Administrative processing?!

[Floella 1]

I had my interview Nov. 29. I was approved but I got an email today that states that my visa is under "administrative processing" and that they will contact me eventually.

I'm reading that the time it takes for AP is different for each consulate and such. They didn't tell us what it is under AP for.

Has anyone had any experience in this at all??? I am so upset, I'm near tears and freaking out because I thought it was finally over and my fiance and I could be together but now it's back to uncertainty and waiting.

Please help.

[Inky 1,110]

Few Canadians get AP, generally its because they are from another country and became a Canadian or because their parents emigrated to Canada from another country. Canadians getting AP is not unheard of but it is not common.

[Floella 1]

I was an immigrant, yes, so I suppose that could be it. But what can they possibly need to check for? I was very young when I moved here. Do you have any idea how long it will take? I thought I'd be with my fiance for Christmas and New Years, and now I don't know if I will be. It's extremely upsetting.

[MSR 6]

I was an immigrant, yes, so I suppose that could be it. But what can they possibly need to check for? I was very young when I moved here. Do you have any idea how long it will take? I thought I'd be with my fiance for Christmas and New Years, and now I don't know if I will be. It's extremely upsetting.

Wait, did you get a 221 g form from the consulate when you went for your interview??

[Inky 1,110]

I was an immigrant, yes, so I suppose that could be it. But what can they possibly need to check for? I was very young when I moved here. Do you have any idea how long it will take? I thought I'd be with my fiance for Christmas and New Years, and now I don't know if I will be. It's extremely upsetting.

If its a country that is not on good terms with the USA right now, thats likely the reason why and they are doing some extra checks. No idea how long it can take because they kind of have whatever time they want when it comes to AP. Sometimes a few weeks sometimes a few months, worst case 1 year. Highly doubt yours will take a year though.

You could try contacting congress person to look into it for you guys or maybe faxing Montreal Consul with a big header ATTN IV UNIT SUPERVISOR

514-398-0973 and 514-398-9748 are the fax numbers.

Just make it a 1 page fax letter thats written well and has all your contact info. At the least they may tell you why its in AP?

[CDN2US 10]

Floella, I feel your pain and confusion. Although, yours is more probably seeing as how you left the interview with "approval" and a promise of your visa in the mail. It is sick what they do to people.

My husband left his interview with a 221g stating he'd been put in AP. We were shocked. All we can do is speculate as to why. Some here have suggested it's because his parent emigrated to Canada from Egypt, but our lawyer's best guess is that he was denied a TN visa in 2009, and they want to investigate any wrongdoing (traveling/overstaying) surrounding it. We'll probably never know exactly.

It's all guessing, because they're not going to tell you why. They will shroud it as a matter of "national security." The DOS hotline operators will not reveal any details, only immediate status.

I am so sorry you're in AP. It's a blackhole with indefinite timeframes and vague explanations. I am so sorry your plans have been dashed.

[Floella 1]

Wait, did you get a 221 g form from the consulate when you went for your interview??

No. I didn't even know I was in AP. They told to expect my visa in the mail in 5 business days. And then I get told I'm in AP via an email.

[CDN2US 10]

No. I didn't even know I was in AP. They told to expect my visa in the mail in 5 business days. And then I get told I'm in AP via an email.

That's truly one of the most messed up things I've heard.

[Floella 1]

I suppose I'll wait a week or two before I start contacting people to figure out why they may have done it and so on. But we're devastated at this point. Once we were told I was was approved I was already making rough traveling plans, and packing, and my fiance told his family that I'll be with them for the holidays and everything...and we were so excited we'd get to spend New Years together...

UGH. I just want to start crying. This is so miserable.

[CDN2US 10]

Have you called DOS? 202-663-1225, hit 1 then 0 to talk to an operator.

Ask if AP is due to missing documentation, and if so, ask what is missing so that you can gather it and have it ready to go. Try not to cry. They don't like that

Email the Montreal consulate right away, because they can take some time to respond: Montreal-IV-DV@state.gov

Include your case number in the subject and all your identifying information. Ask, in kindly terms, what the bleeping bleep just happened.

As for your emotional state, I can empathize, and I am so, so sorry. Vent, let it out, exercise, do something kind for yourself. Hang in there, and let's all hope we are the kind of cases that will process quickly. I do hope yours is some kind of error. This is ridiculous.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Tercerero

[Floella 1]

Okay. I will definitely do all of those things today. Let's hope it is just a missing document or something.

Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it. This process has really taken a toll on me.

[Neoalissa 1]

Ive been in AP for a over a month. Got approved at the interview October 5th, pending the birth abroad of our daughter. We did the interview for birth abroad October 28th and emailed the paper the lady asked us to right when we got home. Every time i call DOS they tell me its pending AP.. Was told by the lady in Montreal that after we do Birth abroad and send it in, it would come right away. Gotten my daughters passport almost 2 weeks ago now. This is agonizing sitting here telling my 4 year old that we may be here for Christmas insted of the new place. The kicker is i gave 60 days notice after the birth abroad interview, thinking theres no way it will take more then 2 months for my visa to come. This is why you do it way before your interview..i told my fiance we need to do it, but he said we can do it when we get there, his buddy did it like that and it was fine, bringing it up a couple times just turned into fights..so now my daughter and i are going to be living on a friends couch till it comes. We will be together as hes driving from ND to here, was hoping this would be his last 26 hour drive to us and go home in the new house together. Still have time, never know it may pop up before the 21st.

[Floella 1]

Wow, that really sucks. I am so sorry. It must be hard to have to tell a kid that your plans for Christmas have changed You're right, it can still happen! I hope it comes through for all us stuck in AP.

[Neoalissa 1]

They really need to fix this problem, dont see why people have to suffer waiting cause they dont have enough people processing these things.

[Floella 1]

Yeah It's terrible for those of us going through the process.

So I called them and DOS told me that my documents list is complete. They cannot give me a reason for AP though.

I have emailed Montreal. Let's see what they tell me now.