January Filers

[Arnt 0]

touched ....

That touch IS your NOA2!

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase!

Status has not change yet

[Dwarf_Ogress 0]

touched ....

That touch IS your NOA2!

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase!

Status has not change yet

BUT IT WILL! Hang in there!

[TimsDaisy 0]

Or it won't and you'll hear from NVC or get a snail mail NOA2 first. We had two touches and then a week of silence and then an email notification of approval. But I've seen a handful lately who never heard from USCIS at all and were shocked to get good news from NVC.

But a touch IS a sign of some life.

(I know how you feel though. After an initial high from the two touches, I ended up feeling WORSE after things went dead silent again.)

[Dan&Tiffany 0]

And our ONLY touch turned out to be the NOA2, but we didn't know it until the next day...just never know with CSC, but GOOD LUCK!!!

[JenandBarney 0]

touched ....

That touch IS your NOA2!

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase!

Status has not change yet

My status still hasn't changed...approval was on the 5th, so I wouldn't rely on the website. I betcha the last touch was your petition being sent out to NVC. Any luck speaking to USCIS?

[lucho562 0]

Call NVC daily and give them your case #. Dont rely on emails or website updates with uscis.

[Arnt 0]

hey guys, thank you all for sticking around with us January filers without NOA2

We got touched again today!

I know that there is not a reliable pattern with touches and approvals, for now I am glad that someone is looking at our case. I think the touches last week were caused by putting our response into the system. Now it seems to be in someone's hands again ...

If we don't have an email by tomorrow morning we will call (I am in Cologne right now and I don't want to call the USCIS from a hotel room in Germany )

Arnt

[RobandTania 1]

hey guys, thank you all for sticking around with us January filers without NOA2

We got touched again today!

I know that there is not a reliable pattern with touches and approvals, for now I am glad that someone is looking at our case. I think the touches last week were caused by putting our response into the system. Now it seems to be in someone's hands again ...

If we don't have an email by tomorrow morning we will call (I am in Cologne right now and I don't want to call the USCIS from a hotel room in Germany )

Arnt

Don't worry too much about not seeing updates or getting email, the USCIS' system is unreliable. Here's our online "touch" and update history:

1-Jan 26, NOA1 (touch and status update)

2-Jan 30, Change of address (touch)

3-May 10, unknown via USCIS customer service line (touch)

4-May 11, unknown via USCIS customer service line (touch)

5-May 25, USCIS updates online status for NOA2 (touch and NOA2 update for May 10th!)

6-May 29, unknown

NOTES:

3-By calling NVC on the 25th of May, they told me NOA2 on May 10

4-Same call to NVC on the 25th of May, they told me 129f sent to NVC on May 11

6-May 29, I still don't have a clue why touched ?:|

George

Edited June 14, 2007 by SkyMas

[WIL&LB 0]

Today was the first time since the USCIS received my petition in January, that my "Case Status Service Online" has been updated. Even though my petition was approved on May 3rd, I never received any of the three possible notifications: online status update, email notification or hard copy. Today I received an email stating "Approval notice sent" and my online status was similarly updated. This only happened because I called them two weeks ago (30 days after my case was approved) to inform them I never received a notice of approval.

[RobandTania 1]

Today was the first time since the USCIS received my petition in January, that my "Case Status Service Online" has been updated. Even though my petition was approved on May 3rd, I never received any of the three possible notifications: online status update, email notification or hard copy. Today I received an email stating "Approval notice sent" and my online status was similarly updated. This only happened because I called them two weeks ago (30 days after my case was approved) to inform them I never received a notice of approval.

Dealing with the U.S. federal government for ANYTHING is an exercise in frustration and patience.

Going through the embassies is no greased cake walk, either. As just a curious inquiry, I called NVC on May 25, and learned our 129f was approved two weeks earlier. They gave me the Kiev embassy/NVC number. "Ski" and me used this number to set up her medical exam (passed weeks ago) and her interview for July 3.

As of today's mail, she has not received anything from the embassy. We've completed our paperwork by downloading packet 3 and 4 forms from the website. If she waited for packet 3 from the Kiev embassy, we still would not have ANY appointments set.

Another point, the customer service rep at the Dept. of State in Washington, DC said her packet 3 was mailed from the embassy on the 8th. She has not received it yet! Mail in and around Kiev takes only 2-4 days.

My point is to try to learn what's needed, and do it yourself. Don't wait for the government to do what they should when they should.

George

[payxibka 10,045]

Today was the first time since the USCIS received my petition in January, that my "Case Status Service Online" has been updated. Even though my petition was approved on May 3rd, I never received any of the three possible notifications: online status update, email notification or hard copy. Today I received an email stating "Approval notice sent" and my online status was similarly updated. This only happened because I called them two weeks ago (30 days after my case was approved) to inform them I never received a notice of approval.

Dealing with the U.S. federal government for ANYTHING is an exercise in frustration and patience.

Going through the embassies is no greased cake walk, either. As just a curious inquiry, I called NVC on May 25, and learned our 129f was approved two weeks earlier. They gave me the Kiev embassy/NVC number. "Ski" and me used this number to set up her medical exam (passed weeks ago) and her interview for July 3.

As of today's mail, she has not received anything from the embassy. We've completed our paperwork by downloading packet 3 and 4 forms from the website. If she waited for packet 3 from the Kiev embassy, we still would not have ANY appointments set.

Another point, the customer service rep at the Dept. of State in Washington, DC said her packet 3 was mailed from the embassy on the 8th. She has not received it yet! Mail in and around Kiev takes only 2-4 days.

My point is to try to learn what's needed, and do it yourself. Don't wait for the government to do what they should when they should.

George

My fiancee is still waiting for her Packet 3 to arrive from the embassy..... Oh wait, she is already here in the US with me... gotta love the Ukraine postal service.....

[kengumbo 0]

Today was the first time since the USCIS received my petition in January, that my "Case Status Service Online" has been updated. Even though my petition was approved on May 3rd, I never received any of the three possible notifications: online status update, email notification or hard copy. Today I received an email stating "Approval notice sent" and my online status was similarly updated. This only happened because I called them two weeks ago (30 days after my case was approved) to inform them I never received a notice of approval.

Dealing with the U.S. federal government for ANYTHING is an exercise in frustration and patience.

Going through the embassies is no greased cake walk, either. As just a curious inquiry, I called NVC on May 25, and learned our 129f was approved two weeks earlier. They gave me the Kiev embassy/NVC number. "Ski" and me used this number to set up her medical exam (passed weeks ago) and her interview for July 3.

As of today's mail, she has not received anything from the embassy. We've completed our paperwork by downloading packet 3 and 4 forms from the website. If she waited for packet 3 from the Kiev embassy, we still would not have ANY appointments set.

Another point, the customer service rep at the Dept. of State in Washington, DC said her packet 3 was mailed from the embassy on the 8th. She has not received it yet! Mail in and around Kiev takes only 2-4 days.

My point is to try to learn what's needed, and do it yourself. Don't wait for the government to do what they should when they should.

George

My fiancee is still waiting for her Packet 3 to arrive from the embassy..... Oh wait, she is already here in the US with me... gotta love the Ukraine postal service.....

[RobandTania 1]

My fiancee is still waiting for her Packet 3 to arrive from the embassy..... Oh wait, she is already here in the US with me... gotta love the Ukraine postal service.....

LOL! To cities outside of Kiev, the postal service sux. However, I've been impressed with the postal service in and around Kiev. I know it can take two weeks or more ADDITIONAL to get to other cities from Kiev. A couple years ago, "Ski" lived within two Metro stops of the main post office in Kiev. The normal delivery time from my small city in Central Michigan to her at that downtown address in Kiev was ten to fourteen calendar days. Once, I mailed a letter from my local post office on a Thursday morning, and she received it the next Wednesday evening!

Also, It was suggested on this site a week or two ago, the status date of when packets 3/4 are mailed is bogus. That status date is really the date the embassy officer completes work on them and they're ready for mailing. Packets 3 and 4 may sit in the embassy's offices and mail room for quite a while before they make it to the normal mail system.

I've asked Ski to pay carefull attention to the postmark/cancellation stamp when she receives packet 3. Visa services in Washington DC said it was mailed on June 8.

Fwaguy, how much cash did your fiancee need to go through the entire process? "Ski" used $75 for her medical exam, and it's $100 for the interview. She says this is all the money needed.

I told her today I think the total she must take to the interview is closer to $370. Additionally, there is a cost for the visa stamp and courier delivery of her passport with the K-1 visa stamp after the interview.

Correct?

George

[RobandTania 1]

My fiancee is still waiting for her Packet 3 to arrive from the embassy..... Oh wait, she is already here in the US with me... gotta love the Ukraine postal service.....

LOL! To cities outside of Kiev, the postal service sux. However, I've been impressed with the postal service in and around Kiev. I know it can take two weeks or more ADDITIONAL to get to other cities from Kiev. A couple years ago, "Ski" lived within two Metro stops of the main post office in Kiev. The normal delivery time from my small city in Central Michigan to her at that downtown address in Kiev was ten to fourteen calendar days. Once, I mailed a letter from my local post office on a Thursday morning, and she received it the next Wednesday evening!

Also, It was suggested on this site a week or two ago, the status date of when packets 3/4 are mailed is bogus. That status date is really the date the embassy officer completes work on them and they're ready for mailing. Packets 3 and 4 may sit in the embassy's offices and mail room for quite a while before they make it to the normal mail system.

I've asked Ski to pay carefull attention to the postmark/cancellation stamp when she receives packet 3. Visa services in Washington DC said it was mailed on June 8.

Fwaguy, how much cash did your fiancee need to go through the entire process? "Ski" used $75 for her medical exam, and it's $100 for the interview. She says this is all the money needed.

I told her today I think the total she must take to the interview is closer to $370. Additionally, there is a cost for the visa stamp and courier delivery of her passport with the K-1 visa stamp after the interview.

Correct?

George

Maybe I answerd my own question, I totaled initial 129f $170, medical $80, interview $100, interview scheduling $12, and $8 for passport/visa delivery. = $370!!

George

[etripke 0]

My understanding is that it is $100 MRV fee, and the Fed Ex cost. Nothing more.

Also, what's the sense of even having them (the Embassy) send the Packet 3 when you can download it online and take care of it yourself? You no longer have to fax/send the KEV-1 Checklist, just bring it to the interview.

You're right about Kyiv Postal Svc though, I have never had a problem and normally it is there in a week.

Maybe this should be moved to FWAGUY's "Kiev Beat" thread? At least then we'll be able to find it later.