221(g) AP - Technology Alert List background checks

[Cindy and Matt 20]

Small update:

 

We wrote to our Congresswoman and asked if they could help. No response yet but the CEAC showed a change to the last update field yesterday, not change from 'Refused' though. It could just be someone logging in to our case to check where it is or the start of something else. I shall keep an eye on it over the next few days and report back.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, Cindy and Matt said:

Small update:

 

We wrote to our Congresswoman and asked if they could help. No response yet but the CEAC showed a change to the last update field yesterday, not change from 'Refused' though. It could just be someone logging in to our case to check where it is or the start of something else. I shall keep an eye on it over the next few days and report back.

Even a congressman can’t untie a long AP case, but their inquiry will require somebody to immediately look at your case. That might nudge them to review the status or put the rest of the pieces together if it was put on a back burner and forgotten about.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Wuozopo

[Cindy and Matt 20]

13 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Even a congressman can’t untie a long AP case, but their inquiry will require somebody to immediately look at your case. That might nudge them to review the status or put the rest of the pieces together if it was put on a back burner and forgotten about.

Precisely our thinking too. I think because of the amount of travel I have done it is on the 'too difficult' pile. I once temped for a govt agency and we'd have a list of case numbers to get through. We'd always look ahead through the actual files to see which were smallest to keep our KPIs up. I suspect something similar is going on.  I'm not a complicated case, but I am married to a flight attendant and I was in the Army so I have travelled A LOT  

[Cindy and Matt 20]

Well well well..... email received a couple of days ago.

 

 

We are writing to you regarding your immigrant visa application.

 

As the administrative processing has been completed, we would like to proceed with your visa issuance.

 

However, please attend a new medical, as the previous one has expired. Please note, that this medical needs to be completed within the next 3 months, otherwise further administrative processing will be required.

 

Not sure if it was the nudge from the Congresswoman or not but the DS5535 background checks took just shy of 6 months to complete!!! I knew I'd be needing another medical, annoying as much as it is costly.

 

If anyone else is going through this and is curious, I was told to send my passport to the embassy via their courrier once the medical is complete. I do not need to go back to the embassy. I suspect I will just get the passport back in a week or two.

[Saqib-s 188]

1 hour ago, Cindy and Matt said:

Well well well..... email received a couple of days ago.

 

 

We are writing to you regarding your immigrant visa application.

 

As the administrative processing has been completed, we would like to proceed with your visa issuance.

 

However, please attend a new medical, as the previous one has expired. Please note, that this medical needs to be completed within the next 3 months, otherwise further administrative processing will be required.

 

Not sure if it was the nudge from the Congresswoman or not but the DS5535 background checks took just shy of 6 months to complete!!! I knew I'd be needing another medical, annoying as much as it is costly.

 

If anyone else is going through this and is curious, I was told to send my passport to the embassy via their courrier once the medical is complete. I do not need to go back to the embassy. I suspect I will just get the passport back in a week or two.

Thanks for the update.  Congratulations on making it through, hopefully you can get the medical done quickly and get the visa in hand soon. 

[Wuozopo 4,285]

@Cindy and Matt

Well finally!!  
 

Have you left the country at all in the six months you’ve been waiting?  I recall a case where the applicant had been to a no-no country during the wait. When the embassy got the passport back, they noticed the new travel and started AP checks over. 
 

Also, there used to be a reduced price for the medical redo because it’s only the TB clearance that expires after 6 months. You might want to ask the clinic about procedures/prices for expirations.

[Cindy and Matt 20]

31 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

@Cindy and Matt

Well finally!!  
 

Have you left the country at all in the six months you’ve been waiting?  I recall a case where the applicant had been to a no-no country during the wait. When the embassy got the passport back, they noticed the new travel and started AP checks over. 
 

Also, there used to be a reduced price for the medical redo because it’s only the TB clearance that expires after 6 months. You might want to ask the clinic about procedures/prices for expirations.

I have been to Chicago, Spain and France. If they start the AP again I'll probably lose it as there was no instruction not to travel during AP.

 

I spoke to Visa Medicals and no, they want a full pound of flesh because they are the monopoly. They don't even keep a record of the vaccinations they gave me (which I believe could be an interesting CQC violation) so I have had to dig out my previous medical paperwork. Not easy to do when you are living in an RV and bumming around Europe.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, Cindy and Matt said:

I have been to Chicago, Spain and France. If they start the AP again I'll probably lose it as there was no instruction not to travel during AP.

 

I spoke to Visa Medicals and no, they want a full pound of flesh because they are the monopoly. They don't even keep a record of the vaccinations they gave me (which I believe could be an interesting CQC violation) so I have had to dig out my previous medical paperwork. Not easy to do when you are living in an RV and bumming around Europe.

Those don’t sound like security risk countries so should be fine. 
I talked to Visa Medicals once about records. That lady said they are a contracted service of the US government so they turn over all records to the government when they complete the service. 

[Raft 4]

Hi ,

I would say wait patiently .if you served in Afghanistan ,they might get your cleanace from USA Islamabad embessy . If you see normal immigrant AP is Islamabad you will get idea how long you might need to wait .honestly speaking normal AP in Islamabad is touching 12 month .

So sending emails wouldn't help I guess .you will be fine if you have previous UK clearance ,it's just procedural time you have to wait .I would suggest wait patiently for 2 more month .

Thanks  

[Cindy and Matt 20]

19 hours ago, Raft said:

Hi ,

I would say wait patiently .if you served in Afghanistan ,they might get your cleanace from USA Islamabad embessy . If you see normal immigrant AP is Islamabad you will get idea how long you might need to wait .honestly speaking normal AP in Islamabad is touching 12 month .

So sending emails wouldn't help I guess .you will be fine if you have previous UK clearance ,it's just procedural time you have to wait .I would suggest wait patiently for 2 more month .

Thanks  

Wait for what?

[Rozle 6]

Hiya, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing. I'm about 3 months into Admin Processing (no obvious reason why and my visa was approved at interview in December) and we've just had our congressman send an enquiry. 

The Immigrant Visa Unit answered it really quickly with a stock response which made the CEAC status update to 25 March which got our hopes up a wee bit. Who knows if it will help, but it was nice see an update after soooo long with just nothing. 

Good luck with everything - super annoying about your medical but hopefully it'll be smooth sailing after that! 

Edited March 26, 2022 by Rozle

[Cindy and Matt 20]

So the embassy have had my medical paperwork and passport for 2 weeks now. Just waiting for them to insert the visa and send it back. The CEAC tracker updates almost every day but still shows refused. I am sure they do it just to F with me and my nerves!

 

Anyone recently gone through a similar process and know how long it takes. I am literally going nuts.

[Allan83 0]

On 3/26/2022 at 5:28 PM, Rozle said:

Hiya, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing. I'm about 3 months into Admin Processing (no obvious reason why and my visa was approved at interview in December) and we've just had our congressman send an enquiry. 

The Immigrant Visa Unit answered it really quickly with a stock response which made the CEAC status update to 25 March which got our hopes up a wee bit. Who knows if it will help, but it was nice see an update after soooo long with just nothing. 

Good luck with everything - super annoying about your medical but hopefully it'll be smooth sailing after that! 

I feel your pain. My father has been in processing for six years now. The rest of the family were all issued visas.