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doggieandsam

Is the US embassy issuing B1/B2 in the UAE?

By doggieandsam in Middle East and North Africa

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doggieandsam Proficient

doggieandsam   765

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Arab Emirates
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Hi, a friend who is a resident of Dubai wants to try to apply for a tourist visa. Does anybody know if the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the US Consulate in Dubai is issuing B1/B2 visas again? Thanks.

Passport 17-Feb-22 Drop-off at USPS (expedited processing and shipping) ~ 22-Feb-22 Status: In Process ~ 08-Mar-22 Passport book shipped ~ 09-Mar-22 Status: Approved. Passport book in hand.

N-400     28-Jun-21 Filed online ~ 28-Jun-21 Received NOA + "Biometrics will be re-used" notice ~ 14-Dec-21 Interview scheduled ~ 25-Jan-22 Interview. Approved. Case status: Oath will be scheduled.  ~ 01-Feb-22 Oath scheduled. ~ 14-Feb-22 Oath ceremony.   

ROC        11-Jun-20 Application sent via FedEx ~ 16-Jun-20 Case received ~ 29-Jun-20 (Old) biometrics applied to case ~ 01-Jul-20 NOA ~ 23-Dec-21 Case transferred to new office ~ 25-Jan-22 Combo interview with N400. Case approved. 

AOS        13-Oct -17 Application sent via FedEx ~ 17-Oct-17 Case received ~ 24-Oct-17 Fingerprint fee received ~ 25-Oct-17 NOA1 ~ 17-Nov-17 Biometrics ~ 23-Nov-17 Status "We are scheduling
                 your interview" ~ 24-Jul-18 Status "We have scheduled your interview" ~ 28-Jul-18 Interview notice received in the mail  ~ 29-Aug-18 Interview ~ 30-Aug-18 Status "Case was approved" 
                 04-Sep-18 Received approval / welcome letter in the mail ~04-Sep-18 Status: "Card was mailed to me" ~07-Sep-18 Green card received

EAD/AP  13-Oct Application sent via FedEx ~ 17-Oct Case received ~ 25-Oct NOA1 ~ 17-Nov Biometrics ~ 09-Jan Approved ~ 13-Jan Notice received ~ 18-Jan Combo card received

K1 Visa   28-Jun-17 Case ready (No packet 3 received) ~ 22-Jul Medical ~ 02-Aug Interview (APPROVED!) ~ 03-Aug Visa issued ~ 08-Aug VOH ~ 14-Sep POE (Abu Dhabi) ~ 01-Oct-17 Got married! 

I-129F     17-Feb-17 Petition sent via FedEx ~ 21-Feb-17 Case received ~ 24-Feb-17 NOA1 ~ 30-May-17 NOA2 12-Jun-17 NVC received / Case and Invoice numbers assigned ~ 20-Jun-17 NVC left

 

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JeanneAdil Grand Master

JeanneAdil   6,227

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Morocco
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yes,  you can always check USCIS for stats on issued visas 

the following site gives  information by monthly and embassy 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyNIVIssuances/FEBRUARY 2021 - NIV Issuances by Post    for NIV February 2021

 

95  B1 issued

351 B1/B2 issued 

March stats will not be out until end of April+

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jan22 Experienced

jan22   2,907

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Filed: Timeline
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1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

yes,  you can always check USCIS for stats on issued visas 

the following site gives  information by monthly and embassy 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyNIVIssuances/FEBRUARY 2021 - NIV Issuances by Post    for NIV February 2021

 

95  B1 issued

351 B1/B2 issued 

March stats will not be out until end of April+

A couple of corrections to this information:

 

First, USCIS has nothing to do with issued visas.  Visas are issued by the Department of State.  The link supplied is, correctly, to the State Department, not USCIS.

 

Second, the fact that some B visas were issued does not mean the Embassy is conducting B visa interviews.  Instead of looking at the statistics, it's better to check the Embassy website to see what it says about what visas they are processing (http://ae.usembassy.gov/visas/).  Per the website, they are not processing routine non-immigrant visas.  They are only processing cases with an urgent need to travel and those for which the interview can be waived.  They will announce when they are resuming routine processing on the website.

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doggieandsam Proficient

doggieandsam   765

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Arab Emirates
 Timeline
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Posted
1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

yes,  you can always check USCIS for stats on issued visas 

the following site gives  information by monthly and embassy 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyNIVIssuances/FEBRUARY 2021 - NIV Issuances by Post    for NIV February 2021

 

95  B1 issued

351 B1/B2 issued 

March stats will not be out until end of April+

Thanks for this. I just checked the link your shared and while it looks like they have issued some B1/B2s, the number is still too low compared to pre-pandemic levels (Feb 2021: ~300 vs Feb 2020 ~1000), which suggests maybe its still limited processing.

Just now, jan22 said:

A couple of corrections to this information:

 

First, USCIS has nothing to do with issued visas.  Visas are issued by the Department of State.  The link supplied is, correctly, to the State Department, not USCIS.

 

Second, the fact that some B visas were issued does not mean the Embassy is conducting B visa interviews.  Instead of looking at the statistics, it's better to check the Embassy website to see what it says about what visas they are processing (http://ae.usembassy.gov/visas/).  Per the website, they are not processing routine non-immigrant visas.  They are only processing cases with an urgent need to travel and those for which the interview can be waived.  They will announce when they are resuming routine processing on the website.

Thank you, yes I just checked the website. 

Passport 17-Feb-22 Drop-off at USPS (expedited processing and shipping) ~ 22-Feb-22 Status: In Process ~ 08-Mar-22 Passport book shipped ~ 09-Mar-22 Status: Approved. Passport book in hand.

N-400     28-Jun-21 Filed online ~ 28-Jun-21 Received NOA + "Biometrics will be re-used" notice ~ 14-Dec-21 Interview scheduled ~ 25-Jan-22 Interview. Approved. Case status: Oath will be scheduled.  ~ 01-Feb-22 Oath scheduled. ~ 14-Feb-22 Oath ceremony.   

ROC        11-Jun-20 Application sent via FedEx ~ 16-Jun-20 Case received ~ 29-Jun-20 (Old) biometrics applied to case ~ 01-Jul-20 NOA ~ 23-Dec-21 Case transferred to new office ~ 25-Jan-22 Combo interview with N400. Case approved. 

AOS        13-Oct -17 Application sent via FedEx ~ 17-Oct-17 Case received ~ 24-Oct-17 Fingerprint fee received ~ 25-Oct-17 NOA1 ~ 17-Nov-17 Biometrics ~ 23-Nov-17 Status "We are scheduling
                 your interview" ~ 24-Jul-18 Status "We have scheduled your interview" ~ 28-Jul-18 Interview notice received in the mail  ~ 29-Aug-18 Interview ~ 30-Aug-18 Status "Case was approved" 
                 04-Sep-18 Received approval / welcome letter in the mail ~04-Sep-18 Status: "Card was mailed to me" ~07-Sep-18 Green card received

EAD/AP  13-Oct Application sent via FedEx ~ 17-Oct Case received ~ 25-Oct NOA1 ~ 17-Nov Biometrics ~ 09-Jan Approved ~ 13-Jan Notice received ~ 18-Jan Combo card received

K1 Visa   28-Jun-17 Case ready (No packet 3 received) ~ 22-Jul Medical ~ 02-Aug Interview (APPROVED!) ~ 03-Aug Visa issued ~ 08-Aug VOH ~ 14-Sep POE (Abu Dhabi) ~ 01-Oct-17 Got married! 

I-129F     17-Feb-17 Petition sent via FedEx ~ 21-Feb-17 Case received ~ 24-Feb-17 NOA1 ~ 30-May-17 NOA2 12-Jun-17 NVC received / Case and Invoice numbers assigned ~ 20-Jun-17 NVC left

 

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JeanneAdil Grand Master

JeanneAdil   6,227

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Morocco
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15 minutes ago, jan22 said:

A couple of corrections to this information:

 

First, USCIS has nothing to do with issued visas.  Visas are issued by the Department of State.  The link supplied is, correctly, to the State Department, not USCIS.

 

Second, the fact that some B visas were issued does not mean the Embassy is conducting B visa interviews.  Instead of looking at the statistics, it's better to check the Embassy website to see what it says about what visas they are processing (http://ae.usembassy.gov/visas/).  Per the website, they are not processing routine non-immigrant visas.  They are only processing cases with an urgent need to travel and those for which the interview can be waived.  They will announce when they are resuming routine processing on the website.

sorry i just refer to USCIS as this is  how it found the site 

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jan22 Experienced

jan22   2,907

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Filed: Timeline
Posted (edited)
7 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

sorry i just refer to USCIS as this is  how it found the site 

No apology needed.  I just wanted to clarify it so people who might want to check further would be going to the right place.  Having two agencies involved in immigration processes can be really confusing for people at times so terms and labels become really important.  

Edited by jan22
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