Letter from embassy to my senator

[JULIAFERNO 0]

Dear Senator Brown:

Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns of your constituent, Ms. Julia ******, in your email inquiry of October 27, 2008, regarding the case of Mr. Onur ******.

Mr. ****** was interviewed on July 28, 2008. At the time of interview, it was determined that this application will require an administrative review. As of today, unfortunately, this administrative review of Mr. ******'s case is still ongoing. Until we receive word from the Department of State, we cannot proceed further on Mr. ******'s case.

As soon as the administrative review is completed, Mr. ******’ s case number will be announced at our website (<http://ankara.usembassy.gov/CONSULAR/status.htm>) Once the case number is posted on our web site, Mr. ****** may send in his green refusal sheet given to him during the interview and his passport with UPS. Then his visa packet will be prepared and sent to his address in Turkey by UPS Courier Service.

I am sorry that my response could not be more positive. Nonetheless, I hope that this information will be helpful to you and to your constituent. We have noted your interest in this case and will keep your letter on file. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Sandra J. Shipshock

Consul General

U.S. Embassy Ankara

No new information to me. Although, she says "administrative review" instead of "administrative processing." Any significance? She also says they are waiting to hear from DOS, which makes it sound like security checks.

[tammy2688 1]

Julia,

I believe that when you draw attention to your case, the concern is seen by the embassy. The thing is they cannot issue the visa until they have clearance from DOS. They are very good about informing the applicant, and you about the visa issuance as soon as the clearance in received. Processng and review are interchangable but are different when talking about review at the embassy level. This consulate review is usually the last step before visa issuance, if a new medical is not required. You are lucky to have Ankara answering on your inquiries and I firmly believe drawing attention to your case is in fact a good way to help the case go faster after checks are done. Turkey is not known for enormously long AP's so you should not worry too much.

What is good about this update is that even it does not give new information, it never mentions how long it will take, which means it could very well be that the checks could be completed by next week. Never rule out that fact that you are close. You are closer to day than yesterday and getting closer every day. I know it hurts, you know I do. Over a year of AP was not easy to handle and seeing no updates hurts so much. But remember, those before you and those with you at all different consulates went through and are going through this process and except for a very few rare cases, everyone is issued visas.

Don't call DOS so much if it hurts you to hear that there are no updates. They cannot tell you there are if there aren't. Focus on yourself and your husband and find ways to make your relationship stronger and more wonderful. Everyone has their time and your's will come too. Keep a look out for e-mails and tell your husband to keep his cell/house phone open during the hours the embassy can call.

Sooner than later, your husband will get his visa.

Sending you my love and prayers,

Tam

[JULIAFERNO 0]

Tammy - thank you for your encouraging words, as always. You are right that there was not any specifically negative information in the email response, other than the fact that the case is still undergoing administrative review. Ankara's website states that Administrative Processing takes between 4 and 6 months. We've been waiting 3, so maybe we'll hear something good before the New Year. Any news on your end? Sorry I haven't been around here much lately - I'm crazy busy with my teaching internship and night classes. I need a vacation!

[KandD 1]

We are in the same boat, I know how you feel, Nov 8 is the 4 month mark for us. I got the same letter from the embassy as well a month ago when my congressman requested an expedite due to personal circumstances.

Tammy- you are a blessing, you are always so positive, supportive, and encouraging. I dont know how you do it. Im waiting for the day you will post that your husband has his visa in hand Inshallah. Thank you for being such a positive influence for all of us waiting in the black hole.

[hyd617 1]

hello there

that was the same letter i got when my congressman did an inquiry to embassy in india...

it basically said they are waiting- pending receipt of an additional clearance..

that the embassy delayed a month in seding our case to washington.

when i called the embasyy they said they are awaiting clearnace from DOS, and once they receive clearance they will issue the visa, which could be any day now -said embassy operator

ahhh sometimes it drives me nuts!!!

[Carlawarla 1]

Dear Senator Brown:

Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns of your constituent, Ms. Julia ******, in your email inquiry of October 27, 2008, regarding the case of Mr. Onur ******.

Mr. ****** was interviewed on July 28, 2008. At the time of interview, it was determined that this application will require an administrative review. As of today, unfortunately, this administrative review of Mr. ******'s case is still ongoing. Until we receive word from the Department of State, we cannot proceed further on Mr. ******'s case.

As soon as the administrative review is completed, Mr. ******’ s case number will be announced at our website (<http://ankara.usembassy.gov/CONSULAR/status.htm>) Once the case number is posted on our web site, Mr. ****** may send in his green refusal sheet given to him during the interview and his passport with UPS. Then his visa packet will be prepared and sent to his address in Turkey by UPS Courier Service.

I am sorry that my response could not be more positive. Nonetheless, I hope that this information will be helpful to you and to your constituent. We have noted your interest in this case and will keep your letter on file. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Sandra J. Shipshock

Consul General

U.S. Embassy Ankara

No new information to me. Although, she says "administrative review" instead of "administrative processing." Any significance? She also says they are waiting to hear from DOS, which makes it sound like security checks.

Julia, I sometimes frequent this forum on waivers, but have little knowledge of them. I would suggest though that it's a matter of security checks. I hope you hear something postive very soon! I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

[WonTanNara 0]

Me too... today is our six month "anniversary" of waiting for security clearance. Crappy anniversary to us.

Julia, your senator has a DOS liason. I suggest that you now draw attention to your case in Washington by asking your senator to do an inquiry with the DOS. You'll get the same response, we're sorry, blah blah blah.... but then you can ask your senator to inquire once per month on your behalf. I believe this may be slightly more productive than calling the DOS because, according to my senator's office, the DOS liason can inform us when the checks are complete. Maybe the people who answer the phones at DOS can see a change in AP status... I'm calling DOS, I'm contacting the embassy every month, and I'm also asking my senator to inquire every month.

I think the length of time that it will take isn't specific to any embassy, for us it's all about how many checks need to be done. All the processing is being done in Washington at this point. If your fiance gets a hit on 5 different databases or lists, it'll take longer than somebody who only gets a hit on 2. My fiance must have gotten hits on every database there is, six months to clear his name is ridiculous.

I hope this is over soon. I am one crabby lady.

[Nita&Assaad 0]

Ladies my prayers and thoughts are with ALL of you!! I wish you all get your visa soon!!

Hugs

Nita

[miamiwife 0]

Yeah--got that letter from Sandra Shipshock a few times Julia--but you got to admit--isn't that a fitting name among Turkish surnames? Too bad it isn't Shipshape--then I would feel like I was in better hands!

[JULIAFERNO 0]

Yeah--got that letter from Sandra Shipshock a few times Julia--but you got to admit--isn't that a fitting name among Turkish surnames? Too bad it isn't Shipshape--then I would feel like I was in better hands!

Sibel - did you receive that same letter verbatim? That is so disappointing. They can't even personalize a letter when a senator's office inquires?

I am losing my mind!

[miamiwife 0]

Julia--this was my last reply from Ankara via my senator:

Dear Senator ****:

Thank you for bringing to our attentions the concerns of your constituent, Ms. Sibel ***** in your inquiry of September 25, 2008, regarding the non-immigrant visa application of her husband, Mr. ****.

As indicated in our previous message of July 15, 2008, after his interview at our office, Mr. **** case was submitted to Washington for administrative review. We are sorry to inform you that the review of his file has not yet been completed. Our office has been following up his case with the Department of State and the latest response we received on September 9, 2008 advised us that the review will take more time. Due to the fact that multiple agencies are involved in this process, our office does not have any control or authority to expedite it.

As soon as the review is completed, Mr. **** case number will be announed on our web site. Once he sees his case number on this web page, he may send his passport and birth certificate to our office by UPS courier service.

I regret that my response could not be more positive. Nonetheless, I hope that this information will be helpful to you and your constituent.

***I have had both my senators and my congressman contact them twice so far and all 6 replies have been similar. I am sure they must have a pre-prepared response, no?

[tammy2688 1]

Keep in mind that AP ends abruptly as well. You have clearance in a week, there is no way to guess it but it will happen when you least expect it. Please keep focused on your lives, it's hard to eat and sleep with all this worry but it is worth it in the end to not let your body suffer as well.

The Senator can give inquires on behalf of you and the embassy does see the urgency. As soon as you know the checks are done for you, get on the embassy as ask that they take action on your case.

These visas will be issued whether they take from 2 to however many months that are needed. Also tell the applicant to add the embassy e-mail address to their address book so that they can receive e-mail notifications as well.

God bless,

Tam

[WonTanNara 0]

I got this from the Dakar embassy today:

Your fiance’s case is still pending in our eligibility review unit. I regret the delay, and the delay is not unique to your case. Some cases in the Eligibility Review Unit can take many months, and a few have been processing for a year or more.

I wish I had better news.

We will contact you as soon as we are ready to move forward.

Regards,

MG

Consular Dakar

Hey well at least they were sympathetic enough to wish they had better news. Now we are officially into our seventh month of AP.

Insh-Allah please let us be reunited soon. I could have carried our first child to term in the time we've been waiting (as could many of us)...

[tammy2688 1]

Hey I counted AP in baby years too lol. At 9 months I was like ok I could have given birth to a little one already! It was painful and funny at the same time

Don't worry WanTanNara, your fiance will get this visa soon, maybe before December. If not, have wonderful trip too and hopefully you can come back with him!

[WonTanNara 0]

Hey I counted AP in baby years too lol. At 9 months I was like ok I could have given birth to a little one already! It was painful and funny at the same time

Don't worry WanTanNara, your fiance will get this visa soon, maybe before December. If not, have wonderful trip too and hopefully you can come back with him!

I thought you might be counting in baby years too. Hee hee... Thanks Tam, Insh-Allah we will both be reunited soon (and everyone else, too). xoxoxoxo