Calling DOS

[nooneufo]

Finally got someone at DOS after weeks of trying. They tell me they are Shultzed since it left their hands in October. What magic words do others use to find out their status like name check or interview or whatever?

Thank you again.

[warpedbored]

Call back and talk to someone else. They may not have any info to give you though if the P-3 hasn't been entered into the system yet.

[cosmiclobster]

Finally got someone at DOS after weeks of trying. They tell me they are Shultzed since it left their hands in October. What magic words do others use to find out their status like name check or interview or whatever?

Thank you again.

"Scultzed" As in Hogans Heroes,"I Know Notthhhiiiinnngg!!!" ?

[nooneufo]

Amazingly, after trying 28 times today, I got DOS again. However, even though it was different person, they emphatically state that once it leaves their hands, their computer will tell them nothing more, no matter what Guangzhou puts into their system in China, and that I must contact the consulate.

The consulate sends me a nice (and reasonably quick) email response that sounds form like, "Based on our current schedule we will schedule the applicant for an

interview in a few months."

Too bad I do as they ask and consolidate my questions into one email, yet they never directly answer them.

Clearly people must be saying something in particular that helps the person at DOS figure out how pull up more information? Or am I just that lucky and continue to get people who sound like they know their system, advise me to call the consulate or the Washington consulate center(?) to find out the answer to my simple question, which is what is the current status?

This system is ridiculous, I have to waste mine and many other peoples time for something that should be readily available. But hey, I am just ranting again about the incompetence in our system that continues to spiral us into the last days of Rome.

Thanks again for the help.

[Guest Gene]

The response your getting sounds like you are calling the National Visa Center(NVC) if that is the case they know nothing after they send the file to Guangzhou. Are you calling 1-202-663-1225 ? That is DOS's phone number. 1-603-334-0700 is NVC's phone number.

 

If Guangzhou sent you the response that it will be a few months before you are scheduled for an interview, then it is assumed that you have made it past the second name check and in the waiting queue. Going off your P-3 date that would mean an interveiw scheduled in March or April.

 

If Guangzhou sent you an email saying that they are in the pre-interview process then you are not in the queue for waiting yet.

 

I think you are getting the same answers as everybody else, it is just how you interpet it. Of course this is all a guess, and it's value is directly equivalant to the cost.

 

Good Luck

[nooneufo]

Thanks Gene and warpedbored, your posts are always informative.

Your clear explanation of the phone numbers allowed me to check myself, to find I am in fact calling the wrong number. ( need.. more.. chocolate.. chip.. cookies) I now have a new post-it-note on the computer with the right number. And I did get the current status, which is the same response of "waiting to be scheduled for interview", and last update on their computer which matches the date of the email Guangzhou sent to me. Based on what you are saying Gene, would I be safe in geussuming my application is at the stage you wrote as now being in the queue? More specifically, would DOS have said it was waiting for a name check if this was the case?

I also assume April, although March sounds better, but I am not holding my breath. April sounds like a bad time to try to get to Guangzhou.

Thanks for the clarity. It really helps.

[Guest Gene]

CHEETOS No wonder you are having so many problems You are on the wrong diet

 

Seriously, I am glad we were able to clear that up for you. DOS is a little more vague that Guangzhou, if that is really possible, I don't know if any one has really said " you are waiting for a name check" But I do believe they would not say that "you are waiting to be scheduled for an interveiw" if in fact your file had not cleared that step.

 

Smart man, Hope for March, but plan on April

 

Again the Value placed on my opinions is directly related to the Cost

 

Glad you got some answers

[Bruce&Ying]

Ying and I got a little impatient this week and both emailed the consulate. the next day we got this reply

 

Thank you for your email. Ms. Han's case is in processing, due to the high

volume of applications, we will schedule her interview in two to three

months, we will notify you when it is ready, please wait for our notice.

 

 

I had also asked about the status of the name check, but that was all they wrote. I'm hoping that you're right about this message indicating that it's finished.

 

Her P3 was returned to GZ on Sept 17, so we've been hoping that she still might get an interview in February... but from that letter, it's hard to say.

[Guest Gene]

Confused? Just like the rest of us, They got you right where they want you

[cqhk]

I found the best time to call them is when they open the phone lines. It usually takes 5 to 15 minutes if you call at 0830 EST.

 

I've called them so many times over the last four months. It seems that only females work there, or at least in the mornings. I was told that they all don't have the same clearance when they log into their work stations. Some are authorized to view more when they pull up your case on their computer. One women I spoke to in September gave me the date the final name check was cleared in the computer. A few days later when I called back, the woman that I spoke to couldn't give me any dates or much less tell me if the name checks were done, and was confused as to how anyone in that office could have given me that information. Later in November, I spoke to another woman who explained that most of the people in their office only have limited clearance, enough to see if your case has been logged into GUZ, but not much else unless GUZ puts a notification that the can see. She said sometimes GUZ puts markers on the file that indicate to the people in that DOS office that they name check was completed, but it won't show a date. She told me that there are some, but very few, who have clearance to actually see dates and progress. She also told me that all the emails anyone sends to GUZ are listed on the computer file that the DOS office can see also, as well as all the inquiries submitted by Congress persons, Reps, and Sens.

 

The others above were right, just keep calling until you find a person who can give you more information. But I wouldn't keep calling the same day, because it's been my experience that they only have a few people answering phones at any given time. I swear one day they only had three people anwsering phones from 0830-1000 EST. I was upset by one of them, and I kept calling back trying to get someone else to help me. lol, I kept getting the same three women, so I gave up and called the next day.

 

Good luck

[John & Hai Yan]

Ying and I got a little impatient this week and both emailed the consulate. the next day we got this reply

 

Thank you for your email. Ms. Han's case is in processing, due to the high

volume of applications, we will schedule her interview in two to three

months, we will notify you when it is ready, please wait for our notice.

 

 

I had also asked about the status of the name check, but that was all they wrote.   I'm hoping that you're right about this message indicating that it's finished.  

 

Her P3 was returned to GZ on Sept 17, so we've been hoping that she still might get an interview in February... but from that letter, it's hard to say.

Bruce,

If I were you I would disregard that email from Guangzhou. It is a form letter. I think most September P3s will be scheduled in February and early March.