1st Appt..???

[Ms_Delacruz]

Im still very new here, and have a quick question.. Whne my husband receives his !st. Appt..?? Is it mandatory that I accompany him to this.?

Dont get me wrong, We're both in this till the end. And I love to help him... BUut I will be starting a new job very soon, and I read the hand book and I will not be eligible for vacation time until a year after employment. This is a problem. I'd love to go with him, but if this a deciding factor in my job, and am not granted time off... Im not really going to be able to go..??

Can anyone answer this for me..and also for you ladies out there that HAVE gone already to the 1st Appt, how was it?...and how long was your stay..?? meaning days wise.. how long where you there, not including any days you stayed over to have fun or sight see. ASlo, what is your role in the Interview..? Are you asked Q's... stuff like that..?? Thanks for the info

[Luckysprite]

Hey girl!! I answered some of this in the pm you sent me - but to clarify again .... the chances are that you will not even be allowed in the consulate with your husband. There a lot of of people on the site who have not been able to attend - and it is ok that you cant. I think it is kitkat1 who said that she sent a letter stating the reasons she was not able to be there 'just in case they asked' type of thing.

Since I havent been there yet - I can only tell you what I have seen others say - but with the pilot program now - it seems that stays typically run anywhere from 6-10 days. The medical appt gets done usually 2 days before the first interview and the infopass gets done usually 2 days after. So - most of the time - a weekend will fall in there somewhere - that will lengthen the stay.

I hope that someone who has experienced on recently will answer your post and give you more specific details!!!

[skamiri]

My hubby had his interview on July 31st, that was a Tuesday. We got there on Sunday, had the medical on Monday, pick up results Monday afternoon, had 1st interview on Tuesday and info pass (2nd interview) on Wednesday and got approved on the spot, done with the same day.

In which part of the process are you in right now? Because the 1st appt is not going to happen a year after getting the I130 approval, since they are other steps to follow.

[Laura]

Ms. Delacruz - I didn't go to my husband's first interview. I didn't send a letter either - but that's a great idea. I had also started a new job a few months before, and considering we were before the pilot program, I wanted to save my vacation to go visit him. I wouldn't worry about this at all.

[angela256z]

Hey girly! You don't have to go. You won't even be allowed to go in the consulate or the medical appointment with him. Most people go for support or to make sure nothing is forgotten. But if you can't go no one is going to think less of you. Sometimes we just don't have the money for these things. I priced out flights and after we fly from Seattle to Mexico City get his kids and fly to CDJ and then home it was $678 for each adult and $370 for each kid (2 kids). That was just flights.

[SHELLYFCO]

I went with my man and the Consulate didn't even ask if I was there...outside roasting with the rest of the population.

[Rosa]

I have heard of the consulate asking for the petitioner to come in on rare ocassions though. Your appt won't be within the next year anyways so you should be able to use vacation by then. I couldn't imagine not going with my husband. Anyways, we got to CDJ on a Sunday. He had his medical on Monday, first appt on Tuesday, and infopass on Thursday. He was approved, got his visa, and went to get the stamp in his passport all on Thursday. I do know of someone that had a 1:30 infopass appt and they had to come back the next day to get their visa.

Ultimately it's up to you whether you decide to go or not, but I would actually recommend it. You can think of it as a forced mini vacation. My husband and I actually had a good time while we were there.

[everything4love]

They asked to see me. So the next day I had to go in to answer a question my husband already answered. If I was you I would try to go if have vacation time by then and if you have the extra cash to go because I think it depends if you get one of the mean people they will try to throw roadblocks at you.

[Sueetp]

Does everyone who goes to CDJ for cr1 130 Green card need to have an infopass appointment, and what is it for specifically?

[everything4love]

Sueetp- Yes, everyone that goes to CDJ needs an infopass appointment.
It is to have your hardship letter looked at and turn in the 601 waiver. You are not allowed to do this at the interview so that is the reason for the infopass appointment after they have given you a denial at the interview.

[Luckysprite]

Just a small correction/addition to what everything4love said: The only people that need an infopass appt in CDJ are those who need to file the I601 waiver. There are cases (just not too many that we see on the forum) that do not need to file a waiver - and those people do not need an infopass appt.

[Sueetp]

okay great thanks for the clarification!!