got a call from US consulate chennai about AP

[sarahH 0]

hey v.j ppl

i just go a call from the US consulate chennai telling me my visa process has been put in AP. no documents required from my side. it's a process for them supposedly . they ve to do some administrative processing supposedly. i don't understnd . my visa was approved by the consulate guys. after 3 days they give me a call saying this. he said i wil receive my passpport /visa within 2 to 3 weeks. but wen i asked r u sure. he said i cannot guarantee that. any one went thru this? whats this happening??

[SalJoy 11]

Been there. I have been put on AP 2 times for H1B visa. It didnt take more than 6 weeks to clear that out. I hope yours too doesnt take too long. Call them once in a week or 15 days to check the status.

[sarahH 0]

Been there. I have been put on AP 2 times for H1B visa. It didnt take more than 6 weeks to clear that out. I hope yours too doesnt take too long. Call them once in a week or 15 days to check the status.

but y is this happening????? i got back from chennai. they told me on my face i got it but y call me now and say this??? n he said 2 to 3 weeks.. y is it taking 6 weeks???? im on spouse immigration... so its not JUST 6 weeks for me... its huge thing for me.

[msd 3]

but y is this happening?????

Unfortunately, AP is not unusual at all.

It could be that they have to do further name checks.

Sorry dude...

[sachinky 464]

A lot of people have been told they've been approved verbally at the time of the interview only to later find that they've been put on AP.

Nothing is certain until you hold your passport/visa in hand.

If they don't want anything from your side, it's probably just name-checks/clearance etc.

FYI--All applicants undergo AP. Most of the checks clear from D.C. within 24 hours and so we never hear about those cases. Others unfortunately get stuck in the AP blackhole.

[sarahH 0]

A lot of people have been told they've been approved verbally at the time of the interview only to later find that they've been put on AP.

Nothing is certain until you hold your passport/visa in hand.

If they don't want anything from your side, it's probably just name-checks/clearance etc.

FYI--All applicants undergo AP. Most of the checks clear from D.C. within 24 hours and so we never hear about those cases. Others unfortunately get stuck in the AP blackhole.

ther was a girl with me from the same city sam situation .. we had basaically the same story our husbands did the same thing too. but she din't gt the call for AP and i did. i don't understand this. i had booked my ticekts also. i duno what to do and how long this wait last for .thanks for ur reply though.

[SalJoy 11]

but y is this happening????? i got back from chennai. they told me on my face i got it but y call me now and say this??? n he said 2 to 3 weeks.. y is it taking 6 weeks???? im on spouse immigration... so its not JUST 6 weeks for me... its huge thing for me.

It may not take 6 weeks but i said 6 weeks based on my experience with Chennai consulate. Nobody can predict the time it will take to clear AP. You can try sending them an email explaining your situation but it may not make any effect on them as they will do what they have to do. AP is nothing but a deep name check and if you have common name or you are Muslim (as me) then lot of chances to go in AP.

Chennai consulate is better then the other consulates in India so i dont think it may take long time. If your passport is with them then they will be definitely process your case fast enough as they dont hold passport back if they think it will take long time.

[sachinky 464]

This is precisely why it is recommended that beneficiaries do not purchase air tickets until you have the visa in your hands.

[yazmin999 0]

well i was put on a ap for 1.5 months before they called to send the passport and a pic-- but each case varies

[LotofPatience 65]

hey v.j ppl

i just go a call from the US consulate chennai telling me my visa process has been put in AP. no documents required from my side. it's a process for them supposedly . they ve to do some administrative processing supposedly. i don't understnd . my visa was approved by the consulate guys. after 3 days they give me a call saying this. he said i wil receive my passpport /visa within 2 to 3 weeks. but wen i asked r u sure. he said i cannot guarantee that. any one went thru this? whats this happening??

Sarah,

For few cases, visa will not be issued on the interview date. AP means they need additional checks on you - it could be name check, valid relationship check, police clearance check etc. etc. just to name a few.

Holding your passport at the Consulate, not asking additional docs from your side and being a female applicant are good in your case to clear this AP quickly. It can be cleared in few weeks to couple of months time. Hope it will be few weeks!

My wife's name is Fathima and she didn't have any issues in her last immigrant visa interview in 2008.

Loto

[sarahH 0]

This is precisely why it is recommended that beneficiaries do not purchase air tickets until you have the visa in your hands.

i din't book my tickets before my interview.... i did after it... after i was told my visa has been granted. i got the call for AP 2 days later.

[hopenfaith 0]

i din't book my tickets before my interview.... i did after it... after i was told my visa has been granted. i got the call for AP 2 days later.

any new news on your AP?

its been almost 2 weeks since my husband was told he was approved and to send in his passport.. still no passport back with visa. im worried he will be on AP. but they didnt tell us he was. Good luck

[sarahH 0]

any new news on your AP?

its been almost 2 weeks since my husband was told he was approved and to send in his passport.. still no passport back with visa. im worried he will be on AP. but they didnt tell us he was. Good luck

nope no news at all. they jus keep telling me it's in Ap. wil take a few weeks. now i don't know what to believe or think. . i think u shud keep calling your consulate or the DOS and ask if its in AP and why his passport hasn't arrived yet with the visa.

[Darnell 8,478]

hey SarahH - sorry for this news.

After the interview, there's lots of 'back room operations' going on for yer visa application.

One of them is the 'final review', and IF during final review, something is wrong, more action is needed, the visa is not issued 'on regular schedule'.

Don't fret this, it's just another step, another process to worry about.

Strongly suggest to you, to tell yer USCitizen Spouse, to call in to the DOS Hotline (IN USA) and inquire for 'case status'. Have him/her do that once every three days, and ask each time -

'Is the casefile on AP?'

'When will the visa be issued?'

Then ask for the last 3 prior casefile status thingies, with date/time stamps.

I know, this sounds tedious, but -

there will be different answers each time the USCitizen Spouse calls in ,

and finally, the last one to 'watch for' is

'Visa Issued'. Once that casefile status is set to this, it'll be bundled up to be mailed out to you, and that's when ya gotta get busy...

Sorry about the airline tickets, really. As Sachinky mentioned here, you really shouldn't plan to fly until after you have the passport in hand, with a visa stamp firmly affixed inside of it.

[hopenfaith 0]

nope no news at all. they jus keep telling me it's in Ap. wil take a few weeks. now i don't know what to believe or think. . i think u shud keep calling your consulate or the DOS and ask if its in AP and why his passport hasn't arrived yet with the visa.

i tried emailing the consulate 3 times.. no reply. called DOS several days back and they told us he had been in AP but it shows that his passport was requested too. I guess if they asked for the passport, thats good news. Only thing im worrying about is if they decide to deny him after telling him he was approved... =( good luck to you