approved pending additional documentation share your experience

[treehugger 23]

For some reason the US embassy in London thinks they're special and *does* classify K1s/K3s as "immigrant" visas. It's on the website and when I called them and tried to speak to the non-immigrant side, they told me I was wrong and it was an immigrant visa they like to run their own game I guess...

I think it's like everything else in this process - nobody can decide what anything is, and people who should know better don't. Sorry, please don't think I'm trying to nitpick with you, it's just my frustration at the various officials...I called the DOS again this evening for no real reason. The lady I spoke to was very sweet and helpful, but despite a five minute conversation I got no information whatsoever. I wasn't even able to understand whether it was still mandatory AP or whether it had moved to internal AP. Normal processing is all she would say. Coming up to eight weeks is NOT normal processing for a British citizen with a very valid relationship.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

For some reason the US embassy in London thinks they're special and *does* classify K1s/K3s as "immigrant" visas. It's on the website and when I called them and tried to speak to the non-immigrant side, they told me I was wrong and it was an immigrant visa they like to run their own game I guess...

Guys-- the K visa is processed by London and other consulates with the immigrant visas because it has stricter requirements than say a tourist or student visa. And because the final intent is to remain in the US and get an immediate permanent resident card, the K visa is a horse of two colors. It's not a true immigrant visa where the green card approval and social security card are processed prior to leaving the UK. K visa holders do have to do the whole AOS process in the US, but it's so much more like an immigrant visa than the rest of these:

A-1/A-2 Visa Diplomats & Foreign Government Officials

A-3 Visa Domestic Employee of a A-1/A-2 Visa holder

B-1 Visa Business visitors, Domestic Employees, Academics, Researchers and Students

B-2 Visa Holiday, tourism, medical treatment

C-1 Visa Transiting the United States

C-1/D Visa Crewmembers working on air or sea carriers

E-1/E-2 Visa Treaty Trader/Investor

E-3 Visa Australian professional speciality

F-1/M-1 Visa Students: academic & vocational

G-1/G-4 Visa Employees of an International Organization

G-5 Visa Domestic Employee of a G-1/G-4 visa

H Visa Employment based visas including the H-3 trainee visa

L Visa Intra-company transferees

I Visa Journalists & Members of the Media

J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor, Academics, Au-pairs, Interns

NATO Visa Foreign Military Personnel stationed in the U.S.

O or P Visa Persons with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics

Q Visa International Cultural Exchange

R Visa Religious Worker

Wow, that's a bunch of visas!

It's not really about London thinking they're special. I know you're angry at them, but hang in there (to the ones still waiting.) It's the not knowing that makes you crazy.

[Justine+David 218]

I think it's because you're not really in AP -- you're approved pending additional medical info, right? That's another kettle of fish altogether.

Yeah, I agree with this. Which is why I flipping hate it when DOS is so ambiguous and tells you that you're in AP and nothing else...even if there is something to tell you, like that lady I talked to a couple of weeks ago who told me there were no statuses or anything written on the computer or wherever they look when the day before they said there was a status about the embassy sending David a letter. I hate how they mess with people's lives and withhold information probably no better reason than for arrogance and superiority...you know, the God complex. I mean, why else would they one day tell you information and then the next day refuse the same information?!

In fact I absolutely hate that this whole immigration process is so convoluted and immigration officers that treat you like dirt. The stories you read on VJ are heartbreaking and my recent treatment at the U.S. border by the officer telling me that "All of those K1 fiance visa people just want a green card and then turn tail on you..." is so unbelievable and I HATE that I felt too nervous that he could have some effect on David's visa if I threw a hissy fit and told him to shove it where the sun don't shine. I do NOT deserve to be treated this way by a government official and neither does anybody else! Not to mention the foreign beneficiaries that deserve to be treated with respect while at their interviews...

aegwjoeiwoghrwioagwadsweotijn

Sorry guys. Rant over.

Nich-thanks for the clear up.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Justine+David

[amykathleen2005 441]

Yeah, I agree with this. Which is why I flipping hate it when DOS is so ambiguous and tells you that you're in AP and nothing else...even if there is something to tell you, like that lady I talked to a couple of weeks ago who told me there were no statuses or anything written on the computer or wherever they look when the day before they said there was a status about the embassy sending David a letter. I hate how they mess with people's lives and withhold information probably no better reason than for arrogance and superiority...you know, the God complex. I mean, why else would they one day tell you information and then the next day refuse the same information?!

Well that's good to know. You would think they could at least think of a better term for it instead of borrowing another word for something that it is not. I wish I knew a rough timeline of what to expect. The embassy has all the medical information now, but I don't know when to expect a decision.

It seems when you call DOS it totally depends who answers the phone as to what answers you get. I called once and got a nice girl I think I've talked to before who said we were in AP, today I called and another woman answered who just said the embassy had the medical stuff and didn't mention AP at all.

[Justine+David 218]

Supposedly somebody awhile back on this thread said that the embassy said they would get their visa in 10-15 days after receiving the documents. So, I would call them on that 15th business day if you haven't gotten it by then; that's what I did and then the next day found out about our visa actually being processed.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I think in many instances that the term AP means Administrative Processing. That could be anything from "your stuff is still in the mail room and nobody has worked on it yet" to "we're waiting on some documents and the pile of work is backed up so we don't know if the docs have arrived yet." Nobody is going to have the time to log individual descriptions for each case. London issued over 81,000 visas in 2009. I figure anything in the works, but not approved/visa issued, is just called in administrative processing...meaning it's still processing. Don't let the term AP frighten you. It's not always a bad thing.

The other thing AP can mean is Additional Processing, which might mean they have to do some extra security searches. That was more the case of the Pakistani people studying in the UK or not UK born. (Magpie, MARM. Linkin, Bad Dogi (some name like that), and a few others. Linkin's took 4 weeks. The Dogi guy's took about 8 and he missed his wedding. Magpie's took about a month.

MARM's case was a little more complicated because it was about her fiance not having a passport to take to the interview. The UK home office had it because her fiance gave it to them when he applied for an extension of his student visa. He sent it in November(ish). By summer, UK Home Office still had his passport (8 months or so) but wouldn't even talk to them about where the passport was or how to get it back from them. He finally actually got in the interview without a passport, but his visa couldn't be issued until UKHO finally gave back his passport.

[treehugger 23]

I think in many instances that the term AP means Administrative Processing. That could be anything from "your stuff is still in the mail room and nobody has worked on it yet" to "we're waiting on some documents and the pile of work is backed up so we don't know if the docs have arrived yet." Nobody is going to have the time to log individual descriptions for each case. London issued over 81,000 visas in 2009. I figure anything in the works, but not approved/visa issued, is just called in administrative processing...meaning it's still processing. Don't let the term AP frighten you. It's not always a bad thing.

The other thing AP can mean is Additional Processing, which might mean they have to do some extra security searches. That was more the case of the Pakistani people studying in the UK or not UK born. (Magpie, MARM. Linkin, Bad Dogi (some name like that), and a few others. Linkin's took 4 weeks. The Dogi guy's took about 8 and he missed his wedding. Magpie's took about a month.

MARM's case was a little more complicated because it was about her fiance not having a passport to take to the interview. The UK home office had it because her fiance gave it to them when he applied for an extension of his student visa. He sent it in November(ish). By summer, UK Home Office still had his passport (8 months or so) but wouldn't even talk to them about where the passport was or how to get it back from them. He finally actually got in the interview without a passport, but his visa couldn't be issued until UKHO finally gave back his passport.

All I know is that I'm British born and bred, and tomorrow it'll have been eight weeks since my interview and approval and being told that I'd get my passport back in a few days, and yet according to the DOS I'm in normal but mandatory AP, and the embassy have confirmed that my documents are complete. My husband is waiting for the results of a second congressional inquiry, initiated by the congressman's office itself, as they were not satisfied with the response of the first.

[amykathleen2005 441]

So called DOS, the embassy has the medical info and the passport (the passport was entered as having been received yesterday although it should have been there a week or so ago). Nothing new yet, the girl I talked to today looked to see if the visa has been printed yet but it hadn't. Don't really know where we stand other than that.

[Justine+David 218]

I think it's good news that they logged that they received the medical...from that point, they've told other people that it can take up to 10-15 business days. I was never told that our payment was received until I booted them through my $15 phone call...sorry about the wait, it SUCKS.

[h1a1 5]

I think in many instances that the term AP means Administrative Processing. That could be anything from "your stuff is still in the mail room and nobody has worked on it yet" to "we're waiting on some documents and the pile of work is backed up so we don't know if the docs have arrived yet." Nobody is going to have the time to log individual descriptions for each case. London issued over 81,000 visas in 2009. I figure anything in the works, but not approved/visa issued, is just called in administrative processing...meaning it's still processing. Don't let the term AP frighten you. It's not always a bad thing.

I think you're right. I was told by DOS that I was in AP. I panicked and started stressing but I actually received my visa within 10 days. Not so bad.

[treehugger 23]

I think you're right. I was told by DOS that I was in AP. I panicked and started stressing but I actually received my visa within 10 days. Not so bad.

Lucky you - today is day 65, and still no end in sight As I was told that I'd get my visa back within a few days, with no mention of AP, my husband booked my flight to the US for six weeks later - plenty of time for my passport to arrive, finish packing, say my goodbyes...instead in the next day or two he'll be postponing that flight for a second time.

I know I'm the exception, but if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone!

Edited April 28, 2010 by treehugger

[amykathleen2005 441]

So, although despite the Department of State saying only this morning that the visa had not yet been approved, my fiance received his visa/passport/documents back from the courier!!!

[Rito 28]

Can anyone weigh in on how long the embassy has been taking lately to sent a visa out once they receive the finished medical documentation from Knightsbridge? I see one person here was 18 days, another three weeks... anyone been through this? The embassy should've gotten our medical a week ago.

[Justine+David 218]

Eh, if they can drag their feet on a simple payment for 21 days until I bugged them about it...I don't think it's abnormal waiting times for you...just keep track of the business days passed. There's a UK holiday coming up which sucks (we went through the same thing! bloody UK holidays!) which will extend it another day. Hope you get it soon!