Difficulty getting information in time for interview / visa approval window

[belenday 0]

We could use some good ideas. After 7 long months our I-129 was approved, then moved through NCS. We just got packet 3 from the Montreal Consulate (12/09/2006) and got an actual rather than a hypothetical verbal one. Since my fiance is from China, it is next to impossible to get the official birth certificate and police records that is being requested - let alone in a couple weeks. Since she has to be in the US by 3/1/07 for our Visa, it seems we need to have all the DS230 and completed checklist sent back to the consulate before the end of the year.

Does anyone have any experience of what we can do?

[joeyjoey 1]

We could use some good ideas. After 7 long months our I-129 was approved, then moved through NCS. We just got packet 3 from the Montreal Consulate (12/09/2006) and got an actual rather than a hypothetical verbal one. Since my fiance is from China, it is next to impossible to get the official birth certificate and police records that is being requested - let alone in a couple weeks. Since she has to be in the US by 3/1/07 for our Visa, it seems we need to have all the DS230 and completed checklist sent back to the consulate before the end of the year.

Does anyone have any experience of what we can do?

Belenday,

I don't understand why she has to be here by March 1, 2007. She has not had the Interview or received the Visa to come th the USA, correct? I think the March 1, 2007 date may be the expiration date on the NOA2, yes or no? If so, this is not the date that she must be in the USA. You'll need to clarify that for us to better understand.

You can always postpone and change the Interview date after notifying the Consulate. In fact, you did not state that you even have an Interview date scheduled. You need more time, so a rescheduling of the Interview would be appropriate for you. Again, I do not understand the March 1, 2007 date. Maybe a better explanation of the situation would help other members provide a more sound solution for you.

Good luck to you both.

JoeyJoey

[Ken_Maria 0]

After 7 long months our I-129 was approved, then moved through NCS. Since my fiance is from China, it is next to impossible to get the official birth certificate and police records that is being requested - let alone in a couple weeks.

We can only assume you have not looked at the examples and guidelines for the required forms or you would not have waited 7 month for the packet 3 to tell you what you needed. I do not think China is any slower than any other third world country in obtaining documents. Like the last repsponse, where does the 1 Mar 07 date come from? Her interview will be in China not in US/Canada. She will only be in US/Canada after she is approved for the K1.

I think reading the guidelines and example forms may clear some things up for you. Good luck, Payato

Edited December 10, 2006 by Ken_Maria

[motu 6]

As far as birth certificates are concerned they are not critical - so if you can get the police clearance you may still be OK. I base it on the fact that I do not have a birth certificate and the US consulate has mechanism for other proof - in my case two relatives swore in front of a judge that they knew me and my date of birth (I had to submit those as proof of my birth for an immigrant visa (green card) to USA - this was in India.) So check out the documents that can be substitutes for the birth certificate on the USCIS website and do not worry about that one - the police clearance hopefully doesn't take that long. Good Luck

[belenday 0]

To answer some questions regarding why March 1st is an important date, on the face of the approval notice it states it is only valid from 10/31/2006 to 3/1/2007. I also made an Info Pass appointment for my local USCIS office on 11/3/2006. During the appointment, the immigration officer specifically stated that this approval requires that she enter the US by 3/1/2007 or we have to start over with a new I129. They could not tell me any of the requirements until after she arrives in the US as it is handled by a different government agency.

When I called the NVC, they said Montreal would have to communicate the specific requirements. When I called the Montreal Consulate for the specific requirements a month ago they would only tell me the DS230. They would not tell me any other documents and said we had to wait to find out. They would not even say I could reference any policy on guidelines online other than to go to the USCIS website. When I searched the State Department online, I got conflicting requirements. So now that we have the letter, we found out. According to the letter, she needs documents from both Canada and China and yet she has lived and worked in Canada for several years. China does not issue that type of document and the state department does not give document waivers for China.

Since it takes over a year and a lot of work to get a travel visa for relatives in China, it seems the best option is to try to get her parents to write a letter stating her birth date, location, and parents. Then try to have it notarized and wish big that it can arrive in time. (Thanks motu!)

Sorry, but hypothetical examples that may or may not have been helpful in hind sight aren't exactly helpful right now. Any other ideas?

[joeyjoey 1]

To answer some questions regarding why March 1st is an important date, on the face of the approval notice it states it is only valid from 10/31/2006 to 3/1/2007. I also made an Info Pass appointment for my local USCIS office on 11/3/2006. During the appointment, the immigration officer specifically stated that this approval requires that she enter the US by 3/1/2007 or we have to start over with a new I129. They could not tell me any of the requirements until after she arrives in the US as it is handled by a different government agency.

When I called the NVC, they said Montreal would have to communicate the specific requirements. When I called the Montreal Consulate for the specific requirements a month ago they would only tell me the DS230. They would not tell me any other documents and said we had to wait to find out. They would not even say I could reference any policy on guidelines online other than to go to the USCIS website. When I searched the State Department online, I got conflicting requirements. So now that we have the letter, we found out. According to the letter, she needs documents from both Canada and China and yet she has lived and worked in Canada for several years. China does not issue that type of document and the state department does not give document waivers for China.

Since it takes over a year and a lot of work to get a travel visa for relatives in China, it seems the best option is to try to get her parents to write a letter stating her birth date, location, and parents. Then try to have it notarized and wish big that it can arrive in time. (Thanks motu!)

Sorry, but hypothetical examples that may or may not have been helpful in hind sight aren't exactly helpful right now. Any other ideas?

Ok, March 1, 2007 is the expiration date of the NOA2. Your Packet #3 information needs to be returned to the Consulate before that date. But depending on when the Interview occurs, she may or may not enter the US by that date and that is not a problem. Sometimes that actual Interview date is after the expiration of the NOA2 or the Interview is so close to NOA2 expiration that there is no way forr a person to enter the US by that date. However, it is not a problem if the Consulate is slow. It is only a problem if YOU do not get all the Packet #3 docs returned by that date!