FVANCOUVER: NO MORE 2 DAY TURNAROUND

[lvcouple2010 11]

Just got our NOA2 last monday and we're waiting to schedule our K1 visa interview in Vancouver. We were hoping to pick up her visa at the consulate a couple of days after the interview. Emailed the Consulate in Vancouver and was told that the visa would be shipped by DHL to her location and is the only option now "no exceptions". I was a bit surprised about that since the the DOS website says they can be picked up at the consulate in three business days and others have told me 1-2 days after interview they picked theirs up.

FYI: This info is straight from the K1 visa unit at the Vancouver consulate.

[K2011 0]

That's correct. Starting March 2011, the Vancouver consulate no longer hands the K-1 visa in person. You need to register with the DHL service and once the consulate processes the documents after the interview, it sends it to the DHL location you selected and updates the waybill number on CSC website.

You then have an option of pick up or delivery.

I had my interview today (7 hours of waiting and interview that lasted for 1 min)

Approved and will have my passport within 4 business days.

Must say, very friendly and helpful officers at the consulate. If the paper work is in place, it's a cake walk.

Just wear comfortable shoes as the wait can be very long.

Edited April 5, 2011 by K2011

[AlinaH 38]

That's correct. Starting March 2011, the Vancouver consulate no longer hands the K-1 visa in person. You need to register with the DHL service and once the consulate processes the documents after the interview, it sends it to the DHL location you selected and updates the waybill number on CSC website.

You then have an option of pick up or delivery.

I had my interview today (7 hours of waiting and interview that lasted for 1 min)

Approved and will have my passport within 4 business days.

Must say, very friendly and helpful officers at the consulate. If the paper work is in place, it's a cake walk.

Just wear comfortable shoes as the wait can be very long.

Hey just wondering if you could tell me, after you got packet four - how long did you wait until your actual interview? Thanks!

[BlueBonnet 84]

I took about a month to gather all the paperwork - I wanted everything to be as current as possible. I really expected a 7 week timeline between letting them know that I was ready, and the actual interview date. I was surprised at the 2 1/2 week notice that I was given. I also think that the shipping only of the visa/packages is a good idea. The consulate does more than just process K1 visas. When I went, there was 3 of us interviewing that Tuesday, when I went to hand in my medical, there was another person waiting for their K1 interview, but there were about 25 others getting a different type of visa. Imagine all that traffic every single day ... if they can curb the traffic, and do some things through a courier, might speed up the process even more.

[K2011 0]

For us it was all in just a few hours. (3 hours to be precise)

Packet 3: Consulate sent us an e-mail.

We had all documents ready so faxed DS-230, DS-156 Barcode Number and checklist within an hour.

Vacouver consulate replied within minutes to confirm that all documents are fine and told they will send instructions to book online visa appointment in mail.

I replied and asked if they could send it as an attachment to an e-mail.

Reply from consulate within 5 minutes with the attachment.

Booked the visa appointment and got it within 10 days after making online payment for MRV fee ($350)

Consulate confirmed the appointment and we registered with the DHL service.

[frankielove 5]

For us it was all in just a few hours. (3 hours to be precise)

Packet 3: Consulate sent us an e-mail.

We had all documents ready so faxed DS-230, DS-156 Barcode Number and checklist within an hour.

Vacouver consulate replied within minutes to confirm that all documents are fine and told they will send instructions to book online visa appointment in mail.

I replied and asked if they could send it as an attachment to an e-mail.

Reply from consulate within 5 minutes with the attachment.

Booked the visa appointment and got it within 10 days after making online payment for MRV fee ($350)

Consulate confirmed the appointment and we registered with the DHL service.

@K2011, does this mean you have an interview date set for 10 days after you sent the info? We got our approval yesterday and I am trying to understand how fast this process will go for wedding planning ideas.

[lvcouple2010 11]

I asked this same question and yes, the interview was scheduled 10 days after receiving packet 3. It helped that they had all the docs ready ahead of time and they faxed everything to Vancouver right away. Still, 10 days is awesome. In the same boat as you guys so all the best!

[K2011 0]

Thanks Ivcouple2010 for already proving the info on my behalf. Apreciate it.

Frankielove and to all others in the same boat a few more tips that might help:

- Book your medical the moment you get packet 3 in e-mail. If you have time, instead of the same day, have medical earlier)

- As they don't allow any electronics including phones or big bags etc, you can deposit your phone, jacket and other items at the OCEANIC SMOKE SHOP across the road.( right opposite Star bucks which is right next to the consulate). The owner charges 3 dollars and gives a coupon ( its safe). If you have a earler than 8 am appointment, you can request the printing shop owner in the business builing right next to the smoke shop.

- Generally the visa appointment summary page for K-1 visa interview doesn't have your picture {as we fill out the old format of DS-156 online form}. On the day of the interview, when you are in the lineup outside the consulate, the consular officer will ask for a confirmation page with digital photograph. Don't freak out and just go to the officer standing right next to the main door of the consulate. Explian and she/he will put a K-1 sticker on your passport and you are sorted to go for security check.

- Keep extra copies of DS-156K as at times the visa officer writes a wrong name or spills ink on the form.

- At the inteview make sure the vis aofficer makes you sign the Ds 156-K form, takes your finger prints and gives port of entry instructions.

( In our case, they forgot to take my fingerprints and I had to go gain today) Even consulates mess up;)

All the best to all you guys!

[K2011 0]

Thanks Ivcouple2010 for already providng the info on my behalf. Apreciate it.

Frankielove and to all others in the same boat, a few more tips that might help:

- When CIS sends file to NVC, call them and take your case file number. Makes things faster as you can contact the consulate after you have the file number for queries. ( it's a VAC XXXXXXX number, VAC for Vancouver consulate). If your case got transferred from Montreal to Vancouver as in our case, the case number will be MTLXXXXXXX and won't change even after transfer to Vancouver consulate.

-Book your medical the moment you get packet 3 in e-mail. If you have time, instead of the same day, have medical earlier)

- As they don't allow any electronics including phones or big bags etc, you can deposit your phone, jacket and other items at the OCEANIC SMOKE SHOP across the road.( right opposite Star bucks which is right next to the consulate). The owner charges 3 dollars and gives a coupon ( its safe). If you have a earler than 8 am appointment, you can request the printing shop owner in the business builing right next to the smoke shop.

- Generally the visa appointment summary page for K-1 visa interview doesn't have your picture {as we fill out the old format of DS-156 online form}. On the day of the interview, when you are in the lineup outside the consulate, the consular officer will ask for a confirmation page with digital photograph. Don't freak out and just go to the officer standing right next to the main door of the consulate. Explian and she/he will put a K-1 sticker on your passport and you are sorted to go for security check.

- Keep extra copies of DS-156K as at times the visa officer writes a wrong name or spills ink on the form.

- At the inteview make sure the vis aofficer makes you sign the Ds 156-K form, takes your finger prints and gives port of entry instructions.

( In our case, they forgot to take my fingerprints and I had to go gain today) Even consulates mess up;)

All the best to all you guys!

[K2011 0]

PLEASE NOTE ANY OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN ABOVE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE AND I CANT BE HELD LIABLE FOR USE OF SUCH INFORMATION BY YOU FOR ANY PURPOSE WHATSOEVER.