Passport - to take or not to take?

[elya 17]

ok, I've heard some opinions already one way or another... but wanted to get the overall impression from everyone out here. Is it a bad thing to take your passport back from the embassy while you're on AP? They have kept my fiance's passport for almost 7 months now. He really wants to get out of the country and go someplace warm and interesting for our next vacation together. I'm scared that taking the passport back could somehow impact the processing time or somehow else negatively affect our case. What are your thoughts?

(P.S.: He already had a visa for three weeks before they called him back and asked him to return it so they could correct a "mistake with an internal number", so he would have a canceled and/or expired K-1 visa in the passport even if he does get it back)

Edited September 4, 2010 by elya

[TBoneTX 44,786]

So, he was issued the K-1 visa, but the embassy goofed and asked for the passport back so that they could insert a corrected visa?

If this is accurate, then somebody at the embassy either dropped the ball or has the project buried on his/her desk. Be a squeaky wheel and insist upon prompt issuance of a corrected visa of 6 months' duration and speedy return of the passport.

However, you indicate that he's on AP. Did the embassy revoke the visa after issuing it? Your message makes it sound as though there was a simple technical error.

Please clarify the situation for us, si man.

Edited September 4, 2010 by TBoneTX

[Whatznext 2]

Taking the passport will not hurt the AP and maybe if they made one mistake they took his visa in error i would request the passport back it might take some spider webs off his case. At any rate it cannot hurt him except having to resubmit it when they are ready to issue the visa again. Have a great vacation

[inloveVEN 46]

Have he gone to the embassy to ask for it?

I think that this is a personal document so none has the right to keep it for 7 month.

[elya 17]

wish I knew exactly what was going on! The first post in this thread pretty much gives all the details:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/257240-anyone-had-this-happen-at-moscow-embassy/

The Cliff Notes version: Embassy issued visa, everything was perfect, 3 weeks later they call back and want to "correct" something, weeks later per e-mail they confirm that we are now in "administrative review". They did later take actions that make it appear they are conducting an investigation (including field investigation) - calling his parents with questions, over 3 months ago. That's pretty much the only info I have, despite repeated inquiries by myself, lawyer, and Congressman. Everything they've ever told us has contradicted something else they've told us. We've pretty much resigned ourselves to waiting and sending off periodic inquiries to make sure we haven't fallen behind a desk.

For now I'm just wondering if it's safe to request his passport back or not... I know they have to give it to us if we ask, but don't want to jeopardize anything.

(wow such quick replies - thanks Whatznext and inloveVEN for your input, didn't read your response before posting this)

Edited September 4, 2010 by elya