aliya

Further Update:

I ended up organizing USPS mail forwarding to a friend in the US, hoping that any USCIS mail would be forwarded. You can imagine how happy I was when said friend emailed me a scan of the biometrics appointment letter! He has now returned the letter requesting a rescheduled appointment.

Update...As suggested I went through the steps for setting up an infopass appointment online, ticking the option of - Case Processing Appointment: If you received a notice to go to your local office for further case processing. I did get through to the page that gives options for dates this time and the only one available was October 25th - well past my departure date! Couldn't get through to a customer service agent at USCIS on the phone yesterday I think because of the holiday. Today, more success and got the usual "working off of a script' routine. She said that I need to wait 30 days from the date of the NOA receipt number which is in 2 days, so I will call back then. It seems there's not a lot I can do without that biometrics appointment letter anyway...

She did say that if I can have someone open the mail for me and follow the instructions for rescheduling this might be best. I went down to the local post office yesterday but it was also closed for the holiday, so plan to go again tomorrow to see about them forwarding the USCIS letters (didn't get a chance today). I was really hoping to just get this biometrics appointment out of the way before leaving, but it now seems that it's going to be an ongoing headache!

This is all such good information thank you! I'm going to give all of them a go! Will keep you posted...

If I can't sort it out I wonder what happens if they take the line that you have abandoned your application - I'll also check with USCIS about this and about the possibility of re opening the case later if this happens...of course, as you point out, the first line phone service there is just a center employer working off a script and interestingly, they've even given me incorrect information in the past - for instance, I was told that even after a divorce I must wait until the 90 day window of the visa expiration date for applying for ROC - I kept trying to explain that the conditions on the visa would be broken etc...if it hadn't been for Visa Journey and all its wonderful contributions and resources, I would now be an illegal alien!

Well it was certainly worth a try! Got this response: "At this time, there are no information appointments available for the office in your area." Please try back again later." These are the other 3 options:

*Order from Immigration Court - If you were directed to us for processing based on an order from the Immigration Judge. You must bring all documents required in the post order instructions given to you by the court.

*EAD inquiry appointment - If your I-765 employment authorization application has been pending for more than 90 days.

*Case Services follow-up appointment - If it has been over 45 days since you contacted NCSC and have not received a response to your inquiry. You must bring the Service Request ID Number related to your inquiry to the appointment.

I really don't think any of these can even vaguely apply to my circumstance! I will call USCIS on Monday and see if they can help at all ...I'm wondering if they have a way of putting it all on hold due to unforeseen circumstances...we can but hope...

Otherwise I may have to go as you suggested and just try to see them at the office without an appointment - long way to go unfortunately. And failing sorting it out before I leave, as you say, hopefully I will be able to reschedule for after my return if my friend can get the information from the mail for me...

Thanks Kathryn, the information is much appreciated. I did just go to the USCIS website to schedule an infopass appointment but it seems that I would need to tick the option: Case Processing Appointment - If you received a notice to go to your local office for further case processing. Since I do not yet have this (the biometrics appointment notice) and none of the other options apply, I'm not sure if I'm eligible or if they can even help?

Re the mail issue - the idea of going to the local postmaster and explaining the situation and asking them to forward USCIS mail under the circumstances is an excellent idea...they may be sympathetic! If I can get the information via someone opening my USCIS mail and letting me know, I had thought to just request another appointment once I have a case number and appointment date (I believe you can do this up to 3 times?) This may carry me through until I can get back...

I'm wondering though, if anyone knows about the consequences of leaving the US before the biometrics have been done and whether the failure to go to a scheduled appointment would automatically annul the ROC application?

Hi all

I recently submitted my I-175 Removal of Conditions application (with waiver and submitted earlier due to divorce) and received the NOA1 letter (extension for 1 year notice) with receipt date 09/14/2010. I now have urgent family reasons to travel to Australia and may need to be out of the US for up to 3 months. I have a flight booked for October 19th and have been hoping to get the biometrics appointment in the mail before I depart. I was intending to try a walk in at the local office (Tampa) with appointment letter and my airline ticket and explain the urgent need to travel. However, I haven't received the appointment letter yet, and although I know I am safe to travel with the NOA1 extension (actually my Green Card hasn't expired yet anyway) I'm wondering if anyone has had the experience, or knows someone who has, regarding what happens if you miss the biometrics appointment due to being overseas?

I also have another complication in that I have no one to check my mail for me while I am away so will need to forward it to another US address where someone can. I read somewhere on Visa Journey that the US Postal Service will not forward anything with USCIS on the envelope and will return to sender instead. Since I need a US residential address for mail from USCIS I'm really not sure what to do! Any advice would be much appreciated...

We were told by the Sydney Embassy that we would receive pct three soon in the mail and that it was sent out on Dec 29th and Jan 12th

Today he received this letter in his EMAIL ( we are so confused)

Thank you for your inquiry.

Packet 3 was sent via the e mail provided to us (XXXXXXXX@XXXXXXX ). If this is not a valid means of communicating with you, please provide the appropriate contact information.

Regards,

Sydney IV

(SG)

SO does a pck 3 COME to your mailbox at home (in his case his PO box) certified and if so how long..OR is it all an email?????????????

Thank you

Meri

Hi Meri

Last year (August' 08) Joe (USC) received our Packet 3 via email and had to forward it to me - I did not receive a hard copy in the mail. I just followed the instructions on the email...

Looking at your timeline, it looks as though you already have K1 petition approval (NOA2) because you have an 'NVC received' date...if this is the case then you can call the NVC automated service to check the status of your case.

Re: Packet 3 instructions - try the following link - this is what Packet 3 from the Sydney US Consulate refers the applicant to:

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html

Joe (USC) received our Packet 3 via email and had to forward it to me - I did not receive a hard copy in the mail. For more info on this part of the jouney, go to our home page and look under Options (left hand menu) > Find member posts.

Congratulations and all the best for a wonderful future together

Congratulations!

We must have been in the Sydney Consulate the same day! Our K1 application was also approved...I was really impressed with the friendliness and kindness of the Consular staff...

Wow, thanks everyone, blessings to you all!

I realise that when I said "yesterday" (30th Sept) it was just that here in Australia, but on VJ, the time is behind, so the date posted is the 30th! Yey, I'll be really happy to be with Joe and not have to constantly consider the time difference when we communicate! I have a flight booked for November 8th - enough time to sort out all my affairs and spend time with loved ones before I depart - it's wonderful and daunting all at once...I do love Australia - I have been here 23 years and raised my children here, had lots of adventures, completed a PhD and spent the last 4 years living on Mt. Glorious near Brisbane...and it really is glorious! The biggest emotional upheaval, though, is that my children are staying on in OZ - they are very happy for me to be following my heart and starting a new adventure, but the distance will be challenging...and the time difference! My folks in the UK are happy mindu, because its closer and much cheaper to get there! Life's always 'six and one and half a dozen of the other'!

Hi all

I'm very happy to announce that the visa was approved yesterday without any hiccups and now just waiting for it in the mail. The Consular officer who interviewed me was very sweet and said congratulations for our engagement several times. I'll post a review with more details.

A big 'THANKYOU" to all those fellow VJers who have supported and helped us on our journey and to the VJ site itself, for providing us with all the resources and tips to make the journey possible.

thanks

I put a cover letter but didnt put my case number on it (who knows why) i put the case # on the checklist tho

If the case number is on there somewhere it should be fine.

I called DOS who told me that the London consulate sent me out package 3. However days went passed and i still hadnt recieved it so i called DOS again who told me that yes they had sent out package 3 on the 19th Sep. Even he seemed surprised that i hdnt received it yet but told me that i had to wait 30 days before the embassy could send out another package!!

Well i wasnt about to wait over something that wasnt our fault so I magaed by some miracle to find the forms that were needed to send (ie checklist) so i printed them out and sent the required documents today.(26th sep)

I also sent a cover letter saying 'here are my required documents that package 3 requested, that according to DOS was sent to me on 19th September. Then i asked them to check their database to make sure they had the right addess.

So with this cover letter i have stated that DOS told me they sent out package 3. so im not 'jumping the gun.'

Im just bit worried that the checklist might not look like the one they send out meaning paper/ink (all the info is correct) But surley this doesnt matter?Dos DID tell me that they sent it out. i hope this is ok though! What do you think?

While I'm not sure what comes in the Packet 3 in the UK, here in Australia the Packet 3 arrives via email to the USC, lists the forms required and points to the Consulate website for further instructions. I did find discrepancies between the two (eg email listed required forms/documents and said to mail them all in prior to the interview and the website said to bring them to interview) - I emailed them and they replied that the website was in the process of being updated and to follow the Packet 3 instructions. Hopefully, you put the NVC Case number on your cover letter so that they know which case your documents belong to. Other than that, I'm sure that they will just let you know if there is anything else that you need to submit for your interview - here they send a checklist in Packet 4. Good luck!

My pleasure, really glad to hear that the Consulate got back to you so quickly.

Hey all

I have filed in July and I am sure many of us in July want to know WHEN we can get our police checks and medical out of the way.

Would it be safe to get it down now or do I wait till I get really close to NOA2 approval??

ALSO. I read he will have to make sure he has the MMR, Tetanus (Td) and Varicella for the medicals. He has NO proof he has had this done and getting it from his mum is like yanking teeth from a Croc. Can he get a blood test done to prove immunity OR should he just get them redone (he is calling his OLD doc he had has a child)

HUGS and thanks!!

Meri and Kai

Hi Meri and Kai

I waited for NOA2 and then got the police check (I needed the NVC case number, as I put the return address for the results as The US Sydney Consulate with the Case number (the website states that Queensland police check results will be mailed directly to them). I also had to get one from the UK.

I waited until I received Packet 3 to book my medical. When a rang to book it, I was asked to bring the case number with me. This was the NVC Case number - Joe got this from phoning the NVC automated service a few days after we received the NOA2. If that's the case (needing the case number), then theoretically, you would need to wait until your case reaches the NVC after NOA2 and get the assigned number before proceeding with the medical. I got a booking for the following week here in Brisbane, so not a problem with time delay...

I did, however, go to my GP (before even getting NOA2) to get serology checks done, as I did not have childhood vaccination records. This can be done through Medicare, so costs less. I looked up the required vaccinations on the USCIS site - they are age specific, so it's possible to work out what you require. The only one I needed was a tetanus booster. If you do this, make sure that you get your GP to write a letter on the Medical Center letterhead and sign (I also got mine to stamp and sign all the pathology results). The only tests that are not accepted at the medical are the HIV/Syphillis, as you need to take your passport to a pathology clinic that the Medical Examination Dr has referred you to for these.

If it's any help, for details of what is in the Packet 3 email, and some details of the medical, see Posts on our homepage...they are not all listed under the main Posts tab as far as I can see, so you may need to go to Options (left hand menu) > view member posts.

we have been notified that Sydney has been received in Sydney.

I received an email saying:

"Further processing on the 09/12/2008.

It states our priority date as the 18th of April 2009..."

Do we have to wait that long????

Im so confused...and of course there is no one you can call at the US/Sydney/Melbourne Embassy.

if there are any Aussies who have gone through the process and are able to help me out, please let me know.

thanks.

I'm not quite sure what "we have been notified that Sydney has been received in Sydney" means...

Try emailing the Consulate - I am going through Sydney, but they are very good at responding within a few days and always helpful - hope Melbourne is the same for you. For other info on the Consulate process for K1 (relevant to our experience) see recent posts on our homepage - maybe some stuff will help...

I have read on the guides and then on the US Consulate/Embassy Websites in Australia conflicting information.

Firstly, the guides suggest that the beneficiary will recieve notification in the mail that the Sydnesy US Embassy has recieved the VISA.

The guide suggests that the US Australian Embassy will send out further instructions (checklists etc).

HOWEVER the US Australian Website does not quote this, they suggest that all the further paperwork docs (DS 230/ DS 156 etc) should be completed online.

from the http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html

This office has received a petition entitling you to K-1 nonimmigrant visa classification as an alien proceeding to the United States to marry an American citizen. To prepare for your interview appointment with a consular officer, please read and follow carefully the instructions below:

1.

Complete and return immediately to this office the form DS-230, Immigrant Visa Application Part I, Biographic Data. We cannot process your case until this form is received.

....etc etc...

Please help

Our Packet 3 arrived via email to Joe (USC) - I had been checking my snail mailbox everyday! I didn't receive a hard copy...here's what the email states:

The Consulate has received your approved petition. You may now download the initial set of instructions, known as “Packet 3”, from the following website:

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html.

Forms required:

Form DS-156 — Nonimmigrant Visa Application (2 copies)

Form DS-156K — Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application (1 copy)

Form DS-230 Part I— Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration

Form DSL-1076 — Applicant’s Statement of Readiness to be Interviewed

Form I-134 — Affidavit of Support

A medical examination is required. For further information please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/medical.html.

To obtain a list of the Panel Physicians, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/doctors.html. Medical forms are only obtained from the Panel Physician.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for Australia, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/pol...ertificate.html.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for another country, please visit the State Department website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reci...ocity_3272.html.

The visa applicant should complete and return form DS-230 (Part I only) as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate General, Sydney. We only accept original forms, not faxed or scanned copies.

Please note that you must be interviewed and have your visa issued within the four-month validity of your petition.

When you have obtained all of the documents required for your case, complete and mail all of the documents(do not fax or scan) with Form DSL-1076 to advise the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney that you are ready for your final visa interview.

K-1 visa processing times vary. There may be unexpected ineligibilities that become apparent only at the time of your interview which require additional time and processing. For this reason, you should not make any irrevocable arrangements, such as purchasing non-refundable tickets, selling your home, or quitting your job, until after your visa is actually approved and issued to you.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit

U.S. Consulate General, Sydney

It's funny how confusing the Consulate part of the process seems to be - as you can see, my Packet 3 email requested that I mail in all the forms/documents prior to the interview, but this contradicts the website instructions (which they point you to via a link in Packet 3) - it states that you must bring them with you to the interview! I emailed them about this and they stated "Our website is in the process of being updated with the new requirements. Please follow the instructions in Packet 3 and obtain all the required documents and forward them to our office." There is one form - DS-156 - that has to be filled out online and then printed out (2 copies) and mailed to them with the other documents. Make sure you save a copy of this to disk as it has a bar code on it and I read on VJ that some people have had to go and reprint this at their interview because the bar code wouldn't scan. I'm going to take a copy on USB stick with me to my interview just in case!

My suggestion is that if you have any queries just email the Consulate. They are usually pretty fast with responding (especially when they have made mistakes with things! See posts on our homepage)

Hope this helps - all the best

hi ali and joe

congrats on getting your interview date..

good luck to you although you probably wont need it..its a quick interview just the waiting that gets to you..

take a look at some of the australian consulate reviews to help you out on any hints that other aussies have come across for the interview day..

if you are planning on leaving australia fairly quickly i would stay an extra day to go into the consulate and collect your passport and brown envelope...if you have time to spare before you leave you can get it mailed out to you..

enjoy the view from the large window...its gorgeous...shame you cant take photo's i reckon...ohh take some munchies with you an a mag to read..if your in there for ages it gets boring plus it takes your mind off things also...

take care

kath

p.s. when you go to the post office..make sure the assistant understands what you are paying for...i have a scan of my receipt if you want to check it out...

Thanks Kath, I have checked out the reviews and they mostly seem to be quite painless! What exactly did you ask for at the post office...so I don't confuse them?! I recall seeing a scan of someone's receipt here on VJ, but if you could post yours that would be great

I nearly forgot to mention that I got an email response almost immediately from the Consulate confirming that they had received my Australian Police Check - phew. As far as the English one goes I'm not sure - might call the department in the UK this evening...if anything holds us up it could be this...

Update - I called and the ACPO in the UK mailed my Police Certificate to the Consulate on Sept 16th, so it will hopefully be there in time for my interview...

hi ali and joe

congrats on getting your interview date..

good luck to you although you probably wont need it..its a quick interview just the waiting that gets to you..

take a look at some of the australian consulate reviews to help you out on any hints that other aussies have come across for the interview day..

if you are planning on leaving australia fairly quickly i would stay an extra day to go into the consulate and collect your passport and brown envelope...if you have time to spare before you leave you can get it mailed out to you..

enjoy the view from the large window...its gorgeous...shame you cant take photo's i reckon...ohh take some munchies with you an a mag to read..if your in there for ages it gets boring plus it takes your mind off things also...

take care

kath

p.s. when you go to the post office..make sure the assistant understands what you are paying for...i have a scan of my receipt if you want to check it out...

Thanks Kath, I have checked out the reviews and they mostly seem to be quite painless! What exactly did you ask for at the post office...so I don't confuse them?! I recall seeing a scan of someone's receipt here on VJ, but if you could post yours that would be great

I nearly forgot to mention that I got an email response almost immediately from the Consulate confirming that they had received my Australian Police Check - phew. As far as the English one goes I'm not sure - might call the department in the UK this evening...if anything holds us up it could be this...

hi ali and joe

congrats on getting your interview date..

good luck to you although you probably wont need it..its a quick interview just the waiting that gets to you..

take a look at some of the australian consulate reviews to help you out on any hints that other aussies have come across for the interview day..

if you are planning on leaving australia fairly quickly i would stay an extra day to go into the consulate and collect your passport and brown envelope...if you have time to spare before you leave you can get it mailed out to you..

enjoy the view from the large window...its gorgeous...shame you cant take photo's i reckon...ohh take some munchies with you an a mag to read..if your in there for ages it gets boring plus it takes your mind off things also...

take care

kath

p.s. when you go to the post office..make sure the assistant understands what you are paying for...i have a scan of my receipt if you want to check it out...

Thanks Kath, I have checked out the reviews and they mostly seem to be quite painless! What exactly did you ask for at the post office...so I don't confuse them?! I recall seeing a scan of someone's receipt here on VJ, but if you could post yours that would be great

That's great! Glad they got back to you quickly and clarified everything.

good luck for the interview!!!

Thanks!

They are silly sometimes.. they kept addressing me (married woman applying for CR1) as Ms

Have you had your fingerprints done for the QLD police check yet? If so give them (the police) a call and they will be able to tell you when it was processed and mailed off to the Consulate. I think when I rang to enquire about mine they said it was finalised within a week of my fingerprinting and I emailed the Consulate too to confirm if they had received it.

Sorry I don't know about your UK police cert or your visa payment but hopefully someone else knows the answer!

Thanks Kaffy, yes, I had the fingerprint check done a few weeks ago, while we were waiting for the Consulate to receive the petition from the NVC, so I will call them to check...it's funny how confusing the Consulate part of the process actually is - another example of this is that my Packet 3 requested that I mail in all the forms/documents prior to the interview, but this contradicts the website instructions (which they point you to via a link in Packet 3) - it states that you must bring them with you to the interview! I emailed them about this and they stated "Our website is in the process of being updated with the new requirements. Please follow the instructions in Packet 3 and obtain all the required documents and forward them to our office. This will expedite the processing of the visa." I emailed them at the time about the police checks and they replied "When your police certificate is received in this office, it will be placed in your file." Perhaps the people answering emails have no contact with the Officials processing the cases...

Anyway, I'm pretty certain they have made some errors with the requests in Packet 4 - I'll post when I get a response from them to my email...

Good news! I received an email from the Consulate this morning - that's incredibly prompt! They have amended (with apologies) the Packet 4 attachment to the correct fee ($150.65) and nothing else is needed accept a photo, passport and the Police Check results (they didn't mention anything about it being sent to them, but I have just contacted the QLD Police Information Center and they apparently sent it to the Consulate on September 9th - I'll email the Consulate as you suggested Kaffy)

They are silly sometimes.. they kept addressing me (married woman applying for CR1) as Ms

Have you had your fingerprints done for the QLD police check yet? If so give them (the police) a call and they will be able to tell you when it was processed and mailed off to the Consulate. I think when I rang to enquire about mine they said it was finalised within a week of my fingerprinting and I emailed the Consulate too to confirm if they had received it.

Sorry I don't know about your UK police cert or your visa payment but hopefully someone else knows the answer!

Thanks Kaffy, yes, I had the fingerprint check done a few weeks ago, while we were waiting for the Consulate to receive the petition from the NVC, so I will call them to check...it's funny how confusing the Consulate part of the process actually is - another example of this is that my Packet 3 requested that I mail in all the forms/documents prior to the interview, but this contradicts the website instructions (which they point you to via a link in Packet 3) - it states that you must bring them with you to the interview! I emailed them about this and they stated "Our website is in the process of being updated with the new requirements. Please follow the instructions in Packet 3 and obtain all the required documents and forward them to our office. This will expedite the processing of the visa." I emailed them at the time about the police checks and they replied "When your police certificate is received in this office, it will be placed in your file." Perhaps the people answering emails have no contact with the Officials processing the cases...

Anyway, I'm pretty certain they have made some errors with the requests in Packet 4 - I'll post when I get a response from them to my email...

Hi folks

Pleased to say that I got my Packet 4 email today and an interview date which is not far off - however, there is an attachment which has asked me to bring several things and it is confusing. I have several questions regarding the attachment requirements:

Firstly, the visa payment options checked are:

FEES: Payable at the Consulate by Cash, Credit Card (American Express /Visa / Mastercard / Diners) Money

Order or Bank Check payable to “U.S. Consulate Generalâ€

x1AUD$460.00 or USD$400.00

x1AUD$51.75 or USD$45.00

However, it is my understanding that the K1 is a non-immigrant visa and shouldn't I therefore pay AUD$150.65 at any Australia Post outlet and bring the receipt with me to the interview? (This option is also on the attachment, but is not checked in my case).

Secondly, the following is checked as required documents on the attachment:

POLICE CERTIFICATES FROM:

Attached are the appropriate instructions where the certificate is required from.

Submit the original or certified copy

Submit one photocopy

However, there are no instructions for this as far as I can see - would this be referring to my United Kingdom Police Check? I put the return address on the application for this as the Immigrant Visa Unit, U.S. Consulate General Sydney etc and do not expect to receive it here.

Thirdly, the attachment states: We require the translation of your Birth Certificate. I am REALLY confused by this, as my birth certificate is in English! I do have another certified copy of the same, but the one I sent was the original.

Fourthly, the attachment states: You did not include your Australian Police Certificate with the required documents although you did mark off the checklist that you had supplied it. You will need to supply the Australian Police Certificate on the day of your interview. I'm pretty sure I didn't mark it off as supplied on the checklist and marked N/A, but anyway I did state in my cover letter with the Packet 3 contents that this would be forwarded to the Consulate (as per the instructions on the US Consular Services website which states: For NSW and Queensland residents, your police record will be sent directly to the U.S. Consulate in Sydney by the police department regarding getting an Australian Police Certificate in Queensland.) Just to clarify - I live in Queensland!

Lastly, I needed to correct my title, as I am addressed on the correspondence from the Consulate as Mrs instead of Ms!!!

I have just emailed them about all this, but can anyone enlighten me on any of these seeming anomalies while I wait for their response? The waits are always grueling!