It seems a little late for administrative review

[ridley 0]

I've already posted my review of the Vancouver consulate here, but I wanted to post as well, not to freak anyone out, but to make those of you planning for your interviews aware.

My fiance's (very common) name apparently had a hit on the U.S. criminal database when the Vancouver CO's were processing the case. This is the sort of thing that you'd expect to have happen back at the service center stage of the process, but we didn't have any problem at all at that stage of the game. Instead, he had to be fingerprinted the afternoon of the interview, at 3pm, and his fingerprints were sent off for processing to verify that he wasn't the same person as the name hit. The first consulate officer said the processing would take two weeks, but the one who took the prints said it'd take two to three weeks. Administrative review, after the interview. Ugh.

In the stories I've read on VJ, I've never heard of this happening (or at least, not in Vancouver), which is why I wanted to make you aware of it. We had scheduled his flight to the U.S. for June 20th, exactly three weeks after the interview. We figured that'd be more than enough time to fax anything we might've forgotten, but our paperwork was fine and we definitely didn't forsee this particular complication. Now we're cutting it close enough to stress me out again, and if his visa doesn't arrive by the 20th, I'll probably have to buy him a new ticket.

So consider this the voice of experience: don't make plans too close to the interview date. You never know what could happen.

Best of luck to all,

Rachel

[sarah and hicham 3]

Oh it's never too late. Have you visited the Middle East/North Africa forum lately?

[ridley 0]

Oh it's never too late. Have you visited the Middle East/North Africa forum lately?

I have, actually. I felt for y'all even before this happened to us.

Best wishes for a smooth process.

[sarah and hicham 3]

Thanks and I hope the same for you as well.

[LaL 418]

Littlepoem also went through in Vancouver and had a name hit come back on her. Its not that common, but it does happen. Name hits can happen to anyone. Good luck with a swift turnaround!

edited to add: did a quick search of the old forums and forund that littlepoem posted very little about her experience with this. She also does not have a timeline.

Edited June 6, 2006 by lal_brandow

[Maria&Robert 0]

Thanks very much Ridley. I appreciate the advice and will absolutely remember it when the time comes.