NVC Filers - February 2017

[Ultimecia 6]

13 hours ago, TokyoHNL said:

YES ! YES !!! YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

 

Just got the Interview letter (P4)  via email  - March 14th at the US embassy in Japan - CC on 2/3.  Scan date was 11/28 (my third)

 

TKYHNL

Awesome!! *high fives* Congratulations!

[thegreatphoenix 49]

Hello everyone! 

So my scan date is 12/23 and this week we have just entered 7 weeks at NVC so we should be up for supervisor review. No 3 N/A's or cc for us still. I have two questions (I am the beneficiary, husband is USC):

 

(1) I would like to ask the regular VJers here if they could possibly provide a fearless forecast as to when I might possibly have an interview scheduled if I get a March case complete. I am not entirely sure how but there seems to be a matrix you guys sometimes talk about to predict interview schedules based on date of cc (end of the month? beginning of the month?). If I get the cc in March is it possible to have an April interview at all, or will it be realistically in May? I will be having the interview at the Tokyo Embassy.

(2) Another thing I want to ask is: how receptive is the NVC when it comes to expedite appeals, and how much time does that shed off the regular waiting time? I am officially quitting my teaching job in March (end of the schoolyear here in Japan) and will not be renewing for another schoolyear for obvious reasons. However, once I quit my job in March I will only have until end of May to stay here, after which my work visa will be revoked. Will that be a sufficient reason for them to speed up our process? I can go back to the Philippines after that but I'm wondering how easily they can re-route my documents from Tokyo to Manila (I have a Tokyo case number code, TKY). 

 

Hope somebody can enlighten me on these. Thank you so much!!!

[thegreatphoenix 49]

16 hours ago, TokyoHNL said:

YES ! YES !!! YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

 

Just got the Interview letter (P4)  via email  - March 14th at the US embassy in Japan - CC on 2/3.  Scan date was 11/28 (my third)

 

TKYHNL

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  

[bcking 3,157]

1 hour ago, thegreatphoenix said:

Hello everyone! 

So my scan date is 12/23 and this week we have just entered 7 weeks at NVC so we should be up for supervisor review. No 3 N/A's or cc for us still. I have two questions (I am the beneficiary, husband is USC):

 

(1) I would like to ask the regular VJers here if they could possibly provide a fearless forecast as to when I might possibly have an interview scheduled if I get a March case complete. I am not entirely sure how but there seems to be a matrix you guys sometimes talk about to predict interview schedules based on date of cc (end of the month? beginning of the month?). If I get the cc in March is it possible to have an April interview at all, or will it be realistically in May? I will be having the interview at the Tokyo Embassy.

(2) Another thing I want to ask is: how receptive is the NVC when it comes to expedite appeals, and how much time does that shed off the regular waiting time? I am officially quitting my teaching job in March (end of the schoolyear here in Japan) and will not be renewing for another schoolyear for obvious reasons. However, once I quit my job in March I will only have until end of May to stay here, after which my work visa will be revoked. Will that be a sufficient reason for them to speed up our process? I can go back to the Philippines after that but I'm wondering how easily they can re-route my documents from Tokyo to Manila (I have a Tokyo case number code, TKY). 

 

Hope somebody can enlighten me on these. Thank you so much!!!

1) Embassies tell the NVC their interview availability at the beginning of each month, so they tend to schedule interviews in the first couple of weeks, then run out and have to wait until the next month. So if you get a case complete in early March, assuming Tokyo isn't a super long waiting embassy (I have no idea), then April is possible. For Tokyo specific info you should look at the big list of timelines whereever it is to see who else from Tokyo interviewed recently

 

2) Doubtful that is sufficient. Expedites are for things like "I have cancer" or something, not just that you are quitting work and a visa will expire. You could also choose not to quit. You can try but it's doubtful. I've also heard even when they are expedited, that really is only talking about the Embassy booking your interview for you which makes that wait quicker. I don't think it speeds up the NVC.

[TokyoHNL 25]

1 hour ago, thegreatphoenix said:

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  

Thanks !

[Samuelelbu1990 3]

Is it normal to have only 1 N/A? What does that even mean?

[TokyoHNL 25]

1 hour ago, thegreatphoenix said:

Hello everyone! 

So my scan date is 12/23 and this week we have just entered 7 weeks at NVC so we should be up for supervisor review. No 3 N/A's or cc for us still. I have two questions (I am the beneficiary, husband is USC):

 

(1) I would like to ask the regular VJers here if they could possibly provide a fearless forecast as to when I might possibly have an interview scheduled if I get a March case complete. I am not entirely sure how but there seems to be a matrix you guys sometimes talk about to predict interview schedules based on date of cc (end of the month? beginning of the month?). If I get the cc in March is it possible to have an April interview at all, or will it be realistically in May? I will be having the interview at the Tokyo Embassy.

(2) Another thing I want to ask is: how receptive is the NVC when it comes to expedite appeals, and how much time does that shed off the regular waiting time? I am officially quitting my teaching job in March (end of the schoolyear here in Japan) and will not be renewing for another schoolyear for obvious reasons. However, once I quit my job in March I will only have until end of May to stay here, after which my work visa will be revoked. Will that be a sufficient reason for them to speed up our process? I can go back to the Philippines after that but I'm wondering how easily they can re-route my documents from Tokyo to Manila (I have a Tokyo case number code, TKY). 

 

Hope somebody can enlighten me on these. Thank you so much!!!

 

I wouldn't quit your job.  The timing of the Visa is really unpredictable at this point and having to leave the country or changing embassies might just slow things down.  Japanese public schools have a break in July right after Ocean Day of about 6 weeks.   That might also be a good time to leave.

[bcking 3,157]

10 minutes ago, TokyoHNL said:

 

I wouldn't quit your job.  The timing of the Visa is really unpredictable at this point and having to leave the country or changing embassies might just slow things down.  Japanese public schools have a break in July right after Ocean Day of about 6 weeks.   That might also be a good time to leave.

I would agree. My wife left her job back in June. It's been incredibly hard for her waiting around for now 7 months. She didn't have a choice really (It was either leave then and take a big payout, or leave later but without any money), but if she could have continued on she would have.

[bcking 3,157]

17 minutes ago, Samuelelbu1990 said:

Is it normal to have only 1 N/A? What does that even mean?

Were you mail or electronic processing?

 

3 N/A's typically means your case is complete. You can call to confirm.

[Samuelelbu1990 3]

9 minutes ago, bcking said:

Were you mail or electronic processing?

 

3 N/A's typically means your case is complete. You can call to confirm.

I am doing Electronic Processing. And I only have 1 N/A under the AOS Fee which had the word "PAID" yesterday!

[bcking 3,157]

That means you should be CC, congrats! Man electronic processing is so much quicker it is crazy. You'd think it would just go in the queue with all the mail somehow. Lucky you!

1 minute ago, Samuelelbu1990 said:

2 minutes ago, Samuelelbu1990 said:

I am doing Electronic Processing. And I only have 1 N/A under the AOS Fee which had the word "PAID" yesterday!

 

[thegreatphoenix 49]

2 hours ago, bcking said:

1) Embassies tell the NVC their interview availability at the beginning of each month, so they tend to schedule interviews in the first couple of weeks, then run out and have to wait until the next month. So if you get a case complete in early March, assuming Tokyo isn't a super long waiting embassy (I have no idea), then April is possible. For Tokyo specific info you should look at the big list of timelines whereever it is to see who else from Tokyo interviewed recently

 

2) Doubtful that is sufficient. Expedites are for things like "I have cancer" or something, not just that you are quitting work and a visa will expire. You could also choose not to quit. You can try but it's doubtful. I've also heard even when they are expedited, that really is only talking about the Embassy booking your interview for you which makes that wait quicker. I don't think it speeds up the NVC.

 

I see. I read somewhere that it only resets the supervisor review at the NVC when someone requests an expedite, but I'm not so sure since I read other conflicting info. In any case, I agree--nobody's dying so it seems like an expedite attempt won't do much. Thank you for your input!

 

 

1 hour ago, TokyoHNL said:

 

I wouldn't quit your job.  The timing of the Visa is really unpredictable at this point and having to leave the country or changing embassies might just slow things down.  Japanese public schools have a break in July right after Ocean Day of about 6 weeks.   That might also be a good time to leave.

 

I thought about quitting during summer break, too, but I don't want to hurt my job record as a teacher by quitting in the middle of the schoolyear since I intend to continue being a teacher in the US and I need a stellar job reference/record. Thank you for your input! Good luck on the interview!

 

 

1 hour ago, bcking said:

I would agree. My wife left her job back in June. It's been incredibly hard for her waiting around for now 7 months. She didn't have a choice really (It was either leave then and take a big payout, or leave later but without any money), but if she could have continued on she would have.

 

I can just imagine what your wife must be feeling, being idle and helpless for 7 months. I hope you guys move forward with your process sooner rather than later. Thank you for your input!

[sohma 6]

Congrats Samuel!

 

I have a question.  Me and the wife are on week 8.  I know everyone is experiencing long wait times.  I was hoping her arrival would be sooner to help look after my father, of course with her agreement and limitations, who's been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer almost a year ago.  

 

Sooner than later, I may start burning through my leave time at work.  Is it worth looking into expediting?

[Gabby09 0]

The waiting is ridiculous. We need to do something if there is something we can. My scan date is Jan 5 and i am already out of patience. ]

This Quote from NVC from November 2016 - 

Q. Previously, NVC required 60 days to review the civil and financial documents. NVC now requires only 30 days to review these documents. If the review period goes beyond 30 days, at what point would it be appropriate to follow up on the status of the case?

RESPONSE: The average document review time period is still 30 days. NVC’s goal for document review is 10 work days. If you have submitted your civil and financial documents and haven’t been contacted by the NVC at the 45-day mark, you should send an e-mail to NVCattorney@state.gov. In order to prevent processing delays, we encourage you to submit all of the documents for a case in a single package.

 

 

[thegreatphoenix 49]

4 minutes ago, Gabby09 said:

The waiting is ridiculous. We need to do something if there is something we can. My scan date is Jan 5 and i am already out of patience. ]

This Quote from NVC from November 2016 - 

Q. Previously, NVC required 60 days to review the civil and financial documents. NVC now requires only 30 days to review these documents. If the review period goes beyond 30 days, at what point would it be appropriate to follow up on the status of the case?

RESPONSE: The average document review time period is still 30 days. NVC’s goal for document review is 10 work days. If you have submitted your civil and financial documents and haven’t been contacted by the NVC at the 45-day mark, you should send an e-mail to NVCattorney@state.gov. In order to prevent processing delays, we encourage you to submit all of the documents for a case in a single package.

 

 

 

I am on week 7. I might try emailing them at that address you noted. Would you know if they specified further what to include in the email? Is it a request for immediate supervisor review, or just a general "hello what's taking you so long, hurry up!" message?