Has anyone encountered this situation? :
My fiancee had her interview in Senegal this morning at the end of which she was handed a letter saying:

"In order to proceed with your visa application, we must confirm your eligibilty. We will contact you if we need additional information. Untill we have completed this verification, we cannot move forward with your visa application"

Is it because she' not done with her vaccinations yet? (She will complete them in 10 days). We went ahead with the interview because the doctor had assured us it was ok even though she had not finished her vaccinations.
Has anyone experienced this before? Thanks in advance

PS: How do i fill out my timeline on my page?

Vaccinations are not required for a K1

You do need your vaccination records for your K-1. Or at least I did.

It sounds like you were placed on administrative review and not denied. This does occur with regularity. Did they keep your fiancee's passport?

Sounds like she is in AR/AP and means that they are doing background checks, name or fingerprints have not cleared yet and they cannot issue the visa. Her letter may say it is a 221(g) which states they are unable to issue the visa at this time.

To add timeline in signature.
Go to my controls at the top of the page by the portal button.
Edit signature which is located in your personal profile box on the left hand side.

I'm not sure where you got this info, but, unless there have been major changes to that policy, the proper vaccinations ARE required. As it was, my wife (then fiance) did not have to have any due to the fact all of hers were up to date. You might want to check your sources on that.

Actually his statement is accurate. The "requirement" does not happen until AOS. Now, I'm not saying they won't deny you, but the technical requirement is not until AOS.

Reference: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/ty...tml#Vaccination

"Vaccination Requirements All applicants for immigrant visas are required to have the following vaccinations, if appropriate, for age, medical condition, or medical history:

• Mumps
• Measles
• Rubella
• Polio
• Tetanus and diptheria toxoids
• Pertussis
• Influenza type B
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella
• Pneumococcal

As a fiancé(e), you are not required to fulfill this requirement at the time of your medical examination for a fiancé(e) visa. However, you may want to do so. These vaccinations are required when you adjust status following your marriage."

The post (US embassy) in Moscow is quite clear that vaccinations are not required until after US entry for K1 and K3. CR1 is, of course, different.

I suspect that OP is in AR/AP -- unless perhaps there is some question as to whether she is currently married.

Thanks for the inputs guys
No they did not keep her passport, which worries me.
And the letter doesn't say "221 g" either.
The officer did mention to her that they need the final report (i don't know the proper term) from the doctor before he could issue the visa. And the doctor won't hand it to her before she's done with the vaccinations. The Doctor said she something present in her system that obliges him to give her the vaccinations. She'll be done in 10 days.

Sounds like a potentially corrupt doctor. If he vaccinates, he gets extra fees that he isn't entitled to, since vaccinations are not necessary until AOS.

Does the US embassy allow her to go to a different doctor?

If you can, get her to a different doctor, get the DS-3025 that she is entitled to get from the examing doctor, and consider a formal complaint about the current doctor *after* visa is in hand. At least, that is my opinion -- and probably not an expert opinion at that.

I agree about finding another doctor. Clearly in the rules the vaccinations are not required for the K-1 because it is a nonimmigrant visa. My finacee was missing his hepatitis vaccinations, the series takes a number of months due to waiting between the shots (a three shot series). He still passed his interview, but he is in ar/ap because he is from Iran.

At least now he has time to finish the hepatitis series

We are going through Dakar also and have been on AP/AR for 8 months.
What condition / vaccination is the problem ? Can your SO call the doctor and ask ? The requirements on vaccs is embassy
specific even if the regulation say needed for AOS only. Several embassies make up their own rules. The 3 panel physicians in Dakar are all doctors of integrity as far as I know and have to abide by the embassy's rules.
Is it an acute hepatitis case that is potentially contagious ? Until that is established we can't help with an answer.
I hope you will get the visa quickly and don't have to go back on AP.
There are not many of us going through Dakar so keep me posted.
Best wishes !

Thanks for the replies
The doctor said something like "benign skin siphylis". He told me over the phone not to worry; That's it's not contagious and will go away aftr her penincilin injections.
Is that ground for Administrative Review? Or worse, are they doubting that our relationship is real?

When the injections are completed then the embassy will be ready to look at your medical again and make a decision.
In your case the injections were very necessary to get the condition treated.
This has nothing to do with a bona fide relationship. However Dakar is a tough embassy and they do some strange things.
You may or may not go back in AP/AR.
If you have any other problems you can pm me at any time. I have been dealing with that embassy for 8 months now.

There is no " benign skin Syphilis". Syphilis is an infectious STD and if that is what her diagnosis is then you also need to get
checked by your doctor and possibly treated and I hope the doctor told you to do that on the phone.
Skin lesions appear at a certain stage with this STD and timed injections of penicillin will destroy the disease. At which time she would be considered cured and eligible for the visa and not before.
Acute, latent and untreated Syphilis renders an applicant ineligible for a visa.
You were lucky she was given the chance for further treatment by the panel doctor rather than being outright denied, especially with this particular
embassy.

Thanks Omoba for your input.
I wasn't really sure about the medical terms. In fact I'm still confused. I just know that I need to get checked for siphylis too because I'm the first and only man to be intimate with my fiancee. Which means I passed it to her, right? Since it's an STD.
So, if I understand, you're saying the medical condition could be the reason for the AP?
Why couldn't they just tell me that? There's nothing wrong with keeping the applicant informed.
I'm sorry you're going through the AP too. It's only been a week for me. I can imagine how hard it is to be "played" around with for 8 months.
Good luck and keep me posted too. I'll do the same.

I don't mean to stir trouble but just from googling the disease and reading how one gets it amoung other things on the cdc site http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm#common if you indeed were the one to give it to her you would know it since you would have had to have had a sore when you were intimate in order to transmit the disease. I don't know how you could not have known that you had a sore down there but then I'm not a guy so who knows what's possible.

In any event no matter who gave it to who, you definitely need to take a trip to your doctor soon. Good luck.

Although transmission appears to occur from persons with sores who are in the primary or secondary stage, many sores are unrecognized, thus
most transmission is from persons who are unaware of their infection...................do not have any symptoms for years..............
the infection can also be transmitted by deep kissing.

Therefore Doodle, he would not have to had a sore or known he was infected.

The consular officer may have thought it was a privat matter not to be discussed with the petitioner at this time.
Most consulars will not disclose the reasons for AP/AR as it is usually confidential.
Is this the reason you are in AP you ask........your case is pending until the medical treatment has concluded.
You may or may not go into AP after the medical review, as there may be other reviews deemed necessary, such as document checks and the other reasons I stated earlier.
You will not know until the medical issue has been resolved. They will not let you know ahead what happens, you will find out
one step at a time.

To answer your question DOODLE: No I don't have any sores on "my didi" or anywhere else. Neither does she. I think there are no symptoms, like OMOBA said. At least I didn't notice anything abnormal. But i'm seeing my doctor soon.
Thanks

My fiancee is done with her vaccins. The doctor handed her a sealed envelop to take to the officer. But she has to pay the same fees to see the officer again which I think is BS. Is it the same way for other embassies?
I mean I don't mind paying but I just don't understand why we can't just send to him.
Have you experienced this Omoba?
Thanks guys

She would probably have to pay for her treatment injections ( those aren't vaccines ) because it was another office visit but there is only one
visa application fee no matter if you have to drop something off or interview again.
Who took money from her ?
Maybe you misunderstood her.
Did she give money to a National or the consulate officer himself ?
There is something wrong with that picture.
Ask her again.

You actually don't. You can get a waiver but do need them once you file for AOS. I was given this option.

No, she is correct. Some civil surgeons will tell you that you need them cuz they make mor emoney off of you that way. You actually do not need them until you file for AOS. When I went for my medical, I did NOT get my vaccinations because I had a pneumonia at the time and couldn't get them. On my DS-3025 my CS put a check by waiver. I did get them later on by my primary care doctor and THEN had all vaccinations transferred to form I-693A by a CS when I came to the US and applied for AOS.

What the hell? That CS seems like he is trying to get extra money because she does NOT need her vaccinations at this time. If there is REALLY something in her system, she needs medications, not vaccinations because the vaccinations can only make her immune system weaker. I had pneumonia when i went for my exam and my CS refused to do vaccinations!




I gotta agree there - that's bullsh .............

If she was told it was "benign skin syphillis", this can only mean secondary infection. Syphillis goes through 4 stages and the first stage is the primary stage. The primary stage is the stage of the organism's entry into the body. Secondary syphilis is a systemic infection marked by the eruption of skin rashes and ulcers in the mucous membranes. Since it causes the skin rashes/lesions/etc., some people refer to it as skin syphillis and in her case, benign skin syphillis. I am sorry to hear this since it is a contagious disease UNLESS it is in its latent stage. Once it is in its third stage it is no longer contagious. Have you had yourself checked?

Are you sure they said benign skin syphyllis or benign late syphillis?

Gosh, sorry.

Sorry for the numerous posts but I just re-read your post. Since you said the DR told her it is NOT contagious, then it can only be benign LATE syphillis. This is the stage where it is no longer contagious. Some patients develop so-called benign late syphilis, which begins between three and 10 years after infection. I'm not a DR but I work in the medical field and i am familiar with diseases/illnesses. Since he said this is not contagious and it has got to be this. In any event, I hope it gets cleared up soon.

How long have you been with your fiance? I am not trying to stir up anything BUT like I said in my past post, if she is at a latent stage it is no longer contagious. A few years have to go by in order to get to this stage so do the math. I also think that if you had syphillis, you would know.

Have you had any skin lesions/rashes/etc? Swollen glands, fevers, etc.?

Magnolia,
The doctors in the foreign country are panel physicians and the doctors in the US civil surgeons. So his fiancee is not seeing a CS.
The OP mistakenly said VACCINES in his post but meant antibiotic injections as treatment for the syphilis.

It is embassy specific if regular vaccines are needed or not. The posts have their own requirements and do not always go by
"the book ". So, in some 3. world countries vaccines ARE required before they will interview or will not get an interview. Period.
You don't know where there has been a recent outbreak or what the conditions are, especially in African countries.
So let us not rigidly insist that all panel physicians who give vaccines are corrupt. Again, this is embassy specific.

Yes, I agree with this statement. Andre had to prove his at medical before his K-1 was approved.

Yeah, I know. I always call them civil surgeons because everybody else does. I figure if i say "panel physician", someone will get confused cuz it's happened before LOL.

I didn't know about the difference in countries - I thought it was the same everywhere although I did wonder why in some countries people need to get pap smears while in Germany you do not. At least in my case, i did not. My private parts weren't even discussed LOL.

Thanks to everyone for their input again.
I sent an inquiry e-mail to the consulate because it's been 2 weeks since my fiancee turned in her medical papers. But their answer was short: "we cannot predict how long the review will take. We will contact you if we need more info."
Does that mean the "medical" part wasn't an issue? The Doctor told me that everything is ok.
I'm thinking they're really verifying the validity of our relationship. How long does that take (on average)? weeks, months, a year?

The medical treatment was an issue.

Now it could be one of 2 things. Either there is a backlog of resolved issues ( such as your medical ) and you are now at the bottom of the pile and your turn will come soon. There are others ahead of you with DNA results for example ..........piles of cases and now the resolved medical issue will
get filed until it is your turn to continue the process.

My fiance has to get DNA testing done and then go to Dakar for a 3. time for a 2. in depth interview after 9 months of AP/AR.
The AP/AR pattern emerging in Dakar is about 6-9 months. Of course each case is unique and therefore unpredictable.

It is impossible to predict if you are on AP again to verify documents, background or validity of the relationship OR if you are now simply
on the bottom of the 'resolved issue pile' and soon to be processed.

Continue to gather as much relationship proof as you can at this time in case there will be a second interview. You may want to email them and ask if a second interview will be required or if you are only awaiting the final processing.
Dakar is a very tough embassy.

Still no word from the embassy. I can't take this anymore.
I'm thinking of contacting my congressman. Do you guys think it will make the embassy "talk"?
Is it a good move?

You can do that but they won't give details. If Dakar gives your fiancee a second interview I advice you to be there.
Remember I have been waiting 9 months now. We are estimating the 2. interview to be in Dec or Jan and I am planning to be there.
This embassy is very tough.

Sorry you are running into this bump at this stage. I hope that things are resolved so that you and your fiance can be reunited soon.

Personaly i would be concerned about who gave it to whom, one of you has been playing away in the recent past(< last year). Its pretty rare to get infected by some one in the late stage, And they would have signs of being sick with something. Plus the panel Dr noticed a rash of some kind, which indicates the second stage on her.

There was a time Javed had something in his lungs. the Dr would not give him a report because, of the calcuim there. the DR recommended he see a dr. once he went to the specialist it was determined his lungs were fine - he got clearance. he had all this gunk in his lungs it made the report look bad. so maybe the OP case is similar.

The OP is not asking for advice on sexual behavior as that is his personal issue. The issue at hand and the core of this topic is
the delay of the embassy after a completed medical treatment.
Accusations are off topic and in bad taste in my opinion.

Sorry but I think its very relevent, and advice may be in "in bad taste" in your oversensitive PC opinion, but if i found out my fiance had a STD I would be alittle more concerned about her health, my health and how it happened than you seem too be.

plus I think the VO might question the validity of their relationship, if there is a RECENT STD exposure, just IMHO

Anyone would be concerned and that is obvious, without you having to point that out so bluntly. It is not my style to accuse the OP
or his fiancee and oversensitivity has nothing to do with it , just general board manners. I am sure both have resolved that issue in privat.

Thanks Omoba!
As you put it, i'm here to opinions on an immigration situation. Not relationship counseling. (I would've gone to Dr Phill)
But to reassure any "sceptical" out there, our relationship is very solid

Anyway, I received an e-mail from the embassy today asking my fiancee to stop by with her "new Mauritanian birth certificate" (which we had already submitted with at the interview) . Is that a positive sign? my fiancee's theory is that they must be close to making a decision, if that's all they're asking.
Thanks again to everyone!

A new birth certificate that has already been submitted ? Please explain, why ' new ' why another one if it was already submitted ?
What ' different ' birth cert. did they ask for ?

Does your fiancee live in Dakar or did she have to make another trip from Mauritania ? How can she just drop something off without
a special letter to get in the embassy and past the guards ?

My fiancee is from mauritania and that's where she resides. The e-mail from the embassy got me confused too. I e-mailed them yesterday for more explanation about the "new birth certificate". I'm hoping to get a reply tomorrow.
This is what their e-mail said: " Dear Sir:

In order to process your fiancée application, this office must confirm her eligibility for that visa. For that end we would like to ask your fiancée to submit her new Mauritanian birth certificate. She can stop by any Wednesday or Monday afternoon between 2:00 to 4:00.

Best regards,

Eligibility Review Unit. (MS)"


Why would they need another one? I have no clue

As usual Dakar makes no sense. Tell me something, are they asking your fiancee for the 3. time to travel from Mauritania to Dakar ?
Once for the initial interview, then for the medical treatment and now for a ' new ' birth certificate ?
Why did they not ask for the birth certificate when she returned for the treatment ?
Do they think we are rich to run back and forth from one country to another to ' drop' stuff off that has already been submitted ?
What the heck is a ' new ' birth certificate " ?
My fiance had to make a second trip ( $ 1500 ) for the DNA test. Then he has to make a 3. trip for the 2. interview only to be asked to 'drop off'
more items at any time ?
Are these people for real ?

saidouwane I emailed you, please let's take this Dakar issue to email.

Guess what Omoba
My fiancee showed up at the embassy today to drop another birth certificate just like they asked in the e-mail. Well, she didn't even get to see anyone. A clerk took the paper from her at the entrance, went somewhere for 10mn,came back with the birth certificate and said " Someone will call you".
What do you make of that? They didn't even make a copy of the birth certificate, which was the whole purpose of her 800 mile trip.
I don't understand!

Did you ask if the birth certificate could be send per DHL instead of hand delivered ?

You are now back in AP/AR. They are continuing to review your case.

Call DOS again and ask for case status and get a congressional inquiry ...........keep making noise ! I believe this embassy is one of the most unorganized embassies and severely understaffed without the necessary resources to get the job done in a timely manner.
They process 7 countries and lose oversight of individual cases. I have gotten very mixed up email responses, totally mixing me up with other cases.
Stay on top of them, email them often.
We are waiting for our 2. interview now.