Q&As about parallel k3/CR track

[ninjarocket 1]

Questions asked by yeye:

1) It seems like you expedited your CR process by going through NVC instead of going through embassy. So you first sent an email and then spoke to supervisor to expedite your case. Do they just do it based on K-3 interview date?

2) After speaking to them how long did it take to transfer your case to embassy?

3) You didn't go through Manila embassy to expedite the package from NVC to embassy?

4) You used acronymns AR or DV. What do these mean?

5) What is the pink slip for?

6) On Monday are you going to have a second interview or they are just going to give you CR1 visa?

7) You said the cutoff is when K3 is approved rather than K-3 interview date. But, I don't think there is much time between the two periods because you get K-3 visa within a day or two of the interview.

Answers from me:

1) The embassy can't expedite a CR unless they receive the I-130 from NVC. NVC won't send the I-130 to the embassy unless they receive consent from the embassy and set an interview date associated with the CR visa. To initiate this process I was told to contact NVC who asked me to put it in writing or email. A couple of days after sending the email it became clear that no one would likely look at it for a couple of weeks unless I took action. I therefore asked to speak to a supervisor who got someone to look up the email and compile an expedite request to be sent to the embassy. She may have done it herself. The supervisor was very helpful, although the normal telephone operators seem reluctant to pass you to a supervisor. [Maybe because they want the supervisors job?]

2) It took about a week for the embassy to respond. Only at that point do NVC forward the paperwork to the embassy. They actually sent it with a CR appointment date of October 21, but it was sent with the intent that it would arrive for the k3 interview on September 16. It takes about a week for the I-130 to reach the embassy in Manila, but could be faster with other embassies?

3) I was told to go through NVC. Maybe it's also possible also from the embassy if you speak to the right person at the embassy? Either way, they have to be in mutual agreement before the I-130 is sent. (This process differs from that of the I-129F, which is forwarded without needing consent from the embassy)

4) AR = Administrative Review; DV = Document Verification

5) The pink slip is normally taken as a sign of an approved visa after the interview.

6) The lady at the embassy informed me that my wife only has to show up at the embassy at 10am on any day that it is open. That doesn't sound like an interview appointment. From what I can gather, she will only need to do the swearing in for the signing of the last part of the DS-230 and maybe some extra finger prints. Since no official appointment has been made, I'm assuming there won't be an interview. However, my wife is taking all of the necessary documents just in case. The lady at the embassy says she didn't need to bring anything to the embassy because they have everything they need. However, we're not going to take any chances.

7) Ideally, you want the I-130 to arrive at the embassy before the k3 interview so that the process can be switched to CR visa if the CO agrees. If you have a k3 interview and get a pink slip after the interview then that usually means your visa will be issued in a couple if days, which doesn't give much time for the I-130 to arrive if it arrives after the interview. You would have to have made a request to the CO prior to the interview that you will switch to the CR if it arrives, otherwise they will just issue a k3 visa. In my case, the I-130 just happened to arrive at the embassy on the day of the interview! If you're in DV or AR, then that would give more time for the arrival of the I-130. That would be the one advantage of being in DV or AR.

original posting that prompted questions:

....... alternatively, you can ask to have the I-130 paperwork at NVC expedited if the case is already complete..... that way you can keep the earlier interview appointment..... at least that's what I did, but there has to be enough time before the k3 interview or approval for it to work..... you have to send an email or letter, then ask to speak to a supervisor at NVC so that your email gets immediate attention (otherwise it will likely stay in their email inbox for a couple of weeks before they look at it)....

in my case, there was barely enough time..... when we arrived at the USEM for my wife's interview, the I-130 papers had not yet arrived: we were given two choices

1) wait for I-130 paperwork to arrive before interviewing etc....

2) take k3 interview, then switch to CR if I-130 paperwork arrives before k3 is approved (which occurs just before it is printed)....

[the cutoff seems to be when the k3 is actually approved rather than the k3 interview: so it's well worth expediting the I-130 paper in case you get stuck in AR or DV for a period of time]

we took option 2... my wife passed her k3 interview with pink slip...... then the USEM tried contacting her later that week to return to the USEM for processing of CR (needs signatures and swearing in on a different form)

unfortunately we had already both left Manila before we found out........ my wife simply hadn't realized she had received unanswered calls from the USEM.... we were so happy that my wife had a pink slip that we had forgot that we had chosen option (2) ...... she will return to the USEM on Monday and I will let you know what happens!!!! at least this will be a useful learning experience for other VJ members who are trying to accelerate the process

[bellamarie13 0]

HI!

My husband and I were thinking of switching to CR1 since our K3 application seems to be in limbo. I've read your story and I would like to ask you some questions. I've basically gone through all the K3 process, medical, interview, etc. My question or rather questions are these:

1. Will there be additional requirements for me to go through if we chose to do CR1?

2. Since the CR1 and K3 applications will have differing case numbers will I need to do another DV processing or will the K3 dv be taken into account?

3. Could I use my K3 medical for the CR1 or redo it?

4. Will there be additional fees, like another visa delivery fee, etc?

5. My passport and some documents were left at the embassy, will they automatically transfer those to be used for the CR1 interview? Or will I have to go get them myself?

Much obliged,

BellaMarie

[ninjarocket 1]

response:

0. What kind of limbo are we talking of? If it's just DV then there might not be enough time before approval.

1. The CR has to be processed through NVC. Then has to be expedited to catch up with your k3 awaiting approval. If the k3 is approved before the I-130 gets there then it is too late, unless you are willing to redo the interview etc...

2.+3. The medical and DV are valid for any visa going through the embassy at the same time.

4. Of course you would have to pay for the IV visa fee at NVC plus the I-864 fee, which come to $470

5. The I-130 can only expedited to the embassy to catch up with the k3 visa processing by mutual consent of the embassy and NVC.

All this is likely to take at least 5-8 weeks if your I-130 is already at the NVC but you have to rush it through using shortcuts. If you have already started the NVC I-130 processing, then it may take less time.

My husband and I were thinking of switching to CR1 since our K3 application seems to be in limbo. I've read your story and I would like to ask you some questions. I've basically gone through all the K3 process, medical, interview, etc. My question or rather questions are these:

1. Will there be additional requirements for me to go through if we chose to do CR1?

2. Since the CR1 and K3 applications will have differing case numbers will I need to do another DV processing or will the K3 dv be taken into account?

3. Could I use my K3 medical for the CR1 or redo it?

4. Will there be additional fees, like another visa delivery fee, etc?

5. My passport and some documents were left at the embassy, will they automatically transfer those to be used for the CR1 interview? Or will I have to go get them myself?

Much obliged,

BellaMarie

[bellamarie13 0]

response:

0. What kind of limbo are we talking of? If it's just DV then there might not be enough time before approval.

1. The CR has to be processed through NVC. Then has to be expedited to catch up with your k3 awaiting approval. If the k3 is approved before the I-130 gets there then it is too late, unless you are willing to redo the interview etc...

2.+3. The medical and DV are valid for any visa going through the embassy at the same time.

4. Of course you would have to pay for the IV visa fee at NVC plus the I-864 fee, which come to $470

5. The I-130 can only expedited to the embassy to catch up with the k3 visa processing by mutual consent of the embassy and NVC.

All this is likely to take at least 5-8 weeks if your I-130 is already at the NVC but you have to rush it through using shortcuts. If you have already started the NVC I-130 processing, then it may take less time.

Hi again!

Thanks for the quick reply.

Limbo refers to DV and AR. So there's been quite a wait and more to come, I think. The thing is our CR1 docs were received by the USEM after K3 interview. And now we are awaiting interview appointment, I think? If only it had arrived before we had it, we could have avoided a lot of headaches and heartache for that matter.

Do we need to inform the CO that we intend to change K3 to CR1? or will that be made automatically done since we are on queue for appointment for CR1?

Also the documents turned in for the K3 interview, will they be used again for the CR1? or will we have to acquire new sets?

Thanks for your time!

BellaMarie

[ninjarocket 1]

Only the CO can make that decision, so you will need to contact Lorraine at the USEM as soon as possible for her to enquire whether they will agree to a change. The k3 interview, AR, DV, medical, etc.. should then carry over to the CR. Bear in mind however that the beneficiary will need to go to the USEM to sign the DS-230 in front of a CO should they agree to that route.

If they disagree, the AR, DV and medical should still apply to the CR visa were they to require another interview.

The fact that they've already interviewed you implies that they must have already made a decision on the legitimacy of your case, even though it's stuck in AR.