Killowatts

So, interesting info. In our case, the foreign fiancé has not yet received her letter from the Embassy, but has scheduled her biometrics, interview and just finished day 2 of her physical today. I'll explain. As you see in my signature block, the NVC emailed us that it was passing the packet on to Manila embassy back on 4/22 after holding it for almost a month. To this day, I have not received a physical letter to the same effect. That's deviation from expectation #1. She had completed her DS-160 as soon as the NVC notified us that it had the packet from USCIS back in March. She was able to move forward with scheduling biometric and Embassy appointment on late 4/23, a day and a half after getting the notification email from NVC. She set her biometric for May 7 and we got lucky that a sooner-than-expected slot was open May 13 for the interview. She then scheduled her Medical at St. Luke's 4/29 - 4/30, which she is finishing as I type this. While sitting at Day 2 of her physical, I, the petitioner, received an email from the US Embassy in Manila instructing us that it has the packet and to complete the DS-160 and then schedule the appointments. Had we waited, we would have wasted precious days/weeks. So, it's a bit of a gamble because the DS-160 is only valid for 30 days, but I strongly encourage you NOT to sit and wait for the embassy letter/email. We have yet to get any printed letters, petitioner or foreign fiancé, and the emails have been a bit later than past descriptions would lead you to predict. Disclaimer: your mileage may vary, don't blame me if things doing go the same for you. I'm just relaying the particulars for OUR situation. She's on track to be her by our planned and purchased travel date of June 4.

I've seen some comments posted saying that if you wait until your fiance receives the physical letter from the embassy, you've wasted time. It seems they suggest that you try to initiate the embassy appointment scheduling as soon as you have the actual NVC case number. I don't see a topic directly addressing this, so I spun up a new/dedicated question here. Should you begin generating the statement of income form and go through the scheduling process (Manila here for example) without waiting for the letter? Is there an art to this to avoid being too early? Thanks in advance.

NOA2: Feb 11 NVC acknowledged receipt of case Mar 20 but had not yet entered it and, in turn, assigned an NVC case # yet, per their reply to third inquiry email.

Current NVC guidance in email replies to inquiries is now 60 days. The delay is from USCIS to NVC, it has nothing to do with any embassy. The current VJ timeline guidance of 2 weeks is obsolete and inaccurate.

current guidance from NVC is to expect a 60 day period between NOA2 and NVC case generation. The two week expectation stated on the VJ timeline is no longer accurate. I know some were saying here that they send in 2 week batches. Im just pointing out that NVC is stating there is a larger delay in that happening than in the past and to expect a 60 day period.

Per NVC response to my query, expectations should be adjusted. They advise that now due to staffing changes, it is expected to take upwards of 60 days for USCIS to transfer the case to NVC. Copy/paste from NVC response email when I checked at 30 days... To Whom it Concerns: Thank you for your inquiry. The National Visa Center (NVC) has not yet received your petition from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Although the Form I-797 approval notice mentions a delay of up to 30 days for cases to be delivered to NVC from USCIS, current shipping times may be longer. If you have not received a communication from NVC about this case within 60 days from the I-797 approval notice, please contact us again. Once NVC receives this petition from USCIS and enters it into our system, all case parties will receive a notice that they can begin processing if a visa number is immediately available.

Per today's email from NVC, the packet has still not arrived from USCIS. Visa Journey might consider revising their flowchart for this transfer from "2 weeks" to the new NVC email guidance of "6 weeks" Copy of NVC reply: To Whom it Concerns: Thank you for your inquiry. Our records do not show that we received your petition. It can take up to six weeks for an approved petition from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to arrive at the National Visa Center (NVC). Once we receive it, we will enter your petition into the U.S. Department of State's database systems. For current processing times, please visit our website at https://nvc.state.gov/timeframes for English and https://nvc.state.gov/plazos for Spanish. If your approved petition was sent to NVC later than the listed processing times, you do not need to take any action. If your petition was approved before the dates NVC is working on, please send us a scanned copy of your I-797 or I-171 Notice of Action - Approval Notice. You can attach it to an email and send it to nvcresearch@state.gov. · In the subject line of your email, please type only the receipt number from your I-797 Approval Notice. · If you have more than one petition, send a separate email for each petition · Once we receive the copy of your approval notice, we will contact USCIS to find your petition. Before you send us an email, please check your Notice of Action and make sure it says your petition was approved and sent to NVC. If it says that USCIS kept your petition, or if it is not an approval, contact USCIS for more information. You can contact them on their website at https://uscis.gov, or by telephone at 1-800-375-5283.

Thank you for a wide variety of tangential tidbits in the replies. The focused question, how do I track after noa2, seems to be answered with "you can't until either they mail you the NVC case# or you inquire and they email it to you.". That's the part I care about. I will do the inquiry since noa2 was more than 2 weeks ago. Thanks. This thread can be closed.

That's not the same, so it sounds like the answer, restated to the query, is that there is not a tracking page in NVC like there was in USCIS. Thanks for the confirmation.

I do not see how/where I can track the progress of the case once NOA2 is received for an I-129F case. Is there a link within the NVC site where you can enter your Receipt number? I read where we should not wait for the embassy to contact the fiance etc, but I don't see where to actually track the case after USCIS NOA2 is received. Apologies if my search skills stink and I missed it.

I met someone in the Philippines in 2012. I filed an I-129f. I found out she was scamming about a year after our engagement and called things off. The petition was approved a week later. No further action was taken. Years later, I'm with my fiance and going through a new I-129f. I just noted on the petition #'s 43-49 that I had a previous petition and that it was not acted upon.

You only need the visa. Note that at the top of both NOA1 and NOA2 they put what I jokingly call the "do not drink shampoo" disclaimer of "THIS NOTICE DOES NOT GRANT ANY IMMIGRATION STATUS OR BENEFIT." You chould wave an NOA2 around in the air and nobody will care, it doesn't get you in. Only the actual Visa sticker in the beneficiary's passport matters. If they want to know NOA2 details in the Adjustment process, just give them your WAC case/receipt number.

The I-129f packet was sent to the Texas lock box. The NOA1 came from the California Service Center. Which center do you think is actually processing the packet?

not worried, just sharing for others' FYI. Yes, already plugged the case into the web portal for going forward.

Despite filling out the form G-1145 and having it the second sheet in the packet (credit card form was 1st), I did not get either email or text notification of NOA1. I got the physical mail this morning, sent 9/3, same day they charged my card. Just putting it out there that sometimes hiccups happen.