F4 interview experience; administrative processing, NEED HELP!

[Salman94 1]

On 13-July-2018, we had our interview for F4 category. It was a bitter experience and we are very confused about it. It would be great if anyone clears our situation. 
Our interview was at 8 AM at Islamabad Embassy. Our priority date is 27/10/2004. We were 5 persons in total. My parents and their three children in which two were under CSPA with ages 23 and 26. 
We reached embassy and took tokens by 8:30 AM. 
First we went to a window in which the officer took our Interview letter, Pictures and took our finger prints.
Then, after a while we went to another window where one officer collected our documents and it turned out that the birth certificate was not original. We protested a bit and then he said that if you wish me to put it with documents, I would but it would affect your case as you are under oath and this would be considered a lie. On hearing that, we asked him to give it back and then he told us that you could send it after wards. He was rude and asked us in a bitter way that whether we children are married or not. We told him that we are not. He also asked us what do we do and we answered him accordingly.
This whole situation created an upset in my family and we got nervous as something terrible had happened.
After a while we were asked to come to a window where there was a female visa officer with a male interpreter as we chose to give our interview in Urdu (native language).
My uncle sponsored us but his income was well under poverty line so we had our cousin as joint sponsor as his income is on the higher side.
First he interviewed my Father
Q: Who was the petitioner?
A: My little brother and (HIS NAME)
Q: Where does he live?
A: California (did not answer with the whole address)
Q: From when is he living there?
A: The answer was 2010 but my father answered it 2004 because my uncle shifted from NY to Rochester in 2004 so father confused it with. He corrected it after we cleared it to him.
Q: How many children do you have and what do they do?
A: Answered Properly but nervously
Q: Have you all visited US before? (Question where it started to go wrong)
A: Father told him that he had visited a couple of times in the fast.
Q: You stayed for 6 months?
A: Yes, i stayed for 6 months.
Q: Did you over stay?
A: Father said No. (and it was true)
Q: You sure?
A: Yes
Q: Why did you stay for 6 months?
A: I am a keen traveler and i visited my family (Answered nervously)
Q: What did you do there?
A: I like to travel, I traveled to many places with my friends and family. (The interpreter did not translate it to the VO)
Q: But what did you do there? (asked again)
A: Traveled alot and some other general statements. (interpreter did not seem to be satisfied so he did not translate it again and asked the same question again)
Q: But what did you do?
A: Some general statements but when he did not seem to be satisfied my father said that my brother had stores there and i sometimes used to go with them. The interpreter shrugged his shoulders and said something to VO which i could not hear properly and i was standing with my father. (I have two uncles in USA and they used to have stores but my petitioner is not an owner of property now and he works as an associate in a store officially owned by other relatives that is why his income is below poverty line significantly) 
At this point the VO peeked to another window, talked to some other fellow and put a stamp on the passport of my passport which i believe is that she revoked his existing visit visa which was still valid. 
Q: Do you have any domicile proof of joint sponsor?
A: i gave them the copy green card of my cousin. They did not ask any question about him but my father volunteered and told them about our relationship with the joint sponsor but the interpreter did not translate it to VO.
That was the last question they asked my father and situation got very nervous there. The they asked my elder brother who is 26 and working in QATAR right now.
Q: Where do you work?
A: answered properly
Q: Do you have your police clearance certificate with you?
A: I gave the the PCC as i was holding all the documents with me. 
The PCC had Arabic on right side and English translation on left side of the document. She asked that where is the English translation? My brother answered properly that it is on the same document and it is the one they provide officially. 
She looked on it for a while and then returned. She did not seem to look very happy.
Q: From how long have you been in Qatar?
A: 8 months but i visited for a month in between as he visited on eldest brothers marriage.
Then he asked me one question that what do you do? I told him that i am engineer doing job right now. 
Situation was quite tense and we were not very confident as she seemed to be strict from the very beginning.
Then she gave us 221g form on which it was marked that we have to provide birth certificate of my father.
The thing that happened after it is the thing that is particularly bothering me.
She kept all of our passports but gave my elder brother his passport so that he can go back to Qatar for his job. My brother refused to take it saying that he is here for a while. Then she said that we will process your case and if your visa gets ready, we will ask you to give us your passport. My brother insisted not to take it and said he can wait. She replied, "IT WILL TAKE A VERY LONG TIME". My brother said he can wait for two months and if it would not get worked till then he would take it back.
This statement terrified us badly.
After that she went away and I asked our interpreter how to submit birth certificate. He told us to to go to another window to get instructions. Then i asked him is there and remarks on our interview, he replied that your interview is concluded and now we would do a departmental verification. I asked is there any time frame for this process? he replied negatively.
After that we went to the other window and got information about where to submit the document? We got it and we will submit the document is a couple of days.

Now, we are very confuse about what would happen next and how long we have to wait? whole family is upset about it. Her statement about "LONG TIME" particularly is hurting us. My brother`s job is on stake as well. We are confused whether to ask for his passport as we are unsure about how much time would it take. There is nothing fraudulent in our documents, its just we gave the interview nervously which we think have created some doubt in their mind. The status of case is changed to administrative processing. 
During whole this process the VO stamped 5 or 6 of our documents, does anyone have idea what that stamp is about?

It would be great in some expert analyzes the situation and gives us some advice about what to do.

[Unlockable 7,314]

You keep asking about how much time specifically it will take. You have to understand that NO ONE can answer that question accurately. AP can take days, weeks, months, or even years.

 

Noboday can give you a timeline. All you can do now is wait. Your brother insisting on the CO taking the passport will not make things better.  If it take months your brother will then have to request the passport back.

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

From what you posted, I saw nothing improper in the officer's action...nothing.........I think you had a different idea of what the job of an immigration officer. 

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

The officer was being realistic.  Sometimes cases take a long time........The officer spoke the truth.

[Salman94 1]

10 minutes ago, missileman said:

The officer was being realistic.  Sometimes cases take a long time........The officer spoke the truth.

Do you have any idea what procedure will they follow now? 

[Going through 5,671]

42 minutes ago, Salman94 said:

My brother`s job is on stake as well. We are confused whether to ask for his passport as we are unsure about how much time would it take.

The CO kept insisting that your brother take his passport back for work purposes.  Your brother kept insisting the CO keep it.  The only person who put his job at stake is him.  He should request it back if he's concerned.

 

46 minutes ago, Salman94 said:

it turned out that the birth certificate was not original. We protested a bit and then he said that if you wish me to put it with documents, I would but it would affect your case as you are under oath and this would be considered a lie. On hearing that, we asked him to give it back and then he told us that you could send it after wards.

 Was the document actually the original, true document, and that's why you were protesting?  Or was the certificate knowingly not a true document, and you were protesting the CO should accept it anyhow?  If the second one, you were very lucky with the CO you got, as they were actually trying to help you there.

[Coco8 1,042]

You are from Pakistan. Background checks take a very long time, particularly for a larger group. 

 

 

[Love_HZ 115]

5 hours ago, Coco8 said:

You are from Pakistan. Background checks take a very long time, particularly for a larger group. 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Salman94 said:

On 13-July-2018, we had our interview for F4 category. It was a bitter experience and we are very confused about it. It would be great if anyone clears our situation. 
Our interview was at 8 AM at Islamabad Embassy. Our priority date is 27/10/2004. We were 5 persons in total. My parents and their three children in which two were under CSPA with ages 23 and 26. 
We reached embassy and took tokens by 8:30 AM. 
First we went to a window in which the officer took our Interview letter, Pictures and took our finger prints.
Then, after a while we went to another window where one officer collected our documents and it turned out that the birth certificate was not original. We protested a bit and then he said that if you wish me to put it with documents, I would but it would affect your case as you are under oath and this would be considered a lie. On hearing that, we asked him to give it back and then he told us that you could send it after wards. He was rude and asked us in a bitter way that whether we children are married or not. We told him that we are not. He also asked us what do we do and we answered him accordingly.
This whole situation created an upset in my family and we got nervous as something terrible had happened.
After a while we were asked to come to a window where there was a female visa officer with a male interpreter as we chose to give our interview in Urdu (native language).
My uncle sponsored us but his income was well under poverty line so we had our cousin as joint sponsor as his income is on the higher side.
First he interviewed my Father
Q: Who was the petitioner?
A: My little brother and (HIS NAME)
Q: Where does he live?
A: California (did not answer with the whole address)
Q: From when is he living there?
A: The answer was 2010 but my father answered it 2004 because my uncle shifted from NY to Rochester in 2004 so father confused it with. He corrected it after we cleared it to him.
Q: How many children do you have and what do they do?
A: Answered Properly but nervously
Q: Have you all visited US before? (Question where it started to go wrong)
A: Father told him that he had visited a couple of times in the fast.
Q: You stayed for 6 months?
A: Yes, i stayed for 6 months.
Q: Did you over stay?
A: Father said No. (and it was true)
Q: You sure?
A: Yes
Q: Why did you stay for 6 months?
A: I am a keen traveler and i visited my family (Answered nervously)
Q: What did you do there?
A: I like to travel, I traveled to many places with my friends and family. (The interpreter did not translate it to the VO)
Q: But what did you do there? (asked again)
A: Traveled alot and some other general statements. (interpreter did not seem to be satisfied so he did not translate it again and asked the same question again)
Q: But what did you do?
A: Some general statements but when he did not seem to be satisfied my father said that my brother had stores there and i sometimes used to go with them. The interpreter shrugged his shoulders and said something to VO which i could not hear properly and i was standing with my father. (I have two uncles in USA and they used to have stores but my petitioner is not an owner of property now and he works as an associate in a store officially owned by other relatives that is why his income is below poverty line significantly) 
At this point the VO peeked to another window, talked to some other fellow and put a stamp on the passport of my passport which i believe is that she revoked his existing visit visa which was still valid. 
Q: Do you have any domicile proof of joint sponsor?
A: i gave them the copy green card of my cousin. They did not ask any question about him but my father volunteered and told them about our relationship with the joint sponsor but the interpreter did not translate it to VO.
That was the last question they asked my father and situation got very nervous there. The they asked my elder brother who is 26 and working in QATAR right now.
Q: Where do you work?
A: answered properly
Q: Do you have your police clearance certificate with you?
A: I gave the the PCC as i was holding all the documents with me. 
The PCC had Arabic on right side and English translation on left side of the document. She asked that where is the English translation? My brother answered properly that it is on the same document and it is the one they provide officially. 
She looked on it for a while and then returned. She did not seem to look very happy.
Q: From how long have you been in Qatar?
A: 8 months but i visited for a month in between as he visited on eldest brothers marriage.
Then he asked me one question that what do you do? I told him that i am engineer doing job right now. 
Situation was quite tense and we were not very confident as she seemed to be strict from the very beginning.
Then she gave us 221g form on which it was marked that we have to provide birth certificate of my father.
The thing that happened after it is the thing that is particularly bothering me.
She kept all of our passports but gave my elder brother his passport so that he can go back to Qatar for his job. My brother refused to take it saying that he is here for a while. Then she said that we will process your case and if your visa gets ready, we will ask you to give us your passport. My brother insisted not to take it and said he can wait. She replied, "IT WILL TAKE A VERY LONG TIME". My brother said he can wait for two months and if it would not get worked till then he would take it back.
This statement terrified us badly.
After that she went away and I asked our interpreter how to submit birth certificate. He told us to to go to another window to get instructions. Then i asked him is there and remarks on our interview, he replied that your interview is concluded and now we would do a departmental verification. I asked is there any time frame for this process? he replied negatively.
After that we went to the other window and got information about where to submit the document? We got it and we will submit the document is a couple of days.

Now, we are very confuse about what would happen next and how long we have to wait? whole family is upset about it. Her statement about "LONG TIME" particularly is hurting us. My brother`s job is on stake as well. We are confused whether to ask for his passport as we are unsure about how much time would it take. There is nothing fraudulent in our documents, its just we gave the interview nervously which we think have created some doubt in their mind. The status of case is changed to administrative processing. 
During whole this process the VO stamped 5 or 6 of our documents, does anyone have idea what that stamp is about?

It would be great in some expert analyzes the situation and gives us some advice about what to do.

My elder brother & sister had to face same situation. They were interviewed terribly. the interviewer tortured them for 6 hours asking the same question that if they were married or not. My mom sponsored my unmarried brother & sis, both were over 27. Therefore, interviewer kept asking the same thing over n over if they were married. told never got married since they were waiting for this case to be over. But my brother & sister never got upset or nervous in front of CO. every time Co asked why not married yet, brother & sister same answered. even they interviewed separately. First they called my brother in the room. Co asked him that he saw his facebook & found his kids pics on his dp. stated those are my little cousins. Then the Co called my sister & asked my brother to go out of room. after my brother left the room, Co told my sister that your brother told us that he is married & have 2 sons. My sister answered he's not then why would he say that he has kids when there is not. Co try to convince her that yes your brother is married & he told us so better you also tell the truth. she said we are not married & this is gonna be our answer no matter if you ask 100 times. at the end of this drama, Co kept their passport & said we will investigate & will let you know. they did not gave them any 221g nor timeframe for investigation. However, my sister got visa within a week & my brother was put under AP for almost 45 days. Alhamdulillah he got  visa after 45 days. 

However, I would suggest just submit your BC & wait. If everything is legal on file You will get your visas Insha Allah. just pray & stay calm. Insha Allah you will hear back from embassy within a few weeks. 

[Salman94 1]

6 hours ago, Going through said:

The CO kept insisting that your brother take his passport back for work purposes.  Your brother kept insisting the CO keep it.  The only person who put his job at stake is him.  He should request it back if he's concerned.

 

 Was the document actually the original, true document, and that's why you were protesting?  Or was the certificate knowingly not a true document, and you were protesting the CO should accept it anyhow?  If the second one, you were very lucky with the CO you got, as they were actually trying to help you there.

No, as it turned out, it was a color photocopy. Yes, we are releived now that we had taken it back. Issue we think is that. My father was on visit visa and he was not allowed to work there and we believe that saying that our father used to go to the stores of my uncles have created a doubt that he was employed there. 

[Salman94 1]

7 hours ago, NuestraUnion said:

You keep asking about how much time specifically it will take. You have to understand that NO ONE can answer that question accurately. AP can take days, weeks, months, or even years.

 

Noboday can give you a timeline. All you can do now is wait. Your brother insisting on the CO taking the passport will not make things better.  If it take months your brother will then have to request the passport back.

But is there any way we can find what procedure would they follow?

[Triple28 65]

Some COs use a strategy when they interview. Hard question and rude are some of them. As long as you give them a true statement, detail information, and remain calm, they will believe you. 

 

People thought that interview for family petition is not hard as interview for spouse petition, so they don't prepare well. When they feel nervous, they cannot give a clear answer and raise a suspicous about honest.

 

For the birth certificate, the CO did not believe it was true, and he noted that in the checklist which was sent to the interviewer later. That's why the interviewer asked you many questions.

 

For the question "why did you stay for 6 months in visiting US?", she thought your father had stayed there to work (not permitted with visiting visa). If your father said that he visited friends and families, he had to give more details such as visited locations, which friends, how long... not a general answer like travel many place. That's why the translator did not translate his answer because it was not what the CO want. When your father said that he went to uncle's store in US, they knew "Ah ha you worked there with your visiting visa", and revoked his visiting visa.

 

For the arabic police certificate, although it has an English part, she needed a translation for arabic part, because she did not know what it was and need a translator to certify that the arabic content was the same as English. That's why she did not happy when missing the English translation.

 

For the action sending back your brother's passport, she knew the procedure would be very long. Your brother should got his passport and applied later when your visa approved. The confrontation with the CO was not a good idea, because she had a bad impression with your case already.

 

I don't think the CO did something wrong, at least they gave your many chances to avoid problem with Fraud and Willful Misrepresentation, which leads to a ban for visa. For 221g form which they sent you, at least they need only your father's birth certificate. As long as you can provide it you will be okay.

 

The status will be changed to Refused, then Administrative Processing after you submit missing documents.

As long as it shows AP, it is a good suggestion that it will be shown Issued.

However, no one can give you an exact date for how long of the process. There are people had been waiting for 3 months after submiting missing docs.

What you can do is checking the status and praying.

 

Remember that, you have to submit ALL of required documents at the SAME time. Do not submit several documents in several times which will lead to a delay, because they will not review your docs until they believe that you submit them ALL.

[Triple28 65]

32 minutes ago, Salman94 said:

No, as it turned out, it was a color photocopy.

When the CO saw a color photocopy of birth certificate, he though it was created by a computer and assumed it was fake. You have to find your father's original birth certificate which is genuine.

[Salman94 1]

3 hours ago, Triple28 said:

When the CO saw a color photocopy of birth certificate, he though it was created by a computer and assumed it was fake. You have to find your father's original birth certificate which is genuine.

Yes we will send it in a few days. What else should we do to make things better?

[Visitor User 253]

You can get a NADRA Birth Certificate from a Union Council.

[Amadia 711]

17 hours ago, Salman94 said:

She kept all of our passports but gave my elder brother his passport so that he can go back to Qatar for his job.

THIS should at least have been a sign of relief. If the officer had returned the passports then I could understand the confusion but she did not. The interview you had sounds very normal. Remember, officers are trained to be strict and ask difficult questions. They usually know EVERYTHING about your case even before they schedule you for an interview. When they ask you these questions, it's only to ensure that you answer accurately as per the evidence you included in your file. The 221(g) was only to provide the original birth certificate so get that to them and then they will continue to deliberate on your case.

Also, the stamp in your dad's passport that the officer put, they did the same when I got my passport back with the valid green card in it. The stamp reads: CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. This stamp is to cancel the tourist visa so that they can put the immigrant visa......in your case.......the F4 visa in the passport. This is because you cannot have more than one active visa in your passport.

 

Most importantly......RELAX!

I can understand that the visa process and interview can be nerve wrecking but try not to be amped up about it.