Travel Ban Waiver - Everything You Need to Know

10/10/2019

The travel ban is in full effect. What does this mean for you and your family if you are from one of the banned countries such as Iran? What happens if you have a pending case? An upcoming embassy interview? What if you are in administrative processing? We will address these frequently asked questions that we receive every single day from many clients and their families.

What is Visa Waiver Letter (Presidential Proclamation Waiver)? How Do I Qualify for a Waiver?

The travel ban/Presidential Proclamation states that visa applicants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Chad, North Korea, or Venezuela cannot be given visas and they are not allowed to enter the United States. At the same time, the Presidential Proclamation also provides for a waiver where a visa applicant can show why they should be allowed to enter the United States despite the travel ban restrictions.

There is no application or formal procedure for qualifying for a waiver. The person is evaluated for a waiver at the time of the interview. The travel ban/Presidential Proclamation has provided three factors of how a person can qualify for a waiver: The applicant must show (1) that a denial would cause undue hardship, (2) that he or she does not pose a national security threat, and (3) that a visa approval would be in the “national interest.”

The officer at the interview decides whether a person qualifies for a waiver or not, and each embassy has a different procedure and preference when evaluating travel ban waiver cases. The best way to present waiver evidence depends on what embassy you choose and how strategic you can be. Remember, you have to fight for your case and provide as much evidence as possible to show why you should be an exception to the travel ban. The officer does not fight for your case -- YOU fight for your rights and your opportunity to get a visa.

That is where a lawyer can help as well. Here at ImmigraTrust Law, Najmeh Mahmoudjafari, one of the best Iranian immigration lawyers in the United States, has worked on several hundred waiver cases and waiver packages. She has successfully gotten travel ban waivers approved for her Iranian clients and other clients affected by the travel ban. Najmeh Mahmoudjafari has written several hundred waiver letters and waiver packages making detailed legal arguments of why her client should be granted a waiver. She follows-up with the embassy thoroughly to make sure that the embassy officers are held accountable and do not let the case sit in limbo. Our attorney, Najmeh Mahmoudjafari, cares about you and your case and wants to make sure that you receive ANSWERS. We recommend that you be proactive about your waiver case. You can always leave it to the officer to evaluate your case, but the better evidence and the better strategy that you have, your approval chance significantly increases.

I am from Iran and I Have an Upcoming Interview with U.S. Embassy, What Do I Do?

If you have an interview coming up, Najmeh Mahmoudjafari would be happy to speak with you in detail regarding your waiver options. Depending on the embassy, sometimes a waiver letter from a lawyer is not required, and the officer wants you to have a conversation only at the interview regarding why you qualify for a travel ban waiver. In that case, Ms. Mahmoudjafari can provide some strategies via a consultation to prepare you for the interview such as the questions they will ask, the documents they will want to see, and what type of evidence you can provide in support of your waiver case. Other times, it is a good idea to have a waiver package from a lawyer that specifically details your case and why the officer should approve your case.

Call us. We are happy to speak with you about all your options and strategize about the process so that you can get the best results possible.

My Case is in Administrative Processing and is affected by the Presidential Proclamation. What do I do?

Administrative processing is a background check process that the embassy does on the applicant after the interview. This process can sometimes take up to a year or more. During this time, the embassy is requesting information on the applicant from various agencies regarding the person’s travels, social media history, associations, work history, etc. Unfortunately, being placed in administrative processing is very normal especially for Iranian applicants and applicants from Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Libya.

Again, there is a strategy that can be used for administrative processing as well. Background checks are normal parts of the process, but more and more, Iranian applicants and other affected by the travel ban have been held for months and months in administrative processing without answers. YOU HAVE RIGHTS, and you do not have to deal with endless backgrounds checks.

If you are in administrative processing and you recently followed-up on your case, you may have received an email or a letter from the embassy stating that your case will be rejected based on the Presidential Proclamation but that they will evaluate your case for waiver eligibility. In this situation, depending on what happened at your embassy interview, it can be a great idea to follow-up with the embassy with a waiver package to show why you should be granted a waiver to the travel ban/Presidential Proclamation (see the question above regarding how to qualify for a waiver and information regarding waiver letters).

If you have been in administrative processing for more than a year and a half, please contact us. While it is normal to be place in administrative processing, the embassy is not supposed to make it an impossible process with no end. They have to provide answers. Therefore, if you have been following up constantly without any response, there are ways to get answers on your case. For example, there is a type of lawsuit that visa applicants can file against the government for unjustly delaying their case. It is called a mandamus lawsuit or mandamus action. This is a powerful tool that can be very beneficial especially for families that have tried every other option to get answers.

The Embassy Told Me My Case Has been Rejected Because of the Presidential Proclamation, What Do I Do?

If after the interview or after following-up with the embassy via email, you were told that your case was rejected because of the travel ban, you still have options. Based on the travel ban, the embassy must give you an opportunity to present evidence of why you qualify for a waiver. Many times, the rejection letters state that the rejection decision is not appealable. However, the embassy is required to properly evaluate the applicant for a waiver. It can be beneficial to have an attorney to follow-up with the embassy regarding your qualifications for a waiver. You have invested time and money to submit your visa application and while asking to be re-evaluated is not a guarantee of visa approval, it is worth following up to save your visa application and not have to start the process all over again.

If you have any questions regarding the travel ban/Presidential Proclamation, waiver eligibility and other immigration questions, we are here for you. We look forward to speaking with you soon! We have successfully helped many clients from Iran and other countries affected by the travel ban by providing strong waiver letters to overcome Trump’s travel ban so that they can reunite with their families, work and invest in the United States.

There are many questions that our clients ask us every day such as: How immigration officers will decide and analyze the waivers? Will there be a form? What is “undue hardship?” What is “national security?” Does an individual have to make a direct request for waiver? What type of evidence is required to be submitted for the waiver? How long will applicants have to wait before a decision is made on a waiver application? Since every case is different, there is no single answer to these questions. We highly recommend consulting with an immigration attorney regarding preparing evidence and your waiver letter to ensure success.

For more information on the Muslim travel ban and other immigration topics, please visit our articles page.

For additional questions, please contact us at www.ImmigraTrust.com or by calling (949) 424-2045. Please subscribe to our Facebook page for updates!

--Najmeh Mahmoudjafari, J.D.
Najmeh Mahmoudjafari is the Founder and Lead Immigration Attorney at ImmigraTrust Law (www.ImmigraTrust.com), an immigration law practice in Orange County, California, representing individual and corporate clients in all 50 U.S. States and internationally. Najmeh can be reached at Najmeh@ImmigraTrust.com.

DISCLAIMER: This article is for general information purposes only. It is not intended and does not constitute legal advice. This article does not create an attorney/client relationship and does not provide an attorney/client privilege. For legal advice about your specific case, please contact an attorney.

133 Comments

Omid Ahmadi

5/23/2018 04:22:52 am

Good morning.
I’d like to be advised about my M1 visa application which has been rejected recently due to travel ban.

I can be reachable via my WhatsApp number:
+25768313737
With Thanks and Regards.
Omid

Kat

7/6/2018 03:09:23 pm

Syria isn't mentioned in this article. But do you know if the executive order applies to Palestinian Refugees born and raised In Syria but hold Palestinian Authority Passports? I'm an American born and raised, my husband of 6 years is Palestinian.

ImmigraTrust Law link

7/9/2018 02:15:26 pm

This is a great question! Syrian nationals are affected by the travel ban. On the other hand, Palestinians that have a travel document can make the argument that the travel ban should not apply to them because USCIS classifies them as stateless.

Dr. Najmeh Mahmoudjafari would be happy to speak with you more about this strategy. Please book an appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Jan

7/10/2018 12:06:49 am

I am soon expecting an interview for my husband with the US embassy. He’s a national of one of the seven countries but a resident of a completely different country since age of 2. So majority of his papers aren’t from a banned country. Just his birth certificate. (Passport he receives from his residential country- even though the passport is of a banned nationality).
I’m trying to be proactive and prepare him for a waiver. We’ve come a long way and endured a lot for him to be rejected at this point. How can you help me?

7/10/2018 09:17:27 am

Happy to help with the waiver package and strategies for your husband's case. Please book a free 10-minute introductory call via our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Looking forward to speaking with you!

Best regards,
Najmeh

Hassan

7/10/2018 02:58:37 pm

Hi,

I have been in Administrative Processing for almost 17 months. Our follow up with the embassy didnt find way out with typical answer “its still in process”. Please advice what is your recommendation.

Thanks

7/11/2018 04:37:43 pm

Dr. Najmeh Mahmoudjafari would be happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Hamid

7/12/2018 05:46:04 am

Hi
I'm from Iran and currently I'm working as a senior software engineer (Prgrammer) in a us based company that have more then 1000+ customers and my work is critical for success of this company and they can prove it.
Can I apply for worker visa through the company and be able to get visa as a waiver. Is this a national interest case that preventing me can cause company under pressure to continue.
Thanks in advance

7/12/2018 05:47:30 am

In regard to my previous post, Im working remotely from Iran and they pay me remotely, Im full time worker of this company

7/12/2018 01:01:51 pm

Hello Hamid,

Hello,

Dr. Najmeh Mahmoudjafari would be happy to speak with you. We would have to discuss the specifics of our work and qualifications for the waiver. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Mode

10/22/2020 04:00:17 pm

Please help me ...I'm from Nigeria. ..I've being banned from entering the United States and I was told there's no waiver according to the note I was given on the interview date ..What do I do ....I'm really down for any suggestions and help ...Thanks

Fariya

7/17/2018 07:42:41 am

Hi...
My husband and I are Iranians. I am a lawful permanent resident of USA and I petitioned for my husband about 3 years ago. His interview was in January 2017 where he was told it would take about 2 or 3 months for the administrative processing to be completed but now it's been more than a year. I called the NVC and was told to contact the US embassy in Abu Dhabi to see if I should apply for a waiver. We haven't received any emails from Abu Dhabi and haven't been able to contact them via phone or email. What should I do?

8/13/2018 03:29:32 pm

Hello, sorry to hear that. Abu Dhabi is one of the hardest embassies to get a hold of. We would be happy to speak with you about your options in following-up with the embassy.

Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Hani

8/11/2018 09:33:20 am

Are Dvlottery Winners from banned countries eligible to have waivers? A DVlottery winner whose visa application was denied due to 212(f) was told that waivers cannot be granted to dvlottery winner from banned countries.

8/13/2018 03:31:37 pm

There is no restriction in the Presidential Proclamation against Diversity Lottery winners. The embassy must evaluate each case to see whether the applicant qualifies for a waiver.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Let us know if you need help in your case.

Zakaria

6/25/2019 10:06:25 am

Same scenario happened to me yesterday in the interview in Abu dhabi, i have exactly the same situation as Mr Hani, and my DV visa was rejected under 212(f).
Any advice?

6/25/2019 10:03:20 am

Maissoun

8/11/2018 04:34:58 pm

The Embassy Told my husband that his Case Has been Rejected Because of the Presidential Proclamation, the same day they send him an email with application to fill it and send it back to the Embassy, my question is: what is the waiver and is the application the Embassy send a "waiver"? and what we should do next?

8/13/2018 03:40:32 pm

Many times the embassy changes the case status to "refused" or "rejected" but the case will still be placed in administrative processing and evaluated for a waiver.

We have to see whether the case is actually in administrative processing or whether the embassy has closed the case completely.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book an appointment via our booking page.

mina

9/17/2018 12:51:13 am

Hello, I am Iranian and my husband is US soldier.

Do you think we can get a waiver due to my situaton?

9/18/2018 10:39:51 am

To qualify for a waiver, you and your husband have to show hardship. The fact that your husband is a U.S. solider will definitely help, but we would have to discuss in more detail to see what type of evidence we can provide for hardship.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Anthony

8/13/2019 07:11:45 pm

I’m an American citizen and veteran and my fiancé is Iranian we plan to get married in Canada when she goes there for a work visa. How am I supposed to “create” evidence for hardship.

Sima savarani

9/30/2018 05:37:10 pm

My Nephew is 2019 DV lottery winner and has an interview on Nov. 7th. Should he have a waiver with him when he is going to interview?

ImmigraTrust Law

10/26/2018 11:16:32 am

Waiver packages are not necessary, but sometimes applicants feel better having a waiver package with them. It depends on the individual case and the embassy (each embassy has different procedures for the waiver).

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

jamileh

10/25/2018 03:32:42 pm

Hello,
My brother who is 19 yo and from Iran had an interview in Yerevan in January 2018 and he received a waiver at his interview. After his interview they requested more info about his social media and his travel history via email and after that his case has been in administrative processing. I have emailed them after 5 months and they emailed me back that your case is still being reviewed for a waiver of the presidential proclamation, and we will contact you directly when there is an update. I wanted to know if I need to do anything else or is it going to take more time.

10/26/2018 11:18:14 am

Great work in following up with them. Right now it is best to give them some time to process the case. Once 6-10 months has passed, there are strategies to follow-up with them more effectively. Persistence is key.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Mar

5/27/2019 05:11:16 pm

Hi,

Did he got visa?

Thanks,

Sara

10/31/2018 12:46:37 pm

A U.S. citizen man from Yemen with a medical condition and is in need of his wife, can we still file a petition for her to come to the U.S. to take care of him? Or does the travel ban impact medical urgencies too?

10/31/2018 01:51:25 pm

The travel ban will still affect the case because his wife is from Yemen (and applying for a visa on her Yemeni passport). However, medical emergency cases are one of the main cases that receive waivers under the travel ban.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Dina

12/3/2018 05:57:04 am

Hello ..
I am a Yemei and my husband is US citizen he works with the military . I born and lived out of Yemen now I’m living in Armenia and we have a child who already got his US passport, what’s my chances for getting a spouse visa to USA?

12/3/2018 01:09:06 pm

Hello Dina,

For immigration, it is a positive thing that your husband is active military and it will help with your waiver application. To speak about your chances of getting a visa though, we need to discuss a lot more details about you and your husband's case to see what type of hardship evidence we can present.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Mostafa

12/25/2018 06:43:44 pm

Hello. I have petitioned for my Iranian parents to come live in the USA. They are wishing to retire and live with me and my wife and children, all U.S. citizens. My mother’s case has been sent to the Department of State for consular processing with the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi. We’ve recently been told that they will be given an interview only to be rejected. I understand that there’s a possible waiver. Is the time and money spent to get the waiver packet going to significantly help them? We want them here so bad, but I worry about sending them abroad and putting them through this process if it is futile. What is your advice?

12/26/2018 11:29:10 am

Hello Mostafa,

Depending on what happened at the interview, a waiver might be a useful addition to their case. As you know, all Iranians are subject to the travel ban and must qualify for a waiver so the more evidence you can show as to why they qualify, the better it is.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Parisa

1/7/2019 09:32:18 am

Dear Najmeh
I am a US citizen and I would love to have my mom here on my due date. I am the only daughter,38 and I was under some infertility treatment and this is my first child due in late APRIL. Would a waiwer be effective? How would I approach?

1/7/2019 11:12:33 am

Congratulations on the baby! Very exciting. You can definitely apply for your mom. However, the travel ban will apply and depending on the facts of the case and the embassy you choose, the strategy is different. The fact that you are expecting your first child will be great evidence for the waiver package, but it does not guarantee that they will grant the waiver.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

5/27/2019 05:05:25 pm

Hi Parisa,

Hope you are doing well.

I was wondering if your mom could get a visa? I have similar situation so would like to hear your experience if you donot mind.

Thanks

Nazy

1/23/2019 12:22:34 pm

Hi, Im iranian and have applied for EB3 category immigration visa. my application was approved in January 2018 and NVC sent me the letter that i can book my interview with US embassy in Abudhabi. but because of travel ban i did not make an appointment with embassy up to now. i want to know how long i can hold my application like this or should i go for interview as soon as possible?

1/23/2019 02:53:15 pm

Whether you should go forward with your interview really depends on your travel ban waiver case. Abu Dhabi is a tough embassy, and you definitely have to be strategic about how you present your evidence. Dr. Najmeh Mahmoudjafari can talk you through the process. You can book a 30-minute appointment via our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Taba

2/6/2019 04:05:45 pm

Hi, my sister had her interview back in August and was declined her immigration (F2B) visa due to the travel ban with a possibility for a waiver. Very recently she received an email with more questions regarding her travel history and such. She replied back to this email, but has not yet submitted a waiver application. I am now just learning about having to submit a waiver application. Is there a timeframe to submit this application or should she wait to hear back regarding the question and answers that she has submitted more recently?
Thank you very much for your help in advance

2/7/2019 05:45:45 pm

Hello,

There is no set time that you have to wait to send waiver evidence or to ask for an update, however, there are strategies involved depending on the embassy and what happened at the interview. Strategically, it is best to wait 60 days to follow-up with embassies.

Sometimes a waiver is not needed. It all depends on what has happened thus far and the facts of the case.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

sara alsoofi

2/15/2019 09:02:20 pm

i am yemenia born in the US. my fiancé is from yemen currently living in maylasia. is it possible to bring him to the US after marriage? if in the future a wavier is needed is it a good enough reason that he needs to come to be with his wife?

2/15/2019 09:08:22 pm

i just posted what i am actually wanting to understand will i be able to petition for him as he’s from yemen. what conditions are covered under a wavier? just him being my husband is that enough to grant the wavier?

Alireza

2/16/2019 03:15:27 pm

Dear Najmeh, Thanks for Bthis article. Before I bore you with my case details or call you, I want to know what has been the success rate of the cases you have processed so far with Waiver or Mandamus? I have heard people have applied for waivers and have got no results. I don't know of anyone filing Mandamus. Any stats you can share based on your experience? Appreciate it.

Sam

2/17/2019 09:11:58 am

Hi there, my wife who is Syrian born and raised in Kuwait but holds a Syrian passport gas an interview next month and we are worried about this travel ban issue..they wouldn't let us do the medical exam u til we go through the intinterv already even though the interview email States we should do a medical test 2 weeks before the interview. My wife is scared she will get denied. Any suggestions? I just learned about his waiver using Google which brought me here..we're expexiting a baby soon like 2 weeks before the interview and I work in Kuwait but want to bring my wife and child back to the usa. Thanks

2/18/2019 12:06:13 pm

Thanks for reaching out. We would be happy to speak with you about your options.

They may have asked for the medical exam to be delayed because of the travel ban. We would have to review what they said exactly to advise.

Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

sammy

3/14/2019 01:06:02 am

have been in administrative processing for 1 year passport from iran married a us citizen when i enail montreal consulate they always send same generic mesage that case still administrative processing what can i do.

Roya

12/5/2019 10:51:12 am

Hi Sammy,

I hope you are doing well. I had an interview in Montreal and wanted to know if you have received your green card and how long it did take if the answer is yes.

Thank you very much,
Roya

Naheed link

3/14/2019 06:38:26 am

My brother had his interviewed on January 2018 and because of president trump new law for Iran and other countries his case it’s pending. They asked him to give them all his what’s app instergram email address and his phone number to them . I have been contacting them several times it’s 1 year and no answer yet . What should I do from now on ?
Thanks for your help ,

Saro ita

3/28/2019 11:42:58 pm

Hello,

I won the dv lottery on 2018 and i am syrian and my husband is lebanese . We had our interview on 06/2018 and we got rejected because of the travel ban and in september the embassy call us to told us that our visa is approved but after 2 days they recall and told us that we cannot give you the visa because i am syrian!!!!
I know the deadline is finished at the end of September 2018
My question is i will get the lebanese nationality from my husband soon can i make Anything to reconsider my visa after the deadline has passed ??

4/8/2019 12:18:42 pm

Diversity Lottery program has strict timelines and requirements. If you applied for the 2018 lottery, if you did not receive a final approval by the September 2018 deadline, unfortunately, the case is now closed.

Sammy

4/6/2019 04:31:02 am

I have been in administrative processing for 1 year and 1 month my passport is from iran i am married 3 years to a us citizen living in canada. When i email montreal consulate they always send me same generic mesage that my case still in administrative processing what can i do.thank you.

4/8/2019 12:16:44 pm

Sorry to hear about your situation. At this point, you have a right to file a lawsuit against the government for delaying the case. It is called a Mandamus Action.

However, I would not file a lawsuit if you do not have a strong waiver case. It all depends on the facts of your case. We should discuss in more detail.

Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

fatima

4/14/2019 07:16:48 pm

Is getting a waiver possible? My fiance is from one of the countries affected by the ban.

4/15/2019 11:52:25 am

Yes, getting a waiver is possible, but it is a difficult and lengthy process.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Shahab Taheri

4/16/2019 09:27:41 pm

Hi, My father had an interview for E-2 visa in Feb 2018 and his case has been processing since. My mother is here running a restaurant under E-2 visa. My father has been going back and forth between Iran and US since 2013 with no problem but now his case been processing for more than a year because of the travel ban. We have contacted the US embassy in Dubai multiple times but we receive the same response that the case is still under administrative processing. Is there any we can do for him to get the visa? Thank you!

4/17/2019 12:28:37 pm

Now that a year has passed since his interview, your father should considering filing a lawsuit to get an answer from the embassy.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Parnaz

4/22/2019 07:21:34 pm

Hi, NVC has sent an email regarding my mom's family-based immigration visa on Jan2019 so that online CEAC to be submitted with DS-260s (for my mom and dad) and petitioner support documents (my mom's sister) to schedule an interview in Abu Dhabi. With knowing the travel ban for Iranian citizenships (my mom and her sister are from Iran), my question is that whether there is possibility of success for her interview in Abu dhabi or you recommend to get hold of this process for a while? from CEAC online account, I can see that there is expiration date of 4-30-2019 for ds-260 forms. What to do if time pass the expiration date before submitting the forms? Many Thanks.

4/23/2019 04:34:19 pm

Hello Parnaz,

Let's speak in detail about your mother's options. The timing and strategies depend on your individual case. Please book a 30-minute appointment here: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Kavoos link

4/30/2019 08:58:23 am

Hi...
My wife and I are Iranians. I am a lawful permanent resident of USA and I petitioned for my wife about 2.5 years ago. Her interview was in April 2019 where she was told they are going to apply wavier for her and take at least 6 moths for this process. Her interview was in US embassy in Abu Dhabi. What should I do now? Does it really take 6 months?

5/3/2019 01:31:48 pm

It can take a lot longer than 6 months as well. Administrative processing has no timeline. There are strategies involved when following up and asking them to process your case.

Let's speak in detail about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment here: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

ROYA

5/18/2019 07:56:33 am

Hello,
I had an interview for K1 couple of days ago. They rejected my visa and they said I am not qualified for wavier either. Their reason for not quilifying for wavier were : I am not PR of Canada, I dont have immediate family, and I do t have a job offer. Officer did not let me ask more question or discuss my case. She said I already taking so much of their time, it was all over the news and I should have not even applied. And kept saying we are done here we are dome here. They did not look at any of my documents, did not take any proof of relatioship. They did not look at our support form neither taking any support documents. Me and my fiance both did PHD. I am Iranisn but he is originaly born in Usa with british and Irish background. I told to him and his parents we need lawyer but it was not easy convincing them because it was hard for them to accept they will not give me visa because of my nationality. They never met any Iranians before me. From my point of view I should be in the national Interest. I studied in Asia, middle east, Europe and now I am doing a postdoc in Canada. We have been together 4 years and my name is all around internet in different universities showing cleary I am not a threat to USA. I found my interview very unjustice, unfair and not acceptable. I do not want to go to USA anymore and never. I am just wondering is there a way to sue them for mistreating, being rude, taking our time, our money and acting they do not care all they asked me why I was in many countires and I said for study but she kept asking for every country. They did not interviw me for the purpose of visa . They did not look at any of my documents, and they did not treate me properly
Please let me know.

6/21/2019 12:13:39 pm

So sorry to hear this. We should definitely talk. National interest is not just about how you can contribute to the United States. They are more looking for your connections (either family, work or business) with the United States.

Let's discuss. Please book an appointment here: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Sogol

5/19/2019 12:09:55 am

Hi,

I am filing I-130 for my parents, which consular would be the best choice among others for Iranians based on your experience?

6/21/2019 12:15:07 pm

Depends. They are all good, but Ankara has a better history of answering emails or inquiries via their contact page.

Mohammed

5/19/2019 01:39:31 pm

Hi,

I’m a Saudi national and I’m work in US under L1 visa. My wife is a Yemeni and my daughter is Saudi. Currently, my family are in Saudi Arabia and I want to apply L2 visa for them. I know that Yemen national are under the travel ban for B1/ B2 visa.
Is the travel ban is applicable for L2 visa and what is the chances to get it approved?
In case the visa request for my wife is rejected or pur under administrative process, is there any chances that I might be denied from entering US although I have a valid L1 visa?
Thanks fir your help

FAAZ

6/7/2019 11:55:34 am

I am in a similar situation and would like to know if the travel ban is applicable to L2 visas or not.

6/25/2019 04:19:02 pm

Faaz - Depends on what country the applicant is from. Some countries have restrictions on all nonimmigrant visas, while others do not.

8/24/2019 10:21:48 pm

She is from Libya.

6/25/2019 04:18:10 pm

For Yemeni nationals, only B1/B2 nonimmigrant visas and immigrant visas are subject to the travel ban. For L2 visa (which is a nonimmigrant visa), the travel ban would not apply.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

arash

6/21/2019 11:57:29 am

Hi, My name is Arash, I have a mom who is a winner of visa lottery, she has two brothers in CA, they are citizen and they told us they would support her to get her visa, in this case we acknowledge that Iranian need waiver letter to prove their self as some one who has 3 condition so, can you help us about provide her waiver?
thank you for your time.

6/21/2019 12:16:05 pm

We are happy to help! The fact that your mother has close family in the United States will be beneficial for her case.

Let's discuss. Please book an appointment here: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Bahar

6/21/2019 01:15:23 pm

Hi, I am from Syria, and I was selected in the DV-2019 lottery.
I have completed my DS-260 forms and all other required documents and got confirmation from KCC. Now I am waiting for my interview which hopefully will be scheduled in July 2019.
What are the possibilities to get a waiver and should I prepare any waiver package during the interview, knowing that I am living with my family in UAE.

6/25/2019 04:20:48 pm

The main issue with diversity lottery cases is that the embassy is not able to process the waiver evaluation and background check before the September 30th cut-off date. Both those processes take an extensive period of time.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Ali saleh

6/27/2019 11:32:05 pm

May family had interview in Djibouti and they get waiver but the ceac status still refuse

6/28/2019 11:26:42 am

Communicate with the embassy to ask about the status you see online. Sometimes the status means refused under the travel ban, but if they received a waiver they are still OK. Verify with the embassy to get the most up-to-date information.

6/28/2019 06:05:40 pm

thank you for your reply III email the employee if I hear anything new III POST it here also if any one had same issue please post it here thank you

Carollyn Valeriano

6/30/2019 10:19:14 pm

Im a us citizen got married 2 months ago i just want to know if i can petition my husband he's from iran

7/1/2019 12:46:07 pm

Hi Carollyn, yes you can apply, but he will be subject to the travel ban if he is outside of the country. If he is in the United States, the travel ban does not apply.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Carollyn

7/1/2019 01:39:47 pm

My husband is not here in united states he lives in iran but i am planning to petition him what should i do

S S

7/3/2019 08:53:37 pm

Do you advise dual citizens to apply for green cards for their parents with the current travel ban or shall we postpone for now?

7/5/2019 12:30:16 pm

Dual citizenship of the sponsor does not affect the applicant's changes for getting a travel ban waiver. If the applicants themselves are dual citizens and they apply under their non-banned-country passport, they would be exempted from the travel ban.

Whether now is a good time to apply or later depends on the circumstances of your case and your parents. Happy to speak with you about your options.

Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

We look forward to helping you reach your immigration success!

Hamid Hajivandi

7/10/2019 01:55:46 pm

I am 66 years old. I have a lawyer. He suggested I may want to talk to you if you have specialized knowledge regarding getting a waiver for my wife. I am a US citizen and my wife is Iranian. She went to her interview in Abu Dhabi over a year ago. Her visa was denied because of the Presidential Proclamation. At the time they said they were considering a waiver and the three bases for an exception - hardship to me, national security and national interest. I have sent evidence of undue hardship to me. I assume they have completed background checks. I am a successful business man employing 20 people, so it's in the national interest for me to stay here rather that reinvest my wealth in say, Iran. Since the interview I suffered grave physical injury and if my wife were here, she would be a great consolation. I am presently unable to travel so our situation is definitely undue hardship! My lawyer has done what he can and I want to make sure everything possible is done to get my wife here. I would like to arrange to speak with you. 210 316 6666. Hamid,

7/11/2019 11:30:13 am

Hello Mr. Hajivandi,

Happy to speak with you more about your options for the travel ban. There are some specific strategies that you can use now that a year has passed since your wife's interview.

Let's speak in detail. Please book an appointment here: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Shadi Khoja

7/21/2019 02:58:00 pm

I’m DV2019 winner and my interview is scheduled for 6th of Aug. I hold a Syrian passport only. I live in UAE since 2001. I was traveling to Syria regularly, however, I haven’t been there since 2011 as I have genuine fear to travel over there.

How do I apply for the waiver for my wife, 4 kids and myself???

Regards and Thanks

B. Sy

9/17/2019 12:04:05 pm

Hi, can I know if you got the visa ?

Mahsa

7/25/2019 10:08:59 am

Dear Najmeh,
I’m an Iranian/Canadian and I have been approved for EB1a but put under administrative processing for almost 12 months. My interview was on August 17th 2018 in Montreal consulate.
Thank you in advance.

7/25/2019 03:08:10 pm

Sorry to hear that you have been under administrative processing. Background checks are a normal part of the process, especially for Iranians. However, yours has been extensive. You have the option to file a lawsuit to demand that they provide an answer.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Farzad

11/5/2019 02:28:08 am

I’m Iranian and a Canadian permanent resident. I have been approved for EB2 but put under administrative processing for almost 24 months. My interview was on Nov. 22th 2017 in Montreal consulate.

12/5/2019 09:21:31 am

Can anybody please let me know how long it will approximately take to get green card after interview in Montreal consulate as a Canadian/Iranian? Thanks for your info.

12/9/2019 09:23:54 am

Hi Farzad,

Hope you are doing well. Have you received you visa?

Thanks,
Roya

12/5/2019 10:43:18 am

Hi Mahsa,

Hope you are doing well. I am in the same situation as you. Have you received your green card?

Thanks,
Roya

Mahyar

8/10/2019 07:29:42 pm

I have an interview in Yerevan Armenia on August 15th 2019. for F2B. My mother (petitioner) has medical condition which my support can hugely help her. Do I need to prepare waiver letter and documents for the embassy? How does an officer in Yerevan evaluate for waiver?
Thanks for your help.

8/12/2019 03:29:51 pm

All Iranian applicants need to qualify for a waiver to be able to get a final approval. You have some options in how you submit evidence and how to prove your case.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Bas

8/13/2019 12:04:22 am

Hi,

I have a dual nationality Cyprus/Yemen; I have got my Cypriot nationality through investment; I have applied as a Cypriot National and provided a very strong links of residence; however, I was refused a visa after providing additional information the next day; the visa refusal was under 212 (f).

As I understand that dual nationals shouldn’t be rejected; plz advice if I’m able to appeal this decision or do I need to apply again and explain the matter ?

Appreciate your help.

8/14/2019 12:24:14 pm

Sorry to hear this has happened. Dual national are not subject to the travel ban. Therefore, if the case was rejected on the basis of the travel ban solely, we can definitely ask them to reopen.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Brittney

8/14/2019 04:37:46 am

Hi! My name is Brittney. I'm American and my husband is Iranian. We both live in Romania but we want to move to the US next year after he graduates. Should we start applying for the Green card now? How long will it take to get approved with the whole travel ban thing going on? Is it wise to start now, or wait? I want an honest answer. Thank you so much!

8/14/2019 12:25:52 pm

With current processing times and the travel ban, cases are taking a bit of time. Therefore, the sooner you start, the better. We have to determine whether you are qualified to apply now though.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Megan

8/28/2019 11:42:54 am

Dear Najmeh,
Im an iranian girl having an American fiancé. I dont have any close family members in US except him. Do you think is it possible to get visa for me after marriage? Did u have any similar cases?
Thank you in advance

8/28/2019 12:57:23 pm

Hello Megan,

Yes, you can definitely apply for a fiance or marriage visa. There are some important strategies that you will have to use for the waiver and with following up with the embassy after your interview which will help the chances of your case.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Rhonda

3/1/2020 10:29:37 am

Hello my name is Rhonda and my fiance is from Nigeria. Which by February 22nd 2020 there was a ban put on that country. His K-1 visa has been going on for over a year now. We received a email in January saying they wanted to know why his joint supporter was willing to help. (Which is my sister) Both my sister and him sent in the letter to the Embassy. He was told he would have a decision in 5 working days. That has been over a month now. He send a email asking about the delay and not one has answered him. What should we do now?

8/30/2019 11:01:03 pm

Dear Najmeh,
Im an iranian girl having an American fiancé. I dont have close family members in US except him. Do you think is it possible to get visa for me after marriage?

9/3/2019 12:26:29 pm

Definitely possible. Depending on the type of waiver evidence we can provide your chances can vary. Depends on the individual facts of your case.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Abdullah alshawdhabi

9/1/2019 09:56:26 pm

I am originally from Yemen I became us citizen but I have two kids 9 years old boy and 6 years old daughter I am willing to bring them here to America so they can live with me and go to school due the civil war in Yemen.
Will you guys able to help me to get them here? I really miss them alot.
Thank you

9/3/2019 12:27:29 pm

Yes, we can definitely help with that. Depending on a few factors, they might be considered American citizens already.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

HANY NOOR

9/11/2019 04:04:51 pm

Hi
I'm from Libya we are foreign company and we have branch in USA for 3 years so Im the CEO of the company and I want apply for L1A VISA is it possible ?

best regards

Adeeb

9/16/2019 03:40:16 pm

Hi
my wife was interviewed on August 8 they told her everything thing was good they kept her passport and told her to come back on the 19 to pick up the visa she want back on the 19 and they won’t let her in because she don’t have a appointment or email from the U.S. Embassy
after the interview the status of the case changed to administrative processing a week after that the status changed to ready for interview and she already had in interview the status has not been changed or updated since August 16 I don’t know what to do

9/17/2019 11:57:20 am

Sorry to hear that this happened. Let's speak in more detail to discuss strategies. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Bita

10/19/2019 11:30:50 am

Hello
I am a DV lottery winner for 2019 and I had been scheduled for interview in US embassy in Ankara. My five year old son and I received visa but my husband did not.
Is there anyway to do something for my husband that he can join us later in US? And if there is a way, how long it will take?
Regards,
Bita

Ali

10/26/2019 11:51:32 am

Hello dear reviewer,

I am a US citizen, and I am trying to apply to bring my fiance and my father to the US respectively. However, they live in Iran. That said, regarding Presidential Proclamation 9645 (P.P), the travel ban law, can or should I go ahead and apply? Also, if I applied, would I get the application fee back if it got rejected?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Faye

11/1/2019 01:00:10 pm

Hi, I am a US citizen and just applied for green card for my mom who is a senior citizen. The situation under the travel ban is very confusing. If no Iranian can get a visa, unless falls in one of the 3 waiver categories, does that mean my mom has to have waiver request and supporting document ready for her interview? There is no information on the USCIS regarding waiver request, no form, not any list of supporting document. Also, what is the approximate timeline for interview after I-130 is received and what are the chances to obtain green card visa for a parent.?

Sahar

11/17/2019 11:19:11 am

Hello,I am ready to submit document and I-30 for my mom.Currently she resides in UAE but holds an iranian passport. Her visitor visa has been refused due to travel ban in 2018. However,she was told she can apply again in 6 months.I was wondering if it is better for me to wait until the end of Trump presidency (hopfully next Nov)?I understand that there is no guaranty on political changes
but I was just wondering what would be your recommendation?

Sahar Javaheri

12/5/2019 10:14:59 am

Any comments?

2/11/2020 11:35:58 am

Tourist visas are really difficult to obtain with the travel ban. You have to have an urgent need. If you can prove an urgent reason for her travel, it could work to apply now.

I would have to speak with you in more detail to determine what strategy is best. Happy to help.

Chimezie

2/2/2020 11:13:51 am

I am a citizen of one of those countries recently banned which will take effect from 21 February 2020. My wife is a US citizen
In September 2019, our fiance visa was rejected. We got married right away and refilled in November 2019.
Bow our case is processing and this ban comes into effect , what do we do now please?

What is our chances of getting approved?

2/11/2020 11:33:46 am

With the travel ban in place, your wife will have to qualify for a waiver before she is able to get the final approval. They evaluate the waiver chances at the embassy interview.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Jim

2/11/2020 06:47:59 am

Hi,
I have just become a USA citizen. I applied for my wife’s I-130 last year April. My wife lives in Nigeria. Last week, I received USCIS notice that our application has been transferred from the California processing office to Vermont processing office for jurisdictional reasons. This put me in a positive mood; at least something is being done about it. But hearing about the new ban policy, I don’t feel good about my application anymore. Could you please tell me how the ban will affect our fate or processing time considering we applied about a year ago?

Would we need to apply for a waiver as well?

Thank You

2/11/2020 11:33:02 am

Sultan

2/13/2020 09:09:53 am

Hi Najmeh,

I have a question for you. Can unmarried children under the age of 21 accompany their mother to the United States at the same time after the mothers i-130 petition approval?

Thank you for your help

2/20/2020 12:12:21 pm

Cannot say without evaluating the case further.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Lucy

2/19/2020 11:24:38 pm

I filled for my 6 years old son in Nigeria but still waiting for response from USCIS what can I do with trump travel ban

Info@ImmigraTrust.com

2/20/2020 12:11:18 pm

Hi Lucy,

Your son will have to qualify for a waiver under the travel ban, which comes up at the embassy interview stage.

Happy to speak with you about your options. Please book a 30-minute appointment on our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Dahm

6/8/2020 11:50:53 am

Hi i'm a dv2020 winner i'm from somalia and my passport is somali but i was born in saudi arabia and lived all my life here so my country of chargebility is saudi arabia and my case number begins with Asia. My question is since somalia is banned does that mean i will not get a visa or do they cosider my birth place?

Lumi

6/10/2020 05:38:40 pm

I’m a Nigerian and my petitions has been approved, is there any possibility that the travel ban affect the process of accessing the NVC

6/16/2020 01:11:26 pm

Hello, you can start the National Visa Center process, but you will be subject to the travel ban and waiver evaluation before being able to get the final approval.

Setareh

6/25/2020 08:56:45 am

Hi,

My husband is an Australian citizen and is going to apply for the E-3 visa (Australian Professional Specialty Visas). I am Iranian and still waiting for my Australian citizenship ceremony (it might take up to 6 months).

-Would I be subjected to the travel ban on E-3D visa?

-Would it be easier/faster for me to apply for this visa when I get my Australian passport?

Thank you

8/15/2020 03:19:18 am

Hi! I’m wondering what is the best consulate to apply for the interview? I have to put something on my application and I was wondering, is Dubai better? Or is somewhere in Europe? We live in Europe right now ( my Iranian husband, I’m American ) .. we are supposed to love to Spain within a few months IF we get approved of the visa. Should I put Spain on the application for the interview or Dubai? Which do you think will help us more or does it matter? I read somewhere that Naples Vienna Dubai and turkey and Armenia is good but I don’t know... please help thanks!

8/17/2020 03:04:50 pm

You can request the nearest embassy in Europe, and if you both have residency or right to be there right now, they may grant that request. Otherwise, they will choose one of the usual three embassies that Iranians use.

8/17/2020 04:29:01 pm

Thank you! What are the three embassies that Iranians usually use?

8/17/2020 11:47:31 am

I'm an international student in Canada and my husband is a Canadian citizen. He just went to the US on NAFTA professional via. I have applied online as a TD spouse to join him later. However, the waiting time for the interview is too long for my visa type. On the other hand, I have been to the us last year on a J1 visa as an exchange visitor (industrial intern). So, I reported nearly the same info with supporting documents along my J1 application before. I'm also applying from the same location. I was wondering if there is any way to either waive the appointment or request for expedited appointment.

Thanks,

Shahin

9/8/2020 05:20:12 pm

Greetings.
I'm an Iranian and my wife is a US citizen. We have been married for more than five years. I had my interview on December 2018. The officer who interviewed me told me that my case is interesting and if it wouldn't be for presidential proclamation travel ban, She would take my passport for issuing IR1 visa. So she put me on eligibility for waiver and my case has been under Administrative Processing since that time. We even contacted a senator's office of her state too. But still there's no updates and the last update on CEAC was for December 2019 and the IV status check on the US embassy last updated was on 11 March 2020 and still indicates 212(f)w. We both are 34 and my wife is also a health care worker too. I would be so grateful if you can guide me about what I can do on this stage. Thank you.

9/11/2020 12:13:48 pm

Sorry to hear about your situation. This is unfortunately very common at the embassy. Depending on what happened at the interview and the type of follow-up you have been able to do thus far, you have some options for getting a final result. You should not have to wait this long!

Would be happy to help with your case. Let's speak in more detail. You can book a consultation via our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

Saman

9/22/2020 05:58:37 am

Hello,

I'm dv 2021 winner and I'm single , I'm still preparing my forms for KCC but due to pp ban I'm afraid that I have no chance for Visa in my interview , also I have full military service record (very low rank in sepah) still Im afraid of more than 6 months background check since it will terminate my case if it passes September 2021 (fiscal year ends) , due to my case number im expecting my interview to be in around 8 months so background check will result of failing my case ...

Is there anything that I could do to have shorter background check? Or even use waiver? (My aunt and cousin are US citizens and also I have I-134 form from close family friends who are living in california)

Thanks!

9/22/2020 04:42:57 pm

Thanks for reaching out. Your case requires very specific treatment and cannot be answered on this public comment section.

Please consider speaking with an immigration attorney as soon as you can. We are happy to help. You can book a consultation via our website: https://www.immigratrust.com/book-online.html.

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