Damascus Visa & Consular Services Suspended!!!

[mrsalfayad 6]

From the US Embassy in Damascus' website:

All visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Damascus have been suspended until further notice. The Embassy regrets the inconvenience this temporary suspension causes for persons wishing to visit or immigrate to the United States. The Embassy will commence visa operations gradually as circumstances permit.

The Embassy will continue to process the visa applications of anyone who was interviewed prior to the suspension of visa services.

Applicants who need to travel to the United States before resumption of full visa services in Damascus are welcome to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at any U.S. Embassy or consulate outside Syria which provides visa services. Information on the requirements for doing so and the locations of U.S. visa-issuing Embassies and consulates is available at www.travel.state.gov. The non-refundable MRV application fee must be paid in the country of application, according to procedures established by each U.S. Embassy or consulate.

Does this mean that we can try to have our case adjudicated at the embassy in Turkey/Lebanon/Jordan? Or no, since K1's are usually grouped together with immigrant visas (even though I know its technically non-immigrant). Or do we just have to wait until they decide to resume again? Has this happened to anyone else in the middle east lately? How long has it taken for you?

I'm crushed :-( Any advice or support would be appreciated. I miss my fiance and want him here and SAFE. *sigh*

[san diego 407]

Judging from your timeline it looks like you are still on USCIS stage... It may get better by the time it will be routed to Damascus. They will not allow you to do so now. What you may do is when USCIS sends your documents to NVC, call NVC and try to re-route it to another embassy.

[lovepath 11]

Salam,

When you get NOA-2, call the NVC right away and request to change your embassy (ask them first where are they re-directing Syria's petitions at that time). The embassy in Beruit makes the most scence since it is only a few hours away from Damascus. You would still need to get all the required goverment documents (birth certificate, police report,....) from Syria though.

Batmanna ilak/ilek kul el kheer!

[Mykenmimo 1]

It has been suspended for a while now, i did leave a note about that a week ago. My advise to you is just wait right now because your I 129 is still at USCIS. Once you receive your NOA2 then you can request your file to be transferred through NVC to a different Embassy, although doing that is easier said than done, your case will be delayed for a long time. I suggest you wait and monitor the embassy website, by the time you receive your second notice the Embassy should be back in business. By the way there is a great Facebook page for the US embassy in Damascus " USConsulDamascus" where you can ask questions and get answers. Just be patient, my fiancee and I just went through the whole process and its not easy, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel...Good Luck

[mrsalfayad 6]

Generally, how much longer does it take to have the NVC send it to a different embassy? And are they any more or less likely to grant a visa adjudicated outside the country of the beneficiary's residence? I know its hard because each case is so different...I just want to make sure that we're prepared to do whatever we need to once we get our NOA2.

Ughhh I'm so frustrated :-( Thanks for all the help though!!

[Sergi9 110]

Generally, how much longer does it take to have the NVC send it to a different embassy? And are they any more or less likely to grant a visa adjudicated outside the country of the beneficiary's residence? I know its hard because each case is so different...I just want to make sure that we're prepared to do whatever we need to once we get our NOA2.

Ughhh I'm so frustrated :-( Thanks for all the help though!!

It won't take any more or less time to send to a different embassy. the adjudication should be the same. If you have an idea where it would be most convenient for you to interview stay on top of it and tell NVC where you want it to go.