DS5535

[Grey Wolf 1]

We are Pakistani citizens and have a family application for F4 visa.  The case is with the US Embassy in Islamabad. My wife (the primary applicant, age 42) and one of my daughters (age 17) have been asked to fill in DS5535 (this was on July 20th 2023). Neither I nor my other daughter (age 18) were asked to fill them out.  We filled the forms for the wife and the daughter and sent them out on July 21 2023. The passport status (via email) says "no status available" (since July 22 2023). The US Travel Docs website shows no delivery information. Any ideas on how long the wait can be, because I have job interviews lined up in Cambridge in October. When can we expect our visas to come through? 

[powerpuff 6,666]

It can take weeks, months or years. There is no reliable estimate. You can ask for your passport back if you need it for travel.

[Grey Wolf 1]

4 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

It can take weeks, months or years. There is no reliable estimate. You can ask for your passport back if you need it for travel.

Thank you. Any ideas how the DS5535 is processed? Is it the State Department? If so, what can one do to expedite it, if at all. 

[Timona 4,207]

Nothing

[powerpuff 6,666]

Not a lot known on how it’s processed.

 

Not possible to expedite. 

[JeanneAdil 6,482]

2 hours ago, Grey Wolf said:

Thank you. Any ideas how the DS5535 is processed? Is it the State Department? If so, what can one do to expedite it, if at all. 

Administrative processing is carried out by the Visa Office of the U.S. Department of State with the cooperation of other government agencies to ensure that a visa applicant is not a security risk and the he/she is not ineligible for the requested visa or otherwise inadmissible to the U.S.

[Boiler 45,426]

It is particularly difficult due to the lack of records in Pakistan, ultimately you can consider a Writ of Mandamus.

[SalishSea 17,786]

3 hours ago, Grey Wolf said:

Thank you. Any ideas how the DS5535 is processed? Is it the State Department? If so, what can one do to expedite it, if at all. 

You can’t expedite administrative processing.   Because it’s Pakistan, it may be prolonged.

[Grey Wolf 1]

More on this. My daughter (18) starts college in the US in the fall. But unless this immigration thing gets sorted, she can't get a student visa either (immigration intent). Is there anything that can be done to speed up the process just for her? 

[Grey Wolf 1]

16 hours ago, Boiler said:

It is particularly difficult due to the lack of records in Pakistan, ultimately you can consider a Writ of Mandamus.

As a barrister I love the writ of mandamus. But any ideas if such an action can prejudice our case? 

[Boiler 45,426]

1 hour ago, Grey Wolf said:

As a barrister I love the writ of mandamus. But any ideas if such an action can prejudice our case? 

No

You are asking that they do their job

[Grey Wolf 1]

4 minutes ago, Boiler said:

No

You are asking that they do their job

So we are obviously not based in the US at the moment. I am assuming that the writ/lawsuit has to be filed by the primary applicant through a lawyer or will the sponsor file such a case? Any ideas on how much this would cost?

[Boiler 45,426]

You could file pro se, I am sure it has been done, I do not think it is that common. Going rate seems to be about $5k.

[Grey Wolf 1]

34 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You could file pro se, I am sure it has been done, I do not think it is that common. Going rate seems to be about $5k.

Thank you. That is very interesting. Might just file pro se. 

[igoyougoduke 1,653]

7 hours ago, Grey Wolf said:

Thank you. That is very interesting. Might just file pro se. 

you cant file pro se if you are not resident in US. you have no jurisdiction without residency in usa