Possible Visa Services Interruption? Saw this on a few consulate pages

[EdenG 3]

Possible Visa Services Interruption

The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is currently experiencing technical problems with its visa systems. This issue is not specific to any particular country or visa category. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working urgently to correct the problem and restore full operability.

Currently, we are unable to print most immigrant and nonimmigrant visas approved after June 8, 2015. In addition, U.S. embassies and consulates are unable to process new applications submitted on or after June 9, 2015. Individuals with visa interview appointments scheduled for June 14-20, 2015, should reschedule their appointments if they submitted a DS-160 online application after June 9, 2015. Appointments can be rescheduled by signing into the existing appointment account and selecting the “reschedule” link or by calling the call center. Individuals who submitted their DS-160 online applications prior to June 9, 2015, should plan to attend their scheduled visa interview appointments. Those with urgent travel should follow the instructions for expedited emergency appointment found on this website.

[Shauneg 762]

Possible Visa Services Interruption

The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is currently experiencing technical problems with its visa systems. This issue is not specific to any particular country or visa category. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working urgently to correct the problem and restore full operability.

Currently, we are unable to print most immigrant and nonimmigrant visas approved after June 8, 2015. In addition, U.S. embassies and consulates are unable to process new applications submitted on or after June 9, 2015. Individuals with visa interview appointments scheduled for June 14-20, 2015, should reschedule their appointments if they submitted a DS-160 online application after June 9, 2015. Appointments can be rescheduled by signing into the existing appointment account and selecting the “reschedule” link or by calling the call center. Individuals who submitted their DS-160 online applications prior to June 9, 2015, should plan to attend their scheduled visa interview appointments. Those with urgent travel should follow the instructions for expedited emergency appointment found on this website.

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It's accurate and a worldwide problem with no fix date yet....

[raven52 233]

It was posted on this site, 5 minutes after the story hit ABC news, many days ago.

I heard it, I posted it.

[EdenG 3]

I had no idea...

Well, at least they're working on it. I heard they had the same problem last summer.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from IR1/CR1 Progress Forum to General Immigration-Related Discussion Forum~

~Commentary applicable to numerous visa processes~

[DorothyK 0]

Hopefully the problem gets fixed soon. What exactly is the issue?

Hopefully the problem gets fixed soon. What exactly is the issue?

[Unidentified 2,930]

Hopefully the problem gets fixed soon. What exactly is the issue?

Hopefully the problem gets fixed soon. What exactly is the issue?

According to what I've heard they've been hacked.

I had no idea...

Well, at least they're working on it. I heard they had the same problem last summer.

It's not the same issue.

They are currently prioritizing humanitarian and adoption visa's. http://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/news/technological-systems-issue.html

[Shauneg 762]

Hopefully the problem gets fixed soon. What exactly is the issue?

Hopefully the problem gets fixed soon. What exactly is the issue?

http://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/news/technological-systems-issue.html

According to what I've heard they've been hacked.

It's not the same issue.

They are currently prioritizing humanitarian and adoption visa's. http://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/news/technological-systems-issue.html

According to them it's software, but who really knows....

"A hardware failure on June 9 halted the flow of biometric clearance requests from posts to the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD). Individuals who submitted online applications or were interviewed for visas on or after June 9 may experience a delay in the processing."

Q: What caused this outage? Was it a malicious action or hack?

• There is no evidence the problem is cyber security related. We are working urgently to correct the problem and expect the system to be fully operational again soon.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Shauneg

[Unidentified 2,930]

http://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/news/technological-systems-issue.html

According to them it's software, but who really knows....

"A hardware failure on June 9 halted the flow of biometric clearance requests from posts to the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD). Individuals who submitted online applications or were interviewed for visas on or after June 9 may experience a delay in the processing."

Q: What caused this outage? Was it a malicious action or hack?

• There is no evidence the problem is cyber security related. We are working urgently to correct the problem and expect the system to be fully operational again soon.

How many departments admit they have been hacked? Considering this "Software failure" happened at the same time they got hacked by China, I don't think they want to admit that important visa information has been compromised.

[Wooderz 314]

Sorry to be nit-picky, but it's a hardware issue not software.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Does it matter? They've been hacked, nothing works = more waiting.

[Wooderz 314]

Matters to the people trying to fix it. Also it's right there in what was copied and pasted that it was hardware so saying software is kinda confusing.

[Unidentified 2,930]

I didn't even think about that.

[Wooderz 314]

Just trying to convey accurate information since someone above asked what the issue was. While we really don't know exactly, DOS did say specifically hardware.

[Shauneg 762]

How many departments admit they have been hacked? Considering this "Software failure" happened at the same time they got hacked by China, I don't think they want to admit that important visa information has been compromised.

The now infamous hack has been ongoing since early last year...was discovered this year while a tech company was demoing their security software to the government when it noticed the malicious code this past April. It was just announced to the public a few days ago.