Scheduling Interview Question

[JD & Coconut 35]

I've read two different things; one, wait until packet 3 arrives before scheduling and two, you can schedule as soon as you have your case number. Also, when checking the visa status at https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?, it also makes mention of scheduling the appointment and no mention of waiting for packet 3 (see below).

Ready

Immigrant Visa Case Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Case Creation Date: 24-Jun-2013 Status Updated Date: 26-Jun-2013

Your case is ready for your interview when scheduled at the U.S. Consular section. If you have already scheduled an appointment for an interview, please prepare your documents as directed in your appointment letter and appear at the consulate on the appointed date and time. Otherwise, please wait until you have been notified of your interview appointment. Additional information about how Immigrant Visa interview appointments are scheduled can be found at:http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3731.html

Does anyone know for sure which is the proper order for Guangzhou?

Thanks,

[Darnell 8,478]

the proper order seems to be a moving target .

it has morphed a bit, since cgi stanley got involved.

i say get a cgi stanley account, then pay , then take the receipt # and register that at the cgi stanley website

and then attempt a schedule.

i've some urls in the china forum for p3 documents... find those and get some forms, as well.

Edited June 28, 2013 by Darnell

[Dieseltu 19]

_{I agree with Darnel. That's' how it worked for us. We could not get on CGI without the receipt number .}

[JD & Coconut 35]

She is going to be paying for the visa in the next couple days so will see after that.

Thanks!

[rawlsca 2]

Be ready for a major battle. Everything up to this point has been orderly and fair such that all we needed to do is follow each step methodically and be patient. However, after you pay your visa fee through CGI Stanley and go to the scheduling calendar page, you will have entered what I have dubbed the "interview date lottery". The "place in line" that we have all enjoyed up to this point will have evaporated and you will be in competition will all the many visa fee payers who are still trying to schedule their interview date. Many K1 visa applicants have entered this game and some have given up because they could never see any available dates after many weeks of trying. Others like myself are still battling in this competition for the next available date to schedule their fiancee's interview.

How does it work? Basically, it's a matter of chance timing of when you hit the calendar page to check for available dates. The date and time you hit the site is your "lottery ticket number". If it happens to coincide with a time frame when available dates can be seen, you're a winner! This wouldn't be so bad except they limit the number of times you can check your calendar each day. At least when you are approaching your limit, it will warn you.

I've chatted with several other K1 applicants trying to get a date. The emotions are running high, and fiancees in China have cried many tears over this horrible interview scheduling process, including mine. Battling the feeling of despair and panic is a daily burden. My fiancee and I have lost many hours of sleep over this. But we are determined not to give up.

I wish we had access to all the names of K1 applicants who have entered this game. I'd like get their signatures on a petition to send to our congressmen. Whoever came up with this new horrible process needs to know the misery and shed tears they have created in all our lives. The previous system where the consulate staff would assign our interview dates for us was a fair and balanced approach. No applicants got left behind, no applicants would get their interview date ahead of others who had already sent in their P3 packet before them. This was a fair and orderly system. Now we have a system that throws fairness into the wind!

I've called ustraveldocs.com many times. They claim this method of interview scheduling is a "first come, first served" approach. Yes, this is true with regard to this one step of scheduling an interview. But what about the entire process? What about the "first to submit their P3, first served" concept they used before? When you consider the entire process of getting a visa, this new system is definitely not "first come, first served". Before this point in the process, all applicants were "in line", one behind the other, nice and orderly. But as soon as you pay your visa fee, you exit the line and enter a big room filled with many other visa fee payers, who are all competing against each other to grab one of the few interview dates available when they appear. If you're not strong enough, smart enough and patient enough, you'll most likely never get an interview date.

Well, good luck to you anyway!

Clint & Hong

[Daveykins 17]

I completely agree with what rawlsca just said.

I will outsmart this inept system with determination and patience!!!

[Darnell 8,478]

ya - i wish i still had an OF-169 form floating around somewhere,

then anyone could bypass cgi stanley and stick with the GUZ P3 shortcut in the wiki.

[Ighaepero 2]

Well, the form is here: http://www.hmi-usa.com/OF169.pdf

Not sure if it's still valid or how this works now with CGI.

Just sayin'.

[PandaMaker 24]

A little off topic...but wow! Can you believe CGI Stanley is getting $94 million to $186 million for this???

http://www.cgi.com/en/Visa-services-support-expands-China-through-US-Department-State-Bureau-Consular-Affairs-task-order-award-Stanley

[Darnell 8,478]

Yes, I can. where's the profit margin, you ask?

Using offshore programming teams to handle the 'development' prior to rollout.

Using substandard call centers offshore to handle the inquires.