Philippines - DS-160 and paying at BPI for K-1 fee

[jandjin 19]

I'm waiting for NOA2 and wanted to do some my homework to prepare for the interview. According to the http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3224.html it sounds like I have to pay the visa application fee then I'm able to make an appointment via DS160. My question is.. Isn't DS-160 the online appointment system which ask me to pay upon making an appointment? So am I paying twice for the visa application fee??? I'm little confused.

[reilena 9]

Nope. You can pay the DS160 when your case gets to NVC (after approval). You will need the NVC case number (which starts with MNL) to fill out the DS 160. You only pay once. So to sum up, this are the steps (at least this is what I did):

1. NOA1

2. NOA2

3. Wait for it to be delivered to NVC

4. NVC gives case number

5. Pay the visa fee

6. Wait for our petition to arrive in the US Embassy

7. Submit DS 160 and set appointment.

Good luck!

[jandjin 19]

Nope. You can pay the DS160 when your case gets to NVC (after approval). You will need the NVC case number (which starts with MNL) to fill out the DS 160. You only pay once. So to sum up, this are the steps (at least this is what I did):

1. NOA1

2. NOA2

3. Wait for it to be delivered to NVC

4. NVC gives case number

5. Pay the visa fee

6. Wait for our petition to arrive in the US Embassy

7. Submit DS 160 and set appointment.

Good luck!

So to clarify, I need to pay at BPI once I get the case number from NVC. Once the petition arrives at US embassy, I submit DS 160 to schedule an interview date?

thanks

[Shauneg 762]

So to clarify, I need to pay at BPI once I get the case number from NVC. Once the petition arrives at US embassy, I submit DS 160 to schedule an interview date?

thanks

Once you get the number from NVC you can pay the visa fee at BPI and also fill out and submit the DS-160 (don't need to pay the fee for this, just need NVC case number). It is at that point you can go do the medical..you don't need an interview date. You can also at this time technically schedule your interview but if the file isn't there, than you are wasting yours and theirs time. Simply

Get MNL Case Number

Pay Fee at BPI (needs to be before medical)

DS-160 Online (just need the MNL number, can do at anytime once you have that. Don't need to have interview or medical date set.)

Medical (must have done the DS-160 and paid fee)

When Embassy Gets the file you...

Can schedule interview online or by phone and do the medical the week or so before that if you haven't done it already. Many people do the medical the week before as it's just near the embassy and it avoids alot of traveling if coming from other provinces.

[jandjin 19]

Once you get the number from NVC you can pay the visa fee at BPI and also fill out and submit the DS-160 (don't need to pay the fee for this, just need NVC case number). It is at that point you can go do the medical..you don't need an interview date. You can also at this time technically schedule your interview but if the file isn't there, than you are wasting yours and theirs time. Simply

Get MNL Case Number

Pay Fee at BPI (needs to be before medical)

DS-160 Online (just need the MNL number, can do at anytime once you have that. Don't need to have interview or medical date set.)

Medical (must have done the DS-160 and paid fee)

When Embassy Gets the file you...

Can schedule interview online or by phone and do the medical the week or so before that if you haven't done it already. Many people do the medical the week before as it's just near the embassy and it avoids alot of traveling if coming from other provinces.

thank you so much for your confirmation and detailed explanation. truly appreciated

[Shauneg 762]

thank you so much for your confirmation and detailed explanation. truly appreciated

Yep, we actually filled our DS-160 out and submitted about 3 months before our interview date....no problems. The long delay was our choice, it won't take three months from getting the case number until they receive your file. I think ours took one week from NOA2 to get to NVC then another week for MNL number and a week later it was at the embassy. I was at Texas and they seem to ship files to NVC faster. California seems to take about a month from NOA2 until NVC gets the petition....roughly.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Shauneg