RFE & Passport Request

[Papillon26 0]

Hello everyone -

My husband went for the consulate interview and they requested additional documents. He's compiled them and will be sending them in shortly. The consulate also requested he send in his passport along with the documents and photos. How long does it typically take them to make a determination and why do they need his passport? Without his passport, he won't be able to travel. It's limiting and I'm wondering why they need it. We already sent in the requested photocopies.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[fcat 79]

You do know its perfectly legal in the UK to have two passports! and travel with either or!

Might be too late to apply for another one now though as it'll probably take as long to get it as it will for him to get his other back

[Papillon26 0]

Definitely too late. The letter he received after the consulate interview had a check for passport and we assume it means original.

[NikLR 13,234]

You know they need his passport to put the documentation that he has an immigration visa in right?

[Waiting234 18]

They took your passport to add the visa.

[Papillon26 0]

Is that it? It hasn't been approved yet though. They requested additional identity documentation and evidence of our relationship so I wasn't thinking they wanted the passport to issue his visa. His case raised red flags so I thought they wanted a passport for other reasons. The letter doesn't say original. Am I wrong to assume they want the original?

[Cathi 5,849]

they need the passport to print the visa in it. Sounds like they assume that once you send in what they are asking for they will issue the visa.

[Papillon26 0]

I'm terrified they will deny him. They gave him a hard time at the interview and requested additional documents. Their holding his passport so he can't travel anywhere, including to Europe is troubling.

[NikLR 13,234]

Why does he need to travel? Does he travel a lot for work?

[Ms Hogan 296]

They aren't holding his passport in order to prevent him from traveling. They're requesting his passport so they can conclude their business with him. If he is approved they need his passport to put the visa in. The passport is always (or almost always?) handed in at the interview.

[Papillon26 0]

I'm afraid that if the consulate takes their time, he won't be able to see me in the meantime. A forum member said the consulate's determination could take months and they don't give a deadline. I can't take vacation from work for 3 months so I can't travel anywhere.

[Ms Hogan 296]

I'm not sure there is anything to be done about that unless you get another passport like the other poster mentioned? In Canada we can only have one passport so it wouldn't be an option for us anyway. I know I have read many posts where the passport has been collected at the interview and they hold it while they're waiting for the other requested docs to arrive. Usually if they're asking for the passport it is a good sign that the visa is being approved and that they're just waiting on those additional documents to support the case.

Unless there is something else you aren't including in your post you might want to try looking at it from the point of view that it is likely a good thing!

ETA: Was he in AP or anything else? Your timeline isn't updated so it's hard to understand your case.

Edited February 11, 2013 by MsHogan

[Ms Hogan 296]

Is that it? It hasn't been approved yet though. They requested additional identity documentation and evidence of our relationship so I wasn't thinking they wanted the passport to issue his visa. His case raised red flags so I thought they wanted a passport for other reasons. The letter doesn't say original. Am I wrong to assume they want the original?

Can you share WHY it raised red flags?

[Papillon26 0]

The I-130 was approved and the last step was the consulate interview.

He doesn't have a birth certificate, changed his name a few years ago, applied for a tourist visa in 2001 but never heard back from the consulate, and had two citations (but no arrest). The interview didn't go well and they believe he just married me to get to the US. The officer even said you just want to go to the US, you can tell me. He immigrated to the UK illegally when he was a minor too, which he told them in the interview. They also didn't believe our relationship is real and wanted photos of us from different locations.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The I-130 was approved and the last step was the consulate interview.

He doesn't have a birth certificate, changed his name a few years ago, applied for a tourist visa in 2001 but never heard back from the consulate, and had two citations (but no arrest). The interview didn't go well and they believe he just married me to get to the US. The officer even said you just want to go to the US, you can tell me. He immigrated to the UK illegally when he was a minor too, which he told them in the interview. They also didn't believe our relationship is real and wanted photos of us from different locations.

If you're worried about it, then send the requested evidence but not the passport. Wait for them to contact you that they are ready to issue the visa, then call the embassy courier to collect the passport from him to deliver to the embassy.