Welcome to the December Support and Rant Thread 2014

[Soloenta 2,218]

Thaaaaaaanks a lot dearest! I'm still gonna follow just to see you get your approval ! Sendin lots of love and best of luck !!!! Can't wait to do a happy dance celebratin your approval

Awww thank you my precious friend so excited for you and thank you hehehe will both be doing the happy dance when and if we get the Visa.

[SofisPatience 23]

Thanks for your sympathy Soloenta. I feel so alone in this sometimes

I'm so very sorry this happened to you and all the rest, boy they really know how to screw up don't they. They really need to let people know what's going on I'm sure a mass e-mail would and should be an easy venture. But they play by their own stupid rules. I don't think it should take long since this is a hit and miss thing. By this I mean if you don't call to find out what's going on you just sit there waiting forever. I'm thinking two weeks at most but let's pray it's sooner. Still keep calling every two to three days if you can.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

They're still just telling me '42 days' when I call to see if we've got a case number. I'm so frustrated with this process. My wife has injured her ankle and has to wear a cast-like brace for the next three weeks, at least (maybe longer, that's when they'll check it again), and can't do things like walk our dog. I should BE THERE by now to be helping out, but of course we can't even get a case number generated, even, so we can start the sixty bloody days. Her ankle is bad enough she's been given a bloody disability parking permit.

She's dealing with that AND house hunting and of course I'm not there and it's not fair. I'm so tired of waiting and watching things happen that I should BE THERE for. She shouldn't have to be dealing with all this by herself. She's hurt, I should be there to look after her.

[dee&vee 79]

where is Soloenta??? What is her progress? Sorry, I've been away. I had my interview, got approved, and now am in U.S. with my husband.

Congrats on visa. You had a long run. Why didn't you wait a month more to do POE and receive 10 year green card though?

[SharksBelow 99]

I still have no email from the NVC about my checklist and I still don't know what to do about the police check and I'm so so so afraid that we will get yet another checklist

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I still have no email from the NVC about my checklist and I still don't know what to do about the police check and I'm so so so afraid that we will get yet another checklist

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO

*hugs* I hope they get back to you soon. It must be really nervewracking.

[Debbri18 2]

Hello everyone, hope this is the month where each and every one of us receives some good news. I just have one question: is it possible to pay a little extra money to have them issue the visa faster after the beneficiary has been approved at the interview in the overseas Embassy? Because of my college, i cannot miss more than a week of school and i would like to come back with my husband when he gets approved. *if he gets approved* (gotta have faith) so i would like for him to receive everything before i come back to NY so we can come back together.

[Soloenta 2,218]

Thanks for your sympathy Soloenta. I feel so alone in this sometimes

You not alone in this we are all here for each other and if you want my e-mail all you have to do is ask for it and it's yours. I usually check my e-mail then come here. So see your not alone at all, but I do know exactly how you feel. Soon my friend you will have a smile on your face.

I still have no email from the NVC about my checklist and I still don't know what to do about the police check and I'm so so so afraid that we will get yet another checklist

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO

Oh sweet heart I wont suggest anything because I'm afraid I might mess you up. Did you ask Saylin what you should do I know you must have been there but http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/524875-nvc-filers-december-2014/ just in case and ask her specifically she knows I think better than anyone what to do. If you have and no answer then a personal message would be a good idea. Please let us know because your very important to us all.

Hello everyone, hope this is the month where each and every one of us receives some good news. I just have one question: is it possible to pay a little extra money to have them issue the visa faster after the beneficiary has been approved at the interview in the overseas Embassy? Because of my college, i cannot miss more than a week of school and i would like to come back with my husband when he gets approved. *if he gets approved* (gotta have faith) so i would like for him to receive everything before i come back to NY so we can come back together.

I have never heard of it, ever so I would have to say no there is no way to hurry the process. Sorry about that but you might have to wait to find out if he is approved or not then fly there to see him and come back. I'm going to have to do that since I haven't won the lotto yet.

[Soloenta 2,218]

I don't want to scare anyone but this is what I found for some reasons to be put in AP specially us lucky ones that fell in love and married people from certain countries shown below.

What is a Security Advisory Opinion?

Security Advisory Opinions (SAOs) are created in response to a request by a U.S. consulate for a background security check on a foreign national who is applying for a U.S. visa. There are several different types of SAOs as explained below.

When a foreign national applies for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad, the applicant’s name is run through a name-check system referred to as the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS). Any existing problems in an applicant’s background that are known to the U.S. government cause the applicant’s name to be flagged for the consulate’s attention.



What Factors Trigger an SAO?

A U.S. consulate has the discretion to request an SAO regardless of whether or not the applicant’s name was flagged in CLASS. However, U.S. consulates request SAOs in the following circumstances:

the applicant's name is flagged in CLASS;
an applicant received an unfavorable SAO in the past;
the applicant is a national of a country not recognized by the United States or with which the United States does not maintain diplomatic relations;
the U.S. interviewing U.S. consular officer has knowledge or a reasonable ground to believe that the applicant is ineligible for admission to the United States because of national security concerns (for example, the consular officer believes that the applicant might be involved in the transfer of sensitive technology designated by the Department of State (DOS)’s Technology Alert List (TAL))1;
the applicant is a national or employee of a State Sponsor of Terrorism.2

In addition to the above triggers, applicants who are citizens of, born in, or have some strong connection to one of the following countries (often referred to as “the list of 26”) are also subject to an SAO:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Dijbouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.3
Types of SAOs and Related Visa Processing Delays

There are nine types of SAOs. Most relevant to non-immigrant visa applicants are the Visas Mantis, Visas Donkey, Visas Eagle, and Visas Condor.
Visas Mantis

A Visas Mantis is requested if the U.S. consulate suspects that the applicant is engaged in the illegal transfer of sensitive technologies or information that relates to sensitive technologies, or if the applicant is likely to have exposure to such technologies while in the U.S. A specific nationality is not required to trigger this SAO. Sensitive technologies are listed on the DOS Technology Alert List. Applicants with advanced degrees (usually Ph.D. degrees) in certain sciences tend to be targeted for these types of SAOs. The Visas Mantis typically takes two to three weeks to clear. Once issued, a Visas Mantis SAO is valid for 12 months if the applicant is returning to the same organization for which the applicant worked/studied when the SAO was initially requested.
Visas Donkey

A Visas Donkey is requested when there is a direct "hit" on the visa applicant's name in the CLASS system. This type of SAO is requested if, for example, the applicant's name is a direct match to that of a known terrorist. It is impossible to know whether or not an applicant will be subject to this particular SAO unless the person has been subjected to one previously. The Visas Donkey SAO request can take months to process, and there tends to be no predictable period within which this kind of SAO request is resolved. . Once a Visas Donkey SAO is issued, it is valid for three months.
Visas Condor

The Visas Condor is generally requested for applicants who are nationals of predominantly Muslim countries. This list has been referred to as the "list of 26" because there are 26 countries for which a Condor SAO is usually requested (see above). These SAOs are valid for three months and generally take about a week or two to clear.
Visas Eagle

The Visas Eagle is requested for applicants from countries that have been designated as state sponsors of terrorism. This SAO is in the same tier of review as the Visas Condor SAO so many Eagle SAOs taken one to two weeks to be resolved. Once issued, the Visas Eagle is valid for 12 months.
Repeat SAOs and Caveat About SAO Validity

Internal DOS guidelines provide that SAOs can be reused for another visa, as long as the visa is applied for within the validity period of the SAO and as long as certain conditions are met (essentially no major changes from the former application and/or no additional flags on the name). On the other hand, recent guidance from a government official indicated that when applying for a different visa or a new visa, a new SAO will be requested by the U.S. consulate. The bottom line is that the U.S. consular officer has discretion to request an SAO for anyone and is obligated to make such a request in the above listed circumstances.

1 While several secondary sources have published the Technology Alert List, its accuracy is not ascertainable given its classified status. The U.S. State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual states that "[t]he TAL is generated by the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation . . . and is distributed to [u.S. consulates] by cable and published as 9 FAM Appendix A, 700 on the [Consular Affairs] classified intranet website."

2 Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are currently on the DOS State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

3 This list is derived from a secondary source. The Foreign Affairs Manual declares this information to be classified.

[Maharosa 251]

I don't want to scare anyone but this is what I found for some reasons to be put in AP specially us lucky ones that fell in love and married people from certain countries shown below.

What is a Security Advisory Opinion?

Security Advisory Opinions (SAOs) are created in response to a request by a U.S. consulate for a background security check on a foreign national who is applying for a U.S. visa. There are several different types of SAOs as explained below.

When a foreign national applies for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad, the applicants name is run through a name-check system referred to as the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS). Any existing problems in an applicants background that are known to the U.S. government cause the applicants name to be flagged for the consulates attention.

What Factors Trigger an SAO?

A U.S. consulate has the discretion to request an SAO regardless of whether or not the applicants name was flagged in CLASS. However, U.S. consulates request SAOs in the following circumstances:

the applicant's name is flagged in CLASS;

an applicant received an unfavorable SAO in the past;

the applicant is a national of a country not recognized by the United States or with which the United States does not maintain diplomatic relations;

the U.S. interviewing U.S. consular officer has knowledge or a reasonable ground to believe that the applicant is ineligible for admission to the United States because of national security concerns (for example, the consular officer believes that the applicant might be involved in the transfer of sensitive technology designated by the Department of State (DOS)s Technology Alert List (TAL))1;

the applicant is a national or employee of a State Sponsor of Terrorism.2

In addition to the above triggers, applicants who are citizens of, born in, or have some strong connection to one of the following countries (often referred to as the list of 26) are also subject to an SAO:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Dijbouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.3

Types of SAOs and Related Visa Processing Delays

There are nine types of SAOs. Most relevant to non-immigrant visa applicants are the Visas Mantis, Visas Donkey, Visas Eagle, and Visas Condor.

Visas Mantis

A Visas Mantis is requested if the U.S. consulate suspects that the applicant is engaged in the illegal transfer of sensitive technologies or information that relates to sensitive technologies, or if the applicant is likely to have exposure to such technologies while in the U.S. A specific nationality is not required to trigger this SAO. Sensitive technologies are listed on the DOS Technology Alert List. Applicants with advanced degrees (usually Ph.D. degrees) in certain sciences tend to be targeted for these types of SAOs. The Visas Mantis typically takes two to three weeks to clear. Once issued, a Visas Mantis SAO is valid for 12 months if the applicant is returning to the same organization for which the applicant worked/studied when the SAO was initially requested.

Visas Donkey

A Visas Donkey is requested when there is a direct "hit" on the visa applicant's name in the CLASS system. This type of SAO is requested if, for example, the applicant's name is a direct match to that of a known terrorist. It is impossible to know whether or not an applicant will be subject to this particular SAO unless the person has been subjected to one previously. The Visas Donkey SAO request can take months to process, and there tends to be no predictable period within which this kind of SAO request is resolved. . Once a Visas Donkey SAO is issued, it is valid for three months.

Visas Condor

The Visas Condor is generally requested for applicants who are nationals of predominantly Muslim countries. This list has been referred to as the "list of 26" because there are 26 countries for which a Condor SAO is usually requested (see above). These SAOs are valid for three months and generally take about a week or two to clear.

Visas Eagle

The Visas Eagle is requested for applicants from countries that have been designated as state sponsors of terrorism. This SAO is in the same tier of review as the Visas Condor SAO so many Eagle SAOs taken one to two weeks to be resolved. Once issued, the Visas Eagle is valid for 12 months.

Repeat SAOs and Caveat About SAO Validity

Internal DOS guidelines provide that SAOs can be reused for another visa, as long as the visa is applied for within the validity period of the SAO and as long as certain conditions are met (essentially no major changes from the former application and/or no additional flags on the name). On the other hand, recent guidance from a government official indicated that when applying for a different visa or a new visa, a new SAO will be requested by the U.S. consulate. The bottom line is that the U.S. consular officer has discretion to request an SAO for anyone and is obligated to make such a request in the above listed circumstances.

1 While several secondary sources have published the Technology Alert List, its accuracy is not ascertainable given its classified status. The U.S. State Departments Foreign Affairs Manual states that "[t]he TAL is generated by the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation . . . and is distributed to [u.S. consulates] by cable and published as 9 FAM Appendix A, 700 on the [Consular Affairs] classified intranet website."

2 Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are currently on the DOS State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

3 This list is derived from a secondary source. The Foreign Affairs Manual declares this information to be classified.

UGH! Sigh........

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I don't want to scare anyone but this is what I found for some reasons to be put in AP specially us lucky ones that fell in love and married people from certain countries shown below.

What is a Security Advisory Opinion?

Security Advisory Opinions (SAOs) are created in response to a request by a U.S. consulate for a background security check on a foreign national who is applying for a U.S. visa. There are several different types of SAOs as explained below.

When a foreign national applies for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad, the applicant’s name is run through a name-check system referred to as the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS). Any existing problems in an applicant’s background that are known to the U.S. government cause the applicant’s name to be flagged for the consulate’s attention.

What Factors Trigger an SAO?

A U.S. consulate has the discretion to request an SAO regardless of whether or not the applicant’s name was flagged in CLASS. However, U.S. consulates request SAOs in the following circumstances:

the applicant's name is flagged in CLASS;

an applicant received an unfavorable SAO in the past;

the applicant is a national of a country not recognized by the United States or with which the United States does not maintain diplomatic relations;

the U.S. interviewing U.S. consular officer has knowledge or a reasonable ground to believe that the applicant is ineligible for admission to the United States because of national security concerns (for example, the consular officer believes that the applicant might be involved in the transfer of sensitive technology designated by the Department of State (DOS)’s Technology Alert List (TAL))1;

the applicant is a national or employee of a State Sponsor of Terrorism.2

In addition to the above triggers, applicants who are citizens of, born in, or have some strong connection to one of the following countries (often referred to as “the list of 26”) are also subject to an SAO:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Dijbouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.3

Types of SAOs and Related Visa Processing Delays

There are nine types of SAOs. Most relevant to non-immigrant visa applicants are the Visas Mantis, Visas Donkey, Visas Eagle, and Visas Condor.

Visas Mantis

A Visas Mantis is requested if the U.S. consulate suspects that the applicant is engaged in the illegal transfer of sensitive technologies or information that relates to sensitive technologies, or if the applicant is likely to have exposure to such technologies while in the U.S. A specific nationality is not required to trigger this SAO. Sensitive technologies are listed on the DOS Technology Alert List. Applicants with advanced degrees (usually Ph.D. degrees) in certain sciences tend to be targeted for these types of SAOs. The Visas Mantis typically takes two to three weeks to clear. Once issued, a Visas Mantis SAO is valid for 12 months if the applicant is returning to the same organization for which the applicant worked/studied when the SAO was initially requested.

Visas Donkey

A Visas Donkey is requested when there is a direct "hit" on the visa applicant's name in the CLASS system. This type of SAO is requested if, for example, the applicant's name is a direct match to that of a known terrorist. It is impossible to know whether or not an applicant will be subject to this particular SAO unless the person has been subjected to one previously. The Visas Donkey SAO request can take months to process, and there tends to be no predictable period within which this kind of SAO request is resolved. . Once a Visas Donkey SAO is issued, it is valid for three months.

Visas Condor

The Visas Condor is generally requested for applicants who are nationals of predominantly Muslim countries. This list has been referred to as the "list of 26" because there are 26 countries for which a Condor SAO is usually requested (see above). These SAOs are valid for three months and generally take about a week or two to clear.

Visas Eagle

The Visas Eagle is requested for applicants from countries that have been designated as state sponsors of terrorism. This SAO is in the same tier of review as the Visas Condor SAO so many Eagle SAOs taken one to two weeks to be resolved. Once issued, the Visas Eagle is valid for 12 months.

Repeat SAOs and Caveat About SAO Validity

Internal DOS guidelines provide that SAOs can be reused for another visa, as long as the visa is applied for within the validity period of the SAO and as long as certain conditions are met (essentially no major changes from the former application and/or no additional flags on the name). On the other hand, recent guidance from a government official indicated that when applying for a different visa or a new visa, a new SAO will be requested by the U.S. consulate. The bottom line is that the U.S. consular officer has discretion to request an SAO for anyone and is obligated to make such a request in the above listed circumstances.

1 While several secondary sources have published the Technology Alert List, its accuracy is not ascertainable given its classified status. The U.S. State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual states that "[t]he TAL is generated by the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation . . . and is distributed to [u.S. consulates] by cable and published as 9 FAM Appendix A, 700 on the [Consular Affairs] classified intranet website."

2 Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are currently on the DOS State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

3 This list is derived from a secondary source. The Foreign Affairs Manual declares this information to be classified.

I'm so sorry you guys have to go through that. It's awful. It's so discriminatory and offensive. I'm sorry you guys have to deal with this racist bs. *hugs*

[e&g12.05.13 176]

Hi everyone

Sitting at Sydney airport waiting for flight back home so thought I would post with the past 24 hours news.

After receiving email from Consulate last Wednesday saying they had rescheduled interview but giving me my current date of 23rd December I didn't hear back from the until 8.30 am on Monday, yesterday. Guess when the interview was. 10.45 am today. I flew into action. Didn't go to work, booked flights, hotels, babysitters and ran to Post Office to get my 3kgs Express envelope. Two hours later I was at the airport.

Hotel in Sydney CBD upgraded me to a penthouse apartment and after a sleepless night I was at the Consulate by 10.15 am.

Didn't really have to e to get nervous. It all went so quickly. End result

APPROVED!!!!!

On my way home now to my children.

Will catch up on everybody's posts tomorrow.

Love

Xxxxx

Omg! That is SO exciting!!!!!!!!!

SOOOOOO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! Christmas present right??

God bless you and your family!

[anuspras 65]

Hey Guys,

Found this interesting. Look at the below link about NVC and the processing delays they are facing..... Some one just posted this link on FB.

http://hammondlawgro...ase-processing/

[Soloenta 2,218]

UGH! Sigh........

Tell me about it, had to pick my heart up off the ground.

[Soloenta 2,218]

I'm so sorry you guys have to go through that. It's awful. It's so discriminatory and offensive. I'm sorry you guys have to deal with this racist bs. *hugs*

Thank you sweet heart, it's why I always say we need a lot of prayers, after all we have gone through we still have this looming over our heads which makes it impossible for me to sleep at night. Thank you for understanding and your kind words.

Hey Guys,

Found this interesting. Look at the below link about NVC and the processing delays they are facing..... Some one just posted this link on FB.

http://hammondlawgro...ase-processing/

I clicked on it but it took me to a page on VJ, maybe if you could try again and if that doesn't work copy and paste? Thank you for the information so curious what it says.