n1cholas90

Sorry to hear about your trouble Deskartes!

It would seem the review has been going on since at least October last year, so fingers crossed a decision will be made soon!

I trust anybody with any news will post in this thread as/when they get it!

Deskartes

Hi folks,

Just wanted to post an update on our case - we received a letter today asking my husband to attend an interview at the embassy next month regarding the immigrant visa. No further detail was given except to bring his passport on the day, which hopefully means there's been progress.

Will update again when we know more. Fingers crossed for good news.

Speedwell

Good luck, Deskartes. We are anxious to know how things were handled. Thanks for posting.

E3Aussieabroad

Good Luck Please let us know what happens.

So I was in the same situation as you. A few days ago I received a response back from the government and my application was refused because my job offer was withdrawn so they closed they refused my application.

Curious to know what they are going to do moving forward so please share with us what you find out after your interview

aswales

I am in the same position.

I had a Visa and lost it (Later recovered) but I had already alerted the embassy that it had been lost.

My case was put on hold and I was interviewed in January but still haven't heard anything.

Let's hope I do soon as my employer is waiting my return.

BritInParis

Is anyone aware whether this policy review includes police reprimands for young people?

crg

That's doubtful. Depends on what you consider young. Essentially, anyone 14 and under gets a free pass under US immigration laws for anything other than adult convictions for drug trafficking and certain dependents of terrorists, money launderers or other miscreants.

Ages 15,16, and 17 become inadmissible for a limited number of extremely serious convictions, and nobody is getting off with a reprimand for those.

BritInParis

Thanks for that. Do you know whether a reprimand received at 16 for cannabis possession would be treated as a caution for the purpose of obtaining a US visa and therefore be held in administrative processing as others are currently?

(I should hasten to add that I am not asking on behalf of myself, rather for my ne'er-do-well younger brother.)

crg

I don't know if anyone "knows" for sure. However, even if a 16yr old was hit with the most severe penalty for simple marijuana possession, it wouldn't make the kid inadmissible under criminal grounds. So it doesn't appear to be relevant. How long ago was it?

BritInParis

Well he's 26 in June now so nearly ten years ago now. It's not so much whether he'd be inadmissible rather would the State Department make the distinction between a reprimand given to a 16 year old compared to, say, a caution given to an adult or would they be treated the same and therefore his application will be stuck in administrative processing with the rest of the visa applicants?

anxiouslywaiting

I am also in the same situation, I have vistited the USA 2 years ago on a non-immigrant B2 visa I had to apply for due to a police caution in 2005 for possession of a controlled substance, I went for the interview no issues I obtained a visa. This time around I booked a family holiday to Florida for May this year - I went for my interview in December and was advised my visa had to be put through administrative processing, due to the US government reviewing their policy regarding police cautions! I am still waiting to hear back - my holiday is all booked for May and I am getting pretty anxious now! surely this cant go on for much longer? there must be such a backlog of people waiting to hear about their visas, you'd think they would try and get things moving?

hungryhorace

I presume you had an initial 1 year multiple entry visa? Why would you book a holiday before you had a visa noted in your passport may I ask?

civilservant

It can and will go on for as long as the US wants it too - it is for them a matter of national security - and it is their right to determine who they do or do not want in their country, they don't care a whit about how much you or anyone else is inconvenienced.

hungryhorace

What impact could it potentially be having on their tourism industry, though? Personally I doubt very little, given the UK is a VWP member.

I think the increased publicity highlighting UK police force's giving out cautions for crimes such as attempted rape and the like has probably led to this.

BritInParis

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24321716

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24933824