Interview gone HORRIBLY wrong!

[pushbrk 12,106]

Well...

It just sounds like one of those things to me, you know?

All you can do is what you have done. Send more proof of the relationship. You weren't there at the interview - it's hard to say what happened. Your man may not have answered the questions as convincingly as the CO would have liked. Who knows.

The Swedish consulate is certainly not my area of expertise. I have no way of knowing if they periodically 'get tough' with applicants. Have you ever researched it?

Yes, apparently they do 'get tough' with applicants, and my lawyer has another lawyer friend dealing with a case from this embassy where apparently the CO went 'nuts' and REALLY gave the people a hard time. My lawyer says that they must have nothing to do there, they are bored, so they choose to give us a hard time as something to do. Who knows. Sounds as good of an explanation to me as any.

I wish I could have been there for the interview, then we would not be going through this. However, I am in the middle of taking a college course with mandatory attendance. You miss one day, you have to repeat the entire class over. There was no way I COULD go at this time unfortunately.

Jennifer

If it's a typical 'consular scenario' then difficult as it may be, I would try to remain calm, send them what they wanted, and think positive.

A lot of people here seem to think that all the hard-core interviewing happens in the Middle East or Manila. This is actually an interesting story and a good reminder to all readers to research their consulate and take nothing for granted. For ages my mantra has been 'know thy consulate' and this situation just seems to reinforce that.

Don't beat yourself up for not being at the interview. You don't know for sure that your presence would have made things different. It's all armchair quarterbacking.

I wish you only the best of luck. Please report back to us with your result.

Fresh from our AOS interview today, which was easy as pie, I can tell you that if we hadn't had satisfactory evidence in answer to his simple, "What have you got to show me today with both your names on it?" the decision would have been delayed at the very least. In JenK's situation, there was a lack of interview preparation and evidence of bona fides. I think there's a good chance you'll overcome this with the new evidence you have now.

[JenK 0]

I certainly hope you are right, and wish we had all of this gathered to begin with so we wouldn't be going through this now, but we really did think we had sufficient evidence. The consular officer even said it was "sufficient" but I guess it was not necessarily "convincing." I have to hope and pray that he GETS this new evidence and that it helps. Now my main fear is that he won't ever receive it, and off our case will go to the USCIS and end up in a black hole somewhere. I am trying to stay as positive as possible, but it is very hard to.

Jennifer

[pushbrk 12,106]

I certainly hope you are right, and wish we had all of this gathered to begin with so we wouldn't be going through this now, but we really did think we had sufficient evidence. The consular officer even said it was "sufficient" but I guess it was not necessarily "convincing." I have to hope and pray that he GETS this new evidence and that it helps. Now my main fear is that he won't ever receive it, and off our case will go to the USCIS and end up in a black hole somewhere. I am trying to stay as positive as possible, but it is very hard to.

Jennifer

I really do think you'll be alright, at least based on what you've told us. For you though and other readers, your initial post listing evidence, indicates absolutly no evidence of a bona fide ongoing relationship. What you mention is only evidence you met in person and decided to get married. What they are looking for is evidence that your relationship continues and is bona fide, evidence like you just submitted.

[misspkm 0]

Hey Jen and Kim!!

I am so sorry for you!! And worried for myself for when I get grilled in Stockholm...

I think now though with all the extra evidence it would be ok!

This made me wonder about my application - and we did not hire a laywer to do this for us.. we did the application our selves. Please keep us all updated on this..

Good Luck!

[rebeccajo 14]

JenK - I used FedEx to Europe. It worked just as well as it always has for me in the States.

[JenK 0]

Hello, Kim and I both have sent our evidence now in two separate envelopes, both to arrive at the consulate on Monday. Both are addressed to the consulate officer. Both have our case numbers on it. Now I just hope he GETS IT, READS IT, and it is enough to make him have no doubts. Our lawyer is going to Fax them on Tuesday mentioning that the packages should have arrived on Monday. The lady from the Senator's office also notified them to expect the packages. So I hope they do. Then we wait for a reply. Until then time is going to drag on endlessly and I will be living on pins and needles.

It has come down to one consular officer deciding our fate. Funny thing is, he's engaged to be married himself. You think he'd have some compassion.

Jennifer

[JenK 0]

Hi, does anyone on this forum know of cases who got 221(g)'s issued for Administrative Processing that were actually still ISSUED the visa at the consulate level? Or do they all end up going back to the US? So far, every single case I've read has gone to the US no matter WHAT they do. He did not ASK for more evidence but we sent it anyway, hoping it will somehow help. I am trying so hard to stay positive but at this point I'm about to lose my mind. I'm not eating, not sleeping, I can't even think straight any more. Is there any hope or am I just living on false hopes?

Jennifer

[Minya's wife 24]

Hi, does anyone on this forum know of cases who got 221(g)'s issued for Administrative Processing that were actually still ISSUED the visa at the consulate level? Or do they all end up going back to the US? So far, every single case I've read has gone to the US no matter WHAT they do. He did not ASK for more evidence but we sent it anyway, hoping it will somehow help. I am trying so hard to stay positive but at this point I'm about to lose my mind. I'm not eating, not sleeping, I can't even think straight any more. Is there any hope or am I just living on false hopes?

Jennifer

Jennifer,

Which box(es) is checked on your form? There isn't one specifically for "Administrative Processing" at least there isn't one on the 221g form my husband got in June 07. I'm curiuous if it is the same form we got? There was not "Administrative Processing" written on our form....the CO's handwritten instructions are on there detailing what further info we needed to submit. In your case, the form does not tell you what to submit...but you were told verbally by the CO to submit more evidence, yes? I think this is different than the Administrative Processing that occurs in the MENA countries, for example, because from what I understand they are not requested to submit anything further....they're just told Admins Processing, which incudes further name-checks that are performed and take forever.

Because the CO gave you the chance to submit futher evidence, I don't think that you should lose hope...you can look at is as a good thing. If he was convinced that your relationship w/ your fiance was not valid...he could and would have chosen to deny the visa on the spot. Instead you've been given this chance. So its not all that bad....I know the wait is horrible...the week+ we waited before he was called in for a second interview was worse than the 4 months leading up to it.

Chin up, youll come through this!

-P

[JenK 0]

Hi, does anyone on this forum know of cases who got 221(g)'s issued for Administrative Processing that were actually still ISSUED the visa at the consulate level? Or do they all end up going back to the US? So far, every single case I've read has gone to the US no matter WHAT they do. He did not ASK for more evidence but we sent it anyway, hoping it will somehow help. I am trying so hard to stay positive but at this point I'm about to lose my mind. I'm not eating, not sleeping, I can't even think straight any more. Is there any hope or am I just living on false hopes?

Jennifer

Jennifer,

Which box(es) is checked on your form? There isn't one specifically for "Administrative Processing" at least there isn't one on the 221g form my husband got in June 07. I'm curiuous if it is the same form we got? There was not "Administrative Processing" written on our form....the CO's handwritten instructions are on there detailing what further info we needed to submit. In your case, the form does not tell you what to submit...but you were told verbally by the CO to submit more evidence, yes? I think this is different than the Administrative Processing that occurs in the MENA countries, for example, because from what I understand they are not requested to submit anything further....they're just told Admins Processing, which incudes further name-checks that are performed and take forever.

Because the CO gave you the chance to submit futher evidence, I don't think that you should lose hope...you can look at is as a good thing. If he was convinced that your relationship w/ your fiance was not valid...he could and would have chosen to deny the visa on the spot. Instead you've been given this chance. So its not all that bad....I know the wait is horrible...the week+ we waited before he was called in for a second interview was worse than the 4 months leading up to it.

Chin up, youll come through this!

-P

I wish I could copy the 221(g) to somehow show you.

It is a white form.

It has nothing checked.

It says at the top "This office regrets to inform you that it is unable to issue a visa to you because you have been found ineligible to receive a visa under the following sections of the Immigrant and Naturalization Act:

Section 221(g) which prohibits the issuance of a visa to anyone who fails to present the documents requested in connection with this visa application. If you fail to present the documents requested below within one year, your application for an immigrant visa will be cancelled and any petition approved in your behalf will be returned to the immigration and Naturalization Service.

You have been found ineligible under this (these) ground(s) of ineligibility because:

1. Pending administrative processing.

Once the above items are provided, we will review your case. If all documents are in order, your visa package will be issued and mailed to you by registered mail to your local Swedish address.

Sincerely,

American Consul

No name of a consular officer. No above items to be provided are listed. No explanation. And yes, the consular officer said to send in anything else we had that might help our case. So we did.

Thanks for helping me try to keep some form of hope through all of this. This week will most likely be the longest week of my life (if he keeps his word of saying he will contact us this week.)

Jennifer

[diadromous mermaid 36]

For an overview of some of the steps in AR, you can read here:

http://***removed***.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386

Bloody heck. Is this link STILL being corrupted. Sheesh!

Edited January 26, 2008 by diadromous mermaid

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Well the post I was trying to link is a general sticky post on 221 g on the Family Based Immigration forum, FBI and here is a link to something written on the process of returning petitions, by Marc Ellis. His article is here http://www.ilw.com/articles/2006,0323-ellis.shtm

Edited January 26, 2008 by diadromous mermaid

[JenK 0]

Thank you, our petition is not being returned YET, I am hoping to stop that from happening by doing everything possible first. That 221(g) did not state that our paperwork was going back to the United States yet, nor has it been sent yet. I do have a bad feeling it will be, though, and I have read every single horrible detail about what that means. Thank you for sending the links but I sincerely hope that the next steps in this process won't be necessary.

Jennifer

[pushbrk 12,106]

Thank you, our petition is not being returned YET, I am hoping to stop that from happening by doing everything possible first. That 221(g) did not state that our paperwork was going back to the United States yet, nor has it been sent yet. I do have a bad feeling it will be, though, and I have read every single horrible detail about what that means. Thank you for sending the links but I sincerely hope that the next steps in this process won't be necessary.

Jennifer

This is definitely not a Notice of Intent to Deny but they didn't communicate very well about what additional documents/evidence they would review. I do think you covered it though.

[JenK 0]

Thank you, our petition is not being returned YET, I am hoping to stop that from happening by doing everything possible first. That 221(g) did not state that our paperwork was going back to the United States yet, nor has it been sent yet. I do have a bad feeling it will be, though, and I have read every single horrible detail about what that means. Thank you for sending the links but I sincerely hope that the next steps in this process won't be necessary.

Jennifer

This is definitely not a Notice of Intent to Deny but they didn't communicate very well about what additional documents/evidence they would review. I do think you covered it though.

I really hope so. It was pretty vague. But the consulate officer said directly to my fiance to send whatever we had that might help our case. So that is why we figured we better send more evidence.

Jennifer

[shannon65 2]

Thank you, our petition is not being returned YET, I am hoping to stop that from happening by doing everything possible first. That 221(g) did not state that our paperwork was going back to the United States yet, nor has it been sent yet. I do have a bad feeling it will be, though, and I have read every single horrible detail about what that means. Thank you for sending the links but I sincerely hope that the next steps in this process won't be necessary.

Jennifer

This is definitely not a Notice of Intent to Deny but they didn't communicate very well about what additional documents/evidence they would review. I do think you covered it though.

I really hope so. It was pretty vague. But the consulate officer said directly to my fiance to send whatever we had that might help our case. So that is why we figured we better send more evidence.

Jennifer