Athens Question

[patiencemkp]

I have a question for anyone who is going through Athens.

Once you submit the waiver (i-601), is there notification from the embassy indicating they have received your waiver? My husband gave the waiver to the American Embassy in Damascus on March 5th, but has not received anything else indicating the waiver is in process.

Thanks for your help!
Patti

[Hopeful...]

Hi, Patti. My husband's waiver originally went from Cairo to Athens. We knew it went only because we hounded the embassy in Cairo to get a tracking number for it. It took about 3 weeks for them to send it from the date of his visa interview.

Keep in mind, Athens is notoriously understaffed and often holds onto waivers for months, take no action on it, and then ship it off to Rome for adjudication. My husband's sat in Athens for 8 months before they decided to send it to Rome where it took another 7 months. Be patient, it's a long road. :)

Definitely stay on top of things so you are aware of where the waiver actually is located.

I have a question for anyone who is going through Athens.

Once you submit the waiver (i-601), is there notification from the embassy indicating they have received your waiver? My husband gave the waiver to the American Embassy in Damascus on March 5th, but has not received anything else indicating the waiver is in process.

Thanks for your help!
Patti

[Wendy]

Oh my God. I just read your post. April 16 will be 8 months for us. It was sent from Ankara, Turkey to Athens. I just e-mailed them a couple of days ago to find out the status of our waiver.

This is pure HELL!!!!!

[Hopeful...]

Hi, Wendy. I know it's really difficult, to say the least. Yes, stay on top of Athens. I emailed Athens 7 months after they received my husband's waiver because we had been told we'd have a decision within 6 months, and Athens responded with an email saying they would adjudicate it within a month. Then, lo and behold, 2 months later, they sent it along to Rome.

I wish you a speedy decision. Hang in there! For us, it was a blessing that it was sent along to Rome because Rome finally approved it! Good things come to those who wait....

:)

Oh my God. I just read your post. April 16 will be 8 months for us. It was sent from Ankara, Turkey to Athens. I just e-mailed them a couple of days ago to find out the status of our waiver.

This is pure HELL!!!!!

[Wendy]

Thanks Hopeful for the encouragement. Did you get a tracking number? When I e-mailed them, I just stated my name and my fiance's name.

Did you ever call them on the phone, or was all correspondence through e-mail? How long do they take to respond to e-mail?

Thanks again :)

[patiencemkp]

Thanks for your answers. The waiver was just sent - so if I understand correctly, I need to wait five months then send an email - and until then there is not any formal communcations? I know that we could still be in for a long wait time. I am hoping that since it is only an overstay and he left without immigration becoming involved, that Athens will approve it (I can be a bit of a Pollyanna:)) and not send it to Rome. The guy at the window in the US Embassy Damascus indicated that he thought Athens would approve it since immigration was not involved, however it seems kind of subjective on which files get sent to Rome and which do not. Also, we have been going through this process for many years. Even if it takes another eight months, I still feel like we are in the home stretch!

Patti

[Hopeful...]

I don't think it's necessary that you wait the 5 months, maybe contact them just to be sure they have it, and then begin your waiting game in earnest. When I first contacted Athens it was to find out if the waiver had been received from Cairo and what the time frame would be. I was given a standard "90 - 180 days to adjudicate" answer. I waited about 7 months after that to email again because the 180 days were clearly up. When Athens decided to transfer my husband's case to Rome, we ONLY found out because we received notice from Rome that they had it. Athens never bothered to inform us of the transfer. It's an amazingly broken system, it seems. We are just so thrilled that our waiver packet (which was sooo long and had 26 exhibits) actually made it from Cairo to Athens and then on to Rome. Sounds like you have a good attitude about the wait. What else can you do, right??? Best of luck to you.:D

Thanks for your answers. The waiver was just sent - so if I understand correctly, I need to wait five months then send an email - and until then there is not any formal communcations? I know that we could still be in for a long wait time. I am hoping that since it is only an overstay and he left without immigration becoming involved, that Athens will approve it (I can be a bit of a Pollyanna:)) and not send it to Rome. The guy at the window in the US Embassy Damascus indicated that he thought Athens would approve it since immigration was not involved, however it seems kind of subjective on which files get sent to Rome and which do not. Also, we have been going through this process for many years. Even if it takes another eight months, I still feel like we are in the home stretch!

Patti

[Hopeful...]

Hi, Wendy. The tracking number I got from Cairo because, frankly, I hounded them with emails. A few weeks later, I emailed Athens with my husband's name, his visa application number CRO.........., and the tracking number given by Cairo. A few days later, Athens emailed back saying the waiver had been received and it would take "90 - 180 days to adjudicate." The time frame wasn't true, but, in the end, it was well worth the wait. I wish you the best of luck. ;)
Thanks Hopeful for the encouragement. Did you get a tracking number? When I e-mailed them, I just stated my name and my fiance's name.

Did you ever call them on the phone, or was all correspondence through e-mail? How long do they take to respond to e-mail?

Thanks again :)

[Wendy]

Hi, Wendy. The tracking number I got from Cairo because, frankly, I hounded them with emails. A few weeks later, I emailed Athens with my husband's name, his visa application number CRO.........., and the tracking number given by Cairo. A few days later, Athens emailed back saying the waiver had been received and it would take "90 - 180 days to adjudicate." The time frame wasn't true, but, in the end, it was well worth the wait. I wish you the best of luck. ;)

Thank you very much Hopeful!!! I am glad that your packet made it through all those hands!! Best wishes to you too!!

[Wendy]

Thanks for your answers. The waiver was just sent - so if I understand correctly, I need to wait five months then send an email - and until then there is not any formal communcations? I know that we could still be in for a long wait time. I am hoping that since it is only an overstay and he left without immigration becoming involved, that Athens will approve it (I can be a bit of a Pollyanna:)) and not send it to Rome. The guy at the window in the US Embassy Damascus indicated that he thought Athens would approve it since immigration was not involved, however it seems kind of subjective on which files get sent to Rome and which do not. Also, we have been going through this process for many years. Even if it takes another eight months, I still feel like we are in the home stretch!

Patti


Hi Patiencemkp. I like your attitude!! I hope you are right. Our waiver is for the same thing, and overstay. My fiance also left on his own, with no involvement from immigration or expense to the U.S. So I do hope we are also in the home stretch too!!

Best of luck to you also :)

[patiencemkp]

Thanks - I will email Athens now to see if they have received the waiver packet. I will let you know!

Patti