NVC Past Case Approval Timeline, No Welcome Letter

[DaisyDoll 0]

Hello everyone. First time posting. 

 

My K-1petition was approved on October 14, 2022. I have yet to receive my welcome letter either to my mail or email (or junk folder). According to the NVC timeframes, they are currently working on case creation for cases received Novermber 7. I've sent multiple inquiries about this to NVC through the online form but I get this response every single time:

 

"The National Visa Center (NVC) recently received your immigrant visa petition from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your petition is now waiting for data entry into our systems.

 

Since your case is not in our systems yet, we cannot make updates.

 

.... 

 

For current processing times, please visit our website: https://nvc.state.gov/timeframes for English or https://nvc.state.gov/plazos for Spanish. If your petition was approved before the dates NVC is working on, please resubmit your inquiry."

 

So,  it's past the "current processing times," I resubmit my inquiry, but I get the same response asking me to resubmit if it's past the current processing times. It's been 4 of the same response now, going in circles. Clearly no one is actually reading my inquiry. 

 

I received a tip to email nvcresearch at state.gov to open an investigation as the case file could have been lost, but they also sent me the same response. 

 

Anyone else deal with this? Do I have any other option for contact? 

 

I know it was the holidays but it's been over 70 days and no welcome letter. They were definitely working too since they respond to my inquiries within 2-3 days each time throughout December and most recently today. 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by DaisyDoll
clarification

[SalishSea 17,774]

NVC doesn’t do welcome letters for K-1s, or processing for them of any kind.   They only dispatch approved petitions to consulates when the consulate requests them.   Maybe your consulate is backed up.

[DaisyDoll 0]

 

7 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

NVC doesn’t do welcome letters for K-1s, or processing for them of any kind.   They only dispatch approved petitions to consulates when the consulate requests them.   Maybe your consulate is backed up.

Maybe I misunderstood the instructions from USCIS, but given that the case was sent to NVC for pre processing and I haven't received info on that yet, I'm pretty sure I'm still waiting on NVC. The constate that will handle the case states that I need to complete processing with NVC (paying the fees I'm assuming)  before they sendout further instruction. 

 

Am I missing something? 

 

And thanks for response 

[Jamie and Richard 26]

24 minutes ago, DaisyDoll said:

 

Maybe I misunderstood the instructions from USCIS, but given that the case was sent to NVC for pre processing and I haven't received info on that yet, I'm pretty sure I'm still waiting on NVC. The constate that will handle the case states that I need to complete processing with NVC (paying the fees I'm assuming)  before they sendout further instruction. 

 

Am I missing something? 

 

And thanks for response 

The case creation and processing is based on the day your petition was received. What day was your petition received at NVC? USCIS is taking 6-8 weeks to send petitions to NVC. Whenever your petition was received at NVC is when you will be able to compare your timeline with their processing times. Once you get the case number and invoice ID you will be able to pay the associated fees. My approval date is a some days after yours, and I am still waiting. I assume I won’t have my case number until the end of this month. Hang in there. 

[DaisyDoll 0]

15 minutes ago, Jamie and Richard said:

The case creation and processing is based on the day your petition was received. What day was your petition received at NVC? USCIS is taking 6-8 weeks to send petitions to NVC. Whenever your petition was received at NVC is when you will be able to compare your timeline with their processing times. Once you get the case number and invoice ID you will be able to pay the associated fees. My approval date is a some days after yours, and I am still waiting. I assume I won’t have my case number until the end of this month. Hang in there. 

Hi thanks for the response. 

 

I am not sure when NVC received my case - should they have notified of it? I only have the approval date from USCIS. According to their response it WAS received though. In theory 

 

Sorry you're also waiting! I appreciate that you shared that, it puts me more at ease. 

[EatBulaga 315]

13 minutes ago, DaisyDoll said:

Hi thanks for the response. 

 

I am not sure when NVC received my case - should they have notified of it? I only have the approval date from USCIS. According to their response it WAS received though. In theory 

 

Sorry you're also waiting! I appreciate that you shared that, it puts me more at ease. 

Which embassy/consulate is your requested K1 interview?

It would help if you fill out the Timeline which can help improve the Visajourney stats pages.

 

According to the stats pages, a case can take an average of 48 days to go from NOA2 to NVC.

https://www.visajourney.com/times/k1-fiance-visa-historical/

Then your case can sit at NVC processing an average of 53 days.

All these depends on your consulate processing (backlogs, etc.). 

 

You can keep calling NVC to get your case number and invoice ID which you can use for CEAC status, DS-160 and UStravelDocs, but your next notification should be the Packet 3 from the consulate, either by mail or email.

 

[DaisyDoll 0]

1 hour ago, EatBulaga said:

Which embassy/consulate is your requested K1 interview?

It would help if you fill out the Timeline which can help improve the Visajourney stats pages.

 

According to the stats pages, a case can take an average of 48 days to go from NOA2 to NVC.

https://www.visajourney.com/times/k1-fiance-visa-historical/

Then your case can sit at NVC processing an average of 53 days.

All these depends on your consulate processing (backlogs, etc.). 

 

You can keep calling NVC to get your case number and invoice ID which you can use for CEAC status, DS-160 and UStravelDocs, but your next notification should be the Packet 3 from the consulate, either by mail or email.

 

Thanks for the info and this resource! I will do that. Haven't explored that much of the site yet. 

 

My fiancé is Belarusian, which means the case should be going to Warsaw, Poland. That's another can of worms due to the border issues between those countries, and probably will be backed up with all the requests from Russia as well due to the war; but we'll cross that bridge when we get there I guess. Just mentioning that in case anyone else is in the same boat. 

 

I thought NVC shut down all their phone lines though? I guess I'm also confused what agency I'm actually waiting for notification from since according to the consolate site we will have to complete pre processing next.

 

 

 

 

[SalishSea 17,774]

4 hours ago, DaisyDoll said:

 

Maybe I misunderstood the instructions from USCIS, but given that the case was sent to NVC for pre processing and I haven't received info on that yet, I'm pretty sure I'm still waiting on NVC. The constate that will handle the case states that I need to complete processing with NVC (paying the fees I'm assuming)  before they sendout further instruction. 

 

Am I missing something? 

 

And thanks for response 

Maybe they have changed things, but in my experience, there was nothing to pay at NVC.  They really only hold on to the approved petitions until requested by consulates, at which point they mail them overseas in batches.

 

Once received by the consulate, you should get packet 3, which is the instructions pertaining to the medical, police report, paying the visa fee etc.

 

The NVC part of the process used to take a week or two.  I believe it can now take months, depending on the consulate.  I would think that Warsaw K-1 interviews for 3rd party nationals would unfortunately not be prioritized.

[EatBulaga 315]

5 hours ago, DaisyDoll said:

Thanks for the info and this resource! I will do that. Haven't explored that much of the site yet. 

 

My fiancé is Belarusian, which means the case should be going to Warsaw, Poland. That's another can of worms due to the border issues between those countries, and probably will be backed up with all the requests from Russia as well due to the war; but we'll cross that bridge when we get there I guess. Just mentioning that in case anyone else is in the same boat. 

 

I thought NVC shut down all their phone lines though? I guess I'm also confused what agency I'm actually waiting for notification from since according to the consolate site we will have to complete pre processing next.

The stats on the Warsaw consulate shows an average of 72 days from NVC to the K1 interview.

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/stats.php

Given your NOA2 is October 14, 2022, adding up all the averages, 173 days=48+53+72, to the interview, so your estimate is about April 2023, if everything goes on average. And the Packet 3 notification can be received about 101 days=48+53, which is about Jan-Feb, 2023. But trends have been increasing so it is very possible that the wait times can be extended.

 

However, you can start looking ahead and prepare for the Packet 3, which includes info about what to prepare for the interview and how to schedule the interview.

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/pl/en/immigrant-visa#kvisa

But what is more important is the Packet 3 notification timing, which gives you an idea of when to schedule the interview with the consulate.

https://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Poland&cty=Warsaw

 

You can also check out some of the Warsaw consulate reviews about what to expect.

https://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Poland

 

And some of the other cases with similar Warsaw Timelines.

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?op6=All&op7=Poland&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

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by EatBulaga

[EatBulaga 315]

7 hours ago, DaisyDoll said:

I thought NVC shut down all their phone lines though? I guess I'm also confused what agency I'm actually waiting for notification from since according to the consolate site we will have to complete pre processing next.

What the NVC provided in the past was the phone call-in to request your case number (which is different from the USCIS receipt number) and the invoice number (which is like the password for the case number to input to the CEAC tracker) after it was assigned by the NVC, which allows you to use the CEAC tracker for the status update of the case.

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx

And NVC may even mail or email (to the email address provided in the I-129F) the case number notifying that the case is transferred to the consulate. The case number is then used for the DS-160 and UStravelDocs.

 

In the absence of the NVC providing the case number, the Packet 3 notification would have the case number from the consulate sent theoretically to the K1 beneficiary (either with the email from I-129F or the beneficiary mailing address). 

 

Keep in mind that after the NVC stage, theoretically all the steps remaining in the K1 process at the consulate stage are to be completed by the beneficiary (medical exam, MRV fee, interview, etc.), and the only task that the petitioner needs to complete is to send the beneficiary the I-134 affidavit of support, which the beneficiary takes to the interview. All these steps may be specific to the embassy/consulate. So for example, the steps in Packet 3 from Manila Packet 3 may be different from Warsaw Packet 3, etc. So follow your consulate site instructions--don't assume all the consulates' processing are the same.

 

As it seems with NVC no longer providing call-in support for the case number, then the only option is to wait for the Packet 3 from the consulate. If the wait time seems abnormal, I would call the consulate to see if they have received the case (using the USCIS receipt number) and see if the  consulate could provide the case number and the Packet 3 notification? With the shortage of workers either at the NVC or the consulates, I would not be surprised if some cases slip through the cracks and the beneficiary/petitioner never gets notified? So I would stay proactive and contact the consulate if needed. But at the same time, I anticipate the K1 process to evolve and these steps may be very different in the future rendering any advice from old K1 applicants to be obsolete.

Edited January 5, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Luis M 37]

EB2

I140 submitted  06 oct 2022

I 140 Approved 06 Oct 2022

Case sent to NVC 1st Nov 2022

NVC Welcome letter received 05th Jan 2022

[Emily Ann 23]

What do you see in the USCIS case status website? Was your case already at NVC? They usually update this information 

[DaisyDoll 0]

18 minutes ago, Emily Ann said:

What do you see in the USCIS case status website? Was your case already at NVC? They usually update this information 

USCIS just tells me it was approved on the site and their letter explained the case will be sent to NVC next. No info on when NVC received / will receive it. 

 

In theory NVC has it since their reply states that they have it, but they won't give me an update because it's "not in their system yet."

 

Though I'm wondering because soms replies here are saying NVC won't contact me and instead wait for the consolate which is contradictory to USCIS and consolate instruction. It's all pretty confusing lol

[DaisyDoll 0]

4 hours ago, EatBulaga said:

 

And NVC may even mail or email (to the email address provided in the I-129F) the case number notifying that the case is transferred to the consulate. The case number is then used for the DS-160 and UStravelDocs.

 

In the absence of the NVC providing the case number, the Packet 3 notification would have the case number from the consulate sent theoretically to the K1 beneficiary (either with the email from I-129F or the beneficiary mailing address). 

 

... 

 

As it seems with NVC no longer providing call-in support for the case number, then the only option is to wait for the Packet 3 from the consulate. If the wait time seems abnormal, I would call the consulate to see if they have received the case (using the USCIS receipt number) and see if the  consulate could provide the case number and the Packet 3 notification? With the shortage of workers either at the NVC or the consulates, I would not be surprised if some cases slip through the cracks and the beneficiary/petitioner never gets notified? So I would stay proactive and contact the consulate if needed. But at the same time, I anticipate the K1 process to evolve and these steps may be very different in the future rendering any advice from old K1 applicants to be obsolete.

Thanks for all this info

 

My only doubt is the steps between NVC receiving my approval and Warsaw consolate sending notification. Do I need anything from NVC at this point or just wait for them to forward? I was just worried the case isn't in their system yet but apparently the Timeline is normal so I'm more at ease about that. Do I even need that case number prior to the consolate sending me notification? 

 

I do understand now that we will pay any fees AFTER receiving word from the consolate, which i was wrong about. Appreciate everyone here helping to clarify that. 

 

I will follow your advice to reach out to the consolate if it seems to take too long. Seems everything is bienal for now. Thanks again! 

[Chancy 6,241]

14 hours ago, Jamie and Richard said:

Once you get the case number and invoice ID you will be able to pay the associated fees.

 

13 hours ago, EatBulaga said:

You can keep calling NVC to get your case number and invoice ID which you can use for CEAC status

 

Invoice ID is not necessary for K1, as there is no need for K1 to ever log in to the CEAC portal to upload documents.  That is only for immigrant visa cases like CR1.  Only NVC case number is required to check K1 visa case status using the online tracker -- https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?App=IV

 

Note that though K1 is a non-immigrant visa, it is processed as "immigrant visa" until after the visa interview.  So select "Immigrant Visa (IV)" as visa type on the tracker.