Kara.gana

As far as I have understood from others in this group: Your DS260 opens up at the one year mark. We went ahead and updated it at the 1 year mark and submitted it without any instruction from the consulate. As far as I understand, the two are not related. Your status may change to “expiring soon” when the consulate is getting close to sending you the passport and medical request email. Many others that waited longer than a year had their DS260 open at 1 year then months later have their status change to “expiring soon”

Final update. It’s been a long stressful journey. We are thankful for this group that kept us going and provided many answers. IR1 visa for my husband. February 5, 2022 I-130 submitted. November 25, 2022 case sent to Department of State. Interviewed Aug 1, 2023 and put in AP that day. Sent in DS5535 and I221G August 3, 2023. Had a handful of updates from Aug 2023 to July 2024, usually after email or Congressman enquiry. July 24, 2024 started seeing consistent updates, usually every few days. August 5, 2024 status changed to “expiring soon” August 9, 2024 received medical, passport and photo request. August 22, 2024 passport and medical delivered to consulate. September 24, 2024 Status changed to Issued. September 27, 2024 Tracking number sent for passport October 1, 2024 Passport and visa in hand!

We’re still waiting too. 5 weeks as well.

We’ve had 8 updates (counting the day the passport and medical were delivered) the last one today and CEAC still says refused.

We also had to renew our mortgage for 1 year and it was also crazy how much we paid. Same, we’ve also wasted so much money on waiting because of the visa refusal. Hope everyone gets their visas very soon. It is so hard to wait when you feel like you’re so close to being done this journey.

We’re in the same boat. At the end of the week they’ll have had my husband’s passport for 4 weeks. We’ve already given notice on our rental and started making tentative plans for travel in November. But same thing, so heartbreaking and discouraging to keep on waiting. Let us know if consulate replies.

The consulate has had my husband’s passport and medical in hand since August 23rd. Today is two weeks of waiting. I’ve seen about 4 updates on CEAC, last one today. But no word from them yet. Definitely worrisome waiting this long for passport to come back. Maybe we’ll email them next week.

Ok. Makes sense. Hopefully we all hear soon. Yes, I noticed the pause too, hope it picks back up for everyone.

Did you email the consulate asking for receipt confirmation or they sent it by themselves? My husband sent his passport August 20th, Canada post said it was delivered August 22nd. And the clinic said they sent his medical August 22nd. I’ve seen a few unsolicited updates, but we’re almost at 2 weeks since he sent his passport.

We’re in Alberta too. My husband managed to get an appointment in BC pretty quickly.

Usually that’s a good sign if you’re getting multiple unsolicited updates. No, opening the DS260 will not cause a date change. If it’s open, some of us have gone ahead and updated it while others waited for the email. If your status changes to “expiring soon” that’s a positive sign you should be getting the email request soon.

We were asked for both. Medical and passport photos. I would suspect it’s an error on their part and that it’s required.

Finally! We received our passport request email this morning! I hope for those that are still waiting that you will be able to escape this waiting game quickly. I do definitely see an increase in the amount of people being processed and hopefully wait times will go down.

Congratulations!!!

Ok. Thank you for the information.

@cala2023 Did you update your husband’s DS260 when you hit the one year mark or at any point? On Monday my husband’s status changed to expiring soon. His DS260 is open but we haven’t updated it. We haven’t received any email yet with further instructions.

Go to around page 70(either before or after) of this thread Canucklehead and Irish 89 talked about it

Once it opens should we update it and submit it or wait till we’re adjudicated and receive the email that says to update it?

I’m not sure about that CEAC saying that when you hit one year. Both @Canucklehead and @Irish89 were over a year before there’s changed to “expiring soon” and they received their visas soon after.

It says it’s still under review. I think you’re the first to notice your DS260 has been opened before getting the email, so new information for us all. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have checked my husbands DS 260 and find it’s been opened.

Is this on the DS260 page? My husbands doesn’t say that.

On CEAC our status changed from “refused” to “expiring soon”

Yes, August 1, 2023

I just checked CEAC and our status has changed to “expiring soon” and our DS-260 is open. I still don’t have an email yet. But I think based on other people’s post when it says expiring soon they receive the passport request pretty quickly? 🤞🤞🤞

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?App=IV