October 2010 Filers

[OneLove <3 6]

Does everyone that sends their application to Texas get re-routed to another service center? any ideas why?

[AlinaH 38]

I believe it used to be that you would send your package directly to your service center. Now they've changed it so that they all get sent to the Texas Lock Box, (Texas isn't a service center) and then they forward it to the appropriate service center.

I believe...i may be wrong...that they do an initial scan of your package and process the money order at the Texas lock box before sending it on. I think it's supposed to take some weight off of the busy service centers.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

[petite soleil 2]

Well said AlinaH, your right

[OneLove <3 6]

I believe it used to be that you would send your package directly to your service center. Now they've changed it so that they all get sent to the Texas Lock Box, (Texas isn't a service center) and then they forward it to the appropriate service center.

I believe...i may be wrong...that they do an initial scan of your package and process the money order at the Texas lock box before sending it on. I think it's supposed to take some weight off of the busy service centers.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

oh ok thanks!

[Yellowhead 12]

Does everyone that sends their application to Texas get re-routed to another service center? any ideas why?

As an October filer you won't hear a thing for some time. You should have gotten your NOA1 which states which service centre your petition has been routed to(or should be getting it soon if you filed in the last week or two). It also depends how you send your package - express, regular mail etc.

When you get your NOA1 you can monitor its status at the USCIS website and you can sign up for notifications as well. It will allow you to view what date your case was last touched/scanned in the system. As many people reiterate, *touches* don't mean anything specific and some people do not get any updates from USCIS until receiving their NOA2. Right now processing times vary. Right now the California Service Centre is taking about 5 months to NOA2. Not sure about Vermont or Nebraska at this point. You will likely be one of these as you are filing from the east coast.

Once you get the NOA1, update it in your timeline and at the very bottom of the timeline VJ will show you your estimated processing date based on your date of NOA1 and service centre volume.

[OneLove <3 6]

As an October filer you won't hear a thing for some time. You should have gotten your NOA1 which states which service centre your petition has been routed to(or should be getting it soon if you filed in the last week or two). It also depends how you send your package - express, regular mail etc.

When you get your NOA1 you can monitor its status at the USCIS website and you can sign up for notifications as well. It will allow you to view what date your case was last touched/scanned in the system. As many people reiterate, *touches* don't mean anything specific and some people do not get any updates from USCIS until receiving their NOA2. Right now processing times vary. Right now the California Service Centre is taking about 5 months to NOA2. Not sure about Vermont or Nebraska at this point. You will likely be one of these as you are filing from the east coast.

Once you get the NOA1, update it in your timeline and at the very bottom of the timeline VJ will show you your estimated processing date based on your date of NOA1 and service centre volume.

thanks for the info! i havent yet received an email or anything saying that they have received my forms, which means more waiting time which is so frustrating

[Yellowhead 12]

thanks for the info! i havent yet received an email or anything saying that they have received my forms, which means more waiting time which is so frustrating

When did you send them in? Did you send express post or by regular mail? A tracking number would be great. We sent via USPS priority overnight (Cali to Texas)... we had our NOA1 4-5 days later

[OneLove <3 6]

When did you send them in? Did you send express post or by regular mail? A tracking number would be great. We sent via USPS priority overnight (Cali to Texas)... we had our NOA1 4-5 days later

i sent it on the 21st via express mail and they received it on the 22nd but that was the info from the tracking info on USPS.com USCIS has not sent me any email yet.

[Yellowhead 12]

i sent it on the 21st via express mail and they received it on the 22nd but that was the info from the tracking info on USPS.com USCIS has not sent me any email yet.

Okay, you should be fine then. You should receive something in the next week or so by mail (NOA1). After that arrives your best bet is to compile the documentation for the interview portion. It won't occur for another 5 months + but some documents take a while to get a-hold of. Packet 3 has a checklist for this and you can find information by looking up your specific embassy here: http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/ . The interview would take place at the appropriate consulate for the beneficiary's country.

The biggest thing that I have found difficulty getting is immunization records.

Other than that, familiarize yourself with the process of K-1, AOS and any forms required along the way. VJ is a great resource for this and the more your read posts (even if they don't pertain to you right this second) the better prepared you will be.

i sent it on the 21st via express mail and they received it on the 22nd but that was the info from the tracking info on USPS.com USCIS has not sent me any email yet.

I forgot to mention, USCIS is like any other gov organization and they likely didn't even open the package on Oct 22 (which is a friday) Today is probably the first they have seen of your package and it takes a couple of days to process. Did you send along the email/text notification form as well? If so, you should be hearing something soon.

[Blob18 111]

As an October filer you won't hear a thing for some time. You should have gotten your NOA1 which states which service centre your petition has been routed to(or should be getting it soon if you filed in the last week or two). It also depends how you send your package - express, regular mail etc.

When you get your NOA1 you can monitor its status at the USCIS website and you can sign up for notifications as well. It will allow you to view what date your case was last touched/scanned in the system. As many people reiterate, *touches* don't mean anything specific and some people do not get any updates from USCIS until receiving their NOA2. Right now processing times vary. Right now the California Service Centre is taking about 5 months to NOA2. Not sure about Vermont or Nebraska at this point. You will likely be one of these as you are filing from the east coast.

Once you get the NOA1, update it in your timeline and at the very bottom of the timeline VJ will show you your estimated processing date based on your date of NOA1 and service centre volume.

Based on recent NOA2's and other posts here, looks like Vermont is around 3-4 months for the NOA2 currently.

[OneLove <3 6]

Okay, you should be fine then. You should receive something in the next week or so by mail (NOA1). After that arrives your best bet is to compile the documentation for the interview portion. It won't occur for another 5 months + but some documents take a while to get a-hold of. Packet 3 has a checklist for this and you can find information by looking up your specific embassy here: http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/ . The interview would take place at the appropriate consulate for the beneficiary's country.

The biggest thing that I have found difficulty getting is immunization records.

Other than that, familiarize yourself with the process of K-1, AOS and any forms required along the way. VJ is a great resource for this and the more your read posts (even if they don't pertain to you right this second) the better prepared you will be.

I forgot to mention, USCIS is like any other gov organization and they likely didn't even open the package on Oct 22 (which is a friday) Today is probably the first they have seen of your package and it takes a couple of days to process. Did you send along the email/text notification form as well? If so, you should be hearing something soon.

yes I did send in the email notification form so that I can get text or emails. So what happens when the beneficiary doesn't have an immunization record? Would at the medical exam they receive all the vaccines?

Based on recent NOA2's and other posts here, looks like Vermont is around 3-4 months for the NOA2 currently.

ughh I was hoping 2 months until NOA2

[Yellowhead 12]

yes I did send in the email notification form so that I can get text or emails. So what happens when the beneficiary doesn't have an immunization record? Would at the medical exam they receive all the vaccines?

ughh I was hoping 2 months until NOA2

Yeah, probably not going to happen unfortunately. Everything is slowing down.

[Yellowhead 12]

yes I did send in the email notification form so that I can get text or emails. So what happens when the beneficiary doesn't have an immunization record? Would at the medical exam they receive all the vaccines?

ughh I was hoping 2 months until NOA2

If the beneficiary doesn't have immunization records you can find out which immunizations he/she needs for the medical and have those prior. Make sure the records are kept for each to bring to the medical. This will be cheaper than having them do it the day of the medical (if the specific office even does it). The immunizations vary for each age group, so you will want to take that into account.

Here is the consulate info for the Dominican: http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Dominican%20Republic&cty=Santo%20Domingo

Costs for immunizations AT the medical are here: http://www.consultoriosdevisa.com/en_el_examen.html

And I can't seem to find info for the specific vaccines needed. I got my list from the Vancouver medical office, which shows them here (You may want to confirm this with the office in the Dominican): http://www.wokingmedical.com/Vaccinations.html

Edited October 26, 2010 by hithalynn

[Yellowhead 12]

yes I did send in the email notification form so that I can get text or emails. So what happens when the beneficiary doesn't have an immunization record? Would at the medical exam they receive all the vaccines?

ughh I was hoping 2 months until NOA2

Sorry for the multiple responses, but I forgot to mention that immunization records may exist even though the beneficiary doesn't have them handy. Not sure how it works in the Dominican, but in Canada we contact the public health authority and/or schools attended and family doctors for records. It might just be easier to get the shots again, but mention to the doctor administering the shots that it is possible that they might be duplicates.

[OneLove <3 6]

Sorry for the multiple responses, but I forgot to mention that immunization records may exist even though the beneficiary doesn't have them handy. Not sure how it works in the Dominican, but in Canada we contact the public health authority and/or schools attended and family doctors for records. It might just be easier to get the shots again, but mention to the doctor administering the shots that it is possible that they might be duplicates.

i will check into that if anything we will just get the vaccines and have it on a immunization record from the doctor for when he goes to his medical exam that way it won't be too much money.