Refusal after interview - does it ever end

[AlaMike 230]

I have been keeping up with my fiancés "status" since her interview on Nov. 19th. Her status has been "refused" and to follow instructions given.

She was told her Visa was approved and they took her passport. 

I thought the refusal was due to our son's CRBA interview, since we we waiting on his US passport and that they told her they would send them together.

I sent a request for information on why the status was refused since his Passport had been approved.

 

The Embassy responded with the following:

December 28, 2020

Dear Mr. Barnett:

To enable us to continue processing the applicant's case, please have the applicant submit her valid passport to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (Attn: Immigrant Visa Unit) via any branch of 2GO courier service with the applicant's name, case number, and current contact information clearly indicated.

Once we receive the letter, we will refer the case to a consular officer for review.

We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely, 

CONSULAR COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

 I can only assume that this "refusal" was because she was not thinking and had her current passport renewed and the new number has superseded the one she used in the interview.

This was done just a couple weeks before her interview and the new one was only available "after" her interview. The only problem now is that the Embassy has her old one and she was told she had to have it in order to get the new one.

Anyway... at no time has the Embassy sent and email or notification stating anything was needed. I guess it would have stayed that way until I checked... OK rant over.

[Coco8 1,042]

You always need to submit the latest passport. What is the problem? You were not refused. They just cannot stamp a visa in the old passport.

[AlaMike 230]

8 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

You always need to submit the latest passport. What is the problem? You were not refused. They just cannot stamp a visa in the old passport.

I was not interpreting the refusal status as a denial. Just the fact that at no time was anything sent to request there was an issue with her current passport.

She had to have a passport when she took the interview and she took the current one. I was thinking that it would be valid until it was given back to be cancelled when she picked up the new one.

I guess everything works a little different in the Philippines. OK, OK... a lot different.

[Chancy 6,240]

36 minutes ago, AlaMike said:

This was done just a couple weeks before her interview and the new one was only available "after" her interview.

 

Why did she need to renew her passport?  Is it expiring within the next 6 months?

 

I know it's too late now, but if the old passport had more than 6 months validity left by the time she travels, it would have been better to renew it after she arrives in the US.

 

[AlaMike 230]

1 minute ago, Chancy said:

 

Why did she need to renew her passport?  Is it expiring within the next 6 months?

 

I know it's too late now, but if the old passport had more than 6 months validity left by the time she travels, it would have been better to renew it after she arrives in the US.

 

She was getting our son's Philippine passport and the person talked her into getting hers renewed even though she still had over a year left.

And not knowing that we would be getting an expedited interview appointment that fell in the middle of actually getting the new passport.

Like they say... timing is everything.

[Chancy 6,240]

15 minutes ago, AlaMike said:

She was getting our son's Philippine passport and the person talked her into getting hers renewed even though she still had over a year left.

And not knowing that we would be getting an expedited interview appointment that fell in the middle of actually getting the new passport.

Like they say... timing is everything.

 

Aww, that's unfortunate.  Seems like you're going to have to ask USEM to send back her old passport.  DFA won't let her claim the new one without first punching holes on the bio-page of the old passport.

 

[AlaMike 230]

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

Aww, that's unfortunate.  Seems like you're going to have to ask USEM to send back her old passport.  DFA won't let her claim the new one without first punching holes on the bio-page of the old passport.

 

What happens to people that lose or have theirs stolen? I thought of having her tell them it was lost by USEM, didn't know if that would work or not.

[Chancy 6,240]

15 minutes ago, AlaMike said:

What happens to people that lose or have theirs stolen? I thought of having her tell them it was lost by USEM, didn't know if that would work or not.

 

Not sure if DFA will even believe you as they know this rarely happens.  In any case, DFA might ask for a police report and an affidavit of loss.  Might be less hassle to just get the old passport from USEM.

 

Also, if DFA checks with USEM after you tell them the passport was lost, then you're screwed.  I don't recommend trying this.

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by Chancy

[AlaMike 230]

8 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

Not sure if DFA will even believe you as they know this rarely happens.  In any case, DFA might ask for a police report and an affidavit of loss.  Might be less hassle to just get the old passport from USEM.

 

Also, if DFA checks with USEM after you tell them the passport was lost, then you're screwed.  I don't recommend trying this.

 

With my luck, it would turn out bad.

I did send an email about her passport and I am going to try and call them also.

[flicks1998 1,044]

8 hours ago, AlaMike said:

What happens to people that lose or have theirs stolen? I thought of having her tell them it was lost by USEM, didn't know if that would work or not.

Well, I may be able to help answer that.   I think our interviews were within days of each other.  We did receive the visa and passport and within 48 hours promptly had the passport stolen   So, the nightmare also continues.  I wont hijack the thread but will can create another one in a few days on this subject.  The only place that a passport can be renewed before mid-March is in Tuguegarao and that is where she is now under quarantine.  Its going to be tough to get to the US before the medical expires but we will try.......also Philippines flipping out by this new virus variant (which was known since September) and today banned flights from any country with just 1 case of it.  US not on the list yet but I expect it to be soon.........also, in-class learning suspended for all of 2021.......tourism not expected to start until at least September or October.  2021 will be the same as 2020 for the Philippines.  

[flicks1998 1,044]

8 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Not sure if DFA will even believe you as they know this rarely happens.  In any case, DFA might ask for a police report and an affidavit of loss.  Might be less hassle to just get the old passport from USEM.

 

Also, if DFA checks with USEM after you tell them the passport was lost, then you're screwed.  I don't recommend trying this.

 

 

Yeah I agree with this.  With our stolen passport, we had to get a police report and affidavit of loss.  Plus, as mentioned in the previous post, there is only one place in the country, Tuguegarao, where you can get a passport in 12 business days from applying.  But, once you enter Cagayan Valley, you need to go straight to the Cagayan Valley Dept of Health, pay 3800 pesos for a swab test, then go to quarantine hotel (all of this under police escort), then get your results, print them, go to CV Health Dept for certificate then to DFA.  At this very moment she is going to get the health certificate then to DFA. 

 

Get the old passport back from USEM.  You will enter a nightmare if you say it was lost.  Plus we have been working on this for a week and there is NO consistent information out there.   

[Chancy 6,240]

44 minutes ago, flicks1998 said:

We did receive the visa and passport and within 48 hours promptly had the passport stolen

 

O M G.  Never thought I'd say this to someone who isn't bereaved, but I am sorry for your loss.  Has the embassy already agreed to re-issuing the visa as soon as you send in the new passport?

 

44 minutes ago, flicks1998 said:

The only place that a passport can be renewed before mid-March is in Tuguegarao and that is where she is now under quarantine.

 

I realize this is too late now as your fiancee is already in Tuguegarao, but for other readers who may find themselves with urgent need -- the appointment calendar for DFA Ilocos Norte is wide open.  They have slots available for next week, Jan 5 onwards.  I've been regularly monitoring the passport appointment site since early December and the Ilocos Norte calendar for 1 week out has been consistently green.  After Christmas, Baguio, La Union, and Pampanga also opened up slots for January.  As for Metro Manila, Ali Mall Cubao has many slots made available today for January.

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Chancy
added DFA sites

[flicks1998 1,044]

14 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

O M G.  Never thought I'd say this to someone who isn't bereaved, but I am sorry for your loss.  Has the embassy already agreed to re-issuing the visa as soon as you send in the new passport?

 

 

I realize this is too late now as your fiancee is already in Tuguegarao, but for other readers who may find themselves with urgent need -- the appointment calendar for DFA Ilocos Norte is wide open.  They have slots available for next week, Jan 5 onwards.  I've been regularly monitoring the passport appointment site since early December and the Ilocos Norte calendar for 1 week out has been consistently green.  After Christmas, Baguio, La Union, and Pampanga also opened up slots for January.  As for Metro Manila, Ali Mall Cubao has many slots made available today for January.

 

Wow thanks for the update.  We were looking at the different locations in the Philippines and everything was showing red last week except Tuguegarao.  Baguio had shown some green but then that changed to red the same day.  I guess it has to be monitored daily.  Cubao would have been great   We are only a few miles from there, however its a race to beat the Feb 22 date of the expiring medical.  Just for the van, swab test, and quarantine hotel for 1-2 nights is around 12-13K pesos.   

 

We went to Calamba to get a bag and her things 2 days after the visa came.  We ended up taking a bus up to Alabang as traffic was so horrific due to the problems with the RFID, in fact it was a traffic jam from Calamba all the way to Edsa.  Grab was going to be over 3000p so I thought best to just get a bus, eat in Alabang, and then continue.  When getting off the bus she left her small bag on the seat and since we were in the 2nd to last row of the bus, the people behind us must have seen it and taken it.  We tried to find them with the help of security but it was too late.  I was pretty speechless for a day or two and quite angry on why in the world would we bring a passport to Calamba, I didnt even bring mine when we went.  Anyway, it doesnt help to focus on what has happened, but what needs to be done going forward.  I get too angry thinking about all of it.  

 

I have not told the Embassy yet as I want to have a clear plan in place for them so they can hopefully issue asap.  I dont want to tell them and give them a bunch of what ifs.  I just got a text that my fiance has successfully applied for her new passport in Tuguegarao and should have it around January 22 or 23rd which only gives us a month until her medical will expire.  She has not done the CFO yet, but will schedule that tomorrow as she can do that without the passport (we confirmed this already).  Once that is scheduled and done (in the next week or so) I will then write the embassy, send the police report and affidavit of loss strictly as proof of what happened and then give them a set timeline that I can meet and just need their help to re-issue the visa ASAP if possible.  We were granted an expedite interview based on my son not being in school and now that the country has extended no in-class learning for all of 2021, I will tell them I would appreciate getting this visa so we can make a flight before the 22nd of Feb.  

 

Ill also ask them if I have to update (or submit) a new DS-160 with the new passport number or if they will do that themselves.  

 

Thanks again for the update on locations.  Ill do a write-up in a week or so on this whole process we have gone through, also ways to get around some provinces quarantine periods and also contact info on vans, etc in Manila that are doing special runs to the north.

 

Im due back to the US January 15th but not sure if Ill extend or not.  The visa I have expires on Jan 30th but I was told at immigration at the airport its extendable.  

 

 

[Adventine 3,189]

12 hours ago, AlaMike said:

She was getting our son's Philippine passport and the person talked her into getting hers renewed even though she still had over a year left.

And not knowing that we would be getting an expedited interview appointment that fell in the middle of actually getting the new passport.

Like they say... timing is everything.

 

The staff at the DFA probably meant well when encouraging your fiancée to get her passport renewed... likely without knowing there was a visa about to be issued.

 

Glad to know new passport appointment slots have opened up! I last checked in Nov 2020 and the appointment slots filled up fast. I booked an appointment for late Feb 2021.

 

@flicks1998 so close to the finish line, and then this happens... I am so sorry to hear about your struggles.

Edited December 29, 2020 by Adventine

[AlaMike 230]

***Update ***

Found out that my fiancé received a call from the Embassy about a week after her interview, asking if she was finished with her passport??

She told them, the passport was given to back to the officer... end of call.

 

I think I have the answer to what is going on...

When she did her interview, our son's CRBA was immediately afterward. She got her passport back to use during the CRBA interview. When the second interview was done she returned her passport to the same window and consulate office that interviewed her. Somehow, the passport did not make it back to her file, so when the case was adjudicated by a supervisor the passport was not in the case file. 

We called the DFA office and they said her current passport is still valid and will not cancel until she gets the new one or the expiration date is reached.

But they refused to issue the new one until she returns the old one or report it lost.

Called the Visa help line (703-520-2235) and the person there could only tell me that they needed a valid passport, as she was just reading the email that was sent to me. So, no help at all.

I also called the Embassy and they said to call the number I just called.

I also sent an email to IVManilaReplies@state.gov but have not received a reply.

 

Anyone have other ideas or phone numbers to call that will get me further up the chain...