Still Waiting for NVC Document Review

[Zan1 4]

Hi there,

 

I was asked to submit an additional document for my case as the NVC back in May. I submitted this document on May 18th. 
 

I’ve been following the case processing times fairly closely and at long last the three-ish months have passed. The NVC page says that as of today, 8th August they’re processing documents from the 28th May. 
 

Based on that timeline I would expect that my additional document would already have been reviewed, but I haven’t heard anything and when I login to the portal I can see my document with the status “submitted”. 
 

Is this any cause for concern? After the last rejection my wife and I are starting to get a little antsy. 
 

Thanks for your help! 

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from IR1/CR1 Process & Procedures to NVC forum, where similar topics about NVC review time are discussed ***

 

[hmedxz 0]

I submitted my documents in April 18, 2022, still haven't heard back from NVC. 

[etrangais 947]

Since the direct communication channels (phone calls) have been closed, your best option right now is to submit an inquiry (email) and wait for an answer.

This really sucks and is cause for concern.

Someone put your file to the side and forgot about it most likely

[hmedxz 0]

On 8/8/2022 at 3:27 PM, Zan1 said:

Hi there,

 

I was asked to submit an additional document for my case as the NVC back in May. I submitted this document on May 18th. 
 

I’ve been following the case processing times fairly closely and at long last the three-ish months have passed. The NVC page says that as of today, 8th August they’re processing documents from the 28th May. 
 

Based on that timeline I would expect that my additional document would already have been reviewed, but I haven’t heard anything and when I login to the portal I can see my document with the status “submitted”. 
 

Is this any cause for concern? After the last rejection my wife and I are starting to get a little antsy. 
 

Thanks for your help! 

Any updates on your case? I still haven't heard anything back.

[Zan1 4]

4 hours ago, hmedxz said:

Any updates on your case? I still haven't heard anything back.

Hi, no nothing yet unfortunately. I submitted a public enquiry form on the 8th August and got the following response on the 11th August that I’ve been told by the lovely people here is an automated reply:

 

 

So for now it’s a still a very, very frustrating waiting game. 

[chaoticenergy 32]

This is just...ridiculous.

[Zan1 4]

3 hours ago, chaoticenergy said:

This is just...ridiculous.

Oh yeah, honestly I’m losing my mind!
 

It’s just a completely hopeless situation not being able to call to find out what’s gone wrong. I have no idea if the response I received is good or bad or means anything at all. I’m completely in the dark as to whether anyone is or will be looking into my case. I’m just stressed to the max right now!

[chaoticenergy 32]

50 minutes ago, Zan1 said:

Oh yeah, honestly I’m losing my mind!
 

It’s just a completely hopeless situation not being able to call to find out what’s gone wrong. I have no idea if the response I received is good or bad or means anything at all. I’m completely in the dark as to whether anyone is or will be looking into my case. I’m just stressed to the max right now!

Hopefully in 60 days or so you will get an actual reply and things will get moving. Absolutely unacceptable.

[JannaB 5]

Today  is Aug 26 in USA and unsure where you are.  One of you is a US citizen so suggest you have that person reach out to their US Senator or US Representative.  These folks typically have a staffer(s) who can connect with immigration liaisons and inquire about your case.  
 

I did this about one month ago.  My questions were:  

1. Did we submit the correct Australian federal background check needed for US immigration by a British citizen who lived more than a year in Australia?

2.  Is there a possibility we could receive expedited processing?

 

We were informed that NVC had received all of our documents (RFE-1) and the Australian background check was the correct version. We were unable to expedite because we didn’t fall into any of the correct categories.

 

We were unable to find out directly exactly when our application would be reviewed. We then just looked at the NVC website to learn how quickly they say they are processing lately ftom timevof submission/receipt. 
 

Good luck!

[Zan1 4]

16 hours ago, JannaB said:

Today  is Aug 26 in USA and unsure where you are.  One of you is a US citizen so suggest you have that person reach out to their US Senator or US Representative.  These folks typically have a staffer(s) who can connect with immigration liaisons and inquire about your case.  
 

I did this about one month ago.  My questions were:  

1. Did we submit the correct Australian federal background check needed for US immigration by a British citizen who lived more than a year in Australia?

2.  Is there a possibility we could receive expedited processing?

 

We were informed that NVC had received all of our documents (RFE-1) and the Australian background check was the correct version. We were unable to expedite because we didn’t fall into any of the correct categories.

 

We were unable to find out directly exactly when our application would be reviewed. We then just looked at the NVC website to learn how quickly they say they are processing lately ftom timevof submission/receipt. 
 

Good luck!

Hi, thanks for your advice. We’re considering contacting my wife’s US Representative but weren’t sure whether we should wait to (hopefully) hear back from our public enquiry. 
 

You said that you contacted them a month ago? Seems like that’s much faster than waiting the two months for the public enquiry. Did you just send them an email or something?

[JannaB 5]

I contacted my Oregon US Senator by email and was careful to create a subject line that would get some attention. I think I put “urgent immigration question“ something like that. I did receive a quick reply and, after a few email exchanges, the staffer reported back regarding answers to all my questions.  

 

Your wife’s own US Senator or Rep may be faster or not.  Just depends on how efficient, knowledgeable and busy they are.  But, they do want to be responsive to their constituency. And they are motivated to respond.

 

True, I was unable to expedite the process and go to the head of the line, but I did get some reassuring information.
 

Right now the NVC website says it’s taking 70 days to look at submissions. That means for us that we might expect a reply by August 29, next week! And, we pray, everything will be in good order and my husband will receive his appointment for the counselor interview in approximately four weeks from then. That’s just a guess based on what other people have reported as a wait time for our particular location which will be at the American Institute Taipei, Taiwan, a quasi-embassy.
 

Good luck!  

This is all such a long drawn out painful process for nearly everyone !

 

I would say, why wait? And her query to the US Rep or US senator, she can mention that you’ve already started your other direct  inquiry process but aren’t getting anywhere very fast … and “are getting concerned,” “running out of time,” “have a sense of urgency for personal reasons” or other reason you can state that might nudge a staffer into quick action on your behalf.

 

Sincerely

janna

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by JannaB
Typo

[Zan1 4]

This is a really thorough response, thanks!

 

I’ve had a look at the website of my wife’s representative and they have a note on their contact page that says ‘if you’re having a problem with a federal agency (immigration, social security, veterans affairs etc) please call my office directly on phone number. Do not use the Write Your Rep system as it will result in a delay in processing your case.’ The fact that they have that in their website is a pretty promising sign!
 

My wife will try giving them a call on Monday and if that doesn’t work we’ll try getting in contact with a senator. Hopefully we can get this resolved more quickly than having to wait the two months for our public inquiry form to be seen. 

 

Good luck with the rest of your visa process! Hopefully you hear back next week and the interview isn’t too much later. Really appreciate the advice!

[JannaB 5]

You’re welcome!

What’s your situation and problem that’s holding up your own immigration?

[Zan1 4]

21 hours ago, JannaB said:

You’re welcome!

What’s your situation and problem that’s holding up your own immigration?

It’s a long story!
 

We submitted all of our NVC documents in October 2021 and waited until January 2022 to have them reviewed. We got an FE Note requesting that my wife provide her W2 tax documents. We’ve both been living abroad together for a few years, so she didn’t have a W2 to provide (which really they should have pieced together from her other tax documents) and we’re using a joint sponsor so the tax documents are more of a formality anyway. 
 

We wrote a letter explaining why we didn’t have any W2 documents to provide and submitted it in January. We then waited another 3 months until May for them to review the letter, only to find another FE Note asking for W2 documents again. We called the NVC (they still had the phone lines open at the time) to find out what was going on, only to discover that we’d accidentally attached the wrong letter!
 

So we submitted the right letter in early May and waited another 3 months for a review. That was supposed to be in early August, but we’ve not heard anything and our letter is just sitting there “Submitted”. It should have been reviewed weeks ago so we can only assume that our case has been missed or forgotten about. The phone lines are closed so we can’t call the NVC and the public inquiry form has a 2 month wait time for a response. We have no way of knowing why we’re held up or of notifying the NVC that something’s gone wrong. We’re just kind of stuck in purgatory right now.
 

We’ve been trapped at the NVC for pretty close to a year just because of this tax document that we don’t even have and it’s so extremely frustrating! I think contacting a senator or representative is the best way forward now because it’s the only way we can talk to someone directly. At least my wife and I are together. I can’t imagine how painful this would be if she was back in the US!