October 2014 Filers (I-130 Petition) CR1 Spouse Visa Process

[DKNC 21]

About to send my aos and iv packages.. Question did you guys send the bar coded cover sheet from the welcome letter of nvc or the bar codes one from the site where we pay the invoices?

If it's supposed to be from the welcome letter can I send a copy of it?

I sent in the cover sheet from the welcome letter, per instructions in welcome letter and on NVC site. It's perfectly fine to make copies. Many people send the AOS bar coded coversheet from the payment portal as well, following the NVC wiki instructions on VJ. It's that bar code that is important, not so much which sheet is sent. Here's what's stated on the payment receipt page from the ceac site:

1. If you are required to submit physical copies of your documents, you must include a barcoded cover sheet to identify your documents.

• If you received an Instruction Packet from the NVC, it contains a cover sheet. You can send that cover sheet or a copy of the cover sheet.
• If you need a new cover sheet, print one by clicking the Print Document Cover Sheet button on the Receipt page.
• If you cannot print a cover sheet, click the Email Document Cover Sheet button. Then send an electronic copy to an email address where you can print it.

Best of luck with speedy processing!

[curiousgeorgina 52]

Thank you DKNC!

[chim 4]

Hi just received an email from nvc, stating that they had received my package yesterday And it gonna take at lease 60 days ? for them to review beca of the increasing case aprove from the uscis. Fingers cross that it happen b4 the 60 days ??

[DKNC 21]

Hi just received an email from nvc, stating that they had received my package yesterday And it gonna take at lease 60 days ? for them to review beca of the increasing case aprove from the uscis. Fingers cross that it happen b4 the 60 days ??

I'm also hoping that it doesn't really take more than 60 days. Good luck to you!

[susan. 11]

We're a little slow now with the NVC process from our side. Submitted the DS-261 about a week ago, and now only transferred money to the US so we can pay the AOS & IV fees. It'll take another week I guess before the money is in the US and we can actually pay the fees. I've been extremely lazy in finding out about the process ahead, I did pre-fill the old DS-230 form but have not even thought about the IV and AOS packages. What is the approximate timeline in these steps, now that we pay the AOS fee, the IV fee should become available then after a few days? And then after paying that, the DS-260 will become available again after a few days? Also, do we just send the IV & AOS packages off right after completing the DS-260, or is there a waiting time again? Oh please don't let it be the-60-day-waiting-time for that...

[DKNC 21]

We're a little slow now with the NVC process from our side. Submitted the DS-261 about a week ago, and now only transferred money to the US so we can pay the AOS & IV fees. It'll take another week I guess before the money is in the US and we can actually pay the fees. I've been extremely lazy in finding out about the process ahead, I did pre-fill the old DS-230 form but have not even thought about the IV and AOS packages. What is the approximate timeline in these steps, now that we pay the AOS fee, the IV fee should become available then after a few days? And then after paying that, the DS-260 will become available again after a few days? Also, do we just send the IV & AOS packages off right after completing the DS-260, or is there a waiting time again? Oh please don't let it be the-60-day-waiting-time for that...

If you're still aiming to move before school starts in the fall, I'd suggest you keep things moving. Research what's needed for AOS and IV. Get all the documents you need and fill out the AOS form(s) as soon as you are able. Remember that NVC takes copies now for IV docs. Save your originals to take to the interview. You do not need to wait to pay IV fee/fill out DS 260 before you send in your documents. I was once told by an NVC rep that documents could be sent in at any time after a case number is assigned. Many of the people posting on VJ send in their docs after paying the AOS fee. Of course there are some that follow the instructions on the NVC website precisely, doing things in the order listed. You're free to do as you wish, of course, but paying all fees and submitting the DS 260 before sending docs to NVC can possibly add months to your process.

You asked about timeline. When you pay your AOS fee and mail your docs to NVC is under your control. Once your docs are scanned in at NVC, they will take 60+ days to review them before either giving you case complete or issuing a checklist. If you get a checklist, it will be another 60+ days after you resubmit docs. So check everything again and again that all boxes are ticked, all items are filled in, and forms are signed and dated. While your docs are under review, you can pay your IV fee and submit the DS 260. Once NVC issues the case complete, an interview will be scheduled. Depending on when you get case complete and the interview schedule for your embassy, it could be up to 2 months until interview date. If good luck is with me, I am hoping that we get a case complete in the first few days of April, make the cutoff for interview scheduling, and get an interview in Stockholm around the 20th of May. If NVC issues a checklist, it'll be two/three months later.

If you wait to pay your IV fee before mailing in your documents, I would advise that you call NVC and ask them if they will review the DS 261 so that the IV invoice can be issued (if it's not done already). Our DS 261 was submitted January 15th, and still no IV bill invoiced. Since my docs are already submitted, I thought I'd wait it out and see how long it takes. If the IV fee isn't invoiced this week, though, I plan on calling next week and seeing what can be done. NVC is either very slow or my case fell into a technical black hole.

If you want to see how long the steps have been taking for others, check out the timelines and signatures of those posting in this forum that are at the NVC stage and also take a look at the current months NVC Filers forum. On the first page of that forum, Saylin has a link to her spreadsheet that contains lots of helpful data. Also check out her NVC wiki.

There's nothing fast about any step of this journey, but the sooner you start the sooner it's over. Good luck!

[Rachel23 9]

Hi guys my husband got a call from uscis replying to our Service Request. They said our case will be processed in less than a month so then our case gonna appear online. They said Nebraska is having a delay and that our case is alright just relax and wait lol. PD Oct 3rd. Uscis call February 24th. They asked for all the informations to my husband just to verified according to them.

[susan. 11]

Thanks DKNC for all the info! I had no idea we could submit the docs now already. We've been following the NVC's instructions on their own website, since I haven't had the energy to dig into the info posted here (kids have been sick, busy times at work, studies to complete etc.). I was under the assumption that we have to pay the fees and submit the DS-260 before sending in any documents. I've read Saylin's excellent NVC Wiki and that also advises you to first pay all the fees and only then sending in the packages. Good to learn there's actually a faster way!

So I guess we should just gather the packages then and send them off. We looked at the list before and most of the documents we already have. We do not have my husband's tax transcripts though, so that is delaying us right now. He called the IRS a couple of weeks ago and requested for them, but I guess it wasn't processed since we haven't seen the papers yet. Mail here is very reliable so I don't think they were lost in the mail. First request/submission was done in October... I don't know what the next step would be to get them, it took a frustrating 45 min. wait and a 30 min. call last time (online and automated phone request are unavailable, since they have recorded our address wrong somehow). We'll see. Also, we're going to need a joint sponsor so we should probably tell her to prepare her docs as well.

I had thought that maybe we'd be able to get our interview for July, and comparing to your estimated timeline I don't think we'd be too far off with that estimate (if there are no setbacks along the way). I'm not sure about the current status of interview availability here, but last time I applied I was able to get an appointment within 2-3 weeks for an F-1, and approved in a few days. We'll most likely be a little late for the school year start, but luckily it's only first grade so the academic speed probably isn't too fast .

[tozzzzlerrrs 22]

You can obtain the transcripts online in a few minutes from the IRS via http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

Are these not valid? They must be sent by mail from the IRS to be good?

Edited February 25, 2015 by toozler

[susan. 11]

You can obtain the transcripts online in a few minutes from the IRS via http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

Are these not valid? They must be sent by mail from the IRS to be good?

I know, we tried that and those would be fine, but the IRS system asks for address details for identification, and, somehow, they have managed to record our (foreign) address in the system in a way that we cannot figure out. We have copied the address they used to send us mail and tried all kinds of different ways for entering it, but "unfortunately the information you entered is invalid".

Thanks anyway!

[DKNC 21]

You can obtain the transcripts online in a few minutes you'llhe IRS via http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

Are these not valid? They must be sent by mail from the IRS to be good?

The transcripts acquired online are just as good as those mailed and much faster!

Thanks DKNC for all the info! I had no idea we could submit the docs now already. We've been following the NVC's instructions on their own website, since I haven't had the energy to dig into the info posted here (kids have been sick, busy times at work, studies to complete etc.). I was under the assumption that we have to pay the fees and submit the DS-260 before sending in any documents. I've read Saylin's excellent NVC Wiki and that also advises you to first pay all the fees and only then sending in the packages. Good to learn there's actually a faster way!

So I guess we should just gather the packages then and send them off. We looked at the list before and most of the documents we already have. We do not have my husband's tax transcripts though, so that is delaying us right now. He called the IRS a couple of weeks ago and requested for them, but I guess it wasn't processed since we haven't seen the papers yet. Mail here is very reliable so I don't think they were lost in the mail. First request/submission was done in October... I don't know what the next step would be to get them, it took a frustrating 45 min. wait and a 30 min. call last time (online and automated phone request are unavailable, since they have recorded our address wrong somehow). We'll see. Also, we're going to need a joint sponsor so we should probably tell her to prepare her docs as well.

I had thought that maybe we'd be able to get our interview for July, and comparing to your estimated timeline I don't think we'd be too far off with that estimate (if there are no setbacks along the way). I'm not sure about the current status of interview availability here, but last time I applied I was able to get an appointment within 2-3 weeks for an F-1, and approved in a few days. We'll most likely be a little late for the school year start, but luckily it's only first grade so the academic speed probably isn't too fast .

Yes, do start gathering all your documents. Just be sure to mail them all together as one package. Most likely you'll have the AOS fee paid before they arrive at NVC and you can pay the IV fee and submit the DS 260 while your docs are in the review queue.

We didn't need tax transcipts but we needed social security statements. There is a great online service for that now but sadly it doesn't work if you have a non US address.

[DKNC 21]

Hi guys my husband got a call from uscis replying to our Service Request. They said our case will be processed in less than a month so then our case gonna appear online. They said Nebraska is having a delay and that our case is alright just relax and wait lol. PD Oct 3rd. Uscis call February 24th. They asked for all the informations to my husband just to verified according to them.

I hope this is a sign that those at NSC will be getting the much deserved NOA2's in the near future!

[Vanbaby 3]

According to my case number the first 3 letters, I only email all of my document and didn't send by postal mail. Just want to know anyone is same as me only email sending out? Also, will NVC acknowlege my email since a bit worry that doen't know they received or not.....

[DKNC 21]

According to my case number the first 3 letters, I only email all of my document and didn't send by postal mail. Just want to know anyone is same as me only email sending out? Also, will NVC acknowlege my email since a bit worry that doen't know they received or not.....

I'm submitting by snail mail, but there has been a lot of discussion about this in this month's NVC thread. Seems the NVC reps can't/won't confirm if email has been received. Someone recently posted that they did get a confirmation email a month after they submitted. Good news is the scan date is the date of submission. Bad news is that you have to worry for so long that they received anything. Very unjust. Those of us sending in physical documents get a confirmation email less than a week after arrival.

[DKNC 21]

Our IV fee bill was invoiced yesterday - 42 days after submitting the DS 261. Very glad that I didn't wait to submit the AOS/IV documents.