I filed my paper work for both the I-130 and the I-129F as you see from my timeline below; my application has been touched several times but no sign of NOA2 yet……..; I was a little anxious as to what the next action was for me; so looking at the flow chart on VJ I saw that I should start preparing for packet 3 and its contents; so I sent off an email to the Chennai Embassy. Email: ChennaiIV@state.gov

My Email:
“Hi,

I have filed both a I-130 and a I-129F for my wife and it is now pending with the USCIS; looking at the processing dates, it looks like my case will receive an approval within the next 2 weeks; from the information that I have received from USCIS; I see that once the petition has been approved, it will be sent to the National Benefits Center (NBC) and then
it is forwarded to the Consulate where the interview will occur; for us this will be at the Chennai consulate since the marriage took place in Chennai.

I was also told that once you receive the visa package from USCIS you will send us something called "Packet 3" which contains among other things an "agent of choice" forms etc.

Can you tell me if I can electronically download Packet 3 from anywhere on your website or can you send it to me via email?

Please let me know, Thanks.”

Their Response:

“You don't need to submit the packet 3 for K3 visa.”


So my question is if there is no packet 3 for the Chennai Embassy; what is there and how can I get prepared; I want to have all the documentation ready to go as soon as the NOA2 Makes it to Chennai;

Can any one who has been thru the process advise me.

Thanks.

Shiv,

The problem here is mis-understanding and mis-communication due to the use of ambiguous terms and mixing the processes for two different visa tyoes.

- in your e-mail to the consulate you mentioned two different petitions and a pending approval without specifying which petition you expect to be approved, although you do mention a process of passing through the NVC to Chennai that sounds like the I-129f petition
- you next mention a packet 3 that contains an Agent of Choice form. This form is sent by the NVC in response to an approved I-130 petition. It is not sent by the consulate in response to an approved I-129f petition
- the packet system was done away with years ago, and the terminolgy gets less relevant to current visa processing with each passing year
- the level of experience and knowledge of people who are assigne to answer phones and e-mails often leaves something to be desired - knowledgeable, experienced people are too valuable to put on phone and e-mail duty

Have you looked at the web pages for the consular section in Chennai to see what information is available there?

Yodrak