AP How long?

[moctar 0]

My wife had her interview in Dakar, Senegal on June 22 2010. The interview took 5 minutes she answered all the questions about me, the only question she didn't know was the name of my former wife (My former wife by the way, sponsored my green card, but I got my citizenship through military service). The CO told her she was supposed to know her name, then he asked for our pictures and my wife showed him our photos. At the end of the interview, the CO told her they will call her in few weeks. I wrote the consulate explaining how according to our customs we don't talk about past marriages and he responded: "your case was referred to eligibility review unit for further research and processing. We will contact you when we can move forward". After 10 days, I wrote another email asking for the status and they replied "we have initiated all our inquiries and waiting for replies. We cannot reliably predict how long this may take".

I would like to know if anybody has gone through a similar situation? and if so, what was the outcome and how long this may take? and which kind of research and processing are they doing?

I greatly appreciate your help.

Thank you.

[Leedah 22]

Moctar, you have asked this before.

Please do not double post. Simply write again in your own original thread.

It will come up as active again for all to see.

By the way, in reference to your question (that I answered before also), it took almost another 6 months to be approved. That only happened because I personally went to Dakar to see what was going on (happened to speak to the interviewer, but didn't know it at the time). Flew back to my home for a business appointment then flew back to Dakar for the real interview 3 days later.

Also, at the time I was also in the process of completing background checks to work for USCIS (had applied the year before), so I had my OPM government papers with me to show the interviewer that I was about to possibly work for government. I think that is what also swayed the person, because barring that, it probably would not have been approved.

[Leedah 22]

By the way, what custom says not to speak about previous spouses? I'm assuming you are Muslim based on Mauritania being an Islamic country. I am Muslim also and their is no Islamic custom that says that. Actually your supposed to inquire about character and previous spouses and family to know what type of person and family you are marrying. I've traveled all over the African continent and various other places and learned about (and lived with) a great many cultures. What you said doesn't sound plausible. That is a red flag to an interviewer and also why you could be in review. Most women who marry usually want to know about previous marriages of a man. Women like to know all sorts of details that men rarely care about. If she doesn't know the ex's name, that is weird. I still know the ex's names of every past person I ever dated as I'm sure that most women would know also.

[moctar 0]

Moctar, you have asked this before.

Please do not double post. Simply write again in your own original thread.

It will come up as active again for all to see.

By the way, in reference to your question (that I answered before also), it took almost another 6 months to be approved. That only happened because I personally went to Dakar to see what was going on (happened to speak to the interviewer, but didn't know it at the time). Flew back to my home for a business appointment then flew back to Dakar for the real interview 3 days later.

Also, at the time I was also in the process of completing background checks to work for USCIS (had applied the year before), so I had my OPM government papers with me to show the interviewer that I was about to possibly work for government. I think that is what also swayed the person, because barring that, it probably would not have been approved.

Hi Leedah,

Thank you for your prompt answer and for sharing your experiences.

First of all, you did not answer my question in the previous posting. Instead, you tried to convince me that there is some fraud involved in my case, which we chatted about a few times. Secondly, when I looked at your time-lines and your previous postings, I didn't see you mentioning anything about fraud in your case, but you rather stated that your case was delayed because of Affidavit of Support.

Lastly, I don't know what are you going through right now that make you believe that people from West Africa are all about fraud. It is unfortunately true that some people are like that but not all of them. Also fraud exist everywhere not only in West Africa.

Thank you,

[moctar 0]

By the way, what custom says not to speak about previous spouses? I'm assuming you are Muslim based on Mauritania being an Islamic country. I am Muslim also and their is no Islamic custom that says that. Actually your supposed to inquire about character and previous spouses and family to know what type of person and family you are marrying. I've traveled all over the African continent and various other places and learned about (and lived with) a great many cultures. What you said doesn't sound plausible. That is a red flag to an interviewer and also why you could be in review. Most women who marry usually want to know about previous marriages of a man. Women like to know all sorts of details that men rarely care about. If she doesn't know the ex's name, that is weird. I still know the ex's names of every past person I ever dated as I'm sure that most women would know also.

Yes we are Muslims, but that is our religion. In addition to that we also have our local customs. I would also like to let you know that traveling around the world doesn't entail one to know everything about societies.

But on your next trip to Africa, I am inviting you to stop by Mauritania and ask what would a women feel if her husband talks about his prior marriages? and how disrespectful to her this can be?

Once you do that then you will probably understand what I am talking about. You will also probably be surprised by how many women don't even want to go to the United States. And I am talking about facts.

Thank you.

[Amit-N-Melody 11]

I couldnt tell you the name of my Husbands ex girlfriends, or lovers... he had never been married before, but his parents before we were engaged to be married tried to arrange his marriage to some villiage girl... and I couldnt tell you the name of the villiage nor her name....

SO, to say that women would know these things is not really accurate... My Husband does know my ex-husbands name... And that I have dated... but when we are talking at night we really dont bring up who you screwed and why... just doesnt seem relavant to our own relationship...

[Amit-N-Melody 11]

My wife had her interview in Dakar, Senegal on June 22 2010. The interview took 5 minutes she answered all the questions about me, the only question she didn't know was the name of my former wife (My former wife by the way, sponsored my green card, but I got my citizenship through military service). The CO told her she was supposed to know her name, then he asked for our pictures and my wife showed him our photos. At the end of the interview, the CO told her they will call her in few weeks. I wrote the consulate explaining how according to our customs we don't talk about past marriages and he responded: "your case was referred to eligibility review unit for further research and processing. We will contact you when we can move forward". After 10 days, I wrote another email asking for the status and they replied "we have initiated all our inquiries and waiting for replies. We cannot reliably predict how long this may take".

I would like to know if anybody has gone through a similar situation? and if so, what was the outcome and how long this may take? and which kind of research and processing are they doing?

I greatly appreciate your help.

Thank you.

it could take weeks, months or even years... honestly knows...

http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/SecurityNameChecksAndAdministrativeReview.html

[sachinky 464]

I don't care what your local customs are, but if you're going in for a visa interview where the fate of your relationship rests on some government worker, you better bet that you know your spouse's ex-wife's name. We're not talking about who you dated in middle school or who your first girlfriend was. We're talking about your former spouse's name. It is not unreasonable to think that someone who is now married to you would know who were married to previously. Otherwise, don't be surprised if you find yourself in AP or worse, denied.

[moctar 0]

I don't care what your local customs are, but if you're going in for a visa interview where the fate of your relationship rests on some government worker, you better bet that you know your spouse's ex-wife's name. We're not talking about who you dated in middle school or who your first girlfriend was. We're talking about your former spouse's name. It is not unreasonable to think that someone who is now married to you would know who were married to previously. Otherwise, don't be surprised if you find yourself in AP or worse, denied.

The fate of our relationship doesn't depend on my wife getting her visa or not. I am just curious if someone else has gone through a similar scenario before.

Thank you.

[Leedah 22]

Moctar, in reference to your answer, I don't think all Africans commit fraud and I am not going through anything.

You asked for assistance about your AP case and what it could possibly mean and I explained it to you.

I can't help it if your case sounds like fraud to me. Honestly, each time you post something, it goes closer and closer to that, but who am I.

Anyway, it seems like you want the good news and nothing but that. I can only give you the facts based on the info you have provided.

I understand you simply want your wife with you and probably could care less about anything else. That is to be expected.

But, based on everything you have said in your previous messages, it looks suspect. You can't see it because you are in the case and not looking from the outside.

You mentioned the Affidavit of Support on my timeline.

I found out later on that the AP staff was using that as a stalling tactic and just didn't tell me. They might use anything to delay. The delay is to investigate more into the marriage and the intending immigrant...also to cause the immigrant to just abandon the case.

By the way, the reason I didn't mention fraud in previous postings was because I didn't listen to the good folks on here (VJ) who told me also that my case looked suspect and also could be fraud. Basically I was on the inside looking out at everyone else....same as you are doing right now.

After the fact, I studied up, interviewed immigration officials, etc and know more about immigration than most attorney's.

I wasn't trying to convince you that your marriage was a fraud, I simply said that the information that you gave to us sounds very much like what happens to those who are eventually found to be in fraud marriages.

I answered your question to help you understand the process in Dakar, not to break up any marriage.

Good luck.

[moctar 0]

Moctar, in reference to your answer, I don't think all Africans commit fraud and I am not going through anything.

You asked for assistance about your AP case and what it could possibly mean and I explained it to you.

I can't help it if your case sounds like fraud to me. Honestly, each time you post something, it goes closer and closer to that, but who am I.

Anyway, it seems like you want the good news and nothing but that. I can only give you the facts based on the info you have provided.

I understand you simply want your wife with you and probably could care less about anything else. That is to be expected.

But, based on everything you have said in your previous messages, it looks suspect. You can't see it because you are in the case and not looking from the outside.

You mentioned the Affidavit of Support on my timeline.

I found out later on that the AP staff was using that as a stalling tactic and just didn't tell me. They might use anything to delay. The delay is to investigate more into the marriage and the intending immigrant...also to cause the immigrant to just abandon the case.

By the way, the reason I didn't mention fraud in previous postings was because I didn't listen to the good folks on here (VJ) who told me also that my case looked suspect and also could be fraud. Basically I was on the inside looking out at everyone else....same as you are doing right now.

After the fact, I studied up, interviewed immigration officials, etc and know more about immigration than most attorney's.

I wasn't trying to convince you that your marriage was a fraud, I simply said that the information that you gave to us sounds very much like what happens to those who are eventually found to be in fraud marriages.

I answered your question to help you understand the process in Dakar, not to break up any marriage.

Good luck.

Thank you.

[moctar 0]

Just to let u know that my wife finally got her VISA!!. Yes she did!! after nearly a year of waiting, her visa was approved. It was a very painful process and very costly. But we are grateful that it is over.