French/American Couples - Part III - 2014

[Durant200 2]

We didn't fill out a DS-2001 or send anything back to them, either. We just gathered everything that was on the email (identical to yours), filled out the DS-160, and wired the money in order to schedule the interview.

Did you have issues using a credit card to pay? We tried both his French cc's, as well as my American one, and neither went through, so we ended up having to wire the money and then waiting a few days for it to clear before we were able to schedule the interview.

How long did it take you to receive the email from the embassy containing the packet 3 ?

When it will be my turn I will let you know all about the DS-2001 but I couldn't find anything about this form to fill recently

[frfrog 5]

How long did it take you to receive the email from the embassy containing the packet 3 ?

When it will be my turn I will let you know all about the DS-2001 but I couldn't find anything about this form to fill recently

im on the same boat, my application is still in transit since the 20th... how long did it take to reach the embassy in paris??

about the ds2001 ive talked to several french here on vj that says that there is no ds2001 anymore, now just have to wait for packet 3 and follow the guideline, we schedule our interview on our own

[Dhluong12 1]

How long did it take you to receive the email from the embassy containing the packet 3 ?

When it will be my turn I will let you know all about the DS-2001 but I couldn't find anything about this form to fill recently

im on the same boat, my application is still in transit since the 20th... how long did it take to reach the embassy in paris??

about the ds2001 ive talked to several french here on vj that says that there is no ds2001 anymore, now just have to wait for packet 3 and follow the guideline, we schedule our interview on our own

Our application left the NVC on July 5th, and if I read the CEAC widget correctly, the embassy received it on July 11th. We received the packet 3 email on July 21st to fill out the DS-160 and pay the fees, and received the link to schedule an interview July 23rd.

[frfrog 5]

Our application left the NVC on July 5th, and if I read the CEAC widget correctly, the embassy received it on July 11th. We received the packet 3 email on July 21st to fill out the DS-160 and pay the fees, and received the link to schedule an interview July 23rd.

thank you i get too excited i guess that it make the wait even worse lol, let's wait a bit more then

[Kjfray 0]

We didn't fill out a DS-2001 or send anything back to them, either. We just gathered everything that was on the email (identical to yours), filled out the DS-160, and wired the money in order to schedule the interview.

Did you have issues using a credit card to pay? We tried both his French cc's, as well as my American one, and neither went through, so we ended up having to wire the money and then waiting a few days for it to clear before we were able to schedule the interview.

Which payment are you talking about exactly? Because when I tried signing into the CEAC website to pay our fees it states

"The National Visa Center has forwarded your file to the US Embassy/Consulate where you are applying for an immigrant visa. Any other required fees must now be paid directly at the Embassy or Consulate at the time of your interview."

And it won't let me pay anything. I've been very confused on the payment aspect because I never had the notion to pay any fee, and when it was finally time to pay it was already too late and apparently I need to pay in person at the embassy. What exactly did you pay and how did you do it?

Edited July 25, 2016 by Kjfray

[Dhluong12 1]

Which payment are you talking about exactly? Because when I tried signing into the CEAC website to pay our fees it states

"The National Visa Center has forwarded your file to the US Embassy/Consulate where you are applying for an immigrant visa. Any other required fees must now be paid directly at the Embassy or Consulate at the time of your interview."

And it won't let me pay anything. I've been very confused on the payment aspect because I never had the notion to pay any fee, and when it was finally time to pay it was already too late and apparently I need to pay in person at the embassy. What exactly did you pay and how did you do it?

We paid when scheduling the interview (Step 3 on the email instructions) at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-fr/iv . It's also where you register the French address that you want them to send back the passport with approved visa inside. I believe you have to print a confirmation from this page to prove that you completed both the payment and the address registration when attending the interview.

Hope that helps! Good luck! Any more available interview appointments popping up?

[frfrog 5]

Which payment are you talking about exactly? Because when I tried signing into the CEAC website to pay our fees it states

"The National Visa Center has forwarded your file to the US Embassy/Consulate where you are applying for an immigrant visa. Any other required fees must now be paid directly at the Embassy or Consulate at the time of your interview."

And it won't let me pay anything. I've been very confused on the payment aspect because I never had the notion to pay any fee, and when it was finally time to pay it was already too late and apparently I need to pay in person at the embassy. What exactly did you pay and how did you do it?

its because you did not receive packet 3 yet..... once u get this packet 3 then you will be abble to pay the fee online

[Kjfray 0]

We paid when scheduling the interview (Step 3 on the email instructions) at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-fr/iv . It's also where you register the French address that you want them to send back the passport with approved visa inside. I believe you have to print a confirmation from this page to prove that you completed both the payment and the address registration when attending the interview.

Hope that helps! Good luck! Any more available interview appointments popping up?

Hm.. Step 3 on our email is about the medical examination, which also he has yet to sign up for. I'm still confused. I signed up for the website, I completed the courier part and then the next step is scheduling an interview. (where still to this day, the calendar is completely grayed out) I will attach a picture of what it looks like along with the calendar. I don't have any options to pay either.

its because you did not receive packet 3 yet..... once u get this packet 3 then you will be abble to pay the fee online

I thought the email the embassy sent me was packet 3? If not, what is packet 3? Because the email I received jumps right to scheduling an interview, and that's the final process..

[frfrog 5]

i misunderstood then i thought you did not received it yet.... well thats really weird and all of this is so confusing, maybe try to post something on the april's filer topic, im sure you are not the only one, please keep us posted

[Dhluong12 1]

Hm.. Step 3 on our email is about the medical examination, which also he has yet to sign up for. I'm still confused. I signed up for the website, I completed the courier part and then the next step is scheduling an interview. (where still to this day, the calendar is completely grayed out) I will attach a picture of what it looks like along with the calendar. I don't have any options to pay either.

I thought the email the embassy sent me was packet 3? If not, what is packet 3? Because the email I received jumps right to scheduling an interview, and that's the final process..

Sorry Kjfray, I'm the petitioner, so I was only on the phone with my fiance as he was going through all these online forms but I myself did not fill them out.From what I recall, though, that was the step he was on when he had to figure out how to pay the fee (we couldn't get any of our CC's to work so he had to wire the money instead-- he said he had this issue both times that he applied for his J1 visa as well), so that's what made it stand out in my memory. I'll ask him for you, but since it's a bit late over there and he has to get up early for his medical tomorrow, I'm not sure how quickly I can get you an answer. Perhaps someone else who recently just went through the packet 3 ordeal could help? Or I would try messaging another French couple that just completed the process.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Dhluong12

[Durant200 2]

Do you think we can schedule the medical on our own without the packet 3 ? I was wondering if you had to schedule everything on that website too

Not much longer until we can be with out loved ones We finally reached the final step

[Kjfray 0]

Sorry Kjfray, I'm the petitioner, so I was only on the phone with my fiance as he was going through all these online forms but I myself did not fill them out.From what I recall, though, that was the step he was on when he had to figure out how to pay the fee (we couldn't get any of our CC's to work so he had to wire the money instead-- he said he had this issue both times that he applied for his J1 visa as well), so that's what made it stand out in my memory. I'll ask him for you, but since it's a bit late over there and he has to get up early for his medical tomorrow, I'm not sure how quickly I can get you an answer. Perhaps someone else who recently just went through the packet 3 ordeal could help? Or I would try messaging another French couple that just completed the process.

I am also the petitioner and I have been doing all the forms and paperwork for my fiance. I've just figured since it states on the CEAC website that we don't have to pay anything until in person, so I haven't bothered researching that step. I appreciate all of your help and advice! It's just a tease! I'm at the final step and I'm ready to schedule an interview but the website won't allow it.

Also, do you know if it is possible for my fiance to have the medical appointment the same day as the interview? He lives 3 1/2 hours away from Paris, so it would be a bit of a hassle for him to have to go there twice.

Wishing your fiance luck for his medical and interview!

[Durant200 2]

I am also the petitioner and I have been doing all the forms and paperwork for my fiance. I've just figured since it states on the CEAC website that we don't have to pay anything until in person, so I haven't bothered researching that step. I appreciate all of your help and advice! It's just a tease! I'm at the final step and I'm ready to schedule an interview but the website won't allow it.

Also, do you know if it is possible for my fiance to have the medical appointment the same day as the interview? He lives 3 1/2 hours away from Paris, so it would be a bit of a hassle for him to have to go there twice.

Wishing your fiance luck for his medical and interview!

Have you figured out which doctor your fiancé may be going to for the medical ?

Logically I think it sounds possible to have the Interview and the medical on the same day. However an Xray and a few more test will have to be done outside the doctor office which means it may be longer , having the interview on the same day could be totally possible.

I ain't at this step yet but from what I understand ( Correct me if I'm wrong ) but the beneficiary contact the appropriate doctor for his medical ( Via phone or email ) and then when it comes to the interview using ais.usvisa.com to make the appointment. So for both the medical and interview you are not contacting the same persons or website, I guess you can make it.

Someone who filled back in 2013 advised us to have the medical and interview very close so the beneficiary don't have to go back twice.

As the K1 flowcharts stated that "Some embassies require the medical the same day as the interview. Most require the interview to be done ahead of time and have the results sent to the embassy directly from the doctor." Hope it can help

[Kjfray 0]

Sorry Kjfray, I'm the petitioner, so I was only on the phone with my fiance as he was going through all these online forms but I myself did not fill them out.From what I recall, though, that was the step he was on when he had to figure out how to pay the fee (we couldn't get any of our CC's to work so he had to wire the money instead-- he said he had this issue both times that he applied for his J1 visa as well), so that's what made it stand out in my memory. I'll ask him for you, but since it's a bit late over there and he has to get up early for his medical tomorrow, I'm not sure how quickly I can get you an answer. Perhaps someone else who recently just went through the packet 3 ordeal could help? Or I would try messaging another French couple that just completed the process.

Ah... After 5 days of confusion, I finally figured out where I went wrong. So the link that Embassy sent me to create an account on the USVisa website requires me to open an account under a "DS-260" number instead of DS-160 so under that column on the website I was entering my DS-160 number (stupid, right?) It just came to mind about how I never filled out a DS-260

So I researched it and created a new account under a different set of instructions/options and behold the right form appeared + the column for a DS-160 (not DS-260) after creating the new account, the payment page came up (Thank God) but still no appointments available, so now my options are to wait for an appointment to become available and then it will allow me to pay. Here is what the page looks like now:

Now, I'm just thinking about all those potential open interview dates I could have had lol.

[Kjfray 0]

Have you figured out which doctor your fiancé may be going to for the medical ?

Logically I think it sounds possible to have the Interview and the medical on the same day. However an Xray and a few more test will have to be done outside the doctor office which means it may be longer , having the interview on the same day could be totally possible.

I ain't at this step yet but from what I understand ( Correct me if I'm wrong ) but the beneficiary contact the appropriate doctor for his medical ( Via phone or email ) and then when it comes to the interview using ais.usvisa.com to make the appointment. So for both the medical and interview you are not contacting the same persons or website, I guess you can make it.

Someone who filled back in 2013 advised us to have the medical and interview very close so the beneficiary don't have to go back twice.

As the K1 flowcharts stated that "Some embassies require the medical the same day as the interview. Most require the interview to be done ahead of time and have the results sent to the embassy directly from the doctor." Hope it can help

Yes, we were thinking Dr. Francis Slattery as there is only two doctors to chose from in Paris. I thought the X-ray was included in the medical though. Do you know if it would be possible for him to get the X-ray done in his hometown to avoid traveling multiple times to Paris? I believe our only option is to have the medical and interview on the same day as I had mentioned it is a bit of a commute to Paris from home. (Praying it's possible!). In the email I received from the Embassy, they did not state anything about it being mandatory for it to follow on the same day, but it does state that it must be before the interview (of course). I suppose now that I have the appointment website figured out I should go ahead and get the fiance to schedule his medical exam. Thanks for the info!