Pending Security Checks

[Khatera DS 11]

Hello members,

 

For about eight months now, my husband's CR1 visa is stuck in "pending security checks" at the Potomac center. I have inquired multiple times but keep getting the same response. My congressman also wrote to them on my behalf and got the same response. We both have clean records. I can't imagine why we have remained pending for so long. Has anyone else been in this situation? 

[igoyougoduke 1,604]

23 minutes ago, Khatera DS said:

Hello members,

 

For about eight months now, my husband's CR1 visa is stuck in "pending security checks" at the Potomac center. I have inquired multiple times but keep getting the same response. My congressman also wrote to them on my behalf and got the same response. We both have clean records. I can't imagine why we have remained pending for so long. Has anyone else been in this situation? 

Pakistan is a high fraud country and almost everyone from there gets extended review of security checks .

[Khatera DS 11]

9 minutes ago, igoyougoduke said:

Pakistan is a high fraud country and almost everyone from there gets extended review of security checks .

Even taking almost a year? Thank you for your reply. 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,319]

14 minutes ago, Khatera DS said:

Even taking almost a year? Thank you for your reply. 

It is unusual for the USCIS to hold onto the petition that long for the security checks of the beneficiary.  His name must have popped up for some reason - perhaps a known suspected person has the same name?

 

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do now other than wait.  After a while you can submit a form to request USCIS to make a decision, either approve or deny.  

[PaulaCJohnny 712]

16 minutes ago, Khatera DS said:

Even taking almost a year? Thank you for your reply. 

Yes. Even more. If you search here about Pakistanis case you will see that they wait for years to get the visa.

Unfortunately your congressman can't help with this kind of situation. 

Good luck 

[Khatera DS 11]

Just now, SteveInBostonI130 said:

It is unusual for the USCIS to hold onto the petition that long for the security checks of the beneficiary.  His name must have popped up for some reason - perhaps a known suspected person has the same name?

 

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do now other than wait.  After a while you can submit a form to request USCIS to make a decision, either approve or deny.  

His name isn't so common in Pakistan. The only other thing I thought could be making it take so long is that I am a military veteran? 

Our NOA1 is Sept, 2019. (Putting me 4/5 months outside of normal processing time.) Do you think it is appropriate to ask for a decision to be made at this time? 

 

Thank you so much for you reply. 

[Khatera DS 11]

4 minutes ago, Paula&Johnny said:

Yes. Even more. If you search here about Pakistanis case you will see that they wait for years to get the visa.

Unfortunately your congressman can't help with this kind of situation. 

Good luck 

Thank you for the well wishes and the reply. 

[igoyougoduke 1,604]

58 minutes ago, Khatera DS said:

Even taking almost a year? Thank you for your reply. 

1 year is really nothing considering most records and backgrounds checks are not that easy to be done in countries like that 

[Chancy 6,233]

36 minutes ago, Khatera DS said:

Our NOA1 is Sept, 2019. (Putting me 4/5 months outside of normal processing time.) Do you think it is appropriate to ask for a decision to be made at this time? 

 

Current estimate for I-130 processing at Potomac SC is 11 to 14.5 months -- https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

 

While your case is indeed outside of normal processing time, it is only by 1 month.  I feel that it is too soon at this point to resort to a Writ of Mandamus, but it is up to you.

 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,319]

1 hour ago, igoyougoduke said:

1 year is really nothing considering most records and backgrounds checks are not that easy to be done in countries like that 

 

 

2 hours ago, Paula&Johnny said:

Yes. Even more. If you search here about Pakistanis case you will see that they wait for years to get the visa.

Unfortunately your congressman can't help with this kind of situation. 

Good luck 

 

Again, unusual to be done at the USCIS stage.  Extended background checks for the beneficiary is done at the Embassy stage.  For USCIS, it can happen if the beneficiary shows up in a US law enforcement database.  

 

@Khatera DS, as Chancy mentioned, I suggest you wait a bit and follow up with USCIS a few more times before applying for the Writ.  

[Khatera DS 11]

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

Current estimate for I-130 processing at Potomac SC is 11 to 14.5 months -- https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

 

While your case is indeed outside of normal processing time, it is only by 1 month.  I feel that it is too soon at this point to resort to a Writ of Mandamus, but it is up to you.

 

Thank you. Processing times must have been updated recently. 

[Khatera DS 11]

5 hours ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

 

 

 

Again, unusual to be done at the USCIS stage.  Extended background checks for the beneficiary is done at the Embassy stage.  For USCIS, it can happen if the beneficiary shows up in a US law enforcement database.  

 

@Khatera DS, as Chancy mentioned, I suggest you wait a bit and follow up with USCIS a few more times before applying for the Writ.  

Thank you. I too thought that the most lengthy background checks would be done after the embassy interview. I know AP is very common in Pakistan. I actually found out I was in a pending security check back in January, 2020 when I requested an expedite due to an emergency medical issue. My expedite was denied due to the security checks and each time I inquire, that is the same response. 

[pushbrk 12,109]

8 hours ago, Khatera DS said:

His name isn't so common in Pakistan. The only other thing I thought could be making it take so long is that I am a military veteran? 

Our NOA1 is Sept, 2019. (Putting me 4/5 months outside of normal processing time.) Do you think it is appropriate to ask for a decision to be made at this time? 

 

Thank you so much for you reply. 

You can ask.  Let's be clear though.  Your husband's visa is NOT what is being dealt with now.  It is YOUR petition in his behalf.  It's actually more likely the security checks are about you at this stage but it could be either or both. Regardless of what's going on now, his extensive security checks will come after the visa interview, in the Administrative Processing period.

[Ikhan 49]

Maybe it's worth doing a security check on yourself to see if anything comes up. This is assuming it's cheap and convenient.i heard somewhere here that we can do an FBI background check. 

[JFH 12,189]

It’s possible that someone with a similar name to you (or who used a similar name to yours as an alias) who is on the “watch list” with USCIS. At the petition stage it’s all about the USC, not the immigrant. 

Edited December 16, 2020 by JFH