Delay in receiving my passport and Kids passports - what is going on?

[Wizzo 0]

Hi everyone!

i have completed my interview process early May and I was missing criminal records which I have submitted later along with the passports. Later on, they sent me a further application requesting information like previous addresses, spouses, presence on social media and handheld names in June. I have submitted this application via email as per their request and since then, I have not heard from them - should I be worried? As far as I understand, the interview went well and we were not asked any questions that weren’t normal. I also know that the administrative process shouldn’t take more than 60 days .... what’s going on? Someone who works at the embassy in their security dept said that they have taken the numbers needed and not everyone who was selected in the initial process will get a visa. This person didn’t relay this info to me but to a friend who was asking a general question. What do you think is going on? Should I be worried or is it a good sign that they still have our passports? Have you heard of similar cases or situations? I just sent them an email requesting updates. 

Thanks for helping out if you have any idea!

[geowrian 22,337]

7 minutes ago, Wizzo said:

I also know that the administrative process shouldn’t take more than 60 days ....

For a DS-5535, the wait is typically longer than 60 days. Here's the megathread discussing it:

 

All you can do is wait. It could be within 60 days. It could be months longer. They're doing additional background checks.

[YooJin 3]

32 minutes ago, Wizzo said:

Hi everyone!

i have completed my interview process early May and I was missing criminal records which I have submitted later along with the passports. Later on, they sent me a further application requesting information like previous addresses, spouses, presence on social media and handheld names in June. I have submitted this application via email as per their request and since then, I have not heard from them - should I be worried? As far as I understand, the interview went well and we were not asked any questions that weren’t normal. I also know that the administrative process shouldn’t take more than 60 days .... what’s going on? Someone who works at the embassy in their security dept said that they have taken the numbers needed and not everyone who was selected in the initial process will get a visa. This person didn’t relay this info to me but to a friend who was asking a general question. What do you think is going on? Should I be worried or is it a good sign that they still have our passports? Have you heard of similar cases or situations? I just sent them an email requesting updates. 

Thanks for helping out if you have any idea!

Hi! I am in same situation... but my wait is 10 months.(This form is background check form as I know. What is your region? (That two letters of you case number)

[Wizzo 0]

Thank you Geowrian! 

 

I forgot to mention that we are on a DV lottery ... is that a requirement as well? The SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS FOR VISA APPLICANTS form didn’t have any numbers though.

[Wizzo 0]

1 minute ago, YooJin said:

Hi! I am in same situation... but my wait is 10 months.(This form is background check form as I know. What is your region? (That two letters of you case number)

I’m in Egypt - the letters are AF. Did you ask them? What if people have to travel on business trips!! What are people in your region telling you? What’s your region?

[geowrian 22,337]

10 minutes ago, Wizzo said:

I forgot to mention that we are on a DV lottery ... is that a requirement as well? The SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS FOR VISA APPLICANTS form didn’t have any numbers though.

It applies for any visa, but is typically more often seen with immigrant ones (AFAIK). Who gets one is basically an unknown...some are random, some are believed to be based on country travel history or residency, etc.

 

7 minutes ago, Wizzo said:

What if people have to travel on business trips!!

You can request your passport back at any time. They cannot issue the visa without it, but once they complete AP, they will request the passport again to issue the visa.

[YooJin 3]

8 minutes ago, Wizzo said:

I’m in Egypt - the letters are AF. Did you ask them? What if people have to travel on business trips!! What are people in your region telling you? What’s your region?

My region is EU. This year for DV 2018 - is not good for EU visas because our quota is almost reached. Your region is OK. Still many visa numbers will be available in September. Just stay strong and wait. Keep sending inquiries.

[YooJin 3]

I do not recommend you to request your passport now. Because our fiscal year is near and when they decide to issue visa they need your passport urgently. Just wait till the end of Sept. and send polite inquiries. God bless you.)

[Wizzo 0]

Thank you Yoojin! I have sent an inquiry and I have asked them if I could have my passport because I need to go on a business trip. Will wait and see their reply. Good luck with your visa! Fingers crossed!

How do you know if a region is OK or still has quotas in its numbers?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

36 minutes ago, Wizzo said:

Thank you Yoojin! I have sent an inquiry and I have asked them if I could have my passport because I need to go on a business trip. Will wait and see their reply. Good luck with your visa! Fingers crossed!

How do you know if a region is OK or still has quotas in its numbers?

 

I agree asking for your passport back could be kind of dodgy under current circumstances, but there's so much uncertainty about what will happen when, if anything ...

There are a few threads where people have posted what emails from embassies properly detailing what you were told, in basic terms this is what happened: when your AP crossed a month end, your embassy had to return your pre-allocated visa numbers to KCC for reallocation to newly scheduled cases. You are now awaiting new visa numbers, which the embassy requests again when AP is completed. But: visa numbers for the current DV year have however been allocated now, so right now there are no visa numbers available for you. There will however be some visa numbers made available over the course of the next approx 6 weeks till fiscal year end as there will be outright denials and some no-shows among remaining applicants. These numbers will be reallocated to those like you who are waiting, presumably in order of when your AP was completed, or something. So you could hear at any time between now and Sept 30 that visa numbers have become available. Under the circumstances, if they don't have your passport, they may just go to the next in line to issue -- or they could call you to send it back - I don't know - and of course you don't know where on the waitlist you are. So... a lot of uncertainty. Hope you manage to get your visas.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

It applies for any visa, but is typically more often seen with immigrant ones (AFAIK). Who gets one is basically an unknown...some are random, some are believed to be based on country travel history or residency, etc.

 

 

Technically it's random, but let's be honest about it, there is a very common thread among the majority religion  as well as general regional origin of applicants who get this form.  

[Wizzo 0]

18 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

Technically it's random, but let's be honest about it, there is a very common thread among the majority religion  as well as general regional origin of applicants who get this form.  

Thank you SusieQQ .... are you saying it has to do with being Muslim? Really?

[Wizzo 0]

21 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

 

I agree asking for your passport back could be kind of dodgy under current circumstances, but there's so much uncertainty about what will happen when, if anything ...

There are a few threads where people have posted what emails from embassies properly detailing what you were told, in basic terms this is what happened: when your AP crossed a month end, your embassy had to return your pre-allocated visa numbers to KCC for reallocation to newly scheduled cases. You are now awaiting new visa numbers, which the embassy requests again when AP is completed. But: visa numbers for the current DV year have however been allocated now, so right now there are no visa numbers available for you. There will however be some visa numbers made available over the course of the next approx 6 weeks till fiscal year end as there will be outright denials and some no-shows among remaining applicants. These numbers will be reallocated to those like you who are waiting, presumably in order of when your AP was completed, or something. So you could hear at any time between now and Sept 30 that visa numbers have become available. Under the circumstances, if they don't have your passport, they may just go to the next in line to issue -- or they could call you to send it back - I don't know - and of course you don't know where on the waitlist you are. So... a lot of uncertainty. Hope you manage to get your visas.

I must travel in November for my graduation in the UK and I can not afford to keep hanging on with no idea on anything. They’ve had my passport since May! Can you imagine! It’s like my life has been out on hold 😒

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, Wizzo said:

I must travel in November for my graduation in the UK and I can not afford to keep hanging on with no idea on anything. They’ve had my passport since May! Can you imagine! It’s like my life has been out on hold 😒

Well why do you need it now if you are only traveling in November though? Whatever happens, the latest you’ll get it back is early October. 

[geowrian 22,337]

2 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Technically it's random, but let's be honest about it, there is a very common thread among the majority religion  as well as general regional origin of applicants who get this form.  

It certainly is more common in some areas than others...currently that's primarily in MENA's Muslim-majority countries. That said, Indonesia is majority Muslim and I have not seen it particularly often from there, and I have seen it rise up with Christian-majority nations as well (i.e. Philippines). So it depends on a bunch of factors that we aren't privy to...but yeah, Egyptians are often fairly hit with it relatively.