DiVen

Call DOS and check status. Ours said the same thing even though we were approved at the interview, but our case randomly went into AP for 2 weeks and DOS was the only one that could confirm. Call them for an update.

Be truthful and honest, and don't try to hide anything because they will probably dig it up.

We had our interview on Aug 16th. My fiance was approved by the CO at the interview but then we found out (through DOS) that we were put on AP. There was no reason given either.

Anyways, 2 weeks after the interview, the visa was issued, and she just picked it up today. We can't wait to get married to each other and start our lives in the great state of Texas next month.

I flew back to Bombay on Friday to be with my fiance. Called the DOS on Friday afternoon right before I left to the airport, and I was told that the visa was issued on Friday and we should have it soon. I couldn't believe my ears and thought to wait till it was confirmed when we had the passport back in hand. My fiance got a text today that the passport was ready for pickup at VFS. We drove over there , and sure enough, the passport was ready, with the Visa in it!!

I also received an email from my Congressman's office today that said the same thing. Their congressional inquiry was received by the consulate on the 29th and the Visa Cheif's office replied that they were glad to notify them that the visa had been issued on the 31st. The expedited administrative processing of the visa may or may not have anything to do with the inquiry, but needless to say, I'll be voting for my congressman's party and donating generously to his next campaign when the time comes!!

We are extremely happy and we fly to Texas together this weekend to start our new lives together. Also, our wedding is still on schedule in Texas and we haven't had to cancel any of the vendors.

Thanks to all of you guys for your guidance and support!

My Congressman's Case worker contacted me this afternoon and requested a Privacy Release and an explanation of the inquiry and copies of any receipts we have for the wedding venue and vendors. They said they will get sending the Congressional Inquiry out ASAP, but it may take as long as 30 days to get a response.

Thanks for your support and please let us know if you think of anything else. Hopefully this nightmarish bureaucratic process comes to an end for us soon and we can finally be together stateside and start our new lives together.

After doing some research on VJ, I read that I can contact my Congressperson about this to see if they can help. I just called my Congressman's office and explained my situation. They grabbed all our details and told me that they will have a case worker contact me later today or tomorrow to get information, have a privacy statement signed, and put in a Congressional Inquiry since I am one of their tax-paying constituents. They said that Congressional Inquiries can take up to 30 days.

Anything else I can do? Please help!! We are both very distraught and feel completely helpless.

I called DOS last week and was told to call back in a couple days.

I called again today, and they told us that our case is under administrative processing. She said there is no requirement for any documents and that the consular officer is reviewing the case before granting the visa. She told me to call back again in a couple days.

Our journey has been so difficult every step along the way. Now we have this. Our wedding is around 40 days away in Texas and if she cant be here by then, we will loose a ton of money too.

Every single day being apart is very painful and we both hurt a lot for each other.

PLEASE HELP! We feel completely helpless because there is nothing we can even do about it. PLEASE!!!

When that happened, did they inform you of AP at the consulate during the interview or did it just go into AP randomly after your fiance was approved by the CO?

My fiance had her K1 Fiance Visa interview last week and was approved by the CO. She has been visiting VFS to check if they have received the Passport yet for her to pick up.

However, today (3rd business day, 5th day since interview), the lady at VFS told her something new that has essentially got us both very confused and down.

She said that her system says that they are "performing a background check on her paperwork" and told her to come back next week. My fiance asked her if this meant it was under AP, and what they were missing. The VFS lady told her she is not sure if it is AP, and they will email her when they find out.

The VFS Passport tracker still says "Under Process at the US Consulate." We know we have nothing to worry about since our application is 100% true and accurate and we are not hiding anything - however, after a wait of 8 months, we are anxious to be with each other and every single day is painful to go through. And, with VFS's record for emailing us, we know we are probably never going to hear back from them either.

CAN ANYONE HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT IT GOING ON? Can DOS help here? Who do we call to find out what is going on. What do we do?

I wouldn't be freaking out if it was just a delay of processing to send the passport to her, but now, with this new "background checking," I'm worried that our application has gone into AP, and we don't even know why. Our wedding is 45 days away, and I have spent over $15,000 in deposits and payments to book all the vendors, venue, band, DJ, caterer, flowers etc. - ALL of which is non-refundable.

No luck today either, and they followed up by telling my fiance that the Consulate is doing a "background check" on her and not to come back till next week. She didnt know if it was AP and said we need to wait for an email from them. This entire process has been so frustrating for us, and every step of the process has not been without hurdles.

She was told that she was approved at the consulate by the CO. But now this looks like some form of AP. The tracking still says that it is under processing at the Comsulate. This news from VFS has literally broken both of us.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW? Can anyone help? Can the DOS state do or comfirm anything? Who do I try to contact for more imfo?

It's Tuesday! Day 5 - I'm hoping i get a call from my fiance in about 6 hrs with some good news that the passport is in hand. Goodnightfrom Austin, VJ. Wish us luck!

My friend flew to Mumbai earlier this year on United from Houston. He was only going for 3 days to a conference for his first time traveling to India. He was left stranded in Newark by them because they decided to cancel his 2nd flight. He got to the conference a day late and couldn't do any sight seeing because he was playing catch up the entire time he was there...

I won't fly United anymore...

No luck today either. Since Wednesday the 15th was a holiday, they said the Consulate is probably still catching up on applicants from Monday and Tuesday. Also, since Monday the 20th is Id, they said my fiancé's passport probably will not be with VFS till Wednesday or Thursday. What a bummer.... the wait is extremely painful now after the interview.

Our passport tracking on VFS website just updated to "Your visa is under processing at the US Embassy." We're keeping our hopes up that they come through for us this evening.

My fiance is going to try again tomorrow (Friday) after 5 pm. I really hope they have it for her, because apparently, VFS is closed Monday and Tuesday for Id. If that happens, it may be delayed further. After almost 8 months of waiting, this is quite painful!!

Firstly, a big thanks to VJ and its members for all the help. My fiance's K1 visa was approved today at her interview and we can not wait to be married start our new lives together in Texas.

My fiance was told that there was a possibility that she could pick up her passport the same evening at VFS Mumbai. However, when she went there at 5 pm, she was turned away and told to try again next day or wait for the courier. She noticed some other IV applicants there at VFS who were waiting on their passports too, but some of them said they had been waiting for over 5 days now and there was no sign of it at VFS yet, let alone via courier to their house.

Has anyone here successfully performed a counter pickup of their passport at VFS after an IV Interview? I was hoping my fiance could pick up her passport today or tomorrow and fly out this weekend to Texas.

We just got our K1 Visa approved an hour back and my fiance's POE will be Houston. I'll update with a review of that in a couple days.

My POE was also Houston about 10 years ago but I was a dependent to my parents who had a business in Houston - it was straightforward and easy back then. Since then, I've been through Houston airport customs at least 7 times, and it was almost always uneventful except for one time where my bags were opened up and the officer questioned some food articles that my grandma had packed for me.

Congratulations!!!

Our Visa Interview is scheduled for Thursday - we are extremely excited and tensed too! My fiance and I have prepared for this in every way possible, but we are still nervous. Any advice for us before she goes in for the interview?

My fiance's interview is on Thursday!! We are so excited to finally be here!

We called the Consulate today and found out that the Consular exchange rate this week is Rs.58 per dollar.

Also, when asked how much the fee for K1 currently was, they instructed us to check www.travel.state.gov for fees.

We never received Packet 3 or 4 from the Consulate and had to do everything via calling DOS, downloading Packets and submitting at VFS

Mumbai Consulate website Packet 3 says - $350 - http://photos.state.gov/libraries/mumbai/395145/pereirals/Packet3-Infosheet-K1.pdf

Mumbai Consulate website Packet 4 says - $350 - http://photos.state.gov/libraries/mumbai/395145/pereirals/Packet4-Infosheet-IV.pdf

Mumbai Consulate Immigrant Visa Fees says - $240 - http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/ivfees.html

Travel.state.gov says - $240 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html#temp

According to March 28th Media Note from DC - The fee reduced from $350 to $240 effective April 13, 2012 - http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/03/187114.htm

I'm almost positive the Mumbai Consulate has just not refreshed its PDF, but can someone confirm it's actually $240 now?? We do not want ANY surprises at the interview.

D & V

Our interview is in 6 days. I'd love answers to shilpa's questions too.

Congratulations!

YAY! We just got notification that PCC is ready for pickup at PSK! They came through for us. 6 days to interview - we are STOKED! I'm going to try to have her stateside within 10 days!

Just woke up and tracked it. It has changed to "PCC application is under review at Passport Seva Kendra." Now I'm quite confident we will get it on time. Thanks for your replies, VJ peeps!

How many days did it take you to get it at PSK after your tracking status changed?

Will they need another interview in that case?

My fiance dropped off the docs at VFS yesterday. They told her she can bring the PCC to the interview. Also, they did not take her I-134 and the proof of relationship stuff. They told her to bring all that to the interview.

CID has still not uploaded the clearance even though the Santa Cruz Police station got the clearance to them yesterday. We only have 1 week left before the interview.

I really hope that it comes through by then but worst case, what happens if it doesn't? I'm really worried and flustered.

If you have filled out an affidavit of support, and she becomes public charge, you may be responsible for her. I'd suggest you contact ICE and inform them.

My fiance applied for PCC sometime back through PSK. She was unable to get PCC same day since she had gotten her passport a while back through Tatkal. They sent to the Santa Cruz RPO through CID. Once it got there, she went there and paid some extra "fees" to the officer to perform the Clearance immediately. That step has been done and the RPO has cleared her. They say they will be uploading through CID to PSK website tomorrow, Aug 8th (Wednesday), by 11 am.

Thursday Aug 9th is the last day for her to submit docs to the VFS since her interview is on Aug 16th. We know that ideally it's best to submit everything to VFS, but in this case, we may not get the PCC on time.

Q1. How much time does PSK take to print the PCC once CID has uploaded the clearance?

Q2. Is it possible to submit PCC at time of interview?

Thanks in advance!

D & V