HighwayMan

Any guess as to why the case is taking too long? We actually wrote to senators in US and they inquired from Islamabad Embassy, but it was also canned response that the application is under administrative processing.

I'm concerned that going the Mandamus route might end up getting the visa refused? 

I'm a US Citizen, parents are in Pakistan. Initially the I-130 application process was going smoothly, the interview was on Aug 2019 and it went well, the interviewer raised one objection about clarity of one of the uploaded documents and even though my father had a physical copy, he asked to upload it again - more clearly, and that they would receive their immigration envelope in mail along with their passports.

After my father uploaded the documents, then the case went into administrative processing. We thought it'll be 3-4 months and it will be over with. Then in Feb 2020 COVID happened and embassy closed. Embassy opened few months later so we started expecting news again, occasionally emailing the embassy but got the standard administrative processing response. Then CAEC case status changed to Refused but description said that it is under administrative processing (we also haven't received any update from Embassy yet). CAEC is showing Case Last Updated date of May 2021. Nothing since then!

Anyone else in similar situation? It's two years now since the interview date and there is No update regarding the application other than standard administrative processing response. What can we do at this point?

Anyone? 

I'm really out of ideas because the only option is to send them an email and we always get a canned response, so not sure what else to do.

We are four siblings - all naturalized US citizens for over a decade. We're all well settled professionals with immaculate history here. My parents, residing in Pakistan, got a 5 year US tourist visa back in 2009. In 2015, they applied for Visa again and got an interview call at Islamabad Embassy within couple of weeks. Here's what happened next. 

1. At the interview they tried to scan the application form but they embassy staff weren't able to pull up their profile on the computers.

2. Embassy staff advised to go to facilitation center and fill out another application form so they could try scanning that.

3. My parents brought back a new form, but that failed to scan either. They were advised to come back another day.

4. Few days later my parents got back at the embassy, this time the embassy staff was able to pull up their profile, did the interview and told them they are approved and will get their visa in a week.

5. After several weeks my parents received their passports via courier and were surprised to find out that there was NO visa stamp on the passports.

6. They reached out to the embassy again and were told that Embassy will let them know when to resend their passports.

7. About 6 months later, they received notification from Embassy to send their passports again - which they did promptly.

8. Its been  a year and half now and Embassy is saying the application is in "administrative processing".

9. My dad last contact embassy in June this year and got a canned response saying that application is still in required administrative processing...

It seems like something got screwed up in their system the first time and that somehow flagged their visa application.  What should we do next?