F1 problems!
Jul 15th 2008, 3:06 pm
#1
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
F1 problems!
Hi everyone,
This is the story. Applied for F1 visa because i was accepted to study at Berkeley this coming august. Originally i intended to attend there summer session prior to the start of the fall year.
Having gone for my interview on the 18th of June, i was told my visa application had to go for further processing and that they could not tell me the reason why. All they said was "you have brought all the necessary forms and if it were up to me i would give you it now, however, there is something on the computer that is saying you need to get further processed" hmmm
Anyway he told me to go away and wait for the embassy to email me when to send my passport and I-20 (university document) through to them. Inevitably, this passed my summer session date, and thus i had to request a new I-20 with a start date for the end of August instead of early July.
Here is where the confusion reigned. Having phoned the operated service line, they advised me that i would have to send through a complete set of new forms 156, 157 and 158 aswell as a new photo and the original I-20. When i phoned up again to make sure, the man said to email [email protected] to confirm. Having explain the situation to them they responded...
"Provided you have a new form I-20A-B showing the revised start date, you may travel with this form and valid visa." in their first email
and
"As the visa has not been issued, all that is required is your passport and a new form I-20A_B" in their second email.
Phoned up the operated services again, the guy, completely confused, says that i should have been given a reason at the embassy, goes to talk to a manager, who says just to listen to whatever the email said.
SMS delivery company are picking up my forms tommorow and it doesnt fill me with confidence that i actually know what i am meant to be putting into the letter! Right now im going for just the passport and the new I-20 as the email said, but whats the bet i get another email in a few weeks asking for a new set of forms/old I-20!
Anyone with any advice will be greatly appreciated
This is the story. Applied for F1 visa because i was accepted to study at Berkeley this coming august. Originally i intended to attend there summer session prior to the start of the fall year.
Having gone for my interview on the 18th of June, i was told my visa application had to go for further processing and that they could not tell me the reason why. All they said was "you have brought all the necessary forms and if it were up to me i would give you it now, however, there is something on the computer that is saying you need to get further processed" hmmm
Anyway he told me to go away and wait for the embassy to email me when to send my passport and I-20 (university document) through to them. Inevitably, this passed my summer session date, and thus i had to request a new I-20 with a start date for the end of August instead of early July.
Here is where the confusion reigned. Having phoned the operated service line, they advised me that i would have to send through a complete set of new forms 156, 157 and 158 aswell as a new photo and the original I-20. When i phoned up again to make sure, the man said to email [email protected] to confirm. Having explain the situation to them they responded...
"Provided you have a new form I-20A-B showing the revised start date, you may travel with this form and valid visa." in their first email
and
"As the visa has not been issued, all that is required is your passport and a new form I-20A_B" in their second email.
Phoned up the operated services again, the guy, completely confused, says that i should have been given a reason at the embassy, goes to talk to a manager, who says just to listen to whatever the email said.
SMS delivery company are picking up my forms tommorow and it doesnt fill me with confidence that i actually know what i am meant to be putting into the letter! Right now im going for just the passport and the new I-20 as the email said, but whats the bet i get another email in a few weeks asking for a new set of forms/old I-20!
Anyone with any advice will be greatly appreciated
Jul 15th 2008, 3:34 pm
#2
L2, GC, Surrey, OH, TX!
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Surrey to Dallas (via Ohio)!
Posts: 6,363
Re: F1 problems!
i dont know much about the nitty gritty of the visa forms BUT i do know that the staff on the telephone lines can tell you any old junk and not be held responsible. they are not known as the misonformation lines for nothing.
I would go with what the original person who you saw face to face told you unles someone comes along who knows better.
I would go with what the original person who you saw face to face told you unles someone comes along who knows better.
Jul 15th 2008, 3:39 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Re: F1 problems!
i dont know much about the nitty gritty of the visa forms BUT i do know that the staff on the telephone lines can tell you any old junk and not be held responsible. they are not known as the misonformation lines for nothing.
I would go with what the original person who you saw face to face told you unles someone comes along who knows better.
I would go with what the original person who you saw face to face told you unles someone comes along who knows better.
I am now thinkign that i should also sent my flight tickets which show me leaving in august and returning in December
Jul 15th 2008, 11:09 pm
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 162
Re: F1 problems!
Hi there...
I strongly suspect that they don't need new forms and photo as well as new I-20 and passport, but if you have a photo and have time to re-do the forms, it probably wouldn't hurt to include them...that way there can be no reason not to issue the visa immediately, and they can always discard the forms if they don't need them. But, as I say, I bet they just need your passport and new I-20.
Good luck, anyway, at least it sounds as if they've cleared up whatever issue they had before.
I strongly suspect that they don't need new forms and photo as well as new I-20 and passport, but if you have a photo and have time to re-do the forms, it probably wouldn't hurt to include them...that way there can be no reason not to issue the visa immediately, and they can always discard the forms if they don't need them. But, as I say, I bet they just need your passport and new I-20.
Good luck, anyway, at least it sounds as if they've cleared up whatever issue they had before.
Jul 16th 2008, 3:34 pm
#5
Proud owner of a Keg!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 57
Re: F1 problems!
Shahadat,
Can I confirm that they did contact you back after the first time or did you call them to check what was going on?
The first time you got delayed because of your ethnic name mate.
Good luck!
Can I confirm that they did contact you back after the first time or did you call them to check what was going on?
The first time you got delayed because of your ethnic name mate.
Good luck!
Hi everyone,
This is the story. Applied for F1 visa because i was accepted to study at Berkeley this coming august. Originally i intended to attend there summer session prior to the start of the fall year.
Having gone for my interview on the 18th of June, i was told my visa application had to go for further processing and that they could not tell me the reason why. All they said was "you have brought all the necessary forms and if it were up to me i would give you it now, however, there is something on the computer that is saying you need to get further processed" hmmm
Anyway he told me to go away and wait for the embassy to email me when to send my passport and I-20 (university document) through to them. Inevitably, this passed my summer session date, and thus i had to request a new I-20 with a start date for the end of August instead of early July.
Here is where the confusion reigned. Having phoned the operated service line, they advised me that i would have to send through a complete set of new forms 156, 157 and 158 aswell as a new photo and the original I-20. When i phoned up again to make sure, the man said to email [email protected] to confirm. Having explain the situation to them they responded...
"Provided you have a new form I-20A-B showing the revised start date, you may travel with this form and valid visa." in their first email
and
"As the visa has not been issued, all that is required is your passport and a new form I-20A_B" in their second email.
Phoned up the operated services again, the guy, completely confused, says that i should have been given a reason at the embassy, goes to talk to a manager, who says just to listen to whatever the email said.
SMS delivery company are picking up my forms tommorow and it doesnt fill me with confidence that i actually know what i am meant to be putting into the letter! Right now im going for just the passport and the new I-20 as the email said, but whats the bet i get another email in a few weeks asking for a new set of forms/old I-20!
Anyone with any advice will be greatly appreciated
This is the story. Applied for F1 visa because i was accepted to study at Berkeley this coming august. Originally i intended to attend there summer session prior to the start of the fall year.
Having gone for my interview on the 18th of June, i was told my visa application had to go for further processing and that they could not tell me the reason why. All they said was "you have brought all the necessary forms and if it were up to me i would give you it now, however, there is something on the computer that is saying you need to get further processed" hmmm
Anyway he told me to go away and wait for the embassy to email me when to send my passport and I-20 (university document) through to them. Inevitably, this passed my summer session date, and thus i had to request a new I-20 with a start date for the end of August instead of early July.
Here is where the confusion reigned. Having phoned the operated service line, they advised me that i would have to send through a complete set of new forms 156, 157 and 158 aswell as a new photo and the original I-20. When i phoned up again to make sure, the man said to email [email protected] to confirm. Having explain the situation to them they responded...
"Provided you have a new form I-20A-B showing the revised start date, you may travel with this form and valid visa." in their first email
and
"As the visa has not been issued, all that is required is your passport and a new form I-20A_B" in their second email.
Phoned up the operated services again, the guy, completely confused, says that i should have been given a reason at the embassy, goes to talk to a manager, who says just to listen to whatever the email said.
SMS delivery company are picking up my forms tommorow and it doesnt fill me with confidence that i actually know what i am meant to be putting into the letter! Right now im going for just the passport and the new I-20 as the email said, but whats the bet i get another email in a few weeks asking for a new set of forms/old I-20!
Anyone with any advice will be greatly appreciated
Jul 16th 2008, 3:44 pm
#6
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Re: F1 problems!
I figured as much. I assume its because one of the other (i dont know 3 million) people named Shahadat has a red mark on his name, and so they have to make sure im not him?
Or is it cynical to think that its just that i had that sort of name and there was no red flag raised at all?
In any case, i kind of understand them wanting to make sure and dont really hold any grudge- however im sure it can be checked in more efficient, quicker processes.
Anyway, documents were sent off this morning so just goign to sit and hope...might not be so understanding if it gets delayed more than the 30 days they said it woudl take.
Shahadat
Jul 16th 2008, 4:00 pm
#7
Proud owner of a Keg!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 57
Re: F1 problems!
Yup they did contact me via email to send through my passport.
I figured as much. I assume its because one of the other (i dont know 3 million) people named Shahadat has a red mark on his name, and so they have to make sure im not him?
Or is it cynical to think that its just that i had that sort of name and there was no red flag raised at all?
In any case, i kind of understand them wanting to make sure and dont really hold any grudge- however im sure it can be checked in more efficient, quicker processes.
Anyway, documents were sent off this morning so just goign to sit and hope...might not be so understanding if it gets delayed more than the 30 days they said it woudl take.
Shahadat
I figured as much. I assume its because one of the other (i dont know 3 million) people named Shahadat has a red mark on his name, and so they have to make sure im not him?
Or is it cynical to think that its just that i had that sort of name and there was no red flag raised at all?
In any case, i kind of understand them wanting to make sure and dont really hold any grudge- however im sure it can be checked in more efficient, quicker processes.
Anyway, documents were sent off this morning so just goign to sit and hope...might not be so understanding if it gets delayed more than the 30 days they said it woudl take.
Shahadat
Jul 16th 2008, 6:38 pm
#8
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: F1 problems!
Sounds like AP/AR.
Quite common in Middle East/Pakistan etc
Quite common in Middle East/Pakistan etc
Jul 16th 2008, 9:17 pm
#9
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Re: F1 problems!
AP/AR? Apologies in advance if that is a common known term on this website, but i dont know what it means!
FYI i am applying with a british passport, at the London Embassy. Sorry, didnt note that in the original story
FYI i am applying with a british passport, at the London Embassy. Sorry, didnt note that in the original story
Jul 16th 2008, 9:33 pm
#10
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 58,679
Re: F1 problems!
Rene
Jul 16th 2008, 9:39 pm
#11
Just Joined
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Re: F1 problems!
Ah i see, that makes sence i guess. Just for interests sake, do you know what they actually do in these reviews? Just check my whole record etc? National Issurance number, Past travel and the sorts?
Jul 16th 2008, 9:46 pm
#12
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Posts: 58,679
Re: F1 problems!
Rene
Jul 16th 2008, 10:15 pm
#13
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: F1 problems!
edit: oops, it helps to click 'post reply'.
Jul 16th 2008, 11:25 pm
#14
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 16,266
Re: F1 problems!
Yup they did contact me via email to send through my passport.
I figured as much. I assume its because one of the other (i dont know 3 million) people named Shahadat has a red mark on his name, and so they have to make sure im not him?
Or is it cynical to think that its just that i had that sort of name and there was no red flag raised at all?
In any case, i kind of understand them wanting to make sure and dont really hold any grudge- however im sure it can be checked in more efficient, quicker processes.
Anyway, documents were sent off this morning so just goign to sit and hope...might not be so understanding if it gets delayed more than the 30 days they said it woudl take.
Shahadat
I figured as much. I assume its because one of the other (i dont know 3 million) people named Shahadat has a red mark on his name, and so they have to make sure im not him?
Or is it cynical to think that its just that i had that sort of name and there was no red flag raised at all?
In any case, i kind of understand them wanting to make sure and dont really hold any grudge- however im sure it can be checked in more efficient, quicker processes.
Anyway, documents were sent off this morning so just goign to sit and hope...might not be so understanding if it gets delayed more than the 30 days they said it woudl take.
Shahadat
Although they will never quite admit it, and assuming you are of "Asian" [in the British usage] or Muslim background, it IS a "red flag" in the form of a "profile." We may not like it or even detest the profiling, but it is a fact of life. However, for your information, here is an exhaustive and excruciatingly complete list of your rights as a visa applicant outside of the United States:
[end of post]
Jul 17th 2008, 9:16 am
#15
Proud owner of a Keg!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 57
Re: F1 problems!
Hi:
Although they will never quite admit it, and assuming you are of "Asian" [in the British usage] or Muslim background, it IS a "red flag" in the form of a "profile." We may not like it or even detest the profiling, but it is a fact of life. However, for your information, here is an exhaustive and excruciatingly complete list of your rights as a visa applicant outside of the United States:
[end of post]
Although they will never quite admit it, and assuming you are of "Asian" [in the British usage] or Muslim background, it IS a "red flag" in the form of a "profile." We may not like it or even detest the profiling, but it is a fact of life. However, for your information, here is an exhaustive and excruciatingly complete list of your rights as a visa applicant outside of the United States:
[end of post]