CR1 visa approved but passport returned to Courier

[Ola4Ola 16]

My husband had the CR1 spousal visa interview in Jan 2019 and was told congratulations and welcome to the US here are the forms to register to pick up you visa and to pay your immigration fee form. 5 days later we get an email from the embassy saying that they did a final review of our case and had to be put into administrative processing and my husband should pick up his passport (which he did with no visa inside 😔). They didn't ask for any additional information. We are so worried because we have no clue what's going on. We have sent several emails  with no response. This has been the most painful experience ever. Even our lawyer has no clue what's going on. Pls help!!!

[millefleur 5,038]

Hm...is he still in AP? What does the CEAC website case status show?

[Ola4Ola 16]

1 minute ago, millefleur said:

Hm...is he still in AP? What does the CEAC website case status show?

Yes he is, CEAC website shows AP

[millefleur 5,038]

1 minute ago, Ola4Ola said:

Yes he is, CEAC website shows AP

Sounds like they decided he needs more AP for whatever reason. I think when a case is in AP for a while, they give the passport back to the applicant but that doesn't mean a denial per say, just that the case is still pending until further notice.

[Ola4Ola 16]

2 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Sounds like they decided he needs more AP for whatever reason. I think when a case is in AP for a while, they give the passport back to the applicant but that doesn't mean a denial per say, just that the case is still pending until further notice.

I just wished we knew what they needed. The funny thing is we used a lawyer for our processing just so we won't run into any issues. After he was told his visa is approved he bought a ticket 😟. This is just so frustrating!!!

[millefleur 5,038]

14 minutes ago, Ola4Ola said:

I just wished we knew what they needed. The funny thing is we used a lawyer for our processing just so we won't run into any issues. After he was told his visa is approved he bought a ticket 😟. This is just so frustrating!!! 

Unfortunately even the best lawyers cannot prevent extended AP or even denials. It is really strange that they told him he was a approved but then later said they needed to do further review. Sounds like the Embassy made a slip up but I've seen it happen before here on VJ. Did you buy travel insurance or a refundable plane ticket to see if you can get the money back?

[Ola4Ola 16]

4 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Unfortunately even the best lawyers cannot prevent extended AP or even denials. It is really strange that they told him he was a approved but then later said they needed to do further review. Sounds like the Embassy made a slip up but I've seen it happen before here on VJ. Did you buy travel insurance or a refundable plane ticket to see if you can get the money back?

The situation is very unfortunate and heartbreaking. His ticket is non-refundable. When you saw it happen how was it resolved?  

[Ann&James 179]

1 hour ago, Ola4Ola said:

My husband had the CR1 spousal visa interview in Jan 2019 and was told congratulations and welcome to the US here are the forms to register to pick up you visa and to pay your immigration fee form. 5 days later we get an email from the embassy saying that they did a final review of our case and had to be put into administrative processing and my husband should pick up his passport (which he did with no visa inside 😔). They didn't ask for any additional information. We are so worried because we have no clue what's going on. We have sent several emails  with no response. This has been the most painful experience ever. Even our lawyer has no clue what's going on. Pls help!!!

Have seen this happen to quite a few persons. I think one should not believe they are truly approved until they receive their passport with a visa in it. It has been also advised on this website that you should not purchase travel tickets until you have your visa in hand because a nunber of things can go wrong. No one can tell you how long AP will last, you will have to wait it out.

[bestluck 71]

45 minutes ago, Ola4Ola said:

The situation is very unfortunate and heartbreaking. His ticket is non-refundable. When you saw it happen how was it resolved?  

Look like they has changed there mind won't be longer soon you will get it back but how come they send passport without visa ? this is crazy 

[Jovic 8]

1 hour ago, Ola4Ola said:

I just wished we knew what they needed. The funny thing is we used a lawyer for our processing just so we won't run into any issues. After he was told his visa is approved he bought a ticket 😟. This is just so frustrating!!!

This is really frustrating. The lawyer can help you check up on the case because I believe we use lawyers so he can guide us anywhere we seems to be going astray 

[Ola4Ola 16]

1 hour ago, Ann&James said:

Have seen this happen to quite a few persons. I think one should not believe they are truly approved until they receive their passport with a visa in it. It has been also advised on this website that you should not purchase travel tickets until you have your visa in hand because a nunber of things can go wrong. No one can tell you how long AP will last, you will have to wait it out.

Very unfortunate, thank you for your response 

[Ola4Ola 16]

1 hour ago, bestluck said:

Look like they has changed there mind won't be longer soon you will get it back but how come they send passport without visa ? this is crazy 

I never knew the embassy can do that. I always heard once told that the visa is approved at the interview that's the final verdict. 

1 hour ago, Jovic said:

This is really frustrating. The lawyer can help you check up on the case because I believe we use lawyers so he can guide us anywhere we seems to be going astray 

He said he cannot do anything but wait

Edited February 22, 2019 by Ola4Ola

[carmel34 3,532]

Two important lessons for others to learn from this post:

 

1.  never buy airline tickets or do anything that requires a financial commitment until you have the visa in your hands, in your passport

2.  attorneys do not help at all in most cases, all they want is your money

 

 

[unknown111 13]

it happens sometimes.  it might be your man applied for an immigrant Visa sometimes back and after the consular final review something contradictory came up, ask him about his previous application. most people I know that had issues like this has been because of their past applications ,especially issues of misrepresentation 

[Ola4Ola 16]

I invited  him in 2017 but he was denied a visiting visa then because we were already married.