Jump to content
se7enthmoon

DS260 and electronic processing question

By se7enthmoon in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

 Share

12 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

se7enthmoon Rookie

se7enthmoon   1

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted

Hi everyone, need a bit of help here.

I'm currently applying for a CR-1 for my wife from China. I've paid both the $88 AOS and the $230 IV fees and now I have the option to start the DS-260 Online.

Last week I've also sent the NVC an email to OPTIN the electronic processing but I haven't heard back with the GZO# yet.

So should we go ahead and start filling the online DS-260 form with the GUZ case number or wait until I hear back from the NVC with the GZO case number?

Does filling the online DS-260 make the paper version obsolete and does that mean I don't need to fill one out any more?

Lastly, when my wife is browing around Chinese visa forums, she kept telling me that I need to make a cover letter for the DS-260... Is that unecessary now that the form is done online? Is that information outdated?

Thanks for your help~

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

Do not send the DS-260 until you have the GZO number.

It is no longer necessary to fill out the DS-230, the online DS-260 replaced it.

Since the DS-260 is an online form, it is not possible to make a cover letter for it. However, the first page of the pdf of documents that you scan and email can be a cover letter. Such a letter is not required but I would recommend it because it allows you to list the order in which things appear.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
se7enthmoon Rookie

se7enthmoon   1

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Do not send the DS-260 until you have the GZO number.

It is no longer necessary to fill out the DS-230, the online DS-260 replaced it.

Since the DS-260 is an online form, it is not possible to make a cover letter for it. However, the first page of the pdf of documents that you scan and email can be a cover letter. Such a letter is not required but I would recommend it because it allows you to list the order in which things appear.

Thanks.

By the way, when I sent them an OPTIN e-mail I only included the subject OPTIN GUZ#, and our personal info in the body and I forgot to write in the body that I actually want to opt in. I've read from different places with different opinions... Some say that I need to write in the body that I want to opt in for electronic processing and some says as long as the subject line has OPTIN in it it'll automatically enroll me as long as I'm eligible.

Should I do another e-mail or call NVC regarding this matter?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NikLR Grand Master

NikLR   13,227

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

You are supposed to ENROLL now not optin. Try resending using ENROLL instead.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
se7enthmoon Rookie

se7enthmoon   1

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

You are supposed to ENROLL now not optin. Try resending using ENROLL instead.

Can you elaborate on this enroll procedure? Is it the same as optin except just switching the word around? The NVC sent me an e-mail with this URL http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_5163.html about the electronic processing but I got a error 404... And it seems like the info on visajourney's optin page is outdated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NikLR Grand Master

NikLR   13,227

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Yes its exactly like optin but you ahould now use the word enroll

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

And it seems like the info on visajourney's optin page is outdated.

Here is my thread on EP going through China, refer to it instead: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/327561-my-ep-experience/

I made the appropriate updates when I learned of all the relevant changes in order for it to remain current.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
se7enthmoon Rookie

se7enthmoon   1

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Another question... I know before in the DS-230 the beneficiary is supposed to attach affidavits for birth/marriage/crimminal records... Now that everything is electronic and the DS-230 is online using DS-260, do I still need to send those in after I get the GZO# approved by the NVC? Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NikLR Grand Master

NikLR   13,227

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Yes. That is the point of the electronic processing, so you can send a scanned PDF of the documents and then bring originals to the interview vs mailing them to the NVC.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
se7enthmoon Rookie

se7enthmoon   1

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

One more question... So I just received my GZO case # today... Should I send all the documents like the police affidavits, birth certificate affidavits and all that right away or should I wait for them to send me a request for those (if at all)? If so, what are all the packages of pdf I need to send?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

One more question... So I just received my GZO case # today... Should I send all the documents like the police affidavits, birth certificate affidavits and all that right away or should I wait for them to send me a request for those (if at all)? If so, what are all the packages of pdf I need to send?

Don't wait for them to send you a request, they won't. Any waiting you do would be wasting your own time. Send the documents as soon as the IV bill indicates "PAID" in the payment portal.

Scan all the civil documents into one pdf file and send the file as an attachment. How you order the documents is up to you.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...