Hello everyone i have just gave my interview and the end CO told me that submit some more papers gave me 212(g) and other paper. i asked the CO what is this he told me that your case is on AP .then i asked how much it will take he said he will be clear within two months... and he also gave my passport back to me ...

now please tell me what is this..... any suggestion pls.

AP is administrative processing. Basically they are doing security checks on you.

I know the CO said 2 months, but in reality, AP has no time limit. Just wait until they call you back. The USC can also call DOS and find out the status of the security checks as well.

I hope you have a speedy AP

It is standard operational procedure.

All applicants, after their interview, have their cases reviewed by the Department of State back in USA for security checks. Your fingerprints and name will be sent various agencies to be checked against computer databases.

This process can take 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and even up to a 1 year! One month if you are very lucky and 1 year if you are very unlucky. Average wait time is 3 to 6 months.

Welcome to the AP Club.

Welcome to the AP club, indeed! Be sure to submit the requested documents also!

Like the others have stated you are in AP with Islamabad embassy and 2 months seems like a short time. I hate to tell you this but in most cases (if male) the time frame is running 5 months minimum and longer. They are doing background, fingerprint, and name checks during this time and you cannot have your visa ajudicated until all checks are completed and the CO is satisfied. Take your journey one day at a time, try not to worry about it daily, call DOS on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday mornings for an update, and pray for patience. DOS will not tell you what checks or what the embassy is researching but they will say you are in AP or have cleared some checks sometimes. Good luck.

Mary

So does everyone get on AP, or is it random?

I originally posted this on May 5, 2006 and it does pertain more to the Islamabad embassy than to others. AR aka Administrative Review and AP aka Administrative Processing are sometimes used interchangeably at the embassies. All applicants endure security checks but certain countries have to endure more checks and these checks are for names, schooling, job and all can effect this. There are numerous agencies and checks that are run on CR-1/IR-1 applicants once their case is at the embassy. Males and muslim males especially coming from T countries endure longer checks. CR-1/IR-1 applicants have more checks done since the AOS part of their journey is completed before they arrive in the USA. Below are some links that show the different checks and some of the reading is very involved. Good luck to anyone on AP and it just takes time especially when coming from Islamabad on all cases I have seen. Listed below is just a sampling of all the checks and what is looked at when you are in AR/AP. Ages of the applicants, religions, length of the relationship, divorces, etc all effect AR/AP.

Mary

Links:
http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_06-06_Nov05.pdf
http://www.occ.treas.gov/corpbook/occforms...me%20check' Lexis check is used in banking in USA and is done on applicants as well that are coming to the USA.
http://www.wolfsdorf.com/articles/Consular...ng_20050524.htm Very detailed explanation of the security checks and T countries.
http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/Secu...tiveReview.html brief overview of AR/AP


That is the problem with the Administrative Processing it is different than the Administrative Reviews. On the AP they will only tell you that your on AP and that you have to wait. If you are on AR sometimes they will slip and inform you of fingerprints or other checks are in processing. I know how you are feeling and until we have visa in hand we are not celebrating.

Administrative Processing is more in depth and it is to verify the documents submitted, they can go and do field investigations at your home or job, or talk to a number of persons to validate the relationship or marriage is not a fraud. It also encompasses the security checks as well. When on AP they will not say anything to you from the embassy or DOS but say this case is in AP now. We will contact the applicant once it completes.

Administrative Review is usually the security checks and they will tell you that is what they are waiting for. When you contact DOS if you know checks are pending you can ask how many checks are cleared or ordered and some times the operator will tell you one is pending. They will not tell you the name of the check.

Hope this brings some understanding to this process. And if you are in these checks you just have to wait them out and pray for patience and understanding.

Mary

Everyone goes through Administrative Processing.

However, the level of checking can be more intense for men from middle eastern or muslim countries.

Some of the security checks are:

VISA MANTIS
VISA CONDOR
TAL