Assuming you have PCC and Medical done, you should be able to schedule interview at: https://cgifederal.secure.force.com, under 'Immigrant Visa' -> "All Immigrant or Diversity Visas".
Does that not work?
IR5 entry from India for parents
- Thread starter Mobeen17
- Start date
Does that not work?
Hetaldesai
New Member
Hetaldesai
New Member
Visa category is IR5 . Scheduled interview was on April/1st /2020. But the lockdown started from 31st March 2020. So no interview was done . Got a email on 25th March 2020 that your interview is canceled for now .
Did you get new recent email asking you to get PCC, medical exam and consulate appointment, etc? You may want to follow those instructions or email support@ustraveldocs.com to get the directions.
My parent's situation is little different. We went through the entire process and received IR5 visa but could not travel due to flight suspension. We are trying to get it renewed.
Seems like they are going by some date order for IR5 but not sure which (last interview date or visa expiration date or something else).
Hetaldesai
New Member
Without interview letter hospital are not giving any medical appointment.
My mother’s is also same situation. She attended the interview, IR5 was issued but she couldn’t come due to the flight cancellation. I sent email to support and I get the same standard reply inspite of asking them specific questions. I called multiple times and asked them what criteria they will use to pick expired visas and couldn’t enter the country situation. Same standard answer from them, applicant will be notified. It is so frustrating as to why embassy don’t post on their website any details for expired IR5 visas inspite of so many people calling them. They told that they are getting same queries every day and they are working in case by case. Again I don’t get it if they really look into expired visas.
sriram1975
Registered Users (C)
Anyone get any other information on how the US Embassy/Consulate plan to process people who got visa but expired due to covid travel bans ? Should we work with each ones Congressmen/Senator to put some pressure on these people to give some clear directive on what the plan of action is and not keep us guessing? 
After all, in all their replies to our emails they keep emphasising that “a replacement visa may only be issued if the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the consular officer that he/she did not use the issued visa because of reasons beyond his/her control and for which he/she was not responsible.”
Once again to quote from their email:
“a replacement visa may only be issued if the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the consular officer that he/she did not use the issued visa because of reasons beyond his/her control and for which he/she was not responsible.”
If the above statement be true, then what is the significance of b. (U) below:
9 FAM 504.10-5(A) (U) Issuing Replacement Visa During Validity of Original Visa
a. (U) If you are satisfied that an applicant will be or was unable to use an immigrant visa (IV) during its validity period because of reasons beyond the applicant’s control and for which the applicant is not responsible then you may issue a replacement visa with the originally allocated visa number within the same fiscal year even though the visa has not yet expired. You should recall and cancel the originally-issued visa and collect once again the appropriate IV application processing fee (including the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee for a DV applicant), unless the applicant was unable to use the visa as a result of action by the U.S. Government over which the alien had no control and for which the alien was not responsible.
b. (U) An applicant who will be or was unable to use an IV during its validity period because of reasons within the applicant's control can submit a new visa application if the petition has not been revoked and if the basis for immigration still exists (i.e., familial relationship). This also applies for new IV applications outside of the original IV's fiscal year of issuance.
I think only an expert can clarify.
“a replacement visa may only be issued if the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the consular officer that he/she did not use the issued visa because of reasons beyond his/her control and for which he/she was not responsible.”
If the above statement be true, then what is the significance of b. (U) below:
9 FAM 504.10-5(A) (U) Issuing Replacement Visa During Validity of Original Visa
a. (U) If you are satisfied that an applicant will be or was unable to use an immigrant visa (IV) during its validity period because of reasons beyond the applicant’s control and for which the applicant is not responsible then you may issue a replacement visa with the originally allocated visa number within the same fiscal year even though the visa has not yet expired. You should recall and cancel the originally-issued visa and collect once again the appropriate IV application processing fee (including the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee for a DV applicant), unless the applicant was unable to use the visa as a result of action by the U.S. Government over which the alien had no control and for which the alien was not responsible.
b. (U) An applicant who will be or was unable to use an IV during its validity period because of reasons within the applicant's control can submit a new visa application if the petition has not been revoked and if the basis for immigration still exists (i.e., familial relationship). This also applies for new IV applications outside of the original IV's fiscal year of issuance.
I think only an expert can clarify.
As far as I understand, back then, most elderly visa holders thought that the prevalence of global Covid-19 pandemic per se was good enough reason to not travel to the US, lest you should fall sick and clog the already overburdened medical system there. It had very little to do with the availability/non-availability of flights, which, in any case, were limited in numbers and hard to get. Non-availability of flights can and should not be the ONLY reason to re-issue expired visas, I think.
sriram1975
Registered Users (C)
This seems like a new option they have added in the scheduling website! I don't think the dates you quote are set in stone. While I don't have official policy quotes, I'm pretty sure flights didn't resume for all and sundry. In May and June last year, Air India was operating Vande Bharat and they let people fly out to US in the same flights that were going to bring Indians in. No other flights were available and Trump also signed an order in March and kept adding more and more restrictions. So I don't think anyone could walk to airport and fly to US. And of course without vaccine and rampant deaths, infections all over the world, I don't think any immigration officer would think one would be lying if they said they were afraid of traveling due to Covid.
IR5 visa recipients also could not travel because of PP 10014?
Last edited:
You are right about the dates. It could be 17th May or a week or two later when Vande Bharat flights for the US started.
However, the scheduling option was in fact cited by you in one of your earlier posts dated 9th March.
Indeed it would be surprising if the Consulate were not to accept “Global Pandemic” or “Public Health Emergency” (declared by CDC) as a valid reason for not travelling. Besides, what purpose is served by refusing to re-issue and expecting people to apply all over again except to lengthen the NVC line!
As far as I know, PP 10014 did not apply to IR5 recipients with valid visas. But once expired, these visas could not be re-issued until 24th February 2021 when the said proclamation was rescinded by President Biden.
The updated Foreign Affairs Manual (9th March 2021) is more elaborate and lends greater clarity to the issue at hand, especially, how it addresses the issue of “immediate relatives.” Are we still required to fill Form DS-260? Mr. Khanna can enlighten us or any other expert on this forum please. Thanks.
9 FAM 504.10-5 (U) ISSUANCE OF NEW OR REPLACEMENT VISAS
9 FAM 504.10-5(A) (U) Issuing Replacement Visas
(CT:VISA-1244; 03-09-2021)
a. (U) Beyond Applicant's Control During Same Fiscal Year of Initial Issuance: If you are satisfied that an applicant will be or was unable to use an immigrant visa (IV) during its validity period because of reasons beyond the applicant’s control and for which the applicant is not responsible, and the applicant is seeking a replacement visa during the original IV's fiscal year of issuance, then you may issue a replacement visa with the originally allocated visa number within the same fiscal year. In the case of an immediate relative only, you may issue a replacement visa in the year following the fiscal year in which the original IV was issued. You must recall and cancel the originally-issued visa and collect once again the appropriate IV application processing fee (including the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee for a DV applicant). The only circumstance in which a new fee is not needed for a replacement visa is for certain adoptees, described in paragraph c below.
b. (U) Within Applicant's Control or Outside Fiscal Year of Initial Issuance: An applicant who will be or was unable to use an IV during its validity period because of reasons within the applicant's control, or an applicant seeking a replacement visa outside the original IV's fiscal year of issuance (unless an immediate relative), can reapply by resubmitting the Form DS-260 visa application if the petition has not been revoked and if the basis for immigration still exists (i.e., familial relationship). You must collect once again the appropriate IV application processing fee (including the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee for a DV applicant.
9 FAM 504.10-5 (U) ISSUANCE OF NEW OR REPLACEMENT VISAS
9 FAM 504.10-5(A) (U) Issuing Replacement Visas
(CT:VISA-1244; 03-09-2021)
a. (U) Beyond Applicant's Control During Same Fiscal Year of Initial Issuance: If you are satisfied that an applicant will be or was unable to use an immigrant visa (IV) during its validity period because of reasons beyond the applicant’s control and for which the applicant is not responsible, and the applicant is seeking a replacement visa during the original IV's fiscal year of issuance, then you may issue a replacement visa with the originally allocated visa number within the same fiscal year. In the case of an immediate relative only, you may issue a replacement visa in the year following the fiscal year in which the original IV was issued. You must recall and cancel the originally-issued visa and collect once again the appropriate IV application processing fee (including the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee for a DV applicant). The only circumstance in which a new fee is not needed for a replacement visa is for certain adoptees, described in paragraph c below.
b. (U) Within Applicant's Control or Outside Fiscal Year of Initial Issuance: An applicant who will be or was unable to use an IV during its validity period because of reasons within the applicant's control, or an applicant seeking a replacement visa outside the original IV's fiscal year of issuance (unless an immediate relative), can reapply by resubmitting the Form DS-260 visa application if the petition has not been revoked and if the basis for immigration still exists (i.e., familial relationship). You must collect once again the appropriate IV application processing fee (including the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee for a DV applicant.
Has anyone here tried to schedule the appointment without NVC or Mumbai consulate email?
its just a question while setting up an appointment whether we got the email and if we select yes; it does allow you to proceed and setup the interview. But no where do they really check if the letter was actually send out or ask us to upload that email confirmation.
its just a question while setting up an appointment whether we got the email and if we select yes; it does allow you to proceed and setup the interview. But no where do they really check if the letter was actually send out or ask us to upload that email confirmation.