lemayz

Thanks :-)

Thanks!

Anyone else.....Miami POE experiences?

Thanks so much! Best of luck to you with your interview!

Thanks a million, Darnell!

Hi everyone,

First of all, thanks a million for all of your support....we are finally approved! Thanks especially to Saylin, Darnell, Ryan H, Bigdog, Pushbrk, and SO many others that helped along the way. I called the DOS on Tues, they said it had been approved last Friday, and by yesterday it had been sent to our local DHL office. We are so lucky that our AP was relatively quick!

And taking advantage of the thread to ask a question....I looked in the POE area, but there are very few recent reviews of POE at Miami. I am looking at a flight that would give us a 4hr layover in Miami (we would be getting in at 6:10am on a Weds)....would that be enough most likely? I am trying to buy a ticket with my miles, and so that is the only option I have. Two other questions related to this:

1. We will be flying together, so when they take my hubby to the "immigration room," they will let me accompany him, right?

2. We are both going to fly on one way tickets....that should also not be an issue, right?

AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE! And I will still be on here every once in awhile to try to help out others and surely to figure out removal of conditions and all that...

Yes, don't freak out about 2 days. After our case was closed, it took them about 2 weeks to give us an interview date, and the interview date was a month and a half later. Check out my timeline.

ebe....I'm not sure if you were talking to me or jessicaruizw, but thanks!

Just wanted to inform this thread that we got the visa yesterday!!! Woohooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I called the DOS on Tues, they said it had been approved last Friday, and by yesterday it had been sent to our local DHL office. We are so lucky that our AP was relatively quick, so thanks everyone for the kind words and support. We are looking to leave in Dec!

jessicaruizw: I added my review!

jessicaruizw....well you are ahead of me, my boss has no idea I'm even thinking about leaving. And now that we are in AP, with more reason I'm not going to tell anyone, because who knows when we'll be done :-/

Hopefully will put up the review this week.

Take care

They moved it to October? I bet mid-October, it will say that it will be reopened in November!

Still not reopened...

jessicaruizw....I have learned that you really can't plan around dates....you never know what will happen.

I have not done the consulate review yet, I've had lots on my plate, but plan to do it soon. In any case, they didn't really ask me anything at all.

Thanks for the clarification.

Darnell, I don't know if you saw the piece of paper....I posted it. As you can see, there is nothing for me to address, they did not request anything. And when we emailed the embassy and they responded, they specifically said that all of our documents were in order and they need nothing else.

So now it's just a waiting game...

Thanks Darnell and Lalo & Susana.

Darnell...one additional question: I was trying to google what you said about timeticks, but couldn't find information. The timeticks that you mentioned, such as "visa packet sent, administrative processing started, etc." - will the DOS tell me that? Because when I called all they said was that it was under "administrative processing" and nothing about when it has started or any additional information. Maybe I just need to be more insistent.

Thanks!

Thanks, Caly!

Thanks, Sweetcheeksss.

Just posting here for any future VJers that get put on Administrative Processing, this was the Santiago Embassy's response (I just put it in Google Translate in order to not have to translate it all myself):

Mr. .........:

There are many cases that require additional administrative processing. This is determined only at the time of the interview end. This happened with you. It is not possible to determine how much delay this process. We cannot give time estimates.

You met all required documents and your case is in order. Just need this extra step is necessary. As I explained this happens frequently, and that is why we advise against making travel plans or purchase tickets before receiving their visas approved.

Once your visa is ready, we will send via DHL. It is important for you, register now and select from that branch would like to withdraw your visa once issued.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit

___________________________________________________________________

So the waiting game starts. Please send good vibes!

Thanks bigdog.

The Consulate just responded saying that we just have to wait, they cannot give us date estimates. They dont need any additional papers from us.

Any estimates on how long AP usually takes? Ive seen posts on VJ that it could be anywhere from a week to someone who was in it for 15 months!

Lal & Susana, muchas gracias! That's exactly why this seems so strange.

Darnell - my intention was not to confuse or mislead. When I first posted on this site, we had JUST finished the interview, and I was so shaken and stressed that I forgot to mention an important element: the slip that they gave us. I am attaching the paper. Although it's in Spanish, I think it's understandable: it says that we have not presented the necessary documentation, but they also request NO additional documentation (there are no check marks).

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o714/lemayz13/Consulateform_zps39feb62f.jpg

When we asked about the slip, the CO simply told us that we in fact ARE approved, but because they are having some printing/admin problems at the Embassy, he has to give us this paper that proves that we came to the interview. We asked again, since it made no sense, but he said that that's the way it is, that we are approved, but he has to give us something while we wait the five or so weeks for the visa. He told us to not come back and not bring any other documents. He had everything he needed.

In fact, they gave us another slip (also attached) where we have to register with DHL so they can send us my husband's passport (again, all of this because supposedly everything is set).

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o714/lemayz13/dhl_zpsd3aa76d8.jpg

Will keep calling DOS, Darnell, as you say. Thanks also for the explanation of timeticks.

Still no email response from Consulate....

Givemegoodnews...I'll be sending you good vibes.

Sweetcheeksss....nope, it says something along the lines of "Consulate of the United States of American in Chile, Immigrant Visa Department" or something like that. It looks similar to this: http://www.***removed***/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=63&stc=1&d=1239557867

However, the only box marked is the one that says that they cannot give us the visa immediately because of elegibility or something like that. None of the other boxes about bringing in anything additional are marked. I will scan the document tomorrow and post here.

I insist, what seems bizarre to me is that the CO told us the embassy was having printing issues, that was the only hang-up, all of our documents were in order, so the fact that he gaves us that form just baffles me.

Pushbrk, I did not send you on a wild goose chase.

What I am saying is that the paper does not ask us to bring ANYTHING. The CO told us that NOTHING is missing, only that they could not print the visa immediately. On the paper, the only thing that is marked is that they cannot give us the visa at this time and that we have to wait. No documents are marked or written in that we have to supply. I can scan a copy of this paper if you want.

As I mentioned the same exact thing happened to a friend's husband: they told him everything was ok and that he was approved, but that they couldn't give him the visa for a month (and almost two months have passed since then).

I am wondering if putting everyone on administrative processing is their way to protect their behinds and so justify to the DOS why they are not giving visas (if it is really a printing problem). Again, to clarify, we were told in person "YOU ARE APPROVED. WE NEED NO OTHER DOCUMENTATION FROM YOU. BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT UP TO FIVE WEEKS TO GET THE VISA."

Anh map....I am not missing anything. The CO very clearly told us that all of our documents are in order and we are approved. Just that they weren't going to be able to give us the visa in up to 5 weeks. However, now that the DOS tells me we are in admin processing, I don't understand anything...

Same thing happened to an aquaintance, as I mentioned above. Her husband was told on Aug. 8th that he was approved, but is not in admin processing with no visa in sight.

And I just found this spreadsheet...but it's only updated to Aug. 16th.

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/chile/328666/visas/visa_cases_pending_feb28-Aug16_2012.pdf

Nevermind...that's only for non-immigrant visas.

I just spoke to an aquaintance whose husband also interviewed here in Santiago for the CR1, but on August 8th. He is still in administrative processing and the Embassy won't give any answers. Could they have put the whole boat of CR1s in administrative processing because they are having printing problems? It also sounds a little bizarre...

Thanks, Chrismanilyn.

I just called DOS...the woman told us they have not made a decision and that our visa is under "Administrative Processing." How is this possible if the man told us yesterday in person that we were approved? What can we do at this point? Any advice, suggestions, good vibes?

Thanks

Ramey & Lo: thanks for posting your experience. I think I saw you at the interview then...were you wearing a flower in your hair and a pink shirt? In any case, congrats! So they told you two weeks tops? Perhaps it's different because it's K1 but I still find it strange... I'm going to get in touch with you via the personal messenger system, so perhaps we can keep in touch and you can update me when you get your visa...? I wish I could call in but I have no contact number for the Embassy, do you? All I have is the email address...

Pushbrk...thanks again for the response.

Darnell...thanks for your response. Will call DOS today and report back here what they tell me. Found the number in your profile. Just a question...what do you mean by "timeticks"?

Thanks!