Administrative Processing Brazil

[LoneWanderer1307 1]

Hello,

Here's the general timeline so far-

Petition received by USCIS- August 15, 2016.

Petition approved by USCIS- September 22, 2016

Approved petition forwarded to National Visa Center- October 13, 2016

Approved petition forwarded to US Consulate in Brazil- October 27, 2016

Completed DS-160- November 1, 2016

Made Appointment Schedule For Interview at Consulate- November 3, 2016

Interview at Consulate- November 29, 2016 [APPROVED at interview]

Visa Status online Immigrant “READY”- December 1, 2016

Visa Status online moved to Non-Immigrant “READY”- December 1, 2016

Visa Status online “Administrative Processing” Non-Immigrant- December 2, 2016

They didn't give her any forms, any papers, any slips, or anything of that nature at the interview/consulate. They told her she was approved, they took her passport, and they verified her contact information and told her they will email her when the passport with the visa is ready for pickup.

What exactly does administrative processing entail and how long could it be expected to last?

Thanks!

Edited December 4, 2016 by LoneWanderer1307

[LoneWanderer1307 1]

In my letter of intent [which was about 8 pages and almost 3200 words] I explained about some time issues/concerns, some compelling reasons for moving quicker rather than slower, and asked, "please have this processed before December of 2016. I would like her to be up here with me before the end of 2016, it works best for my schedule that way."

It looks like they pretty much did that. I was somewhat surprised by that.

[p-ana 933]

Everyone goes through some AP, they need their time to do some checks, print the visa, get the packet ready, etc. The status already changed to non immigrant, it shouldn't be long. I had my passport back at my home at the northeast region in about two weeks from the interview. It's too soon to be worried

[LoneWanderer1307 1]

Everyone goes through some AP, they need their time to do some checks, print the visa, get the packet ready, etc. The status already changed to non immigrant, it shouldn't be long. I had my passport back at my home at the northeast region in about two weeks from the interview. It's too soon to be worried

She was actually thinking of going to the consulate Monday and asking, "is it ready yet, where is my visa?"

She does not have the characteristic stereotypical laid back Latin attitude towards time. She is nowhere near as ruthless as me when it comes to wanting things done immediately, but she doesn't wait for much.

I suggested she be a bit more patient and that the consulate might not like her showing up with the "hey where's my visa?" line.

[p-ana 933]

It's been barely a week, they're within their usual timeframe. As I said before, I had my packet around two weeks after the interview, so I'd wait a little bit longer instead of demanding anything. I doubt she will be let in the embassy if she doesn't have an appointment. she can do whatever she wants though.

Immigration processes take time, I suggest you both start practicing being patient or you'll be set up to a lot of headaches in the future.

[LoneWanderer1307 1]

It's been barely a week, they're within their usual timeframe. As I said before, I had my packet around two weeks after the interview, so I'd wait a little bit longer instead of demanding anything. I doubt she will be let in the embassy if she doesn't have an appointment. she can do whatever she wants though.

Immigration processes take time, I suggest you both start practicing being patient or you'll be set up to a lot of headaches in the future.

The overall summary, I've spent tens of thousands of dollars, I have been in Brazil on 3 separate occasions, totaling about 90-100 days in the last 2 years. I have missed out on substantial business opportunities in the USA caused by prolonged absences.

It was rather hectic in the capital when I met her on my second trip to Brazil. We both met in the capital, a few days later her father showed up with the police and burst into our hotel room. I was in my underwear, groggy from the flight from the USA, tired, and I was mumbling something in a language he doesn't know. After getting out of bed, I asked him, in Portuguese if he would sit down and talk with me, he did not want to speak with me. I was later informed [by her] that her father is [was] intimidated by me and afraid of me [this is no longer an issue because when last we left off we were on good terms].

She only left the hotel and went with him because she was told I would be accused of kidnapping her, and arrested, if she didn't leave.

I had the police called on me by her parents, I was accused of being a sex trafficker [by her parents], I had to sneak out of Brazil into a neighboring country to strategize, plan, coordinate, I had to hire a criminal defense attorney in Brazil, I went back into Brazil, I met with a federal prosecutor in Brazil and provided my explanation for my relationship with her, my version of how we met and how long we had been together matched up with what she gave them during a separate interview. It didn't take long for the prosecutor to determine that I was not any sort of trafficker or nefarious underworld figure. Why did I sneak out of Brazil? I was advised by some local friends that the police might be corrupt and might have been looking to shake down a rattled and nervous American for an easy $10,000 or so. I was advised to leave for a few days and get a better idea of what was going on. It turned out the police were not corrupt, they were very professional and helpful.

It was a brutish and hellish several days, as I tried to figure out what was going on, and as I ran around trying to find allies to assist me [uS embassy which did nothing, a friendly foreign embassy that actually helped me, some local businessmen]. I was concerned her father, being from a very religious traditional small town rural Brazilian community might do some sort of honor killing, because I didn't know how religious zealots in Brazil would react to their daughter having a relationship. The first time I was in Brazil I asked her, "while I'm here can I meet your parents?" and she kept saying, "no, no, no, they are not normal, it will be bad for you to meet them..." The first time I met her father was when he burst into our hotel room during my second time in Brazil.

The federal police and the promotor/prosecutor definitively established that I am not any sort of sex trafficker or associated with any sort of cartel. Her parents have been suspicious and only recently have begun to be supportive and approving. At one point I was asked, "why are you interested in our daughter, she is a nobody, shouldn't you be with the daughter of the mayor of your city or some woman who is a doctor or the sister of a corporate leader?"

She even told me, "my mother say to me it don't make sense to her that you want to marry with me because my mother say to me that I am nobody and have nothing to offer you because I am not from your social class."

At one point she was threatened, by her father, with institutionalization in a psychiatric ward if she wouldn't "forget about that American and forget about the USA."

I essentially had to explain to him that if he hurt her I would muster all of my resources and destroy him through civil litigation and criminal complaints/charges. I told him, "If you hurt her I will initiate litigation against you in this nation, I will also sue you in the United States via the long-arm statute in my jurisdiction, I will have the Federal Police investigate and indict you, I will have the Civil Police investigate and indict you, I will have this matter referred back to the Promotor, and I will see if authorities in the USA want to charge you for making false reports against an American citizen and for threatening an American citizen."

This was around the time they had taken her passport and her identity documents, the federal prosecutor told me that he was talking with the mother and that the message he was giving was, "if her passport and documents are not returned in 24 hours, the police will be back in your house and will have trouble."

At one point we had a back and forth shouting match, while a professional translator translated everything I said into Portuguese and everything he said into English.. This was during my second visit, the day before the translation meeting the father had said, "okay we won't try to stop her, she can go with you..."

The first thing he had the translator told me was, "she's not going anywhere with you, they will report her missing again and trigger a travel halt and interdict her and you with the police if she tries to leave, they say she is too young to marry and they won't allow her to marry until she finishes college and that you will have to move to Brazil and she will stay in her house with them and you can see her whenever you want..."

I vaulted out of my seat and got face to face with this guy, I'm standing there hovering over him, at 6'0 tall, he's about 5'5 and 25 years older than I am and he's nervous, I'm screaming in his face in English, the translator is translating as fast as possible. My lady later said, "my father tell me you are very aggressive, he say he think you were ready to hit him..." I said to her, "when he started talking about you like you were a cow to be bartered away or bargained for, I was about to fight him, but I am not a very violent person and I remembered I promised you I would never hurt your father." She said, "he was very afraid of you, he think you will fight with him." I asked her, "he keeps puffing his chest at me, does he want to fight me?" She said, "oh, no way, he is very afraid of you but he have to act tough, he like to act tough, it is a Latin thing, he make a tough pose but he is against violence and he is very afraid of you."

What was it I screamed? I explained [and the translator translated], "The police are ready to arrest you and they're sick of your false reports, we both know this... She just told me she's not sure she ever wants to speak to you or see you after she leaves Brazil, because you've upset her so much and caused her so much pain... She told me she's sick of you and she despises you. I asked her to be calm and that things will probably calm down and we will all be on better terms soon, but don't think you can try to bully me with this , she is an adult and you know it, I know it, she knows it, she is free to leave and pursue her own life. If you continue on this course, you will alienate her, you will watch your grandchildren grow up online, because she and I will leave and you will never see either of us... I don't think it has to play out that way, I am again offering that we be friends, I want to be your friend and I want us to get along..."

He asked if I would move to Brazil, I explained that I cannot, but that I am open to having a second residence in Brazil and that we could probably spend several months each year in Brazil, and she and I did discuss the idea of us living in Uruguay or having a residence in Uruguay, so we have somewhere to go during the USA winter. He said to me, "please don't let my daughter hate me, don't let her shun me or despise me."

At one point [during another discussion at another time] he broke down, crying and sobbing, muttering in Portuguese, that his daughter was leaving, he would never see her again, I was the devil for taking her away from him, he was mostly incoherent. I didn't know what to say so I just spoke to him and explained, in a mix of Portuguese and Spanish that she is his daughter and always will be, and her becoming my wife wouldn't take away from her being their daughter, and then I hugged him and told him it would be okay.

The third time I was in Brazil was less than 15 days after my departure the second time, because she had an episode of depression, her health collapsed, and her parents caused a significant amount of drama and I had to come back, I had called the police on them, and I had to make a statement with the police, she and I met with a local judge, the delegacia, and the promotor. The police delegation and the prosecutor essentially told the parents to calm down or they would cool their heels in jail for a few days. The judge met with me and my fiancée, he asked her a few questions about her age, if she was mentally ill, she answered the questions, he said, "you're an adult, do what you want." The police had been in and out of her house 2-3 times in the 15 day period, primarily because I had called them repeatedly due to things I had been learning.

She and I have endured an absurd amount of pain, trauma, drama, headache, depression, misery, and agony. We are very close to her being able to join me in the USA and I don't want any possible disruptions or snags. My schedule becomes very hectic in 5 days and I was hoping they could have the visa to her in the next 1-3 days so she can be here in the next 2-4 days. Particularly since her parents are starting to get a bit agitated and nervous again. When last I left things with them they were repeatedly asking me if I would move to Brazil, they said it would be fine for me to marry her but I should move to Brazil, I explained that it wouldn't work because Brazil is a dangerous mess of a nation and I cannot make money in Brazil. They wanted to know if I would "permit" her to return to visit them, I explained that I would hope she and I are both welcome to visit and we are planning to begin our family soon and we both want to be able to visit and bring the children we will have so they can know their grandparents in Brazil.

She and I are sort of out of patience, at least in terms of waiting to be together and properly begin our life together. A lot has gone down, we don't want any additional delays and she left on a good note with her parents [they drove her to the airport in her back-country town], gave her money for traveling, told her to go to the consulate and get her visa and go to the USA and marry me and begin her life, and they said they hope to see her and that they want to hear from her and they want to visit with us in the USA and see where I live, how I live, and know that the town is safe [they have never been outside of their immediate area in Brazil and their view of the USA is what one would have if the only exposure to the USA was via movies/TV- they think the USA is a mafia nation of gangs, mobsters, criminals, assassins, bank-robbers, pimps, etc, and that the USA is all millionaire criminals who live in mansions and want to hire Latins to do menial work or exploit them sexually while making them wash dishes and do domestic work].

I am actually writing a book about my experiences in South America in 2016, I have about 300-400 pages of notes, and a number of documents such as police reports, investigative files from the Policia Federal, the Federal Prosecutor, my statement, their written reports stating I am not a criminal and that the file/investigation should be closed, etc.

It has been a long ride, a roller-coaster of jubilation and despondency. I am very much looking forward to her getting up so we can marry and proceed with starting our life together with all of that mess of drama left in the past where it belongs.

[LoneWanderer1307 1]

It has been updated

Non Immigrant Visa Application "ISSUED."

As of today

[nayaramr 1]

Wow! I read your story and it is definitely stressful. The process, as smooth as it can be, is already complicated. I can't imagine all that drama they put into this.

It's really nice how you went out of your way with everything you could to make it work and bring her to your life.

Congratulations on your strength and I hope she gets her passport soon to start your lives together! :-)

Now that it says issued, it shouldn't take long to receive.

[LoneWanderer1307 1]

I met her at the airport in Miami and she is home with me now. She has already gotten to experience temperatures below 35 [F] for the first time ever, she has seen snow, she has seen white out conditions, and she had a turkey dinner for the first time.

It took about 2.5-3 hours for her to be cleared through customs. I was pacing back and forth near where I was expecting her to clear through [inside the security zone] and several times TSA and other airport personnel suggested I stop pacing and go relax.

Her internet connection stopped when she left the hotel in Rio and her phone service was always very poor, so I had not heard from her since 4:00 pm [EST] the day before, and her parents had also not heard from her. The airline would not discuss whether she had boarded in Brazil and whether she had disembarked in the USA because of privacy concerns. After I explained, "I am the person who paid for the ticket" and I gave them the billing address, my name, her full name, and her flight number, they told me she had boarded in Brazil and disembarked in the USA.

I asked the airline and TSA, "may I please speak with somebody in Customs and Border Protection, I want to ask what is going on, if she is okay, and why this is taking so long."

I was told that they could not put me in contact with any customs officers.

After about 2 hours of pacing I was advised to go wait for her by the connecting gate by a TSA officer who said that I was going to tire myself out and that it could take 3-4 hours for her to clear customs. They had about 11 planes from Latin America arriving during the hour of her arrival, some before, some at the same time, some immediately after. I believe they had 6 planes from Brazil in just that hour. I was able to tell the Brazilians, as I explained, "you see the buttocks of the women and the way the people are dressed, how they walk, and you know the plane came from Brazil, asking 'hola senor, tudo bem, fala ingles?' results in an answer confirming they are Brazilian and most of them spoke enough English or I spoke enough Portuguese to ask them which city they came from and what their flight number was... So I knew there were two planes from Rio, one from Brasilia, one from Belo Horizonte, one from Manaus, and at least one from Sao Paulo, all around the same time.."

I went to wait for her by the connecting gate which was about a 10 minute walk + 30-45 second sky-train ride away from the area I had been pacing at. After 35 minutes I looked at my watch and it was almost the next closest hour. I was charging my cellphone and said to myself, "in 15 minutes I go back across the airport and resume pacing near those doors, find some ranking official or police officer, drop a Masonic phrase in the conversation and ask to be allowed to speak to a customs officer." I did encounter at least one Freemason in the airport, a man who appeared to be a maintenance supervisor [he was a maintenance worker but he appeared to be in charge of his work group], he asked me some Masonic questions, I answered, asked him some Masonic questions, and we spoke for a few minutes (this was just after I had disembarked from my flight and was looking for a restroom and a place to buy water)

About 5 minutes later she came walking down the stairs, I essentially dropped everything [literally] and went over to her, leaving what few things I had brought with me next to my seat in this largely ghost town area of the airport. We embraced, kissed, and she told me she was tired, by which she meant she was tired of sitting down, had been sitting for hours in the airport in Brazil, hours on the flight, and for most of the wait with customs, and she wanted to walk around. I was actually tired of walking because I had spent somewhat north of two hours pacing, but I picked up my stuff and we walked around for a few hours.

She had a difficult time with the airport because she said Spanish is very difficult for her to listen to, particularly the way the airport people were speaking it [she is not used to Cuban and Central American Spanish], she said only a few people spoke Portuguese, and the airport was very large and it was not clear where she was to go so she had to ask multiple airport workers.

She said customs had her wait for about 2 hours just to ask her a small number of questions and review her documents.

Now we're home, I woke up one hour ago because I have to venture out into the winter wonderland to get some business done, and she is staying inside for now because it is frigid outside, she doesn't know her way around the area, and she doesn't know how to drive [yet].

[nayaramr 1]

Sweet! You should definitely write a book. hahaha

I'm happy for you both and can't wait until it's my turn to be with my fiancé. Now everything is gonna be alright!

Best of luck and even though i'm not gonna be anywhere near Miami, if she wants someone to talk, just send me a message.