Scheduling Interview Before P4

[JD & Coconut 35]

I wrote to the consulate to ask them a few questions, one being about scheduling the interview prior to receiving the P4 letter; this is their reply.

Thank you for your email. Please prepare all necessary documents as
instructed by packet 3.

A visa officer will decide whether a certain document is acceptable or
not.

Applicants are not supposed to schedule the visa interview until they
are notified to do so. Please wait for further notice.

Thank you.


Sincerely,
Immigrant Visa Unit
U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou

This email is UNCLASSIFIED based upon the provisions of E.O. 13526
To respond to this email, use only the web form at
http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn//immigrant-visa-unit-question.ht
ml E-mails sent via "reply" will not be received.

The P3 letter sent to the beneficiary also states not to schedule the interview until told to do so and this information is also on the embassy IV website.

Do not try to schedule an interview appointment until you have been contacted by the U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/immigrant_visas.html

The ustraveldocs website has a different message which is not true.

If the Consulate has not notified you that your case is ready to be scheduled, you will not be able to access this function through CGI Stanley.

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-appointmentschedule.asp

I guess the point of this post is my concern over the fact that many of us have scheduled our interviews prior to receiving the P4 Email notifying us that it is time to schedule the interview. So far, none of us that scheduled in July have received our P4. Our scheduled interview date was Aug. 21st which we had to cancel due to the P4 not having arrived and the visa status check site (https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?) still has the status of Administrative Processing which it has been since they sent our P3. Is it possible that they do not send out the P4 if the beneficiary has a interview scheduled? Could the embassy staff be that petty?

Also note: My fiancee told me about a girl who had a interview scheduled for Aug. 17th and also had not received her P4 yet. When she went to cancel yesterday, they informed her that she could not if the cancellation is within five days of the interview. My guess is this poor girl now needs to be a no-show to the interview and go through additional delays to get another one. If you need to cancel, may be a safe bet to do so five business days prior to your interview date.

Edited August 15, 2013 by JD & Coconut

[Canerican 242]

Hey there,

I would suggest not scheduling an interview until you receive your P4 as that is what the IV Unit told you through email. Usually they say that if you schedule an interview ahead of the P4 that it will automatically be cancelled. Again I would suggest to prevent any further delay to wait for your P4 to come before you schedule. Did you give them your or your fiancee's email? If so they will send you P4 in an email, this is how they sent me P4 in Canada. Best of luck.

Edited August 15, 2013 by CDN(ON)-USA(VT)

[RobBell 32]

We did this. We registered for the website and scheduled the interview before even having the P3. We knew our packet was at the Consulate and our P3 had been sent out. They didn't cancel it or show any concern. We just had to sweat out getting the P3, turning it around quickly and then getting the P4 email in time. Since we had scheduled about 4 weeks later, we had time.

Unfortunately we had a small problem with getting the certified translations back from the Chinese gov. I even traveled there to attend the interview. But, unfortunately we had to cancel the interview the day before since we didn't have all the documents. We didn't have any problems cancelling at the last minute, we cancelled in the afternoon the day before the interview. We had problems rescheduling because of the move in July but no problems coming from scheduling early.

We just got approved August 12th.

[Jason and Analyn 1]

We didn't wait ... as soon as we got Our NOA2 I started calling the NVC at the 15 day point...by the third week I received and E-mail with my Fiancé MNL number and that our petition was sent to the US Embassy in Manila. So we planned 2 and half weeks from there should be plenty of time. We all ready had the info that was required to take to the interview by doing research and checking the Case status site using her MNL number and her status read " READY to be scheduled for the interview" She went to her interview yesterday and was approved... I know not every embassy is the same nore the cases...Just wanted to add my perspective

[Olive4870 10]

We didn't wait ... as soon as we got Our NOA2 I started calling the NVC at the 15 day point...by the third week I received and E-mail with my Fiancé MNL number and that our petition was sent to the US Embassy in Manila. So we planned 2 and half weeks from there should be plenty of time. We all ready had the info that was required to take to the interview by doing research and checking the Case status site using her MNL number and her status read " READY to be scheduled for the interview" She went to her interview yesterday and was approved... I know not every embassy is the same nore the cases...Just wanted to add my perspective

hi i have checked my case status too and it's "READY"... did your fiancee go to her interview without the P4?

Edited August 15, 2013 by terrificgrace

[Olive4870 10]

We didn't wait ... as soon as we got Our NOA2 I started calling the NVC at the 15 day point...by the third week I received and E-mail with my Fiancé MNL number and that our petition was sent to the US Embassy in Manila. So we planned 2 and half weeks from there should be plenty of time. We all ready had the info that was required to take to the interview by doing research and checking the Case status site using her MNL number and her status read " READY to be scheduled for the interview" She went to her interview yesterday and was approved... I know not every embassy is the same nore the cases...Just wanted to add my perspective

first of all CONGRATS to both of you... i have checked my case status too and it's "READY" for interview... did your fiancee go to her interview without the P4? is it possible?

[Jason and Analyn 1]

we already had the list of required documents. the letter just states to go to another site and get all the forms required ,pay the 240.00 for the visa and go to st lukes to do the medical. her family recivied it while she was up in manila so she didn't have it ...she was approved yesterday they have her passport and said everything looks good. and now we wait for it to be returned

[JD & Coconut 35]

We did this. We registered for the website and scheduled the interview before even having the P3. We knew our packet was at the Consulate and our P3 had been sent out. They didn't cancel it or show any concern. We just had to sweat out getting the P3, turning it around quickly and then getting the P4 email in time. Since we had scheduled about 4 weeks later, we had time.

Unfortunately we had a small problem with getting the certified translations back from the Chinese gov. I even traveled there to attend the interview. But, unfortunately we had to cancel the interview the day before since we didn't have all the documents. We didn't have any problems cancelling at the last minute, we cancelled in the afternoon the day before the interview. We had problems rescheduling because of the move in July but no problems coming from scheduling early.

We just got approved August 12th.

Good to know Rob, thanks for the reply and congrats on your approval!

Did they ask to see the P4 Email at the embassy before they would accept your documents or let you interview? One member said that they had to go and print the Email at a local print shop in order to get into the interview.

Edited August 15, 2013 by JD & Coconut

[RobBell 32]

Good to know Rob, thanks for the reply and congrats on your approval!

Did they ask to see the P4 Email at the embassy before they would accept your documents or let you interview? One member said that they had to go and print the Email at a local print shop in order to get into the interview.

Yes you definitely have to have the P4 email with the appointment letter, no way around that.

[Ighaepero 2]

Is it possible that they do not send out the P4 if the beneficiary has a interview scheduled? Could the embassy staff be that petty?

They are not being "petty." No one has been assigned the job of logging into the computer and preventing P4s from going out to those who scheduled too early as a way to "punish" them. They are bureaucrats, not evil bullies.

Thanks for passing the information along regarding when to schedule the interview. If the consulate could have released information in a timely manner, we wouldn't have had to scramble like headless chickens, driven by conjecture and hysterics.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Ighaepero

[Darnell 8,478]

I'm having a nomenclature problem at the moment.

Prior to CGI Stanley getting involved at Guangzhou IV,

a P4 packet/letter was the appointment letter stating the appointment date with the beneficiary's biodata,

and it was this letter that the beneficiary would show to the medical crew.

[Darnell 8,478]

we already had the list of required documents. the letter just states to go to another site and get all the forms required ,pay the 240.00 for the visa and go to st lukes to do the medical. her family recivied it while she was up in manila so she didn't have it ...she was approved yesterday they have her passport and said everything looks good. and now we wait for it to be returned

I want to point out that whilst Manila IV and Guangzhou IV use the same webportal company for scheduling,

CGI Stanley / ustraveldocs.com

Manila IV 'seems fast' because the physical casefile gets from NVC to Manila IV in a timely fashion.

That's not the case with Guangzhou IV, as (per treaty with China) consular documents must be held in a Bonded China Customs Warehouse for a period of time, anywhere from 1 to 4 months.

So, although much of the process 'seems' similar between Manila IV and Guangzhou IV, it really isn't. Physical casefile presence is a huge disconnect, when comparing the two IV Units for K-1 visa processing (IMO).

OTOH, Guangzhou IV can still decide to use the SAFEFILE version of the casefile and not rely on the physical casefile being present inside the IV unit before scheduling.

IMO, there's a huge disconnect with ustraveldocs.com and Guangzhou IV...

FWIW, in the past, Guangzhou would schedule the appointment after the P3 document set was added to the casefile (which was sent in by the beneficiary) . I've got a P3 shortcut in the wiki covering the old process (Note it doesn't work anymore, aye?)

So, at the moment, it still seems that there is a 'holding point' with ustraveldocs.com preventing the scheduling even if the visa fee is paid. That makes sense to me - but identifying what the 'holding point' is, truly is, seems the boggle at the moment.

I pray you guys can figure it out , as it's been a real PITA since ustraveldocs.com got involved. If there was even one competent Human with ustraveldocs.com on the China HelpDesk that KNEW what triggered scheduling, that'd be a plus. Numerous phone calls (thanks fellas for posting your call logs and results, btw) into the ustraveldocs.com China HelpDesk seem worse than calling into USCIS and talking with a CSR drone. grrrr

Somehow, I still think that having the physical casefile inside the IV Unit is a holding point for Guangzhou IV.

[JD & Coconut 35]

What is so strange is that before the embassy move, the P3 was taking about two weeks and the P4 about a week and a half for those people in the earlier part of June. Now, post move, no one has received their P4 and some have been waiting over a month (three weeks if you exclude the closure week). I guess the point of my post was my concern that the embassy may not be sending P4's to people who scheduled their interviews early but Rob's post did alleviate some of my concern over that.

Not sure if at the moment there is no available dates to schedule or (due to poor programming of the ustraveldocs website which currently has my vote) when you reschedule you automatically get "reset" and have to wait the duration again to get a new interview date. Guess I'll find out over the coming weeks.

[PandaMaker 24]

Darnell, can you tell me if "SAFEFILE" can be used interchangeably with "transferred electronically"?

I think this explains the possible delay of P4s, unless someone can chime in and say that this is outdated information...

I think it's all bad timing, combined with the Consulate move.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/iv_faqs.htm#11

"NVC sends this letter when the case is transferred electronically to Guangzhou. The interview cannot take place, however, until the physical file arrives at post. Due to unavoidable delays in getting files through Chinese customs, it takes about 3 months for them to arrive at the Consulate after being shipped by NVC. Once the Consulate receives the physical file, it will send a letter to the applicant with information about how to proceed with their application. Once all necessary documents have been submitted; all security checks have been completed; and (for numerically limited visa classes) the visa is available; the Consulate will schedule the interview and notify the applicant. Interviews are typically scheduled 3-6 weeks in advance."

Edited August 16, 2013 by PandaMaker

[Rob & Rachel 24]

The delay could also have to do with student visas, Rachel had heard that it's common for slowdowns around this time of year for that as well. could add another layer of delay, and with school starting soon, they might prioritize them over the marriage visas.