Application has gone to Dept of State - how to track it once there?

[Texan in Jiangsu 0]

Hi,

My I-130 has now been sent to the Department of State, but I don't know how to check the status. I had all my paperwork filled out with my parents' address in the States. They have said that they haven't seen anything in the mail. I got an answer back via email from Lockbox with a tracking number. My petition was sent to the Department of State in June, but that was all they were able to tell me.

I found this number to the NVS online 603-3334-0700, but it seems not to work.

I really appreciate everyone's help as it has been quite a while since I have gotten any information!

Lee "Texan in Jiangsu"

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

Did you sign up for their online notification? If so, that carries through to NVC.

[Ppll909 3]

Hi,

My I-130 has now been sent to the Department of State, but I don't know how to check the status. I had all my paperwork filled out with my parents' address in the States. They have said that they haven't seen anything in the mail. I got an answer back via email from Lockbox with a tracking number. My petition was sent to the Department of State in June, but that was all they were able to tell me.

I found this number to the NVS online 603-3334-0700, but it seems not to work.

I really appreciate everyone's help as it has been quite a while since I have gotten any information!

Lee "Texan in Jiangsu"

Please fill your timeline. Do you mean it is already approved ??? I will presume it is since you mentioned department of state and not USCIS.

If so , call them or wait for your spouse to be contacted from her home embassy.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Ppll909

[NikLR 13,220]

The petition has gone to thr NVC? You need to read the NVC process wiki.

[CowBoE 429]

Hi,

My I-130 has now been sent to the Department of State, but I don't know how to check the status. I had all my paperwork filled out with my parents' address in the States. They have said that they haven't seen anything in the mail. I got an answer back via email from Lockbox with a tracking number. My petition was sent to the Department of State in June, but that was all they were able to tell me.

I found this number to the NVS online 603-3334-0700, but it seems not to work.

I really appreciate everyone's help as it has been quite a while since I have gotten any information!

Lee "Texan in Jiangsu"

First of all, you should create the timeline so that folks can understand what's happening and when.

I think you are talking about NVC, in that case, you can check the status here.

https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx

In my case (K1 visa), I selected "Immigration Visa", and then entered the "GUZxxxxxxxx" number

the NVC provided and it displayed my status.

Also, I had called NVC nearly 100 times in the past and I was never successful at getting through,

and others had same experience.

I had also written an email to them, and it took exactly 1 month for them to reply,

but by then my case moved to China embassy so I didn't care.

When you say "June"...be more specific. Was it beginning of June or end.

Because NVC processing will take 2 to 3 weeks to clear in many cases.

[razspaz13 30]

the 603 phone number you have typed above has too many numbers in it

usa phone numbers usually.....

area code 123 then 555 1200 or area code 603 xxx (3 digits) then 1234 (four digits)

the nvc number does work you have to keep trying and often 45 minutes plus wait time.......

cheers

[CowBoE 429]

Did you sign up for their online notification? If so, that carries through to NVC.

I signed up for online notification, but only received it for NOA1,

and after that I received no emails/text.

Others have also reported this to be very inconsistent.

[Darnell 8,478]

the casefile has to travel from USCIS to NVC. This period of time is a dead hole to most of us.

However, you can telephone NVC when they are open , get a human, give over USCIS receipt #, and ask if they have received the casefile yet. If the answer is yes, you can ask for:

1. consular casefile number (usually starts with GUZ for China-bound casefiles) and

2. invoice identification number and

3. beneficiary identification number

then if you get all 3, ask the nvc tele-operator to email you the AOS FEE BILL, or ask when it might be generated. Usually if all 3 are given, you are asked for your email address and the beneficiary's email address, during that phone call. Once NVC has that email addy and all 3 are given over, the time clock starts again, your casefile is up and out of the black hole from transport.

Here's a reason for that 'black hole'...

Once an I-130 petition is approved, it's still inside the USCIS service center, getting shifted over to a new queue for scanning. Once the scanning is completed, it's then pitched over to another queue for shipment.

If you want to be pro-active, you can certainly call USCIS, get an ISO (not a trivial thing) on the phone, and ask what date the casefile left the service center shipping dock, headed out to NVC. Then pitch forward 6 to 8 weeks, maybe NVC has received it, started it's own internal intake process, and actually place the casefile into the first queue for processing. Maybe...

Pegging exact dates after I-130 approval is difficult, but is possible when talking with an ISO at the USCIS call-center (again, not a trivial task to get an ISO on the phone).

Finally, remember please - once the AOS fee bill is generated, you can shift to Electronic Processing for Guangzhou at NVC - it shaves 2 to 5 months off the back end at NVC , no waiting for physical casefile transfer into Guangzhou after casefile completion at NVC.

[Texan in Jiangsu 0]

Hi,

My I-130 has now been sent to the Department of State, but I don't know how to check the status. I had all my paperwork filled out with my parents' address in the States. They have said that they haven't seen anything in the mail. I got an answer back via email from Lockbox with a tracking number. My petition was sent to the Department of State in June, but that was all they were able to tell me.

I found this number to the NVS online 603-3334-0700, but it seems not to work.

I really appreciate everyone's help as it has been quite a while since I have gotten any information!

Lee "Texan in Jiangsu"

Update on my information:

I had called the NVC and they were able to give me my NVC case number. I was very relieved of that. Also, sorry for carelessly typing the wrong number in my last post by adding an extra '3'!

Anyways, after they gave me my case number, they told me to email them and weren't able to help in any other way on the phone, so I emailed shortly after, asking what needed to be done next.

I need to at the bottom of my signature update my progress info with the dates, so I will do that soon.

Thanks to everyone's support, it means a lot.

Another question: I am moving to the USA soon and my wife will stay in China with our kids while I look for a job, hopefully get one soon, and "set-up" in Houston. Can she visit me while in USA by applying for a travel visa or would she be denied of that? IF she was granted one, could she stay with me and change her status in the USA? Not wanting to get ahead of myself here, and maybe this should be posted in a new topic.

Regards,

Lee

[Ryan H 3,790]

Can she visit me while in USA by applying for a travel visa or would she be denied of that?

She can apply for a tourist visa, however, the chances of her being granted one are nil.

IF she was granted one, could she stay with me and change her status in the USA?

Absolutely not, this would be visa fraud.

[Darnell 8,478]

Lee - sorry - there's other ways to interact with NVC - but time and timing is of import.

If all you got was the consular casefile number for Guangzhou, and they not take email addresses during that phone call, NVC ain't ready for you yet. More backroom stuff they need to do before they are ready to start.

hit the wiki, search on 'NVC Process' and you'll get to Saylin's NVC Processing wiki page - that'll be your bible for the next 3 months.

You just walked over the edge, got a consular casefile number without IIN or giving over emails. Call back next week, get more stuff (use a telephone).

As to your question about you coming back to USA - DoS not care - they only want to understand (from the I-864) that you can support all of the folk .