Yardies need post-NOA2 help

[Unruly Gal 0]

Yardies that did/are doing K1 I need some assistance and help re: what's next.

We got the NOA2 last week (2/25) and I'm starting to compile all of the other information that we'll need for the interview, but need just a little help and answers to my silly questions. Your guidance is appreciated, so here goes:

- I know I need to fill out the DS230 and send it to A for him to take to the embassy in Kingston, but when can I start calling to make an appointment for him to drop that off?

- I hear about packet #2 that gets sent to the fiancee in JA, what's in that packet and when should I tell A to start looking for that? He doesn't check his mail regularly only when he's expecting mail, so don't want him to keep going back and forth to the post office unnecessarily.

- All of the information I'm compiling (I134, pay stubs, letter from employer, etc.), do I need to send that to A or can I just bring it with me if I'm planning on going to the interview?

- Is it okay for A to start getting/scheduling the police certificate, non-impediment form and the medical now, or should he wait until we get a date for the interview?

- How do they notify you of the date for the interview? I'm assuming via email, but is that the same email system through USCIS that notified us of the NOA1 and NOA2 or do I need to set-up another email notification through the US embassy in Kingston?

Ok, I think that's it for now, but I'm sure I'll have more questions along the way. Also, if I'm forgetting something, please let me know..... this process is driving me .

Thanks all. I really appreciate your help!

Unruly

[sus 70]

Not there yet, but I'll try to answer!

DS 230 - You have to wait till your packet reaches the embassy - after approval it goes to NVC, then to the embassy - Packet 3 is what is mailed to your fiance, and it contains the DS230 - once your packet reaches the embassy you can start trying to get him an appt to drop it off -

Have him get as much done as you can w/ the police certificate, etc... He can't schedule the medical until he has the interview letter in hand. The interview appt is mailed / emailed - there is no tracking system for it -

You can bring your forms with you when you go if you are going to the interview - no need to mail them

[Unruly Gal 0]

Thanks, Sus! Girl, when you get ready to file, watch out ... you already know the gameplan!

Another quick question (told you I had a ton) -- will they notify me when it reaches the embassy or should I contact the embassy myself?

[sus 70]

I don't think they notify you - but there is some way to track it - I know you can call the NVC and find out if it's there, been sent, what - I would say that once it's sent, start politely emailing them - Check out the NVC forum, there was a thread in there about how to track the package.

[PortlandAngel 0]

Thanks, Sus! Girl, when you get ready to file, watch out ... you already know the gameplan!

Another quick question (told you I had a ton) -- will they notify me when it reaches the embassy or should I contact the embassy myself?

We never received packet 3, when I called the 202 # to see if your case was sent to the embassy they said it was and the system showed that they were packet 3 was mailed out and they were waiting for a response from us. So that's when I made an appt for my hubby to drop of his packet 3 and I filled it out and emailed it to him. I would wait till the middle of next week to call and see if you case was received by kingston embassy. Once they have it then you can go ahead and email them requesting an appt to drop of the form.

[Islandwoman 0]

Thanks, Sus! Girl, when you get ready to file, watch out ... you already know the gameplan!

Another quick question (told you I had a ton) -- will they notify me when it reaches the embassy or should I contact the embassy myself?

Unruly - you can call NVC to see if they have sent it to the embassy yet. They will also give you a new case # which will be a NVC #. As soon as you found out it got to the embassy, send the embassy an email asking for a date to drop of the DS230.

[Unruly Gal 0]

Thanks, Sus, Island and Portland!!!! This is very helpful. My mind is spinning with information and I want to make sure I'm doing this right.

Portland -- your pics are too cute! Congrats!

[Ellsinlove 2]

I have a related question that I can't seem to figure out an answer on regarding the DS-230. So, he'll make an appointment and go to the embassy in Kingston to drop off part I of the DS-230 correct? Is part II required at the interview? But my main question is, I've read in certain forums (not necessarily K-1) that 2 passport photos are required along with the DS-230 but I can't find that info anywhere to confirm it. What did you recent filers do? I wish I'd left him a few copies of his passport pics aside from the 4 copies I left him to take with him to his medical exam. Thanks for any advice ya'll!

Edited March 4, 2009 by Ellsinlove

[TRELAWNY PARISH 10]

I have a related question that I can't seem to figure out an answer on regarding the DS-230. So, he'll make an appointment and go to the embassy in Kingston to drop off part I of the DS-230 correct? Is part II required at the interview? But my main question is, I've read in certain forums (not necessarily K-1) that 2 passport photos are required along with the DS-230 but I can't find that info anywhere to confirm it. What did you recent filers do? I wish I'd left him a few copies of his passport pics aside from the 4 copies I left him to take with him to his medical exam. Thanks for any advice ya'll!

Hey Ells I was with my SO when we dropped off the DS-230. We brought two passport photos, but the lady said it was not necessary with the DS-230 and gave them back to us, she told us to make sure that we had 4 pictures when he came for the interview. We never filled out Part II of the DS-230 or turned it in. I think Part II is for Immigrant Visa, the K-1 is a NIV.

Girl, PM with u'r questions, I think I've cleared out some of the cobwebs so I can remember a few things from them. It was just June last year or you can check with the folks who had recent K-1 interviews.

Unruly;

I'm not sure where your SO lives, but he can drop by the post office once a week, if he knows someone there he could ask them to look out for him. You can start putting things together from now. I made duplicates of everything. Eventhough I knew I was attending the interview, I sent a set to my SO, because you never know what can happen.

He can start working on his shot records, non-impiedment, police certificate; (birthcertificate, passport -- I hope he has those aready). You can't schedule the medical yet, because you don't have an interview date. The forms that come in the packets you can print those on-line. I printed out everything, filled them out and sent them to my SO to sign.

We dropped off the DS-230 4/10 last year and and by the time I got back to the states I had an interview date. I returned on 4/16...the turnaround time depends on how busy they are. They send me an e-mail with the interview date and time and I confirmed it with DOS (202-663-1225).

My SO took care of what he needed to on his end in Jamaica and I did what I needed to do here. Don't stress, let him do some of the work.

Give me a link if you have more questions.

Tre --

[Ellsinlove 2]

THANKS LAWNY! That's a huge help!

[Islandwoman 0]

I have a related question that I can't seem to figure out an answer on regarding the DS-230. So, he'll make an appointment and go to the embassy in Kingston to drop off part I of the DS-230 correct? Is part II required at the interview? But my main question is, I've read in certain forums (not necessarily K-1) that 2 passport photos are required along with the DS-230 but I can't find that info anywhere to confirm it. What did you recent filers do? I wish I'd left him a few copies of his passport pics aside from the 4 copies I left him to take with him to his medical exam. Thanks for any advice ya'll!

No photos for DS 230 drop-off - and only need to drop Part 1. Part 2 you sign at the interview. And if your SO is clear across the island, you can DHL the DS to the embassy, but that's what Culture just had issues with.

I have a scanned copy of packet 3. PM me if you want me to email it to you.

Ok - I read further and saw that Lawns has you covered already!!

Edited March 4, 2009 by Islandwoman

[Unruly Gal 0]

Thanks for the info Tre! Very helpful. I don't feel so overwhelmed anymore ... for now.

[TRELAWNY PARISH 10]

Thanks for the info Tre! Very helpful. I don't feel so overwhelmed anymore ... for now.

Unruly, Ells and everyone else, trust me, don't feel OVERWHELMED, just do what you have to and pray and everything else will fall into place.

[justucia 0]

this thread is great

im going to have some questions to add later

you ladies are awesome!

[Ellsinlove 2]

Okay, I have more questions regarding this post-NOA2 process & I'm putting them here rather than PMing any of you wonderful yardies so that someone else may benefit from the answer should they have the same question(s).

First, does anyone have any good clinic suggestions for getting vaccinations ahead of the medical exam in the Hanover or Westmoreland parishes? My SO keeps getting the runaround and they're giving him a price of $10,000 JA for vaccinations at the nearby local clinics where he lives. That is the SAME price the designated medical exam place in Mobay quoted me. You would THINK that it would be cheaper to get them done locally beforehand but I can't get a straight answer. I know some have said to just do it at the same time as the exam but I'm really trying to stretch my dollars and save money wherever I can. Any advice, suggestions, thoughts appreciated here.

Next, I think I've figured out that the NIV (K-1 visa) does NOT require the applicant to set up the visa interview via the call center or internet scheduling and that it's scheduled by the embassy. That being understood, for those of you who've gone through this recently, if they give you a date for an interview that just absolutely will not work, is it possible to request a date a little farther out or do you have to take what you get or forget it? We really want to get moving on this process but with the rate of speed they've been moving (not that I'm complaining), I'm worried that they'll schedule us a little sooner than I'll be able to make it. I need to finish this school semester and am worried about getting a date too soon. If that happens, will I be able to request a date a little farther away?

Again, thank you guys for your input!

Edited March 10, 2009 by Ellsinlove