Congratulations!!! I hope he is adjusting well to American life. It is so cold here in Eastern, WA I'm afraid when Sayaka gets here in January that she might freeze to death

Hello all Japan filers,

I wanted to say hi and to tell you that I got the approval (NOA2) on Nov. 19.
I noticed it when I checked the website because my fience and I didn't get
the email notification from USCIS.
I called him soon and we are so happy. I hope the rest of the process will be done soon.

I hope all Japan filers can get the visa soon.

Miki

.............


Sometimes I wish my wife was Nihon instead of Vietnamese.......(I like Japanese Food better..and Japanese is EASIER TO SPEAK than vietnamese)

My ex wife was 1/4 Japanese....her grandma could COOK!!!

As of Yesterday Sayaka was approved at the embassy for her K1 Visa. They said she should be getting it in the mail in 1 week!!!!

Congrats to both of you!

I'm starting to see other Japanese-July filers starting to get their NOA2, so I'm starting to get anxious.

Have you guys gotten your hard copy yet? We were approved on the website on the same day, Nov. 19th, but so far no e-mail and no letter....

Ah, my case has been touched, first time in 4 months and 2 days... I'm hoping for the best!

Oh, a few minutes after I posted this, I got a confirmation email for the USCIS...

This wasn't just some touch, they sent out my NOA2! WOOO HOOOO!

Man, NOA1 to NOA2 has to be the worst part of the process... waiting and waiting while being separated. But, it's moving forward now. My day is full of awesome today.

Congratulations!!!

get ready for things to move faster from here. Have your fiance start getting her stuff together because the Japanese embassy is FAST!

I need help. Please.
My fiance sent a package in July. Well, he included 6 pictures of us. BUT, one of those pictures has a wrong date. It was only taken by his cellphone. He took all of them to Walgreen to develop. OK, the picture which was taken by his cell has a correct date on the back of the picture. Usually any pictures taken by cellphones show dates. He thought that the date was a file number. He got stressed out and tried his best to find the date. (well, it was there!). And he remember it was something summer, so he estimated that the date was July 10th. It caused trouble. It was taken by sep 9th, 2006 AND, on July 10th, I was visiting my family in Japan, so there was no way we could take a picture together. Well, now, I have no idea what to do. A lawyer said do not call USCIS and just wait. BUT, if I do not get RFE or any chances to fix this problem, I need to do that before my interview at the embassy. I do not want to swear before I fix. Should I send a letter to the embassy if I get NOA2? Or what should I do? How should I explain about this stupid mistake? I hope that USCIS deny us due to dishonesty. It was a simple error and we included other pictures which are fine. Ahh Pls. Help me.

Good to see all these Japan filers in one place. I wish I had found this when we were sending our packet in. The good news is that things seem to move fast and the interview at the embassy is so easy and short. Takako's interview was about 5 minutes and she got the visa 2 days later. She spent less that 1 hour clearing immigration at her POE (Chicago) and everything has gone well. We were so happy to be together that we were a bit slack in preparing our AOS paperwprk. We got married on Saturday so we have time, but the sooner we file the sooner she can get work authorization.

My only problem is that when I was living in Japan I wasn't filing taxes. I'll need to clear this up a some stage but it's not a huge concern now.

Good luck to everyone and if you have questions,please ask.

Also, to the person was asking about the photo, I wouldn't stress too much. I doubt they will even notice. I don't think they do serious review unless any of the basic info raises a flag.

That's what I like to hear! Just got the word yesterday that our package had left NVC, and was on its way to Tokyo!

I think you'll be fine. If ANYTHING you could get an RFE for lack of evidence, but I imagine that you will be just fine. The embassy didn't even ask to see any evidence from my fiance.

One more weird question. Q34 on DS230 is asking me where you assisted in completing this application? If answer is yes, give name and address of person assiting you, indicating whether relative, friend, travel agent, attorney, or other) well, I did not hire a lawyer or anything. But, I asked a couple of uncertain questions on this VJ forum, does it consider assisting? I called US embassy in Tokyo to ask one question about DS230, but of course, the lady was not my friend or anyone and I do not even know her name and address. Does this question mean did someone filled this out? or something like that? I am really confused.

I would only answer "yes" if an individual personally sat next to me and directed me. If you have no name to give then say "no".

Hello Japan filers!!!!

I am in the last stages of the process at the NVC. They mailed me the DS-230 this week.
My wife in Japan asked me a few questions and I told her that I would ask the Japan filers.
She wants to get her police certificate now instead of waiting for Tokyo to send her a packet of instructions. Has anyone done this? Are there any documents that you need for this? Can this be done?
Also, how long does it take to get the police certificate?

Thanks everyone!!!!

My wife who was a Japanese resident got her Japanese police clearance (Toyota City) after she received her packet of instructions from the Tokyo embassy but before she received her K1 packet of instructions from the embassy. The first set of instructions detailed requirements for her to identify herself in order to get the K1 packet and subsequent interview. The police asked for the K1 packet but were satisfied with packet of instructions she had as it was official documentation from the Tokyo embassy. She applied for the police certificate on May 30th and was able to pick it up on June 12th.

Cheers

Hey dbzman.

My fiancee mentioned that she was under the impression that she would be able to get her police records once she had a copy of the NOA2. I just sent her my I-384 with supporting documents and evidence of an ongoing relationship, along with a duplicate copy of the entire I-129F packet that I sent to Nebraska. So, I'll find out soon, if she attempts to get this sealed document from the police when she receives the documents I sent to her.

If that isn't enough for the police to release her records, she should be contacted by the consulate in a couple of weeks anyway.

Interesting, I didn't know that the NVC would mail you a DS-230. I thought that was a form for our Nihonjin significant other's to fill out, and would be in the packet of stuff they get from the consulate out there. I downloaded a current copy from the DOS a couple of days ago just to review it.

Sorry Moltar,

I should not have said that they will send the DS-230. They will be sending the checklist and cover letter to submit the DS-230. I still have to download the DS-230 from the Internet.

Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks for letting me know if she get the police certificate!

Hi all,

I just found this thread and wanted to join in. We just filed our I-130 packet on Dec. 24th (Dec. 26th received) and are awaiting our NOA-1. I hope it doesn't take the 90 days they said it would.

Anyway, just wanted to introduce us. :)

Hello all, December I-130 filer here.
I just had a quick question for the other fellow nihon filers.
I keep reading everyone's timelines in the signatures and I never see anything about sending in the I-130.
I was always under the impression that you HAVE to send the I-130 petition regardless of if you are going the CR/IR, K-1/K-3 route.

Was this step just left out of the timeline or did most of you guys just start with the 129f and that's it?
If it was left out, how much time passed before you started the 129f process or was it done at the same time?

I filed for my wife in December and now I'm still trying to decide what I should do next.
Should I ride out the I-130 and go the CR\IR route or should I start getting her K3 packet ready to send...
I'm going to Tokyo to see her next week. I guess we will decide then.

Anyway, hajimemashite from Jeff and Ako!!

Just got NOA2!! I am surprised because we had some errors on our G-325a that I discovered after the fact. I was all ready to go, expecting an RFE for that. Also I expected an RFE because of lack of evidence of our meeting. All I sent in was three photographs, with handwritten dates. I sent in my I-129f before I discovered visajourney. Just goes to show--the process is fairly unpredictable. Thank God! Maybe this process will be shorter than I originally thought. Keep hope alive!

Welcome Justin, Masako, and Amastar.

Amastar, I just filed an I-129F for my fiancee, since we are unmarried. Talking with some lawyers and doing some research on the timelines, we determined that coming into the states on a K1 would be faster than a K3. So we chose that route and will get married whenever she gets here. We did not have to file an I-130, but we will have to adjust status once she gets here and we're married. Though, the adjusting status process won't be so bad because we'll already be together. I'm not sure, but I thought that you could file an I-129F to bring your wife into the States... but I'm no expert on any of this stuff. I'm barely able to keep up with my own route.

Congrats Daveyamf79! That was pretty fast.

Just called the NVC myself, discovered that they sent the case to Tokyo yesterday. Odd that they did that, since we specifically told them Osaka/Kobe. Hmm... I shouldn't be turning my nose up at progress... but I sure hope there aren't any more mistakes.

Can you request a consulate? I have been told that it could be done at the consulate but then also told that it has to be at the embassy (every time I call the USCIS I get different and often contradicting answers :( ). The Osaka/Kobe consulate would be far easier then going all the way to Tokyo to the embassy as Masako lives in Nara.

Thanks,

My girl is in Aichi, so I know what you mean.

Well, we put Osaka/Kobe on the I-129F, but NVC told me that they sent it to Tokyo. So I'm not sure if you can choose, or how it works. I didn't think to ask them why while I had them on the phone, but I'm about to call NVC again to get some more information. Fiancee did some research, and she found that all cases, at least initially, go to Tokyo. I'm surprised that I didn't find this bit of info with all the research that I've done.

Moltar,

I would be interested to know what you find out. And my wife has often found information that is new/contridictory to the info I have found. Mostly on the Japanese version of the US Embassy in Tokyo's site. For example, it says the pictures for the I-130 are valid for 6 months (meaning they must have been taken in the last 6 months) but the I-130 form says 3 months. Though that is USCIS vs. DoS so who knows. :/

Also I didn't file an I-129F as I went with the stand alone I-130 petition. So it may be a bit different. I am hoping that she can interview at the Osaka/Kobe consulate though.

Thanks,

Well, I just got a letter from the NVC today. It reads,



So, she'll be making a trip to Tokyo. She's thinking that she'll be able to do her medical exam in Kobe. She's also going to contact the police to see if they will start to gather her records with only showing them the NOA2.

We just happen to be on Skype at the moment, and I asked her about CR-1, and she is very sure that I-130's have to go to Tokyo for the interview. There's a cool $200+ shinkansen ride...

I'll post more when I find out about the medical and police records.

Aichi police will accept the NOA2 as sufficient documentation to prepare the records, and it takes them 2 weeks. She forgot to ask the cost. Speaking of costs, she discovered that the medical exam is flippin' 40k to 50k Yen! Hemorrhaging money, and we haven't had the pleasure of filing our AoS yet. (- -; Good thing we've got a money tree in the back yard. Oh wait, we don't.

EDIT: She called the police station again, and it will be free to produce the records. Awesome... a break.

Moltar,

Thanks for updating. Yeah its not cheap to go to Tokyo. And of course it depends on how long she has to wait and when her appointment is, she might have to spend the night there (also not cheap). :( The 40k to 50k JPY is ridiculous. That is going to hurt the pocket book. :( At least we don't have to look forward to the AoS since we are filing an I-130. I feel for you though. :(

Good to know about the police reports though. I hope Nara will be as fast and easy.

Thanks for all the news! :)

Fiancee was able to have the police department start gathering her police records today. She needed our copy of the NOA2, her family register, resident's card from the ward office (I have no freakin' idea what this is), and her passport in order for the police to start the process. They took fingerprints of all 10 fingers, and told her that they would get her the documents in two weeks. No cost.

Later that afternoon, she got her instruction packet (packet 3) from the embassy in Tokyo!

She also found out that if she has her medical exam in Tokyo, it will cost about 26k Yen. A lot less than Kobe. That price doesn't include any immunizations, but she read that K1 doesn't need any immunizations at this point until we file for our AoS here in the States. Ah, another bit of info - the clinic in Kobe takes two weeks to return the results, however, the clinic in Tokyo takes only 4 days to return the results.

Moltar:
Can you tell us what specifically is contained in Packet 3?

I am glad to hear that it is cheaper in Tokyo but that would mean another trip to Tokyo wouldn't it? Don't you need the medical before the interview? With another trip to Tokyo the savings would pretty much be a wash at that point. :/

Perhaps I have some error in my logic though, I could be understanding something incorrectly.

Thanks for the update though! :)

Daveyamf79,

I'll have video chat with her later tonight, and I'll ask her to show me all the items in the packet she got from the embassy.

"Justin and Masako",

Yeah, that would mean 2 trips to Tokyo, since it takes up to 4 days to get the medical results back. This stuff definitely ain't easy. We got lucky - one of her cousins lives in Tokyo and is getting married mid February, so her cousin's parents bought my fiancee and her daughter round-trip shinkansen tickets for the wedding. So one trip is taken care of.

Packet 3 Information

Cover letter - basically says to follow the instructions. Instructions are in both Japanese and in English.

1 - complete DS-230 part one biographic data (K1's only do part 1 of the DS-230) and mail back to the embassy with photocopy of beneficiary's passport photo page ASAP.
2 - Obtain forms and instructions from the embassy website... but packet contains all all the forms listed in the instructions.
3 - Request an appointment, must have medical forms, police documents, and all forms filled out per the instructions before making the appointment.
4 - Bring ExPack envelope, passport, all forms requested in instructions to the appointment.

Once you are sure you will get all of the documentation, you can make the appointment at anytime.

Included is a FAQ that explains how to fill out the DS-230, both in English and Japanese.

There are instruction about medical examination, and the following forms for the medical examination:

DS-2053 medical exam for immigrant or refugee applicant
DS-3024 chest x-ray and classification worksheet (because of the tuberculosis "immunization" that all Japanese get, a simple TB test will show positive, so they do an x-ray to check for TB)
DS-3025 vaccination documentation worksheet (completed by exam physician)
DS-3026 medical history and medical examination worksheet (completed by exam physician)

1-134 affidavit of support (you should have sent this in already to your beneficiary )

That's it for now. If beneficiary had any prior visas to the US, they'll need to send copies of them when sending in the DS-230 part 1.

Wow this is great that there is a Japan Filers Post,
We filed in 2006 before the fee increase did it ourselves and had 10 Year GC in Hand in less tha 7 months.

Good Luck to everyone!

You can be relieved in the fact that sending personal pictures with your package as "support" evidence is usually unnecessary and will have little if No bearing on the outcome of your case.
When you get the interview in front of USCIS officer that is when you submit "support evidence " of the relation ship joint account info, pictures, receipts for wedding rings ect.. When my wife & I were interviewed they didnt even glance at our pictures.
Unless the rules have changed since 2006 I wouldn't worry about this. I wouldn't worry about it unless you do get an RFE, then when or if that time comes re -submit what they ask for.

Good Luck!

It's been six months since we applied (7/23) and I was just reading this forum and feeling sorry for myself when I got that e-mail ping... Application accepted! NOA2 sent! Two days of short of six months, so I guess they're still on track at the CSC. Sorta.

I am in total shock... We hadn't received so much as a touch since July, as far as I know! So it looks like the next step is to send Masayo (my wife to be) a copy of the NOA2 so she can get her police report thingy, and then a few weeks later she'll receive a packet with more forms to fill out? And I should be doing my affidavit of support and sending that her way in the near future?

Anything I'm missing? Looks like Tokyo for the interview (although she lives in Miyazaki). The Fukuoka embassy doesn't do interviews, right?

Thanks all!

Hey takuhi.

It took us about a little over a month after our NOA2 to hear from the NVC that our case had been processed and sent to the embassy in Tokyo. Not sure if it'll be different for you or not.

I sent my I-134, copy of NOA2, more supporting evidence, and a complete duplicate of the I-129F about 2 weeks after I got my NOA2 to my konyakusha. Go through the guide on this site to prepare your I-134 and other documents. Here's the link to that guide.

Your beneficiary will be interviewed in Tokyo.

Congrats on your NOA2!

Takuhi-
It looks as though things are moving along for you, don't be discouraged by " no action or no touches" before you know it things will roll in order .

My wife is from Miyazaki, She grew up in Obi just outside the walls of obi castle( Nichinan area), I love Miyazaki! We married at Aoshima Shrine.
I am not sure where her interview will be held I would think Nagasaki would be more likely a place than Tokyo, of course one of our friends who is from Nagasaki had to fly all the way to Osaka for her interview. You definatly should have the affidavit of support prepared and sent as soon as you can. Remember to include all requested info ( pay stubs, letter from employer on Co. letterhead varifying your employment status, wage and how long you have been employed. Staement of Account from your bank & tax transcripts.) I think its a great idea that you send her copies of everything you receive (such as Noa's ect.). & she should do the same that way if eiother of you are asked for info you will both be prepared and have wht you need

My wife & I had our interview here in CA., main reason is because she was already residing in the USA on a student Visa, we got married in Japan & USA and applied for AOS while she was in USA.

Best of Luck to you and your spouse. My wife was so happy to find someone here from Miyazaki.

Chi is wrapping up her visit here with me. She had no problems getting through Dallas Customs on the visa waiver program.

Ah, that's good to know that she got in to visit with no problems. I wonder if Immigration even knew that there was an I-129F in the works when she showed up at the airport.

Hopefully, she'll be back soon.

Oh, and just for added info, I found out that overnight bus trip from Aichi to Tokyo is like $50. That ain't too bad.

Thanks Addie and Moltar! Sounds like there isn't anything we're overlooking, so hopefully we're on our way to a smooth April marriage.

Nice to see another Miyazakian! My fiancée is from Nobeoka. I've been to the Aoshima Shrine, and it is beautiful—I didn't realize you could get married there!

Aoshima shrine was built to give a divine blessing,especially to those who want to be married. I proposed to her on the beach near the shrine only later did we relaise what the shrine was built for, so we decided to get married there. I Know of Nobeoka it is quite a ways North of Nichinan. Ask you Fiance is she knows Obi. Obi is known to some as the "little Kyoto of Kyushu" it is an old Samurai Villiage and castle town, My wife grew up there and her family runs businesses there. A beautiful place, as is most of Miyazaki.

Just wanted to let everyone know…..

CASE COMPLATED ON JAN 28th !!!!!

Omedetou gozaimasu! I bet you're relieved to have that all done with.

It seems that once the Japanese citizen gets the first packet, then he/she can go and get the medical and police certificate, at least in Tokyo, with the only question being: "have you received a packet from the embassy?" (with no proof expected). We have yet to receive the subsequent packet, yet we have done the police and medical processing. In two weeks, we shall receive the results of both, and then, regardless of whether or not we receive the "packet 4", we shall schedule the interview, so FYI. This is info for K-1 processors.

Hey Daveyamf79.

We didn't really receive a "packet 4" or anything official through the mail, we just got an email from the embassy of when her interview will take place, with instructions to print out the email and bring it with her to the interview in Tokyo.

And from what my fiancee discovered, is that you can make the appointment at any time after you mail in the DS-230 (part 1 for K-1) and you schedule (or request) a date that you are certain will be after when your beneficiary will receive the police records and medical exam results.

My fiancee just got done with the medical exam in Tokyo today. It was about 30 minutes, they took the chest x-ray and gave her an immunization for rubella. 33,000 Y total for exam. Shinkansen round trip was 20,140 Y from Aichi. Don't know what the cost was from the station to the hospital via the infamous Yamanote line.

Konnichiwa Moltar,

I have a question for you.
As you said "you can make the appointment at any time after you mail in the DS-230", the packet 3 from the US Embassy in Japan includes the case number which I will need to schedule the interview? My understanding was I cannot make a reservation for the interview until I received the Packet 4. If you or your fiancée knows, please let me know.

Thank you!

Hey 55_buckeyes.

Well, we never did receive anything in the mail after the packet 3. When you update your time line, VJ describes the "packet 4" as, "Date Rec Appointment Letter (Pkt 4)". The only thing we did receive was an email from the embassy stating when her appointment was set for, and instructions for her to print out that email and bring it with her to her interview. In the instructions she got in the packet 3, they told her that she could make her appointment after mailing in the DS-230 (part 1 for K-1 applicants) back to the embassy, and after making arrangements to get the police records and medical records. Or in other words, once your beneficiary is certain he or she will get the police documents and medical results back, ensure that the appointment takes place after these documents are in hand.

My fiancee got her police records started before she got her packet 3, because I sent her a copy of the NOA2. Once the packet 3 did come in, she immediately sent back the DS-230 part 1, and did some researched the different clinics for the medical exam. We decided on the Tokyo British Clinic, http://www.tokyobritishclinic.com/visa_us-e.html , and she made an appointment with them. After that, she contacted the embassy to set up the appointment (sorry guys, I don't remember if she called or emailed this request), and they sent her an email and called her on her cellphone about the appointment date.

Medical exam went pretty smooth. She printed out a map from the train station to the clinic (I think this map is available on their site that I linked to above) and got there about 20 minutes early. She said without the map, it might be a bit confusing because from the street, it looks like a condominium. They took an x-ray of her chest, mostly to check for tuberculous, drew some blood for testing for things like HIV, looked over her immunization record, saw that Rubella was not on the list so they gave her a Rubella shot just in case, listened to her lungs, heart, and checked her skin around her abdomen, back, arms and legs for other illnesses or diseases, the doctor completed the medical exam DS forms that came in packet 3, took her 33,000 Yen, and sent her on her way. About 30 minutes total. It will take 4 business days for her to get the results back.

Police records are already received. So now we're just waiting for the interview. Then in March, I go back out there, hit a fertility festival, visit Kyushu, visit Suzuka, participate in a graduation, then all of us come home.