I'm glad things are moving for you and Luis

And thank you for your BIG congrats to us. We just decided on a Wedding date tonight as well. We filed on the 4th, interview on the 4th so getting married on the 4th

Yeah come on NVC, give Kim and Russell back their paperwork. Or I'll send "The Boys" round.........

It took a week, but there were a few problems.

Tuesday: Interview. Computers were down at Embassy so CO said something like provisional approval because I can't do the final check until the computers are up, but go pay courier. Courier said our computers are down and wrote out a receipt and the reference number was basically the date. Something like 20080729A...don't remember but it wasn't enough numbers. (Question: Did you get a computerized or just sloppy hand writing receipt?)

Friday: Thought we would have a text msg by then. None. Called DOS who told me it said he was a no-show at interview. Geeez! I told her we both were there. She said she could look in another place. AHA! Your visa was approved and printed on Thurs. The courier should have picked it up Thursday.

Monday: Still no text so called SMS. Your reference number doesn't have enough digits. Tip: if you should need to call SMS, press whatever the menu says for "schedule a pickup". That's the only way I got a person. Ok, that person finds it and says it's on the truck and out for delivery. Called back around 5:45 and asked is it still coming? Oh the truck broke down at lunchtime so his afternoon deliveries aren't being delivered. I complained nicely that I had spent 10 hours inside the house so not to miss the driver and did I have to spend 10 more on Tuesday? Call back at 8am and we will give you a 1 hour window.

Tuesday: Still no text, but given 3:00-4:00 pm window. Went shopping. He finally came near 5pm I think. Needless to say, I called them a bunch and did learn that they can call the driver and ask where he is and will call you back and tell you.

SMS stands for Secure Mail Sucks.

I truly hope yours comes with no hitches. I have no idea why we never got a text message. Maybe because the courier computers were down, it just never got put in the system. Maybe two days to approve and print the visa was longer because of the computers. It only had to come from London to Oxford...hour and a half maybe?

Just noticed your dates. Nice.
May the fourth be with you.

Hellooo April.. hope u r doing ok guyz.. Graham n Megan congrats on your visa approval!!
yeeeeeeee good newsss .. I didnt call them yet but Ill do.. Im almost rdy for the medical and still gathering the paperwork and evidence.. Im so excited that we'll be attending the interview very soon.. Suzy recuerda que nos veremos en Lima, estan cordialmente invitados a mi casa para celebrar!!

Besos para todos.

Claroooo mija... Mi cumpleaños cae en Octubre, el 17.. y ya tu sabes.... es hora para una fiesta

Do they only deliver to your house? Can you specify a time for delivery?
Also, can you pay your courier fee before you are approved (my medical is booked for AFTER my interview so it will still be pending)

Feeling down even though things are a'happening...we still have at least 2 months apart ahead of us...of course I try to push the feeling down and cover it up with smiles and things to do and optimistic thoughts...but sometimes just as you open your eyes in the morning - it hits you in the gut when you're off your guard and you see the grey light of dawn and the cold reality of miles and aloneness that sucks...even though I fight the feeling, it is still there, my little demon.. waiting...

They will deliver to any address you put on the paper. They will release it to another person, if you leave id like a driver's license or credit card with your name on it. You can pay for before 8 am delivery, or 10am, or noon I believe if you want to narrow down the time.

The Embassy will have you leave the passport and pay the courier if you are going to be approved in a few days. If the medical is a few weeks after, they might not keep your passport that long. Or if they see there are more name checks that will take several weeks, they won't keep the passport. In that case they say they will notify you when to send the passport back to London via Sms courier. So you call courier and schedule a pickup of the passport from you. I guess you pay a fee to get it to London and also another to deliver it back to you at that time.

graham, couldn't be more thrilled for you buddy! I dont know what to tell you about the I134. In all my time here i've never heard that or read it in any instructions either. Perhaps you just had a dum-dum CO? Although, I'm sure you love him! What happened to the 18th??? It's the day we MAY get married too but I dont think I told you that.

Suzy...finally progress! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. btw..that video the other day was pretty funny...i needed it thanks!

Well as far as I know we're still stuck at NVC. 3 weeks today we've been there. It's tough for sure.... we just both ache so badly to be together. Thanks for all your warm wishes, hopefully it wont be much longer.

Well folks....we're finally on our way to New Zealand!!!!

couldn't help but check DHL tonight and saw a shipment... I tried several times to call NVC and just got that spanish chick that comes on and lets you know you're going to be sent back to the automated system. So at 10 I tried again while I was talking to Russ and the lady said... "yes, it's been sent out...woooooohoooooo!" ....excited but still wanting to make sure I heard her right I asked her when...she says... "it was sent yesterday wooooooohoooooo" She was so cute and excited for us...was nice. Anyway, it feels like NOA2 all over again and we know it really wont be long now! "wooohooo"

Yay Kim and Russ!!!


<3 Jen

CONGRATS!!!! I'm so very happy for you both!

I'm so happy for you both Kim

I'll be sure to tell Megan as soon as she gets up. Can't believe we only have one more Saturday apart now!!!!!! Got my flights booked yesterday. Leaving Edinburgh on Thursday 18th September at 1150 GMT and arriving New York JFK at 1435 EST. Then heading on to Pittsburgh at 2129 and arriving at 2319. All for less than £400 all in!!!!!!

Good luck everyone

Thanks everyone... we've got those stupid grins we had after noa2 going again. Been watching our package move all night....NH, NY, Ohio...on it's way to LAX. All this movement after so many years... it's better than Christmas!

Graham, I thought you were leaving on the 12th?? Was I dreaming that? Sounds like you found a deal on a flight tho! I am the queen of low airfare/hotels (priceline helps ) but you just can't find those deals to/from NZ. It will cost Russell about 1,500 to fly home and that's VERY cheap. In January I paid $2,600 for a r/t ticket.

Just having a date has got to feel so good. I'm thrilled for you!

awe kim im sooo excited for u.........finally it wont be much longer now

Thats great news Kim and Russ, good luck with the interview russ.

Congratulations Kim!!



I actually feel relieved right now, I was pretty upset that you 2 were waiting while the rest of us were moving along.
Congrats on going to the US Graham!! You're stopping at JFK?? Hey if you guys make any plans to come to the NYC you have an official tourguide. And NO - I'm not one of those corny tourguides - so don't worry. Same goes for everybody!

Finally!! I'm happy for you guys ...

Congrats Kim, wont be long now, especially since Russ already has Packet 3 and I hear the US embassy in NZ is pretty quick!.

I just dropped in to let everyone know I was approved yesterday!, 3 hours well spent hehe!

Thanks nicola! Congratulations to you as well.

got a question here guyz.. I just realized that some of you are waiting for your medical after being approved in the embassy.. after the interview.. I thought you'd have to get the medical results in a closed envelope before the interview.. Im so confused..

If the Embassy hasn't received your medical they simply hold your visa until it comes.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes. We're very happy. It's a shame we're not all closer so we could really celebrate!

I'm always late with the congrats!

Yeah Kim!!!

It does feel like Christmas doesn't it???

Lauren

thx for reply kim!! and good luck with your final process!!
same to you all April filers!!

I haven't received the packet 3 yet.. when are they going to send me the interview date.. with p.3 o p.4??
I just cant wait.. I want my interview to be soon, bc my baby's bday is on the 30th. awww

Suzyyy!!! como vas??

Hey guys,

I'm at work.... bored on a Saturday night.

Congratulations Nicola!!!
Where are you moving to in the US???

Verito...
Luis llamo y hablo con alguien en la embajada el Miercoles. Le dijieron que llego, y que todo esta bien y que le van a enviar un paquete a su casa en San Bartolo y que va a demorar una semana. Le dijieron tambien que les llame el lunes para saber la fecha de la entrevista.

No te preocupes, puedes llamar y preguntarles si ha llegado, y si saben ya la fecha. Suerte mija!
Nos vemos en Lima!!!! Estoy extranando la comida, la 1ra cosa que voy a pedir es jalea y chicha morada

Suzy

Ya..what she said ^

Good Sunday morning everyone. How much more beautiful the mornings are when you have good news.

Our petition is over water right now high in the air.... It's monday in NZ so we're hoping it will be delivered today and that Russell can call tomorrow to schedule his interview. We can dream.

Have a great day folks!

Bit late on this (just got back from scouserland - cracking night) but congrats. Oh and btw, I got my flight to St Louis for £183. I think you'll find that makes ME queen of cheap airfares, Miss Kim................................I mean king...............KING.....

Thank ya ma'am....errrr SIR.

Thanks for the offer Suzy, we might well take you up on that one day. I'm hoping to be able to check my bags early when I land in New York so I can go in to the city for a few hours, just to actually see it. And look at some hotels for my parents now that they are finally coming over.

We received our Visa this morning. Paid for the before 8am service, tuned up at 8.30am and no text the night before that it was going to be here this morning. Stupid Mail Services!!!!!!

Graham, congratulations! Wonderful news to start our week!

I've got a little more...our petition reached the New Zealand Embassy @ 3:10 (NZ time) yesterday. We were joking that we should call 5 minutes after it arrived to let them know that "Rona" had signed for it and to see if it was too early to try and schedule his interview.

Hopefully we'll have more good news by this afternoon.

Have a great start to your week people!

I'm having a crap start to my week, Kim, on account of me feeling violently ill after a heavy weekend on the lash. Just thought you'd like to know.

you lightweights really must learn how to pace yourself properly!

You have a nicer name for SMS than I do. They are supposed to refund your money if they don't get there by 8:00 aren't they?
At any rate - Whew! - it's there in your hands. Congratulations.

I received my appointment package on Friday.

My SO was very excited to hear the news. I am planning to leave for Mexico on the 4th of October and return on the 13th with my SO, if all goes well.

The tentatave schedule is to drive to Juarez from Guadalajara on the 5th. Medical exam on Monday the 6th, Consulate the 7th, and hopefully drive back to Guadalajara on the 8th.

My SO's family is planning a small fiesta for Saturday, then we plan on flying home Monday.

Well, that is the plan. We shall see. We all know what happens to well made plans. But at least as a former marine friend of mine says, it is better to a have plan than no plan.


Brian

Congrats Brian

How long does it take from NVC to consulate?? I got this today and wondering what's up...

Dear Mr. ____:

Thank you for your email message of September 02, 2008. The Consular Section is pleased to inform you that currently your fiancée's case has been loaded electronically into our database. However, the hard copy of the case has not been received yet. Therefore, we cannot take any action on the case until we receive the hard copy of the approved petition from the National Visa Center (NVC). Upon the receipt of the hard copy of the case the instructions on how schedule an appointment will be mailed to the applicant.

Ours was sent out Friday and arrived in New Zealand yesterday. Have you called NVC? Do you know it left?

Yeah, Kim is the total expert on that.

I learned from others, that the general time line for the appointment package for Mexico was about a month. For me, it is stressful checking up on the package. For others, checking is a re-assuring act that makes them feel better. Our package took about three weeks, but then again it is actually sent to El Paso, then driven to Juarez about twenty minutes away.

Certainly, not the worldly route that yours and Kim's package must go through.

I would not be overly concerned with your latest email. Easy for me to say, right?

It just sounds like an update letting you know that everything has been updated in the computer and that they are simply waiting for the docs to physically arrive. I would just check on the delivery of the docs to ease your mind. But, unlike my first reversal, your email gives no hint of any problems other than the speed fo the courier.

I am sure somewhere in this thread Kim, or someone else has posted the number to call.

Let us know what happens,

Stay Positive,

Brian

Well - we just got our interview date too!

10-16 7:45am

I'm cautiously optimistic. Part of me dreads to find out if we'll be sucked in the AP blackhole - but each day is one day closer I guess.

As much as I'd love to be there for the interview it looks like it just can't happen. I need to decide between keeping my job and going. I have great arguments for both sides - but we've talked about it and it looks like me staying here and praying is the best choice.

Hi Milo, how long did it take from NVC to the embassy? Just curious...

Ours was super quick - not sure how we lucked out on that!

I-129F NOA2 : 2008-08-11
NVC Received : 2008-08-13
NVC Left : 2008-08-15
Consulate Received : 2008-08-18

We were in and out in no time. Shocked me actually. Here's hoping the next part of this is just as quick - I'm praying for none to limited AP.

WTF? I called NVC and they told me that it left their office August 18th. They said "Well the embassy has our number and can contact us if there is a problem..."

Hi. I just looked at DHL and a shipment left for the Ukraine on the 18th and was delivered the 20th
Shipment 9438083362

Hey guys,
sorry to sneak in you april filers but I was wondering.... how do you check if the package/group of packages has left NVC for a consulate? I read the instructions somewhere but couldnt make them work
I know I wont need it for a while, but hey!!! I am still educating myself

Thanks Nich-Nick...Wonder if DHL is that fast?? But embassy above says they received nothing....



I verified today by just calling NVC directly....

Do you mean how do you track DHL. Here is an explanation I gave before



For the one I looked at for desenchantee, he said it left on Aug 18, which was a Monday so went back to Friday, Aug 15 and entered EXP 15 AUG 2008A then put the date range Aug 18 to Aug 18.

Desenchantee--Yes DHL is that fast. You can track it every step of the way. Going to paste it in here, but the columns will squash up, so try to decipher it.

8/20/2008 4:24 pm Shipment delivered. Kiev, Ukraine Why is this?
2:41 pm With delivery courier. Kiev, Ukraine
1:04 pm Arrived at DHL facility. Kiev, Ukraine
6:48 am Depart Facility Leipzig, Germany

8/19/2008 11:27 pm Transit through DHL facility Leipzig, Germany
9:35 am Depart Facility New York City Gateway, NY
6:29 am Transit through DHL facility New York City Gateway, NY
5:45 am Depart Facility Wilmington, OH
2:12 am Processed at DHL Location. Wilmington, OH
1:26 am Transit through DHL facility Wilmington, OH
12:29 am Depart Facility Harrisburg, PA
12:27 am Transit through DHL facility Harrisburg, PA

8/18/2008 8:15 pm Depart Facility Portland - Airport, ME
8:12 pm Transit through DHL facility Portland - Airport, ME
7:39 pm Depart Facility Portsmouth, NH
3:32 pm Processed at DHL Location. Portsmouth, NH
2:51 pm Shipment picked up Portsmouth, NH

Yours is either misplaced OR perhaps they are behind in processing so they just leave the deliveries unopened until they are ready to process them. Kinda like our boxes on the shelf in Vermont. That seems like a reasonable answer. You can call the DOS and ask them what info they have. They will know if it's logged in to the system in Kiev. Did you get a letter from NVC (hardcopy) saying your file had been forwarded to Kiev? You should have had that by now.

Thanks for the info! Yes, I recieved a letter in mail that it was forwarded to Kiev. The only thing the embassy says it that it's electronically in the system but no hard copy recieved. Perhaps you are right about the unopened deliveries...

Looking at this, Kiev is getting much slower at processing...could very well be a backlog you are part of. It's a dramatic shift since summer.

Thanks very much for this chart and info. I guess I just need to be patient at this point

That's OK, Luis called the embassy a few days after the petition was delivered and they said they didn't have it. When we finally got through (It's a big pain in the butt to talk to somebody over there), they told him that it was just received that day - and that was impossible since it most definetely got there a week before.

It's probably on somebody's desk waiting to be worked on. Remember, they are civil servants, even if they aren't in the US, lol.

Suz

ahh its scary Ive got my interview THIS week!! I went into town and found the American Embassy (just to be sure to be there in time for my EIGHT AM interview- its SOO early!!!) Its quite the formidable/intimidating building!
Im gonna fill up on coffee and be a jittery wreck that morning hehe Even though our relationship is as real as my heart Ive still been revising my 'facts' lol, like when did we meet, where did he propose etc Now Ive got to get my 'evidence' together, I have about one zillion emails, so I guess a screenshot of how MANY emails and a few print outs + photos + plane tickets should do?

Then its the medical on Monday...oh joy...the needles and invasion of privacy...the things we do for love!!!