Any experience with interviews in Auckland?

[rycilla 14]

4 minutes ago, kg_nz said:

He's using Rako Science! I had this exact same concern when they announced that last week, but Rako assured us they can do it. The rule is actually one day rather than exactly 24 hours, as in you can get it at any time the day before your flight. I asked the American Expats in New Zealand group on Facebook and lots of people had successfully used Rako the day before their US flight with no issues.

Amazing thank you @kg_nz and @Vamp.nz that's super helpful!! Just the standard test right? We don't need to the urgent one?

[Vamp.nz 23]

Hey urgent help needed. I know kinda off topic not really. 
I desperately need to know what to do

im at Nz post right now paying for my visa interview thing.  I am

a K-1 and I have two K-2 kids coming with me. My receipt only shows one payment of $397.50 nzd but I understand I need to pay for three in Total. Is this correct before I go blow a stack of cash????? 

[kg_nz 19]

On 12/8/2021 at 11:39 AM, rycilla said:

Just the standard test right? We don't need to the urgent one?

I'm not sure... my husband called them and told them he needed a 24-hr turnaround FDA-approved test and they booked him in the day before his flight. I'd just give them a call and see what they recommend!

[rycilla 14]

On 12/11/2021 at 11:05 AM, kg_nz said:

I'm not sure... my husband called them and told them he needed a 24-hr turnaround FDA-approved test and they booked him in the day before his flight. I'd just give them a call and see what they recommend!

Thank you! We ended up calling them and all is good. Our flight is booked for Dec 28 so we booked a standard one on the 27th!

Side note - I JUST received my passport with visa!

So interview was Dec 8. Visa arrived Dec 13. 

I will update the google spreadsheet you created!

[JoshandSarah 52]

1 hour ago, rycilla said:

Thank you! We ended up calling them and all is good. Our flight is booked for Dec 28 so we booked a standard one on the 27th!

Side note - I JUST received my passport with visa!

So interview was Dec 8. Visa arrived Dec 13. 

I will update the google spreadsheet you created!

@rycilla great to hear! did you just take a NZ post overnight courier bag with you to the interview for them to send it back in? Just curious for ours cause we have interview on Wednesday..

[rycilla 14]

42 minutes ago, JoshandSarah said:

@rycilla great to hear! did you just take a NZ post overnight courier bag with you to the interview for them to send it back in? Just curious for ours cause we have interview on Wednesday..

I sent mine in with my documents! But yes I saw other people bring in courier bags during their interviews as well. 

 

One person left the consulate and came back like five minutes later with a bag. I’m assuming they had forgotten and were told to come back and bring one. 

[mekbus 9]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:50 AM, kg_nz said:

I made a Google sheets doc: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YzUybxu4oaX57nvU42wwKKkTfci3LUaWK59JtN18miI/edit?usp=sharing

 

How long did it take everyone for the first USCIS step? I looked at the google document but it seems like it's only recorded information once people had progressed to NVC

[EKT 117]

18 minutes ago, mekbus said:

How long did it take everyone for the first USCIS step? I looked at the google document but it seems like it's only recorded information once people had progressed to NVC

The first stage seems like it can vary from 2 months to more than 12 months for no apparent reason! Have a look here at NZ timelines here (you can sort by NOA1 or NOA2, which are the dates the petition was filed and approved):

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?op6=All&op7=New Zealand&dfile=No&op1=&op2=&op3=&op4=1&op5=5%2C6%2C8%2C10%2C11%2C13%2C14%2C15%2C16%2C17%2C18%2C20%2C21%2C22%2C25%2C26%2C27%2C28&cfl=0

 

Ours took 2 months at the Nebraska Service Center (the initial estimate when we filed was 5-7 months). I met someone today on a FB group who filed at the same time as us and they’re still waiting 10.5 months later 😭

Edited December 13, 2021 by EKT

[EKT 117]

On 12/11/2021 at 10:03 AM, Vamp.nz said:

Hey urgent help needed. I know kinda off topic not really. 
I desperately need to know what to do

im at Nz post right now paying for my visa interview thing.  I am

a K-1 and I have two K-2 kids coming with me. My receipt only shows one payment of $397.50 nzd but I understand I need to pay for three in Total. Is this correct before I go blow a stack of cash????? 

Sorry, I missed this and have no idea as we are IR-1 but sounds very positive if you are paying for interviews!! Good luck and please keep us posted 🙂

[Jovany&Divya 6]

I submitted my documents in about 2 weeks ago but have not heard anything yet and also have done my medical 2 weeks ago so i am hoping soon. they got my papers on Thursday last week. 

[kas & jewel 8]

Did anyone here, who has had an interview, take photocopies/original copies of their initial application to the consulate? I read to take a copy of the i-129F petition, and take original copies of the documents submitted. Is this required? I thought the consulate would already have this honestly  

Thanks in advance  Congratulations to those who got approved! 

- Kas

[rycilla 14]

7 hours ago, kas & jewel said:

Did anyone here, who has had an interview, take photocopies/original copies of their initial application to the consulate? I read to take a copy of the i-129F petition, and take original copies of the documents submitted. Is this required? I thought the consulate would already have this honestly  

Thanks in advance  Congratulations to those who got approved! 

- Kas

I brought a folder with EVERYTHING lolol! Even had a table of contents in case they needed to see something I could find it easily, but they didn't ask to see anything.

But I would rather go in over prepared, because you never know!

[kg_nz 19]

On 12/12/2021 at 4:24 PM, rycilla said:

Side note - I JUST received my passport with visa!

Ahhh jealous!! We're still waiting... frustrating because he paid for an overnight courier envelope. His flight is on Friday night... we're cutting it pretty close! 😬

[kg_nz 19]

16 hours ago, kas & jewel said:

Did anyone here, who has had an interview, take photocopies/original copies of their initial application to the consulate? I read to take a copy of the i-129F petition, and take original copies of the documents submitted. Is this required? I thought the consulate would already have this honestly  

Same as @rycilla, we printed out absolutely everything we submitted to CEAC just to cover our bases. I have a theory the consulate doesn't even go through the uploaded files - all they know is a person is DQ and then rely on the applicant to provide physical documents. I'm speculating, but I've learned throughout this process that the communication between NVC and Auckland consulate is practically non-existent. Like I said a few comments back, we wasted weeks on rounds of document review because NVC didn't know NZ's protocol for submitting police checks.

[kas & jewel 8]

Awesome, thanks both for your replies, I'll just print everything off  like @rycilla said I'd definitely rather be overprepared than underprepared.