Administrative processes for name checks

[Farzin 0]

My husband is also placed under AP. He received questionair to fill out and submitted the form a day after his interview. I heard AP is mainly for name check and common names take longer AP than the uncommon names. I am wondering if anyone can tell me which names are considered common. It would be great if the VJ members could share the common part of their names (first or last names) and how long it took them to get visa after the interview.

[hellraiser 42]

AP or administrative processing oils mean many things and it's just a placeholder status. This basically means additional review and can be anything beside name check. The usual turn around for AP could be from a month to a year and god know what they do in tha time frame.

However during this time, patience would be the key. Don't get frustrated with no or little information from either embassy or DOS. On a weekly basis, preferably on Friday afternnoon make inquiry on your case status either at embassy or DOS.

I know this may not help in any way, neither anyone can give you an answer with certainty.

Good luck and best wishes for you both

[RealAI 1]

For some people AP is a breeze, they are done with AP very fast. But for some people like me and my husband it is the ultimate test of patience. Common names are a factor. But I tnink its luck too. If any part of the visa applicant's name matches a name on the FBI terrorist list then you are in for a long wait. But I noticed that there are a lot of names starting with Mohammed in the list, but some people with the name Mohammed got out of AP pretty soon. So, the best thing to do is to have faith on Allah and pray that your AP finishes within decent amount of time.

[rozi 0]

For some people AP is a breeze, they are done with AP very fast. But for some people like me and my husband it is the ultimate test of patience. Common names are a factor. But I tnink its luck too. If any part of the visa applicant's name matches a name on the FBI terrorist list then you are in for a long wait. But I noticed that there are a lot of names starting with Mohammed in the list, but some people with the name Mohammed got out of AP pretty soon. So, the best thing to do is to have faith on Allah and pray that your AP finishes within decent amount of time.

thats really a bad thing.. i hope everyone of us will get out from AP soon.. my husband name start with mohammed.. and i been stuck in this problem 3 months now..

[Farzin 0]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Rozi, my husband's name also starts with Mohammad. I wonder how long the wait will last for us. Best of luck for you and please inform us when your husband gets his visa. I guess the answer to all AP questions is Patience.

[rozi 0]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Rozi, my husband's name also starts with Mohammad. I wonder how long the wait will last for us. Best of luck for you and please inform us when your husband gets his visa. I guess the answer to all AP questions is Patience.

lets be patience..im sure its will be fine.. have u heard from embassy yet? how long u been stuck in AP?

[together4evr 360]

There are over 200,000 names on the hit list

if one of your names matches one of the terrorists names then ou will get AP

You can google names of 911 terorist

There are over 200,000 names on the hit list and if any of your names fits one of their names you will be placed on AP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijackers_in_the_September_11_attacks

Saeed Alghamdi - Alive

Ahmed Ibrahim A. Al Haznawi

Ahmed Alnami - Alive

Ziad Samir Jarrah

Cammid Al-Madar

Majar Mokhed

Salem Al Hazni

Nawar Al Hazni

Mosear Caned Khalid Almihdhar - Alive?

Majed Moqed

Salem Alhazmi - Alive

Nawaf Alhazmi

Hani

Marwan Al-Shehhi

Fayez Rashid Ahmed Hassan Al Qadi Banihammad

Ahmed Alghamdi

Hamza Alghamdi

Mohand Alshehri – Alive

Mohamed Atta

Adnan Bukhari

Ameer Bukhari

Abdul Alomari

Amer Kamfar

Mohamed Atta

Waleed M. Alshehri - Alive

Wail M. Alshehri - Alive

Abdulaziz Alomari - Alive

Satam M.A. Al Suqami

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

The muscle hijackers 'picked by bin Ladin':

Satam al Suqami,

Wail and Waleed al Shehri (two brothers) Both Alive,

Abdul Aziz al Omari Alive, Fayez Banihammad (from the UAE),

Ahmed al Ghamdi, Hamza al Ghamdi, Mohand al Shehri Alive, Saeed al Ghamdi Alive, Ahmad al Haznawi, Ahmed al Nami Alive, Majed Moqed, and Salem al Hazmi Alive (the brother of Nawaf al Hazmi).

[Adnan&Liane 8]

Hi Farzin...sorry to hear you are stuck in AP... What kind of questionnaire was your husband asked to fill out? Did he get a blue 221g form? AP can happen for multiple reasons. It is pretty much standard for young muslim males. Other factors are common names, frequent traveling, being from a "T-country"....I pasted some info below from another site that explains AP better...

My husbands name is Adnan Ahmed Mohamedy and we have been in AP for 111 days (3 months 19 days) so far....

Good luck and hope it goes quickly for you!

Administrative Processing Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Administrative Processing? AP is also called Additional Administrative Processing and is when the applicant is being checked more closely. It can be for security checks which encompass fingerprints and/or name checks or for document verification.

• When does Administrative Processing Happen? AP can happen at any time during your processing. It can happen at a service center, at the NVC level, or at the embassy level. It mainly is discussed here in the forums at the embassy level.

• Who can get Administrative Processing and Why? AP usually affects men and women from certain countries but anyone can get AP. Persons coming from T countries (Terrorist Countries) seem to have more security checks and have to endure AP at the embassy level after their interview. Common names, your nationality, religion, education, relationship of applicant, travels and job can all be factors for AP. Having incomplete or missing documents will also cause a case to be put in AP. In some cases if the embassy does not believe in the validity of the relationship they can investigate it further with a field investigation.

• What are the T-Countries? Although it is classified, the list of countries reportedly affected by these restrictions includes, but is not limited to, Afghanistan,

Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt,

Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,

Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia,

Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates,

and Yemen. http://www.abil.com/articles/ABIL%20...0Wolfsdorf.pdf This list is complied from an attorney and the list of T-countries can change at any time.

• Can I check the status of my case? The embassy will not in many cases respond to emails until a certain amount of time has elapsed. The best bet is to contact Department of State aka: DOS and ask them for an update bi-weekly. They will not be able to give you details but they can tell you if the case is still pending in AP or cleared.

• DOS information: DOS can be contacted Monday through Friday during business hours. You must have all information concerning your case with you so that they can assist you.

Department of State’s visa Information phone number: 202-663-1225

• Can I expedite this process? The simple answer is NO. No one can expedite the checks since they are considered a matter of National security. An elected official can only make a congressional inquiry on your behalf. They cannot get the checks finished any faster.

• Does AP have any time frame for completion? NO AP can last anywhere from days, weeks, months and in a few cases years.

Anyone that happens to be given a 221(g) or Administrative Processing letter must be patient and let them do their work. Do not call constantly and ask about your case. Remember each time your case is moved it can then end up at the bottom of the stack and your time can be extended. Each case is different so you cannot judge your case by any other and each consulate/embassy may have a different average time for completion of AP.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Adnan&Liane

[together4evr 360]

Hi Farzin...sorry to hear you are stuck in AP... What kind of questionnaire was your husband asked to fill out? Did he get a blue 221g form? AP can happen for multiple reasons. It is pretty much standard for young muslim males. Other factors are common names, frequent traveling, being from a "T-country"....this link explains... http://***removed***/forum/showthread.php?t=4364

My husbands name is Adnan Ahmed Mohamedy and we have been in AP for 111 days (3 months 19 days) so far....

Good luck and hope it goes quickly for you!

that link doesn't work

[Adnan&Liane 8]

Just found this info as well...

http://***removed***/forum/showthread.php?t=3823

221g - FBI National Name Check Program—Frequently Asked Questions

Source: http://www.fbi.gov/

National Name Check Program—Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take for my name check to be completed?

The length of time it takes for a name check to be completed varies from name to name. Normally, a name is submitted by an agency, such as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on a data tape. Currently, the National Name Check Program (NNCP) receives over 75,000 name checks every week, with about 45 percent coming from USCIS. When a data tape comes in, the names on the tape are electronically checked against the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Universal Index (UNI). The searches seek all instances of the individual's name appearing in both main files and reference files. A main file name is that of an individual who is, himself/herself, the subject of an FBI investigation, whereas a reference is someone whose name appears in an FBI investigation. References may be associates, conspirators, or witnesses.

The majority of name checks submitted on a data tape are electronically checked and returned to the submitting agency as having "No Record" within 48-72 hours. A "No Record" indicates that the FBI's UNI database contains no identifiable information regarding a particular individual. Duplicate submissions (i.e., identically spelled names with identical dates of birth submitted within the last 120 days) are not checked, and the duplicate findings are returned immediately to the submitting agency.

A secondary manual name search conducted within 30-60 days usually identifies additional requests as having a "No Record." The remaining name checks (usually about 10% of the name checks originally submitted) are identified as possibly being the subject of an FBI record. At that point, the FBI record must be retrieved and reviewed. If the record is available in the FBI's electronic record keeping system, it can be reviewed quickly. If not, the relevant information must be retrieved from an existing paper record. Review of this information determines whether the information is positively identified with the name check request. If the information is not identified with the request, the request is closed as a "No Record," and the requesting agency is notified as such.

The average time required to retrieve and review an FBI record for possible information related to a name check request is case specific—it depends on the number of files an analyst must obtain (which is dictated by the number of "hits" on a name), the location and availability of those files, and the amount of information contained in a file. If a file is stored locally, an analyst will be able to obtain the file within a matter of days. If a file is located in a field office or other FBI location, the applicable information must be requested from that location. There are over 265 different FBI locations that could house information pertinent to a name check request. If a file is electronically available, an analyst will have immediate access to that file. Additionally, once an analyst receives the file, or the pertinent information contained in a file, the analyst must review it for possible information related to the name check request.

Many times, the delay associated with the processing of the remaining name checks is not the actual time it takes to process a name check, but the time it takes for an analyst to get to the name check request in order to process it. This is due to the constant volume of name checks, several million each year, combined with the FBI's current work on processing residual name checks from a batch of 2.7 million requests submitted by USCIS in December 2002, as compared to the NNCP's limited resources. Less than one percent of the requests are identified with a file containing possible derogatory information. If applicable, the FBI then forwards a summary of the derogatory information to the requesting agency. It is important to note that the FBI does not adjudicate the name check requests, but only provides available information to a requesting agency for its adjudication process.

How can I have my name check expedited?

The FBI tries to process its oldest name checks first. Customer agencies will occasionally request expedited handling of specific name checks. Criteria used to determine which name checks receive expedited handling are internal matters of each customer agency. The FBI does request that the number of expedited cases be kept to a minimum in fairness to the other pending name check requests. Because each customer agency determines which name checks are expedited, contacting Congressional representatives, the FBI's Office of Congressional Affairs, or the NNCP will only further tie up vital resources and will not contribute to the expediting of a name check.

Does contacting my Congressional representative expedite my name check?

No, the customer agency determines expedited handling. The FBI's policy is to be responsive to our customer's needs given the limits of our resources. Re-prioritization from multiple sources would convolute the customer agency's ability to manage their priority cases.

Is there a fee I can pay to expedite the process?

No. Processing times are a function of the volume of work versus the resources that can be applied to the task. Paying an additional fee would not speed up the name check process.

I am aware that some name checks have been completed that were submitted to the FBI after cases that remain pending. Why are the name checks not handled in the order in which they are received?

The vast majority of name check requests are completed in less than 60 days. Of those remaining, the FBI tries to complete the oldest name checks first. The time to complete any given name check varies. There are many factors that impact processing times such as the number of files to retrieve and review, a file's location and accessibility, case status, and workload all impact processing times. Another factor that might delay the processing of a name check request on a first in/first out basis is the number of requests for expedited handling received from a customer agency.

My Freedom of Information/Privacy Act request to the FBI resulted in a "no record" response. Given that, why is my name check request still pending?

Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts (FOIPA) requests are sometimes confused with name check requests. FOIPA provides copies of FBI files relevant to a specific FOIPA request. For FOIPA, the FBI search uses the name or information as provided in the FOIPA request. A FOIPA search determines whether there is an investigative file associated with an individual—a "main file" search. For a name check, "main files" and "reference files" are both checked, in an effort to protect our national security, in addition to searching a name in a multitude of combinations.

[Adnan&Liane 8]

Just found this info as well...

221g - FBI National Name Check Program—Frequently Asked Questions

Source: http://www.fbi.gov/

National Name Check Program—Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take for my name check to be completed?

The length of time it takes for a name check to be completed varies from name to name. Normally, a name is submitted by an agency, such as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on a data tape. Currently, the National Name Check Program (NNCP) receives over 75,000 name checks every week, with about 45 percent coming from USCIS. When a data tape comes in, the names on the tape are electronically checked against the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Universal Index (UNI). The searches seek all instances of the individual's name appearing in both main files and reference files. A main file name is that of an individual who is, himself/herself, the subject of an FBI investigation, whereas a reference is someone whose name appears in an FBI investigation. References may be associates, conspirators, or witnesses.

The majority of name checks submitted on a data tape are electronically checked and returned to the submitting agency as having "No Record" within 48-72 hours. A "No Record" indicates that the FBI's UNI database contains no identifiable information regarding a particular individual. Duplicate submissions (i.e., identically spelled names with identical dates of birth submitted within the last 120 days) are not checked, and the duplicate findings are returned immediately to the submitting agency.

A secondary manual name search conducted within 30-60 days usually identifies additional requests as having a "No Record." The remaining name checks (usually about 10% of the name checks originally submitted) are identified as possibly being the subject of an FBI record. At that point, the FBI record must be retrieved and reviewed. If the record is available in the FBI's electronic record keeping system, it can be reviewed quickly. If not, the relevant information must be retrieved from an existing paper record. Review of this information determines whether the information is positively identified with the name check request. If the information is not identified with the request, the request is closed as a "No Record," and the requesting agency is notified as such.

The average time required to retrieve and review an FBI record for possible information related to a name check request is case specific—it depends on the number of files an analyst must obtain (which is dictated by the number of "hits" on a name), the location and availability of those files, and the amount of information contained in a file. If a file is stored locally, an analyst will be able to obtain the file within a matter of days. If a file is located in a field office or other FBI location, the applicable information must be requested from that location. There are over 265 different FBI locations that could house information pertinent to a name check request. If a file is electronically available, an analyst will have immediate access to that file. Additionally, once an analyst receives the file, or the pertinent information contained in a file, the analyst must review it for possible information related to the name check request.

Many times, the delay associated with the processing of the remaining name checks is not the actual time it takes to process a name check, but the time it takes for an analyst to get to the name check request in order to process it. This is due to the constant volume of name checks, several million each year, combined with the FBI's current work on processing residual name checks from a batch of 2.7 million requests submitted by USCIS in December 2002, as compared to the NNCP's limited resources. Less than one percent of the requests are identified with a file containing possible derogatory information. If applicable, the FBI then forwards a summary of the derogatory information to the requesting agency. It is important to note that the FBI does not adjudicate the name check requests, but only provides available information to a requesting agency for its adjudication process.

How can I have my name check expedited?

The FBI tries to process its oldest name checks first. Customer agencies will occasionally request expedited handling of specific name checks. Criteria used to determine which name checks receive expedited handling are internal matters of each customer agency. The FBI does request that the number of expedited cases be kept to a minimum in fairness to the other pending name check requests. Because each customer agency determines which name checks are expedited, contacting Congressional representatives, the FBI's Office of Congressional Affairs, or the NNCP will only further tie up vital resources and will not contribute to the expediting of a name check.

Does contacting my Congressional representative expedite my name check?

No, the customer agency determines expedited handling. The FBI's policy is to be responsive to our customer's needs given the limits of our resources. Re-prioritization from multiple sources would convolute the customer agency's ability to manage their priority cases.

Is there a fee I can pay to expedite the process?

No. Processing times are a function of the volume of work versus the resources that can be applied to the task. Paying an additional fee would not speed up the name check process.

I am aware that some name checks have been completed that were submitted to the FBI after cases that remain pending. Why are the name checks not handled in the order in which they are received?

The vast majority of name check requests are completed in less than 60 days. Of those remaining, the FBI tries to complete the oldest name checks first. The time to complete any given name check varies. There are many factors that impact processing times such as the number of files to retrieve and review, a file's location and accessibility, case status, and workload all impact processing times. Another factor that might delay the processing of a name check request on a first in/first out basis is the number of requests for expedited handling received from a customer agency.

My Freedom of Information/Privacy Act request to the FBI resulted in a "no record" response. Given that, why is my name check request still pending?

Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts (FOIPA) requests are sometimes confused with name check requests. FOIPA provides copies of FBI files relevant to a specific FOIPA request. For FOIPA, the FBI search uses the name or information as provided in the FOIPA request. A FOIPA search determines whether there is an investigative file associated with an individual—a "main file" search. For a name check, "main files" and "reference files" are both checked, in an effort to protect our national security, in addition to searching a name in a multitude of combinations.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Adnan&Liane

[jazz88 1]

how can i find out why my case under AP?

[Farzin 0]

Hi Farzin...sorry to hear you are stuck in AP... What kind of questionnaire was your husband asked to fill out? Did he get a blue 221g form? AP can happen for multiple reasons.

Hi Liane,

My husband was given a white form with 10 questionnaire. The questions were abouth traveling, family, education and work history. And yes he received a blue 221g form which stated "Additional processing".

Thank you for the info. Wish you best of luck.

[Inky 1,111]

how can i find out why my case under AP?

You can try filing for FOIA.

http://www.state.gov/m/a/ips/

[jazz88 1]

i am not getting how to use it...can you help me.