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JandEB

NVC Behind on sending letter after approval?

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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Wondering if anyone else is experiencing this currently.

After receiving my NOA2, I waited a bit over a month without word from the NVC, and finally called them to check on status. I was told that my petition had been approved and sent to the embassy August 3rd. However, the NVC approval letter never came in the mail, over 3 weeks later. I'm using RapidVisa agency, and they told me they'd been getting reports from others also not receiving them or having long delays receiving them, and suggested we contact the embassy to ask for a copy of the welcome letter instead, since a document showing approval would be needed later in the process.

I'm just wondering how many other people are experiencing this, and what ought to be the typical time for the letter to arrive after approval.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

Don't wait for the letter, it may never arrive. Do you have you MNL#? If not call the NVC and get the MNL#. If it was sent to the Embassy on Aug 3 they have probably received. All of the USEM documents are on line. Check you case status here:

https://ceac.state.gov/ceac/

If it say READY you can pay the fees, schedule the interview and complete the medical.

Follow the guide here http://dennyeyberg.wix.com/filipino-am-visa

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

Well, now that you have a case number you can track it by CEAC.

Back when I got texted my NOA2 before the papercopy came in, I waited for any kind of notice. By the time I got my NOA2, NVC had my case and had already assigned it a case number. When I called for it, they were in the process of sending it to USEM. Of course, no approval letter ever came, and don't let your beneficiary wait for any packet 3 or 4 either. They are no longer sent. As soon as the CEAC tracker says "READY" for interview, pay and schedule the interview and medical... assuming you are both ready for it.

Edited by Liza and Chris
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You should demand a refund from RapidVisa.

All you need to do is to call the NVC and get your MNL case number. Once you have your MNL case number, you can schedule an interview appointment and complete the medical.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

You should demand a refund from RapidVisa.

All you need to do is to call the NVC and get your MNL case number. Once you have your MNL case number, you can schedule an interview appointment and complete the medical.

RapidVisa isn't telling me it's needed for the interview. But what I've found it IS needed for is police clearance in one of the countries she worked. HK apparently now uses the NVC letter instead of the embassy letter they previously used. I've emailed NVC requesting copies of the letter, but I know I won't hear from them during Labor Day holiday, so we'll see what happens afterwards.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
Timeline

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the K-1 Case Progress subforum. ***

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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RapidVisa isn't telling me it's needed for the interview.

How are you going to schedule an Embassy interview appointment without your MNL case number?

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

How are you going to schedule an Embassy interview appointment without your MNL case number?

I have the MNL case number and CEAC is in ready status. What I don't have is the physical letter from NVC that includes the checklist of required documents, which is needed for the Hong Kong police clearance. We can't request her police clearance from Hong Kong without that physical letter, because HK requires proof that you need the documents in order to release your own police record to you.

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I have the MNL case number and CEAC is in ready status. What I don't have is the physical letter from NVC that includes the checklist of required documents, which is needed for the Hong Kong police clearance. We can't request her police clearance from Hong Kong without that physical letter, because HK requires proof that you need the documents in order to release your own police record to you.

Assuming your fiancée will interview in Manila:

You can still schedule an interview appointment and complete the medical. At the same time, you can work on getting the HK police clearance. If you don't have the police clearance by interview day, go to the interview anyway. The consular officer will simply issue your fiancée a 221g which will instruct her to submit the police clearance when she receives it. This will save precious time.

Also, I'm not sure the NVC sends a list of required documents to K-1ers. Don't you mean the Embassy's interview preparation instructions?

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  • 4 weeks later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

Just as an update, upon calling the NVC and getting through to them again, the person I talked to insisted NVC doesn't send out any letters at all because the paperwork is with them so briefly, and that anything I need should come from the embassy.

Thank you for the extra info Tahoma, that does help. To answer your question, according to the current instructions from everyone but NVC, NVC should be issuing us a letter. NVC insists they don't send out letters to anyone. For Singapore, the embassy issues (and has emailed me) an instruction letter specific to them, which is used to get Singapore clearance. But apparently HK wants their letter from NVC rather than the embassy.

Right now, I'm filling out an assistance form on my congressman's website, because I've run out of people to contact regarding the paper the NVC is supposed to send. The state department website says NVC should send it, the HK instructions say NVC should send it, the embassy says NVC should send it....apparently everyone but NVC agrees the NVC should send it.

I did get my copy of the embassy interview instruction letter in the mail the other day, but my fiancee hasn't gotten her copy yet. So a separate headache we're dealing with is trying to get her paperwork delivered to her. PhilPost seems to be....unreliable.

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Based upon a quick VJ search, here's what I would do regarding the documents:

Submit the interview preparation instructions which you received from the U.S. Embassy Manila.

Submit the interview confirmation page which you will print out when you schedule her interview.

Submit the USCIS NOA which shows the petition was approved.

If you can get one, submit a copy of an email from NVC with her name and MNL case number on it.

This should do it for K-1ers.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

Finally ended up talking to my congressman's office to resolve the situation. After several rounds back and forth, explaining the situation to our congressional staffer and pointing her to the various documentations online and copies of emails exchanged, the NVC contacted the embassy for clarification when we pointed out that the NVC document does not meet HK's explicit requirement that the document mention the need for the police clearance. The embassy in Manila finally emailed me a document on embassy letterhead explicitly requesting the clearance to proceed further. We'll see what the end result is once we submit everything, but it at least gives my fiancee and I a little more peace of mind. It may be the other document would have been fine, but you never know when you'll get reviewed by the official that wants to be strict on the requirements.

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