More visa issues

The FBI gives you the right to check on the status of the background report after they have it for five weeks.  I decided to check after six weeks.  To check, you need the Express Mail number since this is the number the FBI uses to track the requests.  I wrote an email and received a reply within a few hours that they had no record of the request as yet, but that they were taking between 12 and 14 weeks to process the applications.  Our application was sent on February 11, but did not arrive at the FBI office until February 18, despite having paid for Express Mail.  I did have the confirmation that the FBI office had signed for it and the name of the person who signed.

Over the weekend, I began to get nervous about the FBI report required for our Belgian visa.  I decided to call the Church travel department.  When I called the Church travel department, they indicated that the FBI had told them that they were just beginning to process applications that they had received in early January.  They recommended that we use a private channeling service.  There are about 10 approved by the FBI and the Church had arranged for discounts with one of the services.  Today, we went to Washington County and had our fingerprints taken today and sent them Express Mail to the company in Chicago.  With a little luck, we might get the results next week and that could allow our visas to be processed.  We are keeping our fingers crossed (and praying, of course).