Called DOS again today. This is how the conversation went.

I asked what our case status is.

Agent : you are still on AP.
Me : what exactly are they checking?
Agent : it just shows the investigation the conoff ordered is not complete.
Me : what are the specifis, background checks, security checks, document check ?
Agent : everything you have submitted gets checked. I also see all your emails to
the embassy and you were told everytime that the investigation is not complete. I also see
that the senator inquired about your case today and he was told the same thing, the
investigation is not complete. ( slight attitude )
Me : yes, but would FOIA help to give me details ? How long will that take ?
Agent : 6 - 12 month to complete a FOIA.
Me : so it is safe to say that the investigation may be complete before a FOIA request
would be completed ?
Agent : yes, your case is not a denial, if the conoff would have denied it there would be
no fight about it, they would return it. ( fight about it ??? who is fighting ??? ).
Me : in 3. world countries is it standard to do these investigations about documents ?
Agent : well a lot of times documents can't get checked in those countries so they will
check everything in the US. ( maybe this was a hint that they are checking me out, the USC.)
I know how you feel, you just want him with you but there is nothing that can be done other than wait.
( attitude softened ).

I called the senators office today but never heard back from them, maybe tomorrow he can
tell me something I don't already know.

4 month on AP and counting !

awww Hang in there. How is your fiance holding up? I know how difficult it is to not know anything. Just remember you were approved the visa and this is the formality of crossing all the ts and dotting all the is. You will boht get there and all of this will just fade away into memories.

psssh, and what was that supposed to do? Scare you into not checking on your case anymore?

So pretty much it's the same old secretive stuff. Sorry, girl, you know I will be crying tears of joy once it's finally over for you two. I truly hope this nightmare is over soon. Let us know what the Senator tells you.

Dear Sister,

He has your back, your front, your left and your right. We know what He has already done, so focus on what He said He will do. May God give you an increase in strength and grace to see you both through this . Keep pressing on towards the prize.

AP is a dark hole and no one will give out details until they are ready to ajudicate or deny the visa. I always got the same canned response and if your case is in AP it can mean them checking out the family, your job, your community ties, if married the validity of the marriage documents and ceremony. I know in Pakistan the going AP time if you do not have a common name is running around 6 months time. If you have a common name AP is lasting much longer.

Take your journey one day at a time and call DOS for an update on Wednesday afternoons or Thursday morning since they seemed to have updates within those two days. Good luck and keep the faith.

Mary

Thank you all for your encouraging words. You don't know how much that means
to me.
My fiance is holding up ok, I give him frequent updates and that helps but you
can imagine how we both have our bad days.
Eyes on the prize will get us through !

Hi Omoba....

Believe me I can sympathize with you. My wife had her interview on Feb 13 in manila, and we are in this same sickening mess of a black hole hell. Its very disgusting what they do to us. Every day I go to work and pass all the illegal dayworkers hanging in the street while my wife is held captive in the phils by my government. The government i pay taxes to, which helps to support these lawbreakers with medical care, food, etc. The government I pay taxes to that provides jobs and paychecks to these govt workers who treat us like cattle, deny us our rights to fair adjudication, and common courtesy.
I try to remember that God sees everything and will call everyone into account for their actions. Having said that... it does test your faith and make you wonder why God doesnt get these slow, lazy, rude, or overzealous people out of our way faster... God be with you both

I can undertand exactly what your going thru Omoba. I make myself feel better that there are other people going thru the same process as I am. And there has to be an end to this dark hole and even though we cant see the light yet....the end is coming nearer each day. I agree with waitandwait that there is such outroar over illegal immigration however people fail to realize that if the legal process was made more fair and equitable maybe that would encourage ppl to do the right thing. I hope everyones AP gets over soon. Goodluck all!

FaK

i understand certain countries have certain laws and rules and guidelines- what is AP/AR? i noticed some people get the visa the same day, others through mail, and some go through AP/AR. why does it take so long for it to process? i'm sorry, i am not familiar

i also noticed montreal is doing an AR according to the timeline- how do they decide who gets it right away, who needs AP/AR?

i'm going through montreal, and i wasnt aware there was any processing after the approval.


i'm reminded of a quote i think applies to all this immigration b.s.

"No one said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."

Ap=admimistrative processing, AR=administrative review.
They are almost the same, not much difference.
Ap/AR mostly happens in 3. world countries, especially with high fraud risks.
It includes background checks, security checks, name hits, home investigations
and document checks.
It can happen at any level, USCIS, NVC but mostly after the embassy interview.
The conoff decides for whatever reason that certain petitions must be looked at deeper.
There is not time frame for completion.

AP/AR would be unusual for a Canadian, but it can happen to anyone.

Omoba...my husband has been on AP for 4 months +, too. I feel your pain

Have you tried a senator or congressman, but it seems useless from the response
I got from the senators office today:

Senator's aide emails me that he contacted the embassy but in fact he did not, he contacted
DOS like he later admitted.
I urged him to call the Dakar embassy to which he responded that is difficult to do with
the time difference. I said it is doable if he calls 8am. He said he would tomorrow.

He wrote an email about the DOS contact and said the reply was that my fiance could not
establish eligibility for an immigrant visa ( we are doing K1 ) during the initial interview and the case was forwarded to the Eligibility Review Unit. ( My fiance had EVERYTHING and more to establish eligibility).
He then asked if he could have a timeline and specifics and they said no they are unable
to give further information due to visa confidentiality.
He worded the reply to me like this........I asked for specifics of the denial.....
I then had to tell him that under no circumstances were we denied and therefore this case
is in AP/AR.........to which he apologized and said right it was not denied, he misworded in the email
to me.
After a meltdown I am exhausted.
It was a waste of time and I know more than the senator's aid and have to tell him how to
proceed.

I have a question.....who is more useful in enquiries......senators or congressmen ? Or
does it all come down to experience and competence with any particular aide ? Why do some chose
senators and some congessmen?
Well, I am waiting to hear the news tomorrow of what the embassy said if he will indeed call.

My fiance's medical was fine, he showed his late wife's death certificate, the documents
are in order, he is free to marry....yet his eligibility for an 'immigrant visa' is picked apart.
The interview went fine, questions were answered and the conoff was pleasant 4 month ago.
She said I can't give you a visa today but we will contact you if we need more info or if you
need a 2. interview. The passport was given back to my fiance.

I have really had enough of this mess

No, I haven't tried contacting a Senator or Congressperson. I think I'll wait until the 5 month mark to do that. I'm just thinking it's enough now.

It doesn;t matter which elected offical you contact (US HR or Senate), its all about the aide. Not every aide is equal. Some offices have more competent aides. If you find one office is not fully able to serve you, call another.

Congressional offices usually handle immigration issues. I know personally my congressman would not inquire on my behalf and I asked my Senator to do so for me. His aid did mail the embassy two times on our behalf and both times she got canned responses "of this applicant is on AP and we will contact them once we are ready to proceed."

Depending on whom is in your state some persons do have better luck than I did. I will also say you will need to give the office a release form and once you do this the embassy will not talk to you or respond to your emails. The release form is usually located on their website.

Good luck.

I don't understand what you mean by that. I have faxed the release form to the senators
aid. Are you saying that from now on the embassy will no longer answer my personal
emails like they did before due to the release form for the senators office ? I am confused.
I don't understand what one has to do with the other, I prefer to continue to get emails
from the embassy when I inquire about my status.
They said they will contact us when the investigation is complete also.....will that
not be done now ?

Why on Gods Green Earth are you waiting to contact a senator or congressman?... get to it now.... I contacted my congressional office as soon as I found out i was on AR/AP.... Hasnt helped much with my case, however when the consulate gets an inquiry every week from my congressmans office..at least they reply and they know we are on the ball here.

VJ had server problems and was not able to get back into the site to answer you. I know that the few of us that did have a congressional or senatorial aid work on our cases when we emailed the embassy they never replied once we gave our rights to the staff. When they were ready to ajudicate the visa in our case they sent my husband a letter to come back to the embassy.

I would really prefer to keep getting emails from the embassy myself. I will email them in about 3-4
weeks from now and see if they respond, I will update here.
Even if the replies are just canned...still it feels kind of like a life line to remind them we are
still here and for them to acknowledge that. I just don't want to fall through the cracks.

Another thing if they mail my fiance that the AP is completed, he would never get the mail due to terrible mail service. He has also relocated to another city.
I keep reminding the embassy to call and email both of us instead of writing.
Does the embassy need to know during the AP that he started working again ?
He was unemployed during he interview time.

hello guys,,what is the meaning of AP?

AP= administrative processing.