B1/B2 Admin Processing

[Kim Ryan 0]

Hi everyone, I just joined the community. I am a US citizen and my partner is Lebanese. We live and work in West Africa. My partner has had the US tourist B1/B2 visa several times, but unfortunately it expired this past March. Each time he reapplies for the visa, he is immediately placed into admin processing, but it's always come thru and never taken longer than a month to receive the approval. For this new visa, he interviewed in Freetown, Sierra Leone in July. It has been 103 days and we still have not heard anything. When I check his status in CEAC, it says the case has not been updated since July 28, the interview date. We followed up with the consulate, but they just told us that the case remains in admin processing and that there is no way to know when it will be completed. I even involved a US congressional rep's office after 90 days, but they were essentially told the same thing by the consulate. The rep also told me that all of the cases she is working on are facing delays. 

 

This is extremely frustrating, as we started working on his application last January, in anticipation of our December 2022 travel plans. We have been together for 3 years and he has never met my family. He was supposed to celebrate Christmas and my 30th birthday with us. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone is in the same or a similar boat, and if there is anything else we can do to move this along? I don't understand the delay when he just had the visa up until March this year, has visited the States on 3 other occassions, and it's just for a 2-week touristic trip. 

 

Thanks so much!

Edited November 9, 2022 by Kim Ryan

[Crazy Cat 41,974]

Nothing you can do.   What do you mean by the term "partner"?  Friend?  Fiance? Spouse?

[Kim Ryan 0]

Sorry, by partner I mean romantic partner, he's my boyfriend.

[Boiler 45,638]

At least he was not refused, he is just waiting.

[JeanneAdil 6,533]

Sierra Leone US embassy states the following:

 

Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of the visa interview. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.

 

but your partner made it more difficult to AP a tourist visa by applying in another country for the following reasons:

 

The norm for approval of one is show strong ties to home ie own property,  job, do he she will return

obviously he does not have strong home ties to his home country /  he now has stronger ties to a US girl and could come and marry in US and adjust status to stay (not legal to plan and do this)  

obviously things in his life have changed and the AP may be extensive

the embassy will be checking his job ,  his travel history and background in Lebanon which is hard to do now with the social unrest due to financial and political crisis.

 

 

 

[Kim Ryan 0]

Thanks for this insight, it's helpful to know how they might be viewing it. It's a bit complicated because he was born in Liberia and has spent nearly his entire life in Liberia and Sierra Leone-- he also has residency in each. He has only lived in Lebanon for 4  years of his life and he's 34. In all of his previous visas he applied from either Liberia or Sierra Leone as well. He has no plans to move to the States (I wish!) as all of his businesses are here in West Africa. He will be lucky if he can even stay 2 weeks!

Edited November 9, 2022 by Kim Ryan

[JeanneAdil 6,533]

17 minutes ago, Kim Ryan said:

Thanks for this insight, it's helpful to know how they might be viewing it. It's a bit complicated because he was born in Liberia and has spent nearly his entire life in Liberia and Sierra Leone-- he also has residency in each. He has only lived in Lebanon for 4  years of his life and he's 34. In all of his previous visas he applied from either Liberia or Sierra Leone as well. He has no plans to move to the States (I wish!) as all of his businesses are here in West Africa. He will be lucky if he can even stay 2 weeks!

all that information will be gathered by the embassy and his previous visits with return to a home base count

 

Best to u both 

[Kanja 201]

This is very unusual  in Sierra Leone. For a tourist visa it’s usually either yes or no or short administrative processing as you mentioned.

 

But as other members have posted, it’s not impossible. But they are right, nothing can be done.

 

Happy to chat with you about what we have done when some of our folks where in AP in Sierra Leone,  though I’m sure you have already done everything. The only thing I can think of is a security issue or something that may have come up on past visit. 
 

Also it’s not uncommon in Sierra Leone for Lebanese to apply for visas there, there is a large expat Lebanese community there, they own most of the businesses in Sierra Leone, and many have been there several generations. 

You say he was born in Liberia- so he’s Liberian then, not Sierra Leonean, right? I know Lebanese through ancestry but I only say that because Liberia and Sierra Leone are very close and again it’s common for people to live between the two countries. 
 

If all comes up well I am sure he will get it soon.