CR-1/IR-1 Visa Interview TimeLine at the US Consulate in Islamabad, Pakistan

[Hamza Khalid 3]

Hi All, 

 

My wife sponsored me for an IR-1 visa back in 2019. My case became Documentarily Qualified on October 28th 2020 and is pending Interview at the US Consulate in Islamabad, Pakistan. I understand there is a backlog of cases everywhere, is there a way to find out which month of DQ'd cases the Islamabad Consulate is processing right now? Alternatively, members here at Visa Journey who have recently had immigration interviews at the US Consulate in Islamabad, when were your respective cases Documentarily Qualified? I am trying to get an idea of when I could realistically have my interview scheduled. 

 

Regards,

 

[Crazy Cat 41,898]

Have you checked the Pakistan portal and timelines?  That might give some useful information.

[Hamza Khalid 3]

Hi,

 

Thank you for your response. I tried the Pakistan portal but it only shows when the NOA2 was received not when cases were DQ'd. To be safe, could you give me the link?

 

Regards,

Hamza Khalid

[brevig 28]

2019 is a LONG TIME AGO.  If you have the means, there is a lawyer Josh Goldstein who claims to have filed lawsuits and won against Islamabad to get them moving forward.  What he says is that often in Muslim countries they just delay you forever.  I contacted his office, and got an appointment with one of his associates, but they said they couldn't help me because they only do marriage based and mine was a fiance.  Anyways, you are WAY PAST the reasonable time period, hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit to speed it up might be worth it.

 

Anyways, keep us posted, curious to see how things turn out.

[Crazy Cat 41,898]

45 minutes ago, brevig said:

2019 is a LONG TIME AGO.  If you have the means, there is a lawyer Josh Goldstein who claims to have filed lawsuits and won against Islamabad to get them moving forward.  What he says is that often in Muslim countries they just delay you forever.  I contacted his office, and got an appointment with one of his associates, but they said they couldn't help me because they only do marriage based and mine was a fiance.  Anyways, you are WAY PAST the reasonable time period, hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit to speed it up might be worth it.

 

Anyways, keep us posted, curious to see how things turn out.

Sounds like a ploy by an attorney to get business.  The truth is that the OP's case was not DQ'd at NVC until late October 2020. By that time a huge backlog queue had already formed at ISL and most all consulates.  The OP's interview will be scheduled by NVC when his case reaches the front of the NVC queue for ISL.  I think it will quite some time to clear the backlog of cases already in that queue.  It's a mess.....at least, that's how I see it. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Lucky Cat

[Crazy Cat 41,898]

7 hours ago, Hamza Khalid said:

Hi,

 

Thank you for your response. I tried the Pakistan portal but it only shows when the NOA2 was received not when cases were DQ'd. To be safe, could you give me the link?

 

Regards,

Hamza Khalid

https://www.visajourney.com/portals/index.php?country=Pakistan

[sunnysunshine20 1]

Join NVC Process Help Group on Facebook for updated DQ for Islamabad Embassy. I think right now they are doing August 2020 DQ 

[Hamza Khalid 3]

3 hours ago, brevig said:

2019 is a LONG TIME AGO.  If you have the means, there is a lawyer Josh Goldstein who claims to have filed lawsuits and won against Islamabad to get them moving forward.  What he says is that often in Muslim countries they just delay you forever.  I contacted his office, and got an appointment with one of his associates, but they said they couldn't help me because they only do marriage based and mine was a fiance.  Anyways, you are WAY PAST the reasonable time period, hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit to speed it up might be worth it.

 

Anyways, keep us posted, curious to see how things turn out.

Thank you for the suggestion. I don't quite think it is time for a lawsuit because there are extenuating circumstances with the pandemic and backlog. If it goes 14-18 months without an interview appointment then I would consider it but hopefully it will get resolved before that.

 

2 hours ago, Lucky Cat said:

Sounds like a ploy by an attorney to get business.  The truth is that the OP's case was not DQ'd at NVC until late October 2020. By that time a huge backlog queue had already formed at ISL and most all consulates.  The OP's interview will be scheduled by NVC when his case reaches the front of the NVC queue for ISL.  I think it will quite some time to clear the backlog of cases already in that queue.  It's a mess.....at least, that's how I see it. 

Yes, that's how I see it too. The monthly visa backlog reports are helpful but it would be nice to just know where my case is in the queue and how much longer I need to wait. 

 

1 hour ago, sunnysunshine20 said:

Join NVC Process Help Group on Facebook for updated DQ for Islamabad Embassy. I think right now they are doing August 2020 DQ 

Thank you I have joined it. 

 

Overall, thank you for your insights everyone. I appreciate them

Regards,

Hamza Khalid  

[brevig 28]

5 hours ago, Lucky Cat said:

Sounds like a ploy by an attorney to get business.  The truth is that the OP's case was not DQ'd at NVC until late October 2020

I did get that feeling from him, especially when during the consultation the associate lawyer said they ONLY handle 221g administrative processing lawsuits for marriage visas.  I liked his videos and wasn't wanting to sue, just thought he could answer some questions about my 221g fiance issue WHICH THEY DID NOT.

 

Just thought worth mentioning as he said a few things that fit this, which is he has won more than once in Islamabad, that it's based off priority date, and that COVID isn't an excuse for the delays (I watched a couple hours worth of his YouTube videos hoping to find insight to my case).

[P0907 127]

9 hours ago, brevig said:

2019 is a LONG TIME AGO.  If you have the means, there is a lawyer Josh Goldstein who claims to have filed lawsuits and won against Islamabad to get them moving forward.  What he says is that often in Muslim countries they just delay you forever.  I contacted his office, and got an appointment with one of his associates, but they said they couldn't help me because they only do marriage based and mine was a fiance.  Anyways, you are WAY PAST the reasonable time period, hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit to speed it up might be worth it.

 

Anyways, keep us posted, curious to see how things turn out.

Based on OP's timeline, 2019 is not "WAY PAST". Long, but not abnormal.

[top_secret 2,421]

9 hours ago, sunnysunshine20 said:

Join NVC Process Help Group on Facebook for updated DQ for Islamabad Embassy. I think right now they are doing August 2020 DQ 

^^^^^^^^^^

This.

 

The Pakistanis in that group are incredibly organized and have the (very long) timeframe from DQ to interview worked out to very close dates based on monitoring numerous people's progress.

 

(Link only works if one has joined that group)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NationalVisaCenter/permalink/3996715767090684/

[Hamza Khalid 3]

2 hours ago, top_secret said:

^^^^^^^^^^

This.

 

The Pakistanis in that group are incredibly organized and have the (very long) timeframe from DQ to interview worked out to very close dates based on monitoring numerous people's progress.

 

(Link only works if one has joined that group)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NationalVisaCenter/permalink/3996715767090684/

Thank you very much. Yes, I have joined the group. It is very helpful.

[YYZ&MIA 117]

7 hours ago, brevig said:

I did get that feeling from him, especially when during the consultation the associate lawyer said they ONLY handle 221g administrative processing lawsuits for marriage visas.  I liked his videos and wasn't wanting to sue, just thought he could answer some questions about my 221g fiance issue WHICH THEY DID NOT.

 

Just thought worth mentioning as he said a few things that fit this, which is he has won more than once in Islamabad, that it's based off priority date, and that COVID isn't an excuse for the delays (I watched a couple hours worth of his YouTube videos hoping to find insight to my case).

There is another lawyer Jim Hacking who also believes that these lawsuits is the only solution to keep some of these cases moving. You can watch his videos on Youtube and he has his show where you can ask questions. 

[Crazy Cat 41,898]

3 hours ago, YYZ&MIA said:

There is another lawyer Jim Hacking who also believes that these lawsuits is the only solution to keep some of these cases moving. You can watch his videos on Youtube and he has his show where you can ask questions. 

You realize all consulates were closed for months, but the pipeline of new cases never stopped.  The OP's case was DQ's in late October 2020.......He is in line with all the others.  These attorneys are bloodsuckers.

[YYZ&MIA 117]

3 hours ago, Lucky Cat said:

You realize all consulates were closed for months, but the pipeline of new cases never stopped.  The OP's case was DQ's in late October 2020.......He is in line with all the others.  These attorneys are bloodsuckers.

Yes, I agree that the OP case is within the current timeframes. But many people are stuck in the process for years and those people are very often from middle eastern countries so filing a law suit is often the only way to force uscis to make a decision. Sitting silently and waiting patiently does not always work as the process is not exactly linear.