Any experience with interviews in Auckland?

[ztiberiusd 38]

On 12/20/2021 at 8:44 PM, Sammy.NZ said:

This has me so nervous for the NVC stage. I'm glad I know in advance but still seems like everyone from NZ gets RFEs/Delays at this point.... Has anyone had a successful story with their NZ Police Certificate where it was accepted first time... if so, please spill your secrets. 😟

I didn't get an RFE for the police certificate, but I did get one for a lack of W2/1099s (same as @EKT) . Responded to NVC as soon as I could but I'm praying it's not going to be another 3 months for them to look at it. And to think we were so close to being DQ and getting her interview scheduled. Makes me want to scream! 

[EKT 117]

3 hours ago, ztiberiusd said:

I didn't get an RFE for the police certificate, but I did get one for a lack of W2/1099s (same as @EKT) . Responded to NVC as soon as I could but I'm praying it's not going to be another 3 months for them to look at it. And to think we were so close to being DQ and getting her interview scheduled. Makes me want to scream! 

Oh no! I can't believe NVC processing is taking 3 months at the moment. They just seem to be getting further and further behind. Sometimes people get a quicker second review--hopefully that's you guys @ztiberiusd. Did you submit an IRS transcript or a copy of your tax return (completed 1040 form)? My theory with the W-2/1099 situation is that you can avoid the RFE if you submit the transcript as it has been verified by the IRS. I originally submitted my 1040 and an email from my tax preparer that it had been accepted, but still got the W-2/1099 request that everyone seems to get. I then submitted a letter of explanation stating that I have no W-2s because I only have overseas income.

 

@Sammy.NZ you can request your IRS transcript for 2020 now to speed things along https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript. Even if you submit the transcript rather than your 1040, it's probably worth including in your I-864 cover letter that have no W-2/1099s if that is the case for you.

 

For the police certificate, follow the NZ-specific process here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/NewZealand.html  For NVC, I suggest combining the confirmation email and copy of the Section 14 request and uploading it to CEAC as a single PDF with a comment that the certificate has been sent directly to the Consulate as required. Then email the Consulate to confirm they have received it and request they forward it to NVC. Others might be able to chime in with what worked for them!!

 

 

[ztiberiusd 38]

Just now, EKT said:

Oh no! I can't believe NVC processing is taking 3 months at the moment. They just seem to be getting further and further behind. Sometimes people get a quicker second review--hopefully that's you guys @ztiberiusd. Did you submit an IRS transcript or a copy of your tax return (completed 1040 form)? My theory with the W-2/1099 situation is that you can avoid the RFE if you submit the transcript as it has been verified by the IRS. I originally submitted my 1040 and an email from my tax preparer that it had been accepted, but still got the W-2/1099 request that everyone seems to get. I then submitted a letter of explanation stating that I have no W-2s because I only have overseas income.

 

@Sammy.NZ you can request your IRS transcript for 2020 now to speed things along https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript. Even if you submit the transcript rather than your 1040, it's probably worth including in your I-864 cover letter that have no W-2/1099s if that is the case for you.

 

For the police certificate, follow the NZ-specific process here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/NewZealand.html  For NVC, I suggest combining the confirmation email and copy of the Section 14 request and uploading it to CEAC as a single PDF with a comment that the certificate has been sent directly to the Consulate as required. Then email the Consulate to confirm they have received it and request they forward it to NVC. Others might be able to chime in with what worked for them!!

 

 

I wasn't able to get my IRS transcript when I was still living in New Zealand. Can't remember exactly why, but it wouldn't let me apply for it. I'm living in the US now so could have got it to respond to the RFE, but I figured I should keep it simple and just do what they asked of me when I spoke to them on the phone (explain the lack of W2s). I hope we get a quicker second review also, but it seems like those tend to happen more when people reply to the RFE on the same day. I tried desperately to do that, but naturally the CEAC website was giving me errors all day Friday (day of RFE) and over the weekend, so I wasn't able to submit everything until late afternoon on Monday. Really hoping they review it quicker or just speed up the entire process. This is so draining. 

[lalalaland 0]

@EKT

@ztiberiusd

 

hello! I’m sorry I’m not from NZ but please allow me to jump in. this thread seems to be very active with discussions very relevant to me. I also want to mention Auckland is very dear to me as I visited many times and have such amazing memories. I know Waiheke island perhaps is one of the most beautiful places on earth! I hope to go back one day for a long vacation! NZ is so amazing I’m casually wondering why you guys want to move to US haha. But that’s off topic. 
 

anyways I’m struggling with the same issues where my husband (usc) and I have been living in Japan with no W2 but NVC is asking for it in their case review note as well as saying our case doesn’t meet the financial requirements.

We don’t have access to the transcripts so Full 1040 return files for 2020 were submitted in the initial submission. Since getting the note we submitted an explanation letter saying w2 doesn’t apply due to overseas income as well

as saying we intend to meet the financial requirements with assets. We didn’t submit transcripts or tax return files for the prior years 19’ and 18’ either. 
the USCIS filing specifications are to submit either transcripts OR tax return, and if tax return only then must attach W2/1099. Technically we shouldn’t have to submit both transcripts and tax returns. I understand now that because we submitted only the tax return we needed to attach W2. But then I’ve seen on forums people getting asked to attach w2 even though they submitted transcripts. My point is NVC processes are so dumb. But for anyone new going through this I’d say include w2 explanation letter if there’s no w2 for you even if you use transcripts.
 

like you @ztiberiusd, I thought to keep it simple and only resubmit what was asked. So my resubmission was just an explanation letter.

Did you just submit tax return for 2020 and that explanation letter, and not for prior years? 

 

@EKT

What about you did you resubmit anything other than an explanation?

[EKT 117]

On 12/23/2021 at 3:43 PM, lalalaland said:

like you @ztiberiusd, I thought to keep it simple and only resubmit what was asked. So my resubmission was just an explanation letter.

Did you just submit tax return for 2020 and that explanation letter, and not for prior years? 

 

@EKT

What about you did you resubmit anything other than an explanation?

Hey @lalalalaland, just a written explanation in the form of a signed letter that I uploaded and labeled as W-2 in CEAC. Come to think of it, I also took the opportunity to explain the police certificate situation in the same letter.

 

It seems like people living overseas constantly face the W-2/1099 RFE. If only this was mentioned when they specify which docs to upload!

[ztiberiusd 38]

On 12/22/2021 at 9:43 PM, lalalaland said:

@EKT

@ztiberiusd

like you @ztiberiusd, I thought to keep it simple and only resubmit what was asked. So my resubmission was just an explanation letter.

Did you just submit tax return for 2020 and that explanation letter, and not for prior years? 

 

@EKT

Forgive me for tagging poor EKT twice again, I'm on my phone and formatting is hard... 

 

Yes, I only submitted the 2020 return originally as that's all I had due to not making enough income to file for previous years. So when I submitted the response to the RFE, all I submitted was that explanation letter. Hope that helps. 

[mcs_2021 3]

On 12/18/2021 at 1:42 AM, EKT said:

In normal times, it seemed like the interview date was about 4-6 weeks after getting the DQ email. We were DQ July 28th and got the interview letter August 20th for a September 15th interview. Another couple here were DQ in early August and had the same interview date. They typically only held interviews once a month (mid-month on a Wednesday) for IR/CR visas but since reopening they’ve had 3 days of interviews in December and at least 2 days scheduled so far for January (5th and 12th). They are clearly making an effort to catch up so hopefully there won’t be much of a backlog after January

Thank you for this! Super helpful. We emailed the consulate as you suggested.

 

Once you did this and they confirmed they sent the results, were you able to see anything different on your end within the CEAC portal? I'm wondering how long it takes for them to attach the document to our file, and if there is any way on our end for us to tell the action has been taken. Any thoughts?

[EKT 117]

5 hours ago, mcs_2021 said:

Thank you for this! Super helpful. We emailed the consulate as you suggested.

 

Once you did this and they confirmed they sent the results, were you able to see anything different on your end within the CEAC portal? I'm wondering how long it takes for them to attach the document to our file, and if there is any way on our end for us to tell the action has been taken. Any thoughts?

Nothing changed in CEAC after the Consulate emailed to confirm they had forwarded it to NVC. I just logged in and the accepted 'Police Certificate' was the PDF containing the confirmation email (with the sentence about the results being sent directly to the Consulate highlighted) and scanned copy of the original Section 14 request. We also added a comment to say that the uploaded information  was in accordance with the reciprocity schedule and included the link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/NewZealand.html 

 

We uploaded the new PDF and comment after the first RFE and emailed the Consulate the same day. The Consulate replied 2 weeks later and our subsequent NVC review was several weeks after that because we had gone back to the end of the processing queue. You might need to call NVC again to trigger a review if you haven't uploaded anything new in CEAC since your most recent RFE. I hope this gets sorted soon for you guys!

[Vamp.nz 23]

Has anyone had an interview in Auckland since 22nd dec. Have you got your passports back. Mine was approved pending medical. They have had medical now for a while and refuse to respond to their emails for updates even tho they suggested I did so today, while holding onto my passports. To say this is distressing is a huge understatement as my fiancé is really not well at all and things could go south really quickly. I’m at panic point as my house shipping and flights for myself kids and eleven cats are coming close to me losing all my deposits at least. Just an ongoing nightmare of excuses and incompetence. 

[kas & jewel 8]

@Vamp.nz I'm so sorry you haven't heard back  this might not be helpful, but I sent my packet 3 over 4 weeks ago and haven't heard anything back yet either. They aren't replying to my emails either, I'm not sure what's happening with them...

[EKT 117]

Sorry @Vamp.nz that sounds incredibly stressful. Last email I had from them was on December 20th but our interview is not until January. I just assumed they would be closed from Dec 25th-Jan 4th like everything else but maybe not if they suggested you email today. Hopefully you've heard something since this morning. Or maybe try tracking your parcel in case they sent it without notifying you?

 

Did you do the medical around the same time as your interview? My husband is planning to do his the day before his interview and they said it would probably delay issuing his visa by about 2 weeks.

[Vamp.nz 23]

Heard from them late today after five emails Their excuse last week was short staffed. This week it’s computer issues. They were working yesterday and today closed now till next Wednesday, not holding my breath. I suspect Cindy will attempt to shut Auckland down again due to omicron and the embassy will jump at the chance to close again 🙄

Edited December 30, 2021 by Vamp.nz

[EKT 117]

53 minutes ago, Vamp.nz said:

Heard from them late today after five emails Their excuse last week was short staffed. This week it’s computer issues. They were working yesterday and today closed now till next Wednesday, not holding my breath. I suspect Cindy will attempt to shut Auckland down again due to omicron and the embassy will jump at the chance to close again 🙄

Covid-wise I think it'll be fine. Auckland is moving to orange tonight as planned and even if there is an omicron outbreak it will take a week or two for things to ramp up. Plus the consulate has been open during red (for our visa categories anyway). When are your flights? Fingers crossed they managed to sort it today.

 

On a side note, I am blown away you are moving 11 cats. The cost to ship our one dog is eye watering... about the same as the cost of flights for our entire family just to get her to LAX.

[Vamp.nz 23]

4 hours ago, EKT said:

Covid-wise I think it'll be fine. Auckland is moving to orange tonight as planned and even if there is an omicron outbreak it will take a week or two for things to ramp up. Plus the consulate has been open during red (for our visa categories anyway). When are your flights? Fingers crossed they managed to sort it today.

 

On a side note, I am blown away you are moving 11 cats. The cost to ship our one dog is eye watering... about the same as the cost of flights for our entire family just to get her to LAX.

Who are you sending your dog with?  I got a great price for my cats 

[Jovany&Divya 6]

11 hours ago, EKT said:

Covid-wise I think it'll be fine. Auckland is moving to orange tonight as planned and even if there is an omicron outbreak it will take a week or two for things to ramp up. Plus the consulate has been open during red (for our visa categories anyway). When are your flights? Fingers crossed they managed to sort it today.

 

On a side note, I am blown away you are moving 11 cats. The cost to ship our one dog is eye watering... about the same as the cost of flights for our entire family just to get her to LAX.

that is a good sign yeah i am pretty nervous on this covid situation and trying get my visa done at-least by mid feb.