Electronic Processing + Other Questions

[shira 4]

I'm kind of a newby to this website, but I've spent a ton of time gathering information on the IR1/CR1 process. I've already submitted my I-130 petition (November 1) and gotten my NOA1. I'm waiting for my NOA2, but I'm trying to get everything I can done in advance. I've already had my wife (in China) obtain two certified copies (with certified translations) of her birth certificate, police report, and our marriage certificate (I took one set during my last visit to her). I've also completed/collected all of my I-864 documentation. And I've scanned all of these documents into compressed PDF format.

Of course, I plan to opt in for Electronic Processing, and I've read the available information on this website. But (naturally), there's unclear and/or conflicting information. Hence, my questions:

1. Will I be able to obtain my invoice identification number (IIN) by calling the NVC, or do I have to wait for my AOS Fee Bill to be generated?
   
2. Can I, right now, download a fillable DS-3032, print out the form, scan it, and send it to my wife for her signature and date? So that she can re-scan and send to me? The downloadable/fillable form has a blank area for a Barcode strip, which I understand is NOT appropriate if one is requesting EP. But can I still used this downloadable/fillable DS-3032 (with the barcode area left blank)?
   
3. Several places on this website say that for a Chinese spouse "do not attempt to optin before receiving the DS-3032 email" and "only optin after invoicing of the AOS bill." Are these warnings still true?
   
4. The visajourney EP page says that the DS-3032 must be sent from "foreign spouse's email." Other threads have said that the DS-3032 should be attached to the OPTIN email sent by me. Which is correct?
   
5. The expiration date printed on the current downloadable DS-3032 is 1/31/2013, and the expiration date on the current downloadable I-864 is 9/30/2012! Are these expiration dates important?
   
6. One thread says that, because my wife is in China, where there's a lot of visa fraud, I should include supplementary "proof of bona-fide marriage" documents with my DS-230 package. Is this still true?
   
7. Finally (and this one's pretty simple), for the requirement for a "passport type photo," for EP, should I just scan a suitable photo to create a PDF and include in the DS-230 package?
   

Thanks!

[Darnell 8,478]

2. yes.

6. yes.

1. both.

3. yes. don't be a guinea pig, aye?

4. should be from beneficiary's email address. folk get some slack, send it from petitioner's address, sometimes have to resend, sometimes is ok. i hate the word 'sometimes'.

5. expiration date won't matter.

7. yes.

8. wei - fill out yer timeline, at http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=146880

Sorry to answer out of order.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Darnell

[shira 4]

Thanks for your answers.

My wife lives in Chengdu. :-)

For #1: Are you saying that sometimes it's possible to get the IIN by calling the NVC before the AOS Fee Bill is generated; but sometimes I must wait for the AOS Fee Bill?

For #4: Sounds like I should have my wife email the DS-3032. But does the order of the emails matter? Is it better for her to email the DS-3032 before I email the OPTIN, or vice versa?

[Darnell 8,478]

1. never, ever, opt in till the AOS FEE BILL arrrives via email. The IIN will be inside of the AOS fee bill.

4. please learn exactly what an OPT IN email looks like. see http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Electronic_Processing#How_to_OPT_IN

[Mike and Lily 13]

Also, be prepared for a wait after you get your NOA2. The NVC is pretty slow these days. It took us 7 weeks from our NOA2 to get the AOS fee bill.