can they start AP all over again after security checks are over?

[FaK 0]

Ok, here's my story. My wife sponsored me in dec 2006 (see my timeline to get a better idea). My visa was approved in Feb 2007 but since then I have been stuck in AP. About three weeks ago, my wife received a letter from the Montreal consulate asking for my passport, med exams and police cert as they had expired. The same day my wife called the DOS and asked about the AP and she was told that the security checks are over and if we had submitted the docs requested by the embassy. She told them we'll be sending them out in a couple of days. We submitted them last week and they were received by the embassy on last wednesday the 25th of june. We emailed the embassy yest. to get a status but didn't receive a reply yet so my wife called the DOS today hoping that maybe they will have some info on when the visa might be issued and the CO told her that she still sees the visa pending AP. What the heck is this? Wife told her that last time (only two weeks ago) the checks were over according to them and now they still see it in AP? The co said that just like docs can get expired the security checks get expired too and they can go in and out of checks and it could be either that the checks started all over again or that maybe since something recently happened at the embassy level and so they don't have a status on it yet. From our knowledge and posts on VJ they only ask for passport and other docs if they are about to issue a visa and that's what the wife told the co and the co said that yeah it's possible that they want to issue the visa and we might be getting an update from them soon and that we can call DOS back in 2 to 3 weeks if no updates are given through the embassy. After hearing this, it's like our dreams came crumbling down once again. We waited in line patiently for almost a year and a half just to hear the good news that checks were over a few days ago and now we are being told that it's still pending AP? We had already started making plans and now we are in the black hole once again. If i look at it positively, it seems like it could be just that the embassy has not updated the status so DOS is seeing it as pending and after the july 1st and july 4th holidays we might hear something positive but the fact that we have been stuck in this rut for so long makes us think otherwise. Any advice from people who have faced similar experiences would be appreciated esp. ppl who were told the checks are over and then told they are still pending! Sorry for the long post, we are just really frustrated with this visa thing now.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Sounds a bit like this poster.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=136265&hl=

[belinda63 3,047]

I am very sorry to hear this has happened to you. It also happened to my SO last October.

From what I read everything DOS told you is true. The security checks can expire within minutes if there is another name hit. My SO is now in his third (or more) FBI name check. He also has other unnamed agencies which have to clear him and re clear him until they are all cleared at the same time. Then if he is lucky he will get to Turkey, redo his physical, and get his visa before something expires or another name hit happens.

Best of luck to you. Look at it this way, maybe it won't take as long since they just have to do one or two things.

[FaK 0]

I am very sorry to hear this has happened to you. It also happened to my SO last October.

From what I read everything DOS told you is true. The security checks can expire within minutes if there is another name hit. My SO is now in his third (or more) FBI name check. He also has other unnamed agencies which have to clear him and re clear him until they are all cleared at the same time. Then if he is lucky he will get to Turkey, redo his physical, and get his visa before something expires or another name hit happens.

Best of luck to you. Look at it this way, maybe it won't take as long since they just have to do one or two things.

belinda63 thanks for the response. Wow, I never knew this could happen but isn't it a bit unusual that they had already asked us for the passport and meds and police certs as the last two items were expired. They normally ask for the passport when they are about to issue the visa. Why would they keep running the name checks even after they are finished? This is insane. What about the recent joint uscis and fbi plan they launched according to which everyone who's been in AP for over a year would be done by Nov of this year? and also, why would they even tell me last time that the security checks are over if they had to run them again? I am very confused and wishing that they are just waiting on a status from the embassy.

[Ahmed & Sue 0]

Ali Kahn,

Best of luck to you, but we are going through the exact same thing. DOS says one thing, the embassy says another. After being told our security checks were done, we were told today he still has security clearances, and we are back in administrative processing. It is very disheartening. And yes, we submitted an entire new package with a new physical, and Affidavit of Support, as well as the visa they asked for. 5 weeks now since he has had a second interview(and after being told a couple weeks and the visa should be issued) we are still waiting a decision. Cairo tells us the case is in review and pending issuance, DOS tells us we are in administrative processing with security clearances for him to go through. Yes, it is frustrating to say the least. Over 2 years of frustrating.

I really hope for a speedy journey for you because this visa journey will drive a person insane.

Take Care,

Sue

[sara..... 371]

im very sorry to hear what has happened it does not just happen at the embassy level we are still waiting to get noa2 and have been told our case cleared security only to be thrown right back in it again once the adjudicator got a hold of it........the complete system is broken..........

i will add u to my prayers i hope that this mess is cleared up very fast and ur with ur s/o very soon

sara

[belinda63 3,047]

all the checks can be finished but when it comes time to print the visa the embassy must run the name again. If there is a hit at that time you go back into security checks. In our case the first round was the standard checks which were completed but he had a hit when they went to print the visa and sent it all back.

When they sent it back the embassy requested more intensive checks which is what is taking so much longer. Everyone is focused on the FBI checks but there are actually a number of other agencies, depending on the embassy and the SO's biographical data, which are done.

Our problem is some of the checks are complete, some have expired already and some have never been finished.

The system is broken and stupid and slow and supports illegal immigration. The money we have already spend could have gotten him a visa to Mexico and he could have been here two years ago, but silly us doing things the right way.