Paperwork expired

[belinda63 3,045]

Received a response from my senator regarding our case, he contacted the embassy and got the same answer I've been getting for almost a year "the case is in administrative review in Washington and we cannot predict when it will be completed."

Then comes the....it has been more than a year since he signed the visa application so when he returns to the consulate (after AR is complete) he will have to sign a new application and after this his visa will be processed.

Just a few issues with this...

1. I am already going to submit a new affidavit of support, not waiting for them to request it.

2. Will he have to have a new medical exam or can the embassy extend it? (medicals are only good for a year).

3. Why do they have the petitions expire four months after they are approved unless the embassy has the petition extended when they KNOW it will take longer than this? Seems like a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse to me.

4. They don't seem to understand he is from Iran and he has to take off work and pay to fly or ride a bus for two days to get to the embassy and then stay in a hotel and purchase his food. He can't afford to sit there for weeks because their delays caused his paperwork to expire.

Anyway, I am still waiting for a response from the DOS and Homeland Security. I found a phone number for the FBI's terrorist watchlist division but decided not to call it as I did not want to be listed as a terrorist.

Hang in there everyone, eventually the visa will come

A last note, I am thinking of sending some letters (to senators and such) and referencing this message board as to individual problems with obtaining visas. It is better than saying I know of x number of people waiting more than a year for security checks etc. What do you think of this? It is a public message board.

[tammy2688 1]

hey girl,

ya definately don't wait for them to ask for things such as affidavit of support, I would even tell him to get a medical report just in case, its extra hassle but some sub-sahran posters have said upon their second interview they were going to get sent back but they said i have the medical and the updated blank blank and they embassy (though bit surprised) took the paperwork and issed visa shortly. It is ridiculus, and the wait isnt anything to them...its us who cannot take a stable step in life for this who are sufferring. Listen my husband called and said he watched something on CNN about a bill being passed that looks into delays more than months, that the state department will change how things work. That looks good to me, its just a bit late for us to benefit from, I'm sure with enough people this visa nightmare will be much easier for future generations but right now I back you on writing and telling of individual cases, at least the ones who are ok with it. I dunno what happend, it seems 4-6 months is normal. The ones who get it before that, those MENA/S. Asian applicants are just plain lucky. But when it goes beyond that time frame it just begins to look like some distorted world where you can't count on anything. I always believe God is in power. The embassies, I don't know what they are doing honestly. I can laugh about it now, but belinda do you remember my husband was call back in early march to get a second "additional processing" stamp ya.....i really don't know what they are doing

i know what pains your husband had to go through last time having to spend money, take days off and stay at the hotel..and they didnt even notify him of anything...what a huge pain in the a$$. Really this is a sad sad thing going on, is it the day we become completely numb that anything will occur? I am sorry belinda, but ya we're all just hangin in there

Get preprepared with the updated paperwork, ya everything has an end...even the most beautiful things, the difference is we don't want them to end. This has an ending too, I think I found a gray "stress" hair though

Lemme know what happens

My prayers are with us all

Tammy

[polarbear 0]

Just a thought.... the police reports expire as well - you might want to look into that.

I would also tell him to bring all the same info he took to the first interview and any updates, you never know and some people have second interviews IMO I would rather be prepared with anything they can ask for since it's such a pain for him to get there.

[Nutty 2]

Dear Belinda:

I am sorry to hear what has been going on with your case. It really is terrible! I actually feel sick to my stomach at how you and your fiance have been treated!

Senator Kennedy is another contact person because he sits on the panel for immigration affairs.

I sincerely believe you should not delay in seeing your fiance. Given that you may be waiting for more months.

Please take care.

Tina

PS...I agree with you about letting them know about this website. I have thought of collecting people's stories about dealing with the UCSIS, NVC and State Department Foreign Service Workers abroad and publishing them.

Edited March 27, 2008 by Nutty

[sarahaziz 0]

You know friend my only instinct on this problem is to get EVERYTHING new/renewed whatever it is even if they don't need it or it doesn't seem important GET EVERYTHING AGAIN and resubmit that when the time comes because they will ask you some wacky stuff right and left to prolong finishing your husbands case. Iranians usually get such a hard time comming to USA. God bless