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VisaJourney.com > Marriage Based Immigration (K1, K2, K3, etc) to the USA > The Foreign Embassy and Consulate General Discussion

winters
Hello,
I am frustrated, well that doesn't even come close. I mailed my petition last september (2006). Everything went as expected, 6 months USCIS the 129F was approved then sent to BKK embassy. Packet 3 was recieved and completed late May 2007. Thats where the normal process became abnormal. First my lawyers office after telling us to expect a letter, reported not having a document from me, almost a month after they said wait for the letter. In frustration I mailed the needed support document. Again the office said, "expect an interview letter soon."
3 weeks later, he his office called my fiance and stated 2 other petitioners mailed the same day had recieved their interviews only ours was still in limbo. Naturaly this stressed us out a bit, now waiting an un anticipated 2 months. I spoke to our lawyer and he sent a letter of inquiry to the embassy, they replied "it will be handled soon". This was now 3 weeks ago.
I noticed our USCIS petitions 4 months expired on 7/15/07.
I asked our lawyer if this would be a problem, he said no they will extend the time, "if they cause the delay". In my opinion, we/his office caused the delay, by not fullfilling the paperwork on time in May. Currently we have nothing, no idea if our papers were returned to USCIS expired. No interview, our laywer assures us for months now things are fine, not to worry, however 3 months of plans have gone to waste summer has passed and I have run out of inspirational conversations to alleviate the stress and dissapointment of my fiance.
I tried calling the embassy, emailing them, no human contact in either case.
If anyone has been through something like this, anything advice or inspirational would be greatly appreciated.

Luck to all in process.
Regards
Winters
qbertz7
This seems very odd to me. I don't see any reason why the embassy would receive packet 3 and not sent out packet 4 within a few weeks. I'm pretty sure that when they do get packet 3, they aren't doing any sort of background check or anything, so I don't see how any delays would be caused.

I'm surprised the embassy hasn't emailed you back at all. Everytime I have emailed them (about 5 times) they have responded within 24hrs. Are you following their instructions and putting the info in the subject line they request and in the body of the email? Also, have you checked on the embassy's website to see if they have scheduled an interview date? It's possible packet 4 got lost in the mail and a date was already scheduled.

Finally, I would definitely keep putting pressure on your lawyer to get this resolved (although I'm sure you're doing that already). Good luck to you, I hope it works out and you can put all this behind you very soon!
jasman0717
Have you, yourself, tried to contact the embassy directly to find out what is going on?

For Bangkok: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/contact.html

The link for Chiang Mai doesn't work so hope you are going through Bangkok
winters
Hello,
Thanks for the ideas. I have tried to contact the embassy through the immigrations email, and attempted to locate all phone numbers without any luck with those I found.
One said I could pay 20.00US for 3 calls to the embassy help line but that link was dead.
The email auto responded needing a code I don't have, which I think was assigned when my paperwork was forwarded to the embassy, or when packet 3 was submitted.
a BKK-###. without this code, the auto reply said my emails would be essentially ignored.
I think I will need to get this code from my lawyer if I can get it anywhere. Then I can email the embassy and ask for information I hope.

Our twice daily phone conversations have degraded to a depressing rehash of "don't worry", or "I'm sure soon everything will be fine" statements.
I need to find an answer to the unkowns or we'll just continue on in this miserable limbo.

Thank you for your replies
Best regards
winters
JA Tam
The system is referring to you NVC case number. If you have your receipt number from USCIS when they originally approved the I-129F, you can call the NVC automated line.
NVC: 603-334-0700; press 1, 1, 1: At the third menu, listen for the first 3 letters of your receipt number (EAC, WAC etc.), then it will prompt you for the numbers. Once you confirm your receipt number, the system will give you the case number, BKK######.
I hope that helps. good.gif
winters
Thanks!
That helps a lot, now I can email them and hopefully get somewhere. good.gif
JA Tam
You are in my prayers. I pray that you can get this resolved soon. It's no fun being in immigration limbo!
winters
QUOTE(JA Tam @ Sep 5 2007, 05:43 PM) *
You are in my prayers. I pray that you can get this resolved soon. It's no fun being in immigration limbo!


Well you have helped remind me never to lose hope. I called the system, they reported no record of my petition? I double checked the #'s and still nothing,

I logged into the USCIS status online and this is what it says:



Application Type: I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On March 13, 2007, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.


So obviously there should be a record blink.gif
qbertz7
With the case number you got for the USCIS website, call the NVC number that was given to you above (sometimes it takes a few tries to get through to an operator), then with that case number and a little other information they will ask of you, the operator can give you your BNK#. This is the number that on your second email to the embassy in Bangkok you will need to reference. At that point they will definitely reply to you.

Good luck!
winters
Awsome thanks to you all, I have a direction, which is a lot more then I had this morning.
I'm just going to not wait for my lawyer anymore and get to the bottom of this.
It's the not knowing thats the hardest I can wait another year if need be, this not knowing is bothersome.
Best Regards, Luck to you all



winters
Thank you all for your advice, in this thread and in PM's.
I back tracked the paper trail, and contacted the USCIS, who of course sent me onto the NVC I have had no luck contacting them
either by email or phone they seem to be very busy right now.

So as of now, my plan is attempt to contact the embassy, which is where I started out and keep trying till someone answers my emails even though I do not have the NVC code.
Since the NVC has no record of my petition apparently. My fiancee is going to the lawyers office today, to tell him EXACTLY how she is feeling right now, better him then me I think.
At this stage of the process I personally can't see how it would be wise to fire him and start over. If I can simply make contact with someone at the embassy, who knows where
we are in the schedule, we would be fine. I know it shouldn't take 2 months to send an interview letter so someone had to make a mistake somewhere.
I'm also going to mail my congressman this seems well outside of normal embassy practice. I need to know who has my petition, and why they still have it.

Has anyone had to contact the BKKUS embassy by phone before? and if you have, could you please post or PM me the phone number.
I can't even bring up the web site right now.

I have more patience then moss but waiting hasn't produced. Any advice, or course I may be overlooking would be appreciated.
qbertz7
Right now would be the best time to contact the NVC to get that BNK#, but why do you say the NVC has no record of your case? Have you gotten through and they've told you that? They are open till midnight EST and from 11pm-Midnight their time is definitely the best time to get through.

From what I've heard by other members on here I wouldn't bother trying to call the embassy, and from my own experience knowing that they always answer their emails within 24 hrs, just get that number from the NVC and email them. That's my advice!
winters
Hi,
I just emailed the embassy, without the BKK number, but with everything else asked for in the responder, I didn't get the auto responder this time so maybe that's a good sign.
it's the best I could come up with at the moment. I say the NVC have no record, because I was able to use their automated voice system, and it responded, no record of my USCIS code. I've been trying to reach a person there most of today.
Sheesh if a person could simply look at the files and tell me, it's gonna happen, or its not gonna happen. either way I'd be better off.
Thanks for all the advice Qbertz, I can't be too angry not having that number is more my fault, I could have called anytime back in march and had it. I trusted in my lawyers experience to handle everything I should have followed up. He didn't actualy do anything terribly wrong, we all make a few mistakes, however I can't help regretting or dwelling on the last 3 months lost to blunders.
On a brighter side, My Fiancee was in better spirits today, not singing, but at least laughing, maybe going to yak yak at the folks at the lawyers office is putting her there. She doesn't really enjoy herassing anyone, but at this point, I wont stand in her way.

It's after 12:00EST now so I wont be getting through to them today, I'll email my lawyer, he should be awake now and have the BKK code as well.
If someone reads my email, I may not even need it, "here's hope". Thanks
Best regards
winters
winters
Woooooooooooo I just got this in email
Dear Mr. X

Thank you for your email inquiry. Your case number is BNKXXXXXXX. We
received your case from NVC on March 23, 2007. We scheduled an
interview appointment for the applicant, Ms. X, on 05-OCT-2007
at 07:30 am. We have mailed the Packet 4 which is an interview
appointment Packet to this address on September 5, 2007.
Sweet!

I am so totaly happy right now. Thanks for all the help gang, I'll keep you posted.

Damn I better stop her before she goes down to the lawyers office and sticks a forkl in him ><

just awsome
jasman0717
You might want to get your elected representative involved.
ladywhite
QUOTE(winters @ Sep 7 2007, 12:17 AM) *
Woooooooooooo I just got this in email
Dear Mr. X

Thank you for your email inquiry. Your case number is BNKXXXXXXX. We
received your case from NVC on March 23, 2007. We scheduled an
interview appointment for the applicant, Ms. X, on 05-OCT-2007
at 07:30 am........


It still does not make any sense to me that it took about half a year for your interview date to be scheduled !!!!!

Your lawyer must have screwed up something. If the embassy mailed out Pk4 to you on September 5th, they must have received your Pk 3 only a few weeks earlier.

I wouldn't stop your fiancee from going to the lawyers office and sticking "a forkl in him."

Anyway, i'm glad you have finally received good news on your interview date. I hope the interview goes well. i'd prepare all required documents without help from the lawyer. i wouldn't want to get screwed again. smile.gif

rose.gif

qbertz7
Congrats on getting your interview date! It's so great to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Although I agree with ladywhite here, your lawyer must not have sent your pkt 3 in until just within the last few weeks to not have an interview until Oct 5. At this point of course there isn't anything you can do really to get it sooner, but you must just be so relieved to have that date!

Good luck on your interview preparation, and definitely take anything that lawyer says from here on in with a grain of salt. You've got this entire website as your backup resource, so anything that sounds fishy, I would deifnitely double check on here!
JA Tam
QUOTE(winters @ Sep 7 2007, 01:17 AM) *
Woooooooooooo I just got this in email
Dear Mr. X

Thank you for your email inquiry. Your case number is BNKXXXXXXX. We
received your case from NVC on March 23, 2007. We scheduled an
interview appointment for the applicant, Ms. X, on 05-OCT-2007
at 07:30 am. We have mailed the Packet 4 which is an interview
appointment Packet to this address on September 5, 2007.
Sweet!

I am so totaly happy right now. Thanks for all the help gang, I'll keep you posted.

Damn I better stop her before she goes down to the lawyers office and sticks a forkl in him ><

just awsome

Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you. kicking.gif kicking.gif
winters
Thanks!
I agree this was an extra long and often frustrarting wait. Maybe my experience will help someone avoid it.
Looking back I should have:
Talked to my lawyer more often, weekly updates at least, assuming they will priioritize your petition because you paid them
is obviously not the way to go.
Started my paperwork/records/medicals early, especialy the foreign records which can be very difficult or slow to aquire.
I should have made contact with the embassy when I first suspected trouble, it might have saved a lot of anxiety and time.

All of this information is easily available here on VJ.com and people who come here have more hands on knowledge then folks
like me, who have hired a firm to handle the entire process. I first came here in 2005 and I became fairly familure with the immigration process
however I did not apply it to my own petition, I simp,y took comfort in others success stories.

At this point, I'm just going to take a breath and enjoy the successful aquisition of an interview. I will be getting a list of all documents
my lawyer has and apply what I have learned here to making sure, he has packaged everything we need prior to the interview ^^

I can't thank you guys enough for picking me up and giving me some direction. good.gif a lot of people here wont ever know they helped me get back in the game.
Thank you smile.gif
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