet, but it's for a reason) because it is a " verguenza" (a shame, humiliation). We both had the same answer at the interview because we had talked about this earlier, but we are a little bit concerned that the consulate may contact my parents to verify the facts (since they have their phone # from the G-325A form). My family may just be crazy enough to say something outrageous to the embassy which may give us more grief. How likely would it be that the embassy calls my family? Even if my family does say something negative about our relationship, I am 24 years old and old enough to make a decision about who I want to marry, so why should it matter? Or could this be grounds for cancelling the visa? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. They could contact your family however they can't deny based on your family's biased opinions. They just want to verify that your family is aware of your relationship.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-16 11:45:00
Middle East and North Africa	Help!!!! Tired of wait of review to finish	The bad news-you have red flags that you mentioned here....the age, getting married on the 1st trip to meet him and meeting online. Your "true love" may seem real to you, to the consulate it seems like "fraud". Lawyers can not do anything for you. If they promise you a "miracle" they are most likely full of it. You will have to wait for USCIS to review your case, it could be a long wait(not wishing this on you) Worst case scenario is that they can revoke the petition but you could most likely refile a cr1. Be prepared, you already know the possible reason for denial. In the mean time try to keep visiting your husband and building that "true love" There is a light at the end of the tunnel.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-21 20:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	AP/AR Food for thought	What a great attitude! +1 for you	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-24 09:35:00
Middle East and North Africa	what the first thing u did when you come to usa	Salam and Happy Ramadan to you. My husband arrived here in February and right away he started a English writing class at our local library(he was pre-tested so they could put him in the right class)which was free. This really helped him. Also he got to meet other people from different cultures with different experiences. The class also went over job skills and putting together a resume. I suggest you check with your local library for and English/ESL classes. Perhaps there could also be a TOEFL class that you will need prior to starting college. As for a job, once he got his green card last month he applied to many places. He received a job shortly after. Not the best job but it's a first step on the ladder.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-26 07:48:00
Middle East and North Africa	MOROCCO, please anyone I need some answers.	In Packet three which finally arrived last week. We got the forms ds156, ds156k, ds157, ds230 part 1&2 only. I guess they made a mistake and didn't give us part 3 & 4 of ds230. My other question was regarding police certificates in another city where he lived for many years before moving to Casablanca. We didn't receive hardly any instructions at all with what to send or keep and take to the interview. I have been reading so much online that my brain is finally fried now. So please if you can just help us out we would both appreciate any answers from those who have been through this Embassy at Casablanca. After all this frustration trying to read here on VJ, I just told my fiance to call his friend at the Embassy to see if there was anyone he could ask a few simple questions to. His friend replied yes.... So to make a long story short, his friend asked all the questions I guess before Mohammed got there, and he told Mohammed that the lady said he did not have to travel to other cities to get police records at all. Well, according to this list of instructions, it says go to all localities (which I assume is cities) since the age of 16 where you have resided. They said one police report covers it all. I just don't know if this is correct and I cannot find the information regarding Morocco anywhere on VJ. The lady also told his friend, that Mohammed did not need to send in any forms at all. Well, I thought the DS230 was suppose to be at the embassy before the interview. UGGGGGGGGGG so frustrated, and I know there has to be a simple answer to all this. After having him read the instructions to me, I said no way, so I sent an email to the Embassy and this is what they said to me via email: Dear Madam, Thank you for your email. Your fiance is schedule to interview on Oct 5th, at 8:00 a.m. Provide the following: Birth Certificate & English translation Police Certificate (fiche anthropometrique) Court record (cashier judiciaire) Single hood Medical record from one of our panel 2 photos $350 paid in cash at the consulate or BMCI Form Ds230 Form ds156 x2 Form ds156k Form ds157 I864 2009 tax returns ( WHY NOT 2008 AND 2007) ???????? I thought they needed all three years. Okay, so here is my question and its pretty simple. Is there any form that needs to be sent before interview on Oct. 5th. Is it true that possibly he does not have to travel 6.5 hours away and stay for three days in Taza to get police certificate/record? He also went to Fes for 6 years while finishing college. Okay, that's it, I sure would like to sleep at some point tonight if anyone reads this and can please advise us on any information posted here. Thanks.... Police report comes from Rabat You should have him take the last 3 years of tax returns in case He takes everything to the interview, nothing is sent prior. Every embassy is different Get some sleep	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-08-30 20:11:00
Middle East and North Africa	verbal threats	Sounds like a real winner...sorry you are going through this. You can file for divorce and notify USCIS and ICE. Try to get an order of protection against him and change all your locks.What ever money you lost is already done, don't loose your life away to him.Don't feel bad if he gets deported, you are financially responsible for him if he remains in the USA.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-12 19:02:00
Middle East and North Africa	b instead of p	Mohammed sometimes struggles with this too. In his letter to the Consul regarding his intentions towards me he wrote "I feel like I have known her since I was porn." Ohhhhhh k. I wonder how times she reread that line. The other thing we laugh over is his study is in hotel and tourism. Well, when an Egyptian says "tourism" it sounds an aweful lot like "terrorism". We have had some real hoots over that but he is always VERY CAREFUL to annunciate that one properly. Mohammed if you read this... Honey I'm not making fun at you. You just tickle me. Remember when I butchered Arabic so bad instead of saying "I love you" I said "doorknob"? lol my father is Middle Eastern and still has an accent. One day we were driving to Manhattan(shortly after 9/11) and there were police check points by the tunnel where we were headed and my father went into the emergency lane and then got stopped by a cop and then was asked why he was driving in that lane and my fathers answer " sorry officer I'm a tourist here" which sounded like I'm a terrorist. I just about crapped in my pants! Luckily the cop was nice and let him go lol.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-23 09:16:00
Middle East and North Africa	morocco denial	My husband had his interview in morocco 2 days ago n was denied because the officer did nt belive we had a relation even though we have been together for almost 5 years and we have been married for a yead and three months I have already contacted my congressman and senator what should I do next should I get a lawyer or should I just start the process all over again plz let me know thnx I appericate any help I get thnx alot Go over the interview questions. What are the possible red flags? A lawyer really can not help you right now....only take your money. You can't re-file right now, you filed a CR1 and if it's returned USCIS will have to review it. If it's still at Casa try to fight it now.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-23 09:07:00
Middle East and North Africa	arabic baby names	what are some arabic names for a baby you like?? boy or girl. i don't know that many...but a few i like that come to mind are: leila/leyla, amina, aisha, amira, asianne, anisa, suiheila, hannah, hasna, jahmal, jameelah, jasmin, nabil,nasim, zara, amal, amani, what else?! How about Latifa, Halima, Bouchra, Barca, Zakaria, Driss, Omar.....	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2007-02-14 21:51:00
Middle East and North Africa	today i back home from interview	Just my 2 cents..... You might want to freshen up on your English for next weeks possible 2nd interview.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-24 08:31:00
Middle East and North Africa	today i back home from interview	thanks friends well i asked them what can i to bring with me when i back next week they say u not need just u will have secend interview so im still worry Think about what questions they asked you. Do you have any possible red flags?	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-23 09:00:00
Middle East and North Africa	Best $30 I've ever spent :0)	Also this could be a red flag : We met through a website ( muslims4marriage) in Feburary of 2009. We both felt a connection right away :0) A few days after meeting and chating online Abdul asked me to marry him I accepted his proposal.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-24 09:42:00
Middle East and North Africa	Best $30 I've ever spent :0)	Basically you got the same answers from VJ members that answered your other posts, difference is you spent $30. There is no K3 visa anymore though, your legal adviser needs to update his notes.	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-24 08:26:00
Middle East and North Africa	JFK POE	Hello Everyone, My hubby is finally coming home tomorrow and the POE will be JFK and I was Wondering for those of you who used JFK as POE if the experience was bad or good, if they were treated harshly or not, if its a long process or a short one, or does it just depend? Does coming from an islamic country make it worst? Thank You So Much Ahead Of Time *Amirah* My husbands experience was very good. Total wait time was about 40 minutes after arrival. He will not be mistreated. Congrats on the visa!	moroccogirlny	Female	Morocco	2010-09-28 08:58:00