replacement visa due to Covid

[hanmel009 0]

Hi! Anybody here processing a replacement visa for expired visa due to COVID? I got the response below. My question is  how would I submit a new application online when it's already completed? Please advise what to do I'm so confused in all these. What is the timeline for the process be like? Should I mail the expired visa first? How to schedule the medical? Thank you all for your help.

 

Applicants will need to submit a new application (DS-260) and pay another immigrant visa application processing fee.  In addition, the applicants may need to submit new supporting documents, such as a new medical examination and police certificate.  Please return the unused, expired visa and visa package (if applicable) to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines once 2GO resumes services.  Requests to reissue or replace visas are considered on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants are required to re-establish their eligibility; there is no guarantee that the applicants will receive new visas. 

Edited October 22, 2020 by hanmel009

[payxibka 10,045]

3 minutes ago, hanmel009 said:

Hi! Anybody here processing a replacement visa for expired visa due to COVID? I got the response below. My question is would I submit a new application when online it's already completed? Please advise what to do I'm so confused in all these. What is the timeline for the process be like? Should I mail the expired visa first? How to schedule the medical? Thank you all for your help.

 

Applicants will need to submit a new application (DS-260) and pay another immigrant visa application processing fee.  In addition, the applicants may need to submit new supporting documents, such as a new medical examination and police certificate.  Please return the unused, expired visa and visa package (if applicable) to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines once 2GO resumes services.  Requests to reissue or replace visas are considered on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants are required to re-establish their eligibility; there is no guarantee that the applicants will receive new visas. 

If its IR5 then not until next year as it is currently banned

Edited October 22, 2020 by payxibka

[hanmel009 0]

23 minutes ago, payxibka said:

If its IR5 then not until next year as it is currently banned

yes, its IR5 for my father's visa. As what I understand, it has to be processed the same fiscal year. His visa expired last July 2020.

[payxibka 10,045]

14 minutes ago, hanmel009 said:

yes, its IR5 for my father's visa. As what I understand, it has to be processed the same fiscal year. His visa expired last July 2020.

Good luck, IR5s currently cannot be issued until the ban expires, which as of now, January 2021.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,468]

14 minutes ago, hanmel009 said:

yes, its IR5 for my father's visa. As what I understand, it has to be processed the same fiscal year. His visa expired last July 2020.

IR5 visas are banned through the end of this year by presidential proclamation.  He cannot renew his visa until next year, as long as the proclamation is not extended.

 

[Milasa 19]

I would suggest contacting consulate/embassy that issued the visa about the replacement process. The visa will not be issued before Jan 1 2021 due to the ban, but at least they can tell you the steps and maybe how early In advance you should apply. Also the duration of the visa will be limited by medical (no longer than 6 months from the day of the medical exam).

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, hanmel009 said:

Hi! Anybody here processing a replacement visa for expired visa due to COVID? I got the response below. My question is  how would I submit a new application online when it's already completed? Please advise what to do I'm so confused in all these. What is the timeline for the process be like? Should I mail the expired visa first? How to schedule the medical? Thank you all for your help.

 

Applicants will need to submit a new application (DS-260) and pay another immigrant visa application processing fee.  In addition, the applicants may need to submit new supporting documents, such as a new medical examination and police certificate.  Please return the unused, expired visa and visa package (if applicable) to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines once 2GO resumes services.  Requests to reissue or replace visas are considered on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants are required to re-establish their eligibility; there is no guarantee that the applicants will receive new visas. 

Yes, this process is correct. You will need to contact the embassy for them to allow you to resubmit the DS260, arrange what you need to make a new medical appointment, etc. None of this will happen until the ban on IR5 visas is over. I don’t think anyone can tell you the timeline, other than it’s likely to be long because the embassy will be under a huge backlog next year once all the currently banned visas get back in line for interviews, along with everyone who is trying to get unused visas reissued.

[payxibka 10,045]

34 minutes ago, Milasa said:

I would suggest contacting consulate/embassy that issued the visa about the replacement process. The visa will not be issued before Jan 1 2021 due to the ban, but at least they can tell you the steps and maybe how early In advance you should apply. Also the duration of the visa will be limited by medical (no longer than 6 months from the day of the medical exam).

The OP already has contacted the consulate. They copied in the response (bolded text)

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, hanmel009 said:

 

 

1)  Applicants will need to submit a new application (DS-260) and

2)  pay another immigrant visa application processing fee.

 In addition, the applicants may need to submit new supporting documents, such as a

3)  new medical examination and

4)  police certificate.  

5)  Please return the unused, expired visa and visa package (if applicable) to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines once 2GO resumes services.

 

 

 Requests to reissue or replace visas are considered on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants are required to re-establish their eligibility; there is no guarantee that the applicants will receive new visas. 

 

[hanmel009 0]

This frustrates me as they told me to email the copy of visa and the request letter. Now I just found out that I need to mail the expired visa back to the embassy. Then wait for further instructions who knows when. Thank you all for your kind response.

[HRQX 4,145]

On 10/22/2020 at 5:35 PM, payxibka said:

IR5s currently cannot be issued until the ban expires, which as of now, January 2021.

A few IR-5 visas are being issued: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/immigrant-visa-statistics/monthly-immigrant-visa-issuances.html

Odds are OP's father is exempt (a guess based on the stated expiration date) to PP10014: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/04/27/2020-09068/suspension-of-entry-of-immigrants-who-present-a-risk-to-the-united-states-labor-market-during-the

The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall apply only to aliens who:

(i) are outside the United States on the effective date of this proclamation;

(ii) do not have an immigrant visa that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation; and

(iii) do not have an official travel document other than a visa (such as a transportation letter, an appropriate boarding foil, or an advance parole document) that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation or issued on any date thereafter that permits him or her to travel to the United States and seek entry or admission.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

I agree that he is technically eligible, but a number of embassies said  (and I think  Philippines was one that stated it explicitly, back in a news update a few months back) they would not reissue until the ban was over, anyway. Anyway it seems to be a moot point as they will not reissue until they reopen for routine visa issuance.

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Milasa 19]

On 10/23/2020 at 9:41 PM, HRQX said:

A few IR-5 visas are being issued: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/immigrant-visa-statistics/monthly-immigrant-visa-issuances.html

Odds are OP's father is exempt (a guess based on the stated expiration date) to PP10014: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/04/27/2020-09068/suspension-of-entry-of-immigrants-who-present-a-risk-to-the-united-states-labor-market-during-the

The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall apply only to aliens who:

(i) are outside the United States on the effective date of this proclamation;

(ii) do not have an immigrant visa that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation; and

(iii) do not have an official travel document other than a visa (such as a transportation letter, an appropriate boarding foil, or an advance parole document) that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation or issued on any date thereafter that permits him or her to travel to the United States and seek entry or admission.

This gives some hope. I was under the impression that it wasn’t possible to renew expired IR-5 with the current ban in place.