DS-260 Form as of March 1st 2011

[C_María 6]

Did you receive this in Mexico or the US? If you received it in the US do you remember ever specifying to them that you wanted it mailed there? The reason I asked is a new guy on the 703 number said that based on my application they were only going to mail to the Mexico address.

By the way I did send a public inquiry (http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/public_inquiry_form.html) to the Juarez Consulate a few months ago and they said you can print it at the window. The reason I am still asking this is because of the change in their procedure. I just want to be sure it doesn't affect being able to print it there.

I never specified anything and they sent it to my address here in CA where I have already received NOA1 and NOA2. I was skeptical until it came, too! But here it is in all it's (non) glory.

I'm not going to go into all the energy that went towards this lil ol packet 3 in the last better part of a year; investigating into the wee hours, harassing recent visa holders, worrying, waiting. And here it is and it's nothing! It's not even in a fancy font! It doesn't even have a signature in the big open space they left for one! But for some reason it's the keystone of this process. Did I miss something???!

thaiv, you were right to be skeptical about getting the letter at the window: please see previous post for painful details.

[Matt :) 1]

loveacanuck, that means your visa was approved, congrats! I heard of interviewers saying "as long as what you are telling me is the truth...". If it was denied or something they wouldnt give you a DHL waybill.... which brings me to my questions...

1)why the heck do they have us set up a DHL drop off etc if they just are going to hand you a DHL waybill slip again, jeez, sounds like its a mess over there.

2) I wanted my fiance to get her visa in DHL in Mexico City so she doesnt have to stay any longer in dangerous Juarez, but now I'm worried it will never make it since people couldnt even get notified theirs were waiting for them right there in Juarez.

Most get their Visas the following day so if you are picking up at DHL in Juarez just stop by the DHL before it closes the following day.

CMaria:

A scanned version of that letter is fine, at least thats what theyve told me on the phone, worst case you can over night it DHL to his hotel. Thank God you got yours in time!

[loveacanuck 0]

thats just it guys, they do not give you the waybill slip anymore, they want you to log into their website and print it yourself, but they are not updating this website, so people are going to DHL and having them search for the packets without one. A scanned and printed copy is what we had and it got us in all the doors no problems. We are heading to DHL today to see if its there. Good luck C-Maria!! If he has patience, (LOL) he will be just fine. I still have not found Robey here, thats because we are all spending our days in different lines.

[thaiv 15]

thats just it guys, they do not give you the waybill slip anymore, they want you to log into their website and print it yourself, but they are not updating this website, so people are going to DHL and having them search for the packets without one. A scanned and printed copy is what we had and it got us in all the doors no problems. We are heading to DHL today to see if its there. Good luck C-Maria!! If he has patience, (LOL) he will be just fine. I still have not found Robey here, thats because we are all spending our days in different lines.

Are you referring to a scanned and printed copy of the waybill slip or the invitation letter?

Thank you for sharing your experience C_Maria! That is very helpful. I am definitely going to wait for the invitation letter now! We just have to remember that the government is oftentimes very inefficient and when they make a change in their already messed up system it just makes things worse for some time.

It does seem though if we follow everything very closely according to what they are looking for (ie...DS-260, setting appointments, bringing invitation letter) it should work out just fine. Also I would simply just receive the visa in Juarez for now and check DHL daily as was previously mentioned.

Also, could you all let me know how they view the financial stuff in the interview? I didn't have a complete working year in 2010 but I currently have a job making well above the guidelines and I have had it for about 6 months now. I already have an employment letter I can show them, with bank statements, bank account summaries, and pay stubs. Its just my 2010 tax transcript won't show that I am making sufficient dinero.

[Danilu 11]

Out of curiosity, did all of you get in the mail notification from NVC including case number also informing that your case had been forwarded to consulate?

[Danilu 11]

Thaiv, C_maria is referring to a scanned and printed copy of invitation letter..

[C_María 6]

Out of curiosity, did all of you get in the mail notification from NVC including case number also informing that your case had been forwarded to consulate?

No, I did not receive anything in the mail at that point. Only NOA1, NOA2 and packet 3 were through the mail.. All other information we gathered by telephone. First we called NVC to see when they received it and when they sent it out, also they provide you with the consulate's case number. NVC: (603)334-0700 Then using that case number you can begin call CDJ to see the status of your packet 3 CDJ: (703)439-2313

[thaiv 15]

Out of curiosity, did all of you get in the mail notification from NVC including case number also informing that your case had been forwarded to consulate?

I did get a notification from NVC in the mail saying that my application would be forwarded to the consulate within a week (at the time of the letter).

[C_María 6]

Interview went perfectly well from our side but the new system has things all screwed up. Chances are slim to none that he'll receive the visa at DHL tomorrow, possible that he'll receive it Monday or Tuesday and probable that he'll have to re-do the ASC appointment next week through no fault of our own. If you want the complete rant it's on my profile, thought I'd spare the forum since my feelings towards this system are extremely negative right now.

[Matt :) 1]

loveacanuck's fiance had to redo their fingerprints, they didnt even have CMaria's fingerprints, what the heck is the ASC appt even for?!?! Also, I thought fingerprints were done electronically, how could they not have them and maybe will tomorrow? People, definitely schedule ASC appt ahead of time if you can, then do medical exam on Monday and interview on a Tuesday so incase anything happens you have time and not pay for hotel, etc over a weekend. I cant believe this whole process, there is no public outrage b/c so few of the population has a foreign fiance.

Please keep us updated CMaria, hope all ends up OK!

[Danilu 11]

Incredible! The new system was supposed to make things easier but it's being totally the opposite!!! A real pain in the neck...

[thaiv 15]

[quote name=Matt ' timestamp='1301014978' post='4563386]

loveacanuck's fiance had to redo their fingerprints, they didnt even have CMaria's fingerprints, what the heck is the ASC appt even for?!?! Also, I thought fingerprints were done electronically, how could they not have them and maybe will tomorrow? People, definitely schedule ASC appt ahead of time if you can, then do medical exam on Monday and interview on a Tuesday so incase anything happens you have time and not pay for hotel, etc over a weekend. I cant believe this whole process, there is no public outrage b/c so few of the population has a foreign fiance.

Please keep us updated CMaria, hope all ends up OK!

Do you recommend just doing it in another city before even getting the interview letter? My fiancee could do it in Mexico City while she waits for the interview letter.

[Matt :) 1]

Thaiv, thats what we plan on doing. My fiance lives in Mexico City as well (God knows why we can't have interview there instead, its only the capital, second largest city in the world and centrally located) so we plan on having ASC appointment in DF and the following week have medical exam & interview in Juarez (Mon & Tues).

[thaiv 15]

[quote name=Matt ' timestamp='1301066342' post='4564610]

Thaiv, thats what we plan on doing. My fiance lives in Mexico City as well (God knows why we can't have interview there instead, its only the capital, second largest city in the world and centrally located) so we plan on having ASC appointment in DF and the following week have medical exam & interview in Juarez (Mon & Tues).

For some reason years ago they decided to do it in Juarez. Now that its all set up there they do not want to change what they have been doing for years. And if they did the situation would be worse than it is now. Look how a new website, one extra appointment, and the DS-260 form could screw so much stuff up. As with the USCIS, they are just another incompetent group of knuckleheads from the government tied up in their own red tape.

Or maybe since there are at least three cartel groups there, they get good bribe money from cartel guys that want to marry American women.

Edited March 25, 2011 by thaiv

[C_María 6]

One other clue is that they mentioned something to Robe about maybe trying to call Washington on Monday if the fingerprints didn't show up. As if they were waiting for them to be ran through a system and returned... So in that case it wouldn't matter where you did them but maybe giving them more time to process them would help. We just can't know!