what is the security clearance?

[thetongs]

Ni Hao, I'm a first time poster long time reader. I just called and checked the status of my husband's case and was told they are doing the Security Clearance now. After that the interview will be scheduled and P4 will be sent. Is that good news or does "Security Clearance" mean another years wait? Does anyone know how long it usually takes and what exactly it means? I've been living in China with my husband and our baby boy (went back home to have him so he's a US citizen) for almost 2 years now and am getting a bit anxious to go home to the land of the free and the home of the babies who wear diapers.

[frank1538]

"...the land of the free and the home of the babies who wear diapers."http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/24.gif Now that's a good one.

 

Welcome to CFL. The mysterious second security clearance is one of those areas where there is scant information on the process. One of the posted questions to the consulate actually asks about this: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...ndpost&p=174733 USCONGUZ has not posted a response yet, but the conventional wisdom suggests that this second name check is a bit more pro forma - a little like a query whether anything has changed since the first one. Most, but not all, second checks make it through relatively quickly, and I doubt it would take a year. My recollection is that Jingwen's second namecheck took about a month or so.

 

Good luck.

[david_dawei]

I would say that 1-2 months should be normal... assuming your security check does not fall into a long delay... you can continue to call and ask about the status, until you hear those golden words, "Security check complete"...

 

Here's some info from the FAQ:

 

 

Q.1.21 Name Check?

 

A.1.21.1

FYI...according to my Senator...BOTH the NVC name check and the additional requests from GUZ go through the FBI and other agencies all coordinated by DOS.

 

The most common problem seems to be name similarities - other people with the same name and/or birth date as your SO.

 

A.1.21.2

My wife has a very common surname and a common first name. She has no middle name which is common with Chinese. Thus, there must be a lot of people with the same name as hers. So her name check took a long time.

 

A.1.21.3

I spoke with the DOS today and got the same answer "name check is not completed". I insisted to ask for more info. this time and they told me something new. They said that there are 7 people who have the same name as my SO waiting for their visas and it requires more time with the names check.

 

A.1.21.4

Typically, GZ (or any embassy/consulate) requests a name check based on application data received. NVC notifies GZ when an I-129f petition is approved. (This notice is sent to GZ by email, followed by the hard copy petition and approvals file). The name check request usually is sent at this point - right around the time GZ mails out the P3.

 

The name check request goes to DOS in D.C. DOS then sends the name check request to various US security agencies - FBI, CIA and other such entities. These security agencies perform a standard process. The process doesn't vary, but variables can occur with each individual case.

 

Normally, the US security agencies do not request data from the respective foreign government, but this can vary depending upon US relations with that government. Special mutual security agreements with a foreign government can enable direct data sharing. It's my guess that the US security agencies don't request data from the Chinese government. Normally, the entire name check process occurs internally - within the various US agencies.

 

During this P3-P4 name check, several different checks actually occur, performed by different US security agencies. When the name check is complete, GZ is notified and can then continue processing the fianc~{(&~}e~{!/~}s application - leading to the P4.

 

Once DOS requests the name check, it's out of DOS's hands, and they can do nothing to influence the process. GZ will send queries to see if the name check is still in-progress.

 

Name checks actually occur at several points in the entire visa process - at the beginning (I assume at the I-129f petition stage) at the middle (at the P3-P4 stage) and "at the end". I didn't ask what "at the end" means. I can only assume that this means at POE.

 

A.21.5

[editor: Please note the following statement from the consulate: Once the petition reaches us, if there is a small typo on the G-325A, it's not a big deal. However, a typo on the I-130 or I-129F might mean that we need to re-do security namechecks on an applicant.]

[ameriken]

I would say that 1-2 months should be normal... assuming your security check does not fall into a long delay... you can continue to call and ask about the status, until you hear those golden words, "Security check complete"...

 

Here's some info from the FAQ:

 

 

Q.1.21 Name Check?

 

A.1.21.1

FYI...according to my Senator...BOTH the NVC name check and the additional requests from GUZ go through the FBI and other agencies all coordinated by DOS.

 

The most common problem seems to be name similarities - other people with the same name and/or birth date as your SO.

 

A.1.21.2

My wife has a very common surname and a common first name. She has no middle name which is common with Chinese. Thus, there must be a lot of people with the same name as hers. So her name check took a long time.

 

A.1.21.3

I spoke with the DOS today and got the same answer "name check is not completed". I insisted to ask for more info. this time and they told me something new. They said that there are 7 people who have the same name as my SO waiting for their visas and it requires more time with the names check.

 

A.1.21.4

Typically, GZ (or any embassy/consulate) requests a name check based on application data received. NVC notifies GZ when an I-129f petition is approved. (This notice is sent to GZ by email, followed by the hard copy petition and approvals file). The name check request usually is sent at this point - right around the time GZ mails out the P3.

 

The name check request goes to DOS in D.C. DOS then sends the name check request to various US security agencies - FBI, CIA and other such entities. These security agencies perform a standard process. The process doesn't vary, but variables can occur with each individual case.

 

Normally, the US security agencies do not request data from the respective foreign government, but this can vary depending upon US relations with that government. Special mutual security agreements with a foreign government can enable direct data sharing. It's my guess that the US security agencies don't request data from the Chinese government. Normally, the entire name check process occurs internally - within the various US agencies.

 

During this P3-P4 name check, several different checks actually occur, performed by different US security agencies. When the name check is complete, GZ is notified and can then continue processing the fianc~{(&~}e~{!/~}s application - leading to the P4.

 

Once DOS requests the name check, it's out of DOS's hands, and they can do nothing to influence the process. GZ will send queries to see if the name check is still in-progress.

 

Name checks actually occur at several points in the entire visa process - at the beginning (I assume at the I-129f petition stage) at the middle (at the P3-P4 stage) and "at the end". I didn't ask what "at the end" means. I can only assume that this means at POE.

 

A.21.5

[editor: Please note the following statement from the consulate:   Once the petition reaches us, if there is a small typo on the G-325A, it's not a big deal. However, a typo on the I-130 or I-129F might mean that we need to re-do security namechecks on an applicant.]

174846[/snapback]

Thanks for posting this information David, this is just excellent info. My SO got some worry from 001 that if the SO got a name check in GZ, it usually meant there was something there that the consulate wanted to check out that would add months to the process. I have used this info to quiet her fears.

Edited December 14, 2005 by ameriken (see edit history)

[Katrina]

A.1.21.4

Typically, GZ (or any embassy/consulate) requests a name check based on application data received. NVC notifies GZ when an I-129f petition is approved. (This notice is sent to GZ by email, followed by the hard copy petition and approvals file). The name check request usually is sent at this point - right around the time GZ mails out the P3.

 

 

I know I haven't been here in a long while, but we moved and don't have internet access currently, and I hate internet bars. They smell bad and are full of twenty year old boys screaming at their computers. Anyways, we are having some trouble. Three months ago we recieved our P3 and my mom agreed to co sponsor, but I don't think she really wants to do it. We are still waiting for her to send the forms. So, I have two questions. My dad and his wife might be able to meet the poverty guidelines on the I-864 if the do it together, but my dad is a convicted felon. Will this effect the application? And my second question, by reading the above statement I understand that when GUZ mailed me my P3 they requested the name check??? So, does this mean the name check is already in the process and we haven't really lost that much time?

[david_dawei]

My sense about the I-864 is that they are looking at this for the first time at the interview... I don't believe they can possibly have time to do any checks on the sponsors involved... The person has signed a legally binding paper.. that appears to be enough.

 

I would rely on calling DOS and asking them the status of your case and namecheck. Not sure what you mean by lost time... did you delay sending back P3?

[Katrina]

My sense about the I-864 is that they are looking at this for the first time at the interview... I don't believe they can possibly have time to do any checks on the sponsors involved... The person has signed a legally binding paper.. that appears to be enough.

 

I would rely on calling DOS and asking them the status of your case and namecheck. Not sure what you mean by lost time... did you delay sending back P3?

175776[/snapback]

Our P-3 asks us to send the I-864 back with the P3. So, no. We haven't sent back the P3 because we don't have the sponsor for our I-864 yet. I've been working in China for the last two years and don't make enough money to sponsor him alone. I was depending on my mother but it doesn't look like she is going to do it. So, I guess my question is...when do they start the name check? Do they start it after we mail back the P3 or when they mailed the P3 to us? I was under the impression that they started it after I mailed it back, but from what you wrote...

 

"Typically, GZ (or any embassy/consulate) requests a name check based on application data received. NVC notifies GZ when an I-129f petition is approved. (This notice is sent to GZ by email, followed by the hard copy petition and approvals file). The name check request usually is sent at this point - right around the time GZ mails out the P3."

 

I understand it as they have already started the name check. Maybe I am misuderstanding.

[david_dawei]

My sense about the I-864 is that they are looking at this for the first time at the interview... I don't believe they can possibly have time to do any checks on the sponsors involved...   The person has signed a legally binding paper.. that appears to be enough.

 

I would rely on calling DOS and asking them the status of your case and namecheck.   Not sure what you mean by lost time... did you delay sending back P3?

175776[/snapback]

Our P-3 asks us to send the I-864 back with the P3. So, no. We haven't sent back the P3 because we don't have the sponsor for our I-864 yet. I've been working in China for the last two years and don't make enough money to sponsor him alone. I was depending on my mother but it doesn't look like she is going to do it. So, I guess my question is...when do they start the name check? Do they start it after we mail back the P3 or when they mailed the P3 to us? I was under the impression that they started it after I mailed it back, but from what you wrote...

 

"Typically, GZ (or any embassy/consulate) requests a name check based on application data received. NVC notifies GZ when an I-129f petition is approved. (This notice is sent to GZ by email, followed by the hard copy petition and approvals file). The name check request usually is sent at this point - right around the time GZ mails out the P3."

 

I understand it as they have already started the name check. Maybe I am misuderstanding.

175953[/snapback]

I know that both Nooneufo and Don have stated that the namecheck does not begin till after the P3 is received back.. so that seems like gospel...

 

Since your DCF, I don't think that the I-864 gets sent back at P3... I recall another DCFer asking this same thing... but everything I read, while building the DCF FAQ, suggests that the I-864 is brought to the interview.. and one DCFer related being asked for it as the checkin window.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Welcome to Candle.... :candle: :candle: :candle: :candle:

 

...nice to have you here....