K1: NVC to Manila [Request for Help]

[Margorya 0]

Hi all,

 

Processing a K1 Visa for my fiancée from the Philippines and looking for some guidance on how we should be proceeding. Any help is greatly appreciated and thank you again for helping us on our journey!

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07/10/2023: NOA1 I-129F receive date

 

03/06/2024: We received NOA2 and still have yet to receive any notification by mail or email about whether or not NVC has sent our petition to the U.S. embassy.
 

After waiting well over the minimum 30 days to hear back from NVC before contacting (per NOA2 instructions), we contacted NVC via their inquiry form and were able to get ahold of our NVC case ID, Invoice ID, and Beneficiary ID.

 

05/05/2024: We have since completed gathering documents and used this information obtained from the public inquiry to fill out DS-160.

 

05/27/2024: We received the following communication via email from NVC

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To whom it concerns:

This notice is to inform you that NVC is currently holding your approved Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiance(e)), and it has been at least 60 days since we received it from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Your case number is MNLXXXXXXXXXX.

Where local conditions and restrictions allow, some embassies and consulates have resumed processing a limited visa workload, including K-1 nonimmigrant visa applications. For embassies and consulates that were unable to resume processing their visa workload, NVC is holding your approved Form I-129F. We cannot predict when routine visa services will resume, and we cannot guarantee or predict when your case will be sent to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General in Manila. When NVC does forward your case, you will receive another notification.

Approved Forms I-129F have a 120-day expiration date from the date of approval by USCIS. Once your designated embassy or consulate resumes normal operations, a consular officer will revalidate your petition for another 120 days. You do not need to take any action for this revalidation to happen, though you may need to provide evidence that you still qualify for the K-1 nonimmigrant visa. For the most up-to-date information about the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General's operating status, visit their website at https://usembassy.gov.

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,
National Visa Center Director

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06/10/2024 (TODAY): CEAC case status reads: "At NVC"

 

The strange thing is that it seems we can schedule an interview even though we do not have the "READY" status on CEAC, but we are unsure about the following:

Are we stuck on a waiting game for NVC?

Can we move forward with scheduling an interview?

Does the U.S embassy in Manila schedule the interview for us?

 

Thank you all again!

[powerpuff 6,697]

You can’t schedule an interview if your case is not at the consulate. When it shows “Ready” then it means it is at the consulate and you can go ahead with scheduling the interview. Interviews are self scheduled. For now, you will have to wait until your case departs NVC. 

[widude 38]

 So my case is well behind the original poster? The NVC got our 129F early June. I was kinda hoping the interview process could be underway in August, unlikely?
 

  Another thing I was going to ask, what can be done while the package is at the NVC, or about to leave?
 

  Can that ‘CENORMAR’ be requested, or will it time out? Is there some criminal history report that needs to be requested? I understand the DS-160 is towards the interview, I think.

 

  Just asking about anything one can accomplish before the embassy interview?  Yes I may have some wishful thinking mixed in.   Thanks

[top_secret 2,421]

30 minutes ago, widude said:

 

  Can that ‘CENORMAR’ be requested, or will it time out? Is there some criminal history report that needs to be requested? I understand the DS-160 is towards the interview, I think.

 

  Just asking about anything one can accomplish before the embassy interview?  Yes I may have some wishful thinking mixed in.   Thanks

 

The "CENOMAR" is good for a year from when it is issued and easily renewed.  If your case is moving she will need it soon enough.  You could order her one online with a credit card here https://psaserbilis.com.ph/ . She will also need a NBI Clearance.  That's good for a year from issue too.  Make sure her PSA Birth Certificate is up to date and if there are any issues like late registration, errors, etc.  Make sure her passport is in order.

Edited June 20 by top_secret

[widude 38]

 Thanks, that what I was looking for. I’ll ask her to work on those, it will take a bit, then 1 year out is good enough. 

[W199 333]

On 6/10/2024 at 10:36 PM, powerpuff said:

You can’t schedule an interview if your case is not at the consulate. When it shows “Ready” then it means it is at the consulate and you can go ahead with scheduling the interview. Interviews are self scheduled. For now, you will have to wait until your case departs NVC. 

Nope, thats not true for the Manila embassy.

 

As long as you have the NVC case number you can schedule it and the medical.  Sure, its a little tricky, as you now need to estimate when the case will be ready. It doesn't take long for the case to arrive.  But sure, if there was some unexpected delay before it arrived, then you will need to reschedule your interview.  

 

For myself, the case was ready faster than I expected, and I moved the interview and medical to an earlier date.