Unique AP Situation

[Ameraucana 0]

My wife and I are at a loss for information with our current Visa situation so I am asking the internet for help.

Some background, up until a few weeks ago our immigration for her has been going smoothly and relatively on schedule. Until her interview at the Moscow embassy occurred.

We have been married for 2 1/2 years she has and MD and PhD from Russia. She went to the US, where we met, via a Fulbright Fellowship program at the research hospital where I also work. We dated for a couple of years before we got married it was a typical case of being introduced through friends and falling in love. Because she was on the Fulbright program she entered the US on the J1 visa. After our marriage she returned back home to complete the two year home residency requirement. After the required time was near completion we applied for the IR-1 visa.

What happened at her interview was weird to say the least. She was the first one at the embassy but one of the last interviewed. Not only that her interviewer only asked her a very few questions compared to the other applicants and it only lasted like 5 minutes according to her while the other people applying for the same visa were interviewed for much longer. He said after the interview that she would receive her Visa within a week. That never happened as a day later they called her to inform her they needed her old expired passport(not the current one which they have) and a current CV. Both of which she had at the interview but they never requested. They received the documents the following day via email.

We never received or were instructed to fill out the typical 221(g) form to send with the documents. We get no answers when we call or email the embassy only her case is now under administrative processing.

She has never violated her stay in the US and has visited the US under 3 different non-immigrant visas. Neither of us have Muslim names to send a flag either. Her MD and PhD is not in infectious disease or any other flagged specialties.

She did have to supply her CV before when she applied for a B1 visa two years prior. But, in that case they gave her a completed 221(g) form and they requested the CV during the interview. So, basically in that case everything was done before she left. They said in that instance she would receive her B1 visa in 13 calendar days it took 18.

My questions are these.

1) How long should this processing take in our case?

2) Why the sudden interest in our case when they knew she was doctor during the interview and still didn't request the CV then? Also what does it matter about her education she is coming to the US to live with her husband not for employment purposes. The B1 visa made sense for the request this doesn't.

3) Why would they require an old expired passport?

4) Why have we received no formal paperwork for this request, and everything requested was done informally over the phone? In one phone call they didn't even remember that they requested her old passport.

5) Finally should we be worried for any reason?

I would love any insight to why are case went south as it did. As everyone probably knows it is impossible to get an answer with the embassy or the DOS.

[Ameraucana 0]

Still no progress with the Administrative processing. Are we the only one that they requested a CV and old passport at the Moscow Embassy. No ones has a time frame to give us? Everyone we call is extremely unhelpful and they just say wait no time frame, no details on the processing, nothing it is like my wife is being held hostage by the US embassy. Well I am not willing to wait another 2.5 years. We are not a young couple just out of High School and it is not like I met her through some mail-order bride service. If we can't live in the US I need to start making arrangements to live in another country.

[July15 4]

Still no progress with the Administrative processing. Are we the only one that they requested a CV and old passport at the Moscow Embassy. No ones has a time frame to give us? Everyone we call is extremely unhelpful and they just say wait no time frame, no details on the processing, nothing it is like my wife is being held hostage by the US embassy. Well I am not willing to wait another 2.5 years. We are not a young couple just out of High School and it is not like I met her through some mail-order bride service. If we can't live in the US I need to start making arrangements to live in another country.

This happens a lot in India, if the beneficiary has a degree inn Biology, Chemistry, etc. after the interview they are placed in AP for past studies documentation. I noticed that they get the Visa within 1-2 months after submitting their CVs and Documentation of their studies.

Edited July 6, 2012 by July15