Weeks delay of visa after pink

[Lee VD]

I called DoS and they say the visa has NOT been issued yet. I am staying calm though because this did happen to one of the other people in our situation. They called and DoS still said AP but the package was in the mail and they got the visa. It may be that the system in the states gets refreshed from a nightly batch from the system in China and not real-time. Govt systems typically work on batch mode, especially from overseas.

 

Posted by freedream (same situation 2 years ago):

 

Posted 21 November 2008 - 02:23 AM

I called DOS this morning (US time) and they said, "still administrative review" ? (i've heard processing but -- whatever...maybe it's the same thing?) Maybe their systems are not in sync with real-time in GUZ? Because even if it had been a denial and I called after the package left GUZ last night US time, and assuming the systems were in sync with each other...that DOS would reflect "visa denial"...or something....but it didn't...oh gosh...driving myself crazy here!

Then tonight (US time) got a wierd feeling to check the EMS tracking #. Sure enough...it is on the move "your item was collected (city of Guangzhou) yesterday 6p.m. china time).

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 09:15 AM

Called DOS this morning:

VISA ISSUED!!!!

Explains why EMS package is on the move!

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Edited November 16, 2010 by Lee VD (see edit history)

[RobertH]

Yaaaaa. Go buy your turkey.

[Mick]

That's great news! Should be in your hands soon.

[smalltoe]

Wonderful! I'm so happy for you two!

[rongnjohn]

Well???? It is 11 am in China.....

Edited November 17, 2010 by rongnjohn (see edit history)

[Lee VD]

Sigh... it left GZ on the way to Shanghai at 3am but then went into a black hole. No tracking after that, all day. She tried calling her local Shanghai post office and they would not answer the phone so she went out there to find a huge mess and chaos at the post office, they were letting the phones ring. They said if she doesn't see it in the tracking they don't have it. So where is it? "Don't know..." so its somewhere between the plane and that office, probably trying to make it through the distribution system. She will have to try in the morning or it may make it into the morning delivery for the university which is its ultimate destination if she doesn't intercept it. I will try calling DOS again this morning and hope they have good news but will try not to panic if they still say AP!

 

Tracking:

 

2010-11-16 18:20:00 广州市邮政局骏源支局 收寄

2010-11-17 03:42:00 广州市 离开处理中心,发往上海市

 

One thing she noticed is that the package went to a different GUZ post office than her call in letter went. Also I have been noticing that it appears the letters go out at about 10am and the visa packages about 6pm when I look at others tracking results they have posted here. Its also taking a slower route than the call in letter did, hopefully that's because it is heavier

Edited November 17, 2010 by Lee VD (see edit history)

[rongnjohn]

Good luck Lee, we are all pulling for you two.

[Lee VD]

Called DoS. They were a little obtuse but sounds good. They said AP was completed and that it was probably issued. So I mentioned the package shipped and if that was the visa and they said "it could be...". So sounds like it is but she couldn't be the one to say. Now we just hope overnight the package finds itself out of the Shanghai mail mess. We figure its at the distribution center and will make its way to her local P.O. overnight.

[dnoblett]

I understand the feeling, "Pins and Needles". Though such a long AP we did not have.

[Lee VD]

EMS has us confounded. Its been 26 hrs since the package left GUZ for Shanghai with no tracking updates. No confirmation of arrival in Shanghai. I am guessing maybe it went ground and is still on a truck somewhere in a traffic jam, hence would explain no scans. The call-in letter came in by air. I'm wondering if the package went "parcel post" rather than "first class mail"? Either that or the plane went down somewhere but I don't see anything in the news

 

EMS seems to know nothing more than the tracking indicates and she can't call directly into these distribution centers... not that they would know anyway... will see if it shows up in Shanghai somewhere in the next few hours...?

 

Of course we have seen stories here of no tracking updates and people found it at the P.O. waiting for them, so she plans to pay another visit there this morning and see if they can find it....

[Lee VD]

Update: She called and was told it should be at her local post office in a couple hours... the moment of truth beckons...

[Lee VD]

The ordeal is over. She has her visa and all checks out! She will leave for the U.S. in 48 hours. Talking about calling it close...!

 

Free drinks at the hotel bar tonight I hear! I'm on my way!

 

Oh... strange thing! Visa issue is 11/16/10 but expiration is 12/17/10!! That is one day after the med exam expiration that was put on the call-in letter but that is only 6 months from med exam!

 

Lucky for us it won't be a problem but that does not bode well for hugazebra's plans I am afraid??

Edited November 18, 2010 by Lee VD (see edit history)

[rongnjohn]

Congrats Lee, I am very Happy for you two. Here is to a great future.

[warpedbored]

Congratulations! Now we are all looking forward to hearing about the Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat. Complete with 8X10 color glossy photos with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining how it was to be used as evidence against us.

[yemmie]

Nice going! I'm glad that the waiting is finally over. Start practicing "Yes, dear!"