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Pirozhok

K1 Refused (AP) in Warsaw

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Howdy all,

 

I am currently in Warsaw with my Russian fiancée and wanted to share our experience so far, since I've spent so much of the past few months reading about others' here.

 

We came to Warsaw via Hungary. She had several EU visits and Schengen visas prior to covid, and I provided a pretty thorough sponsorship letter/documentation, so we were lucky enough to receive one valid for about 6 months. That was one of the worries we had early on, but it turned out to be a non-issue getting here.

 

Her interview was on July 15. Went well, and after a 3-4 hour wait + 10 minutes of asking simple questions, she was told she'd be approved and have her passport back in 3-5 business days. I'm typing this in a hotel room in Warsaw, so that didn't happen.

 

Instead, we're in AP. Pretty routine from what I can tell: the CEAC status shows "refused" and the USTravelDocs page shows "Document Delivery Information:" without further details. 

 

I reached out a bit over a week later specifically because we had previous issues receiving emails from them (the appointment instructions were sent to an old email address that only appeared in the part of the DS-160 where they ask for all emails/social media from the past 5 years. She forgot the pw and stopped using it 4ish years ago). In their response, they confirmed the case is undergoing routine administrative processing, no additional documents/information were required from us, and all there is to do is wait until they contact us. That was on July 24.

 

As others before me, I'm having to cancel flights, extend stays, etc. while I enjoy an prolonged "vacation" in Warsaw. Because of this, I check the CEAC status regularly hoping for news. This is why I've noticed something I haven't seen much of and was hoping someone has seen a similar experience that I have not found while searching: the "case last updated" date isn't changing. It updated once after the interview, once when they replied to my email, and that's it. Others seem to have it updating several times before the visa is approved (at least when it takes this long), so I'm curious whether anyone has seen something like this and has an anecdote indicating whether it's likely to suddenly jump to "issued" one day, still probably has a few behind-the-scenes changes to wait through, or maybe just fell behind someone's desk and isn't getting looked at at all?

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
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I am not surprised that Russians would have extended AP

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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It is extremely common for Russians to have extended APs due to security concerns and background checks. There should really be a pinned message explaining this, and people whose fiancé's belong to countries of non-proliferation or high fraud should be specifically advised to pursue CR1 over K1, honestly. I believe the current wait time for Russians who enter AP is like 10-16 months according to forum Vinskogo. That being said, you may just have a normal administrative processing that is truly just paperwork. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
Timeline
On 8/1/2024 at 11:00 PM, myliobatiformidae said:

It is extremely common for Russians to have extended APs due to security concerns and background checks. There should really be a pinned message explaining this, and people whose fiancé's belong to countries of non-proliferation or high fraud should be specifically advised to pursue CR1 over K1, honestly. I believe the current wait time for Russians who enter AP is like 10-16 months according to forum Vinskogo. That being said, you may just have a normal administrative processing that is truly just paperwork. 

It didn't used to be common, it's fairly recent that Russians being put in extended AP has become the norm. Even at the beginning of the invasion, extended AP didn't appear to be common unless you had a military background, were from a "closed city" or had some special training that got flagged. Within the last year or so, however, it seems everyone is getting hit with it.

 

We considered doing a pinned thread in the past but I was not sure how widespread it was becoming. The only info I'm getting about this is anecdotal stories from people here on VJ posting about it. I havent' checked Vinskogo but if what you're saying is correct, it seems this is a new blanket protocol for most Russian nationals. I will consider making a pinned thread on the topic soon, I just wish I had a better source for it beyond just these individual reports. 

🇷🇺 CR-1 via DCF (Dec 2016-Jun 2017) & I-751 ROC (Apr 2019-Oct 2019)🌹

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17-Jan-2017: Case number received

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12-Apr-2019: Extension letter arrives via mail

19-Apr-2019: Biometrics letter arrives via mail

30-Apr-2019: Biometrics appointment at local office

26-Jun-2019: Case ready to be scheduled for interview 

04-Sep-2019: Interview was scheduled - letter to arrive in mail

09-Sep-2019: Interview letter arrived in the mail! ✉️

17-Oct-2019: Interview scheduled @ local USCIS  

18-Oct-2019: Interview cancelled & notice ordered*

18-Oct-2019: Case was approved! 🎉

22-Oct-2019: Card was mailed to me 📨

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  • 3 weeks later...

Quick update for anyone interested: the embassy reached out via email yesterday (the 6 week mark since the interview) and told her to come by and pick up her passport (without the US visa).

 

When picking it up, they were very friendly and blamed the delay on computer problems. They made it sound like the case isn't actually in AP, and they're just waiting for a system they don't fully understand to spit out the visa.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
Timeline

Thanks for returning to report this.  Good luck toward a positive resolution.

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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  • 1 month later...
On 8/27/2024 at 8:07 AM, Pirozhok said:

Quick update for anyone interested: the embassy reached out via email yesterday (the 6 week mark since the interview) and told her to come by and pick up her passport (without the US visa).

 

When picking it up, they were very friendly and blamed the delay on computer problems. They made it sound like the case isn't actually in AP, and they're just waiting for a system they don't fully understand to spit out the visa.

Same embassy but we are 10 months in, no resolution for us yet. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Russia
Timeline
On 10/8/2024 at 11:03 AM, hidden_traffic said:

Same embassy but we are 10 months in, no resolution for us yet. 

 

On 10/8/2024 at 11:14 AM, Pirozhok said:

That sucks. I guess it's nice knowing we're not alone in the waiting, but it all seems to pointless and unnecessary.


Any updates on either of your ends?

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