NVC Filers - April 2011

[canamsweet 0]

Just filled out DS-261 online and paid the AOS fee. Judging from what everyone else has posted, if we submit the rest in a timely manner it looks like we may be getting an interview date in around 60 days? Since our interview location is Montreal and we live on the West Coast and we also have a big vacation already paid for and set for this August, we have a question or two:

Once we submit the DS-260 and pay the fee, how long does it normally take to get a response?

And is the response usually an already pre determined interview date?

Or are we instructed to get our medical exam and then they give us a date?

Do they offer any flexibility on dates to help us coordinate plane tickets? Unfortuantely it looks like we will be paying $800/pp airfare plus hotel so this will be an expensive endeavor.

If they set a specific date and it can't be moved then should we try to time the interview date so it doesn't coincide with our August vacation?

I think one of the requirements is for the applicant to bring their birth certificate. Does it have to be the long version? We don't have that and it's expensive and takes time to get, so not sure if we should start that process now or if the shorter, original birth certificate will work.

Thank you for any help anyone is able to provide.

[KarenB 0]

OK I called the NVC "human" and spoke to a "human" and the "human" told me that I had asked for my AOS to be reviewed on May 27 last Friday. I told the "human" that I had already asked for it to be reviewed at least 3 times before that (I lost count). Well the "human" told me that they only see that I had requested on the 27th and nothing before that and to wait 10-15 business days from that day. I just swallowed my temper and thanked the "human" and said I will wait longer.

Qualifications to be a "human" at NVC:

have at least one eye

be able to read some basic English

be able to lie when needed

Optional:

some brain

second eye

understanding English

being able to write in English

Totally agree!!!

YEAH!!

Got the INTERVIEW date!!! Woot!!!

Received the e-mail this evening around 10:000 est.... got the interview scheduled for July 8th,,,,! Wow! I wasn't expecting that news tonight!!! Man!!! I am going to explode!! Ha ha ha!

Wow congrats and best of luck on your interview!!! July is already starting to fill up!

Just filled out DS-261 online and paid the AOS fee. Judging from what everyone else has posted, if we submit the rest in a timely manner it looks like we may be getting an interview date in around 60 days? Since our interview location is Montreal and we live on the West Coast and we also have a big vacation already paid for and set for this August, we have a question or two:

Once we submit the DS-260 and pay the fee, how long does it normally take to get a response?

And is the response usually an already pre determined interview date?

Or are we instructed to get our medical exam and then they give us a date?

Do they offer any flexibility on dates to help us coordinate plane tickets? Unfortuantely it looks like we will be paying $800/pp airfare plus hotel so this will be an expensive endeavor.

If they set a specific date and it can't be moved then should we try to time the interview date so it doesn't coincide with our August vacation?

I think one of the requirements is for the applicant to bring their birth certificate. Does it have to be the long version? We don't have that and it's expensive and takes time to get, so not sure if we should start that process now or if the shorter, original birth certificate will work.

Thank you for any help anyone is able to provide.

I just have answers for a few of your questions so anyone correct me if i ma wrong,

I am not too sure about how long it takes to get a response after submitting the DS260. If you are filing electronically though you will be getting a bunch of e-mails from NVC (some completely confusing) so brace yourself.

The interview date is scheduled on a case by case basis accorning to your priority date after your case has been completed at NVC and depending on the availability at the embassy. So no, no pre-determined interview dates.

The medical exam is done after you get the interview date.

If you know when the interview is then yes your best bet would probably be to move your vacation around the date because from what i have read, when you try to move your interview date around it usually takes you to a much later date maybe even two or three months later than the original date.

As for the birth certificate i am not Canadian and didn't need to figure that out so i will let some one else help you there.

Good luck with your NVC process

[Saylin 1,605]

Just filled out DS-261 online and paid the AOS fee. Judging from what everyone else has posted, if we submit the rest in a timely manner it looks like we may be getting an interview date in around 60 days? Since our interview location is Montreal and we live on the West Coast and we also have a big vacation already paid for and set for this August, we have a question or two:

Once we submit the DS-260 and pay the fee, how long does it normally take to get a response?

And is the response usually an already pre determined interview date?

Or are we instructed to get our medical exam and then they give us a date?

Do they offer any flexibility on dates to help us coordinate plane tickets? Unfortuantely it looks like we will be paying $800/pp airfare plus hotel so this will be an expensive endeavor.

If they set a specific date and it can't be moved then should we try to time the interview date so it doesn't coincide with our August vacation?

I think one of the requirements is for the applicant to bring their birth certificate. Does it have to be the long version? We don't have that and it's expensive and takes time to get, so not sure if we should start that process now or if the shorter, original birth certificate will work.

Thank you for any help anyone is able to provide.

I think it will be a bit longer than 60 days from now as it usually takes 60 days from case completion to interview date in Montreal. I'd say you still have about 90 days, depending if you get an RFE or not.

Just to make sure you know, you pay the IV FIRST, then you fill out the DS-260 once the bill appears as paid. And you won't get a response after sending the DS-260. I didn't anyway. You just keep calling to see if NVC has reviewed anything. Don't forget you also have to send the supporting documents for the IV package.

After your case is reviewed and completed, then your case will be put into a queue to get an interview date scheduled. For Montreal, you can find out the next day or it can take a few weeks. I waited 15 days to find out my date. Once you do have a date, then you get the medical done as they request the interview letter.

And no, there's no flexibility on dates for Montreal. If you don't like the date and have to re-schedule, it will most likely be for 2 months or more after your original date, nothing like a few days from your date. So basically, what you get scheduled will be your date, unless you don't mind waiting another ~2 months for another date.

Yes, you need to send the birth certificate with the supporting documents. If you do EP, then you'll need to bring the original with you at the time of the interview. According to this: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3195.html#certificates it needs to have both parents' names, so the short form won't work; you'll need to get the long form. Unfortunately, all I can say is that you should have looked into this months ago and ordered it then. That's what I did, so no time wasted. I'm not sure how expensive it is in your province, but for Quebec, it was only about $15 per long form and I ordered three just in case.

If you haven't done so, I'd highly suggest reading the wiki I wrote that's linked in my signature. It talks about the mandatory online forms and the optional EP and would probably be very helpful for you.

[JerryA 1]

Sent in RFE response with additionals docs for wife's unobtainable birth certificate. Waiting game starts all over again...!

[duddly 1]

can i send photocopy of my birth certificate ,not certified copies?

[Geordie 9]

can i send photocopy of my birth certificate ,not certified copies?

No. The NVC requires original/certified certificates only.

[Sarah101 5]

I'm sending all my originals to husband tommorow please read the checklist and let me know if I left anything

original marrigae certificate

original birth certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

translated marrigae certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

police certificate

Nadra birth certificate

Nadra marriage certificate

Ds 230 part 1 ( complete )

Ds 230 part 2 ( signed )

passport 's biographic page photocopy

2-4 passport size photos

please let me know of I missed something ?

[Lidia & JB 4]

I'm sending all my originals to husband tommorow please read the checklist and let me know if I left anything

original marrigae certificate

original birth certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

translated marrigae certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

police certificate

Nadra birth certificate

Nadra marriage certificate

Ds 230 part 1 ( complete )

Ds 230 part 2 ( signed )

passport 's biographic page photocopy

2-4 passport size photos

please let me know of I missed something ?

Hi, here's the NVC page of the docs' list.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3741.html

You should follow their instructions carefully

Good luck

[duddly 1]

I'm sending all my originals to husband tommorow please read the checklist and let me know if I left anything

original marrigae certificate

original birth certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

translated marrigae certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

police certificate

Nadra birth certificate

Nadra marriage certificate

Ds 230 part 1 ( complete )

Ds 230 part 2 ( signed )

passport 's biographic page photocopy

2-4 passport size photos

please let me know of I missed something ?

I have a question, does they have to be attested from foreign ministry?i didnt see nothing about that in the instruction.Thats what they sayin:

"........The translation must include a statement signed by the translator stating that the:

Translation is accurate, and

Translator is competent to translate.

"

[Sarah101 5]

I have a question, does they have to be attested from foreign ministry?i didnt see nothing about that in the instruction.Thats what they sayin:

"........The translation must include a statement signed by the translator stating that the:

Translation is accurate, and

Translator is competent to translate.

"

This is applicable for Pakistani applicants

[Saylin 1,605]

I'm sending all my originals to husband tommorow please read the checklist and let me know if I left anything

original marrigae certificate

original birth certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

translated marrigae certificate (attested from foreign ministry )

police certificate

Nadra birth certificate

Nadra marriage certificate

Ds 230 part 1 ( complete )

Ds 230 part 2 ( signed )

passport 's biographic page photocopy

2-4 passport size photos

please let me know of I missed something ?

You only need 2 passport pictures. Make sure the beneficiary's full name, date of birth, and case number is written on the back. Also, in the list you said part 2 of the DS-230 is signed. You're not supposed to sign it!! You complete both parts, but you only sign part 1! You'll get an RFE for this. So I highly suggest you print out another part 2, completed, but do not sign it!

[Sarah101 5]

You only need 2 passport pictures. Make sure the beneficiary's full name, date of birth, and case number is written on the back. Also, in the list you said part 2 of the DS-230 is signed. You're not supposed to sign it!! You complete both parts, but you only sign part 1! You'll get an RFE for this. So I highly suggest you print out another part 2, completed, but do not sign it!

Thank you ! What will I do without VJ . Anything else will I need ?

[Saylin 1,605]

Thank you ! What will I do without VJ . Anything else will I need ?

It doesn't look like it, but I'm not familiar with other country's requirements.

[manaosjuga 0]

I'm so annoyed called again and again I get another answer about the checklist I sent in on May 14th! Well, this time after 5 times getting different answers and sending paperwork back and forth. This time the lady talked to a supervisor and I sent in yet again the same paperwork but in a different way! I'm so over this! I still haven't received the next checklist and I have sent in 4 times since because of what the operators say. Well I hope this is it and the supervisor told me the right way to send in. Does anyone know exactly how long it will take for the rfe to be approved like how many days? Because I heard if it is the right paper work it will take less time to approve and that I don't have to wait the whole 20 business days. The way I sent the rfe in today made a lot of sense because they told me that they need proof of relationship between both house hold members and petitioner.But first let me tell a little info the past operators told me just to send in marriage license house hold members and birth certificates petitioner. Second just to send house hold members marriage license and my marriage license 3rd the opperator told me I have to fill out a joint sponser form becuase we couldn't use I-864A form for house hold member because they were not claimed on the petitioners income tax. Found that was wrong because of information I found on USCIS website which said that you can use a house hold member form I-864A on inlaws if they lived 6 months or longer together and if related through marriage since my hubby is the petitioner and the inlaws are his house hold members. I called again because I was getting so many different answers and the lady again told me no you can use them and that you need to send in your marriage license and my birth certificate and my mom and dads marriage licence. Which that is what I sent in on the 27th and and was recieved over their on the 31st. Again I called today like I said and she the operator talked to a supervisor and they told me to send in two different checklists 1 for mother inlaw with the checklist their marriage certificate and my birth certificate and my marriage licence and father in law remind you these are my parents and I say inlaws because this is what the lady said because the petitioner is using his inlaws anys, father inlaw with checklist their marriage licence and my birth certificate and mymarriage license. Just to let everybody know I sent all of this in april. So anyways I think they made sence this time. I hope it closes pretty soon because I have 2 more cases attached to this case and they are already closed and I am ready to seperate the cases so I can have theirs done already. thanks guys who answer appreciate it!

[Rakmaster 1]

I'm so annoyed called again and again I get another answer about the checklist I sent in on May 14th! Well, this time after 5 times getting different answers and sending paperwork back and forth. This time the lady talked to a supervisor and I sent in yet again the same paperwork but in a different way! I'm so over this! I still haven't received the next checklist and I have sent in 4 times since because of what the operators say. Well I hope this is it and the supervisor told me the right way to send in. Does anyone know exactly how long it will take for the rfe to be approved like how many days? Because I heard if it is the right paper work it will take less time to approve and that I don't have to wait the whole 20 business days. The way I sent the rfe in today made a lot of sense because they told me that they need proof of relationship between both house hold members and petitioner.But first let me tell a little info the past operators told me just to send in marriage license house hold members and birth certificates petitioner. Second just to send house hold members marriage license and my marriage license 3rd the opperator told me I have to fill out a joint sponser form becuase we couldn't use I-864A form for house hold member because they were not claimed on the petitioners income tax. Found that was wrong because of information I found on USCIS website which said that you can use a house hold member form I-864A on inlaws if they lived 6 months or longer together and if related through marriage since my hubby is the petitioner and the inlaws are his house hold members. I called again because I was getting so many different answers and the lady again told me no you can use them and that you need to send in your marriage license and my birth certificate and my mom and dads marriage licence. Which that is what I sent in on the 27th and and was recieved over their on the 31st. Again I called today like I said and she the operator talked to a supervisor and they told me to send in two different checklists 1 for mother inlaw with the checklist their marriage certificate and my birth certificate and my marriage licence and father in law remind you these are my parents and I say inlaws because this is what the lady said because the petitioner is using his inlaws anys, father inlaw with checklist their marriage licence and my birth certificate and mymarriage license. Just to let everybody know I sent all of this in april. So anyways I think they made sence this time. I hope it closes pretty soon because I have 2 more cases attached to this case and they are already closed and I am ready to seperate the cases so I can have theirs done already. thanks guys who answer appreciate it!

I don't have any experience with your particular situation, but at least you have a supervisor looking into it for you now. I would call them again (every day) and follow up on the status of the documents you just submitted. Make sure they have them in the system. They should also be able to see on their screen if a supervisor was assigned to look into your case (at least that's how it worked for me). Hang in there & good luck,,, it can be frustrating sometimes but sounds like you're close to the finish line!