Time Savers for NVC, plus Knowing your Case #

[shirleyjeremy 0]

I think the instructions for creating the barcode Cover Sheet for the I-864 and DS-230 need a little "tweeking" since the end result does not match that produced by NVC.

The "problem" lies in the readjustment/resizing in the last step using Word for Windows wordprocessor.

Hi guys,

I have a question:

We are going for the CR-1. Jame's shortcuts (generating the bar code) is in regard to appointing the Agent of Choice, right? So if we email NVC about appointing our Agent of Choice, we don't have to generate the bar code and can pretty much neglect the actual DS-3032, right?

i am using the short cuts for the 2nd time first my wife now with my daughter. I just emailed my choice of agent last wen and they have already sent me a email telling me it was fine i never sent the actual form in.

jeremy

I know what you mean they do not look the same but I used it twice and they never said a thing. I dont think they like the fact people make there own forms but they dont really care.

[magicfly99 0]

Could someone confirm the following address is current? It's different from the scanned documents

National Visa Center

P.O. Box 790135

St. Louis, MO 63179-0135

[beameup 0]

Could someone confirm the following address is current? It's different from the scanned documents

National Visa Center

P.O. Box 790135

St. Louis, MO 63179-0135

That is the address where you send the PAYMENTS using money orders or bank checks, ie: "the bank".

The NVC in New Hampshire is where they do the actual reviewing of the documents.

[James 2]

I think the instructions for creating the barcode Cover Sheet for the I-864 and DS-230 need a little "tweeking" since the end result does not match that produced by NVC.

The "problem" lies in the readjustment/resizing in the last step using Word for Windows wordprocessor.

It may be time for version 1.2. Can you (or someone else) post a more recent I-864 and DS-230 coversheet? I could then figure out what the proper tweaks should be when resizing the barcode in Word. It's a non-fatal problem, but it would be nice to match it up perfectly.

Also, the shortcuts need to be tweaked to reflect the "problem" with the barcode generator now appending the name of the company whose site runs the generator. I'm not sure if it would be better to include instructions on how to graphically edit the name out or to find another barcode generator (which would probably require a complete overhaul to the barcode instructions).

I'm guessing, though, that people may have actually sent stuff into NVC with the idautomation name attached and it didn't create a problem. NVC has long been aware that we're "self-generating" and apparently doesn't care since what (if any) small idiosyncrasies there may be in the self-generated stuff doesn't create problems for them.

[Erica 0]

James,

I've been generating barcodes all day to prepare myself, and I'm loving it

So, a BIG thank you! I'm hoping for an extra speedy NVC process

Concerning the "problem" you mentioned:

What I do is save the generated barcode as a bmp on my computer. It then lets me edit it in MS paint, where I basically white out the company logo. Just a brush and some white paint will do the trick

[magicfly99 0]

I've sent the AOS bill to St. Louis Office on April 17th using overnight express. However, when i called the NVC automation numbers and the bill has not been processed yet. It's over a week now. Should I be worry? NVC also has already generated. What should I do?

[cheermeup 0]

hello..!what is that barcode for?where can we get that?

[James 2]

hello..!what is that barcode for?where can we get that?

Uh, unless you collect barcodes as a hobby, the NVC case number barcodes would not be of much interest to you because such case numbers are assigned to CR-1/IR-1 visa applicants, not those seeking K-1 (or K-3) visas.

[cheermeup 0]

oh okay...thanx a lot for the clarification...God bless!

[magicfly99 0]

I've sent the AOS bill to St. Louis Office on April 17th using overnight express. However, when i called the NVC automation numbers and the bill has not been processed yet. It's over a week now. Should I be worry? NVC also has already generated. What should I do?

[James 2]

It's been positively confirmed that NVC is now requiring more docs to accompany the DS-230 for certain countries for which only a copy of the passport bio information had been previously required. The US embassies in these countries are being called "Appointment Posts" by NVC, and what's now required is similar to (if not the same as) what has been required for certain countries like Canada, China, and others in North Africa -- including the DS-230 part II.

The additional documents are things like police certificates that may take a considerable amount of time for your beneficiary to round up. Thus, people should have their beneficiary start collecting these things as soon as possible -- probably before you even get an NVC case number assigned, to be on the safe side.

To find out whether NVC is now requiring more for your country, go to http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3176.html Select your embassy post from the drop-down menu and click on Request Instructions. On the page you are "directed" to, click on "Download all the immigrant visa instructions on [standard/Appointment] NVC Processing Post]." If your embassy/country is Standard, you still only have to send in the passport bio page with the DS-230 Part I. If Appointment, however, read the instructions carefully and note that you will have to send in both DS-203 Parts I and II as well as a bunch of additional docs such as birth, marriage, divorce, and police certificates, all of which must be translated into English for the NVC. (Hence, the need for starting early to round these things up!)

Also, NVC has changed the standard DS-230 cover sheet that it sends out when your IV fee bill is in the system and NVC is ready to accept the DS-230. Although the case number and barcode still comprise the operative content in the cover sheet, it is nevertheless different from the one that's currently posted in the shortcuts. A reasonable facsimile of the new coversheet should be posted here sometime soon. If you can't wait, go to this post in the Colombia Club thread for the work in progress. It will probably serve its purposes for the time being.

[James 2]

Here is the current (and probably last) revision to the new DS-230 coversheet: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ost&id=3839

Until the shortcut instructions are tweaked, you will have to do your own tweaking to the size of this new, smaller second barcode they've put at the top when you paste your own in, but it isn't really rocket science.

[James 2]

Here is the latest version of the shortcuts, with updated links and barcode instructions as well as the new NVC DS-230 coversheet and document requirements for certain countries.

James's NVC Shortcuts - Version 2.0

The following NVC shortcuts are obviously not sanctioned by NVC but they have been proven to work without fail if you follow them to the "tee." If you are not good at comprehending instructions and/or English, you are probably better off not using these shortcuts.

A Bit of Background

Anywhere from a week to two weeks after your NOA2 from the USCIS service center (and, on those occasions where NVC has gotten quite backed up, perhaps a week or so more), NVC will assign you a case number. Approximately two weeks after NVC assigns you a case number, it will generate the DS-3032 Choice of Agent form and a $70 bill for the AOS (I-864) fee. You will be able to find out that it has generated the DS-3032 and the AOS fee bill by calling the automated recording (IVR)at NVC first thing on a Tuesday morning. (Updates to the IVR for the generation of forms and fee bills always occurs early Tuesday mornings.)

The DS-3032 and AOS fee bill represent two separate document/fee "tracks" through the NVC that ultimately come together at the end. The first, shorter track involves the AOS/I-864 and can be summed up as follows: you returning the AOS fee bill with the AOS fee to NVC, and NVC generates the AOS/I-864, which you then return to NVC. The second, somewhat longer track involves the immigrant visa application itself. Returning the DS-3032 Choice of Agent form to NVC leads to the generation of the IV (immigrant visa) fee bill. Returning the IV fee bill with the IV fee to NVC leads to the generation of the DS-230 IV application, which you then return to the NVC. Once NVC has completed reviewing both your DS-230 and your I-864, it deems your case processing completed and forwards the case to the embassy.

Because its "track" has one fewer step, the review of the AOS/I-864 is often completed long before the DS-230 has even arrived at the NVC. Thus, using the AOS fee bill and I-864 shortcuts below will, more often than not, not save you any time at all. However, if you anticipate a complicated I-864 situtation and/or if you are RFE prone, it won't hurt to get your I-864 in early. (The early completion of its review will, however, generate an odd kind of RFE -- you will hear the IVR tell you that "some documents are missing or incomplete" and that a "checklist" has been sent. This just means that they still haven't received your DS-230.)

Now let's get back to the meat of the matter and then on to the individual shortcuts.

Once NVC has generated the DS-3032 and the AOS fee bill, the NVC system is immediately ready to accept both of these from you -- that very day, in fact. Therefore, when you find out on that Tuesday morning that the DS-3032 and AOS fee bill have been generated, you can generate both of these on your own and send both of them to NVC that day. The same holds true for the other forms that NVC generates -- the IVR is updated on Tueday mornings if a form has been generated the previous day.

DS-3032

As soon as you receive your NOA2, you should have your spouse download and sign the downloadable version of the DS-3032 (available by clicking HERE) and send it to you. Then, when you find out that NVC has generated your DS-3032, write the case number in the horizontal box that says "Place Case Barcode Strip Here Before Mailing to the National Visa Center." (Whenever you are asked for your case number, ALWAYS put in the three letters with which your case number begins, not just the numbers.) Use dark ink -- a black felt-tip pen would be ideal -- so the case number is legible.

Alternatively -- and this can prove to be excellent practice for the other shortcuts to come -- you can generate a barcode on your own and paste it in the horizontal box that asks for the barcode strip. Go to http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html. Type in the case number under "Data to encode." Under "Barcode symbology," select CODE 39. Select "No" for "Add check digit" and for "Add check digit to text" and select "Yes" for "Show text below barcode." Change the "X dimension" (bar width) to 0.05 and the "Barcode bar height" to 0.5. Click on "Create Barcode." Print out the result from the resulting pop-up window, cut out the barcode and case number below it, and paste it in the horizontal box on the DS-3032.

Send the completed DS-3032 to:

National Visa Center

Attention ACL

32 Rochester Ave.

Portsmouth, NH 03801-2909

AOS fee bill

Because your AOS fee bill is generated at the same time as the DS-3032, you can also create your own AOS fee bill and send it in with the required fee. Download the MS Word copy of the AOS fee bill (available by clicking HERE). Under "Bill date," type in the date the AOS fee bill was generated. Underneath the date, change "XXX2005123456" to your case number. (If you are applying for an IR1 instead of a CR1 make sure to change "CR1" to "IR1" whereever you see it.) Next to "Petitioner's Name," type in your last name, first name, and middle name.

You will need to replace the barcode at the bottom of the page. Again, go to http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html. Select CODE 39. Select "No" for the "Add check digit," "Add check digit to text," and "Show text below barcode" options. Change the X dimension to 0.07 and the Barcode bar height to 0.85. Click on Create Barcode. In the resulting window, right click on the generated barcode and left click on Copy. Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard) and crop out the gray text "Powered by IDAutomation.com (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu). Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Go to the Word copy of the AOS fee bill, select the original barcode, and hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard). The barcode you generated should be in the exact same place as the original one you deleted.

Detach the fee bill at the dotted line (getting rid of the blank top two-thirds of the page). Get a money order or cashier's check payable to Department of State for $70.00, indicate next to "Amount enclosed" on the bill that you are enclosing $70.00, and send the bill and fee to:

National Visa Center

P.O. Box 790135

St. Louis, MO 63179-0135

Don't worry that you are not using the "envelope provided" as indicated on the fee bill. Presumably you are in a hurry here, so you should be sending the bill and money order off in a US Postal Service Express Mail flat mailer (the USPS is the only service that will deliver overnight to a P.O. Box).

I-864

Once the NVC system shows that it has received your AOS fee, it will generate the AOS/I-864 itself. (This may take anywhere from up to a month after you send the fee in.) Note, however, that neither the processing of the AOS fee nor the generation of the I-864 is reflected on the IVR -- you actually have to ask an operator. (An operator can be reached by pressing 1 and then 5 after dialing NVC.) The I-864 is almost always generated the Monday after the AOS fee has been processed. So if it is, for example, a Wednesday, and the operator tells you that your AOS fee was processed that same day, you know that your I-864 will almost assuredly be generated on the following Monday. Check that Monday to make sure that it has in fact been generated (again, talking to an operator), and then go ahead and send in the I-864 package you have already prepared.

You should have already completed the downloadable version of Form I-864 (available by clicking HERE) and accumulated the supporting documents pursuant to the instructions that come with the I-864 and the NVC-generated I-864 instructions (available by clicking HERE).

(Note that what you send to the NVC with the I-864 depends upon your financial situation. Also, you may need to send in an additional I-864 from a joint sponsor, and/or an I-864A contract from a household member. We're assuming here that for the past three years, you have had -- and still have -- a regular job making over 125% of the poverty level and can prove it. Those who also need an I-864 from a joint sponsor and or a I-864A from a household member should amend the instructions here accordingly.)

In addition to the I-864, you must generate and fill out an Authorization for Release of Federal Tax Data. (Note: as of April 2007, some people were claiming that they did not receive or have to send in this authorization.) Download the MS Word copy of the Authorization for Release of Federal Tax Data (available by clicking HERE). Under the barcode, type in your case number. At the bottom of the page, replace the entire phrase "XXX City" with the name of the city in which the embassy interview will take place (i.e., the "post" in Department of State parlance). So if the embassy interview is to take place in Caracas, Venezuela, delete "XXX City" and type in "CARACAS" (all caps).

Next, replace the sample barcode in the Authorization with one generated at http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html. Under "Barcode symbology," select CODE 39. Select "No" for the "Add check digit," "Add check digit to text," and "Show text below barcode" options. Change the "X dimension" (bar width) to 0.05 and the "Barcode bar height" to 0.5. Click on "Create Barcode."

In the resulting window, right click on the generated barcode and left click on Copy. Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard) and crop out the gray text "Powered by IDAutomation.com (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu). Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Go to the Word copy of the Authorization, select the original barcode, and hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard). The barcode you generated should be in the exact same place as the original one you deleted.

Finally, you will need the I-864 coversheet. Download the MS Word copy of the I-864 coversheet (available by clicking HERE). Change the XXX1234567890 at the bottom to your case number, then go generate the barcode at http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html.

To generate the barcode and put it in the sample coversheet, type in the case number under "Data to encode." Under "Barcode symbology," select CODE 39. Select "No" for the "Add check digit," "Add check digit to text," and "Show text below barcode" options. Change the "X dimension" (bar width) to 0.07 and the "Barcode bar height" to 0.7. Click on "Create Barcode."

In the resulting window, right click on the barcode and click on Copy. Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard) and crop out the gray text "Powered by IDAutomation.com (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu). Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Then go to the MS Word copy of the I-864 coversheet, select the old barcode that's already there and hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard). You then need to further adjust the size of the barcode by right-clicking on it and clicking on "Format Picture." Then click on the "Size" tab. De-select "Lock aspect ratio" and change the height to 0.4" and the width to 3.45". Click on "OK."

You should include a cover letter with the I-864 package. With the cover letter, the order recommended by the NVC for the documents in the I-864 package is:

* Cover letter

* Barcoded cover sheet

* I-864

* Authorization for Release of Federal Tax Data

* Copy of tax returns from last three years along with copies of W2s

* Letter of employment

* Last three pay stubs

Write your case number in the upper right-hand corner of each page. Send the package to the NVC address listed on the barcoded coversheet.

DS-230

After your DS-3032 is received by NVC, the IV (Immigrant Visa) fee bill will be generated. Unfortunately, because NVC generates an apparently random transaction number and puts it after the case number in the barcode on the IV fee bill, it is not possible to send in the IV fee bill as soon as NVC generates it -- you will have to use the one NVC sends you. Once you do receive it and send in the fee, NVC will eventually generate the DS-230 -- the actual immigrant visa application itself. As soon as you find out that the DS-230 has been generated, you should send in the copy you already have prepared.

Well before your DS-230 is generated, your spouse should download, fill out, and sign the downloadable version of the DS-230 (available by clicking HERE). Depending on the country, your spouse may only need to fill out and sign part I because he or she will be sent part II by the embassy when the interview appointment is given. (This is called "Standard Processing" by NVC.) However, NVC requires that applicants from certain countries (called "Appointment Posts" or "Appointment Processing" by NVC) send in part II (filled out but unsigned), as well as birth, marriage, divorce, police certificates, and various other records -- plus translations of everything. (This is so irrespective of whether you sent such documents in with your I-130 petition.)

You should find out as early as possible (e.g., at least by the time your NOA2 is approved) whether your spouse will have to obtain these extra documents and have her or him do so in order to have them in hand by the time you need to send in the DS-230. Go to http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3176.html, select the embassy your spouse will be going through from the drop-down menu and click on the Request Instructions button. An alert box will pop up telling you that you will now be directed to either Appointment Post or Standard NVC processing instructions. Click on OK, and on the next page, click on "Download all the immigrant visa instructions on [standard/Appointment] NVC Processing Instructions." A PDF document will load. If you are going through Appointment Post NVC Processing, the list on the first page of the document under the topic heading "Documents the applicant needs to obtain and submit" will list the documents you will have to send into NVC with the DS-230 (The spouses of those going through Standard NVC processing will generally still have to obtain the same documents, but they will be brought to the embassy, which will provide the instructions as to those documents after it sets the interview date.)

You will need to attach the coversheet to the completed DS-230 before sending it in. Download the MS Word copy of the DS-230 Part I coversheet (available by clicking HERE ). Change the BGT2007123456 at the bottom to your case number, then go generate the barcode at http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html. To generate the barcode and put it in the sample coversheet, type in the case number under "Data to encode." Under "Barcode symbology," select CODE 39. Select "No" for the "Add check digit," "Add check digit to text," and "Show text below barcode" options. Change the "X dimension" (bar width) to 0.07 and the "Barcode bar height" to 0.7. Click on "Create Barcode."

In the resulting window, right click on the barcode and click on Copy. Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard) and crop out the gray text "Powered by IDAutomation.com (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu). Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Then go to the MS Word copy of the DS-230 coversheet and left click on the old barcode that's already at the top, to the left of the words "INSTRUCTION PACKET AGENT." Hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard). The barcode may be underlined -- left click on it again and then de-select the "U" underline button in the MS Word Toolbar.

You then need to further adjust the size of the barcode by double-clicking on it. Select the "Size" tab in the box that pops up. De-select "Lock Aspect ratio" if it is selected and change the height to 0.26" and the width to 2.13". Click on OK. Then go to the old barcode at the bottom of the page and select it. Hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard. (You may have to re-copy the generated barcode if you have somehow managed to copy something else in the interim.) You then need to further adjust the size of the barcode by right-clicking on it and clicking on "Format Picture." Then click on the "Size" tab. De-select "Lock aspect ratio" and change the height to 0.4" and the width to 3.45". Click on "OK."

Change the date on the cover sheet to the date your DS-230 was generated at NVC (i.e., the day -- usually a Monday -- before the IVR was changed to reflect DS-230 generation). Replace the bracketed "[Agent Name]" below the small barcode at the top with your name (not your spouse's), assuming you are the agent named on the DS-3032. Replace the bracketed "[beneficiary Name]" in the first line of the letter with your spouse's name. Change the "BGT2007123456" in big bold letters at the bottom to your own embassy post/case number if you have not done so already. Then in the second to last line of the cover sheet, replace the bracketed "[Petitioner Name]" with your name. Print the cover sheet out on a color printer if possible so the blue Statue of Liberty logo shows up as blue. (I’m not sure what, if anything, will happen if you print out in black and white, but if you don't have a color printer, you can send the document by e-mail to Kinko's and they can print it out in color.)

If you are going through Standard NVC Processing the only thing you will have to include beyond the DS-230 Part I and the cover sheet is a simple (i.e., not notarized) photocopy of the biographical information page from your spouse's passport. If you are going through Appointment Post NVC Processing country, you will need to include not only the DS-230 Part I and a photocopy of the biographical information page from the passport, but also a filled out but unsigned DS-230 Part II and the other documents indicated in the Appointment Post NVC Processing Instructions discussed above. Send all of these things to the NVC address listed on the barcoded DS-230 cover sheet.

[James 2]

IMPORTANT!!!!

Note that the link labelled "HERE" in the 4th paragraph in the DS-230 section is to the OLD DS-230 Part I coversheet.

The correct link to the current DS-230 coversheet (whether you are sending in just Part I or Parts I and II) is HERE.

I'd correct it in the post above, but unfortunately one is not allowed to edit one's posts after a certain (very brief) period of time.

[Poi_n_J 0]

IMPORTANT!!!!

Note that the link labelled "HERE" in the 4th paragraph in the DS-230 section is to the OLD DS-230 Part I coversheet.

The correct link to the current DS-230 coversheet (whether you are sending in just Part I or Parts I and II) is HERE.

I'd correct it in the post above, but unfortunately one is not allowed to edit one's posts after a certain (very brief) period of time.

You are wonderful James..

I'm glad you added that bit about editing the barcode in another program as my practise one (I'm now waiting for my case number) wasn't copying into the AOS fee bill word document but it works if I copy the whole page and open it in picture manager then crop and then copy and paste.

Fingers crossed all goes well when the time does come.....

Cheers,

Pris.