Does the AP card colors mean anything?

[Amhara 460]

Well, we joined the AP ranks too. We are trying to stay hopeful, but we are a little confused by the signs. My fiance said that there were probably about 3-5 fiances and maybe 25 spouses there for the interview that day and everyone was put in AP. He said that he thinks that no one's medical results were either received or reviewed yet. I know previous Afghan members on this site said that their fiance's brought the medical results to the interview with them, so maybe this is a new procedure?

The foreboding thing is that they didn't keep my fiance's passport, but kept everyone else's passport. However, they did keep his original English translation of his National Identity Card despite the fact that he brought a copy of it. He just barely had time to get it the day before his interview, so I'm wondering if it's so new that it's not registering in the Afghan system yet? But then again, it's just a translation. I figured that if they thought it was not accurate or fraudulent, they would not give it back.

Anyways, does anyone know if the AP card colors have any special meaning? His was yellow and I think he said everyone else's was yellow too, but when he wakes up, he'll let me know. We weren't asked to provide any other information at this time, but I was wondering if this would give us another clue to think and think and think and think over and over and over again! Lol!

We are hopeful that our case is waiting on the medical exam results. And if our case needs other checks, sure, no problem. But we sure would have felt a lot better if his passport was in a file in the embassy right now!

[jklm2010 10]

Omg I hope you guys get approved.

I'm so anxious especially now after what you said about the medical exam results not being received.

Does this mean that one should go in for the medical exam like maybe 2-3 weeks before their interview date?? What do you think?

[Amhara 460]

Omg I hope you guys get approved.

I'm so anxious especially now after what you said about the medical exam results not being received.

Does this mean that one should go in for the medical exam like maybe 2-3 weeks before their interview date?? What do you think?

Yeah, I think that's a good time frame. We got our embassy appointment letter about four weeks before our actual appointment, so you should have time to get the medical done. I don't know if there was a delay or if they embassy still needs to sort through them - that part wasn't too clear to me. When my guy had his medical, they told him they would send the results in three or four days to the embassy. However, in our case, we didn't get the medical done until a week before because my fiance was out of the country taking his final exams. So there is a chance ours didn't make it, but my fiance said that no one else's results were there either.

One thing for the medical - the clinic information says that you need to give 12 passport sized photos, but it's actually 12 photos that are 3 cm x 4 cm. We were able to get an appointment scheduled before the interview date, but at that time, his final exam schedule hadn't come out yet, so when we knew of those dates, we had to reschedule.

Another thing that I would like to share is that I think the Afghan and Iraq embassies have an extra workload because of the SIV. So I think this means that both embassies have a lot more cases to review and they probably struggle with their case load. The Kabuli embassy site is not too detailed; it just gives some basic information, but the Baghdad embassy site has a little bit more details and explains AP a little more:

http://iraq.usembassy.gov/221g/what-does-a-221g-refusal-mean.html

I think the Kabul embassy sees about 150 applicants each week (probably on Tuesdays?) so if about 30 of them are fiance/spousal visas, and all are put in AP to review the case documentation, then I can see how they get backed up and try to get to everyone's case can be a challenge. Hopefully our patience will outlast the AP wait!!!!

[jklm2010 10]

Yeah, I think that's a good time frame. We got our embassy appointment letter about four weeks before our actual appointment, so you should have time to get the medical done. I don't know if there was a delay or if they embassy still needs to sort through them - that part wasn't too clear to me. When my guy had his medical, they told him they would send the results in three or four days to the embassy. However, in our case, we didn't get the medical done until a week before because my fiance was out of the country taking his final exams. So there is a chance ours didn't make it, but my fiance said that no one else's results were there either.

One thing for the medical - the clinic information says that you need to give 12 passport sized photos, but it's actually 12 photos that are 3 cm x 4 cm. We were able to get an appointment scheduled before the interview date, but at that time, his final exam schedule hadn't come out yet, so when we knew of those dates, we had to reschedule.

Another thing that I would like to share is that I think the Afghan and Iraq embassies have an extra workload because of the SIV. So I think this means that both embassies have a lot more cases to review and they probably struggle with their case load. The Kabuli embassy site is not too detailed; it just gives some basic information, but the Baghdad embassy site has a little bit more details and explains AP a little more:

http://iraq.usembassy.gov/221g/what-does-a-221g-refusal-mean.html

I think the Kabul embassy sees about 150 applicants each week (probably on Tuesdays?) so if about 30 of them are fiance/spousal visas, and all are put in AP to review the case documentation, then I can see how they get backed up and try to get to everyone's case can be a challenge. Hopefully our patience will outlast the AP wait!!!!

Ugh stupid SIV visas......they need to have a special separate group of people for that category alone so the rest of us don't get backed up because of them.

And I didn't even know that 12 photos are required I thought it was only 2, is that what they said on their website or something??

Yea I think we'll schedule the medical 3 weeks before.....for now we're just still waiting for an interview date

Thank you for the information.

[Amhara 460]

And I didn't even know that 12 photos are required I thought it was only 2, is that what they said on their website or something??

Yea I think we'll schedule the medical 3 weeks before.....for now we're just still waiting for an interview date

Thank you for the information.

The US Embassy says that the clinic needs 2 passport sized photos, but when you schedule the medical appointment, look at the signature of the confirmation email. It will say 12 passport sized (3 cm x 4 cm) photos. At first, my guy got 12 2 x 2 photos, but he recognized the size difference when we were going back over the documents. They only accepted the larger ones and took all 12.

Keep an eye on your ceac status. The embassy told me (about a month long wait) that they get the electronic file, but it takes about 6 weeks for them to get to the physical file. Ours was rather spot on. A few days before our six week mark, we got the interview letter.

[jklm2010 10]

How long did it take for them to schedule your interview?

[Amhara 460]

How long did it take for them to schedule your interview?

It took six weeks for our interview to be scheduled. I emailed them asking to schedule the interview three times, and the third time they explained that it typically takes the embassy in Kabul six weeks to get the petition, to review it and to schedule an interview for us. The last email put us at ease and the timing was right on. Our interview was scheduled for four weeks after we received packet three/four. However, we were able to schedule a medical appointment before we received the packet three/four.

I would also suggest getting MRP before the interview if your spouse doesn't already have one! Maybe I should create a new thread on that topic...

[jklm2010 10]

It took six weeks for our interview to be scheduled. I emailed them asking to schedule the interview three times, and the third time they explained that it typically takes the embassy in Kabul six weeks to get the petition, to review it and to schedule an interview for us. The last email put us at ease and the timing was right on. Our interview was scheduled for four weeks after we received packet three/four. However, we were able to schedule a medical appointment before we received the packet three/four.

I would also suggest getting MRP before the interview if your spouse doesn't already have one! Maybe I should create a new thread on that topic...

O...m...g......you gotta be kidding me. 6 WEEKS??? That is total BS!

That is so DEPRESSING!

And what's MRP by the way?

[Amhara 460]

O...m...g......you gotta be kidding me. 6 WEEKS??? That is total BS!

That is so DEPRESSING!

And what's MRP by the way?

Yes! Six weeks! We can't all be like Manila, huh?

MRP is Machine Readable Passport. My fiance has the handwritten one as it was good all the way to 2018; however, Afghanistan is making all handwritten passports invalid this November. It's also known as the electronic passport. I think Pakistan is doing the same thing. It has more security features and will be readable at terminals in airports. It may even make getting sponsorship in UAE more easier! I think the airlines are more willing to sponsor Afghan MRP's than handwritten passports.

[jklm2010 10]

Ohhh ok. Yea my hubby already has his passport ready and all that.

I'm so frustrated now

I hope our interview doesn't take as long to get scheduled.

Of all the things Afghanistan is working on to get fixed, one of its priorities needs to be the stupid embassy.

Ugh whatever......just another wait to add on to the list of things to wait for in the process.