Hi there,
I'm a bit confused (and stressed) about all the changes. My husband and I sent off our inital paperwork and the DSD2001 asking for an interview in early July. Then we read about the changes, and since we hadn't heard anything back from immigration yet, we wrote an e-mail to the service asking if the new changes applied to us even though we'd already sent our application in. Yesterday we received the two pieces of information we were waiting on, but with opposite messages! My wife received her date for an interview with a case number in the mail (early July, as we asked), but the email said we had to follow the new changes.

Please, if anyone has some advice, we'd appreciate it. Don't want to go and stir up something by asking more questions if we've already got an interview, but then, also don't want to turn up at the interview to be told we should have followed the new procedures. My husband bought his ticket to Australia yesterday (non refundable) so it's all feeling a bit like a bad joke.

I realize this is a new situation, but if anyone can suggest some advice, that'd be great.

Your post is a little confusing too as you say "my husband and I" and then "my wife" and then "my husband" Since there are two "my husband" and one "my wife", I'm assuming you are the wife and the Australian citizen and your husband is the US citizen?

You have a case number and an interview letter, sounds official to me and I would go by that and not the email. Anyone else?

What was the exact request you had mailed/asked them? Did you ask specifically for a Visa interview in conjunction with your husband applying for the I-130? I hope the scheduled interview isn't JUST for the I-130 that your husband has to personally submit with you having to follow onto Sydney in 4-6 weeks.

I'm not sure what to think either. If they've sent you a case number, I think you're probably being considered under the old system. The new system states that the DS-230 parts 1 & 2 can't be submitted until after the I-130 is filed, so I would think that a case number wont' be given until that point. If you already have yours, you're probably save. This would also fit with what tuttobella said about the changes being implemented from August 1.

Furthermore, what city to do live in? If you're outside Sydney and they've allowed the Sydney interview, this would seem to match with the old system (as under the new system the I-130 has to be filed in other states if applicable).

If you are in Sydney, perhaps you could drop in on a Thursday to ask some questions? It might be helpful to talk to someone face to face.

I say: Don't confuse them more! Keep one person working on your file and don't start multiple communications with them. If you have a case number, and interview date and forms already returned, you don't even KNOW about any "new system", dig?

Write back, confirm your July appointment and do the rest of your paperwork steps.

Really, don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

Hi guys,
thanks for all your advice. Yeah, we definitely over-thought the whole thing, and got prematurely stressed about making it in time for the 'old' system. Looks like the cut-off for the old system is definitely 1 August. Our interview is still on, so here's hoping it all goes off without a hitch. Are we supposed to write to the consulate to confirm our appointment, or just turn up on the day?
Thanks again. This whole process would have been a lot more painful without this site!

Evi, if I had my appointment scheduled via a letter, that would be good enough for me. If you got the date verbally or some other informal manner, IMO, it's always a good idea to confirm (goes for all kinds of appts).