AP- Security checks in Washington

[sarah and hicham 3]

I don't know if a K-3 or CR-1 makes a difference with security checks. I got so excited when she said security checks are done we will contact your fiance... then the second lady gave me a different story. I think I will go down to my Congresswoman's office just to sign the release form tomorrow. I doubt that could hurt anything. I know it's only been a week but I wish I knew what was going on, how many checks, what they are for, and a realistic time line.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Chiquita I hope he gets called tomorrow when the Consulate is open. Whenever I call the Consulate I get a person, I think I dial 1 then 0 and ask to speak to someone. Good luck everyone.

Sarah

[Together4ever 1]

Oops, I may have spoken out incorrectly about the checks. Sorry guys. Head up you-know-where todya.

[sarah and hicham 3]

Oops, I may have spoken out incorrectly about the checks. Sorry guys. Head up you-know-where todya.

who knows! No one really seems to know but we can at least have theories! You could be right. Maybe because it's for an immigrant visa and not a non immigrant visa? Who knows... I'm always happy to see what other people think though. Have a good day Jean.

Sarah

[chiquita 0]

I don't know if a K-3 or CR-1 makes a difference with security checks. I got so excited when she said security checks are done we will contact your fiance... then the second lady gave me a different story. I think I will go down to my Congresswoman's office just to sign the release form tomorrow. I doubt that could hurt anything. I know it's only been a week but I wish I knew what was going on, how many checks, what they are for, and a realistic time line.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Chiquita I hope he gets called tomorrow when the Consulate is open. Whenever I call the Consulate I get a person, I think I dial 1 then 0 and ask to speak to someone. Good luck everyone.

Sarah

Maybe I have the wrong number!!! Ops...didn't think of that?

Would you give me the correct number?

[sarah and hicham 3]

I don't know if a K-3 or CR-1 makes a difference with security checks. I got so excited when she said security checks are done we will contact your fiance... then the second lady gave me a different story. I think I will go down to my Congresswoman's office just to sign the release form tomorrow. I doubt that could hurt anything. I know it's only been a week but I wish I knew what was going on, how many checks, what they are for, and a realistic time line.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Chiquita I hope he gets called tomorrow when the Consulate is open. Whenever I call the Consulate I get a person, I think I dial 1 then 0 and ask to speak to someone. Good luck everyone.

Sarah

I called the number they have on the Embassy review on VJ. (212)(22)-26-45-50. Then I dialed 1, then 0. I think 1 is for US citizens and 0 to speak to an operator. Good luck let me know if it works and if you get any answers. Last time I called the woman said can you please email and I said I just had a quick question and she answered it and was pretty civilized haha. Good luck!

Maybe I have the wrong number!!! Ops...didn't think of that?

Would you give me the correct number?

[chiquita 0]

Thank you thank thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

I will try calling right now!!

[~ Karima ~ 0]

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

[chiquita 0]

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

Since your AP cam back, does it means there was a "hit"? That would mena AR? Has the consulate told you which is true AP or AR?

I thought if it comes back from AP it goes into AR because there was a "hit". This is what I am trying to find out about our case right now. I am hoping we didn't get a "hit".

I wish you the best

chi

I called, "0" is not an option...trying to call again...

[~ Karima ~ 0]

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

Since your AP cam back, does it means there was a "hit"? That would mena AR? Has the consulate told you which is true AP or AR?

I thought if it comes back from AP it goes into AR because there was a "hit". This is what I am trying to find out about our case right now. I am hoping we didn't get a "hit".

I wish you the best

chi

I called, "0" is not an option...trying to call again...

They have said it is still in Administrative Processing waiting for security clearance. One is complete and the other is still pending. They tried to issue the visa, but for some reason we had to go thru another check and this one has been pending for 6 weeks already.

[chiquita 0]

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

Since your AP cam back, does it means there was a "hit"? That would mena AR? Has the consulate told you which is true AP or AR?

I thought if it comes back from AP it goes into AR because there was a "hit". This is what I am trying to find out about our case right now. I am hoping we didn't get a "hit".

I wish you the best

chi

I called, "0" is not an option...trying to call again...

They have said it is still in Administrative Processing waiting for security clearance. One is complete and the other is still pending. They tried to issue the visa, but for some reason we had to go thru another check and this one has been pending for 6 weeks already.

Ok, that is so strange. Will they tell you the name of the check? I know DOS would tell me nothing. And I can't get a person to talk with at the consulate. When I get a real person they transfer me and either I get a automated message or the line turns busy...

[Together4ever 1]

I know that this is just playing the supposition game, since this is all we can really do, but it is possible that a check expired and has to be re-run. I know of a few others here that have encountered that. We are 3 1/2 months waiting "processing of security checks" and I know of others waiting even longer. This seems to be the reason given.

As far as going into AR if AP comes back with a hit, it makes logical sense. I don't really know. What I do know is in any correspondence with the embassy, at least in my case, they very casually toss the terms "administrative processing," "administrative review," and "security checks" very loosely and have even used them together in the same email for the same thing so it's all quite unclear most of the time what exactly is going on.

You know, I can understand this need for "national security" but as citizens we do have some rights to information... or at least we should. I realize for their own purposes they can't tell us everything in detail, but it seems to me if a process is going to eat up months and months of a citzen's life, there should be some kind of accurate information available to us... or more then what is currently available... and not just a canned response or someone flipping out a half-a**ed response like I have gotten a few times from DOS or the Consulate. I get very frustrated when I sit on hold for 30 minutes, whiling away my phone bill, just to have a very disinterested, bored or rude "visa specialist" tell me with annoyance our case is "pending... just says pending..." when other times I have had someone actually TELL me something with some kind of detail. They have a big job to do, but they have big problems too.

Ohhhhhhhhh shoot, just realized I'm venting. Sorry guys. Just my prayers for patience and good news soon to everyone who is still waiting this out.

[~ Karima ~ 0]

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

Since your AP cam back, does it means there was a "hit"? That would mena AR? Has the consulate told you which is true AP or AR?

I thought if it comes back from AP it goes into AR because there was a "hit". This is what I am trying to find out about our case right now. I am hoping we didn't get a "hit".

I wish you the best

chi

I called, "0" is not an option...trying to call again...

They have said it is still in Administrative Processing waiting for security clearance. One is complete and the other is still pending. They tried to issue the visa, but for some reason we had to go thru another check and this one has been pending for 6 weeks already.

Ok, that is so strange. Will they tell you the name of the check? I know DOS would tell me nothing. And I can't get a person to talk with at the consulate. When I get a real person they transfer me and either I get a automated message or the line turns busy...

They will not tell me which checks were requested. All they tell me is that 2 different checks were ordered, one is complete the other is not. I have asked numerous times if the first one will expire before the second one is complete and they always tell me NO. I am also worried about Casa not extending our petition as it expires in a week. I have emailed Casa, talked to DOS and also Senators and Congressman...NO ONE is getting me any kind of answers or responses.

I have also been told by all (DOS, Senator & Casa) AP, AR, security checks and security clearance in inquiries. From what was explained to me is that AP, checks and clearance are all the same...but AR is more intense. I have been told over and over we are NOT in AR...but who knows if they are telling the truth or not. They have not called him to come back for full fingerprints...so I guess that is good, don't know. All I know is that this is the MOST depressing and frustrating thing I have ever dealt with. I just want to get on with my life and they won't let me.

[babybunny 2]

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

Since your AP cam back, does it means there was a "hit"? That would mena AR? Has the consulate told you which is true AP or AR?

I thought if it comes back from AP it goes into AR because there was a "hit". This is what I am trying to find out about our case right now. I am hoping we didn't get a "hit".

I wish you the best

chi

I called, "0" is not an option...trying to call again...

DOS is

202 663 1225

new prompts are:

1,0.4.2.3.0

right now they are closed for their BSing time. so call around NOON < eastern > today.

We have been on AP for over 2 months and still no light of day.....

Since your AP cam back, does it means there was a "hit"? That would mena AR? Has the consulate told you which is true AP or AR?

I thought if it comes back from AP it goes into AR because there was a "hit". This is what I am trying to find out about our case right now. I am hoping we didn't get a "hit".

I wish you the best

chi

I called, "0" is not an option...trying to call again...

They have said it is still in Administrative Processing waiting for security clearance. One is complete and the other is still pending. They tried to issue the visa, but for some reason we had to go thru another check and this one has been pending for 6 weeks already.

Ok, that is so strange. Will they tell you the name of the check? I know DOS would tell me nothing. And I can't get a person to talk with at the consulate. When I get a real person they transfer me and either I get a automated message or the line turns busy...

They will not tell me which checks were requested. All they tell me is that 2 different checks were ordered, one is complete the other is not. I have asked numerous times if the first one will expire before the second one is complete and they always tell me NO. I am also worried about Casa not extending our petition as it expires in a week. I have emailed Casa, talked to DOS and also Senators and Congressman...NO ONE is getting me any kind of answers or responses.

I have also been told by all (DOS, Senator & Casa) AP, AR, security checks and security clearance in inquiries. From what was explained to me is that AP, checks and clearance are all the same...but AR is more intense. I have been told over and over we are NOT in AR...but who knows if they are telling the truth or not. They have not called him to come back for full fingerprints...so I guess that is good, don't know. All I know is that this is the MOST depressing and frustrating thing I have ever dealt with. I just want to get on with my life and they won't let me.

I feel your pain! we have been on AP 10 months and 9 days.

I dont see an end to the ch it. I try but I dont. my attorney said there is nothing we can do.

I wrote everybody and their brother. we still wait in the AP abyss. we did not have a full set of prints ordered and our delay is longer than anyones I ever found on VJ. the embassy cancelled the k-3.

we are basicly starting over. ok thats fine but, uhmm now long does this one check take? its been over

3 months for this one.

[chiquita 0]

Jean I sure do understand the frustration.

I called so many times to Casa this morning...

All I got was ring around the rosie automated messages.

Then I got a real live person who then sent me to another automated ring around the message game again!

The second time I got a live person he once again transferred me to a line that rang and rang and then turned busy!!! Dang!

Why is it so difficult to let us know our status??? I too understand the need for security, but this is visa stuff, not the defense department!!!

Like you I was just the average joe(josephine) sending in my papers to have my husband with me. Lord have mercy!!! What a maze of red tape, secrets, denials, rudeness, crazyness, unanswered questions, delays, spending endless amounts of money etc!

I never knew how complecated this process would be. I mean I sorta figured it would be a bit challenging, but wowow I never dreamed it would be the way it has turned out!!!

Yet I have received many repremends of how I should have studied this process and made myself knowledgeable about it. OMG why would I need to do such a thing???

I did read as much as I could find out, but there are so many turns and alleyways to navigate should there be a problem. Guess that is why there are the experts for this.

One thing I do know...not even my senator or congressman has a clue to most of what goes on in the immigration/DOS/consulate process. That does make me feel a little bit better. I am not the idiot some here think I am.

Guess that is why also we are reading so much about this subject in the press lately. The whole process is broken!!!

Just venting again....whilest I wait...

[sarah and hicham 3]

for DOS I call 2026631225 then 1,0,0 for a Visa Specialist.