Rant: Moscow DCF kicking me from office to office

[galephys 12]

My experience with Moscow Embassy after the I-130 interview is nothing but frustrating. First we got a notice of approval with no identification for our case on it. We called the consular section to get an update, but they couldn't find it in the system and asked for a receipt number. Called to another section and they confused DCF with lockbox filing.

Emailed back to USCIS field office, asked for the damn magic number the consular section need. "They are confused, just wait", I was told. Okay...

Finally we got an email with the case number and further instructions, including a note to pay IV visa fee of $325: logged in, filled DS260, went to pay a fee... no invoice number anywhere(I tried the birth date). Called NVC as per instructions, they have no record of our case because it's DCF. Called the consulate, after 30 minutes on the phone were told to email the consulate for our numbers. Fun fact: we were talking to a guy who worked in that same consular section to which he suggested we email.

By that time it's Friday night before the holiday weekend, now we need to wait till Wednesday to pay and schedule a medical, and this delays us by 3 weeks, and I may not be able to come for an interview now because work starts back up in 2 weeks and I have to be there. Or I'll just have to fly to Moscow for 1 day.