Advice needed - NOA2 hardcopy never received; NVC name misspellings

[jedigrover 4]

I need some advice. After a long wait, on 8/11/14 I received an email that USCIS was mailing me my NOA2 (2nd I-797C). A few days later (19th), I received an email from them saying they had sent my case to the State Department. So far, so good.

Just after the email on 8/11, I travelled to Vietnam to visit my fiance again. I had USPS hold my mail during that time. Upon my return and the end of the mail-hold, I searched the mail for the NOA2 hardcopy but it was not there. I gave it a month and then called USCIS.

I'm sure the USPS mis-delivered my mail (judging from the amount of mis-delivered mail I receive) and some jerk probably just threw it away rather than forwarding it.

On 9/11 I called and was told that I must wait one more week before they could do anything. They kept trying to push me off to the State Dept. since USCIS is "done" with my case.

I waited 8 days, and called yesterday, 9/20. The operator, Chris, asked if I had moved. I told him no. He said that if I had moved, he could help me, but since I had not moved, I must file form I-824 to request a duplicate of the NOA2.

Form I-824 is a 4-page form asking for almost all the information on the original I-129F petition, as well as her Alien Registration Number (I know they have assigned one, but they have never revealed the number to me). But here's the kicker: to file form I-824, you must send a check for $405. That's right--it costs more money to ask for a duplicate ONE-PAGE NOA2 notice than the original petition filing cost!

Do I have to have this hardcopy? I have the email that informed me of NOA2 & their website status checker shows it. I just don't have the form.

Will it be requested during the interview process?

Also, September 15 I received a notice from the NVC in the mail that the case has been forwarded to the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and to have my fiance start the DS-160. On this notice, they have managed to misspell both of our names.

My actual name: DARIN

Their rendering: DAREN

(common mistake, but shows they are hand-transcoding data and nobody is proofing it)

Her actual name: XUAN UYEN

Their rendering: XUAN YUEN

(swapped the U and Y)

So my question is: will this mess up things with the rest of the visa process?

I checked the State Dept. website and they said they prefer email. I sent them an email with the case number and an explanation, but days have gone by with no response--not even a "we received your email" automated response.

Does anyone have any experience with these kinds of issues?

Any advice?

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

The NOA2 should not be needed for the K-1 interview. It is needed for AOS, but people have managed to get by without paying the NOA2 replacement fee > http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/323385-filing-for-aos-with-lost-noa2/

Contact the USCIS and ask about the A# that is asked for on the AOS forms. It would have been found on the NOA2 near the beneficiary's name. You may need to speak to a tier 2 immigration officer in order to get that info though.

Contact the NVC by phone and tell them about the name mistakes. You could also contact your consulate about it as well, just to cover all the bases.

[jedigrover 4]

Thanks. That is enlightening about doing AOS with no NOA2. I will try to get escalated on the next call to see if they can make an exception to the I-824 since I never received the NOA2 hardcopy. Looks like that worked for someone. $405 and 4-8 weeks processing time seems rather extreme to photocopy and mail ONE page.

I will try the phone route with NVC and the consulate.

[jedigrover 4]

Phone with NVC seems rather impossible. It is always busy. Seems odd that in 2014, they would not have a phone queue.

I got escalated two tiers of support at USCIS and wound up with a very grumpy, rude woman who was very upset with me for wasting her time. It did not go well. So I have engaged my congressman's office & they have already contacted "the proper officials" at USCIS "for a report".

I tried emailing NVC again on a different email address & got an "out of office" automated reply on that one (more than I saw on their listed email address). We'll see what happens.

I now am going to try calling the consulate for good measure.