Advice Please - DOS has no record or LND no.

[VLRWHS 0]

Hi,

So pleased I found this forum, looks like a lot of people filing about the same time as I did. Reading some of the threads has been so informative, so much so that I have just spoken to the DOS!

Anyway, here is my situation.

My wife (USC) filed our petition for IR-1 spouse direct to the US embassy in London (DCF). We received approval on July 25, 2013. Since then I have been patiently waiting for the 'packet 3', LND no. etc.

I sent an online request from from the London embassy site on August 21, but have yet to receive a response. I have emailed USCIS, but just been told to contact the IVU via the website. Anyway, seeing that a lot of you on here were able to obtain the LND no. etc, I decided to call the DOS in US today on the new 202 485 7600 number. First of all, the advisor insisted that I should have a receipt no. I explained to him that my NOA explained that receipt no.s are not issued with petitions. After that he tried searching my name, my wife's name, and my wife's social security number. He said there was NOTHING. No record of me at all on their system!

does this sound right to anyone? If my petition was approved on july 25 and passed on to IVU surely they would have logged something by now?

Is there anyone else that I can contact to chase this up?

At a loss here...

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You are dealing with the embassy and the embassy only. There will not USCIS stateside or NVC contact with this petition. Embassy is the only way. You can call them (I believe there is a pay number) or follow up on your email.

[VLRWHS 0]

just to be clear.

I tried contacting the embassy via this contact form, requesting LND no. and had no response:

http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/visa_contact_form.html

I emailed USCIS at:

USCIS.London@uscis.dhs.gov

who told me there is nothing they can do and that I must use the above contact form.

Finally, I called the DOS (which I believe others have too) in the US, and was told nothing is logged.

[UKHusband 1]

When I used the contact form it took them two weeks to reply, by which time I'd received packet 3 and booked the medical.

Seems to be quite common (in this process) for the DOS not to be up to speed.

Would have thought you should have had Packet 3 by now, perhaps it's lost in the post (you wouldn't be the first!), but not sure there's much you can do other than wait for the reply from the contact form at this point? Frustrating.

[TomandCatie 7]

That can't be right.

Email the USCIS again and explain that the contact form isn't working and you aren't getting a repsonse. That it's been well over the 5 working days.

I was able to get my LND # in my email from them within 4 hours.

The DOS line will not have ANY record of anything until your LND number is assigned. They told me the same thing back in July.

[TomandCatie 7]

Also, the mail I wrote wasn't the one you posted.

You wrote uscis.london@uscis.dhs.gov

the email I wrote to was uscis.london@dhs.gov - no second USCIS.

Don't know if that matters or not, but it's worth a go.

[VLRWHS 0]

Thanks, I just checked. My first email was sent to uscis.london@dhs.gov and the reply was from uscis.london@uscis.dhs.gov. Must be the same thing.

I have replied to their last message stating that I have had no response from the online contact form and the DOS has no record.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Good advice re: trying USCIS email again. At least you get a human that way and they're responsive. Be super specific about what you want to know - have them at least tell you whether your file definitely made it to the IV unit or something like that.

It may just be stuck in a queue there for processing still, but at least then you'd know it's not lost.

Unfortunately, your case probably hit the IVU at exactly the worst time. Summer is busy at the embassy (student visas!) and they just changed their courier system, fee payment system, contact methods and are switching some types of visa over to use the DS-260. I think London is in slight stage of disarray. :/

The first time I called to get my LND, they didn't know about me, but my Packet 3 arrived the next day (so I was in the system when the chap on the phone said I wasn't).

Edited September 9, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[VLRWHS 0]

Good to know, lost_at_sea.

Does anyone know the inner workings of IVU? I am starting to think that either, a) my petition is on the desk of the person who just went on holiday, or b) they are about to send out 'new style' packet 3's with instructions to apply via DS-260.

Hopefully USCIS will reply and at least on confirm my petition was definitely received by IVU.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Good to know, lost_at_sea.

Does anyone know the inner workings of IVU? I am starting to think that either, a) my petition is on the desk of the person who just went on holiday, or b) they are about to send out 'new style' packet 3's with instructions to apply via DS-260.

Hopefully USCIS will reply and at least on confirm my petition was definitely received by IVU.

It's pretty black box, but I think your assessment seems plausible, although from what Nich-Nick found about the new DS-260 - it's likely that won't apply to K1 and DCF CR/IR-1s, because they don't go through the NVC. But we don't know for sure yet.

Let us know if USCIS can tell you where the file is.

Edited September 9, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Dbkrantz 16]

Hi,

I think you might have the same problem as the one I had. I never received my packet 3 letter.

The enquiry should be answered soon. It normally takes at least a week. When did you send it in?

I think the best is for you to call the USCIS office and explain the situation: 0207-495-055

This office will be able to track the case down for you. Just explain that you were approved end of July and that you should have received your LND number but it hasn't come.

The DoS won't know about it until the case has been created unfortunately.

Good luck !

[TomandCatie 7]

Hi,

I think you might have the same problem as the one I had. I never received my packet 3 letter.

The enquiry should be answered soon. It normally takes at least a week. When did you send it in?

I think the best is for you to call the USCIS office and explain the situation: 0207-495-055

This office will be able to track the case down for you. Just explain that you were approved end of July and that you should have received your LND number but it hasn't come.

The DoS won't know about it until the case has been created unfortunately.

Good luck !

That number does work, but even she told me that I should email them at the uscis.london@dhs.gov email.

Because the enquiry line was shut down there is nowhere else to get that information over the phone. The ONLY way, is through contact form online (which is taking 1-2 weeks now, NOT 5 days...) or through the email. Email them again and say VERY specifically what is going on:

"I have called DOS, written on the online enquiry, and called USCIS. It's been over a month, I've gotten no LND number and I wish to know if it has been assigned yet, as I never received the letter."

This should get them to respond back to you soon. Like I said, I got a response within hours.

It could be that it was assigned but the letter was lost in the mail. This happened to several people here, including Dbkrantz.

Edited September 9, 2013 by TomandCatie

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I was told today that Mexico has been using the DS-260 for K1s even though it says for immigrant petitions processed by NVC, so who knows? Another person said they tried it and couldn't advance because they didn't have an invoice ID number from NVC. Another said something about calling NVC and they will give you that number (not the same as the case number). I still don't see how NVC could in any way help a DCF filer because the case never went there.

That form is still a mystery in how it will go for K1 and DCF London. Maybe London will eventually post some instructions and a link when it is ready to go live. Doesn't seem to be live at the moment.

London is telling people (when they respond) that it takes up to 4 weeks to log a case so they are very backed up, as well as dazed and confused.

I would try booking the medical without the LND. Talk them into it saying you filed direct so NVC doesn't get the case so won't be informing you of a number. And your petition was approved early July and the embassy is waiting on your medical. Make up something. It's just an appointment and their way of keeping people from attending that haven't even had petition approval. All they can do is say no.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Nich-Nick

[TomandCatie 7]

I was told today that Mexico has been using the DS-260 for K1s even though it says for immigrant petitions processed by NVC, so who knows? Another person said they tried it and couldn't advance because they didn't have an invoice ID number from NVC. Another said something about calling NVC and they will give you that number (not the same as the case number). I still don't see how NVC could in any way help a DCF filer because the case never went there.

That form is still a mystery in how it will go for K1 and DCF London. Maybe London will eventually post some instructions and a link when it is ready to go live. Doesn't seem to be live at the moment.

London is telling people (when they respond) that it takes up to 4 weeks to log a case so they are very backed up, as well as dazed and confused.

I would try booking the medical without the LND. Talk them into it saying you filed direct so NVC doesn't get the case so won't be informing you of a number. And your petition was approved early July and the embassy is waiting on your medical. Make up something. It's just an appointment and their way of keeping people from attending that haven't even had petition approval. All they can do is say no.

I have emailed NVC and written to the enquiry contact form people as well. I'll get to the bottom of what it is supposed be for, and let everyone know, once I get an email back

[VLRWHS 0]

just a quick update...

All at once I have received an email stating that a 'new packet' 3 was sent in the mail - but no LND no; an email to my wife, stating LND number; a response to my 3 week old online request, stating LND no; and today, packet 3 in the post! Unbelievable that all of sudden it is like the Visa Unit has sprung back into life, so hopefully everyone will see some progress soon.

The packet 3 I received still mentions DS-230 part I/II and DS-2001 but links to the following page http://london.usembassy.gov/ds2001.html . The emails I received all said to follow the instructions on the website.

Therefore, I have completed form DS-260 online and will return DS-2001 in the mail.

Medical booked for monday