USEM & Direction Following MNL Number

[Tahoma 2,292]

Good day to all you VisaJourney Philippines Members,

I'm really hoping to tap into your experiences to insure that I am following through with things correctly after receiving the MNL number yesterday morning. I have a couple questions and I pray you can all help me get some answers to.

1) Now that I have the MNL number, can my love go to BPI and schedule her interview straight away?

2) When can my love go for her medical at St Luke's? Do we have to wait until the USEM receives the case from the NVC before going for the medical or can we go anytime after scheduling the interview?

Rgds,

Sahs

1) Yes, now that you have your MNL case number, your fiancée can pay the visa application fee at BPI and then schedule her interview either online or by phone. After paying the visa fee at BPI, it can take anywhere from 4-24 hours to be able to schedule an interview appointment. If you schedule online, print out copies of the confirmation sheet. If you schedule by phone, print out copies of the confirmation email. You can use either one of those documents to be admitted into St. Lukes for the medical and you will need one of them to be admitted into the Embassy for the interview. Your fiancée can also use her MNL case number to be admitted into St. Lukes for her medical.

2) Since your fiancée already has her MNL case number, she can complete her medical at any time up until a few days before her Embassy interview. She can use her MNL case number in order to be admitted into St. Lukes for her medical. Or, she can use her interview appointment confirmation to be admitted into St. Lukes.

However, keep in mind that her visa will be valid for six months from the date of the medical, not from the date of her interview. On the other hand, some people like to complete the medical at the earliest possible time in case St. Lukes requires them to undergo an eight-week TB culture.

[Sahs 10]

1) Yes, now that you have your MNL case number, your fiancée can pay the visa application fee at BPI and then schedule her interview either online or by phone. After paying the visa fee at BPI, it can take anywhere from 4-24 hours to be able to schedule an interview appointment. If you schedule online, print out copies of the confirmation sheet. If you schedule by phone, print out copies of the confirmation email. You can use either one of those documents to be admitted into St. Lukes for the medical and you will need one of them to be admitted into the Embassy for the interview. Your fiancée can also use her MNL case number to be admitted into St. Lukes for her medical.

2) Since your fiancée already has her MNL case number, she can complete her medical at any time up until a few days before her Embassy interview. She can use her MNL case number in order to be admitted into St. Lukes for her medical. Or, she can use her interview appointment confirmation to be admitted into St. Lukes.

However, keep in mind that her visa will be valid for six months from the date of the medical, not from the date of her interview. On the other hand, some people like to complete the medical at the earliest possible time in case St. Lukes requires them to undergo an eight-week TB culture.

Thank you all so much for your input! It' very much appreciated that you all take your time out of your busy schedules... My love and I are dying to be together again and this time we plan on returning home here in the US together... Out of curiosity, what is the average timeframe of the interview and getting the passports/visas delivered? Or picked up from a 2GO center?

[Tahoma 2,292]

Thank you all so much for your input! It' very much appreciated that you all take your time out of your busy schedules... My love and I are dying to be together again and this time we plan on returning home here in the US together... Out of curiosity, what is the average timeframe of the interview and getting the passports/visas delivered? Or picked up from a 2GO center?

You're very welcome.

You probably can get an interview date from two to four weeks out depending on how busy the Embassy's IV Unit is at the time. It should be noted that if you schedule an interview date and you want an earlier date than you already scheduled, you can go back online and try to schedule an earlier one.

The average time from the interview to receiving the visa packet is about 7-10 business days. However, that can vary greatly. It's not uncommon to see delivery times from three days to three weeks.

By following the shortcut of getting your MNL case number from the NVC instead of waiting for the Embassy to send you their letter, you've already easily shaved a month or more off of the time that you and your fiancée will be together forever.

[Sahs 10]

You're very welcome.

You probably can get an interview date from two to four weeks out depending on how busy the Embassy's IV Unit is at the time. It should be noted that if you schedule an interview date and you want an earlier date than you already scheduled, you can go back online and try to schedule an earlier one.

The average time from the interview to receiving the visa packet is about 7-10 business days. However, that can vary greatly. It's not uncommon to see delivery times from three days to three weeks.

By following the shortcut of getting your MNL case number from the NVC instead of waiting for the Embassy to send you their letter, you've already easily shaved a month or more off of the time that you and your fiancée will be together forever.

WOW, two weeks out maybe too quick, right? I mean, I just got the MNL number on Monday morning. That being said, I'm assuming the USEM will have to had received the case file from the NVC and processed it in the Embassy? Sorry for all the questions and etc, but I want to make sure everything is in order and without any unwanted shockers. lol

[Hank_ 9,174]

Isn't the Instruction Letter the one that can be found online at the below link?

http://photos.state....3__rtf2_005.pdf

It is the instructions letter from the embassy for the K-1, but it is NOT the Instructions Letter SLEC is referring to as that is from NVC and only the IR/CR-1 get those.

[Hank_ 9,174]

WOW, two weeks out maybe too quick, right? I mean, I just got the MNL number on Monday morning. That being said, I'm assuming the USEM will have to had received the case file from the NVC and processed it in the Embassy? Sorry for all the questions and etc, but I want to make sure everything is in order and without any unwanted shockers. lol

We scheduled our interview a month after receiving the MNL # and paying the fee at BPI, when you go online to schedule you will see a variety of openings and you just choose the one that best fits you.

[Tahoma 2,292]

WOW, two weeks out may be too quick, right? I mean, I just got the MNL number on Monday morning. That being said, I'm assuming the USEM will had to have received the case file from the NVC and processed it in the Embassy? Sorry for all the questions and etc, but I want to make sure everything is in order and without any unwanted shockers. lol

The Embassy has to have your physical case file in order to conduct an interview. However, you should be fine with an interview two weeks out (if you can get one that early). The NVC rarely holds onto a petition for very long. They assign it a case number and usually send it to the U.S. Embassy Manila right away. Once they send your physical case file, it only takes a few days for it to get there and to be entered into the Embassy's system.

If your fiancée has to travel to Manila for her medical and interview, you might be more comfortable scheduling an interview three weeks out. That way, there's almost no risk that she would be wasting a trip to Manila.

[Sahs 10]

Curious to note that, in my case, the NVC had received my case and were processing it to the wrong embassy. Thank GOD I contacted them on the 24th of March, discovering the issue and they were able to put a hold on our file until they reviewed the case and then submitted the the correct Case Number (MNL); which was done yesterday morning. I just phoned them to ask if it had left for Manila and was advised that our case is still at their office at this point and time. Makes me wonder if there will be a delay of some kind due to the circumstances. I personally see no reason for any delay, but Hmmmmm....

[bebe13 4]

just show the receipt from bpi. bring a copy of noa2 incase they will ask

[Tahoma 2,292]

I'd gamble and schedule the interview because you can always reschedule if there's a delay at NVC.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Curious to note that, in my case, the NVC had received my case and were processing it to the wrong embassy. Thank GOD I contacted them on the 24th of March, discovering the issue and they were able to put a hold on our file until they reviewed the case and then submitted the the correct Case Number (MNL); which was done yesterday morning. I just phoned them to ask if it had left for Manila and was advised that our case is still at their office at this point and time. Makes me wonder if there will be a delay of some kind due to the circumstances. I personally see no reason for any delay, but Hmmmmm....

I don't see a reason for delay either, your file is sent electronically to Manila (as they are the ones that actually issue the MNL # to NVC), then the physical file follows. Get things rolling by the time you are done with BPI and get the interview scheduled I would bet the file will be there.

just show the receipt from bpi. bring a copy of noa2 incase they will ask

The NOA2 is of no value at this stage, no one ever asks for it.

[Sahs 10]

I don't see a reason for delay either, your file is sent electronically to Manila (as they are the ones that actually issue the MNL # to NVC), then the physical file follows. Get things rolling by the time you are done with BPI and get the interview scheduled I would bet the file will be there.

Spot on there, Hank! Below is from our Immigration Lawyer on the matter... Yes, I'm nuking it with both practical experience and legal experience. lol

The NVC will likely send us a letter confirming that the case is being sent

to Manila. Once it arrives at the Embassy, the Embassy will send a letter

with instructions about how to apply for the K-1; this is the set of

instructions which can be downloaded from the Embassy's website and which

you and I have been following. We want to see this set of instructions if

they arrive because they could be different from what is online (you never

know).

In an immigrant visa application (which you are not dealing with), the NVC would send the petitioner and

attorney an email with a long list of instructions about the documents

needed. The petitioner would then pay the application fees online and send

the documents to the NVC. Once the NVC believes that it has everything the

Consulate will need, the NVC will forward the entire file to the Consulate.

Then the Consulate schedules the interview. Fortunately, a K-1 application

is processed differently, because the interactions with the NVC can be

incredibly tedious.

Edited April 10, 2013 by Sahs

[Tahoma 2,292]

The Embassy's K-1 letter, which contains a notice of eligibility to schedule an interview and details the interview preparation instructions, is the same online as the version that's mailed out via PhilPost.

Just in case you were thinking about it, don't wait for the NVC to send you a letter! To speed things up, just call the NVC and get your MNL case number.

Edited April 10, 2013 by Tahoma

[Hank_ 9,174]

If you follow the list I posted you can be done in a month or less... and then its..... Honey, what's for dinner?

[Tahoma 2,292]

If you follow the list I posted you can be done in a month or less... and then its..... Honey, what's for dinner?

...Honey, what's for dessert?