NOAs with DCF?

[Slade&Natasha 7]

I submitted I-130s for Natasha and our daughter (ie my step-daughter) the day before yesterday at the embassy in Moscow. Yesterday, we visited the embassy together for our USCIS interview, which the officer said was required for all CR-1 visas (ie married less than 2 years). We had no issues with the interview, which lasted about a half hour. The officer met with us together, then separately to ask standard questions about how we'd met, trips we'd taken, knowledge of each other's family members, how/where/when we started living together, got engaged, married... At the end, I asked about next steps and the officer replied that USCIS would take a couple more weeks to process the I-130s before passing them to the Consulate, who would then take an unknown amount of time to review (I'm guessing around a month, given this is DCF). After their approval, we would then receive a "packet" from the Consulate with case number, interview date and list of docs to complete/prepare in advance (presumably DS-230, I-864, 1040, W-2s, police report, medical cert as well as originals of everything we submitted with the I-130s). Nowhere did the officer mention the NOAs that I see everywhere here. Are there any NOAs sent when using DCF?

[blackflash 7]

I submitted I-130s for Natasha and our daughter (ie my step-daughter) the day before yesterday at the embassy in Moscow. Yesterday, we visited the embassy together for our USCIS interview, which the officer said was required for all CR-1 visas (ie married less than 2 years). We had no issues with the interview, which lasted about a half hour. The officer met with us together, then separately to ask standard questions about how we'd met, trips we'd taken, knowledge of each other's family members, how/where/when we started living together, got engaged, married... At the end, I asked about next steps and the officer replied that USCIS would take a couple more weeks to process the I-130s before passing them to the Consulate, who would then take an unknown amount of time to review (I'm guessing around a month, given this is DCF). After their approval, we would then receive a "packet" from the Consulate with case number, interview date and list of docs to complete/prepare in advance (presumably DS-230, I-864, 1040, W-2s, police report, medical cert as well as originals of everything we submitted with the I-130s). Nowhere did the officer mention the NOAs that I see everywhere here. Are there any NOAs sent when using DCF?

Yous hsould get a NOA that your i-30 is approved about a month after you send it then you will recieve in about an estimated week latter packet IV which will have instruction and the ds-230 and i-864 after they recieve part 1of the ds-230 they will have you call for your interview date. iam doing DCF now and waiting for approval thats the steps im doing

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Every country is different in how they handle DCF, and yes, in many you never get NOAs.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

Every country is different in how they handle DCF, and yes, in many you never get NOAs.

Thanks, Penguin! Pretty much what I figured.

[Onggoy Diyos 8]

I submitted I-130s for Natasha and our daughter (ie my step-daughter) the day before yesterday at the embassy in Moscow. Yesterday, we visited the embassy together for our USCIS interview, which the officer said was required for all CR-1 visas (ie married less than 2 years). We had no issues with the interview, which lasted about a half hour. The officer met with us together, then separately to ask standard questions about how we'd met, trips we'd taken, knowledge of each other's family members, how/where/when we started living together, got engaged, married... At the end, I asked about next steps and the officer replied that USCIS would take a couple more weeks to process the I-130s before passing them to the Consulate, who would then take an unknown amount of time to review (I'm guessing around a month, given this is DCF). After their approval, we would then receive a "packet" from the Consulate with case number, interview date and list of docs to complete/prepare in advance (presumably DS-230, I-864, 1040, W-2s, police report, medical cert as well as originals of everything we submitted with the I-130s). Nowhere did the officer mention the NOAs that I see everywhere here. Are there any NOAs sent when using DCF?

I don't think so. I'm from Manila, and never received any NOA...

I also never received any packets...

I often wonder if this site uses made up gobbledegook, just to confuse and scare people.

Edited January 14, 2012 by Onggoy Diyos

[Pinenut 1]

We just did DCF in Moscow a few months ago. A few weeks after I submitted I-130 my husband received a letter with his case number. We didn't get anything else, but all the information you need is on the embassy's website (where it says immigrant visas). You have to download a pdf called "interview preparation useful hints" available on the right side of this page: http://moscow.usembassy.gov/ivisas.html or the direct link is http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv-packet4-eng.pdf if that works.

Once you get the letter, it gives you the link to go online and schedule your interview with the case number. If you have all the docs ready, you should be able to schedule something right away. So no NOAs for us Good luck!

[Slade&Natasha 7]

We just did DCF in Moscow a few months ago. A few weeks after I submitted I-130 my husband received a letter with his case number. We didn't get anything else, but all the information you need is on the embassy's website (where it says immigrant visas). You have to download a pdf called "interview preparation useful hints" available on the right side of this page: http://moscow.usembassy.gov/ivisas.html or the direct link is http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv-packet4-eng.pdf if that works.

Once you get the letter, it gives you the link to go online and schedule your interview with the case number. If you have all the docs ready, you should be able to schedule something right away. So no NOAs for us Good luck!

Thanks much, Pinenut! The officer at USCIS said that they had a lot of people still OOTO from the New Year Holidays, so they would be a bit slower to review our case than usual (thus the two weeks she estimated). But we're hoping that the consulate will be back to full staffing once they receive our case next week.

I've collected all my financial docs already, but Natasha still needs to get her police record and will do it this week. So we'll be ready for the interview by next week at the latest.

I noticed that there are three months between receiving your letter and your interview. Was that your choice, or was it the soonest you could schedule it? Hoping it was the former...

[Slade&Natasha 7]

I often wonder if this site uses made up gobbledegook, just to confuse and scare people.

Lol. I suspect the VJ forum participants aren't to blame here, but rather the US gov't.

[Pinenut 1]

Thanks much, Pinenut! The officer at USCIS said that they had a lot of people still OOTO from the New Year Holidays, so they would be a bit slower to review our case than usual (thus the two weeks she estimated). But we're hoping that the consulate will be back to full staffing once they receive our case next week.

I've collected all my financial docs already, but Natasha still needs to get her police record and will do it this week. So we'll be ready for the interview by next week at the latest.

I noticed that there are three months between receiving your letter and your interview. Was that your choice, or was it the soonest you could schedule it? Hoping it was the former...

No way, we just scheduled it that way out of convenience. The entry visa expires after 6 months and we are planning to be here until summer. I was also hoping tickets to Moscow from Irkutsk would be cheaper in Feb... but it doesn't look like that is happening.

We could've scheduled the interview within 3 days of getting our letter... we were quite tempted to just go then and forget about finishing my degree here! There are a lot of open interview dates, just barring some holidays and random weeks. I'm guessing they don't get too busy until people start applying for summer visas.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

No way, we just scheduled it that way out of convenience. The entry visa expires after 6 months and we are planning to be here until summer. I was also hoping tickets to Moscow from Irkutsk would be cheaper in Feb... but it doesn't look like that is happening.

We could've scheduled the interview within 3 days of getting our letter... we were quite tempted to just go then and forget about finishing my degree here! There are a lot of open interview dates, just barring some holidays and random weeks. I'm guessing they don't get too busy until people start applying for summer visas.

Wow - just 3 days! My company wants to xfer me back stateside ASAP, so that's why we're scrambling... Sounds like you guys are in a much better (and more relaxed) position!

Irkutsk... BRRR! Stay warm out there!

[Slade&Natasha 7]

Can answer my own question.

Just got the NOA from USCIS today that our I-130s were approved the same day as our interview! Now keeping fingers crossed and waiting for the consulate here to respond.