Is my hard copy at the embassy now?

[Bugs 455]

I never got an email back from NVC, and therefore assumed it still wasn't shipped yet from NVC. So yesterday, I was surprised to already get a letter from NVC instead, saying that "within a week the petition will be forwarded to the appropriate visa-issuing post where your visa interview will take place." It then listed the WAC and MNL numbers, as well as instructions as to what the fiance should expect. It was dated Aug. 1.

Is this the letter that everyone talks about?

I called NVC today, since it has been week, and they stated it was already shipped - July 31 and she couldn't tell me if the embassy had received it yet.

So I proceeded to the CEAC website https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx to see if I could find any info about whether the embassy had received it or not. And this is what I got..

"Case Creation Date: 26-Jul-2013

"Status Updated Date: 02-Aug-2013

"Your case is ready for your interview when scheduled at the U.S. Consular section. If you have already scheduled an appointment for an interview, please prepare your documents as directed in your appointment letter and appear at the consulate on the appointed date and time. Otherwise, please wait until you have received interview scheduling instructions.

"Please take the medical exam at St. Lukes Extension Clinic in Manila at least one week before your interview. You are encouraged to register online at the St. Lukes website: www.slec.ph prior to your medical exam. The medical exam may take more than one day to complete."

Does this mean the embassy has it now? Would it be feasible for them to receive it Aug. 2 after NVC shipping it Jul. 31? And why did I never get a reply email from NVC?

Edited August 9, 2013 by Leon & Mylen

[Hank_ 9,174]

Interesting that they never replied to the email. I got a quick reply to the email, then the letter arrived a week later. I got the email the day after the file shipped to USEM. Not sure why you didn't get a reply email.

But CEAC says you are good to go so yes it means its rock n roll time!

[florida4life 29]

To my understanding NVC dose not make appt. for K1 visa the embassy handles that. NVC just input your information in the system and forward it to the appropriate embassy. That's why you didn't hear from NVC

[Tahoma 2,292]

I don't know if the NVC letter is the one everybody is talking about, but you really don't need it for anything.

Maybe you're thinking of the letter the Embassy is supposed to send to your beneficiary. It's the letter that notifies your beneficiary that she is eligible to schedule an interview, and it includes instructions to help prepare for the interview. You can read the "eligibility" letter on the Embassy's web site here:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/public/Revised%20K1%20Instruction_rtf2_rtf2_001.pdf

Don't wait around for the Embassy letter. You don't need it for anything. It could take a month or two to arrive. Sometimes it never arrives. It's a lot faster to simply get your MNL case number from the NVC and go ahead and schedule an interview appointment. Don't worry, your papers will arrive at the Embassy in plenty of time for the interview.

[Tahoma 2,292]

To my understanding NVC dose not make appt. for K1 visa the embassy handles that. NVC just input your information in the system and forward it to the appropriate embassy. That's why you didn't hear from NVC

He's not trying to schedule a K-1 interview through the NVC. He just wants to know when his case will arrive at the U.S. Embassy Manila.

[Bugs 455]

Yes, I've already got the interview date set, and even the medical was done already, as well as the CFO. Everything is ready. I just wanted to make sure the embassy got the file is all. And from past threads, people have given a rough order of things in that regard:

1. NVC gives MNL number over the phone.

2. NVC ships.

3. NVC replies via email upon shipment.

4. Embassy receives petition a few days later.

5. You get letter from NVC, basically saying the same thing the email said.

#3 seems to have been skipped, so I just wanted to be sure that didn't indicate anything else out of whack, and the embassy still got the case.

[Jack&Maria 5]

tell ur fiance to call USEM ask if ur papers are there to make sure its there already..the call center agents of USEM will confirm if your papers arrived already in USEM

[Darnell 8,478]

DoS Hotline (# in my profile) can tell you the status of the casefile.

Some status you can listen for:

1. casefile received

2. casefile opened

3. interview results.

[Hank_ 9,174]

I don't know if the NVC letter is the one everybody is talking about, but you really don't need it for anything.

Maybe you're thinking of the letter the Embassy is supposed to send to your beneficiary. It's the letter that notifies your beneficiary that she is eligible to schedule an interview, and it includes instructions to help prepare for the interview. You can read the "eligibility" letter on the Embassy's web site here:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/public/Revised%20K1%20Instruction_rtf2_rtf2_001.pdf

Don't wait around for the Embassy letter. You don't need it for anything. It could take a month or two to arrive. Sometimes it never arrives. It's a lot faster to simply get your MNL case number from the NVC and go ahead and schedule an interview appointment. Don't worry, your papers will arrive at the Embassy in plenty of time for the interview.

Letter with the MNL # is requested by St. Luke's..... (ya I know what you will say, but I can provide an "official" link stating it's requested, can you provide a link stating it's not.)

[Tahoma 2,292]

Letter with the MNL # is requested by St. Luke's..... (ya I know what you will say, but I can provide an "official" link stating it's requested, can you provide a link stating it's not.)

I realize that St. Lukes "requests" an NVC letter from K-1ers. However, St. Lukes also says "if available." Therefore, it's clearly not a requirement, and I've never heard of anyone who has been turned away who didn't submit it. Have you?

The interview appointment confirmation works fine. If someone doesn't have an interview appointment yet, then they can use the NVC letter, or they can simply give St. Lukes their MNL case number verbally.

Also, there have been K-1ers admitted into St. Lukes using only a USCIS petition-approval NOA letter. Chinook's friend is one of those who was admitted this way, but there have been reports here on VJ by others who did the same.

[Hank_ 9,174]

I realize that St. Lukes "requests" an NVC letter from K-1ers. However, St. Lukes also says "if available." Therefore, it's clearly not a requirement, and I've never heard of anyone who has been turned away who didn't submit it. Have you?

The interview appointment confirmation works fine. If someone doesn't have an interview appointment yet, then they can use the NVC letter, or they can simply give St. Lukes their MNL case number verbally.

Also, there have been K-1ers admitted into St. Lukes using only a USCIS petition-approval NOA letter. Chinook's friend is one of those who was admitted this way, but there have been reports here on VJ by others who did the same.

i.e. the word "requested" in my post. I make comment about acquiring one or the other because SLEC has been more vocal about having one or the other (something with the MNL # on it) over the past few months. Idea is to assist the folks now doing the process...

So like said I can provide a link.... you ????

And yes they have in the past accepted the confirmation page from scheduling online, even though it does not have the MNL # on it.

Curious that SLEC did the medical with just a 797 which does not have the MNL # on it, SLEC needs the MNL # to "connect" the medical file with the application file.

Edited August 9, 2013 by Hank_

[Dustin and Janen 86]

I think it updates to Ready when the Embassy gets the digital copy of your case. I emailed the embassy after it updated to ready and that is what they told me.

It took 2 weeks for NVC to respond to my emails. Ours changed to Ready on 7/25 and I didn't get an email response from NVC until 8/1(in response to an email I sent on 7/18 one day before we got MNL#) and I still haven't got anything in the mail from them.

Our interview was 11 days (7 business day) after our case status changed to Ready. And I know they had our physical case at that time, because they returned the photos I sent in with the I-129F last December.

And we had no issue with not having anything with MNL# on it. My fiancee just told them that we got it over the phone and they told her to make sure it was correct. I think it good advice to follow Hank's guide to bring it, but if you are feeling lucky you can risk it. We felt the risk was worth it.

[Tahoma 2,292]

i.e. the word "requested" in my post. I make comment about acquiring one or the other because SLEC has been more vocal about having one or the other (something with the MNL # on it) over the past few months. Idea is to assist the folks now doing the process...

So like said I can provide a link.... you ????

And yes they have in the past accepted the confirmation page from scheduling online, even though it does not have the MNL # on it.

Curious that SLEC did the medical with just a 797 which does not have the MNL # on it, SLEC needs the MNL # to "connect" the medical file with the application file.

What part of "if available" don't you understand? It's straight from St. Lukes website, the exact same link you keep misquoting.

And I don't know where you got this notion of St. Lukes being more vocal about it over the past few months. It's nothing new. It's been reported here on VJ for years.

And for the umpteenth time, St. Lukes accepts MNL case numbers verbally.

[Hank_ 9,174]

I understand the wording "if available". I also understand the difference in the word requested versus required.... do you?

[Darnell 8,478]

Hi Leon -

what news, when calling in to the DoS Hotline?