Please Help!! Clearance from Department of Homeland Security/Visa Renewal

[Anonymous1991 0]

Hello everyone,

Was just skimming through everyone's cases until my own visa got issued. So here's my case:

My wife filed petition for me on the basis of our marriage and I was approved the CR1 visa in June 2016. I had my flight in July and unfortunately I was off-loaded from the plane at London Heathrow Airport (during transit) by some security officer saying that I cannot fly to USA today without telling me anymore reason and asked me to contact US embassy. We contacted US Embassy in Islamabad and they said to contact Department of homeland security (DHS) as they are the ones who are responsible for who should board the plane.

I applied for Redress Control Number at DHS website and after three months i got a final determination letter which is usually a generic letter they give to everyone and i have to put this redress number everytime i book my flight. During this whole procedure I again emailed Embassy the whole story and then they asked me to send back my passport and the visa packet to their office which i have submitted already. My visa have now expired in November 2016. Its been more than 3 weeks now since i submitted my passport and visa packet. My case status is in Administrative Processing since 3 weeks. I dont know why they are taking so long now and what they actually are doing. So stressed!!

If anyone is aware of or have gone through the same situation then PLEASE HELP!!

Thanks

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

This is very unusual, especially as you were allowed on your first of two flights. It almost sounds like you were put on a no-fly list the day of your flight.

Did anything happen between the time the visa was issued and you went on your flight, such as you attended a protest or had a job which could be a security issue? Do you have a very common name, or have any family who may be wrapped up in criminal/ terrorist/ extremist activity?

[Anonymous1991 0]

Yes this is very unusual. The redress procedure is there if my name matches with someone on their watchlist. I have received the letter from DHS already.

Nothing happened during that time.

Yes i have a common name but i have seen and heard people travel with the same name without any hurdles.

[Anitafeliz 1,133]

That list is a bad place to be....expect mayor scrutiny every time you travel. If they allow you in the U S I suspect you'll be detained until they clear you...

Does this letter say it's not you?? Or can you prove it's not you?

Edited November 24, 2016 by Anitafeliz

[Anonymous1991 0]

That list is a bad place to be....expect mayor scrutiny every time you travel. If they allow you in the U S I suspect you'll be detained until they clear you...

Does this letter say it's not you?? Or can you prove it's not you?

The letter says that "neither we can confirm nor we deny about the mistaken identity, but we have made the corrections in our records".

I am more concerned about the US embassy that why are they taking so long if its a case for visa renewal.

[Anitafeliz 1,133]

The letter says that "neither we can confirm nor we deny about the mistaken identity, but we have made the corrections in our records".

I am more concerned about the US embassy that why are they taking so long if its a case for visa renewal.

whats horrible is the person who it is, they cant rule out via prints because its probrably just a name they have. If they have pictures of this person maybe they can at least possibly rule you out if you dont look like this person.

I dont even know where you can go from here. Is a name change possible?

Edited November 24, 2016 by Anitafeliz

[Anonymous1991 0]

whats horrible is the person who it is, they cant rule out via prints because its probrably just a name they have. If they have pictures of this person maybe they can at least possibly rule you out if you dont look like this person.

I dont even know where you can go from here. Is a name change possible?

Yeah we have gone through all such possibilities but that's their immigration system they have. Weird though!!

I cant do anything with my name, I have a very common surname. But how would I change my name?

[Anitafeliz 1,133]

Here you go to court.

Im a USC i would always get stopped coming into the country because i had a common spanish name.

Mine changed with marriage and they had this persons print and date of birth on file.

I changed my name due to marriage but in my state you van change your name to whatever you want you go to probate court.

Not sure how that is in your country or if it would even work since i assume they have hour prints and link you to this other person.

Thats unfortunate.

I seemed to get more harrased in bigger poe like jfk and mia

In boston i had less issues.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Anitafeliz

[Anonymous1991 0]

Here you go to court.

Im a USC i would always get stopped coming into the country because i had a common spanish name.

Mine changed with marriage and they had this persons print and date of birth on file.

I changed my name due to marriage but in my state you van change your name to whatever you want you go to probate court.

Not sure how that is in your country or if it would even work since i assume they have hour prints and link you to this other person.

Thats unfortunate.

I seemed to get more harrased in bigger poe like jfk and mia

In boston i had less issues.

I dont think name change is possible in my country and in my case we have already been through so many channels and by now they might know what the issue is, so at this point changing my name wouldn't be good.

[Anonymous1991 0]

Is there anyone who's visa have expired due to circumstances relating to Department of Homeland Security?

Please do share with me, I would appreciate!

[us90 0]

1- do not change your name, that will not help because all of the documents need to change and you will run into explaining over and over again your old and new name.

2- Ask your wife to write to her state's senator and congressman to investigate the issue.

I had someone in my family going through long wait due to security checkup at that time I wrote to my senator and he not only respond but also ask to investigate the issue in Islamabad embassy. The issue was resolved rather quickly.

Good luck.

[KierenHby 899]

1- do not change your name, that will not help because all of the documents need to change and you will run into explaining over and over again your old and new name. Agreed, a name change would further complicate this. DHS has your fingerprints\biometircs that would always be associated with the person, regardless of name.

2- Ask your wife to write to her state's senator and congressman to investigate the issue. It's worth a try, but don't expect much. AP in certain embassies takes as long as it takes, congressional inquiry likely to generate only a generic response.

I had someone in my family going through long wait due to security checkup at that time I wrote to my senator and he not only respond but also ask to investigate the issue in Islamabad embassy. The issue was resolved rather quickly. Doesn't mean OP's issue would be resolved just a quickly. Dealing with aftermath of a flight offload is a whole different ballgame.

Good luck.

OP, all you can do is wait; once the Embassy clears you up, they'll issue a new visa to replace the expired one.

[Anonymous1991 0]

1- do not change your name, that will not help because all of the documents need to change and you will run into explaining over and over again your old and new name.

2- Ask your wife to write to her state's senator and congressman to investigate the issue.

I had someone in my family going through long wait due to security checkup at that time I wrote to my senator and he not only respond but also ask to investigate the issue in Islamabad embassy. The issue was resolved rather quickly.

Good luck.

Thanks for your response.

That's what we have done, in touch with Senator right now. And he said it can take up to 30 to 60 days for Homeland Security to respond.

Probably the new government is yet to come so maybe we just have to wait till January.

[Anonymous1991 0]

OP, all you can do is wait; once the Embassy clears you up, they'll issue a new visa to replace the expired one.

We are trying every way out and also waiting for embassy to complete AP.

[aaron2020 11,651]

A name change does not change anything. The no-fly list is on you. Changing your name does not get you out of it.

If a name change was all that was needed to avoid the no-fly list, then the US Government would be very stupid since every member of ISIS would change their names.

The only reason for a name change would be to trick the US Government. Bad idea.