Well, I filed our DS-230 paperwork from Bulgaria and after checking and re-checking the document list, managed to FORGET to send photocopies of the documents. So here I was waiting for the RFE to tell me that -- and/or that we didn't get exactly the right police document, that the military document was not acceptable, whatever.... But tonight I finally managed to get through to NVC from here (no touchtone phones in this town!) and heard the magical words, "Your case has been completed."

Ironically, I was playing around with the DHL tracking system last week (it's really cool to see all the NVC packages going out to all the different countries!) and I saw a package going to Sofia on July 10 -- that was *us*.

Anyway, just an FYI if anyone else out there made the same mistake of neglecting the photocopies ... apparently the NVC cares about "N/A" vs. "None" on the form but not the photocopies.

THANKS to everyone for providing the information about the online payment system!!!

/bb

We haven't made it as far as you have, but I'm quite sure that it must feel great to have the case sent on! Would you mind sharing where I can find out more info on that DHL tracking? I've also been reading an exchange about the N/A and None options and still am confused about what would be best for us to use.
I'll be mailing in the DS 230 forms soon and hopefully will be using this service that you mention to see our case change continents!
Congrats again!

congratz

Somebody on this forum posted this fascinating link a while ago and I had bookmarked it just waiting until I could use it...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=98172

So I went to
http://track.dhl-usa.com/TrackByRef.asp?nav=TrackByRef
and typed in EXP 09 JUL 2008A

Have fun with that!

/bb

So what did you send with the DS-230 cover sheet? Just the DS-230 form and that's it? According to the DOS website, CR1/IR1 visa petitions going through Sofia need to send all the civil documents to the NVC and then the NVC will make the appointment with the embassy. Now, the DOS web site might be incorrect but I think it's best to call them to find out what happened just in case they made a mistake and then delay your process even more.

If all is correct and the DOS site is not, then make sure to have all the civil documents ready for the interview because the embassy will need to see them.

Diana

Your case was completed AND forwarded to the embassy the SAME DAY?? WOW!!! Congratulations! My case was completed 25-June and I'm still waiting for them to schedule an interview in Montreal and forward my case to the embassy. I understand that there are certainly much more inefficient embassies than MTL though!

Hi - sorry for the confusion, what I meant is that I didn't include the requested photocopies of every document. I sent all the rest of the required paperwork (marriage/divorce/police/military/birth certificate/biographic page of passport).

But the one thing I thought of after I posted was that I did include translations of all the documents, even though it supposedly wasn't required. So technically they received 2 copies of everything, one in Bulgarian and one in English. Maybe that was enough and they didn't RFE me to make photocopies and send the whole thing back .... I'll probably never know. I was fully expecting the RFE. I discovered my mistake the day after it was in the mail and have been mentally kicking myself ever since.

Anyway, hopefully no one who is reading the VJ posts will ever make that same mistake!

Thanks again for everyone's help! This board has been an invaluable resource.

/bb

I dont think photocopies are required. I only sent in the documents as original or certified copies and that was it , was completed with no problems.

You didn't have to send photocopies. All they want is original documents or certified copies when the originals are not available. So you were correct and that's why they completed your case.

Good luck with everything!

Diana

Congrats and goodluck with your interview.