Cable clearance sent from DOS to Consulate - What next?

Congrats Zubair, wish you safe flight back to US. I pray that we all get our visas very soon.
 
any updates??

hi all
its been 7 months now..
and just wanted to keep this link on the first page of the forum..
keep posting..
confused_jay
 
7 months for me too. DOS says all clearances have been sent back but now embassy is sitting on it. Anyone tried called the embassy lately? No one ever picks up the 20802121 number...

Ali
 
Hi all,

For me its been over 10 months now. Calling the embassy is a nightmare, but they do answer once in a while if you are persistent. Try calling early in the morning around 8 - 8:15 AM.

In my case I am being told the same thing since last 2 months, that processing in my case is in its final stages and that I should check back within couple of weeks.

-Ali
 
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try calling the (051) 2082000 and ask for the NIV section. I heard they are also asking some applicants for local clearances from the police station.
 
Hey guys,

Has anyone managed to talk to DOS recently? Whenever I call, I get stuck in the endless menu loop. I am using this no: 202-663-1225. At the end of the long message (abt 2-3 mins) it prompts to press 1. Pressing 1 doesn't do anything and it starts to play the message from the start.

Though I have managed to talk to them using the same no. before, it never works now.

I am really desperate to talk to them, since its very hard to get anyone to answer the phone at the Islamabad consulate and even if they do its not helpful at all.

Thanks,

-Ali
 
mdali77 said:
Hey guys,

Has anyone managed to talk to DOS recently? Whenever I call, I get stuck in the endless menu loop. I am using this no: 202-663-1225. At the end of the long message (abt 2-3 mins) it prompts to press 1. Pressing 1 doesn't do anything and it starts to play the message from the start.

Though I have managed to talk to them using the same no. before, it never works now.

I am really desperate to talk to them, since its very hard to get anyone to answer the phone at the Islamabad consulate and even if they do its not helpful at all.

Thanks,

-Ali

I was able to call them just now, didn't have to wait at all but for me DOS has only one response from past few weeks "There is no update on this case" thats it. last week when my fiance called embassy the guy said, embassy's interna; processing is going on and we would be hearing something pretty soon... now it has already been a month not sure how much more time... we have been waiting for 9 months now since interview...

Sanna
 
mdali77 said:
Hey guys,

Has anyone managed to talk to DOS recently? Whenever I call, I get stuck in the endless menu loop. I am using this no: 202-663-1225. At the end of the long message (abt 2-3 mins) it prompts to press 1. Pressing 1 doesn't do anything and it starts to play the message from the start.

Though I have managed to talk to them using the same no. before, it never works now.

I am really desperate to talk to them, since its very hard to get anyone to answer the phone at the Islamabad consulate and even if they do its not helpful at all.

Thanks,

-Ali
DOS has recently updated their menu. Try using the following options after you dial in the 202-663-1225. 1, 0 and then again 0, this will immediatly connect you to the live visa specialist officer.
 
Cold Responses

Called DOS yesterday and the guy said your case is still in administrative processing (no more details when I asked). Then called embassy and the gentleman there said its still under processing (nothing more). When I said how long will it take, he hang-up the phone. Cold response.

My other european visas are expiring in a months time and that will spoil the whole holiday. It has benn 4 months now since I had NIV interview.

The only thing possible is to WAIT.
 
Bonapart said:
Called DOS yesterday and the guy said your case is still in administrative processing (no more details when I asked). Then called embassy and the gentleman there said its still under processing (nothing more). When I said how long will it take, he hang-up the phone. Cold response.

My other european visas are expiring in a months time and that will spoil the whole holiday. It has benn 4 months now since I had NIV interview.

The only thing possible is to WAIT.

I am getting the EXACT responce from DOS and embassy too... the guy at the embassy was cold to my fiance but was a bit nicer when i called.... but still he didn't say one more word then "its processing" and when i kept insisting on more details he said i should email the embassy instead of calling... so i emailed and got that GENERIC response of case under administrative processing.
I don't know what to do anymore.... it has been 9 months for us waiting after interview...

Sanna
 
Hey lonesome thanks for your help with the DOS and consulate phone numbers.

Though I still havent managed to talk to DOS, but I found out the problem was with the calling card that I have been using.

The consulate however, has been telling me the same thing for the past several weeks, that my case is pending. When I ask them that I was told that the processing on my case is in final stages, they confirm that to be the case, but they are still awaiting response from DOS.

Once I manage to talk to DOS, hopefully things may become a little more clear.

-Ali
 
Bonapart,

I don't think that the length of delay has anything to do with us contacting them. If it was just a matter of weeks or at most a month, many people would gladly wait for them to complete the process. But we are talking abt 4-5 months on avg. and in my case over 10 months. If people are interested in getting the visa and going back to USA, naturally they will feel concerned and would like to know the latest status of their case. Hopefully and eventually, it will work out for everyone.

I just talked to DOS regarding my case. The guy was really helpful and polite. He told me that the status of my case at the Islamabad consulate was still pending. I then asked him if he could check the status on DOS side. I was told that the status was also pending on their end, but it was nearing completion and hopefully within a week or 2 they will send the clearance to Islamabad. This actually concurs with what the consulate has been telling me for past several weeks. So, all I can do now is to wait and see, just like I've been doing for past 10 months.

-Ali
 
fax to fbi for name check

can somebody who has faxed a letter to the fbi enquiring about the status please post the format for me? like who was it addressed to and what kind of explanation should the letter have ...

appreciate it.
 
Reason for delays...

Its all to do with common names. If you have one, you're out of luck. In the time DOS takes to establish no objection more names are added to the name check database. After the embassy receives no objection from DOS, they decide to send back the ones with common names for another name check, as their rationale is, more names are added and they need to run it again. This could be an endless cycle. I've been waiting for almost 8 months and they are running 4th name check now.
 
fax format please

its been more than 5 months for me since i have been interviewed for h1 and DOS says the case is still pending .. i dont get any more information than that .. can anyone post the format in which a fax needs to be sent to the fbi for name check .. i just want to make sure i fax the enquiry in a proper format .. thanks a lot ..
 
jinns said:
its been more than 5 months for me since i have been interviewed for h1 and DOS says the case is still pending .. i dont get any more information than that .. can anyone post the format in which a fax needs to be sent to the fbi for name check .. i just want to make sure i fax the enquiry in a proper format .. thanks a lot ..

Here is what i included:

First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
City Living in:
Consulate:
K-1 Visa Case No:
A#

and then you can just say that you want to get a status of your name check.

By the way i got a reply from FBI 3 weeks ago of the email i sent in december 2004. So the reponse time right now is atleast 6 months.
Here is the reply i got:

Dear XXXX:

I am responding to your email dated December 23, 2004, concerning the visa of your fiancé, XXXX.

The FBI completed a name check for XXXX on October 25, 2004, and the results were forwarded to the Department of State.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Cannon/gmg
Chief, National Name Check
Program Section
Records Management Division


Doesnt really help much because after talkign to DOS, theer are other checks as well then name check alone...

Sanna
 
Calling anywhere else but DOS is futile

The only milestone, if it can be considered that, is when DOS sends no objection back to the embassy. Then its upto the embassy if they want to redo a name check. Calling anywhere else is futile.
 
NIVVictim said:
The only milestone, if it can be considered that, is when DOS sends no objection back to the embassy. Then its upto the embassy if they want to redo a name check. Calling anywhere else is futile.


Just called DOS for status and a very nice lady tried explaining to me what exactly is going on. According to her since my fiance has a very common name thats why its taking so long. she said this was the 4th clearance embassy is waiting for. and everytime there is a new entry with that name in the database, embassy has to issue a new request (which seems pretty redundant because this chain can go on and on forever REALLY!!!)
So now the forth clearance was due on july 18th and she didnt see any update so far, and sometimes it takes a while for them to update it since they can be a week behind or something... so i should call back in few days...
First time someone in DOS actually talked to me so detailed but i dont really know what that means...
now clearance comes back and there is a new entry they have to send it again?? it has been going on for 10 months now!!!

Please post if anyone has any updates?

Sanna
 
18 Months!!!

I called DOS today and the lady said your case is still pending. DOS received SAO request on 20th June and it has not been responded. When I asked in how much time should I expect the response, she said "Sir, it can take up to 18 months!!!". Well, last week I called DOS and the lady said DOS received SAO request from Embassy on 23rd June. I have seen few times that they give contradictory details. I am waiting for 4 months.
 
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DOS does give contradicting info at times. I've noticed at times they just speculate that its probably name check. DOS has no information on the contents of information request sent by the embassy.

As for name check, theoratically, its a never ending cycle. Its upto the embassy when they decide they've done it enough times.
 
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