Friends advising wife to continue uploading to NVC after interview scheduled - Misinformation?

[Drew3435 5]

Hello,

 

My wife is part of Facebook groups and group chats related to immigration. The is in the Philippines. 

 

I recently discovered that she has uploaded additional documents to the NVC portal after they had scheduled her interview with the embassy. The case was documentary qualified and sent over to the Manila embassy. Her interview is in about a month.

 

She has since uploaded an "advisory on marriage" and an updated police clearance, even though the original was still good (valid for 6 months). I discovered this after she sent me some documents insisting I had to upload them.

 

My understanding was that once NVC sends it to the embassy, we are done with NVC. We should just bring the originals of what we already uploaded plus anything in the required documents list to the interview. I even saw on the state department site where it said not to upload an updated police clearance to the NVC portal https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview.html .

 

Can you folks confirm that this is misinformation? Or that she is right and I am wrong? Is her uploading new documents putting the case at risk?

 

I'm struggling to accept what she is saying because of what it says on the website regarding these steps. She rebuts with "but they actually went through this" and states that others were forced to go outside and upload these missing documents at the interview. at a cost of 1000 PHP per document. 

 

Thank you.
 

[pushbrk 13,296]

7 hours ago, Drew3435 said:

Hello,

 

My wife is part of Facebook groups and group chats related to immigration. The is in the Philippines. 

 

I recently discovered that she has uploaded additional documents to the NVC portal after they had scheduled her interview with the embassy. The case was documentary qualified and sent over to the Manila embassy. Her interview is in about a month.

 

She has since uploaded an "advisory on marriage" and an updated police clearance, even though the original was still good (valid for 6 months). I discovered this after she sent me some documents insisting I had to upload them.

 

My understanding was that once NVC sends it to the embassy, we are done with NVC. We should just bring the originals of what we already uploaded plus anything in the required documents list to the interview. I even saw on the state department site where it said not to upload an updated police clearance to the NVC portal https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview.html .

 

Can you folks confirm that this is misinformation? Or that she is right and I am wrong? Is her uploading new documents putting the case at risk?

 

I'm struggling to accept what she is saying because of what it says on the website regarding these steps. She rebuts with "but they actually went through this" and states that others were forced to go outside and upload these missing documents at the interview. at a cost of 1000 PHP per document. 

 

Thank you.
 

No, it is not misinformation.  Although there is plenty of bad advice on Filipino FB groups, it is common to upload updated, financial documentation, even new affidavits of support when there are significant changes or a new tax year filing deadline has passed.  However, the two documents you say she uploaded would not be necessary.  Even so, what she did should not hurt anything either.

I'll just add that advice in these groups is given in the local language, which is very inefficient when discussing details.  Terms tend to be vague, so it is easy to interpret too broadly.  No harm here though, in my opinion.

Edited February 23 by pushbrk

[Drew3435 5]

33 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

No, it is not misinformation.  Although there is plenty of bad advice on Filipino FB groups, it is common to upload updated, financial documentation, even new affidavits of support when there are significant changes or a new tax year filing deadline has passed.  However, the two documents you say she uploaded would not be necessary.  Even so, what she did should not hurt anything either.

I'll just add that advice in these groups is given in the local language, which is very inefficient when discussing details.  Terms tend to be vague, so it is easy to interpret too broadly.  No harm here though, in my opinion.

Thanks for your reply. She said these other people reported they were forced at the embassy to pay money to upload those documents during the interview. 

 

Nothing has changed financially. Her interview is before the 2024 filing deadline.

If it won't affect the case, I'll just tell her to upload whatever she wants. It may help with her anxiety about it. My fear was that it could somehow trigger a review / delay the interview.

[nastra30 2,470]

28 minutes ago, Drew3435 said:

were forced at the embassy to pay money to upload those documents during the interview. 

Forced to pay sounds fishy. Yes, you can upload updated documents but it shouldn't come with any fees as far as I am aware.

[pushbrk 13,296]

1 hour ago, nastra30 said:

Forced to pay sounds fishy. Yes, you can upload updated documents but it shouldn't come with any fees as far as I am aware.

Pretty sure the "payment" was to an internet cafe outside, not to the Consulate.

 

[Edward and Jaycel 1,071]

There will be no harm in uploading the docs to CEAC. She should still bring the certified official copies (often referred to incorrectly as originals) of any civil documents with her to the biometrics appointment at the VAC and then also to the actual interview appointment at the embassy. When Jaycel was waiting for her interview there in Manila, she naturally made friends with some of the other women there with her. One of them had an updated I-864 from her husband with a job change and a new Tax Return Transcript since they were DQ'd and the CO told her to go out and have them scanned and uploaded to CEAC and come back. Around the embassy in Manila there are several "Vendors" who will, for 1000 PHP, scan your documents and email them to you so you can upload them. They obviously know you are under pressure and will pay almost anything to get it done. Since they only do interviews in the morning there I think she had until they were done with interviews that day to go out, scan them and come back. If she didn't want to do that or couldn't do that, the other option was to get issued a 221g and submit them via that process. 

Edited February 23 by Edward and Jaycel

[Edward and Jaycel 1,071]

And Filipina FB Groups & Tik-Tok regarding family immigration from the Philippines and the Medical, interview & CFO processes are the absolute worst. Jaycel was so stressed out befor her trip to Manila for her Medical/Interview/CFO that she was an emotional basket-case. Afterwards she said that she wished she had never read / watched any of those FB Forums and Tik-Tok videos. She said the whole process was way easier and less stressful than she was made to believe. 

[Drew3435 5]

8 minutes ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

There will be no harm in uploading the docs to CEAC. She should still bring the certified official copies (often referred to incorrectly as originals) of any civil documents with her to the biometrics appointment at the VAC and then also to the actual interview appointment at the embassy. When Jaycel was waiting for her interview there in Manila, she naturally made friends with some of the other women there with her. One of them had an updated I-864 from her husband with a job change and a new Tax Return Transcript since they were DQ'd and the CO told her to go out and have them scanned and uploaded to CEAC and come back. Around the embassy in Manila there are several "Vendors" who will, for 1000 PHP, scan your documents and email them to you so you can upload them. They obviously know you are under pressure and will pay almost anything to get it done. Since they only do interviews in the morning there I think she had until they were done with interviews that day to go out, scan them and come back. If she didn't want to do that or couldn't do that, the other option was to get issued a 221g and submit them via that process. 

Thanks for your reply. That is the exact dollar amount she referenced. 1000 PHP. I will make sure I am on standby in case they require a new document. Hopefully they will not since nothing will have changed by then. 

I am glad her uploading more docs won't cause any issues. I know she will feel better if she uploads more docs.

She is under the impression they will want my 2024 tax transcript. Do you think I should just go ahead and file before the interview? Or will the most recent year (2023) be sufficient?

[Edward and Jaycel 1,071]

23 minutes ago, Drew3435 said:

She is under the impression they will want my 2024 tax transcript. Do you think I should just go ahead and file before the interview? Or will the most recent year (2023) be sufficient?

 

While I would normally say they should absolutely not require the 2024 tax return transcript until at least April 15, 2025, there was just a post recently on VJ about someone getting a 221g because the CO said they needed the 2024 transcript.

[Edward and Jaycel 1,071]

Here's that post about getting a 221g for 2024 taxes

 

 

[Drew3435 5]

1 hour ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

Here's that post about getting a 221g for 2024 taxes

 

 

Wow that is wild. Question for you. Do you know if IRS tax transcripts are acceptable, or do they want the 1040 used when filing my taxes?

[Edward and Jaycel 1,071]

Just now, Drew3435 said:

Wow that is wild. Question for you. Do you know if IRS tax transcripts are acceptable, or do they want the 1040 used when filing my taxes?

 

Tax Return Transcripts are highly preferred by the embassies and USCIS

[Drew3435 5]

14 minutes ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

 

Tax Return Transcripts are highly preferred by the embassies and USCIS

Thanks. That is what I provided. Given the timing I am not sure if the transcript for 2024 will be available yet. I should have checked the forums sooner. I would have filed first thing. To be honest I was planning to file an extension so my wife could be here to file with me. Stinks.