3 weeks after interview and no passport!

[soko 0]

Hi all. So, my fiancee - who is from Iran - had her interview at the Seoul embassy on Jan. 10 and was told she would get her K-1 visa within five days by the guy who conducted the interview. Here we are nearly three weeks later, and she hasn't received her passport back. I assumed they meant five business days, and I figured that it would take a few extra days. But it's been 14 business days, and we're about to hit a big three-day Korean holiday. Has anyone experienced such a delay? I called several times and the lady said we would get it this week. It's Friday and it hasn't come, so my fiancee called again and the lady said it's still being processed and she has no idea when it will come. It could be tomorrow or it could be a month. I've been very patient with the whole process, but this is driving me nuts because we're trying to plan everything. We assumed when she was approved for the visa that she had already been through the necessary checks. Why on earth would it take another 4-5 weeks to process a visa that was already approved? We were told that everything is fine and she's approved for the visa and that this is just a standard step. It's not in advanced processing. I'm wondering if it's because she's from Iran?

Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated. My fiancee's Korean visa expires in three weeks, and she needs to get it extended. But of course she can't without her passport. So if it expires she will have to leave the country...but she can't without her passport. So she would be forced to live here illegally. What a messed up situation.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[Inky 1,111]

Unfortunately it seems it happens to quite a few people from Iran even tho they do not interview there.

The same thing happened not long ago to a Iranian woman who interviewed in Canada, they told her 5 days and she phoned DOS, they told her she was in AP, its been quite a while now and she has not gotten her passport back.

You may want to ask in the region specific forum for other people from that country and see what they say happened to them.

Some have AP for only 1 month some 6+ months from certain places.

[Used to be broken 148]

Hi all. So, my fiancee - who is from Iran - had her interview at the Seoul embassy on Jan. 10 and was told she would get her K-1 visa within five days by the guy who conducted the interview. Here we are nearly three weeks later, and she hasn't received her passport back. I assumed they meant five business days, and I figured that it would take a few extra days. But it's been 14 business days, and we're about to hit a big three-day Korean holiday. Has anyone experienced such a delay? I called several times and the lady said we would get it this week. It's Friday and it hasn't come, so my fiancee called again and the lady said it's still being processed and she has no idea when it will come. It could be tomorrow or it could be a month. I've been very patient with the whole process, but this is driving me nuts because we're trying to plan everything. We assumed when she was approved for the visa that she had already been through the necessary checks. Why on earth would it take another 4-5 weeks to process a visa that was already approved? We were told that everything is fine and she's approved for the visa and that this is just a standard step. It's not in advanced processing. I'm wondering if it's because she's from Iran?

Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated. My fiancee's Korean visa expires in three weeks, and she needs to get it extended. But of course she can't without her passport. So if it expires she will have to leave the country...but she can't without her passport. So she would be forced to live here illegally. What a messed up situation.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

You might want to come visit the AP forum, under the I601/I212 221(g) threads.

AP is not uncommon for individuals from the Middle East and can go on for quite some time, hopefully not years like some folks. Months is not uncommon, there are additional SAO checks after VISA interview for certain countries, IRAN is on the list.

Hopefully it will be done in a short time.

[Harpa Timsah 13,259]

Thelastpetitioner posted something from US Gov that beneficiaries from Iran MUST go through AP. You might ask her to link you to that.

If she needs her passport extended, you can ask for it back. Good luck.

[soko 0]

Thanks for the replies. The problem is that we were told five days, and then we were told this week. If it was stuck in AP I don't think they would have given us such specific information.So we're not sure what to think at this point. When they told us five days we started making plans and booked tickets to the U.S. in mid-March. That's a ways out, but now we're worried about getting it by then. We wouldn't have made all these plans if they hadn't specifically told us when to expect the visa.

[Inky 1,111]

The Iranian woman who interviewed in Montreal was told she passed and was approved and was getting her passport with visa back in 5 days. That was back in November. She has still not yet gotten her passport. She called DOS and they told her she is in AP. She was specifically told as well but now she is stuck in AP the embassy is not telling her she is in AP but the DOS is telling her that she IS.

[me & mason810 0]

The Iranian woman who interviewed in Montreal was told she passed and was approved and was getting her passport with visa back in 5 days. That was back in November. She has still not yet gotten her passport. She called DOS and they told her she is in AP. She was specifically told as well but now she is stuck in AP the embassy is not telling her she is in AP but the DOS is telling her that she IS.

Yes, Here, I am. still waiting for my visa. I even got approval letter and congratulations!!! but......

[Artmin 0]

i had same problem in turkey . i was with my fiancée when she had interview. they told us that she was in AP but after interview the dude was so cool and he passed her. anyway he told us we will receive visa in 3 business day . so we wait for 7 days nothing .... i called them i was pissed =)) they told me because she was AP we send all document to US to print visa. finally i had to go to embassy and get visa by hand not UPS =)) . ups own me $10

[Inky 1,111]

Yes, Here, I am. still waiting for my visa. I even got approval letter and congratulations!!! but......

I found some more people for you lol... unfortunately.

Hope you guys get your Visas soon.

[soko 0]

thanks for the support. actually, we just received a letter from the embassy saying that the visa has been processed and its with the courier. of course, it just HAD to happen on the eve of a really long holiday here, so we will have to wait until monday but at least it's coming (we think).

best,

chris

[Tero 105]

Well, congrats!