sjk1128

Beijingjim (and anybody else out there),

All I can say is to hang in there. It ain't easy! This process can tear you apart psychologically.

We got a couple of updates yesterday in CEAC and "ISSUED" just a few minutes ago today, July 10th. It looks like we'll have to wait for the mail, then book our flights ASAP.

Good luck everybody,

SJK

Good news! We finally got a reply to our email today, and 2 status updates.

The status is now listed as "READY". From what I've seen, we should be just a couple of days away from the visa being issued and mailed!

Therefore, in the way of timeline information, our 221(g) - which involved a request for one police report - has taken this long to process:

June 8 interview and 221(g) issued for one police report and passport

June 17 police report and passport mailed

June 19 documents arrived at embassy

June 22, 30 date changes but still "AP"

July 8 date change, still "AP"

July 8 CEAC status changed to "READY"

Now, we're waiting with fingers crossed for the all-important change to "ISSUED".

Thank you, Ning. You are very kind. I'll ask tomorrow about the possibility of calling with a special PIN. I'm not hopeful because the IV unit seems to want all communication handled via email and all documents handled via mail, but I will try.

I too sincerely hope we don't have to go through more Thai immigration just to keep him here long enough to finish this US immigration process. We live in Bangkok, and right now the best place to go for visas is Laos (Savannaket or Ventianne), and the only Bangkok immigration office domestically is Chaeng Wattana. My last visit there to extend my visa involved a 7 hour wait, but that's a whole other thread!

Tomorrow's another day. Will be checking that CEAC site again every 30 minutes for a status update.

Well, I certainly appreciate your replies and thank you for sharing your experiences! However, we cannot wait 6 weeks because that will invalidate the medical and make my husband illegal in Thailand, and I do not really understand some of the comments. Nevertheless, thank you beijingjim for starting this thread! I am so glad I found it, and I'm just going to float this out there because it may help others wading through the murky 221(g) waters:

Malaysian Certificate of Good Conduct (Police Check)

The US Embassy could (and should) have known about the problem with the Malaysian Certificate of Good Conduct - because we submitted a letter with the Packet 3 documents which included a screen shot of the apology posted on that government’s website stating that Malaysia was not issuing them at all. We also clearly stated that my spouse had never had a “Long Term Social Visit Pass,” the requirement on the (old) Malaysian website for obtaining the Certificate. In the same letter, we furthermore asked the US IV Unit for guidance or a reply on what to do, or if this was going to be requested. That was in March. No one replied, and no one mentioned it until the interview (June). THEN they said it was required: voila' our 221(g).

Thai Immigration Issue/ Passport

My husband’s Thai visa will expire at the end of July, at which point it will be illegal for him to stay here (because he is Korean and not Thai). In addition, we have, in fact, been stopped by the police 4 times in the 2 and ½ years that we have lived here; and every time they asked for our passports. It was always when we were driving somewhere. There are frequent and random traffic stops. I have never had a ticket (or paid a bribe), but it is VERY common to be asked for your passport. You typically cannot check into a hotel, conduct any banking business, change your phone service, rent a car, etc. if you are not Thai and do not have your passport. If my husband’s mother falls ill, he will not be able to leave immediately and visit her in Korea. It is my understanding that we will have to write to the embassy, and they will mail him his passport. He was told that except for at interviews, all docs are now sent via mail.

Medical Exam

My husband’s medical exam validity will expire August 8, after which he will not be able to enter the US without repeating the medical exam – a process which took almost 2 months because the doctor required sputum TB tests (which were all clear). When sputum tests are required, the medical takes 2 months to complete and is then only valid for 3 months (not 6). After that, it must be repeated.

Summary

After July 27, it will be illegal for him to stay in Thailand when his visa expires. He will be fined by the day for any overstay. After August 8, he will no longer be able to enter the US without repeating his medical (which takes 2 months to complete). Meanwhile, no one has answered our email to the IV Unit asking how we are supposed to handle this.

So, I suppose we will have to hope that our case is processed sooner rather than later. Failing that, we’ll have to a) try to figure out how to get him another Thai visa, b) repeat the medical, and c) wait several months.

I am writing this to express my discontent but also to ask people with *recent experience* about the timeline for processing a 221(g). In addition, perhaps our experience will provide some insight for people going through this process in the near future. ...Incidentally, the doc list for Packet 4 was also changed sometime at the end of May 2015 just before his interview on June 8 – meaning we really had to scramble to get my husband’s military records and US travel history (neither of which was on the old document list). Moral of the story: IMHO check again, and again, and again – but it’s a game you can never be sure you’ll “win” the first time – because the rules are always changing in the middle of play.

All the best,

SJK

Thanks, beijingjim,

We wrote to the IV Unit again today. I will certainly post here once I receive some kind of outcome or meaningful reply. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, too.

For anyone else out there who sees this thread, it would be *very* helpful to know what kind of timeline the Bangkok office is operating on for 221(g) cases that are *very* straightforward.

In our case, we seemed to 'pass' the bona fide relationship issue, the I-864 financial requirement, the (re)establishment of domicile, the medical, and all the other documentation requirements - except that the IV interviewers asked for a Certificate of Good Conduct from Malaysia: one document (which we submitted 2 1/2 weeks ago). If that's all it is, I have trouble imagining why it would take weeks in AP (and why they would hold a non-Thai national's passport for so long). You can't do anything in Thailand without your passport, and we now have to worry about him going illegal for Thai immi while we're waiting....

All the best,

SJK

Anything yet beijingjim (or anyone else) on the timeline for clearing an IR-1 related 221g in Bangkok?

We are in the same situation with the Bangkok Embassy - a white 221g - except that

• my spouse is Korean
• my spouse was inside for 2 hours but the first hour and 1/2 were spent waiting for the cashier to arrive,
• the 'interview' lasted only 15 minutes and was conducted through the glass on June 8th,
• the only items requested were a Certificate of Good Conduct from Malaysia and my spouse's passport,
• we sent the requested document + the passport on June 17, and
• the items arrived and were signed for at the embassy on June 19th.

Extenuating circumstances:

• The Malaysian website (the only method of obtaining a police check) was down for several weeks, which we documented.
• My spouse never had a long-term social visit pass in Malaysia and instead entered on multiple short-term visa waivers, which should have negated the need for this police check - and made it impossible to obtain one - according to what was written on the Malaysian website; yet the IV unit inexplicably requested one and Malaysia inexplicably issued one anyway (now that their website is finally working).
• My spouse's stay in Thailand will no longer be legal after July 27, less than 3 weeks from today.
• My spouse's medical for the IR-1 will no longer be valid after August 8, 4 & 1/2 weeks from today.

In short, what the hell are we supposed to do now and how long can this possibly take? The US Embassy IV unit has got his passport (and the Malaysian police check) - the only things they asked for - but they haven't answered our email sent on June 26th. Clearly, I'm freaking out here.