NVC lying to avoid searching cases?

[FrozenGlitter 1]

Today was the second time I have called NVC. Now it's only been 2 1/2 weeks since my petition was approved, and it's coming from CSC, so I don't REALLY expect it to be there yet. But, the first time I called, the NVC person didn't even look up the reciept number, she just said "you have to wait 8 weeks." Tonight, my second call, the lady on the phone had me read my approval notice and said "You can't call us. You have to call the consulate. National Visa Center doesn't handle K1 visas."

Say what?!

So, I told her that I do know many people applying for K1 visas, all of whom have had their cases sent to NVC. So then she changed her tune right away and said "Well, it hasn't been 8 weeks yet. You can call back then." I asked if she could at least check and she said "We don't have your case yet."

What is this all about, do they commonly just tell people misinformation to avoid having to do any work? True, the letter says it was forwarded to the listed consulate, but this is standard wording in NOA2 letters, isn't it? The email I recieved mentioned "post decision activity" and the NVC, and I know from everything on this site that NVC assigns them case #'s and forwards them on. Do I just keep calling and putting up with their nonsense? (and incredibly long hold times...32 minutes!)

[2018JourneyDone 77]

CSC never even sent my petition to the NVC until October 18 - my noa2 was September 20. After 30-days I was kindly transferred to a tier 2 officer whom advised my case was shipped the prior Friday (I called Monday) Fortunately, I finally recd my case # today, 6-days after CSC shipped it to the NVC. Grand total of 34 days after my noa2 approval. You were approved very fast! That's awesome! As hard as it is, just have patience as the system is overloaded right now.

That's crazy that they would tell you those things. Each time I called they would check my receipt number and just tell me that they didn't have it yet and it can take sometimes up to 8-wks, blah blah blah. I called at 3pm today and was told that then called back at 7pm and voila! Case received & # issued. I'm willing to bet ur case is still hung up at CSC.... :-/ Hoping things r starting to move faster now for everyone's sake. Anyway, try calling the DOS to check for case # as the wait is typically much less. Their # is 202-485-7600, press 1 then 0 when the recording starts. Best of luck for a speedy transfer! ;-)

Oh! One more thing, I don't think DOS is open as late as the NVC so just FYI! you can always save your wait time until evening if feeling the need to check later as I did. Just call DOS during the day for sometimes instant help! Yay for a silver lining at times! Ha haa!

Edited October 25, 2013 by Corey&Guyvens

[FrozenGlitter 1]

Thank you. It's a shame yours took so long to ship but I'm glad you finally got the #. So what is the advisable thing to do...call every day, call every other day, call once a week?

[cdneh 3,112]

Most of them at NVC haven't a clue. All they can do is read from a script. Course the NVC handles K1's, all visas go through there. Keep calling, sooner or later you'll get someone with a more pleasant disposition.

We had occasion to ring them nearly daily for almost 8 weeks, and we only ever struck one nasty one. My now husband started to say ( I was on skype and could see his half of the conversation ) "If you cannot answer my question, I request that you escalate this call to a senior Tier 2 staff member" He just kept repeating that, no matter what she said. In the end she did, and that was when we found out were in AP at NVC, something they had begun doing just as our petition got there. Until that point we had been told our case was lost, that it was missing, that it hadn't been approved yet, that it was already at the consulate, none of which was true.

So keep calling, and good luck

[FrozenGlitter 1]

Most of them at NVC haven't a clue. All they can do is read from a script. Course the NVC handles K1's, all visas go through there. Keep calling, sooner or later you'll get someone with a more pleasant disposition.

We had occasion to ring them nearly daily for almost 8 weeks, and we only ever struck one nasty one. My now husband started to say ( I was on skype and could see his half of the conversation ) "If you cannot answer my question, I request that you escalate this call to a senior Tier 2 staff member" He just kept repeating that, no matter what she said. In the end she did, and that was when we found out were in AP at NVC, something they had begun doing just as our petition got there. Until that point we had been told our case was lost, that it was missing, that it hadn't been approved yet, that it was already at the consulate, none of which was true.

So keep calling, and good luck

You were in AP at NVC? What does that mean, your approved petition was now not approved? Does this happen often?

[2018JourneyDone 77]

Thank you. It's a shame yours took so long to ship but I'm glad you finally got the #. So what is the advisable thing to do...call every day, call every other day, call once a week?

Honestly? I started calling every day after week two. It helped me pass the time I suppose. & I felt like I was doing something to help the progress ((even though it wasn't, I'm sure!! Ha ha haa)) Definitely doesn't hurt to call daily as far as I'm concerned :-) week 3 I started calling 2x a day. Week 4? Eh, we won't talk about that! Bwah ha haa! As difficult as it is, I was always super nice with whomever I spoke with. I did find out more info that way, they are much more willing to help someone who, although worried, is kind. Just my 2-cents. I was always told to feel free to call back whenever I felt like it or if I had any questions. Anyway, call away!

[clairegie 265]

Yeah, I haven't had any good experiences with NVC at all. Plus I find it really odd that every time I call, I get someone that sounds drunk, high or has an accent I cant understand. That's why I call DOS instead. They are easier to contact and they are more polite. I gave up trying to contact USCIS Tier 2. They are equally useless and will lie about anything and everything to get you off the call.

Edited October 25, 2013 by iammrsregi

[Avery Cates 1,141]

Welcome to dealing with the journey of your visa, a magical journey with little to no information to be had about your status, and any information you're given over the phone is probably wrong.

[cdneh 3,112]

You were in AP at NVC? What does that mean, your approved petition was now not approved? Does this happen often?

No, it doesn't mean that. NVC can't disprove, which was the maddening thing. At the time we got there, they had started doing AP on K1's, nobody here knew a thing about it, there were no threads about it, and so we were really worried. Then a couple of us started a thread, and it ended up a lot of people were getting yanked out of the queue for extra scrutiny. This was a while back mind you, and times are way way down from how long it used to take, but we had the unfortunate record at nearly 8 weeks. We missed out on Christmas together that year on account of the silliness. Not impressed.

I was so worried about the delay I contacted the local consulate in AKL to ask about my police clearance from Canada, as it might have expired before I could get to interview. They had never heard of a K1 in NVC in AP either, which I thought was strange. I mean if they are going to institute a new policy, and randomly check people, should they not tell the overseas consulates? AKL emailed me back to tell me that it was new, and they confirmed it was indeed AP.

Because I had the AKL number, they were kind enough to send out packet 3, and I had the medical nearly 3 months before the interview. They also made the interview appointment based on when they had received the electronic file, which also saved me a bit of time.

At interview, the person I spoke with told me that it was random. Random! Man I was annoyed, although I didn't let on. My husband filed a FOIA request, and it came back the same way. Random.

I cant say how often it happens, but it still does happen. Seems to rhyme or reason for it, there were people from all over, people of different ages, a real mixed bag. I guess the lot of us just drew the short straw.

Not to worry, most zip through NVC quite quickly. I only mention it at all because of some of the nonsense those tier one people spout. Disinformation line really

[cdneh 3,112]

Honestly? I started calling every day after week two. It helped me pass the time I suppose. & I felt like I was doing something to help the progress ((even though it wasn't, I'm sure!! Ha ha haa)) Definitely doesn't hurt to call daily as far as I'm concerned :-) week 3 I started calling 2x a day. Week 4? Eh, we won't talk about that! Bwah ha haa! As difficult as it is, I was always super nice with whomever I spoke with. I did find out more info that way, they are much more willing to help someone who, although worried, is kind. Just my 2-cents. I was always told to feel free to call back whenever I felt like it or if I had any questions. Anyway, call away!

You reminded me of something my husband once told the person on the phone at NVC.

"I am retired. I have unlimited calling minutes. I have you on speed dial. I'll call you as often as I please, thank you!"

[clairegie 265]

You reminded me of something my husband once told the person on the phone at NVC.

"I am retired. I have unlimited calling minutes. I have you on speed dial. I'll call you as often as I please, thank you!"

Like a Boss.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Maybe NVC is trying to discourage so many callers who call 1, 2, 3 times a day for weeks. They will notify the petitioner when they have sent the case on, and the new case number will be included. The embassy will notify the beneficiary when the case is received and the new case number will be included. So it isn't required to call them. Maybe they decided they can't handle so many curious callers and are trying to cut back. You didn't call USCIS everyday for an update because you knew they wouldn't tell you. So NVC has decided to get tougher like that. Could be their plan....if we won't tell them, they will quit calling. Then we can shift call resources to processing cases faster.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Yeah, I haven't had any good experiences with NVC at all. Plus I find it really odd that every time I call, I get someone that sounds drunk, high or has an accent I cant understand. That's why I call DOS instead. They are easier to contact and they are more polite. I gave up trying to contact USCIS Tier 2. They are equally useless and will lie about anything and everything to get you off the call.

Ha ha ha, that's so true. My first attempt was when someone here on complained about the number wasn't work and I called them. It worked well actually. The second was because some VJ here told me she's already got her case number and advised me to make a call. She filed and got approval almost as same as me. So, don't believe about waiting up 6-8 weeks after shipped from USCIS.

The last attempt was my fiance - I had to push him to make a call, , since I was afraid they did not understand me because I am not an English native speaker-. He wasn't happy either after called them. The attitude of lady on the phone was not pleasant for him. He said, the lady sounds like she just wanted to get rid of him on the phone immediately

I was lucky enough be able to get 2 good guys on the phone. Never give up. I know some VJers here already got their case numbers less than a week after shipped to DoS. Everyone is good to go.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K-1 Process to K-1 Progress Forum~

[Trisha89 36]

Honestly? I started calling every day after week two. It helped me pass the time I suppose. & I felt like I was doing something to help the progress ((even though it wasn't, I'm sure!! Ha ha haa)) Definitely doesn't hurt to call daily as far as I'm concerned :-) week 3 I started calling 2x a day. Week 4? Eh, we won't talk about that! Bwah ha haa! As difficult as it is, I was always super nice with whomever I spoke with. I did find out more info that way, they are much more willing to help someone who, although worried, is kind. Just my 2-cents. I was always told to feel free to call back whenever I felt like it or if I had any questions. Anyway, call away!

That's freaking funny! But I know I would act to 100% the same ?