Just a suggestion to those with long processing times:
If you are sure there is no issue with your background/security check, you may wanna try to find a phone number or some kind of contact with the agency and try to see if you can talk to the person who works on your file. If you were successful then try to explain for the person your situation in a logical way that you have been waiting for more than (for example) 18 months and this is truly affecting your personal life and marriage and so on.
I have never tried it myself for this case but I have been able to convince many officers to expedite or waive some requirements due to issues beyond my control, examples:
- Talked to the officer with the US Dept of state who was working on my US visa clearance,
- Talked to Swedish immigration officer for a friend's student visa approval that was delayed and he was going to miss his admission. She promised to approve it ASAP and on a same day approval was sent to their embassy in Tehran,
- Issue with wife's file
and so on.
I gave you these examples to say everything is possible if you approach it in a right manner. Remember none of these officers have anything against you, so they are not delaying or stopping your process. But if you can convince him/her about your true situation they may consider to treat your case differently. The important point is that how you talk to that person and remember he does not owe you anything and you are just asking for a favor. If he said no, then try to explain more details from another angle. And finally if he says no, then you have done everything you could, right?
I strongly advise to those with around 1 year time frame not to try this, because if you ever expecting that the process to be done that fast then you have set your expectations for failure. Those with 18 months and more may want to take this road. But remember missing your love one is not their problem and is not a genuine issue. Talk about how your marriage is affected, how your life plans are ruined and how you are left in a limbo of an endless process. Pls do not make up stories.
I by no means say this will work but it may help, who knows. Most of these people are nice human beings and values like family and life is important for them, so I would be surprised if he/she can do something and refuses. You would be surprised to know that they do not receive too many of these phone calls, so it may work. But it's just my opinion.
God helps all of us.
Ya Ali