DOS answers

[WonTanNara 0]

at DOS she told me if you want first hand information call the Embassy itself and I think she is right

See my earlier post in this thread. She is right. Phoning DOS for information is a nearly complete waste of time, except that most of the agents are a bit more congenial and sympathetic than anyone at USCIS. You must call your embassy -- and, if you are a U.S. citizen, insist on speaking with an American.

Most embassies these days won't even take calls regarding pending cases. I know Dakar does not, they insist that you send an email. And, if your case is pending security clearance from Washington, then the embassy can't tell you diddly squat. Or they won't. Whatever the difference. I've asked them several times if they can see any progress on our security checks and they tell me "we're sorry, it's out of our hands and we're only privy to see a status of complete or not complete."

AP is just a big freakin' secretive black hole especially if it's for security checks. In my opinion the best thing you can do is have your senator do inquiries on your behalf. As I said earlier, their DOS liason is privy to a little bit more information, in other words they can tell you if the checks are complete. The AP status on our cases will eventually change. When that happens, you can start riding the embassy if they sit on it too long.

Example: Nita called one day and voila, the status on her husband's case had changed from AP to passport requested. Luckily the embassy did not sit on her case and that very day her husband got the call and now has his visa. In Tammy's case, the first round of security checks were sent to the embassy, but they sat on her case until the checks expired and they had to do it again. At that point in time she wasn't aware she could call Washington to check on the status of her case and therefore never knew the first round had been completed.

I don't think calling the DOS is a complete waste of time, just don't expect to get any more information from the DOS until that AP status changes.

[hyd617 1]

at DOS she told me if you want first hand information call the Embassy itself and I think she is right

See my earlier post in this thread. She is right. Phoning DOS for information is a nearly complete waste of time, except that most of the agents are a bit more congenial and sympathetic than anyone at USCIS. You must call your embassy -- and, if you are a U.S. citizen, insist on speaking with an American.

Most embassies these days won't even take calls regarding pending cases. I know Dakar does not, they insist that you send an email. And, if your case is pending security clearance from Washington, then the embassy can't tell you diddly squat. Or they won't. Whatever the difference. I've asked them several times if they can see any progress on our security checks and they tell me "we're sorry, it's out of our hands and we're only privy to see a status of complete or not complete."

AP is just a big freakin' secretive black hole especially if it's for security checks. In my opinion the best thing you can do is have your senator do inquiries on your behalf. As I said earlier, their DOS liason is privy to a little bit more information, in other words they can tell you if the checks are complete. The AP status on our cases will eventually change. When that happens, you can start riding the embassy if they sit on it too long.

Example: Nita called one day and voila, the status on her husband's case had changed from AP to passport requested. Luckily the embassy did not sit on her case and that very day her husband got the call and now has his visa. In Tammy's case, the first round of security checks were sent to the embassy, but they sat on her case until the checks expired and they had to do it again. At that point in time she wasn't aware she could call Washington to check on the status of her case and therefore never knew the first round had been completed.

I don't think calling the DOS is a complete waste of time, just don't expect to get any more information from the DOS until that AP status changes.

thanks wontantara

i hope we all have a AP to Complete news soon. inshAllah...

[WonTanNara 0]

thanks wontantara

i hope we all have a AP to Complete news soon. inshAllah...

Insh-Allah...

[tammy2688 1]

Yes,

WanTanNara is correct in the fact that it is very crucial to know when those checks are completed. If there is no action, they expire, and you go into another 6 months. Fortunately, it is rare for embassies to let cases sit after completion fo security checks (as I an only handful of people here have had AP's longer than 1 year) so I encourage everyone to get those update, e-mail the embassy contact the Senater if you don't see action in 3 months of the case.

Still, other people here have been able to get through to American consulated such as for Dominican Republic and were able to get their visa quicker than they would have if they had not called.

Most MENA, Sub-Saharan and S. Asian countries do not have a system of calling about IV cases. This means only being able to send e-mails. I do see that most of the applicants are issued visa as soon as the checks are done and due to this fact, most of the visas are issued between 4-8 months. Most of you posting here fall in that time range so you have passed the larger portion of AP already and most of these visas will be issued soon, Insha-Allah.

God bless,

Tam

[hyd617 1]

Yes,

WanTanNara is correct in the fact that it is very crucial to know when those checks are completed. If there is no action, they expire, and you go into another 6 months. Fortunately, it is rare for embassies to let cases sit after completion fo security checks (as I an only handful of people here have had AP's longer than 1 year) so I encourage everyone to get those update, e-mail the embassy contact the Senater if you don't see action in 3 months of the case.

Still, other people here have been able to get through to American consulated such as for Dominican Republic and were able to get their visa quicker than they would have if they had not called.

Most MENA, Sub-Saharan and S. Asian countries do not have a system of calling about IV cases. This means only being able to send e-mails. I do see that most of the applicants are issued visa as soon as the checks are done and due to this fact, most of the visas are issued between 4-8 months. Most of you posting here fall in that time range so you have passed the larger portion of AP already and most of these visas will be issued soon, Insha-Allah.

God bless,

Tam

thanks tammy its imp for our check to not expire...

we should keep a weekley check with DOS and embassy...even though sometimes we dont hear anything positive..

i guess we have passed the most imp stage of AP as tammy mentioned..

and we just have to hang in there a bit more longer

may God give us all patience! ameen

[hyd617 1]

hey guys called DOS today to check up.. havent called in a while

she said same thing still currently under AP..

i said so when was the last follow up or update done, she said sept

which ih eard from 2 other operators before in the past

then i asked her so what does that follow up mean, shes like its a ref flag or a reminder ( i think from embassy) that they are still waiting on the case.

and those can only be done when u have been waiting for 6 months. but since mine was done in september (that was not 6 months- my hubys interview was july 28) :/

so i gues emabassy did a follow up with DOS ...

but operator could not tell my why they they did the follow up so early instead of waiting 6 months

is this a good thing? CHRIS had mentioned that if a follow up is done then ur AP is resolved USUALLY in 30 days.. but nothing yet

so frustrating cant ever get a straight asnwer from them. thouught id share....

anyone talk to DOS? and get some info out of them??

[Whatznext 2]

sorry I haven't talked to them in a long time but the last time I talked to them she said I should call every 2-3 weeks I said why she said so we can make sure there is activity on the case from the embassy mmmmmmmmmmmm so I guess if they dont see the embassy making entries they will inquire why there is no activity

[JULIAFERNO 0]

I called today...they said case is still pending under administrative processing.

I asked what is the average wait time...she said generally 90 days but it can be more. I said yeah, we've already been waiting 4 months. What a joke. Generally 90 days? Yeah...

I hate my life right now

[KandD 1]

I know it sucks, last time i called i broke down and started crying. The lady begged my not to cry. She said they are doing everything they can for in the future to have a timeline on AP. That she understands how horrible it is no knowing anything. I think we would all agree even if they told us it will end at a certain time we could all accept this alot better.

Hugs to all , stay strong

[Nita&Assaad 0]

Hang in there guys, I am praying for all to come out of AP soon!!!

Hugs

Nita

[hyd617 1]

I hate this!!!

but atleast we know we are all this together..

I hope 90 days is TRUE! we are in 90 days now.. and i relay hope they have a way to finish us off in 6 months or less...

oh well lets hang in there and try to enjoyo ur weekend

[JULIAFERNO 0]

Do you think it will take longer to process my fiance's visa because he lived in Cyprus for 2 years, in addition to living in Turkey for the majority of his life? Do they send inquiries to the countries where the applicant has lived, or is basically just a name check database that his name/biographical information is run through?

Or does anyone even know?

[emt103c 10]

It depends on if there is a name hit or not. . .no one can tell but them.

[WonTanNara 0]

I hate my life right now

Julia, here is a loving smack upside the head. Smack. I know it's hard, I really do. I'm going through the same thing and am nearly into my 8th month of AP. You need to stay positive! This is all unfolding the way it's supposed to. Trust in God, or the Universe, or whatever your higher power may be. The visa will come when the time is right. Focus on all that is good in your life right now, we all have a lot to be thankful for! Just think... you found your love across an ocean and there are many people that never find it. You are young! Four months in the grand scheme of your life is nothing!

Regarding the name checks, it's all being done stateside (verified by my Senator). The police reports from various countries cover the different places your fiance lived. Somebody with the same or a similar name did something here to get his name in some random US gov't agency database. This time is hell for us, but 4-8 months or more of AP for security clearance is perfectly normal these days. There is nothing wrong, they just have a ga-zillion applications to process and, though the process is ridiculously broken, they are trying to protect our borders.

Courage.

[JULIAFERNO 0]

I hate my life right now

Julia, here is a loving smack upside the head. Smack. I know it's hard, I really do. I'm going through the same thing and am nearly into my 8th month of AP. You need to stay positive! This is all unfolding the way it's supposed to. Trust in God, or the Universe, or whatever your higher power may be. The visa will come when the time is right. Focus on all that is good in your life right now, we all have a lot to be thankful for! Just think... you found your love across an ocean and there are many people that never find it. You are young! Four months in the grand scheme of your life is nothing!

Regarding the name checks, it's all being done stateside (verified by my Senator). The police reports from various countries cover the different places your fiance lived. Somebody with the same or a similar name did something here to get his name in some random US gov't agency database. This time is hell for us, but 4-8 months or more of AP for security clearance is perfectly normal these days. There is nothing wrong, they just have a ga-zillion applications to process and, though the process is ridiculously broken, they are trying to protect our borders.

Courage.

Wontonara - you are right, and I do feel that I have been pretty strong and patient, but when my fiance starts saying that he is going to cancel the visa application if he is still in AP 2 months from now, I break down. I understand that this could take a year, but he is not willing to wait that long. He wants me to come there and he wants to end this waiting game. I understand that at some point we have to make a decision if this continues to drag on, but I am not at the point where I feel like I am ready to stop waiting for AP to be done...he is. I don't know what to do. I can't keep him from calling the embassy and canceling his visa application and I can't force him to do this. I feel so helpless.