Scheduling the Interview - Manila

[Messybrownhair 251]

what letter? the only letter from the embassy that i got was the one saying i was eligible to schedule and it had my mnl case number i had the same problem as big john, the email link does not work so you can't download it from there. thank goodness i saved my confirmation letter after i booked it online!

[Beth & Chard 8]

what letter? the only letter from the embassy that i got was the one saying i was eligible to schedule and it had my mnl case number i had the same problem as big john, the email link does not work so you can't download it from there. thank goodness i saved my confirmation letter after i booked it online!

messybrownhair,

This is most important! There is a lot of confusion with people here, different processes, different scheduling procedures, confusion over letters.

I am only focusing on the K1 process.

I think I am starting to understand this process. The letter they sent you.

How did they send it to you the letter? Email? Snail mail? Courier?

Their scheduling system might be fine, or at least not as messed up as we think, we might be messing up.

[Tahoma 2,291]

messybrownhair,

This is most important! There is a lot of confusion with people here, different processes, different scheduling procedures, confusion over letters.

I am only focusing on the K1 process.

I think I am starting to understand this process. The letter they sent you.

How did they send it to you the letter? Email? Snail mail? Courier?

Their scheduling system might be fine, or at least not as messed up as we think, we might be messing up.

Hi again Richard...

Focusing only on the K-1 process, here is my take on the situation:

Your K-1 packet that you sent to the USCIS included an I-129F and a G-325A for your fiancée. Your fiancée's address was included on both forms. After your physical K-1 packet arrives at the U.S. Embassy Manila and is entered into their system, the USEM will send your fiancée a snail mail to the address you listed for her on those documents. The snail mail letter will inform her that she is eligible to schedule an interview. This is what is meant by "the letter."

However, under the old scheduling system, some K-1ers fell through the cracks when it came to receiving the eligibility snail mail letter from the Embassy. My fiancée was one example of that. She never received a snail mail letter informing her that she was eligible to schedule an interview. Instead, I scheduled an interview for her under the old system by simply calling the NVC for our MNL case number, then calling the Embassy to find out when our physical K-1 packet had been entered into the Embassy's system, then scheduling an interview appointment. It's entirely possible that Chinook never received a snail mail letter from the Embassy informing her that she was eligible to schedule an interview because I scheduled her interview appointment within 24 hours after our K-1 packet was entered into the USEM's system.

Under the old scheduling system, within two minutes of scheduling an interview appointment through the Embassy's call center, both the petitioner and the beneficiary would receive an interview confirmation email from the Embassy call center. The reason that both us received an interview confirmation email is because the Embassy's call center asked for Chinook's email address at the time I set her appointment. I'm thinking, since Chinook's appointment was already set, and since she had already received an email which confirmed that fact, the Embassy knew it, and didn't see any point in sending Chinook a snail mail telling her that she was eligible for an interview.

As a side note, when someone was setting an appointment under the old system, the Embassy's old call center would ask whether your fiancée had received her snail mail letter from the Embassy notifying her that she was eligible to schedule an interview. Even if your fiancée had not received the letter, if you told the Embassy's call center "yes," she indeed had received the letter, the call center would go ahead and allow you to schedule the appointment. If you said "no," then the standard answer from those script-readers would be to "call back in two weeks."

Judging from your timeline, your physical K-1 packet has not been entered into the Embassy's system yet, so it is unlikely, under this new scheduling system, that you will be able to schedule an interview appointment yet. Also, I'm guessing that the Embassy is still sending snail mail letters to beneficiaries informing them that they are eligible to schedule an interview. Like the old system, under the new scheduling system I'm guessing that you don't have to wait for the eligibility letter to arrive before you book an interview appointment. I'm guessing that all you need to do, as with the old system, is to get your MNL case number from the NVC, then find out from the Embassy when your K-1 packet has been entered into their system, and then schedule an appointment...after you pay BPI (of course).

I hope this rambling helps.

[Beth & Chard 8]

Hi again Richard...

Focusing only on the K-1 process, here is my take on the situation:

Your K-1 packet that you sent to the USCIS included an I-129F and a G-325A for your fiancée. Your fiancée's address was included on both forms. After your physical K-1 packet arrives at the U.S. Embassy Manila and is entered into their system, the USEM will send your fiancée a snail mail to the address you listed for her on those documents. The snail mail letter will inform her that she is eligible to schedule an interview. This is what is meant by "the letter."

However, under the old scheduling system, some K-1ers fell through the cracks when it came to receiving the eligibility snail mail letter from the Embassy. My fiancée was one example of that. She never received a snail mail letter informing her that she was eligible to schedule an interview. Instead, I scheduled an interview for her under the old system by simply calling the NVC for our MNL case number, then calling the Embassy to find out when our physical K-1 packet had been entered into the Embassy's system, then scheduling an interview appointment. It's entirely possible that Chinook never received a snail mail letter from the Embassy informing her that she was eligible to schedule an interview because I scheduled her interview appointment within 24 hours after our K-1 packet was entered into the USEM's system.

Under the old scheduling system, within two minutes of scheduling an interview appointment through the Embassy's call center, both the petitioner and the beneficiary would receive an interview confirmation email from the Embassy call center. The reason that both us received an interview confirmation email is because the Embassy's call center asked for Chinook's email address at the time I set her appointment. I'm thinking, since Chinook's appointment was already set, and since she had already received an email which confirmed that fact, the Embassy knew it, and didn't see any point in sending Chinook a snail mail telling her that she was eligible for an interview.

As a side note, when someone was setting an appointment under the old system, the Embassy's old call center would ask whether your fiancée had received her snail mail letter from the Embassy notifying her that she was eligible to schedule an interview. Even if your fiancée had not received the letter, if you told the Embassy's call center "yes," she indeed had received the letter, the call center would go ahead and allow you to schedule the appointment. If you said "no," then the standard answer from those script-readers would be to "call back in two weeks."

Judging from your timeline, your physical K-1 packet has not been entered into the Embassy's system yet, so it is unlikely, under this new scheduling system, that you will be able to schedule an interview appointment yet. Also, I'm guessing that the Embassy is still sending snail mail letters to beneficiaries informing them that they are eligible to schedule an interview. Like the old system, under the new scheduling system I'm guessing that you don't have to wait for the eligibility letter to arrive before you book an interview appointment. I'm guessing that all you need to do, as with the old system, is to get your MNL case number from the NVC, then find out from the Embassy when your K-1 packet has been entered into their system, and then schedule an appointment...after you pay BPI (of course).

I hope this rambling helps.

Thanks so much for this, now I get it. This makes it easier. I think I will just try scheduling at the end of each day, as a matter of routine and stop calling the call center.

If I am able to schedule I will know we've been entered into their system.

[Markieboy 104]

I think I will just try scheduling at the end of each day, as a matter of routine and stop calling the call center.

If I am able to schedule I will know we've been entered into their system.

Nice! That's exactly what I'm doing now.

[sheenaspapi 18]

There is not a UID number box to fill in under the K visa appointment scheduling..

Go to applying for a immigrant visa then K visa appointment scheduling.

Bigjohn, Where are you" registering" at?

[Tahoma 2,291]

Thanks so much for this, now I get it. This makes it easier. I think I will just try scheduling at the end of each day, as a matter of routine and stop calling the call center.

If I am able to schedule I will know we've been entered into their system.

Nice! That's exactly what I'm doing now.

Yes, that seems to be the way to go...just continue trying to schedule an appointment online. When your K-1 packet is finally entered into the Embassy's system, you will be able to book an appointment online. And scheduling online would be much easier than wasting a lot of time trying to get through to the call center.

[Messybrownhair 251]

You get the UID number once you are able to book it online.. oh and for your question about the letter, i did receive one by courier before just telling me to schedule

[sheenaspapi 18]

I guess my question is the duration of time from when your file was sent from NVC to embassy till the time you recieved the letter?

I am just trying to s hedule on line once or twice a day also.

[Beth & Chard 8]

Yes, that seems to be the way to go...just continue trying to schedule an appointment online. When your K-1 packet is finally entered into the Embassy's system, you will be able to book an appointment online. And scheduling online would be much easier than wasting a lot of time trying to get through to the call center.

Yesterday, I got a hold of the call center and spouting a bunch of ####### about military service and family history and congressmen,

I think I pretty much went to the limit of what you can say without getting arrested.

That was my last attempt at pushing it, and that is why I said i would just start doing the online schedule thing, until it goes through.

The guy I went off on at the call center said he would put a priority on it. So I did thank him for that. After getting off the phone I am thinking, man I just blew it.

Now our file is probably going to end up in the trash.

Well, get this, today I got the email authorization to schedule.

But, still can't schedule online, keep getting the same message (heads up on this Markieboy) so tomorrow I will get on the phone again,

and do it through the call center. Wish me luck I'll let you know.

Oh, so time line wise, NVC verbal was that our petition was sent to USEM Nov 30, hard copy letter says Dec 01, Authorization email to schedule says Embassy received it Dec 08, same day I had my verbal with the call center guy, And the email arrived today Dec 09. Go figure.

Edited December 9, 2010 by Richard535

[Beth & Chard 8]

I guess my question is the duration of time from when your file was sent from NVC to embassy till the time you recieved the letter?

I am just trying to s hedule on line once or twice a day also.

Yesterday, I got a hold of the call center and spouting a bunch of ####### about military service and family history and congressmen,

I think I pretty much went to the limit of what you can say without getting arrested.

That was my last attempt at pushing it, and that is why I said i would just start doing the online schedule thing, until it goes through.

The guy I went off on at the call center said he would put a priority on it. So I did thank him for that. After getting off the phone I am thinking, man I just blew it.

Now our file is probably going to end up in the trash.

Well, get this, today I got the email authorization to schedule.

But, still can't schedule online, keep getting the same message (heads up on this Markieboy) so tomorrow I will get on the phone again,

and do it through the call center. Wish me luck I'll let you know.

Oh, so time line wise, NVC verbal was that our petition was sent to USEM Nov 30, hard copy letter says Dec 01, Authorization email to schedule says Embassy received it Dec 08, same day I had my verbal with the call center guy, And the email arrived today Dec 09. Go figure.

[sheenaspapi 18]

So you did get an email to schedule. Hmmm. I ll be looki.g for one also then. My dates are the same as yours. Keep us posted!!!!

[Tahoma 2,291]

I guess my question is the duration of time from when your file was sent from NVC to embassy till the time you recieved the letter?

I am just trying to s hedule on line once or twice a day also.

So you did get an email to schedule. Hmmm. I ll be looki.g for one also then. My dates are the same as yours. Keep us posted!!!!

It can take from one to three weeks for your K-1 petition to be sent from the NVC, arrive at the USEM, and be entered into the USEM's system. After your petition is entered into their system, the USEM used to send the beneficiary a snail mail letter that she was eligible for an interview. This step usually took some time. Sometimes the letter never arrived.

Does the USEM now send out an email to the petitioner or to the beneficiary notifying them that they are eligible to schedule an interview?

[bulon 3]

Hi tahoma, I just paid my K1 Interview few at BPI. They just gave me a receipt. Where can I get the UID? I asked for it and told me the they only give the receipt.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Hi tahoma, I just paid my K1 Interview few at BPI. They just gave me a receipt. Where can I get the UID? I asked for it and told me the they only give the receipt.

BPI does not have your UID. It is my understanding that you will get your UID when you schedule your interview appointment online. Another VJer said that the UID comes early in the online interview appointment process. When you finish the online process for making your interview appointment, I believe the UID also appears on the interview appointment confirmation sheet which you print out.

If you call the Embassy's call center and schedule an interview appointment, I'm not sure if you would get a UID. I'm not sure if you would need one either.