hyd617

congrats on interview date!

if u need any help regarding interview, ask me as i was in chennai to accompany my husband for his immigrant visa interview!

good luck

I reached Convention center (not exactly the convention center but this place hidden away in trees where the bus stand is) at about 6 AM, as we got lost. Islamabad’s been under very tight security and virtually all main roads have barricades now. Got in queue for the ticket to shuttle. Before standing in queue, always check if you are in the right queue. Kept my NIC, Passport and Interview letter to be showed at the counter. Apparently anyone accompanying you to this point can get a ticket to the shuttle and can accompany you to the embassy, minus your cell phones, food items and drinks. They can sit outside the embassy on the benches and wait for you.

The ticket counter opened around 7 am. The queue moved quickly. I got the ticket and was in line for the shuttle. Had a security check where men were told to leave bags behind, women however were allowed to carry their handbags as long as there weren’t any cell phones or other mechanical devices. Carrying food was not encouraged. I got on the first shuttle that left for the embassy and enjoyed the slightly long and slow ride to the embassy. Must lookout for the nice sights… they can help you calm down. I had reached the embassy by I think sometime around 8 am. As soon as we got off the bus, we were suppose to stand in another queue; two this time, one for immigrant visas and other for non-immigrant. Guard checked the passport and interview letter and sent people to another security check post. Here they make sure you have no food items or drinks taken inside the embassy. Next there was another queue…and then the guard sent me inside the building. Another check of all the documents I had through the machine and my name checked on their list. I was inside. They told me to go down a long corridor that seemed to lead to a room, which seemed like a bunker. This was for immigrant visa applicants only and they took my fingerprints. Next was the waiting room. Both immigrant visa and non-immigrant visa applicants are interviewed in this hall.

I was first called to window 5 and was asked to submit my passport. I was also asked the medium of language I would like to be interviewed in. Then told to sit and wait to be called again. Next I was called to window 7 and the person there asked for my medical report (just the report and not the x-ray). He also asked me to remove my scarf to see my headline and hair. He returned some extra copies of documents my husband had submitted with the DS-230 and I-864. After that he arranged my file and asked me about a question from DS-230 that was not clear to him. I had submitted an extra script with the required answer and he found that. Then he asked me if I am part of any terrorist organization. We both smiled as the answer was obvious. He then asked me to sign DS-230’s part II. He did not ask for any documents nor did he ask for recent 2x2 photos. I had to ask him for that but he said that was not necessary. He asked if I have any photos with me. I said yes and asked if he wanted to see them…he said that was not needed. He told me to sit and wait to be called again. Confirmed again that the interview will be in English.

After a few minutes I was called at window 3. This was the final interview. The Consular Officer was a White American. He greeted me nicely. Asked if I am comfortable being interviewed in English, then said that my qualification makes me eligible to be fluent in English. He handed me the originals I had submitted with the DS230, along with the list of courier services available and a token stapled to it. Then he asked the following questions:

1. Who is my petitioner?

2. When did we get married?

3. How did we meet?

4. Was getting married to him an issue with my family?

5. What does my husband do?

6. Have I ever been outside Pakistan before?

7. When I said yes, he asked me the places I have been to.

8. He asked if I have all my previous passports with me. I showed them to him.

He typed in all the passport numbers in the system.

Next he took out this green sheet and stamped the date on it. Wrote my case number on it. He said that he is unable to issue the visa right away but congratulated me and said that my visa has been approved. Said that I do not need to come to the embassy for another interview. He said he has already given me the list of courier services through which I should send in my passport as soon as the embassy calls. He also said that it should take about 2 months to get this check done but in good cases, it should not take that long. He returned the passport along with that green sheet and said I should hear from the embassy soon.

This was it. I was done with the interview and back to the shuttle point by 10.

Hope this review helps.

P.S. They did not ask for any documents or evidences (which by the way were plenty), as I believe my husband had sent in photos and affidavits along with the I-130 and DS230.

Overall it was a pleasant experience and I came out happy. Allaah be praised.

hello there!

i would like to congratulate you on a pleasant interview... and ur visa being approved...

i loved ur interiview review..

my husband in india also had the same exact interveiw as you, with same questions asked in chennai india..

we were not asked to show any docs.. i accompanied him during the interview..

then she gave us a blue 221g paper saying, she could not issue the visa right away.. and put us in AP and said it would take 4-6weeks...

we have been waiting since july 28th 08

havent heard anything, but praying to Allah swt that inshAllah the visa is issued soon...

please join us in the AR/AP thread..

good luck, and not to worry just a matter of lil bit of time!

I called Dos yesterday coz i was free and had nothing to do , so i thought calling DOS would be some thing good , i was thinking this time they will say case is again in AP but surprisingly they said same thing case is under administrative review in embassy but visa specialist also said that ,"passport Requested". i asked her again what indeed is there in your computer can u please tell me she told me again , all i can see about your case in my computer is that " it is under administrative review and they need your new passport coz your passport has been expired " honestly this is true my passport was expired last month and i have made new passport already "

I asked her then when they will contact me she said , this up to embassy when they will contact you we can not force them to contact u but she told me soon they will contact you via phone or sending u letter to submit your passport . she was very nice lady and thanks to her ... her name was ANNA OR MONA i forget that but sounds like Anna i guess i hope some one know her here

but i need to know some stuff , do they need my passport coz my passport is expired or they will need passport coz they will issue me visa

any one has any idea about that , or any experience

thanks in advance

Chaingang

chaingang

this is great news!

thats means ur AP is coming to an end i bet!

maybe you shoudl tell ur spouse to contact/call the embassy and see what they say!

hopefully they request passport soon to issue the VISA!!!!!

congratulations!

thank you for telling us.. this is great news, and something positive on this forum!

hope all of us get thru AP quick..

hey rajee

glad to know you guys are having a great time!

maybe u should visit ur local SS office!

good luck

congratulations!!!!

so happpyyy for u

hey nita

even i had spoke to a lady named anna when i called one HAHAHA!!

anyways i guess its good to get on their good side, to find out info haha... maybe she knows something and said ur huby wil get his visa soon!

this is something positive keep laughing

Thanks hyd617 , VivaBaños ,ninjarocket , KYlady , frali ,Zee Bee ,yoke

hyd617: I really hope your hubbie will get his visa soon .

Yoke: They haven't given me this option .

Thanks for your support.

thanks OOM!!

i hope so too....

Hello Friends

Thank you ALL for your support, your guidance and your good wishes .

They said my visa is approved i will get my passport with in one week

here is my interview experience

I reached embassy at 7:15 my interview was on 7.45am .

7:30am Security check @ Embassy

8:00am at window no .16 - Fingerprints

8:30 @ Window no 15 First Interview : one Indian lady was there she first requested me to submit my medical reports and asked 02 questions

1. Is his the first marriage of both of you ?

2. Have to ever been to any other country ?

then she returned the original documents and asked me to wait for the second interview .

9:20 @again window no 15 Second Interview : this time there was Indian boy he was quite friendly first he asked me to sign on DS -230 part 2 . and then asked around 9 questions ..

Who is the sponsor?

How did you meet?

Where does he work ?

what is his designation in his work place?

What is the date of your marriage?

Have your ever been to USA or any other country?

How many people attended the marriage ?

How may people were there from USA on your wedding?

Form how long your husband is there in USA?

Than he said your visa is approved and you will get your passport with in one week .

Surprising nobody ask for any document like Tax returns , W2's , ID proof, marriage photos , honeymoon pics. i was carrying 2 files full of papers with one album.

Now i m waiting for the courier boy

(F) Thank you friends (F)

congratulations!!! good to hear..

good luck and welcome

No no RFE, I filed under PLR in 11/2006 then I upgraded in 7/2007 to US Citizen but because of the backlog and then Security checks for 3 months that is why it took so long it's should have only taken additional 4 months from upgrade but it took 8 months from July 2007 to March 2008. Plus I was told 2 months prior additional work so in reality it took about 10 months for my petition to get NOA2.....

So now more waiting

Nita

Nita--I am curious why it took so long for your NOA2--did you receive an RFE?

its ok nita.. u came this far.. this is almost the end, u r at the tail end of this process... just waiting for their processing to get done...

so im sure it wil go by fast for you.. dont wory

Hey all i was wondering anyone got scheduled for interview at chennai consulate , india so far???

i had mine on july 28th 08...

Hey all i was wondering anyone got scheduled for interview at chennai consulate , india so far???

i had mine on july 28th 08...

i mean my husband had his interview, but i was there.. as u know we got put in AP!!

Revived..............K1........ Pakistan/Islamabad........ 12/04/2007.........administrative processing

thepacific............K1.........Morocco..........................12/12/2007.........administrative processing

SAD EYES.......... K1........United Kingdom............... 02/25/2008..........221g

WonTanNara.......K1....... Guinea/Dakar, Senegal.... 04/29/2008......... security clearance

Jpost..................K1.........Pakistan/Islamabad.........04/29/2008...........administrative processing

Indianheart........ CR1..... Chennai India............ ... 06/06/2008......... document verification

CassandraHaydar K1....... Iraq/Seoul .....................06/17/2008..........administrative processing

miamiwife............ K3 ......Turkey/Ankara............... 06/24/2008......... administrative processing

Lurking............... CR1...... Nigeria .........................07/07/2008 .........document verification

FSUmome........... CR1...... Iraq/Ukraine................. 07/15/2008......... administrative processing

hyd617............... CR1...... India/Chennai............... 07/28/2008.......... 221G

JULIAFERNO......... K1........ Turkey .........................07/29/2008..........administrative processing

Nita&Assaad ........CR1.......Lebanon.........................9/29/20008......... 221g

That sounds very positive thanks for sharing the news.

just an update, i FINALLY found out the reason for my husbands 221g ap - NAME CHECK clearance as told by lady at the embassy in chennai, india...

ya nita, whoemever you talked to at the office, apparently has no idea how this AP thing works...

i think all of us here at visa journey can become immigrations lawyers or adjudicaters at USCIS LOL since we got the whole process down so well..

we all have done our research... bc were anxious for answers, bc we are in the situation not our lawyers or adjudicaters or embassy staff...

so dont wory, right after my interview i thought i was going to pass out... bc i did not know what AP was.. and me being with my husband at interview time, had no clue we could be temporarily denied LOL .. now we look back and laugh at it, but look forward to the day we get the call

everything happens for a reason from GOD, but the good thing is we at VJ keep each other updated..

so nita start fixing up ur cottage, u know in no time he will be here, just like with the rest of us!!

hang in there

by the way i called up congressmans office, and the person handling my case emailed me saying they wil begin working on the case tomorrow.. means today..

i hope something positive comes out of this

anddd quick update, last night i stayed up late to call the us embassy in chennai, india..

so the lady there told me they are still waiting for my husbands name check clearance to come thru ( said it takes 3-4 weeks to 3 months)

AND after our interview on JULY28th they sent the file to DOS and were waiting for name check clearance... apparently chennai did not hear anything from DOS so chennai sent the CASE AGAIN on august 20th to DOS.. now awaiting the name check clearance

so after i heard this yesterday i assume that at DOS things move slow... ? and you got to push them to get our cases completed..

im glad chennai sent the case again to them (hope it works now and they complete the name check clearance)

one other thing i learned from calling chennai last night was REASON for AP.. till now no one told why we were put in AP, not DOS not the embassy not the counsular officer BUT yesterday at chennai the lady who picked up my phone said "mam we are still wating for your husbands name check clearance as of aug 20"

so its a relied that its nothing complicated in our AP. and matter of time and i think following up with them..

i hope we get the clearance soon..she said as soon as we get clearance from DOS, then we will mail your husband to send passport or email him if a email id is provided...

ahhhh.. sometimes i want to pull my hair out with this process.. but thankful to GOD that i found out something yesterday...

just an update guys, thanks and hope eveyrone gets thru this AP quick and dont have to look back at it...

have a good day!

I see you have an interview coming up? Is this your second one? I see you had one on 7/7? Were you put in AP too?

Nita

I have seen more approvals in AP then denials. If they deny you they must have a legitimate reason. If they think your relationship is fraudulent they have to have evidence and so on. I know this process seems like we have not control over the outcome, but there are laws in place to protect us as citizens. Unfortunately, if any actions is taken that leads to a denial that is not warranted we endure more time and expensive lawyers.

nita what they told you is not true, dont make urself upset... if ur visa was to be denied, they would need to prove that its a fraud marriage, apparently they dint ask ur husband for proof, so that is out of the quesiton.. ur husbands case is prob in its last stages, after interivew some cases are sent to DOS for security background check.. its normal. nothing to worry about, just time is the key factor...

contact ur congressman, i still havent heard back from mine yet, i will call again today...

did uc all dos? wat happeneD?

dont dishearten yourself, its not true.. u dont need to think about moving back, he will be here inshAllah.. just keep following up ok..

talk to u later,

hang in there were in this together

I started making noise alsooooooooo

last week contacted the congressmans office, no news from them yet, its been a week

i call DOS every week but they are realy no help...

embasyystaff usually not available to pik up my call but when they do they say its under AP and we wil contact ur husband once we have finished the AP

I HATE THIS!~!!!!

we were not given any reason for the 221 g AP!! and interview went REALLY WELL!!!! CO officer said 4-6 weeks of AP

thats a LIE!!

lets keep each other updated!!!!

I would also like to know what causes a case to come under review. Is it because of a name hit? Or is this something the embassy uses to delay cases even longer when they dont want to issue a visa?

i asked her what is going on with my Case all she said it is under administrative review , i think its a tactics to delay cases , my case is pending for AP from the last 19 months now , but i feel they dont want to issue visa i remember when i called back in december 2007 they said case pending in embassy to administrative review but when i called agian in feb 2008 said they said case pending for administrative processing , so i am hearing this Ar 2 times in my case one in 2007 and one in 2008

I need to know are they working on my case or it is thrown in garbage

ya i know how frustrating it is.. chennai embassy told me its with DOS,and that the embassy is waiting on something they requested.. but wont say wat!!

you shoudl call up ur embassy in islamabad, have u? what did they say?? sometimes embassys dont reply to email.. so annoying!

WOW Tammy this brought me to tears!! I loved it!!! We were put in AP this past Monday and I am feeling so humb, last night I cried for hours!!! I miss my hubby so much, and I haven't seen him almost 2 years... We thought we would be together by now... But you see it;'s not in the cards yet... Maybe INSHALLAH end of this year... I am praying and not giving up hope!!

Nita

nita dont cry, it will just make you feel hurt, just think about the stuff after ur husband gets here.. start thinkin about what yall want to do, where you wana go...

its so depressing, no one knows wat we got thru excpet for our husbands and us...

just keep rpaying, u know we r not in this alone... we got each other here for support.. thats why this is visa journey. sometimes it makes me upset that non us citizens get to bring their spouses here right away, where we have to wait, and dont know when they will be heere

wwats hard is faving people with answers when we dont know ourselves

i cried after the interview so much i felt like my world came crashing down, i dont knwo how i walked back to the hotel after the interivew, i crossed the middle of the road just following my husband foot steps

but everything happens for a reason, sometimes good people go thru more pain that others

hang in there, i hope soon we hear something did u call DOS?

congrats susie!

this is great news!

lurking i was so a hapy to read about ur update!

thats great news!

im sooooo happy for u and ur husband!

hope u hear good news soon!!

keep us updated

Hyd did you try writing to your congressman or Senator? I already contacted my senator, just because it takes them 3 weeks to do an inquiry for you. I am just trying to get ahead of the waiting game... But I dont know if that is possiable huh... we are in Limbo

Am sorry you are waiting so long not fair.... Do you know if it's a name check?? It's not fair at all!!!

I guess we have to have more patience my friend and pray more hard!!

Nita

i hate this AP thing also!

its not fair

i was told to wait 4-6 weeks.. and nothing! i ts been over 2 months

hey nita!

chek ur PM

i hate this AP thing also!

its not fair

i was told to wait 4-6 weeks.. and nothing! i ts been over 2 months

hi Hyd - You think it's to early to call them? Do you have their number??? I am sure you will hear something soon!! INSHALLAH... I hate this I feel so numb like it's a dream or something... Don't you??? I was also preparing a letter to state Representatives like congressman or Senators so they are in the loop.... I dont know...

Nita

hey nita

my husbands form was blue- from chennai embassy in india and it checked off 221g but did not have the same wording as urs... mine said nothing about sec clearance or 10 weeks

it just said administrative processing

gosh i hate this.. but stay positive atleast u have a timeframe written on ur paper, our CO officer just told us verbally 4-6 weekks

havent heard nothing yet..

try callin DOS and see what they say.

hey nita, go ahead and call.. i called them the next day and one of the rep said u just had ur under AP.. case is stil pendin.. the num is 202-663-1225 and just say im caling to inquire the status of my husbands case, i am his wife the us citizen..

hang in there.. start preparing ur letter to congressman, and included everything from day one of ur immigration.. basically ur visa journey.. and the point is to show that u have been seperated as husband and wife for a long time, and it is not fair as other people come to us quicker than the US citizens can get their spouses here.. say ur emplyed, u paid taxes all that stuff

dont be scared to write...

let me know wats up...

hey nita

my husbands form was blue- from chennai embassy in india and it checked off 221g but did not have the same wording as urs... mine said nothing about sec clearance or 10 weeks

it just said administrative processing

gosh i hate this.. but stay positive atleast u have a timeframe written on ur paper, our CO officer just told us verbally 4-6 weekks

havent heard nothing yet..

try callin DOS and see what they say.

wow, atelast you have a time frame now..

keep us posted, good luck with all.

youre almost done.. :

cool, thats good news...

if u have questions about the interview in chennai, feel free to ask me, or PM me, as i was just there 2 months ago for my husbands interview...

good luck!