Interview Experience and end result of AP

[TamiSuleiman 0]

My fiance had his interview today at American Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus. He went in at 8:00am and didn't leave until after 1:00pm. The Consular asked him many questions and for the most part, I think he did well answering them from what he reports. She was very focused on our future wedding plans...what will our colors be, what color of dress will I wear, will he wear a suit or something similar to what he was wearing to the interview (dress shirt and slacks). When is our wedding, and if we don't get married, will he return to Cyprus or his native country of Jordan. She wanted to know if he would have any family attending the wedding and when he said no, she asked if he had family in the USA. He said possibly relatives from many many generations back, but he didn't know for sure and he has never talked to anyone but thinks his family has mentioned that in the past. She asked that maybe his parents could contact them and see if they could attend his wedding. He felt as if she was trying to ensure he would have someone there on his family's side. I assume there is more behind her questioning than this. She also asked about my height and his height and our 5 year age difference. She wanted to know if I was married at the time I had my daughter or if I had her out of wedlock. She really was all over the board with her questions and reportedly smiled at some of his answers and at one point, asked him, "what else should I ask you?"

At the end of the interview, she gave him a white paper "Refusal worksheet" which I believe is the same as the 221g. The first box was the only one checked and it said "...additional administrative processing on your case..". She gave him back his passport and took his cell phone number and said she would call him when a decision was made, but said she could not tell him more information than what she had checked on the form.

She kept all of our forms (156, 156K, DS230, my tax returns, my paystubs, etc) and returned the emails, greeting cards, text and chat logs (after reading everyone of them). At the conclusion of the interview he had to state that he intended to marry within 60 days once he arrived in the US and had to sign both my name and his on the form. She said our paperwork was fine. I guess I am wondering if this is considered normal for the Consular to keep these forms as I have read that sometimes they give everything back. She requested nothing additional from him and that was it. But then the dreaded 221g appeared!

I've been frantically researching the 221g topic all day..and of course I know there is probably nothing we can do but wait it out..however I am open to ideas! I have already emailed the Consular per advisement by 2 attorneys and contacted my Senator's office.

I guess at this point, I am hoping the AP is due to necessary Security Checks (possibly through Wash DC?)and potentially because he is from Jordan (any idea of how long these can take?)...but my biggest fear is the possibility of our case being sent back to USCIS and potential revocation. I worry about this because I contacted 2 attorneys today and one said because the Consular requested nothing further, it was likely going to be sent back to USCIS and would eventually go into a black hole and into revocation. She recommended I go back to Cyprus soon and get married and begin the CR1. The other attorney said it was likely going to go through more security checks or the Consular wanted to do further research on something.

Anyway, any advice, ideas, support is much appreciated! We are heartbroken and unsure if and what we can do at this point..other than wait it out!

[Hadiza 1]

Hello. I am sorry about your AP but I can tell you from personal experience

that it is a background check. My husband was in AP for four months and

later recieved his visa sucessfully. I would suggest you call the Department

of State and check the status of your case. You can call them everyday if

you like, their number is 202-663-1225. I believe you press 1 and then O for

a visa specialist. Remember an AP is not a denial. I wish you all the luck

and I am sure you will be fine. ALL THE BEST:)

[TamiSuleiman 0]

Hello. I am sorry about your AP but I can tell you from personal experience

that it is a background check. My husband was in AP for four months and

later recieved his visa sucessfully. I would suggest you call the Department

of State and check the status of your case. You can call them everyday if

you like, their number is 202-663-1225. I believe you press 1 and then O for

a visa specialist. Remember an AP is not a denial. I wish you all the luck

and I am sure you will be fine. ALL THE BEST:)

Thanks for this information Hadiza!! Any successful outcomes from AP make me feel so much better!

Edited February 19, 2011 by Suley&Tami

[Christi85 86]

I don't know much about AP, but I do know that males from certain countries (and Jordan is one of those countries) have to go through mandatory AP before their visa can be granted. So it sounds like your fiance's case falls under this category. Don't know why the lawyer told you that the case might be sent back to USCIS, as I think your fiance would have been advised on the day if that was the case. It's most definitely mandatory AP because he's a male from Jordan and this lawyer's advice doesn't sound right.

Now the AP process can take anything from just a couple weeks to a few months and there's no way to speed it up or know when it's going to end, which is probably the most frustrating part. Just try to be patient, have faith and wait until they call him back from the Embassy.

[Used to be broken 147]

My fiance had his interview today at American Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus. He went in at 8:00am and didn't leave until after 1:00pm. The Consular asked him many questions and for the most part, I think he did well answering them from what he reports. She was very focused on our future wedding plans...what will our colors be, what color of dress will I wear, will he wear a suit or something similar to what he was wearing to the interview (dress shirt and slacks). When is our wedding, and if we don't get married, will he return to Cyprus or his native country of Jordan. She wanted to know if he would have any family attending the wedding and when he said no, she asked if he had family in the USA. He said possibly relatives from many many generations back, but he didn't know for sure and he has never talked to anyone but thinks his family has mentioned that in the past. She asked that maybe his parents could contact them and see if they could attend his wedding. He felt as if she was trying to ensure he would have someone there on his family's side. I assume there is more behind her questioning than this. She also asked about my height and his height and our 5 year age difference. She wanted to know if I was married at the time I had my daughter or if I had her out of wedlock. She really was all over the board with her questions and reportedly smiled at some of his answers and at one point, asked him, "what else should I ask you?"

At the end of the interview, she gave him a white paper "Refusal worksheet" which I believe is the same as the 221g. The first box was the only one checked and it said "...additional administrative processing on your case..". She gave him back his passport and took his cell phone number and said she would call him when a decision was made, but said she could not tell him more information than what she had checked on the form.

She kept all of our forms (156, 156K, DS230, my tax returns, my paystubs, etc) and returned the emails, greeting cards, text and chat logs (after reading everyone of them). At the conclusion of the interview he had to state that he intended to marry within 60 days once he arrived in the US and had to sign both my name and his on the form. She said our paperwork was fine. I guess I am wondering if this is considered normal for the Consular to keep these forms as I have read that sometimes they give everything back. She requested nothing additional from him and that was it. But then the dreaded 221g appeared!

I've been frantically researching the 221g topic all day..and of course I know there is probably nothing we can do but wait it out..however I am open to ideas! I have already emailed the Consular per advisement by 2 attorneys and contacted my Senator's office.

I guess at this point, I am hoping the AP is due to necessary Security Checks (possibly through Wash DC?)and potentially because he is from Jordan (any idea of how long these can take?)...but my biggest fear is the possibility of our case being sent back to USCIS and potential revocation. I worry about this because I contacted 2 attorneys today and one said because the Consular requested nothing further, it was likely going to be sent back to USCIS and would eventually go into a black hole and into revocation. She recommended I go back to Cyprus soon and get married and begin the CR1. The other attorney said it was likely going to go through more security checks or the Consular wanted to do further research on something.

Anyway, any advice, ideas, support is much appreciated! We are heartbroken and unsure if and what we can do at this point..other than wait it out!

AP is extremely common for men of his national origin. I would not recommend getting attorneys and senators involved in this at this point of the game. It could be two weeks to two months, but the person designated to run the security checks doesn't need the distraction of having the file pulled for multiple "status" inquires. They work these things in order of receipt and pulling it out of the stack creates the potential of the file sitting in an in-box, getting stuck on the bottom of a new stack or in office routing routines, or worst case Lost.

Leave it alone to process through the system and don't worry too much until at least 3 months have passed which appears to be the magic number for AP in many but not all cases.

[TamiSuleiman 0]

AP is extremely common for men of his national origin. I would not recommend getting attorneys and senators involved in this at this point of the game. It could be two weeks to two months, but the person designated to run the security checks doesn't need the distraction of having the file pulled for multiple "status" inquires. They work these things in order of receipt and pulling it out of the stack creates the potential of the file sitting in an in-box, getting stuck on the bottom of a new stack or in office routing routines, or worst case Lost.

Leave it alone to process through the system and don't worry too much until at least 3 months have passed which appears to be the magic number for AP in many but not all cases.

I think after getting more information on what AP is and what is is not has calmed us down quite a bit so I think that your advice is right on. We haven't hired an attorney at this point, just conversations that weren't very helpful anyway! And the Senator's office asked us to fill out the privacy form but we haven't sent anything off since it is early in the stages of AP! Thank you again!

[TamiSuleiman 0]

I don't know much about AP, but I do know that males from certain countries (and Jordan is one of those countries) have to go through mandatory AP before their visa can be granted. So it sounds like your fiance's case falls under this category. Don't know why the lawyer told you that the case might be sent back to USCIS, as I think your fiance would have been advised on the day if that was the case. It's most definitely mandatory AP because he's a male from Jordan and this lawyer's advice doesn't sound right.

Now the AP process can take anything from just a couple weeks to a few months and there's no way to speed it up or know when it's going to end, which is probably the most frustrating part. Just try to be patient, have faith and wait until they call him back from the Embassy.

I think we had worried along the way that we could end up in a mandatory AP situation, but really hoping that since he lived in another country that this might make it less likely! Probably naive and just trying to be hopeful, but at least we can understand what AP means at this point. As everyone who has been through this entire immigration process, it's difficult when something happens and no explanation is given by the government so the hundreds of worst case scenarios quickly go through our minds...but thank goodness for sites like this that have more information! Thanks for your information Christi85!

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

I agree with the advice you got here. It sounds like AP for additional security checks and looks like he will get the visa when it is completed.

To go to Jordan to marry at this point, as adviced by one of the attorneys, is crazy bad advice. It would mean the K1 would be no longer valid and you would have to start over from scratch with the CR1 and the same AP would still await you.Then you would add another year or more to the entire process. I get so ticked at attorneys giving crazy advice.

I agree not to inquire with a senator. There is absolutely nothing you can do to speed up the process. You can call weekly or bi weekly but I would not call daily. It can get depressing hearing the same answer every day.

Plan another visit if you can, to spend time together. Keep active and stay focused. Everything will be fine.

It is just a terrible feeling floating into the unknown and not knowing when you will be out of AP.

It may be helpfull to go to the mena forum and check similar AP times from others. Every case is different but sometimes a pattern emerges.

[carolynhotstuff 252]

I also agree with everyone here. That you should not get married but wait out the AP. It is so hard going through AP not knowing when it will end. I know of cases from Pakistan that lasted only 4 months and others that lasted 10 months or more.

It sounds like he had a very good interview. She asked a lot of questions but seemed satisfied with the answers. I think he will get the visa but like everyone said you will have to wait.

My husband has been in AR/AP for 3 months. To keep myself sane I am planning a trip to see him. I try to exercise 5 days a week. I call Dept of State once a week. I feel helpless and worried but I know that one day the AR/AP will end.

[ScottThuy 140]

I hate to say but I disagree with some of the statements made here... we were only in AP for 8 months after the interview...I have friends still waiting well over a year now. To say it usually takes 3 months is bad info as each case is different... It usually takes as long as the CO wants it to take add to as long as it takes for any investigation being done. If it is only DHS security checks that could take a short time (a few months) or a longer time (over a year)... It does help in some respects if the AP is not just security check but additional investigation into the relationship to have a congressional rep inquire about the case. it is noted on the record in the case file any time an inquiry is done... If the petitoner does not inquire, how does that look to the CO? Think about it.. a couple who wants to be together so bad and they dont take any action to find out what is going on or to try to move things along... If I were the CO that would make me take another look at the relationship looking for a reason to deny...

There is nothing and I mean nothing that can be done to speed things up. Law suits have been filed and it boils down to the fact that nobody can influence the CO's to issue the visa. thats the federal law... its best to look at AP as a long proccess that you are just starting and its just a hurdle that you will get past... Check regularly with DoS on the status of the case and have the congressional rep check the staus from time to time. Dont let this hurdle get you down.. it has been known to test a relationship. Let it bring you two closer as you are both going through it together against an entity like the State dept.

[TamiSuleiman 0]

So interestingly enough...we were approved after about 3 business days of AP....my fiance dropped off his passport last Friday at the Consular's request...she said it would be ready this week. Unfortunately, today my fiance got a call and was told that they will do name checks so we must wait a little while longer. She said not to worry, it was approved, however she told my fiance not to book tickets because she didn't know how long it would take. She explained to him that they want to make sure he doesn't have trouble when he enters the US (I assume with his name). So although we were very very lucky that AP moved quickly, we are back to the unknown waiting time. Crazy roller coaster ride...it's really unbelievable and we can be patient..for awhile....but why on earth do they not do name checks at some point during the 7 months since we started this process...they wait until we have been approved?!! Crazy system that does not make sense to me most of the time.

[carolynhotstuff 252]

Tami,

Congratulations on being told your visa was approved. That must be a huge relief. I'm sorry they put you back in AP.