Form DS-5535 'SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS FOR VISA APPLICANTS'

[mohamadmashta 2]

1 minute ago, Renee14 said:

Interview was 8/9

September or August?

[E&R 7]

5 minutes ago, mohamadmashta said:

How long have you been waiting?

We send it back on aug 2 since then there is bin 3 updated last one on aug 17

[Renee14 9]

3 minutes ago, mohamadmashta said:

September or August?

Interview was August 9th. We completed the form and the embassy confirmed receipt of the completed form on August 11th. I believe our last CEAC update was the 17th of August.

[Tarsha 24]

1 hour ago, E&R said:

Hi everyone any news 

Nope, just received 5th update yesterday since we returned the form on the 28th of August 

[Pirlo 0]

Hi guys on monday i got a call from the embassy saying that the AP have been completed they ordered me to submit my passport for visa issuance today my intrrview was on august 9 and i filled the ds 5535 on august 22 there were seceral updates 5 exactly... good luck guys

[Tarsha 24]

31 minutes ago, Pirlo said:

Hi guys on monday i got a call from the embassy saying that the AP have been completed they ordered me to submit my passport for visa issuance today my intrrview was on august 9 and i filled the ds 5535 on august 22 there were seceral updates 5 exactly... good luck guys

Congratulations to you! That's awesome 

[Renee14 9]

1 hour ago, Pirlo said:

Hi guys on monday i got a call from the embassy saying that the AP have been completed they ordered me to submit my passport for visa issuance today my intrrview was on august 9 and i filled the ds 5535 on august 22 there were seceral updates 5 exactly... good luck guys

Congratulations. I see you interviewed at same embassy and day as me. Hope we'll hear something soon.

1 hour ago, Pirlo said:

Hi guys on monday i got a call from the embassy saying that the AP have been completed they ordered me to submit my passport for visa issuance today my intrrview was on august 9 and i filled the ds 5535 on august 22 there were seceral updates 5 exactly... good luck guys

Did you follow up while you waited?

[Ahmad94 2]

7 hours ago, Pirlo said:

Hi guys on monday i got a call from the embassy saying that the AP have been completed they ordered me to submit my passport for visa issuance today my intrrview was on august 9 and i filled the ds 5535 on august 22 there were seceral updates 5 exactly... good luck guys

 Congratulations, When they returned your passport was with a pink slip or something.

 

I had my interview on Aug 6th and submit my DS on 8th and since that day I have not got an update. I am Renew F-1 visa 

[Pirlo 0]

7 hours ago, Renee14 said:

Congratulations. I see you interviewed at same embassy and day as me. Hope we'll hear something soon.

Did you follow up while you waited?

No i just waited! No worries they will contact you soon 

1 hour ago, Ahmad94 said:

 Congratulations, When they returned your passport was with a pink slip or something.

 

I had my interview on Aug 6th and submit my DS on 8th and since that day I have not got an update. I am Renew F-1 visa 

No they gave me my passport only !

[99balloons 12]

My spouse interviewed (2nd time) August 23rd, 2017, after over 3 years (including NOIR reaffirmed in 18 days by USCIS). This interview went much better, 221g noted missing 2016 tax returns (was included in NOIR packet) and request for updated AOS form.  Again, was not mentioned in checklist as to what to bring...

Received form DS-5535 (word version) by email 2 weeks later. Was told by CO he'd be receiving it.  It took us some 20 hours to complete, including my husband (native French speaker) having to have this form translated in his country to French. He is a professional musician who travels worldwide, so trying to document dozens of countries and tour dates over the years in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and Australia was a major challenge. (Had to translate English countries to French countries) and us review the form back and forth by email. Many additional pages had to be included... In addition to all the "fun countries" he traveled to some "raise an eyebrow ones" like Israel, Mauritania, Algeria. Yup, even there there are festivals and band tours are booked and the band goes and plays. His country (Mali) had a terrorist invasion back in 2013. Even in Dec 2015 when I had to go to Mali to obtain documents to overturn 221g, there was a terrorist attack where he lives and STEP told us Bamako embassy was evacuating non-essential personnel. It was not a fun time to travel for me. But we did overcome.

 

We volunteered his foreign passport pages if anyone is really interested to see his stamps and visas for this new DS-5535 obstacle. Our own personal travel together is more tame, Morocco and Mali before and after we married, and Europe after, including Azores Islands. 8 countries in 4 years. 

Not sure how much longer will this form delay us. Case shows AP last updated 9-15-2017 and he received a confirmation that his form was received. As the comment period on the form was extended in the U.S., I emailed some suggestions to at least expand the form for those who travel internationally on business and to provide a section for who assisted in production of this form for non-native English speakers with extensive travel.  For demographic purposes: our visa is IR-1 (now CR-1). It's now almost 3.5 years since we married and 6 years since we first met in the United States where he was playing a concert. We or opposite races, opposite religions and I am a US citizen. We are well above poverty level. He's been to U.S. numerous times on tours before we married, since we married, he is no longer welcome.

 

Is anyone tracking the DS-5535? It may be interesting to see which embassies issue it and based on responses (i.e. number of countries and religious demographics) how long will it take? I have a feeling this form is here to stay and will be administered in all the difficult embassies. At this point not sure if this will get cleared by our birthdays (late October & November respectively) but hope springs eternal.  Dakar is not really my choice of a vacation spot (been there) but if we don't hear anything by late October, I guess that will be our next vacation destination. It's been a very frustrating journey.  The original error on his visa application was by the recording companies and we had to spend our own time, money and lives to correct it. Sad. And now this ::(

[Renee14 9]

10 minutes ago, 99balloons said:

My spouse interviewed (2nd time) August 23rd, 2017, after over 3 years (including NOIR reaffirmed in 18 days by USCIS). This interview went much better, 221g noted missing 2016 tax returns (was included in NOIR packet) and request for updated AOS form.  Again, was not mentioned in checklist as to what to bring...

Received form DS-5535 (word version) by email 2 weeks later. Was told by CO he'd be receiving it.  It took us some 20 hours to complete, including my husband (native French speaker) having to have this form translated in his country to French. He is a professional musician who travels worldwide, so trying to document dozens of countries and tour dates over the years in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and Australia was a major challenge. (Had to translate English countries to French countries) and us review the form back and forth by email. Many additional pages had to be included... In addition to all the "fun countries" he traveled to some "raise an eyebrow ones" like Israel, Mauritania, Algeria. Yup, even there there are festivals and band tours are booked and the band goes and plays. His country (Mali) had a terrorist invasion back in 2013. Even in Dec 2015 when I had to go to Mali to obtain documents to overturn 221g, there was a terrorist attack where he lives and STEP told us Bamako embassy was evacuating non-essential personnel. It was not a fun time to travel for me. But we did overcome.

 

We volunteered his foreign passport pages if anyone is really interested to see his stamps and visas for this new DS-5535 obstacle. Our own personal travel together is more tame, Morocco and Mali before and after we married, and Europe after, including Azores Islands. 8 countries in 4 years. 

Not sure how much longer will this form delay us. Case shows AP last updated 9-15-2017 and he received a confirmation that his form was received. As the comment period on the form was extended in the U.S., I emailed some suggestions to at least expand the form for those who travel internationally on business and to provide a section for who assisted in production of this form for non-native English speakers with extensive travel.  For demographic purposes: our visa is IR-1 (now CR-1). It's now almost 3.5 years since we married and 6 years since we first met in the United States where he was playing a concert. We or opposite races, opposite religions and I am a US citizen. We are well above poverty level. He's been to U.S. numerous times on tours before we married, since we married, he is no longer welcome.

 

Is anyone tracking the DS-5535? It may be interesting to see which embassies issue it and based on responses (i.e. number of countries and religious demographics) how long will it take? I have a feeling this form is here to stay and will be administered in all the difficult embassies. At this point not sure if this will get cleared by our birthdays (late October & November respectively) but hope springs eternal.  Dakar is not really my choice of a vacation spot (been there) but if we don't hear anything by late October, I guess that will be our next vacation destination. It's been a very frustrating journey.  The original error on his visa application was by the recording companies and we had to spend our own time, money and lives to correct it. Sad. And now this ::(

This was my 2nd interview in Dakar too. Hope we hear something soon. We got confirmation of the form received on August 11th and still waiting.

[99balloons 12]

25 minutes ago, Renee14 said:

This was my 2nd interview in Dakar too. Hope we hear something soon. We got confirmation of the form received on August 11th and still waiting.

Hi Renee, how long are you in the process in Dakar? We've been there since Nov 2015 when he interviewed last (minus the NOIR detour when I decided that 8 months of AP was not reasonable).  It is a very busy embassy (6 countries).  Is your spouse from Senegal or Mali or another country? Mine (a Malian) has a perfectly good embassy 30 minutes from his house (Bamako, Mali) but they can't process spouse visas (but they did all of his O visas for band before me met). So it's 2 days by bumpy road to travel to Dakar to be emailed a form. Yup, included that travel in his DS-5535. But our case is "unique", lol.  Meaning everything is needed in triplicate. After 3.5 years, the answers are still the same  and I am really trying to keep my sanity.  I met a young man in Amsterdam earlier this year when my husband was on tour. Same scenario. Friend from Mali married to an American spouse, stuck in the Dakar embassy forever. I wish they had more staff.  They really need it, due to the number of countries, IMHO. Good luck to you. Hopefully you'll clear faster than my all over the world hubb.

[E&R 7]

On 9/20/2017 at 4:07 PM, Pirlo said:

Hi guys on monday i got a call from the embassy saying that the AP have been completed they ordered me to submit my passport for visa issuance today my intrrview was on august 9 and i filled the ds 5535 on august 22 there were seceral updates 5 exactly... good luck guys

Congratulations hope we all hear good news soon 

Edited September 22, 2017 by E&R

[99balloons 12]

21 minutes ago, E&R said:

Congratulations hope we all hear good news soon 

Congrats! Did you have any foreign counties to report for travel? We had at least 80.

[E&R 7]

1 minute ago, 99balloons said:

Congrats! Did you have any foreign counties to report for travel? We had at least 80.

Just one country