US Immigration from Iran

I recently had a H-1B visa interview at the US Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. I had an employment offer from an esteemed university with a start date of October 1st. My interview went smoothly and I thought I could get my visa issued. However, I got a blue slip (administrative processing) and the officer said no additional document is needed. They only kept my CV and a translation of my military exemption card and gave back my passport and the I797 approval document.

• I am wondering whether my case has been sent back to the USCIS given that my I797 approval document was given back to myself.
• Should I expect to hear soon from them?
• Does anyone have experience with the US Embassy in Ottawa regarding AP?

Hello,

My wife (naturalized / previous K1) and I are in the IR-5 process for her parents, who have their interview scheduled for late October 2023. We received an email requesting current / active passport info for her father because the previously uploaded one had expired. We've updated the DS-260 info with his new passport info and will upload a jpeg scan.

Here's the part where I need help. The email also asks us to include all jobs her father ever had. Her dad's only job was 22 years with the Iranian air force, after which he took full retirement in the mid-1990s. We listed this in the DS-260 but didn't include any other employment information. We've since added "None - Retired" to cover the period from 1995-to present. Is this all that's needed?

One other question, her dad worked at several military bases over the 22 years of service and moved his family for each job relocation. He had the same job description, so we only listed one location for his military service on the DS-260. Should we leave this as is or should we list each of his service locations (military bases) along with dates? I'm assuming the latter since we also listed different family residence addresses during the same 22 years.

Thanks for your help!

Greetings All,

Just wanted to start a Mena DS-5535 Forum, as it seems tons of people here go through this process and have no platform to vent. I am not sure how deep this rabbit hole will go but I hope this will become a venue everyone can talk and vent and retain information lost with those throughout this process. As of right now, here is my timeline everybody:

I hope you all gain something from this:

08MAY2023 - Interview Date - Ready

09MAY2023 - Refused 221(G) - Documents not Submitted.
10MAY2023 - Refused 221(G) - Documents Submitted

11MAY2023 - Refused 221(G) - No Action on our Behalf
22MAY2023 - Refused 221(G) - No Action on our Behalf
24MAY2023 - Refused 221(G) - No Action on our Behalf
26MAY2023 - Refused 221(G) - No Action on our Behalf

06JUNE2023 - Refused 221(G) - No Action on our Behalf

20JUNE2023 - WRIT OF MANDAMUS FILED - PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS and Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against RENA BITTER, ANTONY J. BLINKEN, JAYNE HOWELL

21JUNE2023 - WRIT OF MANDAMUS CASE ASSIGEND - SUMMONS (5) Issued Electronically as to RENA BITTER, ANTONY J. BLINKEN, JAYNE HOWELL, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General(zrtw)

23JUNE2023 - Refused 221(G) - No Action on our Behalf

28JUNE2023 - STANDARD ORDER for civil cases signed by our Judge

24JULY2023 (Part 1) - RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint - Returned Executed as to Federal Defendant Summons Returned Executed as to U.S. Attorney General - Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/21/2023

26JULY2023 (Part 2) - RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint - Returned Executed as to Federal Defendant Summons Returned Executed as to U.S. Attorney General - Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/21/2023

28JULY2023 - Refused 221(G) - TODAY.

We had started the process to file a Writ of Mandamus after 40 days and spent $4000.00. We used Morrison-URENA.

There is a Telegram Group called 'mandamus_ap' on Telegram if you give it a search that has a list of verified lawyers to give you some additional guidance that I highly recommend. Although I cannot provide the link here, you can type what I put in bold and the group will pop up.

As for now. Lets see where this goes everyone.

My fiance and I have 10 days left until the Gov't has to respond so wish us luck!

Let's say an I-751 is submitted before the Green Card expiration, but the USCIS reviews the submission and finds a problem AFTER the expiration. Is that simply an RFE or are Green Card privileges lost because the submission wasn't "properly" filed before the Green Card expired?

Thank you for any insight.

Hello Visa Journey Members,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to seek your valuable advice and guidance on behalf of my fianc who is currently facing an issue in the K1 visa application process. As my fianc is an Iranian citizen, there is no U.S. embassy in Iran for the K1 visa process. Therefore, we have been advised to send her passport to the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey in order to avoid taking a flight once her status turns to approved.

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone who has been through a similar situation or has knowledge about mailing passports from Iran to the Ankara Embassy could provide us with some insights. We have a few specific questions:

1. Shipping Options: Which shipping service(s) did you or your fianc use to mail the passport from Iran to the Ankara Embassy? Are there any specific couriers that are reliable, efficient, and have experience in handling passport delivery?
   

2. Required Documentation: Aside from the passport, are there any additional documents my fianc needs to include in the package when mailing it to the Ankara Embassy? Are there any specific forms, cover letters, or information that should be provided along with the passport?
   

3. Packaging Recommendations: Considering the sensitivity of the documents, what packaging recommendations or precautions should we take to ensure the safety and security of my fianc 's passport during transit? Are there any specific instructions or guidelines provided by the Ankara Embassy for packaging?
   

4. Tracking and Insurance: Should my fianc opt for tracking and insurance services when shipping her passport? If so, which options should she choose? Will she be able to track the shipment throughout its journey?
   

5. Expected Processing Time: Based on your experience, what is the average processing time for the Ankara Embassy to receive and process the mailed passport? Were there any delays or complications encountered during this step?
   

6. Communication with Ankara Embassy: How did you or your fianc establish communication with the Ankara Embassy during the process? Were they responsive to queries or concerns? Were any specific contact details provided for inquiries related to mailed passports?

We would greatly appreciate any additional advice, tips, or personal experiences you can share regarding mailing passports from Iran to the Ankara Embassy. We understand that each situation may vary, but your insights will certainly help us navigate this process with more confidence and peace of mind.

Thank you so much for your time and support. We look forward to hearing from you and benefiting from your expertise!

Best regards,

Inveigh