I-129 Approved - Still waiting!!!

[Bill and Tanya 18]

I started this topic in RUB because I have Moscow specific questions. However, I want to start by sharing some valuable information I found from another site. It appeared to me as a clear concise layout of what happens after your i-129f is approved.

Original post by Nicole on another site:

US man sends petition to California Service Center (USCIS) [/size]

He gets a receipt in the mail with a WACxxxxxx number on it from USCIS[/size]

He can check status online with that WAC number from USCIS[/size]

He waits months with no information.[/size]

USCIS approves his I-129F petition to bring a fiance to the US.[/size]

(He can see online his approval)[/size]

USCIS mails him a letter saying his petition is approved. He must save that approval letter because it is very important for later.[/size]

USCIS sends his whole file to NVC (Department of State) and it should arrive there in a week. [/size]

The USCIS part of this process is now over. The online status doesn't show anything from here on.[/size]

NVC (Department of State) gets the file. They assign a case number. This is a Department of State case number since they are a totally different US government agency. USCIS is no longer involved so the WAC number is over. [/size]

NVC gives numbers starting with initials that stand for the embassy where the foreign fiance will interview. If fiance will interview in Manilla then the case will be MNLxxxxxxxx.[/size]

NVC mails the US citizen a letter saying they have sent his case to Manila.[/size]

It should only take 2-3 days at NVC and 4 days to get to embassy in Manila.[/size]

Manila receives the MNLXXXX file. It may take them weeks to look at your file because they have so many. The Embassy will send the Filipino fiancée information on how to apply for the K-1 visa, including the medical examination and the visa interview. If your US fiance has a question at this point, he should call Dept of State in the US and not the USCIS.[/size]

K-1 visas who have been notified by the Embassy to prepare for their interview can call 1-909-101-7878 (within the Philippines) to schedule an interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy. The cost of the 909 service is P53 per minute; this amount will be charged to your telephone bill. [/size]

NOTE: When your case gets approved in California and while you are waiting to hear from the embassy you could look at their website and find out all the things you will need to fill out to apply for your K1 visa and the documents you will have to take to your interview. And you can find out the cost and where to pay for it and how to get your police certificate. And if you've lived in another country, it will be harder to get a police certificate from there also. This forum isn't going to teach you the things about Manila. Find their website. Your US fiance will be getting his I-134 Affidavit of Support filled out and proofs of his income to mail to you in the Phils once the petition goes to NVC. You will have to take that to your interview also. If you and he plan ahead, then you will save time and get to schedule your interview faster because you got all the things you need already before they even send you the letter. When the embassy contacts you, you are prepared with everything.[/size]

I found this all extremely helpful, so I will share it here with all of you. I also found an interesting thread on the VJ forum here. The most useful of this thread I believe is:

Original post by Tahoma:

Your petition is probably in Manila right now, or at least it's on the way to Manila.

Don't wait for the U.S. Embassy Manila to send your fiancée their letter telling her she is eligible to schedule an interview and giving her instructions on how to prepare for the interview. That letter can take forever to arrive. Some people never receive it.

Instead, call the NVC today and get your MNL case number. Once you have your MNL case number, you can pay the visa application fee at BPI. The next day you can schedule the interview appointment. Then, you can complete the medical. You can even complete the CFO seminar.

If you want to read the Embassy's letter, you can do so here: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/public/Revised%20K1%20Instruction_rtf2_rtf2_001.pdf

I would like to know if anyone has a similar link to the Moscow letter. I tried searching, to no avail. I would also like if anyone else that has gone through this in Moscow can confirm this information, and correct or perhaps share contact numbers you saved while going through this yourself. Surely someone has saved that obscure and near impossible to find contact that could have saved you weeks of waiting if you knew it sooner. After I have collected enough information, I would like to rewrite the above post to be suited to a Moscow interview for the benefit of others in the RUB forum all wondering the same thing as me: "what now? I feel like I will start to decompose before this will come to conclusion!"

The VJ Flowchart was a great start... I just want to fill in some Moscow specific gaps.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Captain Ewok

[southernman 29]

Just so you know, that thread is 3 years old and many things have changed and change often. It appears that the NVC is really backed up with petitions and what took only a couple days is now taking weeks for the petition to be forwarded to the correct embassy. One more thing, I realize it was just an example but every embassy has different procedures. Ask the guys and gals here in the RUB section about specific details with Russia. You will get better answers here than anywhere else.

[St&Sv 33]

The only thing the Moscow letter tells you is:

Dear Petitioner:

Please resend the letter to your fiancé(e).

Dear Applicant:

We are pleased to inform you that the Immigrant Visa Unit of U.S. Embassy Moscow has received your approved visa petition and that your case is ready for processing.

You should now visit http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ru to complete the following steps: 1) arrange payment of the $240 visa fee; 2) enter an address to which the visa will be delivered; and 3) schedule your interview appointment. Once you pay the fee and specify the delivery address, you may schedule your interview for any available appointment slot. Please ensure that the date you select falls within four months of the date on which the visa petition was approved. Failure to do so may impact the validity of your visa petition.

All applicants for fiancé(e) visas must comply with the processing requirements detailed at http://moscow.usembassy.gov/iv-fiancee.html. This page provides the most accurate and complete information needed to prepare for your interview including a list of required documents. Thank you.

Immigrant Visa Unit
U.S. Embassy Moscow