K1 Fiancee Visa,
On AP for 13 months now,

Hello every one,
I have sent some postings before and this forum is very supportive. My case is pending with the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi for 13 months now. Their web site is not update for the last two months, so i sent e-mails to check on my case.

Last two e-mails, Their answer is changed from Administrative processing to Administrative Review, does this mean anything?

At the time of our interview, we were told we pick up visa in two weeks, no one told us about AP, but it went to admin processing. Please advise, and thank you very much.

no difference at all!

To you and I there is no difference it's all the same process just a different name.

BUT

As in my case which may be different for others the distinct difference is:
After my interview in Montreal I was given an I-601 waiver, and after that was processed,
I was asked by Montreal for new documentation for those that had expired which I believe placed me in AP,
Then they (Montreal) asked for another form to be filled and sent it off to Vermont this placed me in AR as per the operator who replied to my e-mail.
AP would be the gathering and verifying of information after the primary process is completed at the consulate level.
AR would be the final adjudicating at the NVC level.

I could be way off but doubt I am, disregard if you think I am

It *might* be that they are considering administrative processing the FBI name checks that are done stateside and administrative review the consular processing and local investigation. Have you been calling the DOS to find out if your name check is complete? If you are no longer in name check, then I would think that administrative review refers to whatever they are doing at the consular level to verify your visa eligibility.

If it is true that there is a difference it gives me hope that our AP/AR won't be long as every time I have called (daily) DOS I have been told AR.

We finally got an email response from the US Embassy in London....12 days after we emailed them, and all they say is:

Your case is still under review by a consular officer. Unfortunately, there is no set period of time that this review will take. Times quoted should be used only as a guide.

I guess the fact that the case is under review by a consular officer means that he is not in any security checks and hopefully it will be soon...?

If you call DOS they can tell you if the name check is complete? It seems when I called last time she wasn't able to tell me anything as she wasn't allowed to tell me what was going on. (um, it is MY case..why wouldn't they be able to tell me what is going on?) What can/cannot they tell you when you call? I would seriously like to know a little more about what is going on...
Thanks!

Either things have changed since we were in AP (it was only a couple weeks, but almost 4 years ago now, so my info may be outdated), but they were able to tell me whether the name check was still pending. Maybe it depends on the representative you speak to?

Yes, it does depend on the representative you speak to at DOS.

I just wish they could collectively decide on what information to disclose and what not to disclose...every-time I call, its like I have to beat around the bush to determine whether they are going to give me answers or not.

Today was a good day, one of those days that a nice DOS rep picks up that is willing to give more info than just "still pending/admin processing". Our case has completed administrative processing and is at the consulate for review. What I don't get is why don't they do all the review at the consulate level first and then finish the AP, or some other sort of proper method of getting things done...we were first in review at the consulate for "verifying eligibility for visa", then we were told we are in Admin processing, and now, as of today, we are told that it is in review at the consulate.

I don't get that either. What seems to happen too frequently (or used to at least) in countries like Egypt where AP is typically lengthy is that the security check is completed before the review at the consulate is performed. Then sometimes it takes them so long to review things at the consulate level that the security check expires and they have to rerun it. Once the new check is run, the case returns to the consulate for review again, and it becomes a vicious cycle.

I hope this is the last leg for you guys!

Well if you are in review at the consulate level, what that basically means is the consular officer is checking it over one more time and then your fiance will get the visa insha'Allah... I hope next week is a lucky week for your insha'Allah.. I've seen AP being done in 3.5 months now and it seems like you are there...

Thank you so much for the duas Hopeful786. But DOS sometimes says AR and sometimes says AP, so don't know what to believe, maybe our file is just sitting there at the consulate, there is no way to find out. I also hope and pray that next week we get the good news, InshaAllah. 10 more days until your fiance's interview, we also pray that InshaAllah his interview is smooth and successful without any AP/AR delays. Thanks once again for the support and we hope that you are enjoying the blessings of this Ramadan.

To be honest with you MARM, I don't think that the staff at DOS even knows the difference between AR/AP... from the responses that I've heard, it seems as if they think both is the same since they share a commonality of administrative work. Wheter it's AP or AR, if they say it is at the consulate level review... then insha'Allah your fiance will be getting a call soon if they don't find anything. I really do hope your fiance gets the call letter soon, it must be tough on him considering that he's pressed on time with his student visa. Insha'Allah my duas are with you

Guy's please a help ....
my I129 was approved in 12 Dec 2006 , the interview was at 10 April 2007 , decision made to return the file back to the approving office for more review since that time i just get some letters telling me various things last one was in 10 Nov 2008 telling that the case is under FBI name check and within 6 months i should receive a notice of action or a decision , nothing untill now !!!

In 1 April 2008 i decided to move I130 which was approved in 12 Dec 2006 , i received a notice of action in 23 july 2008 telling they received my form I824 and that they will prosses it in timeframe they put in the website , 16 March 2009 i received a letter says within 60 days i should receive a noa or a decsion . in 30 may 2009 i received a new letter says case has been delayed under a security check still pending , till now nothing and no answer even with every weel infopass interviews !!! .

what is going on ? which case i shall follow ???
I129 has been pending since 29 month's
I824 has been pending since 13 months .

please help

This information is for anyone who would like to know about the difference between AP and AR, at least for the US Embassy in London. I wrote to the Chief Consular Officer at the US Embassy in London a while back and today she replied to me via post. Her letter included information that my fiance was put on AR from the moment he was interviewed, the AR has been completed as of Sept 24, 09 and he has been put in mandatory AP since Sept 24, 09. AR at the US Embassy in London means that the consular interviewing was not satisfied with the applicant, so they take it on themselves to do investigations (such as the phone investigation in our case). Once they are done, they determine whether the applicant is approved or denied. If denied the file goes back to USCIS. If approved, it is put through the mandatory DOS/Washington D.C security/name check clearances that is routine for everyone and gets cleared within 48-72 hours for most and weeks,months, years for others. So my fiance's AR has been completed and he has been in AP since Sept 24, 09.

I am not sure if this is how all embassies work, but this is what was explained to me by the Chief Consular Officer herself at the US Embassy in London via post. Hope this information is useful for someone...

Thank you Marm, this is very helpful! I hope this applies to all embassies.