NVC Process Change

[jonfei9 3]

jaiyen17, I feel exactly the same way about sending original documents to NVC - there is a chance that originals will be lost either when I ship to NVC or when NVC ships them to Embassy. Despite that I will still send my originals to NVC, because not sending them over gives NVC the right to send me checklist, because NVC clearly has stated they want originals. The only thing I would recommend is that right after the interview at Embassy make sure you check on the spot that you have received all the originals back.

I expect DS-260 open up within 1.5-2 weeks, really hoping it will happen sooner. We are in the good spot at this time, because USCIS has considerably slowed down adjudication of I-130s recently and this gives a breathing room at NVC. In about 6 months or so USCIS will likely speed up after it dealt with dreamers and probably there will be another slowdown at NVC.

I have not heard anything about my expedite request and calling NVC today, but unlikely to hear anything helpful from them, because all they can say is that Embassy decides expedite requests and NVC has no knowledge when decision will be made.

At this time given recent trend of processing at NVC and Embassy I expect visa in hand (no expedite) sometimes in Dec 2014 - January 2015.

[dnp2014 44]

After my AOS fee showed as paid, I used the Document Cover Sheet to send both the AOS and IV packages together as instructed by an NVC operator.

A few days later I received the email stating my documents were received and to wait 60 days for review. That was 32 days ago.

I haven't received any checklists as of yet.

I don't anticipate receiving the archaic "false" checklists since both packages were sent and received together.

I know someone else here who did the same thing about a month before me and has received his case complete with no issues.

I don't know what to say on this... Hope it won't get lost while in transit from one unit to another... I did send both together with AOS cover sheet.. now IV documents are missing... waiting for them to retrieve it

[RobbieG 94]

Have you used Cover sheet from the welcome letter? Have you used AOS and IV cover sheets too? I have welcome letter cover sheet, but I also got another one after I paid AOS fee.

I only had AOS and the Document Cover Sheet they sent to me.

I completely filled out the Document Cover Sheet and duplicated it (one for each package) and just in case I used the AOS cover sheet.

[RobbieG 94]

I don't know what to say on this... Hope it won't get lost while in transit from one unit to another... I did send both together with AOS cover sheet.. now IV documents are missing... waiting for them to retrieve it

When is your "received date?"

I labeled everything with bright pink printed adhesive labels with the Case # and IIN.

It seems to reason to me, reading from past posts before the process change that paperwork was lost then too. I don't think losing paperwork is new and as a result of the new process.

For your sake, I hope they find it quickly.

[dnp2014 44]

When is your "received date?"

I labeled everything with bright pink printed adhesive labels with the Case # and IIN.

It seems to reason to me, reading from past posts before the process change that paperwork was lost then too. I don't think losing paperwork is new and as a result of the new process.

For your sake, I hope they find it quickly.

Scan date 8/27... Received IV checklist on 10/23... reviewer comments civil documents are missing.. looks like he reviewed based on case file received from USCIS.. Waiting for Sup review.. .also at the same time preparing certified documents ..

[california_luv 56]

Do folks now receive their case, bin and iin numbers that welcome email? Is it still worth calling nvc?

[S. & A. 159]

Do folks now receive their case, bin and iin numbers that welcome email? Is it still worth calling nvc?

You can call NVC (I know I did because I just wanted something to happen) but it's completely useless if we're being realistic. Just a way to see if there's been any progess, I guess. Until they send the welcome email, you can't even log in to the CEAC site even if you do have the case number and Invoice ID Number (you get that "your case is in process of termination" message). The portal opens up a few hours after you get the email.

For everyone else, I'm also following the new process - you can see my signature for details, though it's a little different because we have a lawyer so we got to skip the DS-261 and both our bills were invoiced at the same time. The DS-260 opens up when the IV bill shows as "paid".

[jöni 37]

Hey RobbieG nice to read you again.

So do you send it out before the IV bill AND DS260? Cause i wait for the IV bill and 260 as well. Our papers are ready to ship out since weeks and we cant wait for it. So i probably also try to ship it out as soon the AOS bill is acepted and we can print the cover sheet.

I can not understand why it is so hard to just activate all the things to do online. Why is there a waiting period between the bills and the 260?

I remember to saw something online about a person who was not able to pay the bill online but the case got still completed and s/he was asked to pay it by the interview in cash/card.

[Oyehope 5]

You can call NVC (I know I did because I just wanted something to happen) but it's completely useless if we're being realistic. Just a way to see if there's been any progess, I guess. Until they send the welcome email, you can't even log in to the CEAC site even if you do have the case number and Invoice ID Number (you get that "your case is in process of termination" message). The portal opens up a few hours after you get the email.

For everyone else, I'm also following the new process - you can see my signature for details, though it's a little different because we have a lawyer so we got to skip the DS-261 and both our bills were invoiced at the same time. The DS-260 opens up when the IV bill shows as "paid".

Hello I'm just wondering who gets the NVC email? The petitioner or beneficiary? My husband is the petitioner and he got the initial NOA1 email but never received any emails after that. I got the NOA2 email because I signed up for case updates on the USCIS website. My husband got a letter in the mail shortly after for NOA2. So just wondering who NVC will send the email to? Does NVC use the emails given to them by USCIS? If so will they have mine as I had the case updates sent to me?

Thankyou in advance for the clarification.

[S. & A. 159]

Hello I'm just wondering who gets the NVC email? The petitioner or beneficiary? My husband is the petitioner and he got the initial NOA1 email but never received any emails after that. I got the NOA2 email because I signed up for case updates on the USCIS website. My husband got a letter in the mail shortly after for NOA2. So just wondering who NVC will send the email to? Does NVC use the emails given to them by USCIS? If so will they have mine as I had the case updates sent to me?

Thankyou in advance for the clarification.

If you filed that G-1145 form with your I-130 to get the initial electronic notification, the person on that form should get the NVC email. I'm pretty sure the USCIS case notifications are completely unrelated and they don't get that information. When you're assigned a case number at NVC (about 3 weeks after NOA2) you should call and they will ask whether you want to register additional email addresses for the petitioner/beneficiary/attorney. This is what I did because I hadn't filed that electronic notification form with the I-130 (and so they didn't have any email address for my case). Ever since that call, my wife, my attorney and myself all get CC'd on any email NVC sends.

[NikLR 13,220]

The g-1145 only covers the intial NOA1 and you needed to sign up on the USCIS website to get any other emails from them. I did and they sent me emails but not my husband the petitioner. Most of the time (60-80% I think) the NVC gets the petioner email from the g-1145 but not always. You give over both petioner and beneficiary (now primary applicant) to the NVC so that both people know what's going on.

[NikLR 13,220]

Also you should wait for BOTH fees to be paid to mail your package to the NVC to prevent anything from being lost or misplaced by them. As per NVC website. I don't give a hoot if the operator says it's okay, they don't actually work on your case. A supervisor can and does so that is different.

[jaiyen17 6]

Update on my first week with our NVC Case #. In the CEAC system our case is now (as of today) showing "AOS" as "Paid". The "IV Bill" is still below it but not open to pay and showing $0's as the amount due. It's been 5 days since I've paid my AOS fee~ I am currently waiting for it to open up. What's interesting to me is that when I click on the "view receipt" I get the following info on the page:

Next Steps

• Unless this case has joined the Electronic Processing Program you will need a Document Cover Sheet. You may use the Print Document Cover Sheet button below to print one now. If you cannot print a copy now use the Email Document Cover Sheet button to send an electronic copy to an e-mail address where it can be printed later.


• The petitioner must next submit an Affidavit of Support with supporting financial evidence. Click the AOS Processing Instructions button below.

When an Affidavit of Support is Required
The NVC will send the sponsor (petitioner) an Affidavit of Support (AOS) processing service fee invoice, which must be paid before the case can be processed further. After fee payment, the sponsor must complete, sign, and submit the applicable Affidavit of Support form, or ask the principal applicant to submit a claim of exemption.

Then Inside the CEAC website ~ "Get Help" menu from the "AOS Payment Receipt Page" you get the following below ~ again telling you to mail the AOS pack before they can further continue with your case. So isn't this OLD conflicting information to what they say we're supposed to do now which is Mail Two Packs Together??? There Help menu isn't much help then....

https://ceac.state.gov/CTRAC/Common/Help.aspx

Inside the CEAC website ~ "Get Help" menu from the "AOS Payment Receipt Page"

AOS Fee Facts
• If the AOS fee Payment Status is NOT PAID you must pay the AOS Fee, and the petitioner must submit an Affidavit of Support and supporting financial evidence to the NVC.
• The AOS fee must be PAID before the NVC can continue processing the case.
• An Affidavit of Support is legally required from the Petitioner of many family-based and some employment-based petitions to show that the intending immigrant will have adequate financial support in the U.S. To learn more click Affidavit of Support.
IV Application Processing Fee Facts
• If an IV fee Payment Status is NOT PAID you must pay the fee and the applicant must submit an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration form with supporting civil documents to the NVC.
• The IV Application fee for the principal applicant must be paid before the NVC can finish processing the case.
• The IV Application fee(s) for other applicants may be paid later, but must be paid before they can receive a visa.
Required Next Steps

After Paying the AOS Fee:
1. When the AOS fee payment status is PAID the petitioner must complete and submit an Affidavit of Support. Click Affidavit of Support for instructions.
2. You must also submit financial evidence with the Affidavit of Support. Click Communicating with the NVC to learn how to submit AOS forms and financial documents for your case.
After Paying the IV Fee(s):
1. When the IV fee payment status is PAID, each applicant must submit an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration. If your case number begins with AMM, ATH, BGH, LMA, MEP, or MTL you must login to The Consular Electronic Applications Center to see which version of the visa application form you must use.
◦ If you are required to submit your application form online, click DS-260 then log in to the Consular Electronic Applications Center and follow the instructions displayed.
◦ If you are not required to submit the online version, click DS-230 and follow the instructions displayed.
2.
3. You must also submit civil documents in order to complete your immigrant visa application. Click Communicating with the NVC to learn how to submit civil documents for your case.

Document Cover Sheets:
• If you are required to submit physical civil and financial documents you must include the appropriate bar-coded cover sheet to identify the documents as belonging to your case.
• If you received an applicant document processing instruction packet or a petitioner instruction packet from the National Visa Center (NVC) it contains a cover sheet which may be photocopied.
• If you need a new cover sheet print one now by clicking the Print Document Cover Sheet button on the FEE PAYMENT RECEIPT PAGE.
• If you cannot print a cover sheet now, use the Email Document Cover Sheet button to send an electronic copy to an email address where it can be printed later.

Then from Instructions 1 from NVC site
Step 6: Submit Documents to the NVC
(telling us to mail AOS & IV packs together)

After you collect your Affidavit of Support form(s) and financial evidence in Step 4, and supporting documents in Step 5, you must submit all of the documents in ONE package to the NVC. Your case may be significantly delayed if you fail to submit all of your documents in one package.

Isn't this all very! conflicting info? I hope our IV fees open up soon! We're still planning to mail the packs together but it sure is strange when the receipt page seems to have old directions still. It seems by looking at timelines that some peoples AOS and IV fees opened up to be paid at the same time. Anyone else have any recent experience with this?

Edited October 28, 2014 by jaiyen17

[S. & A. 159]

Their instructions are VERY outdated in several places... when we paid the fees, we got a realllllly old PDF attachment in an email that referenced the DS-230 (OLD DS-260 that you had to mail in...). I would not pay any attention to that and go by what their website says, since they keep that one up to date: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/approved.html

After you receive the welcome email, you submit the DS-261, pay AOS fee, wait 6-7 days for the IV fee to be unlocked, pay IV fee, then send AOS AND IV together as one package.

Edited October 28, 2014 by S. & A.

[S. & A. 159]

Isn't this all very! conflicting info? I hope our IV fees open up soon! We're still planning to mail the packs together but it sure is strange when the receipt page seems to have old directions still. It seems by looking at timelines that some peoples AOS and IV fees opened up to be paid at the same time. Anyone else have any recent experience with this?

This (AOS and IV unlocking at the same time) happens when you have a lawyer, because you get to skip the DS-261. The IV fee is only taking about a week to unlock for everyone else, though, it's no longer a long wait. You should get the packages ready and send them after your fee is unlocked and you can pay.

Edited October 28, 2014 by S. & A.