AP Hell

[doodlebug 3]

Our paper did not say 221g either but I still think that is what it is. I think they just use a different form.

I'm curious........did everyone who's case never made it to DOS get a home visit? No one has been to his flat, though it looks like it took months for them to do that with you. Guess we're in for a long ride here. At least that gives us more time to save money. I'll try to look at it that way.

have you thought about the possibility of another trip while you wait or are you hoping to have him here before enough time passes that another trip is required?

I promised my kids that that was the last trip for a while so that's not an option. Plus the money that I'd spend on the trip would be probably around $1,500 and that would be better spent on EAD fees, esl classes, winter clothing for him, etc.

That being said, if AP goes over 9 months then I just might break my promise but I really don't want to put the kids through that again. They worry a lot when I go out of the country.

Called the state department today. Spoke with a lady about the status of our case. Well, this is the first time i've heard that now our case is going back and forth from DC and Cairo!! Exactly what does that mean Haven't heard of this before so now I am so totally confused. The times I have called the DOS every answer is always the same.."your case is handled in Cairo...not in DC" I am going freaking crazy over all of this AP stuff or now i'm not quite sure if i'm an AP or a PA or a PQ or a PM or an AF

Not to nitpick but what did the DOS lady say exactly?

You've got it all wrong. They spend their entire day on VJ, so you better kiss some butt!

you bet if i ever get a job at the consulate, I'd be checking out VJ of course i am here all the time anyway

Well hopefully what I wrote is pure fiction and the reason for these delays is that they're so busy...hopefully too too busy to be online at work. And if they're going to a visa site afterwork then they've got big problems. I know the last place I'd wanna go online after work is a FASB site!

[maggieNomar 0]

You have plenty of advice here already Doodle, but I want to say I understand how you feel. Every case is different even with the same consulate. Most of the people who interviewed around the same time as Omar were getting their visas in a week or two. We interviewed on the 16th of November and I returned home on the weekend of Thanksgiving. I remember Sonicliz had interviewed on the 20th. Both she and I were PMing with each other while we were on the phone with DOS that Monday. Her security checks had cleared , and our were still pending. I was happy for her of course...but it was a hard time. We waited 11 weeks. I know it sucks. But I can tell you that after all the waiting and he finally arrives, the wait seems like nothing. Once he was here, the waiting seemed like mere weeks, not months. Use the time to get to know your honey more. Someone posted that advice when I was feeling like you. We did it, which helped pass the time and helped Omar be better prepared for his arrival in the US.

[doodlebug 3]

I feel better about things now. I just bawled my eyes out to my husband. Came out of no where. Sometimes I think I'm so strong and I even worry that my heart is turning to stone and then WHAMMO the tears just come a flowin' like crazy.

Anyways I was all "this isn't fair", "we're married for God's sakes we should be together", blah blah blah and he told me to breath, and then explained that next month is Ramadan and that God is doing this so that he can be with his sisters during the month of Ramadan. His father died last Ramadan (I think two days into it or something) and so his sisters and he will all be grieving and it's best that they be together. Also, the last two weeks of that month will be very good for his business since it's his busy season so that will give him the opportunity to save up the rest of the money he needs to leave his sisters with.

So...........he made me feel better about things because even if we got the call tomorrow he won't be able to be here until around mid-October anyway. Kind of takes the heat off of Cairo and DOS.................for now. He always has this way of making me understand God's will when I'm totally blind to it. Sometimes I feel like he's the older one in this relationship. I love him.

[aminah 6]

Not knowing what's happening with your case is the worst. My husband is also in AP in Casa. His interview was June5th. I called DOS twice and was told that he was in AP at the embassy. I emailed the consulate a week ago and was told that he was in AP in Washington. It's enough to drive me crazy.

Here's hoping for a speedy AP for us all!!!! Hang in there.

Jen

[Cheryl & Medo 3]

Our paper did not say 221g either but I still think that is what it is. I think they just use a different form.

I'm curious........did everyone who's case never made it to DOS get a home visit? No one has been to his flat, though it looks like it took months for them to do that with you. Guess we're in for a long ride here. At least that gives us more time to save money. I'll try to look at it that way.

It took them 5 mo to send a field investagtor to Medo's house

[doodlebug 3]

You don't have to answer this but I'm just trying to make sense of who gets the field visits...do you have an age gap of over 10 years by any chance? Or any other red flag type issues?

[mybackpages 0]

I feel better about things now. I just bawled my eyes out to my husband. Came out of no where. Sometimes I think I'm so strong and I even worry that my heart is turning to stone and then WHAMMO the tears just come a flowin' like crazy.

Anyways I was all "this isn't fair", "we're married for God's sakes we should be together", blah blah blah and he told me to breath, and then explained that next month is Ramadan and that God is doing this so that he can be with his sisters during the month of Ramadan. His father died last Ramadan (I think two days into it or something) and so his sisters and he will all be grieving and it's best that they be together. Also, the last two weeks of that month will be very good for his business since it's his busy season so that will give him the opportunity to save up the rest of the money he needs to leave his sisters with.

So...........he made me feel better about things because even if we got the call tomorrow he won't be able to be here until around mid-October anyway. Kind of takes the heat off of Cairo and DOS.................for now. He always has this way of making me understand God's will when I'm totally blind to it. Sometimes I feel like he's the older one in this relationship. I love him.

I have to say doodle, I do think this is a good sign. I know one small example doesn't tell us everything about you or your husband, but when one partner can go a little crazy and the other one can say the right things to settle us down again...its a healthy thing. Yu are both going to need more of this kind of balance even after the visa is in hand.

[Becky&Sam 0]

Well here is another story to add to the files of AP hell.

On May 31 I contacted my congressman's office and sent the required paperwork and information to them to make an inquiry. I got the name of the person there that handles the immigration issues for my congressman's office and have been trying to talk to her since that time. I have been very frustrated because she has never returned my calls. Finally, today I decided I would try and call again. I couldn't believe it when I asked for her and she said this is Amanda. Anyway, when I gave her my name she immediately recognized it and then told me why. She said that since she got my information the last of May she has emailed Cairo Embassy four times and has never received a response. Each time she attached the previous email and put 2nd request, 3rd request, 4th request...and nothing from Cairo in response. So, last week she forwarded the unanswered emails to someone at DOS and is waiting to hopefully hear back from them. That kind of blows my hope of getting a response to my emails if they won't even answer a government official's office!!!

I told her our whole situation and all that happened at his interview and since then. She just doesn't know what to think and told me that hopefully she will hear something back since DOS will be contacting them. I'm sure not holding my breathe for that!!! I felt a little better knowing that at least SOMEONE is trying to do SOMETHING to help our situation whether or not it will make a true difference.

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

Becky, sounds VERY much so like me... i wrote my senator a month and a half ago and he wrote me back with the same info. last week i called the senators office and spoke to the man i needed. he said he had been sending emails to them and no response either so he would try calling and would get back to me.... hmmm i wonder whats going on...

DOS told me today that its finished in washington now and at post in cairo and he should be getting a call soon... so i wonder if this is really true or not !!!

[Becky&Sam 0]

Don't know if true or not, but when I call DOS they have told me the case was not requested there in Washington for clearance, but was done in Cairo and just shows still pending AP. What's up with them not responding to government official's inquiries?? The girl I spoke to today said sometimes it is really difficult to get the embassies to respond, but usually they will after a couple of emails.

[aya*abouelnasr 0]

Yeah, sometimes I forget these people are government employee's, most of their responses sound like my ten year old could have written them. They certainly don't bother to try to put you at ease when they do answer your e-mails.

[Ahmed & Sue 0]

Don't know if true or not, but when I call DOS they have told me the case was not requested there in Washington for clearance, but was done in Cairo and just shows still pending AP. What's up with them not responding to government official's inquiries?? The girl I spoke to today said sometimes it is really difficult to get the embassies to respond, but usually they will after a couple of emails.

AP is only the beginning. Tonight I just told my bf we are in AP so we can save some more money and be prepared for things once he comes here. Of course, Ramadan is coming, and that will be better celebrated in Egypt than in the USA. I know this is hard, but there is a reason for everything, we simply don't know what it is yet.....lol. Maybe once we finally get the approvals we will realize why we waited so long, and appreciate the wait. For us, I think it is all a matter of timing, and finances. This has definately given us both time to get our lives and finances in order better.

Sue

[Cheryl & Medo 3]

You don't have to answer this but I'm just trying to make sense of who gets the field visits...do you have an age gap of over 10 years by any chance? Or any other red flag type issues?

Yes Medo and I do have a age gap..And Im sure that is the reason it is taking them so long. Grrrrrrrrrr

[doodlebug 3]

You never know about age gap in relation to length of ap. I dont' think there's a rhyme or reason for it truly.

I was going to call DOS this morning but you know what? I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna email Cairo either. When he gets it he gets it and obviously there's nothing that I can do to make it go quicker so why bother teasing myself wondering where it's at, you know? If I keep emailing and calling once/week what's it gonna do for me other than get me all upset.

[~~~water~~~ 0]

I find it so frustraiting that it has been over a month since anyone in Cairo has received good news.. I know that if I logged in and saw that just one of you have gotten your visa I will be soooo happy. I don't understand how there so speedy in june and jul and NOTHING for aug! I try really hard not to dwell on this but I feel so crazy from this indefinate waiting..... Hope you all doing well and each of us will be given that chance to have our fiance or husband

Edited August 20, 2007 by water is wide