221g - Administrative Processing

[splinter]

Well I had my inteview on March22nd 07. They didnt give me any form at all. The Immigration officer told me two times congratulation. Than he handed me two sheets. The first page says* the consuler officer reveiwed your case and he determined it need additonal adminstration processing time and if you dont' hear from us wiht in 45 dyas and you may wish to contact us for inquiary*.
The second page is all the approved phiscian. which I have already submitted my medical records on Sep06.

Now me and my wife have been apart for almost a year, if we don't hear from the embassy by the April 22nd she will fly to Pakistan and we will both go to the embassy to find out. do you think if my wife move out of the state that will affect or delay the processing time?

Thanks a lot for the thorough info.

[splinter]

Is it normal process and every one goes through?
What is the differnces between A/R & A/P?

Thanks alot

[mary_mj4mj]

Splinter,

I am sorry it took me some time to get back to guide you but as you know your request was made on Friday and I was not here and attended Jummah prayers.

You are in what is known as AP Administrative Processing and you will have to wait it out. 99% of ALL MALES and right now they are making more and more females go into AP. This is quite normal for Islamabad and it does not mean you will be denied your visa it just means that they are doing an investigation into your paperwork and doing the security checks that all applicants have to endure.

All applicants are told to wait 45 days (business days) but the majority of persons that are in AP are roughly waiting 4 - 6 months. I have researched this embassy and only one Dr. got 19 days on a K 3 came to the states and is here one year now and still has not completed the AOS part.

CR1 takes longer to get approved since your AOS is completed before you come to the states. Means you will get your social security card, green card in few weeks and are legal to work almost immediately.

Your wife going to the embassy will not make the AP checks go any faster so she can visit you but she will not be able to impact your security checks going any faster.

Did they ask for an updated medical? Medicals are usually good for one year from the date they were done. Most cases of AP the applicant is given one white form letter stating AP, sometimes as well a blue form (you can get both) and in some cases your given a pink token. My husband got the two forms and no token but was sent a letter after AP completed and returned to the embassy and turned in his passport and they mailed it back to him within 5 days. THEY DO NOT ISSUE SAME DAY VISA ANYMORE.

[mary_mj4mj]

Originally Posted by splinter

Is it normal process and every one goes through?
What is the differnces between A/R & A/P?

Thanks alot

Administrative Review is a short review of your paperwork from this embassy.

Administrative Processing is a longer processing and is basically the AOS processing done on the CR1 before it is issued.

Islamabad Embassy gives all males some type AR/AP and now more and more females are put in AP.

[splinter]

Originally Posted by splinter

Is it normal process and every one goes through?
What is the differnces between A/R & A/P?

Thanks alot

[splinter]

Thanks a lot for all the information you have provided me so for.
Just one more question, in case we don’t hear soon from the embassy which has already been almost a month by now, Can I apply for a visit or temporary visa while my case is under the A/P? We are supposed to get married on May 17 in Las Vegas it has been our dream, we are getting close to the date and I am feeling nervous if I don’t’ get my visa before May 17th, I don’t know than.

Once again thank you for your support,

~S

[aussiewench]

I'm a little confused by your post. In the first post you referred to your wife, the I-130 was filed and you had an interview for the immigrant visa, and then in your last post you talk about getting married in Las Vegas?????


A visitors visa is highly unlikely to be granted as you have immigrant intent. The main criteria when one applies for a visitors visa is that there is no immigrant intent. The fact that you have applied for an immigrant visa, I imagine pretty much puts a damper on that. You have already interviewed for the immigrant visa and any other application for a visitors visa, would be a waste of time and money, in my opinion.

Sit tight, and wait. That is all you can do at this stage.

All the best

[mary_mj4mj]

Splinter I am confused too by this posting. I thought you had already married and submitted the I-130 to the consulate this is a marriage visa. If you only submitted the I-129F it is a fiance visa with the intent to marry in the USA.

A visitor visa for any Pakistani males is so hard to get and if you have a visa in processing now they will not issue you one.

All you can do it wait it out now and once your approved and have the ajudicated visa in hand do you set the marriage date. I know how hard this is since my husband and I made plans while he was on AP and those dates came and went and we were still separated.

My best advice is to take this journey one day at a time and I am going to post some stastics about 2007 visas that are in processing and finalized from Islamabad and this is just a sampling of the data.

CR-1/IR-1 (Male)Interview Sept 2006,Second AP March 2007
CR-1/IR-1 UNKNOWN
(Male) UNKNOWN
CR-I/IR-1 (FEMALE), CASES SENT TO PAK 3/22/07, PACKET 3.5 RECEIVED 4/5/07
(Male) UNKNOWN
K-3 UNKNOWN
(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON ????? VISA RECEIVED In December 2006
K-3 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 01, NOV,2005 VISA RECEIVED ON 02,NOV,2006
K-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON O9, JUNE 2006 ON AP
K-3(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 01,SEPT,2006 VISA RECEIVED 14, SEPT,2006
K-3(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 13, SEPT,2006 VISA RECEIVED 20, SEPT 2006
K-3 INTERVIEW ON 15, SEPT,2006 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 06, OCT,2006 VISA RECEIVED 30, DEC,2006
CR-1/IR-1 INTERVIEW ON MAY,2006 ON AP
K-1 INTERVIEW ON MAY,2006 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1 INTERVIEW ON APR,2006 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1 INTERVIEW ON 20, APRIL,2006 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 01, AUG,2006 VISA RECEIVED 26, FEB,2007
CR-1/IR-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 07, DEC,2006 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 13, DEC,2006 VISA RECEIVED 15, MAR,2007
CR-1/IR-1(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 05 JAN,2007 on AP
K-3 (Male) INTERVIEW ON ????? VISA RECEIVED 26, JAN,2007
K-3(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 30, JAN,2007 VISA RECEIVED 14, FEB,2007
K-3(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 30, JAN,2007 ????????
K-3(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 06,FEB,2007 VISA RECEIVED 14, FEB,2007
CR-1/IR-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 12, FEB,2007 ???????
K-1(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 20, FEB,2007 VISA RECEIVED 04, MAR,2007
CR-1/1R-1 (Male) (PK-CANADA) INTERVIEW ON 21, FEB,2007 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1(FEMALE) 2007 INTERVIEW ON 06 MAR,2007 VISA RECEIVED MARCH 13, 2007
K-3 (Female) and kids INTERVIEW ON 06, MAR, 2007 arrived in states March 23, 2007
K-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 13, MAR,2007 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON AUG,2005 STILL ON AP(THRICE) 21, MAR,2007
K-3(FEMALE) INTERVIEW ON 25, APR,2007
K-1 INTERVIEW ON 27, MAR,2007 ON AP
K-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 27, MAR,2007 ON AP
CR-1/IR-1 (Male) INTERVIEW ON 29, MAR,2007 ON AP
K-3 INTERVIEW ON 15, MAY,2007
K-3 NOA-1 11, JAN,2007
K-3(FEMALE) NOA-2 02, FEB,2007
CR-1 (Male) Interviewed March 15, 2007 on AP
K3 (female) interviewed 12/01/2006 on AP
K 3 (female) case headed to Islamabad 04/12/07
K3 (female) Feb 06,2007 on AR
CR-1/ IR-1 (Male) interview July 25, 2007

[splinter]

Sorry it took me so long, I didn't have net access. Well we got offically married on May 17 ,2006 but we decided to make the wedding party in the state where my wife family can attend. No we are married and I have applied for marraige visa. Thanks a lot for all the assitance and for the wonderful site.
Now I am not worried about the time any more because my wife is coming to visit me and we will stay togather in Islamabad till I get my visa.
~S

[mary_mj4mj]

Splinter enjoy your reunion with your wife and good luck on the remainder of your journey. Please come back and give us an update on your staus or when your visa is issued so that others can see from your AP how long it lasted.

[splinter]

Hi There,

I just got back few days ago , I was with my wife in Pakistan and we had really good time. We enjoyed a lot. The sad part was when my wife left to the state alone and I came back home. We contacted the embassy many times and they were just telling us,you are under A/P so it has been two months by now and still no news.
Do you think I should take a lawyer or wait? in the white sheet they gave me after interveiw stated * if you don't hear from us with in 45days you may contact us for further inquiries* and now it is more than two months.
any assistance would be appreciated, is there list of people who have already gone through this process so I can get an idea about an aproximate time for A/P

Regards,

S

[mary_mj4mj]

Originally Posted by splinter

Hi There,

I just got back few days ago , I was with my wife in Pakistan and we had really good time. We enjoyed a lot. The sad part was when my wife left to the state alone and I came back home. We contacted the embassy many times and they were just telling us,you are under A/P so it has been two months by now and still no news.
Do you think I should take a lawyer or wait? in the white sheet they gave me after interveiw stated * if you don't hear from us with in 45days you may contact us for further inquiries* and now it is more than two months.
any assistance would be appreciated, is there list of people who have already gone through this process so I can get an idea about an aproximate time for A/P

Regards,

S

Splinter you can only wait out the AP and no one can help you or expedite it. I listed a group above of the one's I am aware of now in AP and if you look at the list I documented when the AP started and ended if it has done so now. In our case our AP was at 5 months but my husband does not have a common name, he never traveled outside of Pakistan and that helped us in our wait. Also, this week I learned of a new security check that is delaying the AP processing. This check is listed under "Material Support" please read http://www.chinland.org/statements/mtsp.pdf and check out Amesity International on Material Support.
In a nutshell if anyone is from a country that may have terrorist ties the government has to rule out they the immigrant did not give any funds or support to any terrorist groups and the Patriot Act and Real ID acts broadened the scope of what can be deemed terrorist activity so this is why we have "Material Support" issues.


Note hiring a lawyer will be a waste of your time and money. All you can do is allow this long drawn out process to complete. Take this journey as I have stated one day at a time is all you can do and keep your communication going with your spouse and keep well documented records on calls and chats as they can ask for updated information later.

Mary

[splinter]

Hi Mary Again,
My wife contacted Washington D.C and they told him that my clearance is done and they sent back everything to the embassy in Islamabad.
Can you tell me what the next step is please?
Thanks a lot for all the great information & assistance.

Best Regards,

~S

[mary_mj4mj]

Splinter,

Your clearance is done in DC and they have cabled back their findings to Islamabad. The CO will then look over your files and he can do one of three things if all your security checks have cleared and ALL are current.

1. He/she can decide to ajudicate the visa.
2. He/she can continue to hold the case and ask for updated medical, financials, or affidavit of support.
3. He/she can reorder the checks once again or have a field investigation officer make a visit.

Keep us posted and hoping that you have good news of visa in hand to share soon.

Mary

[splinter]

Hello Dear Mary:
Thanks once again for all the assistance and thorough information.
So I got a call from the embassy and asked me to delivery my passport for further process. Now what is this suppose to be?
I thought to keep you posted and get more assistance.

Regards,
~S

[mary_mj4mj]

Splinter this is good news and it looks like they are about ready to ajudicate the visa. Hopefully they are finsihed with all your checks and they will mail your passport and visa back to your via a courrier. All you can do is sit back and wait for your packet to arrive. As always keep me updated and I look forward to hearing good news from you shortly so I can say Mubarak!

Mary

[mary_mj4mj]

Splinter hope you have good news to share. Islamabad gave out 4 visas on Friday, July 13th from the ones on AR/AP listed above. Look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Mary

[splinter]

Mary Thanks a lot for all your assistance and guidance. It took me long to reply you sorry about that.
I finally got my visa today July 31st from the embassy here in Kabul.
So I would like to thank you and all the people who responded to all my questions.
I want briefly say the overall process that took me since I applied.
I applied on June1st 2006 at US embassy in ISLAMABAD. I got approval by email on June 16, 2006. I was requested to submit the booklet along with my medical examination on September 16. Two times my paper work bounced back because they were not complete. I submitted my documents for the third time some time in mid-December 2006. I got interview date on March 22nd 2007. Than I was put on A/P and finally got my visa on July31st, 2007.
Thanks for all of you,

Mary, Do you have any advice for me?

Best of luck,
~S

[mary_mj4mj]

Originally Posted by splinter

Mary Thanks a lot for all your assistance and guidance. It took me long to reply you sorry about that.
I finally got my visa today July 31st from the embassy here in Kabul.
So I would like to thank you and all the people who responded to all my questions.
I want briefly say the overall process that took me since I applied.
I applied on June1st 2006 at US embassy in ISLAMABAD. I got approval by email on June 16, 2006. I was requested to submit the booklet along with my medical examination on September 16. Two times my paper work bounced back because they were not complete. I submitted my documents for the third time some time in mid-December 2006. I got interview date on March 22nd 2007. Than I was put on A/P and finally got my visa on July31st, 2007.
Thanks for all of you,

Mary, Do you have any advice for me?

Best of luck,
~S

Mubark! I have been waiting to hear from you or your lovely wife and was thrilled to finally hear your update.

My advice is to come to the USA and make sure if you have a POE that is different from your state you will reside in to make sure have leave plenty of times between flights. The POE can be long and in some cases like my husband it was not a nice experience.

If you marked on the DS form for your social security card it should arrive within 4 weeks and if you do not get it by then go to the local ss office and ask for a card. I will post Mian's timeline below for you to see how long it took us.

Enjoy your reunion and take a few days to get adjusted and settled. I also know you can start looking for jobs but some employers will not talk to you until you have your greencard and ss card in hand. We had to wait on Mian's to arrive but we enjoyed our reunion time and did some driving around the area for him to get his footings.

Once you have your greencard and ss card you can then apply for a learner's permit and get started on getting a USA driver's license so you might want to get a learner's book and start reading it in your free time or down time before working.

Have a safe trip home and a wonderful reunion with L.

Mary

Mian's Arrival in USA
05/10/06 Visa in hand
05/23/06 POE
06/05/06 Social Security Card arrived via mail
06/12/06 2 Year conditional Greencard arrived via mail
06/06 Got a job
07/31/06 Driver's license in hand

[Tim&Bethanie]

Glad to see you finally got your visa! Congratulations to you!

[Laura]

Congrats on your visa!!! Now enjoy your time together...

LJ

[aussiewench]

Congratulations on having your visa in hand. Great to hear that you are finally through. Have a safe trip and a wonderful reunion.

When you get some time, please do a write up in the Interview Experience forum in order to share with others that are going through the same consulate

[mixchel]

Originally Posted by mary_mj4mj

I also know you can start looking for jobs but some employers will not talk to you until you have your greencard and ss card in hand. We had to wait on Mian's to arrive but we enjoyed our reunion time and did some driving around the area for him to get his footings.

Congratulations, splinter!

Here is an article about the POE and how to be employed before you have your Green Card and Social Security card in hand!

Arriving In America: Navigating the POE

[tuulikaarina]

Congratulations on finally getting your visa, splinter! I hope you have a wonderful reunion once you get to the US!

[lovelyguy]

Hello,

Greetings and hope you are doing well!!!!!!!!!
I got 221g after my interview. My wife is in Washington DC and she is a USA citizen by birth. I am an Indian citizen.We got married in Nov-08 in India. She applied for I-130 and I-129f in the month of January. our I-129 f got approved and i went for interview to chennai consulate in Aug2009, india. My interview went very smoothly and i was feeling I'll get my visa today itself. CO was quite casual with me while asking me the questions. After the interview CO told everything is fine but she gave me 221g mentioning for administrative processing. I got the information from this website and your posts too, what AP is exactly.
My question is My I-130 is also approved now. what you think is there any chance of getting the visa on this interview or its a same story of AR/AP?

Hope your guidance help me to prepare for this interview.

Lovelyguy