What does this mean?

[Avantgarde 0]

It has been 3 weeks since I'm in AP. My case is in Abu Dhabi embassy, UAE.

I called DOS on Friday to inquire about the status of my case and they mentioned that 'ABU DHABI EMBASSY IS PROCESSING YOUR CASE'.

I was wondering if it means that they have started working on my case (currently working) or is it a generic statement that my case is in administrative processing?

Further on when I asked them if my case would be processed at Abu Dhabi embassy or at DC level, they answered 'at Abu Dhabi embassy'.

Any comments will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

[Sergi9 110]

It has been 3 weeks since I'm in AP. My case is in Abu Dhabi embassy, UAE.

I called DOS on Friday to inquire about the status of my case and they mentioned that 'ABU DHABI EMBASSY IS PROCESSING YOUR CASE'.

I was wondering if it means that they have started working on my case (currently working) or is it a generic statement that my case is in administrative processing?

Further on when I asked them if my case would be processed at Abu Dhabi embassy or at DC level, they answered 'at Abu Dhabi embassy'.

Any comments will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

The Embassy will process the case, they may request a Security Advisory Opinion from DC since you are from a country on the list of 26.

[illnevergetthis 5]

It has been 3 weeks since I'm in AP. My case is in Abu Dhabi embassy, UAE.

I called DOS on Friday to inquire about the status of my case and they mentioned that 'ABU DHABI EMBASSY IS PROCESSING YOUR CASE'.

I was wondering if it means that they have started working on my case (currently working) or is it a generic statement that my case is in administrative processing?

Further on when I asked them if my case would be processed at Abu Dhabi embassy or at DC level, they answered 'at Abu Dhabi embassy'.

Any comments will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

This means that the embassy is verifying something about your case. It has nothing to do with Washington DC security checks. The embassy could be reviewing your paperwork, verifying documents, or checking on your relationship. Best of luck to you!!!

[Avantgarde 0]

The Embassy will process the case, they may request a Security Advisory Opinion from DC since you are from a country on the list of 26.

It seems like I was not able to explain my question well.

Actually I wanted to ask if the visa specialist meant the embassy have started doing administrative processing on my case or does his response seem like a general statement that 'my case is undergoing administrative processing'?

Thanks a million!

[Avantgarde 0]

This means that the embassy is verifying something about your case. It has nothing to do with Washington DC security checks. The embassy could be reviewing your paperwork, verifying documents, or checking on your relationship. Best of luck to you!!!

Thanks.

So will they send my case to Washington DC after this verification?

[Used to be broken 143]

Thanks.

So will they send my case to Washington DC after this verification?

Sorry Illnevergetthis is WRONG.

Although AP could involve questions they have about your relationship its probably not the case unless something in the interview made you feel your relationship was at issue. But ALWAYS AP for anyone on the list of 26 involves security checks, they are required not optional for said listed countries. No , the file will not go to DC it stays at the Embassy but I am almost certain the SAO "security advisory opinion" comes from DC.

[illnevergetthis 5]

According to the lady that I spoke to last week at DOS, administrative processing is a blanket statement. It means that they are still working on the case. I was asking her the difference betweeen AP and AR. She said that when a case is in AR it is in AP.

AR is when they are checking on your case. It could be they are checking on your relationship (plenty of past people in MENA can tell you about this), they could be confirming documents, or reviewing your paperwork. With this said, AP can also be security checks.

Usually when they tell you it is mandatory administrative processing, this is when it is security checks and it is being done in DC.

When it is at the embassy level....then they are most probably verifying the authenticity of documents, reviewing paperwork, or checking on the relationship.

Yes, to Answer your question, they can do security checks in DC after they have finished verifying or doing what they do at the embassy level. I do hope that your AP is short.

There are many people us in the MENA forum that have endured AP, but not everyone.

Did they give you a 221g at the interview? Did they request additonal documents from you and you sent them in?

[Avantgarde 0]

According to the lady that I spoke to last week at DOS, administrative processing is a blanket statement. It means that they are still working on the case. I was asking her the difference betweeen AP and AR. She said that when a case is in AR it is in AP.

AR is when they are checking on your case. It could be they are checking on your relationship (plenty of past people in MENA can tell you about this), they could be confirming documents, or reviewing your paperwork. With this said, AP can also be security checks.

Usually when they tell you it is mandatory administrative processing, this is when it is security checks and it is being done in DC.

When it is at the embassy level....then they are most probably verifying the authenticity of documents, reviewing paperwork, or checking on the relationship.

Yes, to Answer your question, they can do security checks in DC after they have finished verifying or doing what they do at the embassy level. I do hope that your AP is short.

There are many people us in the MENA forum that have endured AP, but not everyone.

Did they give you a 221g at the interview? Did they request additonal documents from you and you sent them in?

Yes the counsular officer gave me a blue sheet and said "all your documents are complete and everything looks fine, but we are not done yet. We are sending your case for processing which could take around 1 or 2 months". When I asked her exactly how much time will they take, she said "it could be a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 2.5 months. If I would have to guess, then I would say 2 months".

[illnevergetthis 5]

I would send the embassy an email and ask them if your case is in security checks....that way you will know for sure. If your embassy accepts phone calls (mine doesn't), you could call them and ask them.

I find with the embassy I'm dealing with, I always have to ask specific questions to get a clear answer.

[Avantgarde 0]

I would send the embassy an email and ask them if your case is in security checks....that way you will know for sure. If your embassy accepts phone calls (mine doesn't), you could call them and ask them.

I find with the embassy I'm dealing with, I always have to ask specific questions to get a clear answer.

Unfortunately my embassy doesn't accept phone calls too.

I sent them an email and got this reply,

"Our records indicate that your application is still undergoing administrative processing. Administrative processing often lasts about 90 days, but in some cases, it can take several months or even years longer. Applicants can check the status of their case on our website..."

This is such a scary response The counsular officer said max 2.5 months, but their email is saying something else.

Further when I check the status of my case on their website, it says:

"Your application for a U.S. immigrant visa is undergoing routine administrative processing. This processing can require from two weeks to several months. As soon as this processing is completed, the Embassy will post a message to this website with further instructions. Please continue to check this website on a regular basis for updates."

[illnevergetthis 5]

Dont be scared. Being that you can check your case on the website, you are in background checks. Keep Checking that site. It'll let you know when they've completed the checks. It is rare that it takes many months or years. Try to have patience...they will finish them. Hopefully, it's within the 2.5 months...try to stay positive.

[Avantgarde 0]

Dont be scared. Being that you can check your case on the website, you are in background checks. Keep Checking that site. It'll let you know when they've completed the checks. It is rare that it takes many months or years. Try to have patience...they will finish them. Hopefully, it's within the 2.5 months...try to stay positive.

Thanks. Your posts are giving me a lot of motivation

Based on what consular officer said, their email and the website, do you conclude if my case is in usual background checks? If it would have been in security checks at DC, do they specifically mention that your case is in security checks at DC?

I think when the website says 'routine administrative processing', it could mean my case is undergoing the routine background checks (verifying documents etc).

Further on, the only thing that I'm confused about is if all the MENA people (specially males) are put in security checks at DC? The guy above (brokenfamily) seems to be pretty sure about this while you deny..

[illnevergetthis 5]

I find that there are people on VJ, that tend to think all MENA mem go through AP name checks. I deny because I have seen several people's SO's here on VJ , (MENA men) that did not get any AP after their interviews. I also have a lot of personal friends from MENA countries...that their husbands did not get any AP after their interviews. just because a man is MENA does not mean that he will get AP name checks.

The reason I think that you are in name checks is because you can check your case with a link on the website. Our embassy also has this link, but it's only for name checks. When they are verifying documents in our embassy, this can't be checked with the link.

At our embassy, when the case is in name checks, they call it mandatory administrative processing.

Give it a few days and try to call DOS again an ask them.

Best of luck to you!!

[Sergi9 110]

I find that there are people on VJ, that tend to think all MENA mem go through AP name checks. I deny because I have seen several people's SO's here on VJ , (MENA men) that did not get any AP after their interviews. I also have a lot of personal friends from MENA countries...that their husbands did not get any AP after their interviews. just because a man is MENA does not mean that he will get AP name checks.

Not all MENA men get AP, because some consulates do name checks ahead of interview. But post 9/11 all MENA men get name checks. How fast it takes the State Department to respond is what takes AP so long.

[baba11 0]

my father was in AP from Abu Dhabi US embassy for 100 days. It took 100 days to get AP clearance.

good luck to all of you.