NOA2 Finally came - August filer

[ann and aties 9]

Filed August 9th, NOA1 August 13th - called USCIS January 11th to ask about it since we were past the five month processing period - talked to nice enough tier one guy who kept repeating himself, but I stayed polite. He told me he would write a service report on it and not to call back for 30 days. The next day got an email from USCIS saying it was being adjudicated and we "should" hear within 45 days. Went on the website today (which I check compulsively at least twice a day) and it would not load - it would time out and not load for me. So I gave up, but then checked one more time to see our case status changed to approved today! Now I have to wait til I get my case # from NVC to call Havana and make an interview date - here's hoping it won't be in 2012. Yahhh for progress - good luck to all the other August filers!

[Beau & Digna 5]

Filed August 9th, NOA1 August 13th - called USCIS January 11th to ask about it since we were past the five month processing period - talked to nice enough tier one guy who kept repeating himself, but I stayed polite. He told me he would write a service report on it and not to call back for 30 days. The next day got an email from USCIS saying it was being adjudicated and we "should" hear within 45 days. Went on the website today (which I check compulsively at least twice a day) and it would not load - it would time out and not load for me. So I gave up, but then checked one more time to see our case status changed to approved today! Now I have to wait til I get my case # from NVC to call Havana and make an interview date - here's hoping it won't be in 2012. Yahhh for progress - good luck to all the other August filers!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Finally for you two...that was a long wait! I'm not sure what it is, but some Cuba petitions seem to get approved very fast, and others take the full 5 month course. We got our NOA2 January 11, but with an NOA1 of November 15! We still haven't scheduled the interview in Havana yet, because I understand that we must at least receive Packet 3 before scheduling it, and the beneficiary needs to have a passport number for us to be able to schedule with the automated system. We should get the passport next Tuesday, right about the time Packet 3 should arrive. NVC just sent our info off to Havana on Monday January 24. We know our NVC case number, so if you think it's possible to schedule the interview now without the Packet 3, and passport in hand, I'd appreciate the advice. I truly hope for a speedy rest of the process for you moving forward, as it doesn't seem fair how long you two had to wait...I'm scared to hear how far away our interview date will be. I understand it's a long wait in Havana. Take care, and keep in touch...we might just be there for the interview at about the same time.

[ann and aties 9]

Beau & Digna,

I don't think you wait. A friend made an appt as soon as she had the case #.

I am pretty sure if you have your case # (does it begin with HAV?) you can call 1-866-374-1769 to purchase a PIN. It costs 11 USD using Visa or MasterCard. It's nonrefundable. You can schedule an interview there. here is a link saying the info you will need when you call:

http://havana.usint.gov/appointment_procedures2.html

Please let me know how it goes! I am wondering if the interviews are still 7 months out! Good luck!

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

moved from Latin America, Mexico & the Caribbean regional to K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

[ann and aties 9]

The phone number given above and the procedure for getting an interview is specific to Cuba. I don't think it is the way it works for other countries. Just don't want folks looking at this thread in the future to get the wrong impression.

[marklovetina 52]

[ann and aties 9]

[OBX 51]

Congratulations.

[Claudia2010 1]

No you dont have to wait for the packet 3 to arrive to havana actually I believe they wait for the interview to be schedule before sending the packet..I did mine like that and everything worked out for the best...call the nvc get the havana case number call the number for the appts and schedule it..A friend of mine did it last week and just a heads up its longer the 7 months he was given sept 10 i believe..I have called trying to get an earlier date because mine is in june but no luck there..well good luck..after the appt has being schedule he will not get the packet by mail he will get a telegram from the embassy to come pick the package up..good luck..long journey still ahead..

[ann and aties 9]

Claudia, are you sure that the fiance has to pick up the packet in Havana? I thought I had read that if they don't live in Havana it will be mailed to them? I will certainly be asking about this when I call to make the appointment. Still haven't gotten my case # yet though. I called the NVC and they don't have it yet.

[Beau & Digna 5]

Here's the link to the US Interest Section in Havana where, I got the information that we should at least wait for the Packet 3 instructions before scheduling the appointment:

http://havana.usint.gov/appointment_procedures2.html

It says:

"Only applicants who have been notified by the Interests Section that their case is ready for processing and who are documentarily qualified may request an appointment."

and goes on to say:

"An applicant for an immigrant visa is eligible to schedule an appointment with a consular officer only if the U.S. Interests Section has informed the applicant that his/her case is ready for processing and the applicant is documentarily qualified. An applicant is documentarily qualified when he/she has obtained all required civil documents, including marriage and divorce records, birth certificate, police certificate, and a valid passport, and completed a medical exam at a designated facility in Cuba. An instruction sheet provided by the Interests Section to immigrant visa applicants contains a complete list of civil documents and other documentation that must be obtained prior to scheduling an appointment. Making an appointment before an applicant is documentarily qualified could cause significant delays in processing the applicant's case."

Significant delays??? More than 8 months for an interview??? Are you kidding me??? I'm not sure what to think with this conflicting interview appointment information, but I'd sure hate to have all the time pass to be fully "documentarly qualified", and find the interview dates are then 10 months out!

We haven't been able to schedule our interview as of yet, because we are lacking the passport, but I was under the impression that we could obtain a passport rather quickly (which appears to be the case, even with a couple unforseen problems), and could do it while waiting for the Packet 3. We filled out the passport application while I was there in December/January, and submitted for it shortly after our NOA2 news. We are supposed to pick it up tomorrow, so I'm holding my breath and fingers are crossed. I'll update you on the interview date if we do indeed pick up the passport tomorrow.

Thanks for the help Claudi and Ann/Aties.

[Claudia2010 1]

ann I dont know in the case of someone who doesnt leave in havana...i know my fiance leaves in the outside of havana and he got a telegram with instructions to pick up package..i was there and went with him to pick it up at the embassy...Beau & Digna you should not wait until packet 3 is receive there is no point to it believe me it will just delay the the appts and like i said a friend on mine made his last week and they are like scheduling for september already...Also when u get packet 3 in the main letter lets you know you know the interview date as well...so i believe is the other way around they wait for you to schedule things before sending the packet..

[ann and aties 9]

Ok, to continue our saga - I called the NVC last Monday to see if they could give me a case # so I could call to obtain an interview date. They did not have the case yet (NOA was 1/26 only). I sent an email to NVC asking for a case number on Monday as well. I got a response from them late last night. So I called the number (1-866-374-1769)this morning to pay for my PIN and ask for an interview date. Our interview is October 18th. So far away but at least we know when it is.

I needed to give his passport #, full name, email address and phone #. They gave me a confirmation number for the appointment.

Still not clear about packet 3 - it might be mailed to my address or his address, he asked which I had given them. (of course they have both). So, maybe we have to pick it up there, or it will be mailed - we certainly have enough time to figure that one out.

I will be going this summer to visit and will bring all my documents with me, since there is no mail delivery between the two countries. Hope this helps others that are working with the US interest section in Havana.

[Beau & Digna 5]

Congratulations on the interview date Ann and Aties. Ours hasn't gone quite as smoothly getting scheduled. We got our Cuban passport Tuesday as expected, and I immediately called to schedule the interview. The lady asked the basic questions you mentioned, then asked how many applicants there were. I said "one" (thinking, how many fiances do you think I have there?), then follow with, "oh, wait there are two children involved" She asked about their passport numbers, which we don't have yet. I said that they were follow-to join K-2 applicants, and would schedule an interview at a later date, and I'm just trying to schedule the K-1 interview. The lady asked if I had different case numbers for the children (which we obviously don't). Even somewhere on the VJ FAQ's it talks about scheduling interviews for children to follow at later dates, but I suppose that would be embassy specific. She said we would all need to interview at the same time. I don't believe this is correct, but I don't know where to question or complain. At $11 for 8 minutes of their time, I wouldn't want that to be the place. Anyway we're working on getting passports for the children now as well.

I tried to schedule again two days later, after I thought about it, and did more research. This time I said there was one applicant as my initial instinct told me, so okay there are no problems this time UNTIL...the same lady by the way (Mary) asked if we have received packet 3 yet. I am of course not going to lie, and said we hadn't. She said we would need to receive that before we can schedule the appointment, which is exactly what I had read, but it doesn't seem to apply to most of us on here who schedule immediately after getting the case number. She went on to say that since we haven't received packet 3, we aren't entered into their system to schedule us. WHAT????????? This is obviously not the case. Does anyone have further suggestions of what we can do to get our interview scheduled?

Thanks, and congrats again Ann and Aties.

Beau

[Claudia2010 1]

Beau I am sorry to hear that you havent had luck with the setting up your appts..I know for a fact that you dont need to receive your packet 3 to schedule your interview I want to actual affirm they wait for your appt to be schedule before sending your packet because on the the main letter on the packet it tells the fiance when is his appts..I will call again if I where you..now I want to say that for the children they all need to interview on the same date remember cuba is just one of the special countries..now they can follow your fiance I believe they dont have to fly with him..just make sure at the interview they find out how long they can stay behind..good luck..