Packets

[Gomez 3]

Can someone please explain the difference between the two?

Thx

[William33 110]

Packet 3 Contains the documents that are used to process through the Embassy or Consulate. They will be sent to your Fiance, once you clear NVC and the Embassy gets the green light.

Packet 4 is the one issued for the point of entry (POE). Also supplied by the Embassy, and not to be opened by anyone other than the Immigration Officer at POE. Guard it with your life!!!

Can someone please explain the difference between the two?

Thx

[Gomez 3]

Thank you ...Found what i needed, Thank for the reply though

[William33 110]

Although controversial as he!!, I started a thread about documents and certificates, required and/or contained in packet 3, that can be completed or gathered in advance.

Before the flames begin, ALL Embassies vary. You should consult with someone recently processed through the PI, for specific requirements.

There are things you can do ahead of time, while waiting for NVC to clear your case and the Embassy, subsequently sending the actual packet.

Good luck Gomez.

[cfosterart 0]

Gomez,

Where did you find information about packets 3 and 4?

[Gomez 3]

Gomez,

Where did you find information about packets 3 and 4?

Some of it here. Careful reading though some does not apply to K1

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/ty...types_1309.html

[Yodrak 7]

Gomez,

Packet 3 might better be called the visa application packet.

Packet 4 might better be called the interview notification packet.

As others have already posted, what's in the two packets can vary from consulate to consulate. In addition to post-specific items to accomodate local concerns, some consulates put all of the forms that will be required in packet 3 while others will hold the forms that are to be brought to the interview for packet 4.

Yodrak

Can someone please explain the difference between the two?

Thx

William,

What is fondly referred to as the Mysterious Brown Envelope is not packet 4.

Yodrak

...

Packet 4 is the one issued for the point of entry (POE). Also supplied by the Embassy, and not to be opened by anyone other than the Immigration Officer at POE. Guard it with your life!!!

[Gomez 3]

Gomez,

Packet 3 might better be called the visa application packet.

Packet 4 might better be called the interview notification packet.

As others have already posted, what's in the two packets can vary from consulate to consulate. In addition to post-specific items to accomodate local concerns, some consulates put all of the forms that will be required in packet 3 while others will hold the forms that are to be brought to the interview for packet 4.

Yodrak

Can someone please explain the difference between the two?

Thx

another question, when do you get the affidavit of support and where does it go from there?

THX

[Yodrak 7]

Gomez,

The I-134 will typically be in either packet 3 or packet 4, along with an instructional form OF-167 or DS-2000 entitled something like Evidence That May Be Presented To Meet The Public Charge Provisions Of The Law. If you don't find these documents in either packet, Google will help you find them on the web.

The visa applicant takes the financial support documents to the interview. Or, if you don't want your fiancee to see your financial info (some people don't!) you can send the financial materials directly to the consulate.

Yodrak

another question, when do you get the affidavit of support and where does it go from there?

THX

Edited July 7, 2006 by Yodrak

[Gomez 3]

Gomez,

The I-134 will typically be in either packet 3 or packet 4, along with an instructional form OF-167 or DS-2000 entitled something like Evidence That May Be Presented To Meet The Public Charge Provisions Of The Law. If you don't find these documents in either packet, Google will help you find them on the web.

The visa applicant takes the financial support documents to the interview. Or, if you don't want your fiancee to see your financial info (some people don't!) you can send the financial materials directly to the consulate.

Yodrak

another question, when do you get the affidavit of support and where does it go from there?

THX

Thank You

[William33 110]

Yodrak,

You appear to be an experienced player in this process. But, as you stated, all Embassies and Consulates vary. Your advice is often applicable and very much appreciated.

With that said,

Perhaps there should be a sticky thread on individual country based requirements, as your outline does not apply to Indonesia, in any way, shape or form.

Thoughts?

Gomez,

The I-134 will typically be in either packet 3 or packet 4, along with an instructional form OF-167 or DS-2000 entitled something like Evidence That May Be Presented To Meet The Public Charge Provisions Of The Law. If you don't find these documents in either packet, Google will help you find them on the web.

The visa applicant takes the financial support documents to the interview. Or, if you don't want your fiancee to see your financial info (some people don't!) you can send the financial materials directly to the consulate.

Yodrak

another question, when do you get the affidavit of support and where does it go from there?

THX

[seldi 1]

I read somewhere that some embassies send you packet 3 before your petition is approved or before it arrives at their office. Since this is not the case for all Embassies, I did a little research and found out that indeed, the Argentina Embassy can send packet 3 before the petition is approved, as stated on their FAQ page:

You may begin to apply for the fiance(é) visa before the approval of your petition by requesting from this office a packet of forms and instructions referred to as "packet 3". Please note that if for any reason your I-129F petition is not approved, this office cannot refund or reimburse funds spent in obtaining your documents.

So my fiance e-mailed them requesting packet 3. They were not only rude to him, but not very helpful. They refused to send it until the approved petition arrived at the embassy. That's fine with us, we have no problem with waiting. I'm just a little irritated. I hate it when they tell you one thing, and then contradict themselves.

I guess we'll just have to wait until it gets to the embassy...which is what we were going to do anyway if they didn't state the above on their FAQ page.

[Yodrak 7]

William,

Several thoughts.

- There are so many IV-issuing posts that a single sticky thread covering all, or multiple sticky threads covering each, would probably be unmanageable.

- There are the Regional Disucussion forums, where there are some post-specific threads, but my sense is that few people go to those forums for post-specific questions or information.

- It would be useful if, when people ask post-specific questions, responders would provide answers specific to that post, or provide a generic answer that addresses the issue if not the specifics for the post, or point that the answer they are providing is specific to a different post and may or may not apply to the post of interest. (Gomez did not explicitly ask for post-specific information, but a more than superficial answer to his question would have to be post-specific.)

- Post your suggestion for the sticky thread in the Site Related Discussion forum.

With regard to K-visa procedure in Indonesia - does the consulate there give a prospective K-visa applicant an interview date at the same time that they send them the application materials? Or do they send the application materials and then separately send notice of the interview after the person has submitted their application? If the latter, you are saying that the interview notification is not referred to as packet 4 by the consulate in Indonesia? That is how VJ 'defines' packet 4. (And I note that Gomez, whose question began this thread, is dealing with the consulate in the Philippines not Indonesia.)

Lastly, do you know what packets 3 and 4 were back in the days when the packet system existed? I do not, but would be interested to know more about it.

Yodrak

Yodrak,

You appear to be an experienced player in this process. But, as you stated, all Embassies and Consulates vary. Your advice is often applicable and very much appreciated.

With that said,

Perhaps there should be a sticky thread on individual country based requirements, as your outline does not apply to Indonesia, in any way, shape or form.

Thoughts?

Edited July 7, 2006 by Yodrak

[vartan 0]

This is pretty close to the topic so I thought I would throw it here.. Anyone know how important it is to keep an exact copy of what you sent in for your I-129F to give to the embassy.. Cause I have most of it photocopied but some photos I just sent the originals (I know stupid) So I don't have it exact and unfortunately when I was traveling back home to get them filled out (taiwan) When I got back to the states the papers were all out of order like a baggage guy went through it.

[Yodrak 7]

grismar,

That FAQ appears to be out of date. The process that you describe, of sending in the visa application prior to the consulate receiving the approved petition, was called opening a provisional file. It was acceptable practice at some (many?) consulates but was ordered discontinued by Powell several years ago.

Yodrak

I read somewhere that some embassies send you packet 3 before your petition is approved or before it arrives at their office. Since this is not the case for all Embassies, I did a little research and found out that indeed, the Argentina Embassy can send packet 3 before the petition is approved, as stated on their FAQ page:

You may begin to apply for the fiance(é) visa before the approval of your petition by requesting from this office a packet of forms and instructions referred to as "packet 3". Please note that if for any reason your I-129F petition is not approved, this office cannot refund or reimburse funds spent in obtaining your documents.

So my fiance e-mailed them requesting packet 3. They were not only rude to him, but not very helpful. They refused to send it until the approved petition arrived at the embassy. That's fine with us, we have no problem with waiting. I'm just a little irritated. I hate it when they tell you one thing, and then contradict themselves.

I guess we'll just have to wait until it gets to the embassy...which is what we were going to do anyway if they didn't state the above on their FAQ page.

vartan,

Not important at all. The consulate has the case file, they have no interest in a copy of the petition submission package. They might have an interest in seeing the 'original' of any photocopied documents that you submitted with the petition, to spot-check the validity of the photocopies.

Your fiance(e) might have an interest in having a copy of your I-129f submission to know what information you provided - she may be asked some of the same questions at her interview, and will want to be able to provide consistent answers.

Yodrak

This is pretty close to the topic so I thought I would throw it here.. Anyone know how important it is to keep an exact copy of what you sent in for your I-129F to give to the embassy.. Cause I have most of it photocopied but some photos I just sent the originals (I know stupid) So I don't have it exact and unfortunately when I was traveling back home to get them filled out (taiwan) When I got back to the states the papers were all out of order like a baggage guy went through it.

Edited July 7, 2006 by Yodrak