Hi everyone.
My 8 year old daughter is migrating to the US from Ghana. NVC completed processing on 20th Dec 2006, and held on
to the documents till July 12th when I received a letter from NVC that the documents have been forwarded to Accra the
week before. The NVC letter also stated that an interview had been scheduled with the Embassy for August 20th 2007.
The letter from NVC also listed that we need to bring to the interview, completed proof of vacinations and medical report in an envelope sealed by the medical office.
it stated that since she is a minor, she only needs physical exams. two passport pictures, and proof of sponsorship.
The I-230 (1 and 2) had already been completed and signed.( as part of what we sent to the NVC).


The notice also listed the following and its status.

OF-169 - document complete/reviewed
OF-230-I document complete/reviewed
OF-230-II document complete/reviewed
Passport document complete/reviewed
birth Certificate original document received
Police report exempted/document not needed
Financial evidence - document complete/reviewed

My questions are

1. Are we supposed to pick up any packets (either 3 or 4) from the embassy? or once we have the interview date, we are fine.

2. Is the embassy going to write to us or we just have to go for the interview on the date with just the items listed by NVC?

3. we have not been asked for any DNA testing, but can we go ahead and have it done at one of their accredited doctors
or its not necessary? ( my problem is that I have only 7 days permission from my job to travel for her interview, get the visa and travel to the US with her.) So I am trying to get everything done before I leave the US.

4. How long does it take the embassy to issue the visa if every condition is satisfied at the interview?[color="#000080"][/color]

1. I would definitely scan the letter you recieved from the NVC and send it to your daughter and have someone go with your daughter with that printout down to the embassy to see if you need to pick up packets 3 and 4 if that is needed..if not, call the Embassy yourself from here and tell them your case number so you get more information that is needed...Sorry I do not have first hand experience with children migrating from Ghana to here but my friend whose mother just got approved and came here which was just this past May..from what I recall all the documents needed was from sent to her from the NVC....

2. I seriously doubt that the Ghana embassy with write you in time to let you know about this interview for August 20th since they are notorious for not letting people really know what is going on...

3. DNA testing for your daughter? That sounds like a good idea but if its not possible to get that done, then I think so long as you provide all the proof that you have that she is your daughter..documents, photos of you both together, letters and correspondence written to here or any receipts from western union, moneygram, etc and phone records, etc that you have kept in touch would be really good evidence too...

Also, when your daugther gets her medicals done, you can alway call the clinic..I think its Akai or whatever current number they gave you from the NVC and ask them to take care of your daughter during her medicals and to make sure that the embassy recieves her medicals in time for her interview..make sure when your daughter goes that you "extend your hand" so that will take extra good care of your daughter-that is what my friend did for her mom when she went for her medicals..She called them and spoke to someone at the clinic and when her mom went, she gave them extra money to ensure a smooth transition of the medical results to the embassy.

4. Typically it takes about 1 week to get the visa after the interview is approved.

Good luck with your daughter and hope she gets her very soon to be reunited with you!!

thanks

If she got the medicals done at the Akai House, they don't mail the results to the embassy any more. You have to pick them up yourself. The Akai House did not tell my fiance this when he got the medical done there. But I saw a post from someone else on here and told my fiance. He called the Akai House and they said yes he has to pick it up. Medi Labs forwarded his things to the embassy. I don't know if he got anything done at Holy Trinity, so I cant say anything about there. I wish you the best, koo and your daughter!

thanks to you akatagirl and knl. You may never know how useful your input has been to me. I have sent a copy of the nvc letter for my daugther to be sent to the embassy to see if we need packets 3 & 4. they will be there this week and I will have the medicals done the following week.
thanks knl. I will definately have waited in vain for Akai to mail the medical report to the embassy. I will keep you posted
on developments. I hope oneday we will all meet in ATL to party. I still welcome more info.
thanks once again.

thanks to you akatagirl and knl. You may never know how useful your input has been to me. I have sent a copy of the nvc letter for my daugther to be sent to the embassy to see if we need packets 3 & 4. they will be there this week and I will have the medicals done the following week.
thanks knl. I will definately have waited in vain for Akai to mail the medical report to the embassy. I will keep you posted
on developments. I hope oneday we will all meet in ATL to party. I still welcome more info.
thanks once again.

Your very welcome Koo..please keep us posted on the process. If not for this website, I don't know how I would have been prepared for the visa process as well so what little I do know, I think its always best to share it with all those I encounter! May God Bless your daughter's visa process so she can be here very soon!!!

thanks. here is an update: I emailed the embassy in Accra about whether or not we need to pick up any packet(3 & 4). They replied that was not necessary, because all the forms needed were forwarded to the NVC and thento them. They also said the the forms needed for the Medical Report are already with the designated Clinic/Labs. So we can go there and
have the medicals done. They then confirmed my daugther's interview date and what I needed to bring i.e. valid passport,
my current tax information, completed vaccinations, two recent passport pictures, the sealed medical report. I also asked
about how long it takes them to issue the visa after every condition is met since I don't really have much time to spend in
Ghana. they said that it will take 2 to 5 days. They also wrote that since my child is a minor, she does not need to do chest xray and serologic exams( HIV/Syphilis)(those are for applicants 15 and older)

I then called the Akai clinic from here to find out how much it costs and if we need to make appointment. They said generally its about $300 and no appointment needed. but since my daughter needed only the Physical exams it will cost
roughly $65.

oh I forgot one thing. About the DNA, they said The Officer will determine at the interview if additional information (including a DNA test) is needed. If the DNA test is requested, they will then provide us with the detailed instructions.
So I guess I have to send a lot of proof to make DNA unnecessary.

The information you have provided has given me a lot of insight about my case, I have a similar case with my wife and two children, I filed my I-130 on July 1 2003, so that is my priority date, I just send them form ds230 to them, but have not heard back from the NVC. I want to know when your case was filed or your prority date, so that I will be able to see if my case is taking too long. Thank you

I filed in March 2006 and case completed by NVC in December 2006. Actually it could have been earlier since I waited about 3 months (between August and November ending before sending the final documents they requested for).
I don't know what category your case falls into.
Mine was immediate relative( US Citizen filing for child under 21) so there was no waiting for visa number. It will be very

helpful if you will give us more information about your case.
How long ago did you send the DS230?
Normally, when they receive it and enter it in their system, you can know by calling their automated system. If it tells you "your case was completed on ............. , " then all you need to do is just wait : .
In my case, I read from this same forum that Accra embassy (GHANA) takes about 6 months to process doc. when NVC
completes and forwards it to them. (which Embassy are you going to deal with ?) So I was expecting it to be processed
by July after NVC completed it on Dec 20th. Secondly as was normally the case, it was usually the embassy that writes to you. In my case, NVC kept the documents (which an operator told me was their practice) until the embassy is ready to deal with it. NVC wrote to me immediately they forwarded it to Accra. This time too, NVC scheduled the interview.
Could you believe I just (3rd August) received a letter from the embassy confirming the interview.
As I said before, let us know more about your case and we will be able to give you specific tips.
but it all depends on the status of petitioner, age of beneficiaries, the embassy and God's grace .

Thank you very much Nikky, I am not a US citizen, so I filed as a LPR, so I guess that is why mine is taking that long. My priority date is 07/17/2003.they requested the ds230 back in may 2007 but I was in Ghana so did not get it until July, and forwarded it to them in Aug 1 2007 with copies of passports they had requested. They also requested I send them Police certificate for my wife, our original marriage cert, and birth cert of my kids and my wife with the ds230. So I just have to wait, I filed for my wife and two children ages 5 and 1, I later added the one year old to it, I called NVC and they said I could add her to my wifes file. Paid IV fee of $380 each back in March 2007 and also paid $75.00 for affidavit of support. I wish you good luck with your daughter, I hope they give her the visa ASAP so that you can move on with life. Thanks alot. keep up us updated after the interview. Thanks

you are welcome.
I believe you are close too. Most likely 6-8 months (usual with Accra). Call NVC( automated) after around 20th.August to see you it has been entered in the system. I that once they've requested for the IV fees etc., you are close to being scheduled. I will surely keep you posted. good luck.