Form DS-5535 "Supplemental Questions for Visa Applicants" -- Part 2

[Nasimusa123 1]

Does writ of mandamus really work ??

[Mrs Rizwan 1]

23 hours ago, Roki12 said:

I was also stuck in Ap after 11 months of interview now i got visa. first you join Ap group on whatsapp where all Pakistanis peoples are stuck in Ap. its help a lot 

2nd when embassy want to process your case then they will send you email and ask about your husband 2nd medical and resubmit his Ds-260. 

And in Ap group every one whose status showed Ap turn into refused so you guys must joint that group. 

Hello, my family is also stuck in AP , category f3 , and got  questioner after 15 days , at interview they give us 221g and said you will receive mail within 2 days but they send after 15 days.at interview everything was ok , but we have lot of travel history in Middle Eastern countries so counslar told we want details of last 15 yrs travel history. Our status also changed from AP to refused with no updates.can you give us the link of Whatsapp group for Pakistani applicants.

[FA90 0]

Hello everyone, 

I have been following this thread for about a year and a half but i never posted. 

My journey started in August 2018 when initially my H1B visa was approved but then I got a call telling me that I need additional processing and to fill the DS5535 form. 

My visa was issued on March 4 2018 and I received my passport yesterday. 

I have few words of advice for those of you who are still waiting. I know and I have personally experienced the horrible feeling of uncertainty caused by this long wait for over 18 months. But trust that there is light at the end of the tunnel since seriously I have not heard yet of anyone who got rejected ( I am sure there are few but very small percentage). 

1. I filed a writ of Mandamus on January 16 and they received it around two weeks later. I believe if I have not done this step, I will most definitely be still waiting now. So thank you for those who without knowing it, encouraged me to do it. 

2. Please do not obsess about the CEAC status check website, I guess especially those of you on non immigrant visas. Mine did not update a single time since I submitted the DS5535 until the day the embassy actually called me to inform me of the approval. After I received the call, I checked and the date was changed. If the date is not changing or changing or whatever, it doesnt mean they are not working on ur case. Try to forget about it.

3. I very much understand that family comes first to most people and I totally respect that. But also alot of us have travel plans related to important career moves or job offers or education degrees. Please lets all support each other and not make statements about only immigrant visas being important. Also let me tell you that there are separate immigrant and non immigrant visa sections run by different people so NO processing of one is not more important than the other and actually numbers and wait times reflect both are very similar if we compare times spent specifically in "AP" and not other steps. 

Good luck to everyone and stay hopeful!

 

[Nasimusa123 1]

3 hours ago, FA90 said:

Hello everyone, 

I have been following this thread for about a year and a half but i never posted. 

My journey started in August 2018 when initially my H1B visa was approved but then I got a call telling me that I need additional processing and to fill the DS5535 form. 

My visa was issued on March 4 2018 and I received my passport yesterday. 

I have few words of advice for those of you who are still waiting. I know and I have personally experienced the horrible feeling of uncertainty caused by this long wait for over 18 months. But trust that there is light at the end of the tunnel since seriously I have not heard yet of anyone who got rejected ( I am sure there are few but very small percentage). 

1. I filed a writ of Mandamus on January 16 and they received it around two weeks later. I believe if I have not done this step, I will most definitely be still waiting now. So thank you for those who without knowing it, encouraged me to do it. 

2. Please do not obsess about the CEAC status check website, I guess especially those of you on non immigrant visas. Mine did not update a single time since I submitted the DS5535 until the day the embassy actually called me to inform me of the approval. After I received the call, I checked and the date was changed. If the date is not changing or changing or whatever, it doesnt mean they are not working on ur case. Try to forget about it.

3. I very much understand that family comes first to most people and I totally respect that. But also alot of us have travel plans related to important career moves or job offers or education degrees. Please lets all support each other and not make statements about only immigrant visas being important. Also let me tell you that there are separate immigrant and non immigrant visa sections run by different people so NO processing of one is not more important than the other and actually numbers and wait times reflect both are very similar if we compare times spent specifically in "AP" and not other steps. 

Good luck to everyone and stay hopeful!

 

Lawyer name please 

[Tory&Taz 9]

Has anyone come across a list or something that shows approx. AP wait times?

i know each case is different, I’m just looking for any thing to hold on to.....over 3 years since this whole things started and 90 weeks in AP....

[NilsaNAnil 22]

10 hours ago, Tory&Taz said:

Has anyone come across a list or something that shows approx. AP wait times?

i know each case is different, I’m just looking for any thing to hold on to.....over 3 years since this whole things started and 90 weeks in AP....

I don’t think there’s a “specific”

time line but I’ve seen a trend in regards to Afghanistan which Is my husband’s country that people get their visa around the 3rd year since whole process began

[ali azher khan 3]

Your status says expiring soon and mine says EXPIRED any body has same experience ?

[Rkhan@123 35]

24 minutes ago, ali azher khan said:

Your status says expiring soon and mine says EXPIRED any body has same experience ?

In my case February 20, 2020 one year completed in AP and next day status changed from Ready to Expiring soon which still same Expiring soon. 

[Roki12 3]

6 hours ago, ali azher khan said:

Your status says expiring soon and mine says EXPIRED any body has same experience ?

After one year of interview Ds-260 Expired its just a wording   

[Tory&Taz 9]

On 3/8/2020 at 7:49 AM, NilsaNAnil said:

I don’t think there’s a “specific”

time line but I’ve seen a trend in regards to Afghanistan which Is my husband’s country that people get their visa around the 3rd year since whole process began

Thank you for your insight on your husbands country. I agree with there not being a specific one. I was hoping that after all this time someone might have gathered data about cases being approved and created something. I’m just grabbing at straws at this point as I know a lot of us on this forum are. 

[Tory&Taz 9]

Ok....I get the whole “refused” thing is just a name change and doesn’t mean anything, but am I the only one who thinks the word “refused” is a lot more harsh than “Administrative processing”? My heart drops every time I see the status now!! 

[NilsaNAnil 22]

12 hours ago, Tory&Taz said:

Ok....I get the whole “refused” thing is just a name change and doesn’t mean anything, but am I the only one who thinks the word “refused” is a lot more harsh than “Administrative processing”? My heart drops every time I see the status now!! 

My heart drops as well 😞

[Rami91 37]

any one knows if the travel ban will affect the k-1 visa from Europe? 

[khadijamome 2]

Hey is there anyone from pakistan who received this form? What is the minimum processing time of this form?

[NGill 3]

Update: after being in Administrative processing with DS5535

 

12-18-19: My fiancé had interview and at the interview was told approved, given pink slip.
12-23-19: received email from Montreal for DS-5535. (let c how long this process takes, there is no timeframe per my research, people are waiting from 2 months to years)
1-6-20: Received verification from embassy received DS5535 email from us.

1-7-20 / 1-10-20 / 1-15-20 : case status updated
1-21-20: emailed from embassy to send in passport (which was originally kept at during the interview)
1-27-20: sent in all documents to embassy with letter stating passport was kept after the interview on 12-18-20
1-28-20: embassy received sent documents
1-29-20: email for inquiry sent
1-30-20: case status update 
2-3-20: standard response from embassy for inquiry
2-5-20 / 2-10-20: case status updated
2-13-20: status changed to visa issued

2-14-20: passport with issued visa mailed
2-17-20: passport in hand with issued visa
2-19-20: Fiancé entered US through SFO airport (My fiancé had his immigration process occur in Canada and in US he did not have to do anything) (I94 was also issued electronically without any fees.)
2-28-20: religious and court marriage