How To Expedite NVC (Procedures/Steps)

[Amhara 460]

The ceac.gov case numbers are issued in an preset manner. (http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process#Step_1_-_Case_Number)

For an example, we'll use a date that NVC didn't process cases on. So if the petition was received by the NVC on July 4, 2015, the case number would be KBL2015685001. It translates into this: KBL 2015 685 001

KBL = abbreviation of the city the interview will be conducted at

2015 = the year the petition was received

685 = the day of the year the petition was received + 500 (July 4th was the 185th day in 2015)

001 = the numerical order the case was received (this was the first case NVC received on this day for Kabul)

So if it was the fourth case received at the NVC that day for Kabul, the case number would be KBL2015685004.

This is how I look up numbers on ceac.gov with dates before and after your own case to get an idea of what's going on with the case load. The K-1 cases change, so you will find some older KBL numbers with later case creation dates. Also, I think a lot of SIV cases still show At NVC with no case creation date.

[jklm2010 10]

The ceac.gov case numbers are issued in an preset manner. (http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process#Step_1_-_Case_Number)

For an example, we'll use a date that NVC didn't process cases on. So if the petition was received by the NVC on July 4, 2015, the case number would be KBL2015685001. It translates into this: KBL 2015 685 001

KBL = abbreviation of the city the interview will be conducted at

2015 = the year the petition was received

685 = the day of the year the petition was received + 500 (July 4th was the 185th day in 2015)

001 = the numerical order the case was received (this was the first case NVC received on this day for Kabul)

So if it was the fourth case received at the NVC that day for Kabul, the case number would be KBL2015685004.

This is how I look up numbers on ceac.gov with dates before and after your own case to get an idea of what's going on with the case load. The K-1 cases change, so you will find some older KBL numbers with later case creation dates. Also, I think a lot of SIV cases still show At NVC with no case creation date.

That was extremely helpful and easy to read!

Thanks so much!

[jklm2010 10]

Ok so I found out some information regarding IV from a few days worth of data from CEAC website.

As infuriating and irritating as it is, the majority of the cases that Kabul has been updating involve a large number of family members (like 3-7 people).

I don't know for sure which visa categories these might be but I have a good guess that they have something to do with the Special Immigrant Visas,

which is SO unfair for all of us who are just waiting for that one person! :ranting:

I looked at case numbers that were received at NVC during the last week of February.

These are the days in July that cases from then have been getting updates: July 9, 13, 20, 27, and 29 (a whole BUNCH were updated on this day)

And I even saw one that was updated today. I'm hoping sooo much that we get an interview date sometime this week.

So there you go, just some data out there for us uninformed people waiting for Kabul.

[Omar313 1]

Kabul takes forever to schedule interviews. In 2012 when I applied for my then fiancée, it took them nearly 3 months for an interview. I applied in July, 2012, expedited and sent to NVC in I believe 1 week, and NVC forwarded it Kabul a few days later. I made a mistake of flying out to attend the interview with her(thinking it would only take a few weeks) but ended up staying there until 11-11-2012. Her interview was on 11-05-12 I believe and if I recall, there were about 30 people there with her. She passed the interview and they told her to come back on Sunday the 11th I think to pick up her visa. Went there Sunday, got the yellow packet and we flew to put Monday to the U.S. They are extremely slow and at that time they were back logged. Communications are done through emails and phone calls. In my opinion women get approved and issued their visas a lot quicker then men.

[Amhara 460]

I looked at case numbers that were received at NVC during the last week of February.

These are the days in July that cases from then have been getting updates: July 9, 13, 20, 27, and 29 (a whole BUNCH were updated on this day)

And I even saw one that was updated today. I'm hoping sooo much that we get an interview date sometime this week.

You and I were doing the same thing last night! I was seeing those cases too and the majority of July 9th and 29th. But I don't think they are really waiting on those from January and February 2015. Our case didn't get any updates after it arrived in Kabul. Our case got to Kabul on May 5th, we got an update June 9th, and we got the interview letter June 14th. So I think they are trying to touch all their cases timely, but I watch the chatter on the SIV site and they seem to be on a different schedule than the other visas. That's why I think they are worked in batches. But that's the only logical reason I can come up with on why a petition needs to wait for six to ten weeks before getting an interview letter. From what I've seen, SIV cases normally need to wait nine to twelve months before they get an interview.

At least the embassy is working on cases. Btw, we got our drop off call last night!!! We should get our weesa by next weekend!!

[jklm2010 10]

You and I were doing the same thing last night! I was seeing those cases too and the majority of July 9th and 29th. But I don't think they are really waiting on those from January and February 2015. Our case didn't get any updates after it arrived in Kabul. Our case got to Kabul on May 5th, we got an update June 9th, and we got the interview letter June 14th. So I think they are trying to touch all their cases timely, but I watch the chatter on the SIV site and they seem to be on a different schedule than the other visas. That's why I think they are worked in batches. But that's the only logical reason I can come up with on why a petition needs to wait for six to ten weeks before getting an interview letter. From what I've seen, SIV cases normally need to wait nine to twelve months before they get an interview.

At least the embassy is working on cases. Btw, we got our drop off call last night!!! We should get our weesa by next weekend!!

Yayyyy! Congrats! Almost there

[jklm2010 10]

Kabul takes forever to schedule interviews. In 2012 when I applied for my then fiancée, it took them nearly 3 months for an interview. I applied in July, 2012, expedited and sent to NVC in I believe 1 week, and NVC forwarded it Kabul a few days later. I made a mistake of flying out to attend the interview with her(thinking it would only take a few weeks) but ended up staying there until 11-11-2012. Her interview was on 11-05-12 I believe and if I recall, there were about 30 people there with her. She passed the interview and they told her to come back on Sunday the 11th I think to pick up her visa. Went there Sunday, got the yellow packet and we flew to put Monday to the U.S. They are extremely slow and at that time they were back logged. Communications are done through emails and phone calls. In my opinion women get approved and issued their visas a lot quicker then men.

I wonder if K1 visas and CR-1 visas differ in how much time it takes to get an interview.....3 months is just BS.....I'm telling you it's all these large groups of Special Immigrant Visa families that are backing everyone else up they need to make a completely separate department in the embassy that handles those cases alone and not mix it up with all the others.

[vajaster 7]

I wonder if K1 visas and CR-1 visas differ in how much time it takes to get an interview.....3 months is just BS.....I'm telling you it's all these large groups of Special Immigrant Visa families that are backing everyone else up they need to make a completely separate department in the embassy that handles those cases alone and not mix it up with all the others.

Congrats Amhara!!

Hey you guys think it takes the same amount of time for spousal applications (I-130's)?

[jklm2010 10]

Congrats Amhara!!

Hey you guys think it takes the same amount of time for spousal applications (I-130's)?

That's exactly what I was wondering because Omar and Amhara's cases were for the K1 but both of our's are for the IR-1/CR-1.

[Amhara 460]

Hey you guys think it takes the same amount of time for spousal applications (I-130's)?

Thanks, you guys!

I think they do, unfortunately, because when I've searched through the KBL numbers, and it seems that the cases that say "Issued" that say "Immigrant" on top (because fiance's changes to "Nonimmigrant" when it's issued), which are the spousal visas, are issued about the same time frame as fiance visas. They wouldn't be SIV because SIV takes nearly a year or more to get. They could be lottery immigration visas, but the chances of seeing one of these KBL numbers and it being a spousal visa is very high.

So if I look at a 2015 KBL number that reached NVC on February 25th (or the 56th day of the year) that happened to be the third case processed by NVC that day, you see they waited for about 135 days, or 4 months and 15 days. If you compare that with our time line, assuming we get the visa on August 15th, our process will be 115 days, or 3 months and 24 days.

That tells me that they take about the same time considering spousal visas stay at NVC a lot longer to process the green card.

[jklm2010 10]

Thanks, you guys!

I think they do, unfortunately, because when I've searched through the KBL numbers, and it seems that the cases that say "Issued" that say "Immigrant" on top (because fiance's changes to "Nonimmigrant" when it's issued), which are the spousal visas, are issued about the same time frame as fiance visas. They wouldn't be SIV because SIV takes nearly a year or more to get. They could be lottery immigration visas, but the chances of seeing one of these KBL numbers and it being a spousal visa is very high.

So if I look at a 2015 KBL number that reached NVC on February 25th (or the 56th day of the year) that happened to be the third case processed by NVC that day, you see they waited for about 135 days, or 4 months and 15 days. If you compare that with our time line, assuming we get the visa on August 15th, our process will be 115 days, or 3 months and 24 days.

That tells me that they take about the same time considering spousal visas stay at NVC a lot longer to process the green card.

So then what do you think are all those case numbers that have either 4 or 5 or 6 people under one case number?

And also, I just checked a few of them again and it's weird because yesterday the last updates for these were July 29, but

I checked them again right now and the last updates show up as August 4.

I've developed an obsession with searching for as much information as I can find. I'm on the VJ website more than Facebook lol!

[Amhara 460]

So then what do you think are all those case numbers that have either 4 or 5 or 6 people under one case number?

And also, I just checked a few of them again and it's weird because yesterday the last updates for these were July 29, but

I checked them again right now and the last updates show up as August 4.

I've developed an obsession with searching for as much information as I can find. I'm on the VJ website more than Facebook lol!

I can totally relate! I don't know what I would do without this site! It at least gives me a way to get information to help me feel a little empowered!

Yeah, I think you are right and that they are SIV cases. They must be getting ready to interview a lot of SIV guys. It seems that the chatter is saying some of them have interviews the end of August. One person is saying that their interview was changed from September 3rd to the end of August. I don't know. But if these ones are getting updates this fast, then they must be getting interviews soon. I checked those cases last week, and they seemed to have gotten about three updates since then. I was watching to see if they were getting more updates than my friends'; and now it seems that they have.

So can't they schedule the currently waiting "Ready" cases, like the ones received in June for their interviews in early September? It seems that based on my time line, they should receive their interview letters soon in early August for an interview in early September IF they are holding fiance and spousal visas to interview together.

I seen a lot of cases in ceac get visas issued early July. This reinforced my theory and got me started thinking that those cases were interviewed together. Now I have a batch of KBL numbers that I suspect were interviewed at the same time as my guy because they are getting updates about the same time.

[jklm2010 10]

I can totally relate! I don't know what I would do without this site! It at least gives me a way to get information to help me feel a little empowered!

Yeah, I think you are right and that they are SIV cases. They must be getting ready to interview a lot of SIV guys. It seems that the chatter is saying some of them have interviews the end of August. One person is saying that their interview was changed from September 3rd to the end of August. I don't know. But if these ones are getting updates this fast, then they must be getting interviews soon. I checked those cases last week, and they seemed to have gotten about three updates since then. I was watching to see if they were getting more updates than my friends'; and now it seems that they have.

So can't they schedule the currently waiting "Ready" cases, like the ones received in June for their interviews in early September? It seems that based on my time line, they should receive their interview letters soon in early August for an interview in early September IF they are holding fiance and spousal visas to interview together.

I seen a lot of cases in ceac get visas issued early July. This reinforced my theory and got me started thinking that those cases were interviewed together. Now I have a batch of KBL numbers that I suspect were interviewed at the same time as my guy because they are getting updates about the same time.

I called my attorney today who deals with a lot of Afghanistan cases and he said that Kabul is packed right now and among the busiest embassys and that it's been taking months for people to get their interview dates.

I'm also wondering how much of an influence priority dates have on getting an interview date because my priority date is August 26th....any idea on that?

And I completely agree with you this site is amazing. I don't know how I would channel out my impatience and frustration without this website.

Not having VJ would be like floating lost in outer space lol.

[jklm2010 10]

Oh nevermind about the priority date. I found the answer here on VJ.

"For a case involving a spouse of a US Citizen, the priority date is nothing more than the date the file officially enters the queue. It does not affect the scheduling of an interview by the NVC as a visa for a spouse of a US Citizen is not subject to numerical limitations.

For visas in numerically limited categories, the priority date must be current before an interview can be scheduled."

[vajaster 7]

I called my attorney today who deals with a lot of Afghanistan cases and he said that Kabul is packed right now and among the busiest embassys and that it's been taking months for people to get their interview dates.

I'm also wondering how much of an influence priority dates have on getting an interview date because my priority date is August 26th....any idea on that?

And I completely agree with you this site is amazing. I don't know how I would channel out my impatience and frustration without this website.

Not having VJ would be like floating lost in outer space lol.

That's a bummer. First it's USCIS than NVC (which I thought is quicker) but it seems like they are really dragging their feet.

THAN there's good old Kabul ... let's not even get into that.

I just hope by the time my case reaches them they've picked up the pace a little.

On a side note ... quick question - Submitting the DS-261 (from what I understand the Choice of Agent form), on the NVC Wiki it says you complete it online.

But other posts are saying no you provide that information over the phone to the CSR and provide email address and phone numbers.

I'm a bit confused

Sorry I know it's a little off topic