DanielleB

Hi, everyone! I am so happy to announce that after starting our visa journey in November of 2011, and being on AP since August 2012, my fiancé is finally going to be able to pick up his visa. It has been such a long and trying experience. When you start to feel that there is no hope left, just hang on and never lose hope. I can't believe I haven't seen him in 3 years, and I am just in shock right now that I get to see him within the next couple of weeks. This site has helped me so much, and I am so thankful for it! Good luck to everyone still going through this process, and I hope that you will be with your loved ones soon. When I can find some more time I will update my timeline for you all. <3

How long did it take to get your medical report back..?

Myra, they are no longer doing medical checks at the German hospital. There is only one place you can go now, and that is the American one. My fiancé is going on Thursday to get his new medical check. Email the clinic now to get the appointment. They will schedule it for two weeks out. If the embassy tells you that you don't need it then just cancel that medical appointment.

When your status is changed to issued you can pick up your visa the following Sunday @ 1pm except for on Holidays.. They are no longer calling or emailing people to come pick up visa's. Just be aware that they are changing things often at the Embassy. Just be patient or flexible or you will lose your mind. I've been hearing it's taking about two weeks though on average. Just be sure to keep checking your status at CEAC, as soon as you see issued go on that following Sunday to pick up visa. Don't wait for them to contact you....because they probably wont.

I would say that it is a good sign. It means that they are working on your case. Just keep checking your status at CEAC. With that being said, each case is different. My fiancé has been in AP for 16 months, and I have not seen him in 3 years. We have been through many ups and downs with our case. Saying our visa was issued, then it wasn't issued. His passport was dropped off a month ago at the embassy to get his visa, finally. Few days ago they contacted us to update medical and then to bring passport back, again! When he went to get the passport so that he could take it to medical, the Embassy said they had lost it! After many people searched and hours passed, they finally found it. They must not be very organized! My fiancé met other men who said they were in AP for 4 months, 8 Months, 3 weeks. So, honestly, nobody can really say when you will get visa. I have heard that girls get their visa's fairly quickly, but that may not always be the case. Just be very strong and patient. I know that is easier said then done, but I would not take too much comfort in what people say on here, because things are always changing at the Embassy in Kabul. Good luck to you my dear. <3

Nothing yet. Day 11 since they have had his passport. Still our status says AP, and nobody has contacted us from the Embassy. I'm getting nervous that something has happened with our case again. I don't think I can handle another oops we made a mistake again.

Congratulations!!!! How long did you have to wait from when you dropped off passport to visa issuance? We are at day 11 since his passport was dropped off but still our status says AP. I'm getting frustrated.

Hi VJ members,

After being in AP for approximately 15 months, my fiancé received an email on Nov. 14 stating this:

"Dear Sir/Madam,

Please be informed that your visa is ready for issuance. Please drop off your passport at our Consular Drop Box located at CAC 2 (Security Booth) from Sunday – Thursday(except Fridays and holidays) from 08:00 a.m. to 01:00 p.m. Please attach to your passport a copy of the yellow card that was given to you after your interview."

Now, the only thing that worries me is that in this email they mention nothing about bringing a updated medical exam, but I have heard from other fellow VJ members from Kabul that they were told to bring updated medicals with their passports. My fiancé dropped his passport with the yellow card on Nov. 17, and our case has been updated twice since then, and last updated on the CAEC website. on Nov. 21 still showing AP. I would think that if they updated or case on their twice that surely if we needed a new medical exam they would tell us. I know some say to go ahead and schedule a medical appointment because it takes up to two weeks to get into one, but they are like $400, and with my fiancé's current situation we want to make absolute certain that he needs a new one. Should we call the embassy to ask about this, or should we wait to see if he will need a new medical?

I am just extremely stressed out about this, I'm not sure how many of you know about what happened in our case earlier this year in April, but he was called to come pick up his visa. The CAEC site also said it was issued. After he got there they said it was mistake and they couldn't find his visa. We were told it was a glitch in the system. So, needless to say we are nervous right now, and don't want to get too excited until he has the visa in his hand. We expect something else to go wrong. After not seeing each other in 3 years, I have to say that these last few weeks have been so hard. We are so close, yet still so far away. Good luck to everyone on their Journey.

My fiancé had dropped his passport off on Sunday and now today the 21st the visa status online said updated but it still said AP. I am sure that his medical is expired, but they have not contacted him to get them updated. So, now we are just waiting to see if we will be delayed again. Good luck to everyone.

When do medical examinations expire? My fiancé's was well over a year ago, but they did not mention him bringing this with him/or updating it.

I wonder if the visa issuance is going to slow down for a few days because of the Loya Jigra.

We also received an email stating that his visa was ready for issuance. He dropped his PP off on Sunday, and said there were a lot of people there dropping off passports as well. I am thinking since there were so many dropping passports off, issuance of visa may take a little longer than usual. I have heard it normally takes 3 or 4 days, but could be up to 2 weeks.

My fiancé also received an email a couple days ago that said ACTION REQUEST. It said please be informed that your visa is ready for issuance. Please drop of your passport...... Is this what your email said? It has been 15 months since his interview and last time they said to come get visa (in April) it was a glitch in system and they didn't actually have a visa for him, so we are a little apprehensive about this. We are hoping it is for real this time. We have never received an email like this before, so we are being calm, patient, and hopeful.

How long has she waited since they have collected her passport?

^{I don't know if this is normal, but you were in AP for 18 months and then they asked you to bring more proof of your relationship? We have been in AP for 15 months, so I wonder if they will ask us that also. What else did you send to them as proof? I think if they are updating your status often and asking for your medical vaccinations, it may mean they are getting close to issuing visa. Good LUCK!}

It said mine was updated on October 27th too, before that it had been like 6 or 7 months ago since it had last been updated. :/

Hey Meera,

I thought I had written a follow-up message to that, but I guess not. Yes, on the website it said issued, and the Embassy even called him to come pick up the visa. As he arrived they said they couldn't find his visa, and had him sit for over 3 hours. After waiting 3 hours they told him that there must have been some mistake, because his visa is not ready. They said to give them a couple of more weeks, and as you can see it is nearly 6 months later. After many phone calls and emails I find out that there was a glitch in the system, and was showing visa's as issued when they were not. He had already began packing, withdrew money to get his plane ticket right after he got his visa. So, we were pretty devastated. Next time I will not be able to breathe easy until he is in my arms.

Thank you so much Suzy for your message. I also have a 7 year old daughter, so moving to Kabul is not something that I can do, but I do plan to visit next summer if our visa has not been issued yet. I always have hope, but you know some days I feel so down. You are right though, for better or for worse. <3

I'm sorry I forgot to mention that he was working for the United States Army, not the Afghan Army. That is how we met. We were working together. Thanks, for your reply.

Well, I just called the Department of State a few days ago. As always, they could not give me any information. He said that they do not need anymore documents, and that it is still processing. I was so hopeless. I asked him what is the longest case he has ever seen, and he told me I didn't want to go there. I know that was kind of a stupid question, as I know some never come out of AP. My fiancé has been in AP since August of 2012. I know that because of where my fiancé is from they have to do additional checks, but he worked with high ranking members of the Army. He of course had to go through continuous background checks just to be able to do that. I just wish I knew what exactly is holding up our case. I assume if it was because of lack of proof of our relationship, they would have already contacted us asking for more proof. Anyways, this is more or less just a vent post. I haven't seen my fiancé in almost 3 years. I just hope he is here with me soon. Is anyone else in a similar situation of being in AP for over a year? With no RFE's

Yes, we are still in AP. August 13th it will be one year in AP. They wont give me any info expect that they are processing our papers, and cant tell me when they will be done.

The interview is face to face, and according to my fiancé the man was nice, but I'm sure every situation is different. After the interviewer read a couple of hand written letters I had written to my fiancé, he told my fiancé that I must really be in love with him. My fiancé got really positive vibes, and here we are almost a year later in AP. If your fiancé knows you, your family, and your situation at home then there is nothing to worry about. Be prepared to spend several months/year in AP, regardless of how well you think your interview went. Best of luck to you dear.

My fiancé is in a similar situation. I filled out all the forms as First, Middle and Last, but on his passport they only have his First and Middle name, also his taskera didn't have his last name. So he went and fixed his taskera, but the officers and the passport office would not change his passport. We talked to the Embassy about it, and they said it is very common and not to worry about it. I am hoping they print his visa with his first, middle, and last name. We will have to see what happens, and try to get his last name on his visa, but the way I understood it is that they go off what your passport says.

We have been in AP for almost a year now.

They received ours around March 2012 and my fiancé had his interview in August 2012. So, for us it took about 5 months. You may get yours sooner though. I think it just depends on how many petitions they are getting in. They told us they were overloaded and they would grant him an interview as soon as they could. Good luck