NVC Stage - COVID -19

[Trish and Oli 28]

Hi everyone, 

 

I thought I'd create this forum for those who have been approved by the NVC but our documents are stuck due to COVID-19. Today (June 24,2020) I received an email from NVC after requesting what my inbox message said since they do not work. Here is what I was told regarding interviews. Our interview is at the U.S. Embassy in London. 

 

Dear Sir/Madam:

 

NVC received all the requested documentation for this immigrant visa case. The application is now in the queue awaiting an interview appointment overseas, where a consular officer will adjudicate the applicant's visa application. 

 

The U.S. Embassy/Consulate tells us what dates they are holding interviews, and NVC fills these appointments as the cases become documentarily qualified. NVC schedules appointments one month in advance, but we cannot predict when an interview appointment will be available.

 

When an appointment is available, we will notify the applicant, petitioner, and attorney (if applicable).

 

The applicant should not make any travel arrangements, sell property, or give up employment until the embassy has issued a visa.

 

So basically we already knew this. Once your documents have been accepted by NVC we just have to wait for the Embassies/Consulates to open up and resume scheduling interviews. Our interview is in London and according to Boris Johnson, he is relaxing the countries stay at home orders on July 4th. Hopefully interviews can resume at that time. Good luck to everyone!

 

[OrihimeandIchigo 216]

Thank so much for this informative post. I had wondered about some of this. Its very much appreciated 😊

[MattyUKtoUS 242]

I must be checking the UK - US Embassy page 20 times a day for an update of when they plan to open up to the mission critical visas which CR1 is included in. 

 

I desperately need some news on this. It's affecting my mental health.

 

 

Matt

[Bcoulter 9]

We are also waiting for an interview in London. We were DQ'd at the beginning of the month and haven't heard anything else since then. Hopefully the London embassy will start opening for CR1/IR1 visas soon. 

[OrihimeandIchigo 216]

33 minutes ago, MattyUKtoUS said:

I must be checking the UK - US Embassy page 20 times a day for an update of when they plan to open up to the mission critical visas which CR1 is included in. 

 

I desperately need some news on this. It's affecting my mental health.

 

 

Matt

OMG I've been checking the US Embassy in Sweden also like 10 to 20 times a day also I thought I was like the only one. 

[JuliePineParker 1]

Hi all, I am in the US and my husband is in New Zealand. We started this process in October 2018. Our paperwork was approved by NVC on 20 May 2020 and now we are waiting on the Consulate interview! The US Consulate in Auckland is completely re-opened EXCEPT for Immigrant visa interviews. They have NO idea when they will start interviews again and they refer us to NVC. NVC and the Dept of State Consular services tell us to monitor the US Consulate website.

 

It's going round in circles. New Zealand is virtually Covid-19 free so we don't understand why my husband can't get his interview and immigrate ASAP.

 

Its so frustrating 😫 

[Melc 138]

5 hours ago, MattyUKtoUS said:

I must be checking the UK - US Embassy page 20 times a day for an update of when they plan to open up to the mission critical visas which CR1 is included in. 

 

I desperately need some news on this. It's affecting my mental health.

 

 

Matt

They have updated the website; not mentioning it directly, but it's mentioned indirectly. 

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

Quote

UPDATED: Can I apply for a fiancé(e)/K-1 visa?/What if my fiancé(e) visa petition expires?

Routine visa processing is currently suspended. We are only able to process visas for immediate family members, defined as spouses and minor children. 

 

 I also just received a second confirmation for my scheduled IR-1 appointment (self booked as we're doing DCF) for the 7th, so it looks like it's happening. 

[OrihimeandIchigo 216]

3 minutes ago, Melc said:

They have updated the website; not mentioning it directly, but it's mentioned indirectly. 

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

 

 I also just received a second confirmation for my scheduled IR-1 appointment (self booked as we're doing DCF) for the 7th, so it looks like it's happening. 

Congratulations on your appointment date 😊

 

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question 😅 I always thought DCF was couples who are both living overseas together. But I also heard recently that DCF is for people that have to do it fast and bypass the NVC stage all together is this true? What is it in your case? Sorry to bother you.

[Melc 138]

5 minutes ago, OrihimeandIchigo said:

Congratulations on your appointment date 😊

 

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question 😅 I always thought DCF was couples who are both living overseas together. But I also heard recently that DCF is for people that have to do it fast and bypass the NVC stage all together is this true? What is it in your case? Sorry to bother you.

Thanks!

 

We're both living in the UK.

 

We filed last summer when we heard about the USCIS offices around the world closing, even though we weren't quite expecting to move just yet back then. We figured it would be better to file the I-130, and have the case wait in the embassy, than to risk it with the NVC. Also, direct filing with the USCIS office here is cheaper in that you don't pay the affidavit fee. 

 

It took less than 2 months from filing the I-130 and being approved. We then received a case number directly from the immigration visa unit here in London. As far as I know, the case never went to NVC. We didn't upload any documents, we're just told to bring them to the interview. 

 

I believe that as USCIS offices are closing, the only DCF still available to people now is for couples living outside of the US and the "exceptional circumstances" apply. 

 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Melc

[OrihimeandIchigo 216]

3 hours ago, JuliePineParker said:

Hi all, I am in the US and my husband is in New Zealand. We started this process in October 2018. Our paperwork was approved by NVC on 20 May 2020 and now we are waiting on the Consulate interview! The US Consulate in Auckland is completely re-opened EXCEPT for Immigrant visa interviews. They have NO idea when they will start interviews again and they refer us to NVC. NVC and the Dept of State Consular services tell us to monitor the US Consulate website.

 

It's going round in circles. New Zealand is virtually Covid-19 free so we don't understand why my husband can't get his interview and immigrate ASAP.

 

Its so frustrating 😫 

I'm so sorry this is all so confusing and stressful *huggles* to you.

 

It is confusing though because I thought the DOS told the Embassies when to open routine visa services or is this wrong? I thought I saw someone post that earlier. 

 

[OrihimeandIchigo 216]

4 minutes ago, Melc said:

We're both living in the UK.

 

We filed last summer when we heard about the USCIS offices around the world closing, even though we weren't quite expecting to move just yet back then. We figured it would be better to file the I-130, and have the case wait in the embassy, than to risk it with the NVC. Also, direct filing with the USCIS office here is cheaper in that you don't pay the affidavit fee. 

 

It took less than 2 months from filing the I-130 and being approved. We then received a case number directly from the immigration visa unit here in London. As far as I know, the case never went to NVC. We didn't upload any documents, we're just told to bring them to the interview. 

 

I believe that as USCIS offices are closing, the only DCF still available to people now is for couples living outside of the US and the "exceptional circumstances" apply. 

 

Dang thank you for such a informative reply. I learned a lot and it makes so much sense.

 

Congratulations again, it sounds wonderful to approved so fast. Best of luck in your interview let us know how it goes please 😊

Edited June 25, 2020 by OrihimeandIchigo

[Melc 138]

11 minutes ago, OrihimeandIchigo said:

Dang thank you for such a informative reply. I learned a lot and it makes so much sense.

 

Congratulations again, it sounds wonderful to approved so fast.  Best of luck in your interview let us know how it goes please 😊

Glad I could help! 😄 

It dates back to a while ago where some embassies had USCIS offices that could adjudicate the I-130 if the USC was living in that country with their family. Technically using those offices isn't real DCF, since with DCF it's the consular unit adjudicating the I-130. 

 

In our case we were just lucky that our embassy (used to have) a USCIS office that meant we didn't have to go through NVC. 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Melc

[Lara&Gabriel 19]

Does anyone here receive DQ and got interview letter this june 2020????

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.

[Ptitchou 117]

In the same boat. DQ May 22, 2020. Awaiting Montreal consulate (which already had at 6 month wait list for an appointment before Covid). I don't understand what "mission critical" is even supposed to mean at this point, since it seems our CR-1s/IR-1s aren't getting priority anyway. 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Ptitchou