AP after Interview

[kgkg 9]

Hi all, my father-in-law had an interview this morning, and received a notice saying your visa has been approved. I checked CEAC's visa status online, it says Administrative Processing. Does that mean we have to wait for a long time to get the visa? Thank you! 

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

Hello. Everyone goes through AP. No one can say for sure how long the wait will be it can be a day or a year. What country is he from?

[kgkg 9]

24 minutes ago, Luckycuds said:

Hello. Everyone goes through AP. No one can say for sure how long the wait will be it can be a day or a year. What country is he from?

Thank you. He is from Shanghai, China. 

[givionte 138]

The only status that matters is when it changes to completed and being delivered.  Just because they verbally said it is approved doesn't mean it is official until it is in your visa in in your hands.  They likely need to enter more information into record, and have people sign off on the approval, so that can take anything from a few hours to a few days or longer.

Edited November 27, 2019 by givionte

[RandyW 149]

They don't ask to keep the passport until they are ready to put a visa in it.

[kgkg 9]

Hooray! The online status shows that  visa is just issued.

 

When will I receive it at home? The next day in Shanghai time? I am booking the ticket for Saturday. 

 

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

24 minutes ago, kgkg said:

Hooray! The online status shows that  visa is just issued.

 

When will I receive it at home? The next day in Shanghai time? I am booking the ticket for Saturday. 

 

Highly recommended not to book a ticket before you have the passport in hand. God forbid there’s an error on the visa, gets lost in the mail, etc. took 2 weeks for my husband to receive passport after visa issued.  it’s not worth it to lose your money on your airline ticket 

[kgkg 9]

6 hours ago, Luckycuds said:

Highly recommended not to book a ticket before you have the passport in hand. God forbid there’s an error on the visa, gets lost in the mail, etc. took 2 weeks for my husband to receive passport after visa issued.  it’s not worth it to lose your money on your airline ticket 

Wow. Sorry to hear that. I will not book the tickets then. 
 

Is it normally 24 hours that I will receive the passport back after a visa is issued? 

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

37 minutes ago, kgkg said:

Wow. Sorry to hear that. I will not book the tickets then. 
 

Is it normally 24 hours that I will receive the passport back after a visa is issued? 

No, it will be longer than 24 hours to receive passport after the visa is issued. I can’t speak for China so I’m unsure what is  the normal turn around time - I would see if you can find any info on the country specific-China message boards . Don’t forget the embassy’s will be closed for thanksgiving tomorrow and am unsure if it’s normal hours Friday.

[kgkg 9]

Just an update. The online status said that the visa was issued on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. We received an email on Friday afternoon saying the passport was shipped. Around 2pm Shanghai time on Saturday, we received the passport package. 

 

The package is basically several piece of paper with plastic cover. I have to open the cover to take out the passport. It is fine, right? In the past, we cannot open any packages

[givionte 138]

Yes open, the envelope you are not allowed to open will be contained inside, which is clearly marked.  Congratulations to your father-in-law!

Edited December 3, 2019 by givionte

[kgkg 9]

On 12/2/2019 at 9:37 PM, givionte said:

Yes open, the envelope you are not allowed to open will be contained inside, which is clearly marked.  Congratulations to your father-in-law!

Thanks! My father-in-law arrived in the U.S. last night. I found out that there is no package inside the plastic bag. There are only 3 pages, two about social security number, and one about paying $220 fee. There is no CD of his x-ray. He just need to show his vaccine record from the medical examination.

[RamonGomez 259]

On 12/5/2019 at 11:16 PM, kgkg said:

Thanks! My father-in-law arrived in the U.S. last night. I found out that there is no package inside the plastic bag. There are only 3 pages, two about social security number, and one about paying $220 fee. There is no CD of his x-ray. He just need to show his vaccine record from the medical examination.

That is the same thing my stepdaughter received. We were a bit worried since all she got from the medical exam was vaccination record that says she's now up to date, and another page that shows a negative tuberculosis blood test. I don't even think they did the x-ray... 

[Dead8oy 18]

Interview 12/05 (total time 4 hours including bringing me in for interview also).

Approval was received on 12/05.

 

Case has been in AP since then. Today the date of last update changed to 12/11.

 

We have no idea what is happening right now.

[givionte 138]

2 hours ago, Dead8oy said:

Interview 12/05 (total time 4 hours including bringing me in for interview also).

Approval was received on 12/05.

 

Case has been in AP since then. Today the date of last update changed to 12/11.

 

We have no idea what is happening right now.

I assume you are the sponsor, they brought you both in for the interview, for a CR1/IR1?  Was that how they scheduled it, or did they request you to come in unplanned?

 

5 to 6 days is reasonable this time of the year to wait for a status change.  With the holidays here, they are short-staffed, but also we are a month away from the Chinese Spring festival, so there's a high volume of people applying for tourist and student visas for the New Year.

 

Hopefully the official good news will come quick, my wife goes in for her interview next Monday, so we are nervously anticipating that day, and hoping for an early Christmas gift!