Travel Ban Support Group

[salhasl 113]

 

On 2/27/2019 at 7:00 AM, Anibunny said:

Anyone have info on the 2 K1 visas given to Iranian for jan 2019? Such as How long in AP or any circumstances?

The last few months have been none given or only 1, so I was excited to see 2 for the month of Jan. Hope this trends starts to pick up. 

While its great that 1 or 2 are being issued keep in mind before the ban 30 to 40 were issued per month. The 1 or 2 most likely are either exceptions or ones that went into AP before the ban. The average ap looks like is going to be more than 1 year. 

[lorene21 11]

16 hours ago, mado1983 said:

any one knows how long will take the congressman office to give you an answer for an inquiry you asked them to do it in your behalf ??!!

I contacted my congressman few weeks ago, everything took like 2 weeks, between the documents you have to fill out (authorizing them to inquire about your case) and the office contacting the DS and Embassy. I know for a lot of people this has been useful. For me, it wasn't. The State Department and Embassy answered them with the same answer they always give me.... your case is in AP, it can take several months, bla bla... I think it's good you do it anyway. Use all the resources you have!!

[lorene21 11]

2 hours ago, salhasl said:

 

While its great that 1 or 2 are being issued keep in mind before the ban 30 to 40 were issued per month. The 1 or 2 most likely are either exceptions or ones that went into AP before the ban. The average ap looks like is going to be more than 1 year. 

No one it's going to give us back the time we have lost without our love ones. I wish everyone find a way to spend time with your love ones while we wait. 

[Muhammad&Mansory 117]

34 minutes ago, lorene21 said:

I contacted my congressman few weeks ago, everything took like 2 weeks, between the documents you have to fill out (authorizing them to inquire about your case) and the office contacting the DS and Embassy. I know for a lot of people this has been useful. For me, it wasn't. The State Department and Embassy answered them with the same answer they always give me.... your case is in AP, it can take several months, bla bla... I think it's good you do it anyway. Use all the resources you have!!

I have been doing the same and receiving the cliche answer  however, two days ago I sent an email to the embassy directly and received the following interesting answer: 

 

Dear Applicant,    Thank you for your inquiry.    We understand that your query is regarding the case status.    We are escalating your case for final resolution and you will receive a follow-up email with further guidance.    Thank you,    U.S. Visa Service Desk.   Hopefully it means something positive is going to happen!

[lorene21 11]

2 hours ago, Muhammadsheikhale said:

I have been doing the same and receiving the cliche answer  however, two days ago I sent an email to the embassy directly and received the following interesting answer: 

 

Dear Applicant,    Thank you for your inquiry.    We understand that your query is regarding the case status.    We are escalating your case for final resolution and you will receive a follow-up email with further guidance.    Thank you,    U.S. Visa Service Desk.   Hopefully it means something positive is going to happen!

Wuao!! That's great!! Hopefully, all this come to an end for you and soon your visa can be issued. Inshallah. 

[Muhammad&Mansory 117]

13 minutes ago, lorene21 said:

Wuao!! That's great!! Hopefully, all this come to an end for you and soon your visa can be issued. Inshallah. 

I hope so. in the email, I kind of begged them not to send me the cliche answer they usually do! 

I will update you with any new info. 

 

Today I came across this depressing article
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/travel-ban-visa-applications_n_5c76c4f3e4b08c4f555691a3?fbclid=IwAR0w_Nu4Tt0PW3sDBzGIi9-EWCLae1zS7WszTTeil5Lu_V9RCBwmKaQb9P4 

[lorene21 11]

8 minutes ago, Muhammadsheikhale said:

I hope so. in the email, I kind of begged them not to send me the cliche answer they usually do! 

I will update you with any new info. 

 

Today I came across this depressing article
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/travel-ban-visa-applications_n_5c76c4f3e4b08c4f555691a3?fbclid=IwAR0w_Nu4Tt0PW3sDBzGIi9-EWCLae1zS7WszTTeil5Lu_V9RCBwmKaQb9P4 

Yes, it's sad. That's why I say that if anyone has the option to live with their love one while they wait, it's so much better. We do not know how long more we will have to wait. Each case different timing. I wish I would have known this would take this much, I would have left long time ago. 

[salhasl 113]

3 hours ago, Muhammadsheikhale said:

I hope so. in the email, I kind of begged them not to send me the cliche answer they usually do! 

I will update you with any new info. 

 

Today I came across this depressing article
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/travel-ban-visa-applications_n_5c76c4f3e4b08c4f555691a3?fbclid=IwAR0w_Nu4Tt0PW3sDBzGIi9-EWCLae1zS7WszTTeil5Lu_V9RCBwmKaQb9P4 

I read this article. Typically im the most negative person when it comes to reality of the situation but this article is misleading atleast from a spouse Visa standpoint. Spouse visas are not denied. They never have been. The whole confusion is because they say refused but what it means is pending AP. 

 

The reality is spouse sponsorship takes 1 to 2 years regardless of travel ban. With travel ban its 2 to ?? Years. The ?? Is what we dont know. The monthly numbers will tell us. We know its more than 1 year. The month you see monthyl numbers revert back to normal count back to dec 2017 is the average ap. 

 

I see yemen being approved in large numbers. I have a feeling they are prioritizing yemen. Maybe because of the war may be lawsuits maybe strategic relationships god knows. 

 

Meanwhile we spend thousands of dollars on airfare and overseas trips that could be benefiting the US economy. 

[MohammedMohammedk 5]

On 2/25/2019 at 3:22 PM, JessM28 said:

Best of luck my friend! I am glad that you will keep us posted! Has your lawyer already started putting together a waiver packet? Our lawyer wants us to put together one and to email it to the embassy a week before the interview. I have already started working on a letter to request a travel ban waiver. 

Thank you best of luck to you 2. The embassy in Djibouti they don’t take anything before the interview and if I have something to say I say it during the interview. 

[mado1983 79]

6 hours ago, Muhammadsheikhale said:

I have been doing the same and receiving the cliche answer  however, two days ago I sent an email to the embassy directly and received the following interesting answer: 

 

Dear Applicant,    Thank you for your inquiry.    We understand that your query is regarding the case status.    We are escalating your case for final resolution and you will receive a follow-up email with further guidance.    Thank you,    U.S. Visa Service Desk.   Hopefully it means something positive is going to happen!

defiantly its a good thing..... its good news for me too

[Mike_usa_eng 1]

 

Travel ban separates families and uproot lives, and the waiver process has been proven to be a sham (former consular officers stated that they were instructed to deny or delay almost all waivers ). We want to bring public attention to this ban’s continued impact on our lives and ask the newly-elected congress members to oversee implementation of the waiver process and work to exempt the families.

Share your story in :

in 1 minute video explain how travel ban effetced your life ans share it

https://app.in-it.com/missions/StopTheBan

 

[JennaL 151]

11 hours ago, Mike_usa_eng said:

 

Travel ban separates families and uproot lives, and the waiver process has been proven to be a sham (former consular officers stated that they were instructed to deny or delay almost all waivers ). We want to bring public attention to this ban’s continued impact on our lives and ask the newly-elected congress members to oversee implementation of the waiver process and work to exempt the families.

Share your story in :

in 1 minute video explain how travel ban effetced your life ans share it

https://app.in-it.com/missions/StopTheBan

 

Thanks, @Mike_usa_eng for posting the link for in-it.  I know a few of us here have posted our videos to the app - I hope many more here on VJ will be prompted to do so as well.

[JennaL 151]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-affected-trump-travel-ban-refugees-immigrants-1.3957059

 

So it looks like Canadians with dual citizanship with a banned country are not affected by the ban/extreme vetting and can freely enter the US with their Canadian passport like anyone else.

 

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? I’m totally shocked if this is accurate. 

[salhasl 113]

7 hours ago, JennaL said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-affected-trump-travel-ban-refugees-immigrants-1.3957059

 

So it looks like Canadians with dual citizanship with a banned country are not affected by the ban/extreme vetting and can freely enter the US with their Canadian passport like anyone else.

 

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? I’m totally shocked if this is accurate. 

Dual citizens have always been exempt from the travel ban.

 

[JennaL 151]

Yes, that’s correct. I was just surprised because everyone that I know who is a former citizen of a banned country, included my fiancé who holds Norwegian/Iranian citizenship have been waiting months or years for their administrative processing  to complete for spousal/fiancé/visitors visas. 

 

I received the above article from my fiance’s cousin who is a Canadian/Iranian dual citizen. He has been traveling between Toronto and the US quite frequently with no visa required (unlike other dual citizens), with just his Canadian passport. 

 

It would seem that those who are originally from a banned country, but currently hold Canadian citizenship are not subject to the ban or extreme vetting when wishing to enter the US. 

 

Just curious as to why someone like my fiancé’s Iranian/Canadian cousin can enter the US, but my Iranian/Norwegian fiancé can’t. 

 

Of course I could be misunderstanding the article or maybe the article is not factual.