Phone Investigations

[MARM 7]

I am the USC. My fiance interviewed on May 12, 09, he was approved pending his passport. He sent in his passport on June 12, 09. We heard nothing about his visa after that until today. DOS kept telling us his visa is pending. Today, I got a call from the US Embassy in London. It was a CO and she basically asked me all the questions my fiance was asked at the time of his interview. It was a 30 min long phone conversation. She did not ask me anything about my fiance's family or particularly anything about my fiance specifically. She asked details about me, my immediate family, and information about our relationship and about my education, etc. She even asked me the names and ages of my siblings. I am the USC (petitioner). I am guessing that she was verifying whether whatever my fiance said at the time of the interview was correct or not.

I am interested in anyone else's experiences with phone investigations such as the one I have experienced. How long after a phone interview is a decision made on the visa?

Is a phone interview a good sign or a bad sign?

Are all the security checks done prior to a phone interview?

[brykit 0]

They are propably investigating for possible marriage fraud. Although this example is not by phone, I know of one petioner this last week who was called into the interview in Ciudad Juarez. Normally, the petioner is not allowed into the consulate for the interview. He said he was asked a lot of questions by CO's and after the questioning his fiance was approved.

[Sibtain 1]

I am the USC. My fiance interviewed on May 12, 09, he was approved pending his passport. He sent in his passport on June 12, 09. We heard nothing about his visa after that until today. DOS kept telling us his visa is pending. Today, I got a call from the US Embassy in London. It was a CO and she basically asked me all the questions my fiance was asked at the time of his interview. It was a 30 min long phone conversation. She did not ask me anything about my fiance's family or particularly anything about my fiance specifically. She asked details about me, my immediate family, and information about our relationship and about my education, etc. She even asked me the names and ages of my siblings. I am the USC (petitioner). I am guessing that she was verifying whether whatever my fiance said at the time of the interview was correct or not.

I am interested in anyone else's experiences with phone investigations such as the one I have experienced. How long after a phone interview is a decision made on the visa?

Is a phone interview a good sign or a bad sign?

Are all the security checks done prior to a phone interview?

Hello MARM!

The telephone investigation at this stage is normal & usual. They do it to verify your and your fiancée statement at interview and as well as at forms which u have submitted when you filed your petition.

You can read my experience,

Interview date: 10 Nov, 08

Got phone investigation: 15 Dec, 08

Got Field Investigation: 22 April, 09

In addition, I m still waiting for my visa.

My wife is USC and in this case, when u married to non-desi then they do field investigation to find out an element of fraud of misstatement. Phone investigation is good sign it indicates that they are working on your case.

After field investigation, i have found average visa time approx. 4 months.

In Islamabad USEM, average visa time is 6 to 8 months. Moreover, normally its unpredictable no one can tell u the exact time.

So be patient and let them complete all the security checks. Some times, it could be completed before your expectation and some times, it could be longer.

Wish u very best of luck

Edited July 26, 2009 by Sibtain

[MARM 7]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Sibtain: Yes, I understand the reason for a phone investigation. I am of Pakistani origin as well as my fiance, so this is not an out-of-culture relationship. Also, we are both Muslim, so we both share the same cultural and religious background. So I guess that they are just verifying my fiance's statements against mine just because he is a Pakistani citizen and a resident of the UK. The fact that he is a resident of a different country is probably what caused the phone investigation.

I also have come to know of another member on this forum who is an Indian citizen but a resident of London who has also experienced this phone investigation. I believe that London has begun a new pattern prior to issuing visas for those that are residents of the UK but citizens of another country.

[Aniomaman 0]

Just to give you a bit of what we went through in 2007. My interview concluded with the CO congratulating me and telling me what I will need to do once I get to the states and he said I should get my passport in 3 - 5 days, I left feeling glad the interview is already behind me and called my fiancee to tell her the good news. I actually woke her up cos it was still very early there, an hour later my fiancee called me to tell me she received a call from the US Embassy London and that the man asked her a few questions...we were kinda surprised but then I felt they were just being thorough which is good. Two weeks went by and I didn't receive my passport back and that was when we began to get worried, called DOS who then informed my Fiancee that we have been put on AP.

The long and short of it is that my case was well on its way back before I got my passport, within 2 months we established it was on its way back but the mean spirited people at the embassy kept my passport which made my fiancee fly down and help me with retrieving it as the extortion line are just as useless as my left hand. We had our traditional engagement in Africa that September which was why I really needed the passport back and got it back just in the nick of time. We simply let them take their jolly time as we were not in a hurry, though it cost us money in phone bills and flights to see each other but she couldn't move here as she was still studying or that would have been the next move. We got reaffirmed 2 years after the case was sent back. I believe everything happens for a reason but I think putting every foreigner in London on AP is cruel and mean-spirited in every sense of the word. BTW, we have known each other for over 11 years and prior to our filling, she visited London over 15 times and not spending anything less than 2 weeks on each trip.

[bhajishah 4]

AOA,Its good thing they are reviewing your case

Perhaps its the opposite, coming through London they are not accostomed to the forced marry the cousin etc non love marriages.

and also there has been some turmoil and terrorist acts within the pakistani community in England in recent yrs.

the only problems with non desi marriages I have seen is an instance in Missouri where the Pakistani males were paying black ladies in KC and St louisto be their wife, like 400 a month.

Other than that the desi to non desi relationships are very strong with veryvery few divorces . Pakistan is not high on marriage fraud list.

Generally Imo you guys are very honest and decent peoples

points to ponder,

Allah Hafiz

CShah

[MARM 7]

Just to give you a bit of what we went through in 2007. My interview concluded with the CO congratulating me and telling me what I will need to do once I get to the states and he said I should get my passport in 3 - 5 days, I left feeling glad the interview is already behind me and called my fiancee to tell her the good news. I actually woke her up cos it was still very early there, an hour later my fiancee called me to tell me she received a call from the US Embassy London and that the man asked her a few questions...we were kinda surprised but then I felt they were just being thorough which is good. Two weeks went by and I didn't receive my passport back and that was when we began to get worried, called DOS who then informed my Fiancee that we have been put on AP.

The long and short of it is that my case was well on its way back before I got my passport, within 2 months we established it was on its way back but the mean spirited people at the embassy kept my passport which made my fiancee fly down and help me with retrieving it as the extortion line are just as useless as my left hand. We had our traditional engagement in Africa that September which was why I really needed the passport back and got it back just in the nick of time. We simply let them take their jolly time as we were not in a hurry, though it cost us money in phone bills and flights to see each other but she couldn't move here as she was still studying or that would have been the next move. We got reaffirmed 2 years after the case was sent back. I believe everything happens for a reason but I think putting every foreigner in London on AP is cruel and mean-spirited in every sense of the word. BTW, we have known each other for over 11 years and prior to our filling, she visited London over 15 times and not spending anything less than 2 weeks on each trip.

Thank you Aniomaman for your reply in this thread as well as in the other thread of mine in the UK regional section. It is unfortunate that your experience was so horrible with London. We too, were afraid that our case was just sitting there at the embassy as they are holding my fiance's passport but have not issued the visa yet and it has been over two months. But thankfully after getting our congressman involved, I believe that they have been shaken a bit to start working on our case so that my fiance can receive his visa. What I do not understand is why they told my fiance as well as you at the time of the interview that he is approved, and then they take a self-initiative to start adjudicating visas just as the USCIS does?! I don't understand the reason they say "Congrats, you are approved!" and then take it back and start verifying qualifications...isn't this already done at the USCIS stage?

Any how I hope that your visa situation is sorted out soon.

We too are praying that my fiance gets the good news of visa printed and in-hand this upcoming week.

Edited July 26, 2009 by MARM

[Aniomaman 0]

I believe you took the right step by getting your congressman involved, that was something we didn't think but obviously the case was well on its way back before we found out we were faced with that predicament. I am praying for you and am sure we'll have a reason to rejoice this new week, it can only be delayed but not denied. All the best.

[Cuchita 1]

Marm: You go girl! with the moves you are makig everything is gonna be alright. You know your relationshp is bonafide and you are good people so don't worry. Just be patient!.

[MARM 7]

Thanks Cuchita.

I called DOS today and the rep told us now we are in Administrative Review instead of Administrative Processing. I don't know what I should infer from her statement because I know that DOS uses these terms interchangeably.

[Omark 3]

Thanks Cuchita.

I called DOS today and the rep told us now we are in Administrative Review instead of Administrative Processing. I don't know what I should infer from her statement because I know that DOS uses these terms interchangeably.

In my interview at islamabad CO also said the same words that i was approved but they will do admin review.He handed me a green letter which says i am under admin processing, also he asked me if he could keep my passport to which i obviously said yes.I am also confused if admin review and admin processing is the same thing.

[MARM 7]

In my interview at islamabad CO also said the same words that i was approved but they will do admin review.He handed me a green letter which says i am under admin processing, also he asked me if he could keep my passport to which i obviously said yes.I am also confused if admin review and admin processing is the same thing.

Unfortunately, there is no difference between Admin Processing and Admin Review. The reason is because the COs and the DOS reps use both these words interchangeably--to mean the same thing: that you are under some type of processing that has an undetermined time frame. The US Embassy in London also has my fiance's passport for the past 2 months and 3 weeks because of this supposed admin review/processing.