Successful interview and administrative processing

[sachinr]

Hi,

 

My interview was successful but under administrative processing because I have to send my passport back from zhengzhou. I asked the visa officer if I could travel to India before that and he said I have to one year to send in my passport so that s cool. I don't remember if he told me to go to a different window for sending passport instructions but it should be through CITIC bank... I just walked out because so much was on my mind and everything happened so fast. Anyway I hope it doesn't create problems. I only have to send the passport back with the administrative processing paper.

 

I will write a detailed account once I get my Visa in the passport.

[Randy W]

Congratulations!



Congratulations !!

[sachinr]

Thank you Randy. I had a question. So the VO gave me a 221 g and circled on passports. I assume that's just general practice and CEAC status will turn to approved and issued once I send the passports. The status still says administrative processing and updated on 16 January.

[Randy W]

Yes - the passport is what your case is waiting on.

[sachinr]

Hello,

 

I sent my passports along with the additional processing letter(221g)through CITIC bank on 17 January. CITIC bank only gave me a receipt and they said they won't be able to track it but it should reach with no problem. Does the consulate in Guangzhou intimate the applications can't once they receive the passports? I did send a message on their online query form requesting to confirm receipt of passports. I wonder if they will reply or I have to wait till the status turns to Issued on CEAC. With the holidays starting tomorrow I am worried that this will delay quite a bit and am a third country national in China so can't go anywhere. Are you aware of a timeline as to when I would receive my passport back along with the immigration packet? Thank you.

[Randy W]

An American citizen is to be allowed access to the consulate

at any time upon presentation of their passport.

 

Go NOW, or possibly even tomorrow for emergency services

[sachinr]

Thanks Randy. There is no emergency and I was just wondering what was the timeline from the time u send the passports till the time I get it back in hand. Just wanted to let you guys know we are all safe here and everyone is taking precautions concerning the outbreak of the coronavirus.

[Randy W]

The Consulate will be open on Thursday and Friday

. You may be able to pick it up then IF you can make the arrangements.

 

I expect they'll be cooperative with your situation.

[sachinr]

Update: So my passport is still with the US consulate in Guangzhou and they have suspended all visa services. The status shows Administrative Process and was updated 3 February. Called up UStraveldocs and they said no way to know whats happening with the passport in the consulate. I sent my passport from Henan 17 January. Since I live in Henan province and don't have my passport , can't travel to Guangzhou or anywhere. I mean I can wait it out but I hope US consulate will resolve it soon since I'm a third country national. Can't help it but feel anxious about it but I think I just need to wait. Does anyone know how long does it take to put the visa sticker in the passport and prepare the immigration packet? Thank you.

[Martin B]

Update: So my passport is still with the US consulate in Guangzhou and they have suspended all visa services. The status shows Administrative Process and was updated 3 February. Called up UStraveldocs and they said no way to know whats happening with the passport in the consulate. I sent my passport from Henan 17 January. Since I live in Henan province and don't have my passport , can't travel to Guangzhou or anywhere. I mean I can wait it out but I hope US consulate will resolve it soon since I'm a third country national. Can't help it but feel anxious about it but I think I just need to wait. Does anyone know how long does it take to put the visa sticker in the passport and prepare the immigration packet? Thank you.

You should've listened to Randy when he told you to go to the consulate ASAP. Fwiw my stepdaughters interview was on a Tuesday,and the courier delivered her passport to her house on Friday.

[sachinr]

I am not able to travel without my passport. I cannot travel anywhere let alone go to Guangzhou which is 6 Hours by train and 2.5 hours by flight. When Randy posted his suggestions my passport was already at the consulate. I'm a third country national , I don't have any other form of identification in China. Thank you for your advice.

[sachinr]

The consulates have also been closed since the Chinese new year. My passport reached the consulate on 22 January which was before the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

[sachinr]

UPDATE: Here is an update since my last post. Let me recap and let you guys know the current situation incase there is anybody in the same situation.

 

Sent passport to Guangzhou 17 Jan 2020

Consulate received passport on 22 Jan 2020

Chinese New Year break from 23 Jan to 29 Jan 2020

Consulate closed on 30 and 31 January

Presidential Proclamation effective 3 Feb 2020 suspending all visa services indefinitely until further notice because of COVID-19.

 

Received Email from consulate telling us to contact them about the case and further process of visa once the proclamation is lifted

 

After receiving the email , We tried calling the US consulate in Guangzhou on the phone multiple times and though our call was transferred to speak to a consular officer, there was no reply on the other end.

 

Therefore we sent another message through webform requesting them to process the immigrant visa since I am an immediate relative of a US citizen and as per the email they send am eligible to request the exception incase of an emergency. At which point the US consulate did call me on my phone and My wife and I spoke to them for approx 30 minutes. They were very helpful in answering our questions and I will highlight the main points as follows:- (it was a Chinese staff working at the consulate, very patient, understanding and answered all our queries)

 

1. They called to ask what was the emergency and we told them that since my wife was leaving China for good , I wanted to fly with her and we wouldnt be returning back to China. The staff told us it emergency travel would mean if someone was hospitalized or of a situation of the most urgent matter and it was upto the discretion of the consulate. Even if it is urgent travel it doesnt mean they would process the visa , they would just return the passports without processing it( They said since I already had a B1/B2 visa I could travel on that if it was an emergency)

 

We didnt want them to send the passport back without processing the IV visa , so we asked them to keep it.

 

2. The staff told us they had no ideas when the proclamation would be lifted. It all depended on decisions made in DC. Infact it could go well into Fall if things dont change on the ground concerning Covid-19

 

3. If the above happens, I would just need to sign a new contract with my company and live here for another year till all of this is sorted out.

 

4. The staff also said that we also had the option to request the case transferred to the US for AOS or to India and continue the process there if we plan not to live in China anymore , albeit that I would need to go through the interview process all over again and maybe provide some more documentation. (We surely want to continue the process in China)

 

5. My medical expires the beginning of July , so the staff said I would need to do the medical again if it carries forward till July but looking at the Covid-19 situation there may be some relaxation but that again is at the discretion of the US govt and that we need to be prepared for any eventuality.

 

6. My wife was nervous and didnt want to leave china without me since she needs to take care of her mom stateside and for us to complete the process, at which the staff said that my wife could go ahead because at this point the whole process only concerns me(The principle applicant) which put my wife at ease.

 

7. I have to renew my Chinese residence permit at some point if nothing gets resolved by June and the staff told me to contact them through webform in the month of May if I dont hear anything from them.

 

8. Oh sorry one last point I forgot to mention. Another reason they said that they couldnt process my visa was because the Interviewing officer needs to review the case and then it would be approved and issue. They said all consulates are short staffed and gave the impression that most consular officers are stateside. I was also told that there are hundreds of cases are on hold like my case.

 

So that was the gist of the conversation and my passports is with them at this point and I can't travel anywhere, but atleast it is safe with them and not in limbo somewhere in China.

 

CEAC status:

 

There is a new update concerning CEAC status starting 3 March. All Administrative processing status has been changed to Refused

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/visas-ceac-case-status-change.html

 

When I checked my status it said Refused with the following Note:

 

A U.S. consular officer has adjudicated and refused your visa application. Please follow any instructions provided by the consular officer. If you were informed by the consular officer that your case was refused for administrative processing, your case will remain refused while undergoing such processing. You will receive another adjudication once such processing is complete. Please be advised that the processing time varies and that you will be contacted if additional information is needed. For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV or the website for the Embassy or Consulate at which you made your visa application.

For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV.

 

It did put me in panic mode the first time I checked but after reading some articles and youtube videos , I dont think it of any major concern and I hope that is right. IF anyone knows anything about it or can shed light on it, please do let me know.

 

Thank you and I hope the above post would be helpful for people who are looking for some clarity.

[Randy W]

Thanks so much for the detail. Yes there is anything BUT clarity for now.

 

Best to do anything you can to communicate with a consular official about your case, especially face-to-face if at all possible.

[sachinr]

Hello,

 

Hope everyone is doing well and are safe.

 

UPDATE:

 

It has been more than 4 months now that my passport is stuck at Guangzhou consulate. It is a little frustrating because in my case they only need to approve and issue the IV sticker in my passport along with the immigration packet, since they had asked for my passport. I have been in touch with the consulate every month. They said they can't do anything right now and I will have to wait. I told them my Chinese visa expires 5 July but they were not able to accommodate my request to expedite even though I am under the proclamation IR1 exception. I think there are very few staff at the consulates. I will be sending another message beginning of June. My medical will expire 1st week of July. I wonder if they will put in an exception for that so that I don't have to do the medicals again.

 

Does anyone have any news or information about when the embassy and consulates will open in China?

 

I just wanted to update my situation. I am sure many are in a similar situation.

 

Regards,