Lucie, there's a tremendous amount you can do while you're waiting. All the forms required by the US government are basically the same - whether they are in something called an information packet, a packet 3 or 4. You can download all the forms either here or from the embassy website and complete them now. The USC can start on the Affidavit of Support and get additional support of an ongoing relationship together. There is a lot to do between now and the interview (police certificates take the longest) so it's best to get moving now......plus it takes your mind off waiting. Hope it's soon for everyone waiting.

Sunny - I really like that you got another touch......it sure underscores the "oops" theory.

Hello Lucie

Here is the content of packet 3 in France (I got mine the same day Pam got it):
- a document telling you what you'll need to get (birth certificate, police record, divorce decrees if needed, financial docs: I-134 and its proofs, etc)
- the DS-230 part 1 that you'll have to send back to the embassy
- the DS-2001, which is a form stating that you have gathered all that is needed and that you now want an interview
- an "intent of marry" letter that you have to fill out but not sign, it has to be brought at the interview and signed in front of them (like the DS-156 and DS-156K)
- a document telling you what forms you'll have to bring at the embassy (DS-156 that you fill out online, DS-156K that they give you in the packet 3)
- instructions on how to get a police record and how to take good US-passport sized photos

Bryan and I had started preparing everything when we got NOA2:
- I asked him to fill out the I-134 and get it notarized, to get a letter from his employer, to get his tax transcripts and scan his last paychecks
- I got a birth certificate (by the way, in the packet they say that it needs to be less than 1 year old) and my police record. I had already taken the photos.
- you can fill out the DS-230, DS-156 and DS-156K (they're available here, but I waited until they sent me packet 3
- you can start gathering proofs of your relationship, even though they don't seem to ask for anything at the US embassy in France

I hope that will help you

No...that didn't cross my mind...didnt know I could do that?

She was born here & she does have her passport!

Hi Lucie!
Well, between my answer to your e-mail and Cécile's answer, I think you got all the informations you need!(by the way, Cécile's answer is so such clearer than mine! )
Like Cécile, I waiting to received my P3 before I filled out the DS forms through their website, but did everything else in advance.
So, yes, there is quite some things you can get started before you and your fiancé get approved!!
Again good luck!!


Sunny, I hope you get good news from CSC soon, and yes, getting touched would make me happy too!
Still hoping to see some more january filers getting approved!!

Hi all-

I've never posted on this thread, but since we got our NOA1 on nearly the first day of January, I guess this is where I should have been for a while! :-)

We got our NOA2 on 30 May, which seems a lot later than a lot of your January filers, but we did get an RFE, which probably added two weeks or so.

It's been so frustrating to wait so long, but at least they didn't lose anything of ours. And for some reason, we've never been able to see when our case was touched. Seeing that on other people's timelines was odd, and I still don't know how to account for it.

We're not waiting for packet 3, which, thanks to all of you guys, we have nearly completed before it even arrives. We're really, really hoping we get assigned an interview soon, as my fiance intends to come back home (here...the UK isn't home anymore) as soon as we have the letter with the date in hand. That's certainly a "tie to the home country" eh?

Anyhow, I do wish all of us poor CSC filers luck in getting through this tedious, frustrating process.

Cheers all-
Cheryl

Welcome Cheryl and looks like you actually had a decently fast process! Especially with the RFE as well! I am one of the unlucky ones here waiting and waiting for the day our NOA2 arrives.....let us know when your man gets his interview date! Or is it you awaiting the date?

Happy Sunday friends,
Just wanted to share a quick update from my neighborhood... The embassy got our paperwork last week, Greivin picked up Packet Three on Friday, his Medical will be on Wednesday, I am flying to Costa Rica one week from tonight, and our Interview has already been set... Wednesday, June 25th at noon!

Our interview will be 28 days after the NOA2. A lot of luck, a lot of phone calls, and a whole lot of reading VJ guides allowed us to fly through the last few stages. We have plane tickets already purchased for the two of us to fly home to Seattle together on July 5th (knock on wood) assuming everything goes well in the next two weeks. I am certainly no expert in any of this, but would be happy to share any details if anyone would find it helpful.

Sunny, I have been checking your profile everyday. I think the touches are a great sign. I am absolutely thinking about you everyday, and as far as I'm concerned, you're not the one that got left behind... just the case that deserved a little extra love and attention. Your positive outlook is always so refreshing and I wish you many more happy days and peaceful nights as we await the final news on the NOA2. Wait, maybe I should take that back... you won't need "many" days, cause it's right around the corner, I just know it.

Once again, here's to another exciting week of visa activities. I hope everyone is finding moments of peace amidst the whirlwind of stress and anxiety that is this process. Every day that goes by is a day closer to the reunion that will last forever. Let's have a great week.

Thank you very very much Blake, Cécile & Pam!!! you all really helped me.it is so much clear now!
I still have a question though, hehe! what is the difference between I 864 and I 134? On the website of the Am.embassy in France it says that packet 3 contains I 864, but it looks the same as I 134 ....
Thank you!

I-864 is what is needed for AOS after the marriage, I-134 is what is needed for the K1 visa. It is written I-864 on the website embassy because it was previously used for K1 too. In packet 3, the paragraph about "financial information" contains a reference to the I-864, but they crossed it out and wrote I-134 on top of it. So, the form you need is the I-134.
(it sounds like I know everything but that's not true: actually I was afraid we didn't fill out the right form, so it was a relief when I read what was written on packet 3)


Welcome here Cheryl!

Hello Sunny! let's all hope that this week is yours

Welcome to Cheryl!

Courtney - hurrah for your interview! I guess we had better start an official interview list soon!

boohbah - Registering your child's birth at US embassy. Your child (congratulations, by the way!) should (provided your fiancé meet the criteria) be eligible for US citizenship, and should also be able to hold a US passport, thus there is no need for your child to go through immigration.

Good Monday morning, all - I hope that this week brings many more approvals. I just had my last vaccinations. The HPV not only took all of my remaining money for this month but also stung and caused a little bleeding! Typical! The TDaP and MMR were completely painless, by the way - couldn't even feel them going in.

Hey Rachel good to hear you done with the jabs! Was that all you had to get then or did you get others as well? Have you got your interview date set yet?! How exciting!!!

No interview date yet - I can't send back Packet 3 just yet. Still waiting on my police certificate and on Alex's dad's affidavit of support (the bank letter, specifically).

I only had to have the MMR (had that a fortnight ago), the TDaP and HPV, so I'm all done now. The HPV is actually a six month course of three injections, but I will only have time to get two before I move. AOS only requires you to have had the first one, but I may as well have all I can.

Nearly there now, though! My next big worry is how to move all of my possessions - how did Gareth move his? Or didn't he have that many?

Also: Some cheerleaders for a NoA2 for you!

EDIT: The super-lovely nurse who gave me my vaccinations said she'd have the record ready to collect at reception by the end of the week. So I'll take that to the London medical to wave in their face to prove I don't require any more injections.

Sorry to hear about the delay Sunny,

Am pulling for you guys here........have been busy this week with work but we have Maria's interview set for July 9 and Medical will be about a week before that.......

Good luck to everyone with the NOA-2 that are still waiting for it!

Eric

hi steven! my fiance also put "manila" on that question on the application form... i am currently living in "metro manila" as well and never leave anywhere else..

im just curious why it went to the HK embassy. u mean the NVC will sent it to the nearest embassy on your beneficiary's address??
[/quote]


Yes, that is what they do...send it to the embassy nearrest the beneficory's curent (as of when you filed for visa or last filed change) address. I tried to notify the NVC of her anticipated address change but they were to quick for me and had already sent it to Hong Kong USE before they processed my address change request.

Small update about our life (nothing to do with the immigration process): Bryan moved in our new apartment yesterday. He took today off to finish unpacking everything

Awesome! I am so pleased that you guys will have your own place. Remind him to leave a few empty shelves and cupboards for your belongings!

He knows that. And if he doesn't leave enough space for my belongings, I'll throw away his !
So far, he said that the night was comfortable and quiet.

Congratulations Cecile - this really is going to be great for you two!

Thanks Blake

Good morning all:) Congrats on the interview date! How exciting Thinking about you Steph and hopes for a quick approval:) Does seem a bit suspicious to get two touches after your call..........

Good morning Heather! How're you this lovely Monday?

Good morning Andrea I'm doing great.. You seem chipper today, good weekend?

Does anyone know how I might find out if the consulate received our petition before Levi actually gets packet 3?

Meh...just trying not to go crazy over here. As for finding out if the petition arrived...I know there's a way to sort of track it with DHL...it's been posted here a couple of times, let me see if I can find it.

Try this...I found it in another thread:

Please read with the understanding that there are No guarentees here, but just to give you all some information.

It appears that NVC uses DHL as their shipper for embassy packages bound for beneficiary's country embassy's. I know this is nothing new, but on the DHL website (www.dhl.com), you can search for packages based on reference and package number. The first thing you have to do is determine the package number that MIGHT contain your beneficiary's paperwork. As of this posting, this might help or this might drive you crazy. If NVC or DHL changes how they do things, this could all fall apart, but here goes....

Being good beaurcrats, NVC seems to usually code the reference with some form of the following: 'EXP 26 NOV 2007A' where the date is somewhere near (on or before by a day or two) the actual date of shipment. If you KNOW the date they shipped to the embassy (NVC told me and others) then you can adjust the date accordingly and search on reference. You'll see a list of shipments to each of the embassys they shipped to with that reference. For example, if you access the website and enter 'EXP 26 NOV 2007A' into the search by reference area, you'll see 3 pages of shipments. Make sure that the date range includes Nov 26 & 27, but it can be much wider.

You can then look down the list and click on the specific package going to the right embassy. It will contain all the current tracking information, as well as allow you to sign up for updates. Of course, there is no guarentee that you've got the exact package, because it doesn't list the contents. But you can be lulled into a hopeful state that it does, and at least know when THAT package gets to the embassy.

The only anomoly I found was there were packages shipped with 'EXPEDITE IV SECTION' as a reference. You can see an example by looking up shipment #8177298920. I found this one by doing a search by number and feeding in blocks of 25 shipment numbers, starting with the highest from the most recent day of shipment, based on the reference sequence. It appears that the shipment numbers are in order, but NOT sequential. This is probably due to the fact that they use pre-printed forms for shipping, with the numbers printed on them. However, there are gaps in the sequence so don't expect to get 25 returns for 25 numbers requested. There was a place where the number sequence made a HUGE change, but I attribute that to them running out of forms on one pre-printed pack of labels and some shipping guy just started with another set.

Thanks for the info I'll try that if he doesn't get the packet soon.... I'm thinking it should be soon since NVC mailed it out on the 10th.... Would be nice if he gets it before he's here for his visit so we can work on it together cause he doesn't have a clue LMAO

lol...sounds like you're about as much of a control freak as I am. I want to stand over Dennis' shoulder and make sure he does it the way I want it done. I've looked at all of the forms though...they seem pretty straight forward.

I actually got mad at him for a second the other day because I wanted him to go ahead and make the appointment for his medical as it could take a bit to get in and I had just been on the phone with the IRS for an hour ordering my tax transcripts and he said he would just wait til he got the packet and do everything in "a nice orderly fashion" I was like WHAT?! Just do it already!!!

LMAO!! We had almost exactly the same argument! He wanted to hold off on finding out about his immunizations until he had packet 3. I was like "Do you have any idea how much time I have already spent trying to make sure everything is just so. Do. It. Now." He made the right choice and did...he also found out that the doctor in Winnipeg can schedule him within a week. I think there are two in Winnipeg...so Levi should be able to get in pretty quickly. Dennis said that when he called the lady was kind of blowing him off until he mentioned that it was for a visa and then she was all ears and gave him all the information he needed.

LOL!! Smart man.. Good to know it won't take long then. Which doctor is he going to? I saw the two in Winnipeg and gave the info to Levi but I know he's going to wait for the packet I gave him the same speech about how I've been checking into all the info and I know what I'm talking about so there!!! I also said maybe he should get a second copy of his birth certificate in case they keep the other but he thinks them keeping the other is ridiculous and why would they do that so not ordering another.........

Seems that still work, I just tried it out for fun lol.. all packages found were send to embasseys from Portsmouth and they all contained US diplomatic papers lol



btw... love ur sig haha

How did you type it in? I tried but didn't work...

I saw one going to Canada.. you'll have to do it on this page:

http://track.dhl-usa.com/TrackByRef.asp?nav=TrackByRef

(its the USA website, I don't know if it makes any difference but to be sure I just set the DHL site to that one)

Then, just type in the following:

EXP 13 JUN 2008A

which basically is last friday, june 13th.. the dates below that should be ok, it is a bigger range but that doesn't matter, really

The one to Canada is on the second page btw

Thanks Looks like Vancouver received it Friday so he should hopefully get the packet within a week or so!

Dennis couldn't remember who he had called...he just looked at the forms from packet 3 again and he thinks he called Dr. Ray Singer's office.

no prob

I hope you're right but to be honest, I don't know if you are.. I mean, I see it happen with some countries (Canada might be different, though) that they send package 3 out about 2 weeks after they received the petition..

OK good to know.... One was a litle cheaper than the other I remember but with one you had to wait longer for the results... Guess its not that big of a deal. I just get impatient sometimes

I checked on the Canada forum and it looks like its about a week from the time the consulate receives it til packet 3 is sent out but depends on Canadian post as to how long it takes Levi to actually get it

Ahh ic.. that's cool then Hope he gets it soon

Hmm.. My SO is finishing the I-134 forms and she was wondering what to put at question #3, which is my age.. my birthday is in 10 days and since she will get it notarized before my birthday, I told her to put my current age and not my age in 10 days otherwise she would basically be lying.

Now I am wondering, though, do you guys think I said the right thing?

I think she put your age now as she will have it noterized before your birthday....

X2. Make it reflect your age at the date of the Notarization.

hehe cool, thanks peeps

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! Avast ye maties, git ready for boarding o' the scow.........

Love the pic aravis.

Well..... Olga is due back home tomorrow...along with the application fromthe NVC. Geeze Louise, I sure am ready to talk to her. About time if I say so myself. it's been three weeks and it sucks. By this time tomorrow, however, all will be forgotten and I'll be smiling.......

Clear the decks, and prepare to fire.....

"I-864 is what is needed for AOS after the marriage, I-134 is what is needed for the K1 visa. It is written I-864 on the website embassy because it was previously used for K1 too. In packet 3, the paragraph about "financial information" contains a reference to the I-864, but they crossed it out and wrote I-134 on top of it. So, the form you need is the I-134.
(it sounds like I know everything but that's not true: actually I was afraid we didn't fill out the right form, so it was a relief when I read what was written on packet 3)"

Thank you very much! i should let DAmon know now. I think he downloaded the I 864...
Congrats for your new apartment!!!i wish you lots of happiness there!

Hurrah!

My arms ache horribly from yesterday's vaccinations! I didn't sleep well at all. Every time I rolled over onto one of my arms I was painfully conscious of it, but I don't sleep too well on my back.

That's something I was thinking about the other day. Shouldn't vaccines get done in different days? I mean, medically speaking, couldn't it make someone sick to have several different vaccines at the same time? (but maybe I am completely wrong, I was never good in biology classes )

It depends on what kind of vaccine you get injected. I had several shots at once a few years ago before my trip to china (Hep A, typhoid and DTP) and that was no problem at all.. Sometimes people may feel a bit ill after a shot but they'll feel better soon again after it (it's basically the vaccine kicking in hehe).

Oh ok. Thanks for clarification. It just seems weird to me that they can inject us several different "products" at the same time, but they're doctors, I bet they know what they're doing

Rachel -ughhhh about the sore arms! Shots do suck!

Aravis- That pic had me cracking up last night too funny!

Cecile- CONGRATS on Brian moving into your new place! You are gonna be so happy to have your own place and privacy!

Blake- Cannot wait to hear what Olga has to say! I know you are excited to finally speak with her! You must be going nutty wanting to let her know!

As for us well nothing since the touch on Saturday......waiting waiting waitinggggg