Hello everyone! Here's my journey from NVC to USEM for future reference. :)
September 12 - NOA 2 (received by text) ^^
September 18 - NOA 2 hard copy; Ma sent form I-824.
September 26 - I emailed NVC asking if they already have my case because I will be turning 21 in a month. I was
unaware that time that they just received the case from USCIS. Yeah, excited much.
October 8- They responded to my email and gave my case number. :) My mom received the acknowledgement letter telling us that they already got the case and ready for processing.
October 9 - Called NVC asking for the IIN. Also got the acknowledgement letter. Filled up DS261.
October 10 - Mom got AOS bill invoice and paid it. Still unaware that they already sent our cases to USEM.
October 12 (12AM Philippine time, LOL) - Called to ask about my case because I am about to age out in less than three weeks. Operator said that they don't have our case anymore and it was expedited to the embassy because I was about to age-out. I asked, "Uhm, embassy here in the Philippines, right?" (Pardon me!^^ I was surprised! Didn't expect it all!)
October 15 - Case is loaded at USEM. Physical case: "ON HOLD" I tracked it using DHL tracker. ;)
October 16 - Mom sent forms I-864EZs to me, ITRs (3 recent years just in case), W2s, photocopies of passport and green card; Registered to SLEC online to have an advanced medical as suggested by apple21. Thanks apple! :)
October 19 - Got AOS docus. Thank God! :)
October 22 - Physical case received as what was said by the operator. I told her that I will be turning 21 on the 30th. She asked me if I emailed IVMNLAppointments to ask for an expedite appointment and I said yes. She checked it and told me to wait for an email that day or the next. She also told me to submit our DS260 already. I submitted mine that day but we were not able to submit my brother's application. Off to Manila for the medical!
October 23 - First Day of Medical. We were super early (2AM) and finished at around 09:30AM. Got the email from the embassy at around 3PM waiving our schedule and to come on any workday from 7:30-10:30AM. I was freaking out! Good thing I brought all the docus with me! I called them to confirm it and told them we just finished the medical earlier and we will be having our immunization (hopefully!) the next day. She told me that it's okay and noted that we will be coming there on Friday. We still haven't submitted my brother's DS260 and I was nearly panicking. Until I saw that note about reading the DS 1080 (?) or Selective Military Service first. Clicked that one and the previously grayed out button of 'Sign and Submit Application' is now functioning. DS260s all sent! Slept well because of that! :D
October 24 - We got our medical records. The nurse at the reception counter said "Oh. No interview letter." Good thing she said that because if not, we will not be able to bring our records for the interview the following day. I told her that we will be having our interview the next day and I showed her the email and then gave me the X-ray CD, Immunization record, and an envelope which contained my records. My friend sent me a message to prepare some photographs to show relationship b/n me and petitioner. I was hesitant at first because we have the birth certificate to prove it but did it anyway. Thank God for that! :)
October 25 - Interview Day! We went there around 06:30AM and we approached the guard and he told us to come back after 15 minutes. We just sat not far from the queue looking over Manila Bay. So yeah. We came back as we told and asked the guard again if we are now allowed to go inside. He said to us to show the appointment letter to guard at the tent. As we were walking to the said guard, the people in the line were like, "Wuuuuuu". In my mind I was like, "Come on, I'm just doing what I was instructed to do!" ;) The guard there told us to go to the lady in the middle. Good thing, there were only 3 of them in the line. I'm not sure what line is it though but the lines on both sides were full. I showed to her the email sent to me and let us pass through after she placed stickers at the back of our passports and put it inside the ziplocks. Inside the embassy, I think we have to drop the appointment letter with the queue number attached to it at Window 39. But there was a girl there directing where to sit and I just showed her the letter and then she took it from me. I dunno what to do there really. Haha!
There will be three batch/groups of chairs there. First- Interview with the Filipino consul and Biometrics, Second - Interview with the American consul, Third - I dunno what to call it. But they will basically tell you to go home and just wait for the visa (Happiness!) OR tell you the lacking documents you need to submit again (Dreadful!). I was nervous while waiting for the interview with the Filipino consul. My bro was like, "Chill, ate!" Grr! So our number was up and went to the cubicle. The interviewer was not smiling at all! Gosh. I was just thinking that maybe, she was doing it as a facade. Lol! She asked for my name and my birthday and told me to pass my birth certificate and NBI Clearance. After that, she noticed my brother and asked if he is <Insert name>. He said yes and she answered, "Paano ka?" ("How about you?") I told her that the call center agent told me it's okay to bring him along since his case was in the embassy too and was expedited. She asked her senior and was told that it's okay and they will just search for his files. The lady asked us to pay for IV Fee upstairs while waiting. Afterwards, we gave her the form (IV Fee) and passed my bro's birth certificate and NBI clearance. Also, the forms I-864EZs, W2s and 2012 ITR, mom's photocopy of passport and greencard. She asked me what's the work of my mom, her address, when did she enter the US, how did she get her green card, why is it that my dad is not included in the petition. I indicated that I sought for an NIV last 2006 and Tourist Visa (2008) and she asked me about it. All went very fast and we were told to sit back again. The girl directing the people where to go asked me, "Ma'am, nainterview na po ba kayo ng Pinoy?" I said "Yes po ma'am." "Na-fingers na po ba kayo ma'am?" (She was talking about Biometrics.) I smiled awkwardly and said "Hindi pa po ma'am." So she directed us to the first batch of chairs. Dang. If my friends were there, they will surely laugh maniacally! Haha! Anyway, in the biometrics, we were asked what our names and birthdays. Can I mention that the fingers- I mean, the Biometrics guys is cute? Hahaha! :) We proceed to the second batch of chairs there and waited. We were watching some program from Cartoon Network and my brother and I were laughing! Not only because of the program on TV but also, the American consul from one cubicle was asking all sorts of questions! My brother told me that he heard the question, "What's the name of his dog?" Gosh. Fiance visa is hard to get for sure! It was unlucky because the girl didn't know some important information about his fiance that's why she received a lecture from the consul. Our number showed up, not looking forward to the worse, we walked towards the cubicle, smiling timidly, and praying to the God that all will be okay. We reached the cubicle and thank heavens! The consul was nice! :) She even asked us how we are! :D We were asked to raise our right hands to attest that what we placed in DS260s are true. There was no weird questions asked. Only our names, and birthdays, and when did my mom first went to the US. It took a long time before we heard anything from her. She was changing something in the system and I'm starting to get nervous again. I think she was changing our visa status from 'Ready' to 'Issued'. Lol! She looked to us and said, "One window left! Congratulations! Have a nice day!" Gee! Thank God! :)) I kept on hitting my brother's arm until we got home because I still can't freaking believe it! It's been a long journey for us. (Applied for NIV last 2006 but got refused.) We transferred to the third batch of chairs and waited for our names to be called. The lady there was also nice and told us that we can go home but before that, we have to drop the forms (forms for 2go delivery) at the other counter. The lady at the other counter got our forms, looked at it, and said that we can go home now and just wait for the visa. Yes!! Thank God! :)
October 30 - 생일축하해 Saeng il chuka hae! It's my birthday but I'm not expecting (again) for our visas to arrive. It was around 11AM when the 2go delivery man called and told us that our visas are already here in Baguio and ready for delivery. He instructed us not to go anywhere because he will drop by before 1PM. So yeah, we waited for it and YEY! Got our visas now!
God is good. All the time. I would like to thank Visajourney and all VJers who helped me. You guys are the best!
"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26
"Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears." - 2 Samuel 7:22
"Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them" - Mark 11:24
