South African K1 Visa applicants

[HOORAY7 165]

Anyone out there that may know this answer please.  I've emailed the Consulate for better clarification; however my fiancé has the unabridged birth certificates for her sons, but only the original birth certificate for herself; this is not the unabridged one.  This is the original/handwritten one and this one was accepted during her Tourist Visa interview, but not sure if this will be ok for the actual K1 visa, does anyone know this by chance?  She believes she only needs her original birth certificate and just the unabridged for her boys, but I'm not so sure that is correct.  But I see the confusion; we have some documents that state just original birth certificate, but others that say unabridged birth certificate.

Please advise, our interview is in 8 days and I believe this is now in jeopardy.

 

Thank you,

 

Julie

[HOORAY7 165]

Alcon,

 

Disregard my last post, just got confirmation from the Consulate, she will need her unabridged birth certificate, so our interview date just got pushed out the window.  No idea when we will have a new interview date now.  So FYI to all, you will need an unabridged birth certificate for you and your children for the K1 Visa.  I'm so distraught right now .  Our interview was in 8 days!

[Yale Man 3]

Julie,

 

You have been tireless and selfless in giving all of us support. I have no doubt that a lot of people are sending you 'good karma' thoughts right now, hoping that Kerren can get that certificate and reschedule the interview as soon as possible. A community stands behind you.

 

Michael 

[HOORAY7 165]

20 minutes ago, Yale Man said:

Julie,

 

You have been tireless and selfless in giving all of us support. I have no doubt that a lot of people are sending you 'good karma' thoughts right now, hoping that Kerren can get that certificate and reschedule the interview as soon as possible. A community stands behind you.

 

Michael 

Michael,

 

Those are the most thoughtful words I've heard, thank you and thank you to everyone.  I will definitely keep everyone posted as we continue our process, even after she gets her Visa.  Some people don't return once their initial process is completed, I will for sure not be one of those.  Some possible good news, she contacted the Consulate after I gave her the news and they said she can keep her interview date, but they will record that she is outstanding on one item (her Unabridged BC) and then just make another appointment to bring it in; they also said depends on the interviewer, as they may accept what she has.  So we will not know until 20 March how this turns out, but I will keep you all posted.

Again, thank you for the kind words!

Julie

[Yale Man 3]

OK community,

 

Julie is now orbiting in a holding pattern. Let's get some of that 'good karma' flowing for her and carry on her habit of giving each other advice. I'll begin. @Wouter Erwee I am slightly ahead of you in the process. My milestones were NOA 1: 17 May 2017; NOA 2: 14 November 2017; NVC to consulate: 12 January 2018. Exactly two months later, I am still waiting for the consulate to contact me by sending the so-called 'package 3' confirmation that they are ready for me to apply online for an interview and schedule a medical examination. If your experience proves to be like mine, it may still be some time before you are able to schedule an interview. 

 

Michael 

[LuFlolady 881]

10 hours ago, HOORAY7 said:

Alcon,

 

Disregard my last post, just got confirmation from the Consulate, she will need her unabridged birth certificate, so our interview date just got pushed out the window.  No idea when we will have a new interview date now.  So FYI to all, you will need an unabridged birth certificate for you and your children for the K1 Visa.  I'm so distraught right now .  Our interview was in 8 days!

oh no! my friend I am sending positive vibes ur way with the hopes that everything will work in your favor.....

[LuFlolady 881]

10 hours ago, HOORAY7 said:

Michael,

 

Those are the most thoughtful words I've heard, thank you and thank you to everyone.  I will definitely keep everyone posted as we continue our process, even after she gets her Visa.  Some people don't return once their initial process is completed, I will for sure not be one of those.  Some possible good news, she contacted the Consulate after I gave her the news and they said she can keep her interview date, but they will record that she is outstanding on one item (her Unabridged BC) and then just make another appointment to bring it in; they also said depends on the interviewer, as they may accept what she has.  So we will not know until 20 March how this turns out, but I will keep you all posted.

Again, thank you for the kind words!

Julie

no worries u will get the visa and not have to bring the unabridged BC back! I am putting that in the atmosphere for you! im rooting for u guys all the way to the finish line

[Wouter Erwee 11]

12 hours ago, Yale Man said:

OK community,

 

Julie is now orbiting in a holding pattern. Let's get some of that 'good karma' flowing for her and carry on her habit of giving each other advice. I'll begin. @Wouter Erwee I am slightly ahead of you in the process. My milestones were NOA 1: 17 May 2017; NOA 2: 14 November 2017; NVC to consulate: 12 January 2018. Exactly two months later, I am still waiting for the consulate to contact me by sending the so-called 'package 3' confirmation that they are ready for me to apply online for an interview and schedule a medical examination. If your experience proves to be like mine, it may still be some time before you are able to schedule an interview. 

 

Michael 

Hi Michael,

 

Yes, I am not sure what is happening.  We received our NVC email with the NVC number on the 26th of Feb.  The following day it said "READY" on the CEAC website. We called the Joburg Consulate on Friday and they say the packet is still at the NVC in the US.  My US fiance will call the NVC later on today.  I am scared since my Unabridged and Police Certificate expire in April.... Hoping for an update this week.

Also called the medical doctor in Joburg and it seems you can't schedule medical till you receive packet 3 from the embassy. Then you can only schedule the interview a week from the medical, but if the timing is bad, you could be more delayed since they only do interviews on the last 2 weeks...

Just a whole lot of frustration and waiting.

 

If there is anyone else that has a similar time line to myself and Michael's, please comment in!

[Vintage girl 146]

14 minutes ago, Wouter Erwee said:

Hi Michael,

 

Yes, I am not sure what is happening.  We received our NVC email with the NVC number on the 26th of Feb.  The following day it said "READY" on the CEAC website. We called the Joburg Consulate on Friday and they say the packet is still at the NVC in the US.  My US fiance will call the NVC later on today.  I am scared since my Unabridged and Police Certificate expire in April.... Hoping for an update this week.

Also called the medical doctor in Joburg and it seems you can't schedule medical till you receive packet 3 from the embassy. Then you can only schedule the interview a week from the medical, but if the timing is bad, you could be more delayed since they only do interviews on the last 2 weeks...

Just a whole lot of frustration and waiting.

 

If there is anyone else that has a similar time line to myself and Michael's, please comment in!

Guys isn't it suppose to go smooth sailing after the NVC approval? Jeez I really hope that the embassy get your package soon. I can only imagine the frustration for all this waiting. I saw on a page that the NVC to embassy is suppose to take only 2 - 4 weeks. Maybe you should call the NVC to find out. And then again how did they send the package? hope not via SA post office coz that is messed up totally. I waited 2 months for a parcel to clear at the Mail Hub in JHB send from Florida. The customs hold up is terrible. The Post office services is a disgrace lately. I heard that the DHL company also struggle with a back log these days. Somewhere in between there must be a reason for the late arrival of your package. First find out at the NVC when did they send it and if they have a tracking number then take it from there. Don't give up hope.

 

Zel

[Vintage girl 146]

Hi Everyone

 

Can anyone tell me how to check the status? I have tried a couple of times with the USCIS website but they still give me a red error case number not found. We are on 90 days since the NOA1. I guess we just have to be patient and wait for the NOA2 to arrive. Just hope it will come soon. The INS Lawyer said they never waited more than 180 days for the NOA2 notice.

 

Zel

[LuFlolady 881]

5 hours ago, Vintage girl said:

Hi Everyone

 

Can anyone tell me how to check the status? I have tried a couple of times with the USCIS website but they still give me a red error case number not found. We are on 90 days since the NOA1. I guess we just have to be patient and wait for the NOA2 to arrive. Just hope it will come soon. The INS Lawyer said they never waited more than 180 days for the NOA2 notice.

 

Zel

the current wait time for NOA2 is 6 months

[HOORAY7 165]

12 hours ago, LuFlolady said:

oh no! my friend I am sending positive vibes ur way with the hopes that everything will work in your favor.....

Thank you!!!

[HOORAY7 165]

12 hours ago, LuFlolady said:

no worries u will get the visa and not have to bring the unabridged BC back! I am putting that in the atmosphere for you! im rooting for u guys all the way to the finish line

Thank you so much!!  I will definitely keep you all posted and we appreciate all the good vibes and thoughts from everyone, I'd hug you all if I could!  Thank you!!

[HOORAY7 165]

19 hours ago, Yale Man said:

OK community,

 

Julie is now orbiting in a holding pattern. Let's get some of that 'good karma' flowing for her and carry on her habit of giving each other advice. I'll begin. @Wouter Erwee I am slightly ahead of you in the process. My milestones were NOA 1: 17 May 2017; NOA 2: 14 November 2017; NVC to consulate: 12 January 2018. Exactly two months later, I am still waiting for the consulate to contact me by sending the so-called 'package 3' confirmation that they are ready for me to apply online for an interview and schedule a medical examination. If your experience proves to be like mine, it may still be some time before you are able to schedule an interview. 

 

Michael 

Thank you Michael and everyone for the good karma!!  We will know come Tuesday, 20 March how this turns out and if we are delayed or not.  We appreciate all the kind thoughts and good karma and we will wish that for you all as well!!  Hugs to all, your words are keeping me positive!  More to follow!

 

Julie

[HOORAY7 165]

Hi everyone!

I wanted to pass along some more information that may help some of you, some at the bottom is repeated, but one can't over communicate:

It took a month for our letter to get to the NVC from USCIS, no idea why, but it took a month. BUT it moved very quickly after that.  USCIS approved us 15 Oct and it was received at NVC 13 Nov. Our response from NVC was then mailed to us on 16 Nov and I got it on 20 Nov and our package arrived to my fiancé embassy in South Africa on 22 Nov 17. 

NVC doesn't do a lot with the K1 Visa, they are merely a pass through to your fiancé embassy, so it "shouldn't" take long at the NVC, problem is USCIS mailing it....30 days?? 

The petitioner can start calling the NVC at 10-12 days, after your USCIS approval date,  to start asking if they received your package and if you have a case number yet.

Follow this:

1.  Best time to call is after 6pm Eastern Time, they are there until 10pm Eastern Time

2.  Call 603-334-0700

3.  Stay on or call back until you hear a ring and not a recording or listen to the recording as it may just direct you to push buttons

4.  You will press 1 for English when asked to

5.  Then you press 7, 5 or 2  to ask a question

6. Be prepared to be on hold, but stay on the line

7.  When they are ready to speak, you will then hear the line ring and they will ask you for your case number, this is the number on your I-797 Notice of Action (the USCIS number you've been tracking with for the last 5 or 6 months).

8.  Once you give them your case number they will look in their system; if they do not have it, they will tell you the same thing they tell everyone, that it could take up to 4-6 weeks to arrive.  I now know this is fact  .  If it's not there, don't worry just call again in 3 days.  I called every 3 days until they told me they had it!!!

9.  They are SUPER nice at NVC, nothing like dealing with the USCIS, so it's refreshing  

10.  Next time(s) you call always provide them your case number and when they ask you for more information, the Petitioner's name and the fiancé name and birthdate, that means they have your package.

11.  At that point they will have your new case number(s), so always be prepared to have something to write on.  We received the new Case number (this will stay with you til the end and first 3 letters are the abbreviations of your embassy JHN for Joburg), a Invoice ID number and beneficiary ID.  So be prepared to have something to write on.

12.  Now you use this case number to check your CEAC status on when it is sent out to your embassy from NVC:

       a. Go to https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx 

       b. Under Visa application type - Select Immigrant Visa

       c.  Under Immigrant Visa Case Number type in your new case number

       d.  You will have one of a few answers to you query; at NVC, In Transit, Arrived or Ready.  "Ready" is the magic word.  That means that not only is your case at the Embassy, but it is already entered into the system.  After paying your visa fee, you can submit your DS-160 (http://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ ), then schedule your medical and work on scheduling your interview.  We could not schedule the interview until my fiancé had her medical, but what I suggest to people is after you schedule your medical; then schedule your interview for at least a week after your medical so the results have time to get to the embassy for the interview.  The medical was a 2 day process, spread over 3 days.  First day was all xrays and blood work, skip a day and then shots and discussion with dr.

Schedule interview at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ZA/iv (this will be in your instructions for packet 3.

13.  Keep an eye on your emails as the Embassy/Consulate will send "packet3" instructions via email to one or both of you.

 

Best of luck everyone!!  Always here to help answer any questions; keep the faith!!  I will keep you posted on Kerren's interview, set for Tues, 20 Mar at 1300!

Julie