NOA2 hard-copy notice undeliverable

[EllinDiasporas 1]

Hi Darnell,

Seriously, a very, very big thank you for a reassuring and informative response. Moreover, the pep-talk made my day.

Both my fiancee and I really appreciate it !

I'm actually in Greece right now visiting her. I'll exploit the 7-hr time-zone difference to call USCIS and move along as you've recommended.

May you have a fantastic day !

Pete

[EllinDiasporas 1]

Hi folks,

I'm just writing to update here and express an extra degree of frustration. It now seems impossible to get hold of a human being on their friggin' system ! ...

Note that I'm in Greece right now and the best way to contact their 1-800 number is via Skype. Until Friday, I could do the trick of just not pressing anything

and waiting until a Spanish speaking CSR came on and I politely asked them to speak in English. Now this option seems to have been disabled !

I've tried all the other suggestions you folks have given me, including various key combinations such as 1-1-2-2 etc. and I can't get a hold of anybody.

I actually called the Athens embassy's USCIS office and they had no further suggestions. They were extremely polite but told me that it's the US government's

policy to not allow easy access to a human being on their 1-800 number. What the heck ?

All I'm trying to do is have a piece of mail sent back to me. Should I just go online and try ?

I'm going to put forth another post on getting hold of a human as there seem to be plenty different possibilities with none really working.

Thank you all again for everything,

Pete

[EllinDiasporas 1]

PS: Sorry to bother again. Still no luck with the USCIS phone system but I was able to speak with a representative at NVC. Needless to say,

this person seemed a lot more capable. He clarified that there shouldn't be any mail forwarding issues on their side but also indicated to

me that our petition has not yet been forwarded to them. The VJ flow-chart indicates that 2 weeks after reception of the NOA2 one should contact

NVC to check and see if they've received the approved I-129F package. The gentleman said that nothing had reached NVC yet and it might take

up to 8 weeks after the notice is sent out.

In your own experience, how long did it take between NOA2 and NVC reception of the approved package ?

I'm assured from your words that the returned NOA2 snail-mail is not stalling anything.

Thanks again !

[Yelena_USA 2]

Hello everybody! A few days back we faced the same problem that EllinDiasporas initially described when opening this new topic about mail forwarding not working to deliver NOA2. I am the petitioner, and I'm currently out of the country for a few weeks, as usual I set my mail to be forworded to my parent's address. It seemed to work fine for Request for Evidence letter from the USCIS that they received in July. August 14 I saw an update on their website stating that they have mailed to me a noticed that my petition has been approved. Later, on August 22, another online update that the package was sent to the National Visa Center. I have received no NOA2. Today I saw the exactly same status change online for as EllinDiasporas has posted. Mine states: On August 29, 2013, the post office returned the notice we last sent you on this case I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E) as undeliverable. This may have serious effects on processing this case. Please call 1-800-375-5283 to update your mailing address for this notice to be re-sent.

So, here is what I did, and if you can suggest for me more I will appreciate it greatly.

1) I updated my address using their online form at https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa

There will be a question as to your own status in the U.S: a visitor, a permanent resident, other. I chose OTHER because there was no option for a U.S. citizen

2) I called the USCIS 1-800 number. Was able to get a hold of a person fairly quickly. I told him the situation and provided him with my new address. He gave me the confirmation number for this update and told that it will be updated within the next 15 days, and the NOA2 will be resent to my new address. If it's not, then to call again with that confirmation number that he had provided me with.

3) I called the National Visa Service and asked them about my case (providing the number that is on my NOA1 letter) if they have received it. The gentleman told me that they have not received it as of yet. I was calling from skype and my call was charged. I had to wait about 20 min. until I got a hold of a person.

Please EllinDiasporas and anybody else who might have had a similar issue. Let me know what can be done to change this thing back to a "normal" online status on the USCIS website, cause seeing our status at the level of initial review again is giving me bad vibes. Thank you all for your feedback.

[Darnell 8,479]

Pete seemed to have no real issues at NVC, from what I'm reading over at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=163776

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=163776

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=163776

[EllinDiasporas 1]

Hi Yelena,

Sorry to hear you ran into this situation. It's exactly the same thing we went through, i.e. the message was exactly the same with what you've highlighted.

However, despair not. Allow me to tell you what else has happened:

a) I only contacted USCIS via phone, nothing online. I spoke to a CSR and told them that the mail with the NOA2 had bounced back. We went ahead

and put forth the address change request. She claimed there was no problem and that al my mail would be forwarded.

b) The petition package still went through to NVC. We had hoped for 2 weeks but it took a little longer, about 3.5 I think ? The range of people you

get at NVC will vary dramatically. At NVC it only spent 5 days and they forwarded to the embassy pretty quickly.

c) Now, I was perplexed that 3 weeks after the request of an address change, nothing had reached my friend's address. So I called USCIS and inquired,

quite frustrated. The CSR I got this time told me this happened because we had never submitted a "service request" to have a new copy of the NOA2 sent

to the new address. I went ahead and did that. That was on Aug. 2. Two weeks later, I got an email from them indicating that this address change was official.

Today, 8/29, nothing has reached my friend.

d) Why do I say don't despair. Around 8/10, my fiancee received a DHL package from NVC that included a statement that they had processed the package

and forwarded it to the embassy and an actual official copy of the NOA2. This is what she will use for the interview. I'm quite sure you should get something like that.

So here's my suggestion: Don't despair, be a little more patient with the NVC, badger the USCIS folks a little more (I haven't done that yet because I'm comfortable

with having the other copy of the NOA2) and have your fiance be on the alert for the NOA2 copy from NVC (It'll say form I-797).

I sincerely hope this helps. Best of luck and hang in there !

Pete aka EllinDiasporas

[EllinDiasporas 1]

PS: And don't worry about the status on the website. I forgot to say that on 7/11 (NOA2 via email on 6/20), I did get a notice that my package was shipped to the NVC. At that point, status will change back to normal.

I'm quite sure the same will happen to you. Be patient, it's a bit of a game of nerves ! We have an interview on 9/17 and I'm quite sure you'll get there !

Sorry, my status went back to normal on 7/11.

PS2: 15-20 min. waiting time at NVC is normal. Hang in there !

[Yelena_USA 2]

Darnell, thank you for your valuable feedback.

EllinDiasporas, a special thank you to you for your detailed explanations and encouragement! I think me and you were both caught up in the details while the important things were/are still moving forward even though we might have thought otherwise. I am wishing you a very smooth, easy and a pleasurable interview with a positive outcome!

[EllinDiasporas 1]

Absolutely, Yelena,

It's a pleasure to help and let me know if I can be of further assistance. It is one weird process that is definitely nerve-wracking. Thank you for the good words and I also wish you the best !

[Yelena_USA 2]

Absolutely, Yelena,

It's a pleasure to help and let me know if I can be of further assistance. It is one weird process that is definitely nerve-wracking. Thank you for the good words and I also wish you the best !

Just a little update: Yesterday the status for our receipt number online at the USCIS website was changed to: On August 30, 2013, your address was changed relating to the I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E) that you filed. Please check our website at www.uscis.gov for further updates on your case. Please wait until the end of normal processing time before calling customer service.

Also, I called the NVC yesterday and was informed that they just got our case today, and that it will not be long until it will be sent to the Embassy. I was also provided with the case number . So, now I'm gathering my supporting proof for the I-134, and my fiance is busy filling out the required forms .

[Darnell 8,479]

AHA ! Movement ! Movement is always a good thing. I likes the movement, and I'm a thinking you do, as well.

Go Get Em, and Good Luck !

[EllinDiasporas 1]

Excellent news ! I'm quite sure that w/i a couple of days the USCIS website will list your status it should be.

It shouldn't take more than a week for NVC to send the material to the embassy. Hopefully, w/i a few weeks after that

they should forward a copy of the NOA2 to your fiance.

All the best !