Approved K1 Sitting at Embassy but Embassy Closed

[Tracer6158 27]

Thought I'd share an update...frustrating.   In mid Dec, we were magically notified of our upcoming appt scheduled for Jan 5 (even though the embassy had not officially said it would start processing K1's).  Interview completed, K1 approved.  Staff tells my fiancé she will need to wait about one month for the visa to arrive via DHL.  My fiancé asks, "One month, are you sure?"  Staff says, "No."  On the same day, the embassy announces that the embassy is completely closed.  However, visa status moves from Admin Processing to Issued on Jan 21.  On Jan 28 I send an email asking about when it may be shipped.  I'm told  (paraphrasing), we don't know because we are closed now.  I respond, ok, can she come pick it up....answer, no....I respond, ok so if she needs to travel, how does she get her passport back....I'm told "she will have to wait until we are open."   So, did they know they were closing on the day of my fiancé's interview?   Why didn't they adjust, giving the covid situation, which I totally understand, and try to get her the visa that day?  Or at least give her the passport back so she can fly to other countries if needed or if she wants to?  Of course they took her US tourist visa during the interview....so now, for an indefinite period of time, she has no passport, no US tourist visa, and her approved K1 visa is laying on a desk somewhere at the embassy waiting for someone to take 15 mins to have DHL pick it up.

[RICARDO4EVA2 194]

14 minutes ago, Tracer6158 said:

Thought I'd share an update...frustrating.   In mid Dec, we were magically notified of our upcoming appt scheduled for Jan 5 (even though the embassy had not officially said it would start processing K1's).  Interview completed, K1 approved.  Staff tells my fiancé she will need to wait about one month for the visa to arrive via DHL.  My fiancé asks, "One month, are you sure?"  Staff says, "No."  On the same day, the embassy announces that the embassy is completely closed.  However, visa status moves from Admin Processing to Issued on Jan 21.  On Jan 28 I send an email asking about when it may be shipped.  I'm told  (paraphrasing), we don't know because we are closed now.  I respond, ok, can she come pick it up....answer, no....I respond, ok so if she needs to travel, how does she get her passport back....I'm told "she will have to wait until we are open."   So, did they know they were closing on the day of my fiancé's interview?   Why didn't they adjust, giving the covid situation, which I totally understand, and try to get her the visa that day?  Or at least give her the passport back so she can fly to other countries if needed or if she wants to?  Of course they took her US tourist visa during the interview....so now, for an indefinite period of time, she has no passport, no US tourist visa, and her approved K1 visa is laying on a desk somewhere at the embassy waiting for someone to take 15 mins to have DHL pick it up.

She's lucky to have them even process the case-file instead of having it sit there. Especially since all non-qualifing visas should be on hold.  

 

Patience.. 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 minute ago, RICARDO4EVA2 said:

She's lucky to have them even process the case-file instead of having it sit there. Especially since all non-qualifing visas should be on hold.  

 

Patience.. 

What exactly is a non-qualifying visa?

[JeanneAdil 6,510]

Think of it this way

Most embassies do not want the person to travel (in the meantime) as in  a lot of countries ,  it would mean new security checks for where the person went to and from 

so,  they like to keep the passport till  a US visa is issued knowing you will more than likely go straight to the US 

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.