Waiting for Packet 3 - No end in sight

[DiVen 1]

Hello,

I live in Austin, TX. I met my fiance last year in Mumbai, India and we got engaged on December 31st. We sent out our K1 Visa application on January 4th and we got our NOA1 on January 9th. After a wait of almost 5 months, we got our approved NOA2 dated May 25th and we were issued a new "case number" for the Consulate in Mumbai.

I am currently on my 3rd trip since then to visit her since the wait is quite unbearable for both of us.

Since May 26th, there has been nothing from them. In Mumbai, VFS (Visa Facilitation Services) handles all immigrant visa inquiries. We are going on 7 weeks of waiting for Packet 3 to arrive. We have sent them (last Monday and this Monday) requesting any information about when this might happen, with no response at all. We have also called the national VFS Helpline twice and both times, we were asked to send in another email. Looking at the recent K1 Visa timelines on Visa Journey, most people only have to wait 15-25 days from NOA2 to Packet 3.

Q1. WHAT DO WE DO NOW??!?! Please help!?

Q2. Can we just send in the Packet 3 documents downloaded from the Consulate website before receiving instruction? What will happen if we do so?

Q3. How much longer is the wait from Packet 3 to interview date?

Q4. She has a valid tourist visa for the US. I have been told that it is not advisable for her to travel on this to come visit me because of the pending K1. Is this accurate?

This wait is very stressful on both of us and having to take off work for a week at a time to come visit her ends up being very stressful when I return as well, not to mention the $2-2.5K+ expenses on each trip. We keep having to delay our wedding plans and we are both sick and tired of friends and relatives asking us when we will be together. Please help!

Thanks in advance!

Edited July 11, 2012 by DiVen

[usaind 3]

Call DOS ( Department of State ) asap.

Give them your BMB case number and ask if Packet 3 has been sent out ( Note: I never got my Packet 3 or Packe 4 or Interview Letter - Had to do all the follow ups )

Now once DOS confirms Packet 3 was sent on so and so date , print it from the website and go to the nearest VFS office and drop off the documents. They will take the documents and give u a receipt. This is the best and safest way for documents to reach.

(Yes emailing is possible but there is a 2 MB limit and its like u dont know how long it will take before u know the consulate got the packet 3 docs )

Now give couple of days and call back DOS , They will have an update if consulate received packet 3.

Usually interview date is given within 2-3days after packet 3 is received.

Overall - I had to follow up with DOS everytime ... Hope the above info helps.

NOTE: Every case is different ..

[Gagan and Lindsay 2]

Q1. WHAT DO WE DO NOW??!?! Please help!?

Call DOS and check to see if Packet 3 has been sent. Once Packet 3 has been sent then follow answer to Q2.

Q2. Can we just send in the Packet 3 documents downloaded from the Consulate website before receiving instruction? What will happen if we do so?

Yes - Download all the documents and fill them out and take them to the VFS office directly. DO NOT E-MAIL!! (This delayed our interview by a month because the consulate never actually received our Packet 3)

Q3. How much longer is the wait from Packet 3 to interview date?

I believe we had our interview date within 2-3 weeks after sending in Packet 3 to the VFS office directly. Remember, getting an interview date is not the same as the interview. We got the interview date at the beginning of June for a July 11 interview. Keep calling the DOS to check status and they can tell you the interview date way before Packet 4 Interview Letter is issued.

Q4. She has a valid tourist visa for the US. I have been told that it is not advisable for her to travel on this to come visit me because of the pending K1. Is this accurate?

My fiance came to visit me in the US between NOA2 and Packet 3 receipt. Just make sure there are solid ties back to India such as a job, bank statements, etc. Even bring a copy of the K-1 docs (NOA1, NOA2, NVC letter, etc) to show you are doing this legally. It's also easier if they have been admitted to the US previously and they have that record where they have followed the laws. At this stage, I probably would not recommend spending that much money when you are so close to being done.

[DiVen 1]

When you guys say "Department Of State (DOS)," you are referring to the local U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, India, correct?? I will attempt contacting them today after they have opened and will keep you posted.

Thank you very much for your replies. All help is appreciated!

[DiVen 1]

Called US Consulate - They asked me to call VFS for any inquiries regarding application

Called VFS again - They said I have to wait for reply to my email even though its been 72 hours since we sent the last request for info. No reply thus far.

Should I actually call the US DOS in the US at 202 663 1225 when they are open from 8.30-5? Again, I am currently in India visiting my fiance. If this is who I need to call, I will call them tonight when they are open and check with them.

Please confirm! Thanks!

[DiVen 1]

Just got off the line with DOS - they tracked this for me within 5 minutes and said that the US Consulate in Mumbai shipped Packet 3 to my fiance on June 12th! It never arrived to my fiance. I should have posted up here earlier and found out about being able to call DOS. We will be dropping off all the forms tomorrow morning to VFS and keeping our fingers crossed for Packet 4.

[usaind 3]

All the best. Now this will move forward quicker.

[DiVen 1]

We dropped off the required Packet 3 docs at the VFS office yesterday morning. We got there about 8 am.

The only let my fiance in. I waited in the car outside. She went in with the DS-156, DS-230 Part I, her passport and some passport photos. As per her accord, the lady in front of her in the line for immigrant visas took almost 50 minutes at the counter. Meanwhile, the non-immigrant visa line was moving along at a pace of about 3-5 minutes per applicant. My fiance was second in line for immigrant visas. After almost 1 hour of waiting, she was called up to the counter at about 9 am. The VFS employee was apparently pretty blunt and rude to her, shoved her documents back to her and told her to come back with a DS-156K (Never requested in Packet 3). I had prepared one nonetheless and had it waiting in the car outside. My fiancee ran out, got it from me and went back in. Next, he shoved it back to her and asked her to bring photos (Not requested in Packet 3). We had them, and she provided those as well.

He took the papers, entered some stuff in his computer and told her to expect Packet 4 in 8-12 weeks!!?! That is insanely high compared to most people I see on Visa Journey. I reckon I will have to contact DOS again in about 1 week and see the progress etc, as you guys recommended.

PS. For those of you having to go to VFS in Mumbai soon - There is no parking available outside or anywhere even close to the VFS office in Mumbai. If you are going by yourself, I recommend parking where available and taking a cab to the VFS. Also, it is a small office under a Blue awning that covers the sign that says "US Visa Application Center." We drove past it 3 times before seeing it. It is attached to an Apartment Building named "Tirupati" and it directly across the street from the Mahalaxmi temple, and diagonally across the street from Cadbury House next to the gas station.

Overall, we are not too pleased with the customer service level at VFS, but very happy that we finally got our Packet 3 docs submitted. Now onto the waiting game of Packet 4 and then the interview!

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to India regional forum; topic is country specific.