Has anyone had AP after consulate asked to send passport in?

[hopenfaith 0]

Hello all!

Well finally, my husband was approved this past Tuesday (Oct. 12) for his visa. He got a call from the Jerusalem consulate telling him to send in his passport via Aramex. The lady on the phone told him that he also had 5 months to get to America before the visa expired.

My question is this: How long does it take to get the passport back from the consulate? We sent it in the same day. AND also, I've read that some people were asked to send in thier passports and then they were put in AP. Is there a possibility for us? I mean, the lady told us to send the passport.. Why would they do that if so? Anyone with this issue plz help!

Thanks

[hopenfaith 0]

Anybody????? any input would be great

[Used to be broken 147]

Hello all!

Well finally, my husband was approved this past Tuesday (Oct. 12) for his visa. He got a call from the Jerusalem consulate telling him to send in his passport via Aramex. The lady on the phone told him that he also had 5 months to get to America before the visa expired.

My question is this: How long does it take to get the passport back from the consulate? We sent it in the same day. AND also, I've read that some people were asked to send in thier passports and then they were put in AP. Is there a possibility for us? I mean, the lady told us to send the passport.. Why would they do that if so? Anyone with this issue plz help!

Thanks

Hopefully that will not happen, but it appears AP is pretty typical for males in most middle eastern countries. Some as short as two weeks many considerably longer. Keep you fingers crossed. Hope it goes quickly

[Darnell 8,478]

Suggest you call DoS Hotline every 3 days - ask for 'case status', also ask specifically 'Is this case placed in AP?'

Generally DOS Hotline staff not tell you this in any general chitchat -

YOU MUST ASK SPECIFICALLY.

They will answer you, yes or no.

Casefile status things to check for, with the DoS Hotline:

1. Passport received (Date)

2. Visa Printed/attached to Passport (Date)

3. Placed in AP (Date)

4. Sent out via Courier (Date)

Good Luck !

(Dos Hotline is NOT the Embassy in East Jerusalem, it's a national service in USA, must call when open)

[hopenfaith 0]

Suggest you call DoS Hotline every 3 days - ask for 'case status', also ask specifically 'Is this case placed in AP?'

Generally DOS Hotline staff not tell you this in any general chitchat -

YOU MUST ASK SPECIFICALLY.

They will answer you, yes or no.

Hey welllllll... I am confused!

My husbands passport hasn't been sent back to us from the Jerusalem consulate yet. Counting today that would make it a total of 8 days since we sent it in.

Now I called DOS about 20 minutes ago and this is thier reply.

I gave the man my husbands case number, DOB, and name. I told him that he was called by an official and told to send in his passport last Tuesday to the consulate to have his visa stamped on it since he was approved.

The man told me.. "ma'am, it doesn't say here that your husband has been approved. Maybe the Jerusalem counsulate hasn't updated thier system to show he has actually been approved. If they told you to send in the passport for visa issue, that means they most likely approved it and you have to wait for them to send the passport with visa back."

OK.. I ask him does it say he is in AP? He says.. " it says here he is in administrative processing, and that they requested his passport."

Im thinking maybe he is/was in adminsitrative processing bc of the additional documents we were asked to submit?? But then again we sent them in, and we got the call LAST WEEK telling us that he was approved and that he had to send in the passport to have visa stamped on it! Also that he had 5 months to leave to AMerica b4 the visa expires!!!

SOmeone help.. this is so unfair. What does this mean? Is he in AP???? Is he actually approved but the system here in Jerusalem didn't update his status??

[hopenfaith 0]

Hey welllllll... I am confused!

My husbands passport hasn't been sent back to us from the Jerusalem consulate yet. Counting today that would make it a total of 8 days since we sent it in.

Now I called DOS about 20 minutes ago and this is thier reply.

I gave the man my husbands case number, DOB, and name. I told him that he was called by an official and told to send in his passport last Tuesday to the consulate to have his visa stamped on it since he was approved.

The man told me.. "ma'am, it doesn't say here that your husband has been approved. Maybe the Jerusalem counsulate hasn't updated thier system to show he has actually been approved. If they told you to send in the passport for visa issue, that means they most likely approved it and you have to wait for them to send the passport with visa back."

OK.. I ask him does it say he is in AP? He says.. " it says here he is in administrative processing, and that they requested his passport."

Im thinking maybe he is/was in adminsitrative processing bc of the additional documents we were asked to submit?? But then again we sent them in, and we got the call LAST WEEK telling us that he was approved and that he had to send in the passport to have visa stamped on it! Also that he had 5 months to leave to AMerica b4 the visa expires!!!

SOmeone help.. this is so unfair. What does this mean? Is he in AP???? Is he actually approved but the system here in Jerusalem didn't update his status??

Oh yea and hold up.. if the guy over at DOS told me that on his computer it shows that "passport was requested", doesnt that also mean that they DID in fact update thier system here in Jerusalem??? If they wrote they had requested the passport, they could have wrote approved.. OMG THIS IS SOO FRUSTRATING...

[belinda63 3,022]

OK, I'm the one with the bad news. Just prior to printing the visa they have to do one more quick name check. It is possible that since the AP was finished someone with a name similar to his showed up on the list and they have to verify it is not him. This is a new AP but it will only involve any new names/matches since the last AP was completed. Hopefully things will go well and he will receive his passport tomorrow.

Good luck and hang in there, it is almost over.

[asad 4]

Hi, I hope your situation gets resolved. But in the meantime, it would be really helpful if you could post a a review of the interview in J'lem.

[LotofPatience 65]

Oh yea and hold up.. if the guy over at DOS told me that on his computer it shows that "passport was requested", doesnt that also mean that they DID in fact update thier system here in Jerusalem??? If they wrote they had requested the passport, they could have wrote approved.. OMG THIS IS SOO FRUSTRATING...

hopenfaith,

The sync-ing between the Consulate data and the DOS database might not happen. Wait few more days to get accurate result.

Since they have stamped visa on the passport and it has a validity of 5 months, this issue will be rectified very soon.

Also, just confirm if the Consulate or any "other agent" delivers the passport with visa back to the applicant. If it is the agent, applicant has to most probably pay the delivery fee too.

Loto

Edited October 20, 2010 by LotOfPatience

[hopenfaith 0]

hopenfaith,

The sync-ing between the Consulate data and the DOS database might not happen. Wait few more days to get accurate result.

Since they have stamped visa on the passport and it has a validity of 5 months, this issue will be rectified very soon.

Also, just confirm if the Consulate or any "other agent" delivers the passport with visa back to the applicant. If it is the agent, applicant has to most probably pay the delivery fee too.

Loto

I don't know if they stamped the visa on his passport or not yet. Im sure though, that the passport has reached the consulate by now. The applicants who are from the West Bank get thier passports with thier visas back through Aramex. I do know for a fact that they also pay around 18 US dollars delivery fee.

I emailed the consulate about my question concerning my husbands currant visa status and if he has been really approved or not. It wouldn't make any sense to think that he isn't actually approved, after he recived a call from the consulate telling him that he was. maybe its a good thing they asked for his passport

[LotofPatience 65]

I don't know if they stamped the visa on his passport or not yet. Im sure though, that the passport has reached the consulate by now. The applicants who are from the West Bank get thier passports with thier visas back through Aramex. I do know for a fact that they also pay around 18 US dollars delivery fee.

I emailed the consulate about my question concerning my husbands currant visa status and if he has been really approved or not. It wouldn't make any sense to think that he isn't actually approved, after he recived a call from the consulate telling him that he was. maybe its a good thing they asked for his passport

If you don't pay $18 to Aramex, the passport will be held there forever.

Loto

[hopenfaith 0]

If you don't pay $18 to Aramex, the passport will be held there forever.

Loto

I already payed about 15 dollars fee when I sent the passport to Jerusalem thru Aramex last Tuesday. The 18 dollars is payed when Aramex calls you to go pick the visa up. How do I pay the 18 dollars before I get the passport back??!! It isnt possible.

[LotofPatience 65]

I already payed about 15 dollars fee when I sent the passport to Jerusalem thru Aramex last Tuesday. The 18 dollars is payed when Aramex calls you to go pick the visa up. How do I pay the 18 dollars before I get the passport back??!! It isnt possible.

I think in your case, it is better to touch with Aramex too.

Loto

[hopenfaith 0]

I think in your case, it is better to touch with Aramex too.

Loto

I already called them two days ago and they informed me that they only send out recieved documents from the U.S consulate to those they are meant to be delivered to. They dont offer any other information regarding visas pending at consulates. Your envelope arrives at thier offices with your name and number. They call you up and tell you to go take your mail.

Edited October 20, 2010 by hopenfaith

[Darnell 8,478]

Hey welllllll... I am confused!

My husbands passport hasn't been sent back to us from the Jerusalem consulate yet. Counting today that would make it a total of 8 days since we sent it in.

Now I called DOS about 20 minutes ago and this is thier reply.

I gave the man my husbands case number, DOB, and name. I told him that he was called by an official and told to send in his passport last Tuesday to the consulate to have his visa stamped on it since he was approved.

The man told me.. "ma'am, it doesn't say here that your husband has been approved. Maybe the Jerusalem counsulate hasn't updated thier system to show he has actually been approved. If they told you to send in the passport for visa issue, that means they most likely approved it and you have to wait for them to send the passport with visa back."

OK.. I ask him does it say he is in AP? He says.. " it says here he is in administrative processing, and that they requested his passport."

Im thinking maybe he is/was in adminsitrative processing bc of the additional documents we were asked to submit?? But then again we sent them in, and we got the call LAST WEEK telling us that he was approved and that he had to send in the passport to have visa stamped on it! Also that he had 5 months to leave to AMerica b4 the visa expires!!!

SOmeone help.. this is so unfair. What does this mean? Is he in AP???? Is he actually approved but the system here in Jerusalem didn't update his status??

Keep calling back, every 3 days -

things progress, you'll know some new status each time.

Good Luck !

Edited October 21, 2010 by Darnell