Administrative Processing

[BeejayFagab 0]

I applied for ir1 Visa and got documentarily qualified in March 2021. I was invited for an interview at Lagos Consulate last week. 

When I got there, I submitted all the necessary documents that was requested. And I answered all the questions to the best of my knowledge. It got to a stage the consular left me for some minutes and came back to continue with the questions. At the end he handed me a white paper, and told me they will get back to me. 

When I read the white paper she marked the section where " Your visa application is refused for administrative processing, you will be informed when the processing is complete" is written. 

The second day I received a phone call from the consulate inviting me for another scheduled interview, and that my wife in USA will be called for interview as well. 

 

Please does anyone has this same experience in the past? 

 

 what triggered the second interview and what are the likely questions they would ask? 

 

And what does administrative processing entails? 

[powerpuff 6,705]

Administrative processing is a regular step for every application. However, it’s much less common to have a second an interview and even less common for the USC petitioner to receive a call.

 

19 minutes ago, BeejayFagab said:

what triggered the second interview and what are the likely questions they would ask? 

I think only you can answer that. Any “red flags” the consulate might perceive? Marriage on first visit? little face to face time? Age difference? Previous immigrant or non immigrant applications? Criminal history?…..

Edited October 3, 2022 by powerpuff

[JeanneAdil 6,510]

all petitions are now marked "refused"  while they go thru the AP process after interview

and some have had to do stokes interview (both parties questioned)

 

What triggered the request sounds like the CO may have thought the marriage was not bona fida

 

What they can ask is anything they need to know to verify the marriage as bona fida or to have info to deny

 

AP can be anything to verify documents submitted are real or do extra security checks (could include ds 5535) or just print the visa if satisified with the stokes interview

the following site states what many of the red flag issues are that indicate marriage is not bona fida

 

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/red-flags-that-make-uscis-suspect-marriage-fraud.html

 

The Stokes Interview is a second chance for the couple to convince the USCIS officer of their marriage’s authenticity.

Edited October 3, 2022 by JeanneAdil

[Crazy Cat 41,885]

23 minutes ago, BeejayFagab said:

The second day I received a phone call from the consulate inviting me for another scheduled interview, and that my wife in USA will be called for interview as well. 

That sounds like they have serious doubts about something.  There is nothing you can except follow their instructions.  Please ask your wife to join us here.

Edited October 3, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[Boiler 45,525]

The questions will relate to whatever the issue is so without sharing that I am not sure what you can expect people to say

[BeejayFagab 0]

1 hour ago, powerpuff said:

Administrative processing is a regular step for every application. However, it’s much less common to have a second an interview and even less common for the USC petitioner to receive a call.

 

I think only you can answer that. Any “red flags” the consulate might perceive? Marriage on first visit? little face to face time? Age difference? Previous immigrant or non immigrant applications? Criminal history?…..

Thanks for your response. 

The marriage was after third visit to USA. We have not seen each other since we got married in 2019. She wanted to come visit in 2020, but Covid-19 wouldn't permit.  Also she wanted to come for the funeral of my Dad's last year, she was advised against coming because of insecurity in Nigeria. And since we already filled I told her to just wait till I come join her in US this year. 

 

On age difference, she's 30, I'm 39. 

She has a son and I have two kids. 

She's never married but I divorced 18 months before we married. 

We communicate twice a day. 

 

We couldn't have same bank account and other things together in US because I have no SSN to do most of them.

Edited October 3, 2022 by BeejayFagab

[powerpuff 6,705]

7 minutes ago, BeejayFagab said:

We have not seen each other since we got married in 2019

This is the likely issue. Not seeing your spouse for 3, going on 4 years, is not something the US consulate will take lightly in my opinion.

Edited October 3, 2022 by powerpuff

[BeejayFagab 0]

1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

all petitions are now marked "refused"  while they go thru the AP process after interview

and some have had to do stokes interview (both parties questioned)

 

What triggered the request sounds like the CO may have thought the marriage was not bona fida

 

What they can ask is anything they need to know to verify the marriage as bona fida or to have info to deny

 

AP can be anything to verify documents submitted are real or do extra security checks (could include ds 5535) or just print the visa if satisified with the stokes interview

the following site states what many of the red flag issues are that indicate marriage is not bona fida

 

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/red-flags-that-make-uscis-suspect-marriage-fraud.html

 

The Stokes Interview is a second chance for the couple to convince the USCIS officer of their marriage’s authenticity.

Thanks for the response. 

I have checked the link you attached, the following are the points I saw that could raise the red flags 

1). Marriage soon after you met...We met in 2017, got engaged in July 2018 and Married in July 2019. We only saw physically three times before we got married, and we have not seen since after marriage. She had planned to visit in Nigeria, but due to covid-19 lockdown in 2020 and insecurity that's ravaging Nigeria she was advised from not coming, since I planned going to USA  immediately my Ir1 is approved.

 

2). Marriage soon after divorce. She's never married, but I divorced my ex-wife in February 2018 and married her in July 2019 ( 18 months after) .

[BeejayFagab 0]

2 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

This is the likely issue. Not seeing your spouse for 3, going on 4 years, is not something the US consulate will take lightly in my opinion.

Yes, CO actually asked " so you guys have not seen in three years ?" I replied "Yes". 

 

Few minutes later she asked again that when was the last time you said your wife came to Nigeria? I told her she has never come to Nigeria....She now responded "that's true you said so" 

[BeejayFagab 0]

32 minutes ago, Boiler said:

The questions will relate to whatever the issue is so without sharing that I am not sure what you can expect people to say

Thanks.

I have mentioned some of what I suspected in my response to powerpuff above.

[powerpuff 6,705]

25 minutes ago, BeejayFagab said:

Yes, CO actually asked " so you guys have not seen in three years ?" I replied "Yes". 

 

Few minutes later she asked again that when was the last time you said your wife came to Nigeria? I told her she has never come to Nigeria....She now responded "that's true you said so" 

Nothing much you can do at this point but follow their instructions (come to the interview etc.). It would be ideal if you wife could fly to Nigeria for the second interview but from what I’m reading I do not think she’d be willing to do that

[Crazy Cat 41,885]

46 minutes ago, BeejayFagab said:

We have not seen each other since we got married in 2019

That, right there, is an area of concern.  

[BeejayFagab 0]

10 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

Nothing much you can do at this point but follow their instructions (come to the interview etc.). It would be ideal if you wife could fly to Nigeria for the second interview but from what I’m reading I do not think she’d be willing to do that

Right.

I have less than 12 hours to the interview. 

My wife is already prepared for the interview as well. We only want to know where to channel our energy to in preparation. 

[BeejayFagab 0]

5 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

That, right there, is an area of concern.  

Yeah, I will Chanel my energy towards this direction as I appear for the interview tomorrow 

[powerpuff 6,705]

4 minutes ago, BeejayFagab said:

Right.

I have less than 12 hours to the interview. 

My wife is already prepared for the interview as well. We only want to know where to channel our energy to in preparation. 

Oh wow, that soon. I hope it goes well for you, keep us posted.