Questions about AP

[angie & abed 1]

Hi!

OK, a little background about my hubby's interview and what followed...He had his interview on August 12th 2008 in Beirut, Lebanon, he didn't have a English translation of our marriage certificate (he had an arabic copy), he only had the marriage contract and translation, the officer told him at the beginning of the inteview he would need to bring in the translation and they would give him the receipt to pick up his passport and visa...at the end of a very good interview (officer was nice, talked about how cute our baby is ), the officer took his passport (travel document actually, as he is a Palestinian Refugee born in Lebanon) and gave him the receipt...then my sweet, honest hubby, said, "wait, i thought I needed to bring in the translation" the officer said "oh yeah" and took the receipt back, but kept the passport and told him when he brought it in, they would give him a new receipt. He took in the document on August 14, 2008, and was told, oh you don't need a receipt, we will call you when it is ready to be picked up. I emailed the embassy about him not getting the receipt, they replied not to worry about it, they would call once the visa was printed. So far (a week later), no call. I called the embassy today and was quite demanding on knowing some information ( I wanted to talk to the Ambassador)...they are hell bent on you not ever speaking to anyone in the visa dept, and I actually talked to someone (amazingly enough) who said they are doing additional name checks on him. Now my question is this...he never received a form telling him was having additional name checks and never received a paper for the RFE (he had the receipt IN HIS HAND)....is this a problem? She said it could take a month or longer....I am so stressed (my hair is coming out in clumps!) and I don't know what I should do....should I try calling DOS and see if they know what's going on? I wouldn't be so concerned about another month of waiting, we weren't planning on him coming til the end of Sept anyway, but he has to have an Airport Transit Visa to go through any airport (which takes about a month to process), but he can't even apply for that until he has the travel document, visa and a ticket in his hand....I want him here before our daughter's 1st birthday the end of Oct. And I would like to keep some of my hair, I don't think I'll look very nice bald. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Please.

Thanks!

Angie

PS...please excuse any typos or ramblings.

[Tunisia216 2]

I am really so sorry to hear about this.. The waiting and everything and I'm praying that inshallah Daddy will be home soon with you and his baby girl!!! I am not sure if she's around or not but I know Tiff (jade2004) went through something similar I think in Jordan with the good interview and then waiting for ap/name checks - Maybe she could give you more insight on phone calls she made.

Again all of my best wishes and prayers and serious MENA mojo that you are going to get word for him to come pick up his passport!!!!

[sara535 15]

It was my impression that 99.9% of Arab males go through post interview name checks....?

[polarbear 0]

It was my impression that 99.9% of Arab males go through post interview name checks....?

I agree... I was under the impression that it was pretty standard.

My husband didn't have a single name hit and it only took 1 day for everything to clear according to DOS, and it still took almost 2 weeks for them to process the visa in Cairo. I figure a month is pretty standard

[angie & abed 1]

Welp, guess if it is standard, there is really nothing else we can do but wait... I am just confused as to why he wasn't told this or given a paper stating this is what was happening....he was given the receipt and could've had the visa by now if he hadn't been honest (theoretically), I'm sure it would've caught up to him eventually though. Just seems like we were all excited and then the name checks and that I even had to fight (and be a B!, which I don't like to do) to just get a simple question answered, maybe the officer didn't really know what he was doing....anyway, thanks for the responses.....

Angie

Edited August 21, 2008 by angie & abed

[Nutty 2]

Dear Angie:

Administrative processing is a standard procedure after the interview. We all have to go through it. Please don't believe the Consulate Officer when they say it will "take one month." That "one month line" is policy to say, but not the reality. Waiting in AP can take weeks, a few months or many months. There is no way around it. Calling the DOS is no help either. Their policy statement is, "Case is still in AP." When you ask how long it will take they will usually refuse to give time frame of how much longer it could take.

SOMETIMES, though, SOMETIMES, you can get a nice representative. If you explain that you are about to quit your job and go wait with your husband, they may skirt around their own rules and "suggest" you be patient and that AP may not take much longer. (As this happened in my case).

My heart goes out to you and all the women who are undergoing AP. It is a torture! A true test of endurance and it seems only immigrants from African, middle east, central and south asia, have to wait long times in AP.

[sweet_peach 0]

Welp, guess if it is standard, there is really nothing else we can do but wait... I am just confused as to why he wasn't told this or given a paper stating this is what was happening....he was given the receipt and could've had the visa by now if he hadn't been honest (theoretically), I'm sure it would've caught up to him eventually though. Just seems like we were all excited and then the name checks and that I even had to fight (and be a B!, which I don't like to do) to just get a simple question answered, maybe the officer didn't really know what he was doing....anyway, thanks for the responses.....

Angie

I wonder what caused the suden "name check"

or if they had planned on doing it the entire time and just made a mistake during the interview.

[AlHayatZween 2]

Dear Angie,

So sorry to hear it has been a confusing time! But congratulations on getting through the interview!

Like others stated, i think everyone goes through AP, whether they are told or not, paper or no paper. Maybe check out other timelines from Lebanon in the Immigration timelines section...? Might help you get a better idea of the average wait for that embassy.

Good luck!! i hope the time passes quickly, inchallah.

hz

[Aymsgirl 0]

Angie,

My husband went through Cairo and he was in name checks for a little over a week. They told him at the interview in 2 weeks you will receive your visa. I called to check in over a week and was told he was in checks, he was given no paper informing him of this. Really, I think they tell you kind of what you want to hear from what I am gathering. I kept calling DOS and they were the ones that told me when the visa was issued. I then emailed the embassy and they still said he was pending name checks and had issued the visa! So, DOS is what helped me, maybe not others but they did help me by checking with them once a week.

Tasha

**Keeping my fingers crossed that daddy is home with the baby on her birthday!!! **

[doodlebugg 10]

I'm just spitballin' here but it seems like maybe he got a name hit after his interview, so the CO maybe didn't know about it. I hope the name check goes quickly for you and that you are reunited soon!

[polarbear 0]

Yeah, in Cairo they tell everyone 2 weeks. They don't tell you about the name checks that they do on everyone or that it could take longer than the 2 weeks. They don't even give you a reciept (except the DHL), and don't always keep the passport and will then tell you they will call you bring it in. They don't give the 221g either like they do for AP in Casablanca.

DOS is where I found out the most info as well - the embassies just have standard reply emails. For awhile there you couldn't even call Cairo, they shut down their phone number they had been giving out

This is really the hardest part because there is soooo much uncertainty. You just have to have patience and trust that everything will work out, but I feel for you angie (((hugs)))

[Sandrila 1]

Angie

I'd like to keep my hair too!

I would also second the comment that AP IS TORTURE!!

I feel like I am just sitting helplessly, I dont think pestering them too much helps...plus with all the power they have, they could make things worse for us if we keep being pushy.

Yes, true test of endurance...the "not knowing" kills us little by little and i dont know about you guys but my husband is in a very bad position there. I am seriously concerned about his physical but MOSTLY MENTAL well being.

We are just praying everyday.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU

Edited August 21, 2008 by sandrila

[Aymsgirl 0]

Bridget, you are probably correct! DOS told me that when they go to issue the visa that is when they know if the name will hit or not, not until then unless the CO advises they be put on checks prior to.

[Nita&Assaad 0]

Hang in there!! I pray INSHALLAH the AP won't be long!!!

Thinking of you!!

Nita

[sweet_peach 0]

Any news yet Angie???

I get sick to my stomach every time I read this knowing what your going through and the fact that Hayz's interview is in 2 weeks. I'm trying to brace myself for the inevitable fact that we will probable go into AP also...