Getting Nervous After Packet 3

[Gagan and Lindsay 2]

Hi All-

Everything was moving very smoothly. We got our NOA2 after 143 days. It was in and out of the NVC, Consulate received, and Packet 3 was issued within 2 weeks of our NOA2. We downloaded the forms online and did not even wait for the hard copies as my fiance was visiting and with me in the US. We sent back Packet 3 on 04.18.12. We received confirmation from the VFS on 04.23.12 that Packet 3 was received and forwarded to the consulate. My fiance received the Packet 3 hard copy in the mail around 04.26.12. I have been calling DOS every other day checking status and no interview date yet. All they keep telling me is "I show they sent out Packet 3. Have you received that yet?" I have checked the Appointment Dates on the Mumbai consulate website daily and we are not there for the first 1/2 of June. I'm starting to get a little worried.

We sent an e-mail to VFS to follow-up and check status and did not receive an e-mail response back. My fiance then called the helpdesk and they tell him that it can take up to 12 weeks for Packet 3 to be processed. They said that after 12 weeks we should call the NVC and they can schedule an interview for us. I called the NVC today to see if that was even possible because I did not think they did anything with our case once it was sent to the consulate and they confirmed for me that they CANNOT do that. They confirmed my thinking was right which leads me to wonder if anything the VFS has told us has been accurate. I'm watching those cases around me that submitted Packet 3 well after we did get their interview dates.

I don't care when the interview date is, I just want a date. I was fully prepared to wait for NOA2, but this wait has caught me by utter surprise and is quite discouraging. We have waited over 4 weeks since submission to VFS and over 3.5 weeks since consulate should have received. Does anyone have any insight as to ways we can escalate? A phone number to where I can call the consulate directly? Anything other than just waiting with no help on our side?

Thanks!

[usaind 3]

Did DOS confirmed if the consulate received Packet 3 ?

[Gagan and Lindsay 2]

Did DOS confirmed if the consulate received Packet 3 ?

No...They are not showing the consulate received yet but they told me that normally the consulate will update all 3 areas at the same time (Packet 3 Recv'd, Packet 4 Sent, and Interview Date)

[usaind 3]

Sorry to ask , should have asked at first go, so u emailed the documents to infousmumbai@vfshelpline.com or actually couriered the documents ?

When we couriered documents it never made it, so later emailed to vfs and requested them to submit , we were told that the size of the documents (together) should be less than 2 MB. So we had to email couple of times.

Once DOS confirmed they received Packet 3 , it took few days for us to get an interview date

[Gagan and Lindsay 2]

Sorry to ask , should have asked at first go, so u emailed the documents to infousmumbai@vfshelpline.com or actually couriered the documents ?

When we couriered documents it never made it, so later emailed to vfs and requested them to submit , we were told that the size of the documents (together) should be less than 2 MB. So we had to email couple of times.

Once DOS confirmed they received Packet 3 , it took few days for us to get an interview date

We sent Packet 3 via e-mail to the e-mail address you listed above. We had the same issue with the file being too big so I printed the pages to a PDF and made sure they were under 2mb (the file was actually 1.9mb) and then sent it. The VFS even confirmed they received it and forwarded it to the consulate.

[usaind 3]

I would suggest Email once more packet 3 OR

If there is someone who could print the documents and drop off to the nearest VFS Office ? Usually VFS will give a receipt and we can track using that receipt.

My suggestion regarding resending the docs are because it has been 4 weeks since u guys have sent packet 3. It is possible interview date has not been set but , DOS should have an update that consulate received Packet 3.

[Lynn n Sam 57]

Hi All-

Everything was moving very smoothly. We got our NOA2 after 143 days. It was in and out of the NVC, Consulate received, and Packet 3 was issued within 2 weeks of our NOA2. We downloaded the forms online and did not even wait for the hard copies as my fiance was visiting and with me in the US. We sent back Packet 3 on 04.18.12. We received confirmation from the VFS on 04.23.12 that Packet 3 was received and forwarded to the consulate. My fiance received the Packet 3 hard copy in the mail around 04.26.12. I have been calling DOS every other day checking status and no interview date yet. All they keep telling me is "I show they sent out Packet 3. Have you received that yet?" I have checked the Appointment Dates on the Mumbai consulate website daily and we are not there for the first 1/2 of June. I'm starting to get a little worried.

We sent an e-mail to VFS to follow-up and check status and did not receive an e-mail response back. My fiance then called the helpdesk and they tell him that it can take up to 12 weeks for Packet 3 to be processed. They said that after 12 weeks we should call the NVC and they can schedule an interview for us. I called the NVC today to see if that was even possible because I did not think they did anything with our case once it was sent to the consulate and they confirmed for me that they CANNOT do that. They confirmed my thinking was right which leads me to wonder if anything the VFS has told us has been accurate. I'm watching those cases around me that submitted Packet 3 well after we did get their interview dates.

I don't care when the interview date is, I just want a date. I was fully prepared to wait for NOA2, but this wait has caught me by utter surprise and is quite discouraging. We have waited over 4 weeks since submission to VFS and over 3.5 weeks since consulate should have received. Does anyone have any insight as to ways we can escalate? A phone number to where I can call the consulate directly? Anything other than just waiting with no help on our side?

Thanks!

Hey Lindsay,

Here is our timeline:

10/6/11 - Hard copy of NOA2 received

10/17/11 - NVC Received

10/21/11 - NVC finished processing

10/28/11 - NVC Left

10/28/11 - Consulate Received Emailed Packet from NVC

11/01/11 - Mumbai Consulate sent Packet 3 (so they've said)

11/10/11 - Packet 3 Sent electronically with no replies

(Packet 3 still not received as of 11/28/11)

11/21/11 - Packet 3 sent via courier

11/22/11 - Packet 3 received by Mumbai Consulate - DOS states no interview date set yet!

11/28/11 - Physical documents for Embassy received from NVC

12/5/11 - Interview date set for January 5, 2012!

12/19/11 - Packet 4 with interview letter received via email as it was never received via regular mail even though Mumbai "supposedly" mailed it out on 12/5/11.

I'm beginning to think the Mumbai consulate doesn't send ANYTHING out! No Packet 3 or 4 has ever arrived in the mail! Grrrr

12/22/11 - Medical at Lilavati Hospital

1/1/12 - 1/16/12 - 3rd visit to India for the interview

Jan 5, 2012 - Interview: Denied - the interminable wait for a decision by USCIS begins

Unfortunately, VFS are contracted people and do not work for the US Govt, therefore they can be a little unreliable. We had some trouble with them also - pre interview and post. They told us 12 weeks for processing also. Just keep contacting the DOS, I did daily in order to get our interview date. I suspect that you guys will be getting your interview date very soon.

Good Luck!

[E & S 1]

I would suggest Email once more packet 3 OR

If there is someone who could print the documents and drop off to the nearest VFS Office ? Usually VFS will give a receipt and we can track using that receipt.

My suggestion regarding resending the docs are because it has been 4 weeks since u guys have sent packet 3. It is possible interview date has not been set but , DOS should have an update that consulate received Packet 3.

We dropped our packet 3 off at VFS Bangalore Office (luckily a short autorickshaw ride away for us) on 4/26. When we did they said they only give receipt if you're dropping of a packet 4 (and the receipt is for the courier fee). The VFS phone support folks generally haven't been trained up on immigrant visa process yet from our experience. The VFS email support folks are a bit slow to respond but will usually get back to you after they ask and get a response back from the consulate. We also had trouble getting an answer from them and DOS about whether or not the consulate had actually received our packet 3.

In other news, The Mumbai consulate released updated interview schedules on May 22nd (same day we received our packet 4, lol) and again on 23rd morning (and now the June schedule appears full). You may want to check if you now appear on the list.

Best of luck.

Enjoy,

Erik

[Gagan and Lindsay 2]

Thank you everyone! My fiancé kept calling the VFS and kept getting different answers so he went there in person and they told him we should have never e-mailed the packet in even though we received confirmation they received the packet and I've seen so many cases on here where the VFS tells the applicant to e-mail but whatever. We re-submitted the packet on 05.23.12 and then received confirmation Packet 3 was received on 05.24.12 by the DOS...We are back on track now...just a little delayed... :-/