our story

[thelastpetitioner 218]

I'm gonna write this and go cry my guts out in the shower,I just seriously hope that our story helps someone.

My SO and I got the package together in July of 2010.He sent the stuff in June and got the NOA in sept.

EVERYTHING went slow for us,it took us 135 or so days to get approved but we didn't find out that we were actually approved until about a month later when I contacted CSC via email.

He got the noa 2 and the hardcopy of our new case number from NVC about two weeks later and the embassy received our case in December.By the time the embassy had our case he had request a letter of deployment from someone high in his chain of command.we did not get this till last week.He sent a letter to request expansion on our noa 2's approval date but low and behold,UPS lost it.So long story short,he gave his part of packet 3 to a friend to mail it for him and the friend has gone MIA and I have a feeling that this packet will get lost just like the letter.

So here I am,being as miserable as I have ever been in my whole life,waiting on an email from embassy to see if we can fax another letter to request expansion cause thats literally our last hope.

I am risking my sanity and health over something so stupid.I can not go through this whole process again consider how the quality of the service USCIS is offering is getting lower and lower every single day,but that might be the last resort.

I guess the moral of the story is...don't worry if you're past the three months mark and your petition hasn't been approved,just pray to dear lord and St.Jude that you don't get in a situation like mine,cause you'll look back at USCIS days and laugh at it.

PS:If you are going to comment and suggest that I give up or find another spouse,save it,cause I have had with rude and bitter comments from members who are already done with this process.

[B_J 2,752]

All I can say is that I really hope that things work out. I can't imagine everything you're going through. If nothing else, remember there are people here who care.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

no one cares and its alright,i dont want people to care,i want people to learn,to keep their cool and take things day by day

[Aztec&Taino 144]

I'm gonna write this and go cry my guts out in the shower,I just seriously hope that our story helps someone.

My SO and I got the package together in July of 2010.He sent the stuff in June and got the NOA in sept.

EVERYTHING went slow for us,it took us 135 or so days to get approved but we didn't find out that we were actually approved until about a month later when I contacted CSC via email.

He got the noa 2 and the hardcopy of our new case number from NVC about two weeks later and the embassy received our case in December.By the time the embassy had our case he had request a letter of deployment from someone high in his chain of command.we did not get this till last week.He sent a letter to request expansion on our noa 2's approval date but low and behold,UPS lost it.So long story short,he gave his part of packet 3 to a friend to mail it for him and the friend has gone MIA and I have a feeling that this packet will get lost just like the letter.

So here I am,being as miserable as I have ever been in my whole life,waiting on an email from embassy to see if we can fax another letter to request expansion cause thats literally our last hope.

I am risking my sanity and health over something so stupid.I can not go through this whole process again consider how the quality of the service USCIS is offering is getting lower and lower every single day,but that might be the last resort.

I guess the moral of the story is...don't worry if you're past the three months mark and your petition hasn't been approved,just pray to dear lord and St.Jude that you don't get in a situation like mine,cause you'll look back at USCIS days and laugh at it.

PS:If you are going to comment and suggest that I give up or find another spouse,save it,cause I have had with rude and bitter comments from members who are already done with this process.

Hello "The Last Petitioner,"

Are you concerned the petition approval (NOA 2) will expire before they can schedule an interview date at the consulate for you? If this is the case, I remember reading somewhere that the petition approval is good for 4 months, but it can be extended at the discretion of a consular officer (in other words, if they take more than 4 months from NOA 2 to schedule your interview date your petition's validity is extended).

I think a good thing to learn from your experience is to make copies! Had your fiance made copies of the deployment letter and of the contents of packet 3, then you would have a ready-to-go replacement of your documents.

I hope it works out and best wishes, always!

[Harpa Timsah 13,260]

Oh, I am so sorry! But don't give up or panic now. You are worried about lost documents and the fact that your NOA2 will expire soonish? You can fix this. You can call the following: embassy, NVC, military helpline, UPS (did you get a tracking number from them?). Does the embassy accept emailed packet 3's (probably not or you would have done it already, but just throwing it out there). Just focus on making the calls and getting things done. You can call US I-800 numbers using skype.

Don't trust friends to mail things for you!

Best of luck and godspeed!

[belinda63 3,053]

Email works great. Then follow-up with a letter. I don't know about now but we had to send the Packet three UPS from the US. So get copies of it and UPS it to them and keep checking the website for an interview date. I know it is a big pain in the A$$ dealing with Ankara but keep on it, the pay off in the end is well worth it.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

Hello "The Last Petitioner,"

Are you concerned the petition approval (NOA 2) will expire before they can schedule an interview date at the consulate for you? If this is the case, I remember reading somewhere that the petition approval is good for 4 months, but it can be extended at the discretion of a consular officer (in other words, if they take more than 4 months from NOA 2 to schedule your interview date your petition's validity is extended).

I think a good thing to learn from your experience is to make copies! Had your fiance made copies of the deployment letter and of the contents of packet 3, then you would have a ready-to-go replacement of your documents.

I hope it works out and best wishes, always!

that is the problem,our noa 2 expires in the middle of march,and since the wait is our fault ( we still havent sent packet 3 ) they wont extend it.

the documents are not lost yet,but considering how time after UPS has let us down ( it took them a month to send my fiance noa 2,even tho he lives in clifornia,and also they lost the letter we wrote to request expansion ) i have lost all hope

thank you

[thelastpetitioner 218]

Oh, I am so sorry! But don't give up or panic now. You are worried about lost documents and the fact that your NOA2 will expire soonish? You can fix this. You can call the following: embassy, NVC, military helpline, UPS (did you get a tracking number from them?). Does the embassy accept emailed packet 3's (probably not or you would have done it already, but just throwing it out there). Just focus on making the calls and getting things done. You can call US I-800 numbers using skype.

Don't trust friends to mail things for you!

Best of luck and godspeed!

he learned that the hard way.thanks

[Harpa Timsah 13,260]

You said the wait is your fault, but it's not. There has been a mail problem. Furthermore, how do you know they won't extend it? From what you have said you haven't received word from them. Have you tried the military hotline? Your SO is deploying?

You have to work for what you want, and you shouldn't give up and let your case fall through the cracks because you think it is out of your hands. It's not. All is not lost. You can fix this. I know you didn't ask for advice, but it seems to me just throwing your hands up doesn't help. It's time to hunker down and get organized and start calling and emailing people. Empower yourself and you will be successful. Good luck.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

You said the wait is your fault, but it's not. There has been a mail problem. Furthermore, how do you know they won't extend it? From what you have said you haven't received word from them. Have you tried the military hotline? Your SO is deploying?

You have to work for what you want, and you shouldn't give up and let your case fall through the cracks because you think it is out of your hands. It's not. All is not lost. You can fix this. I know you didn't ask for advice, but it seems to me just throwing your hands up doesn't help. It's time to hunker down and get organized and start calling and emailing people. Empower yourself and you will be successful. Good luck.

nope,he is not.im constantly in touch with the embassy,like i know by the time i go in for my interview they will recognize me.

im just really tired of the uncertainty and false hope,you know you constantly think ok after the noa 2 everything will go fast and smooth,and just to see people who filed a couple of days after me already have their visa,and im still stuck,its just really draining,emotionally and all

[LGC 2]

do the iran consulate have website? if they list what's in the packet 3. no needed for the actual packet 3(as long as you can download and print out all the forms that's needed)

i sent out my packet 3 as soon as i learned the consulate sent out the packet 3. i got the actual packet 3 the same day the consulate received my packet 3 return.

Good luck!

[LGC 2]

otherwise, see if you can find out what's within the packet 3 from other iran petitioners.

[Aztec&Taino 144]

that is the problem,our noa 2 expires in the middle of march,and since the wait is our fault ( we still havent sent packet 3 ) they wont extend it.

the documents are not lost yet,but considering how time after UPS has let us down ( it took them a month to send my fiance noa 2,even tho he lives in clifornia,and also they lost the letter we wrote to request expansion ) i have lost all hope

thank you

The middle of March is still weeks away. Is there another courier service that delivers to your country? FedEx, USPS, UPS? How about scanning and faxing documentation?

[Messybrownhair 251]

Just putting in my two cents here, but since he is deploying, can he not try to contact a congressman or JAG officer to help him sort things out before he leaves? I am sure they will be more than happy to help out, especially since a lot of the errors is not in your part but other circumstances. All is not lost, you can fix this!

If there is a will, there is a way!

[jkelly07 120]

thats why we always say make two sets files and copies of all your documents, for this same reason,in case one is lost,or if you got a rfe you can look back on your other file to what you did wrong, sorry your file was lost,i hope it turns up,