NVC is asking us to move our case from Abu-Dhabi to Islamabad

[ofa917 1]

We have our case at Abu Dhabi. got a letter from NVC to move our case to our home country (Pakistan). I still believe we should move to Pakistan, but my wife says that she has her job in Dubai, and if I go to Pakistan, I may lose this job and Dubai's resident visa.  Here is the letter:

 

"

Applicants living in a country different from their nationality can choose to apply in their country of residence. However, if they interview outside their country of nationality, their visa processing may be delayed.

 

If you would prefer to be interviewed in your country of nationality rather than your country of residence or designated processing post:

· Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

· Request to transfer your case to your country of nationality.

 

If you have special circumstances that may require you to interview in a country other than your country of nationality, country of residence, or a designated processing post:

· Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

· Explain the special circumstances in detail."

 

If we stay in Dubai, NVC may not accept our explanation and still force us to move. Islamabad is much faster than Abu Dhabi. ISB is working on DQ'd FEB-2025, and Abu Dhabi is working on Jan 2024. Our DQ'd time is Dec 2024.

 

What do you think? Any advice?

 

Thank you!

[Crazy Cat 45,672]

Doesn't NVC use your country of residence by default?  I don't think you need an explanation.   @pushbrk

Edited October 11 by Crazy Cat

[JeanneAdil 7,324]

It does not say you have to move it 

it says you may choose to interview in home country

 

Applicants living in a country different from their nationality can choose to apply in their country of residence. However, if they interview outside their country of nationality, their visa processing may be delayed.

 

If you would prefer to be interviewed in your country of nationality rather than your country of residence or designated processing post:

 

if you choose Abu Daubi on your petition and u r legal resident of the country , u can interview there

the long wait will be for Pakistan to get security checks done on the immigrant after the interview (for either embassy this is a long wait)

[ofa917 1]

7 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

It does not say you have to move it 

it says you may choose to interview in home country

 

Applicants living in a country different from their nationality can choose to apply in their country of residence. However, if they interview outside their country of nationality, their visa processing may be delayed.

 

If you would prefer to be interviewed in your country of nationality rather than your country of residence or designated processing post:

 

if you choose Abu Daubi on your petition and u r legal resident of the country , u can interview there

the long wait will be for Pakistan to get security checks done on the immigrant after the interview (for either embassy this is a long wait)

In the second paragraph, "

"

If you have special circumstances that may require you to interview in a country other than your country of nationality, country of residence, or a designated processing post:

·       Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

·       Explain the special circumstances in detail.

 

Traveling to or residing temporarily in a third country in order to apply for a U.S. visa does not constitute a special circumstance.

How do we explain the “special circumstances”? If NVC doesn’t accept our explanation, NVC will force us to go to Pakistan?

If we interview in Pakistan, security checks will be faster than being in Pakistan or Dubai?

[Boiler 48,152]

5 minutes ago, ofa917 said:

In the second paragraph, "

"

If you have special circumstances that may require you to interview in a country other than your country of nationality, country of residence, or a designated processing post:

·       Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

·       Explain the special circumstances in detail.

 

Traveling to or residing temporarily in a third country in order to apply for a U.S. visa does not constitute a special circumstance.

How do we explain the “special circumstances”? If NVC doesn’t accept our explanation, NVC will force us to go to Pakistan?

If we interview in Pakistan, security checks will be faster than being in Pakistan or Dubai?

How does this apply if you want to interview in your country of residency.

[JeanneAdil 7,324]

9 minutes ago, ofa917 said:

In the second paragraph, "

"

If you have special circumstances that may require you to interview in a country other than your country of nationality, country of residence, or a designated processing post:

·       Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

·       Explain the special circumstances in detail.

 

Traveling to or residing temporarily in a third country in order to apply for a U.S. visa does not constitute a special circumstance.

How do we explain the “special circumstances”? If NVC doesn’t accept our explanation, NVC will force us to go to Pakistan?

If we interview in Pakistan, security checks will be faster than being in Pakistan or Dubai?

you are presently living and working (need legal work visa)  in UAE and if NVC has DQ'd the petition,  there is no explanation needed / they will schedule it in Abu Dhabi.

you need to read on the Pakistan portal to see what others face by interviewing in Islambad or out of the country

Loves to teach has a pakistan husband who 1st interviewed in Pakistan and was put in long AP and needed to work so he went on work visit to UAE and had 2nd interview there 

check her posts and others from your country /this is best source of info

[igoyougoduke 1,733]

2 hours ago, ofa917 said:

We have our case at Abu Dhabi. got a letter from NVC to move our case to our home country (Pakistan). I still believe we should move to Pakistan, but my wife says that she has her job in Dubai, and if I go to Pakistan, I may lose this job and Dubai's resident visa.  Here is the letter:

 

"

Applicants living in a country different from their nationality can choose to apply in their country of residence. However, if they interview outside their country of nationality, their visa processing may be delayed.

 

If you would prefer to be interviewed in your country of nationality rather than your country of residence or designated processing post:

· Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

· Request to transfer your case to your country of nationality.

 

If you have special circumstances that may require you to interview in a country other than your country of nationality, country of residence, or a designated processing post:

· Contact the National Visa Center (NVC) through this Public Inquiry Form.

· Explain the special circumstances in detail."

 

If we stay in Dubai, NVC may not accept our explanation and still force us to move. Islamabad is much faster than Abu Dhabi. ISB is working on DQ'd FEB-2025, and Abu Dhabi is working on Jan 2024. Our DQ'd time is Dec 2024.

 

What do you think? Any advice?

 

Thank you!

are you asking folks here to tell you to choose between Islamabad or Abu Dhabi ?  . If you have residency proof in Abu Dhabi you can choose it. Its your choice depending on what you want to select. 

[pushbrk 14,047]

You are not being requested to move your case.  You are being given an option.  Just leave it alone.  Your option is country of residence.

[ofa917 1]

Hello,

 

I had an earlier discussion here where most of you suggested doing nothing about moving the case to Islamabad, but I got another email from NVC to move the case:

 

"In most cases, immigrant visa applicants must apply in the country where they live, with few exceptions. If an applicant lives in a country where visa services are limited or unavailable, NVC will assign the case to the designated alternate location. 
Applicants living in a country different from their nationality can choose to apply in their country of residence. However, if they interview outside their country of nationality, their visa processing may be delayed."

 

At this time we are leaning toward moving our case to ISB, and I need some help:

Our case was DQ'd on 12/11/2024 at Abu Dhabi. As per DoS information, they are working on cases of 01/01/2024, meaning it might take 12 months to reach our number, and then it will take additional time to investigate our case from ISB, I'm guessing another 6 months or so. On the other hand, ISB is working on 02/01/2025 cases, way ahead of Abu Dhabi. To me it's a no-brainer to move our case to ISB. My question is how NVC will handle our case if we move our case to ISB: 1: Our case will go back in line. OR 2: We will get an interview immediately?

 

 

[Crazy Cat 45,672]

***Related threads merged***

28 minutes ago, ofa917 said:

"In most cases, immigrant visa applicants must apply in the country where they live, with few exceptions.

Did you read this part of the email?   NVC might just leave the case where it is, but you can request a move.

Edited Wednesday at 06:37 PM by Crazy Cat

[mam521 2,726]

Additionally, just because Islamabad is potentially working on cases from that date doesn't mean visas are being issued immediately.  Extensive AP is not uncommon in Pakistan.  Attempting to move it guarantees nothing.  

[ofa917 1]

Friends of ours applied for a CR-1 visa about the same time as us; they just had an interview (28th Oct/2025) and received the visa without AP.

[Crazy Cat 45,672]

59 minutes ago, ofa917 said:

Friends of ours applied for a CR-1 visa about the same time as us; they just had an interview (28th Oct/2025) and received the visa without AP.

Extended AP is extremely common for Pakistani cases....extremely common.

[ofa917 1]

19 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

***Related threads merged***

Did you read this part of the email?   NVC might just leave the case where it is, but you can request a move.

I read that, but they are insisting we move our case; so far there have been two emails from them, and this time they want us to upload documents (residency visa and work permit ). 

[Crazy Cat 45,672]

12 minutes ago, ofa917 said:

but they are insisting we move our case;

No, they are not, imo.  

Edited Thursday at 02:32 PM by Crazy Cat