islamabadembassy IR1 at ISL Waiting for IL 2022

[bikinibottom786 8]

After 10 long months in administrative processing after IR1 interview in November 2021 and 3 times inquiry through congressman. Islamabad embassy finally reviewed my aunts case and emailed her to bring her passport for her visa. Alhamdulilah, but what a slow and lazy embassy. 

[Angel678 5]

Hey! just joined this web and looking at all the people who are still waiting I am guessing I will Probably have to wait over a year since my DQ date is April 4th 2022.

 

 

[Raja007 67]

2 minutes ago, Angel678 said:

Hey! just joined this web and looking at all the people who are still waiting I am guessing I will Probably have to wait over a year since my DQ date is April 4th 2022.

 

 

Yep you are in for a long wait since ISL is sleeping on cases.

[AMK2021 28]

Senators can't really help our cases, they come in handy for medical and humanitarian crises but can't do much for our situation. I really hope whoever has the extra money sues the embassy and that will probably be the only thing that causes them to change and fix this issue, otherwise not much we can do besides wait and pray. 

[zaeemshoaib 9]

I basically posted the same thing on the Facebook group discussing the delays. Contacting Senators and any local ministries in Pakistan is useless for our cases. 
 

Quote

2 hours ago, AMK2021 said:

Senators can't really help our cases, they come in handy for medical and humanitarian crises but can't do much for our situation. I really hope whoever has the extra money sues the embassy and that will probably be the only thing that causes them to change and fix this issue, otherwise not much we can do besides wait and pray. 

 

From my research and from consultation with 3 lawyers, filing a Mandamus lawsuit seems the only way forward is for people who have been waiting for an interview for more than a year after being Documentarily qualified. It's not only for Administrative processing cases and can be filed at any stage in the process where there has been an "unreasonable delay,"  which is what most, if not all of us, are facing right now. According to lawyers, a year or more in one stage without any movement is considered an unreasonable delay.

Different lawyers have different interpretations of an unreasonable delay but one year is generally considered the minimum. 

I think it is best if everyone consults with an immigration lawyer if a Mandamus is the best course of action for their particular case or not. Most lawyers offer consultations for free. We had a consultation with Goldstein Immigration Lawyers in Los Angeles.

As you can imagine, there will be urgency by the embassy if a lot of people file the Mandamus at once. And no, a group cannot file a Mandamus case. I've asked and other people have asked too. 

I also understand that not everyone might be in a position to file the Mandamus as it costs anywhere from $4k-$6k, including the lawyer and filling fees.

But the more people file, the better is the chance for people waiting in the pipeline to get their interview sooner as the embassy will be pressured by the state department to process the Mandamus cases.

If we just keep sitting an waiting, the Embassy literally has no impetus or reason to move faster and we will end up waiting even more than we already have away from our significant others.

Edited August 9, 2022 by zaeemshoaib

[AMK2021 28]

Yeah the financials are hard but I think it's a good idea! I have a feeling that the embassy will still only then schedule that specific case and not care about the others unfortunately bc Islamabad embassy seems so bad. I see online people are also switching embassys by work visa/student visa in other countries. I'm a 2022 dq so probably gotta get creative on what we can do, since it's only getting longer 😕 I don't even think theyll finish April/May 2021 by this year 😕

Edited August 9, 2022 by AMK2021

[zaeemshoaib 9]

I have explored those routes as well and they will take a lot of time as well and the cost would be on par, if not higher than filing a Mandamus case. Those routes are only viable for people in categories of visas other than IR-1/CR-1. Some other visa categories have a much longer wait time of 5 years or more

 

A mandamus is the only good option as the USCIS/NVC is required to submit a response within 60 days of filing. 

Edited August 9, 2022 by zaeemshoaib

[AMK2021 28]

Idk how we ended up in such an awful situation just to bring a citizens spouse over and move on with our lives. I know folks who did in from Islamabad in 2017/2018 that did it in a year! Praying for all of us. 

[Raja007 67]

One thing I don't understand that how come ISL is so slow as its not the biggest embassy and i am pretty sure not alot of Pakistanis apply for immigration to US compared to Indians or Bengaldeshis or Chinese. If these embassies have caught up to their humongous backlogs then eliminating backlog in ISL embassy would be easy considering if they are sincerely trying to overcome it which obviously isn't the case. I think ISL embassy is Intentially delaying cases although I have no proof to prove my point. On average how many cases per month ISL emabssy receives may be less than 1000 or even less than 500.

[mal218 0]

Finally DQ’ed. knowing how slow islamabad embassy is, I’m assuming I’ll finally get my interview in 2025.

 

does anyone know if they are going to do anything to relieve the backlog? It seems like they aren’t even trying. And the backlog just keeps growing 

[Angel678 5]

The wait is so difficult each passing day feels like decade. I have applied in 2020 and still a long wait until the interview letter.

 

Let's keep praying that they start working faster and make some improvements over the next few months. I hope they reach april by October.

[Machinecorpse62 132]

Hey quick question. For the ones that waited a while and when you get the interview Do we have to update any of our documents? Or did they ask any updates documented drom your spouse when they went for interview. From those that got their interview after 12-17 months waiting. 

[podeena 188]

56 minutes ago, Machinecorpse62 said:

Hey quick question. For the ones that waited a while and when you get the interview Do we have to update any of our documents? Or did they ask any updates documented drom your spouse when they went for interview. From those that got their interview after 12-17 months waiting. 

Yes I heard u have to upload updated tax forms, W2,recent paystub,any new info about job basically after a year waiting u have to upload new version of AOS form i-864 and spouse take a copy at interview  and all year long pictures chat, text whatever you have as per my knowledge if still they care about it.😠😭

[podeena 188]

On 6/17/2022 at 3:00 PM, podeena said:

Good luck 🤞🙏

Good luck in your interview 🙏🏽

Hey guys how was your interview? Please give us some good news and some feedback if you guys can thx🙏@S,M and @JRaz91

Edited August 15, 2022 by podeena

[zaeemshoaib 9]

In a recent Facebook Q&A, the Islamabad Embassy confirmed that SIV and DV are going to stay the priority over IR/CR visas. 

 

This confirms basically what I have been saying: The only way to speed things up and actually put pressure on the embassy is to take action by filing the Mandamus.

The more people that file, especially the ones who are waiting for a year after DQ , the better it will be for others in the pipeline.

If we just sit on our hands, keep waiting and accept that the embassy is slow, nothing is ever going to happen and we will be stuck waiting for god knows how many years to be with our spouses.