NVC Filers - March 2012

[Amanda&Elvio 12]

Agreed on all points. It ought to be nearly infinitely easier for you, and likely will be. However, that said nothing is assured until after the POE. After all, the terrible thing none of us want to think about is that even the Visa is NOT permission to enter the US. It is merely permission to come here and ask permission to enter. Even though refusal at POE is practically unheard of for a visa holder, it isn't impossible.

I know I won't totally relax until we're sitting in our house here in the States. At any point between then and now something could go wrong, even for those for which it ought to be and probably will be a cake walk.

Well now I'm going to start worrying about everything too. Thanks...

Also, can you update your signature?

[Trav&Shell 83]

Press 1, then 5 to get to an operator. You should be doing this anyway because the AVR is usually a couple of days behind.

...since I got my NOA2 late Friday night, when I called Mon-Wed, it didn't seem right to be talking to someone and checking already. I didn't think there was any way they'd have it yet! My plan was to start harassing the operators tonight, lol. Thanks for the info!

[alizon 77]

Well that's easy. Remove conditions, wait for citizen ship (only another near after removal of conditions) and then move to Canada (unless Canada would be a real pain after that). This way moving either direction becomes infinitely easier, no?

Well, yes, but we are 99% sure we'll be moving to Canada in the next two or three years, and hopefully permanently. So if we never come back to the US, removing conditions and getting citizenship just adds another $2000 to our immediate immigration bill (on top of the $1300 we have to pay to get me to Canada), and then he'll forever be filing taxes in the US and renewing an American passport so we can visit my family (once he's an American citizen, he'll have to always enter the US on an American passport, even if he never lives here again). So pas si simple que ça! But that's not to say that I don't over-think things.

[foobaz123 39]

Begin with shifting your train of thought to a more positive one and leaving negative ideas or "possibilities" out of your journey. It will definitely help you in the long run. Trust yourself and the fact that you have done an excellent job in educating yourself with the process through this wonderful forum. Always repeat mentally: Everything will be all right!

While there is nothing wrong with thinking positive and hoping for the best, given my situation and speaking only for myself I have to be prepared for the worse as well. I feel everything will be okay. I feel we'll get the visa and sometime next month this part of the journey will be over.

However, I also know that GUZ is a trick-some and sometimes nearly evil entity that is not to be trusted nor trifled with. It is a beast that must be beaten down, defeated and driven from the field. They say that the most well crafted plan never survives contact with the enemy, so having backup plans and being prepared for disaster is only good sense (while still hoping for the best).

TLDR version: Hope for the best, prepare for the worse.

Well now I'm going to start worrying about everything too. Thanks...

Also, can you update your signature?

LoL... No! I will not! You can't make me! Nener! Nener!

Don't worry too much... balance in everything, no?

Well, yes, but we are 99% sure we'll be moving to Canada in the next two or three years, and hopefully permanently. So if we never come back to the US, removing conditions and getting citizenship just adds another $2000 to our immediate immigration bill (on top of the $1300 we have to pay to get me to Canada), and then he'll forever be filing taxes in the US and renewing an American passport so we can visit my family (once he's an American citizen, he'll have to always enter the US on an American passport, even if he never lives here again). So pas si simple que ça! But that's not to say that I don't over-think things.

Ah, well.. never mind then... haha

[Laure&Colin 558]

Begin with shifting your train of thought to a more positive one and leaving negative ideas or "possibilities" out of your journey. It will definitely help you in the long run. Trust yourself and the fact that you have done an excellent job in educating yourself with the process through this wonderful forum. Always repeat mentally: Everything will be all right!

You are totally right. Unfortunately, I'm more of a "worst case scenario" person. I can imagine everything that could possibly go wrong very accurately.

I've been taught positive thinking but I find it very hard to practice when I'm under pressure.

Everything's gonna be alright.

[Saylin 1,605]

Okay, so I know this worrying is probably a LITTLE premature, but I was going through the spreadsheet and some people were in NVC for OVER 200 days? What the hell happened and is there anything we can learn from these poor cases?

Like Laure said, that long of a time in NVC was because of the petitioner and beneficiary, not NVC. Many people don't have both packages prepared, so they have to extend their time in NVC. Some people also get checklists and it takes awhile to get those needed documents. Then there's also some people that purposefully prolong NVC because they want to move after a certain time (due to a job in many cases). There's nothing you can really "learn" from those cases as they took their time and/or weren't prepared. If you have read the guides and know what to do with NVC and what to include in the packages, then you'll be in and out of NVC in around a month!

Saylin

Thank you very much for EVERYTHING!!!!!!

Yesterday, we had our CASE COMPLETED!! Woohooo... I am so happy Now i am wondering how many days for the interview in Madrid

Yay, grats!

If you want to know specific time frames for your country, use the immigration timelines search feature here on the site That's what I did while in NVC. I even made a spreadsheet out of it!

Yep! I left a note for myself to make sure I have it ready to go

Good Having one pre-filled out before the interview will save you probably 2 or more hours at the consulate!

I just got a false checklist for the IV package even though both were sent on the same day (in separate envelopes). Strange.

My AOS package was reviewed and accepted though!

This happens a LOT. NVC tends to issue checklists automatically right after reviewing a package, not even bothering to check if the other one is in the building or not.

And grats on your AOS package being accepted!

Yay- so now I have my NVC and IIN but no invoices yet hehe :-) patience is a virtue right? :-)

Yes, it definitely is in this immigration process.

While you're waiting, get those packages prepared! Are they both ready to go?

Sigh! No case number yet. God, grant me the patience!!!

I bet you'll either get it today or tomorrow Just keep calling twice a day, you're really close!

And like I suggested to Peaksy, get those packages ready! Are they both done yet and ready to go?

That's a more or less generic response they'll give for anything relating to time. I'm fairly certain if you asked what time the Sun will come up tomorrow they'll tell you '20 business days'.

I wouldn't put too much stock in that answer from them.

Ok guys, NVC still hasn't received my case. So i've been doing lots and lots of reading here.

Can you guys verify my steps:

Steps:

1) Get NVC case # and Invoice Identification #., Give the operator Beneficiary's and petitioner's email address

2) Email DS-3032 from the Beneficiary's email acct to NVCInquiry@state.gov

3) AOS bill gets invoiced

4) Pay AOS bill via payment portal. Link: https://ceac.state.g...ice/signon.aspx

5) DS-3032 accepted

6) Once AOS bill appears as Paid on payment portal - Mail the AOS package to NVC

- Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal

- Cover letter

- i-864 form completed, signed, and dated

- Tax transcript from: 2008, 2009, 2010, and copy of return from 2011 with 2011 W2

- Employment letter

- Pay stubs

7) IV bill gets invoiced

8) Pay IV bill via payment portal. Link: https://ceac.state.g...ice/signon.aspx

9) Once IV bill appears as Paid on payment portal Mail the IV package to NVC

- Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal

- DS-230 form completed, signed & dated (just part 1), part 2 will be done at the interview

- 2x passport photos (write on the back beneficiary's full Name, DOB, and NVC case#)

- Copy of bio-data page of beneficiary's unexpired passport

- Original or Certified Copy of beneficiary's birth certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY

- Original or Certified Copy of marriage certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY

- Original police certificate(s)

Few q's:

1) Whats the address to which we mail the AOS and IV package? I read through the instruction and couldn't locate it.

2) How many bar-coded sheets are there?

3) Is the bar-coded sheets that we mail with our AOS and IV packages, is that the one received from NVC with DS-3032?

4) Or that something you get with the AOS bill invoice and another one with IV bill invoice?

I read that we'll get email from NVC with bar-coded sheets with DS-3032 and to mail the bar-coded sheets with AOS and IV packages.

Thank you !

Those are the right steps to NVC

1. The address for the AOS and IV packages are on their respective bar-coded cover sheets.

2. There's just ONE for the AOS, and just ONE for the IV.

3 and 4. No and no. You print off the bar-coded cover sheets from the payment portal after you pay the respective bills.

[Ryan H 3,819]

I was looking back at my previous emails and such and it looks like it took NVC a week to go from "emailed in I-864EZ" to "Reviewed and found issues".... I'm hoping it doesn't take another week for them to review my corrected one. Any idea how long it normally takes to recover from such a situation?

When I had to respond to a checklist, the revised document was accepted 3 days later and I received a case complete. I saw they accepted the revised I-864EZ you sent them, congrats on the progress.

When NVC gets our i-130 application, do they get the FULL Folder (Photo album, skype logs, marriage cert...etc etc) that we sent USCIS?

or just the i-130 application?

Firstly, the I-130 is not an application, it's a petition. NVC will receive the full folder from USCIS.

I won't lie... when we finally get to our interview date and she disappears up stairs (USCs have to wait, if present, on the 4th floor)... I'll be nervous and scared out of my mind.

I've been there, you are in for what is probably the hardest and anxiety filled wait you will ever experience. PM me if you want to know the layout of the building the Consulate is in.

I just off the phone with the NVC Operator, I received my Case number and IIN Number!

Question: How soon can we send the Emailed DS-3032 and option email? 'NOW'????

If by "option email" you are talking about OPTIN for Electronic Processing, don't bother with the OPTIN email, EP is not available for cases that are going through the Hong Kong Consulate.

[Saylin 1,605]

Me? No, very relaxed...

(I have to STOP eating to feel better cause if I keep putting on weight like that every day, I'll end up having to pay for a second seat in the plane for my POE...)

I highly doubt that will be a problem. You'd have to eat a LOT to get that fat

Hey! Silly but quick question - I tried to call last night from home to see if my case has been received yet, but the NVC system doesn't like my Blackberry when trying to enter my USCIS number. None of the numbers pick up correctly by their system. I'm so impatient I just hung up after 3 tries. Question is - is there a way to just speak to an operator?

Definitely don't be relying on the AVR. I think I saw it being 6 days from your NOA2. It's safe to call a person now. I usually suggest waiting a week before calling an operator, so you're right there.

Remember, the AVR is always a few days behind. Order of finding things out: operator > AVR/correspondence

AOS Status "PAID"! Yaaay! Moving along. Mailing my AOS package this afternoon via Fedex on my way home. God is Great!

Yay! Update on us when that package is mailed

Begin with shifting your train of thought to a more positive one and leaving negative ideas or "possibilities" out of your journey. It will definitely help you in the long run. Trust yourself and the fact that you have done an excellent job in educating yourself with the process through this wonderful forum. Always repeat mentally: Everything will be all right!

Completely, 100% believe this It's what got me through this process!

Side note, there are indications that NVC may be reviewing my corrected AOS form. I got another one of those Super Special Received Electronic Documentation emails. The last time that happened it directly indicated a review was in progress. This is based on being able to call in later that afternoon/the next morning and finding out about the checklist. I'll be calling a few hours to see if there is any indication of a result of the review, and ask about the DS-230 for which there is still no news yet.

Yay, that's great news! Hope you give this thread good news when you call later (ie: AOS has been accepted). So we can all have another great night of sleep!

I'm afraid the interview won't be a closure. I all goes well and they say we're approved, I'll be anxiously waiting for my package containing the passport with the visa, spending my days tracking it online. Then I'll be afraid something could go wrong at POE. Then I'm gonna be anxioulsy waiting for the green card. I might relax for a bit until ROC time comes.

Why would you say that?? Are you trying to kill me??

I'll be honest with you. In my whole time here (almost 2 years), I have only ever seen ONE case of being denied at POE with a visa in hand. It was a Canadian trying to get through with a K1 visa. His name was codybanks I believe. The border officers didn't let him through because he had a past criminal record, and they told him they didn't believe he disclosed this to the consulate (although he did). So, he had to get married to his fiance, then re-apply, this time for a CR-1 visa. AS far as I know, I believe he's in AP now, but I haven't checked in quite a few months on his case.

You are totally right. Unfortunately, I'm more of a "worst case scenario" person. I can imagine everything that could possibly go wrong very accurately.

I've been taught positive thinking but I find it very hard to practice when I'm under pressure.

Everything's gonna be alright.

Please, please, please, I beg of you, to keep repeating this whenever you have a free moment, or whenever a negative thought comes in your mind. Write this on a post-it note and cover your computer with this. I did something similar to this, and it helped me greatly

[Saylin 1,605]

Phew, finally got through all the posts I've missed since last night when I logged off. Woke up to like 70 emails in my inbox from this one thread

[Trav&Shell 83]

Definitely don't be relying on the AVR. I think I saw it being 6 days from your NOA2. It's safe to call a person now. I usually suggest waiting a week before calling an operator, so you're right there.

Remember, the AVR is always a few days behind. Order of finding things out: operator > AVR/correspondence

Right on - Thanks! That will be the first thing I do when I get home tonight! (Would call now but just got back from dentist...I want them to understand me )

[Saylin 1,605]

Right on - Thanks! That will be the first thing I do when I get home tonight! (Would call now but just got back from dentist...I want them to understand me )

Yes, probably best to wait then!

[Trav&Shell 83]

Phew, finally got through all the posts I've missed since last night when I logged off. Woke up to like 70 emails in my inbox from this one thread

You're not kidding! Was in the dentist for 2 hours and came out to like 26 new posts!!!

[Saylin 1,605]

You're not kidding! Was in the dentist for 2 hours and came out to like 26 new posts!!!

I know. While I was replying to the first batch, I received like an additional 20 emails I thought I would never catch up!

[Trav&Shell 83]

I know. While I was replying to the first batch, I received like an additional 20 emails I thought I would never catch up!

Problem is, it's all great information - so I don't even WANT to put it on "daily digest" - knowledge is good!

[Saylin 1,605]

Problem is, it's all great information - so I don't even WANT to put it on "daily digest" - knowledge is good!

Very true! I have the 'immediate' notification