Questions about NVC and K1 Process

[Veros87 2]

Hello, 

 

I am a Canadian applicant for a K1 Visa. My fiancee is in WA, and we filed our I-129 back in early February of 2020. We received our NOA2 Notice of Approval , Dated May 22nd 2020.

 

Since then, we have received no communication from the NVC, or the Embassy in Montreal. There were a few concerns about this, as we never received any notice from the NVC that our case was received, and that a case file was created for us.

 

1) I am noticing on this website's timelines, people are entering Case receiving dates from the NVC. We never received any welcome package or any other communication from the NVC. In fact, the only way we know they have it is that I called them several times and got our case number and invoice number. They then told me that they don't send out welcome packages or confirmations anymore, and that the only communication we should expect is the letter from the Embassy (the next stage in the workflow). Is this normal for other people during the process, or was this what other people experienced during Covid 19 slowdowns?

 

2) Our case says "at the NVC" when I check its status on CEAC. Am I supposed to create the DS-160 or will I get prompted to do so later?

 

3) Does anyone have any idea what the processing timeline is for NOA2s dated in late May 2020? I have tried contacting the embassy several times, and we only get an automated message instructing us of the COVID slowdown and backlog.

 

My fiancee and I are panicking that we missed something and it will screw our entire application. We have already been waiting a year and don't want to have to wait another year. 

Edited March 2, 2021 by Veros87

[payxibka 10,044]

3 minutes ago, Veros87 said:

Hello, 

 

I am a Canadian applicant for a K1 Visa. My fiancee is in WA, and we filed our I-129 back in early February of 2020. We received our NOA2 Notice of Approval , Dated May 22nd 2020.

 

Since then, we have received no communication from the NVC, or the Embassy in Montreal. There were a few concerns about this, as we never received any notice from the NVC that our case was received, and that a case file was created for us.

 

1) I am noticing on this website's timelines, people are entering Case receiving dates from the NVC. We never received any welcome package or any other communication from the NVC. In fact, the only way we know they have it is that I called them several times and got our case number and invoice number. They then told me that they don't send out welcome packages or confirmations anymore, and that the only communication we should expect is the letter from the Embassy (the next stage in the workflow). Is this normal for other people during the process, or was this what other people experienced during Covid 19 slowdowns?

 

2) Our case says "at the NVC" when I check its status on CEAC. Am I supposed to create the DS-160 or will I get prompted to do so later?

 

3) Does anyone have any idea what the processing timeline is for NOA2s dated in late May 2020? I have tried contacting the embassy several times, and we only get an automated message instructing us of the COVID slowdown and backlog.

 

My fiancee and I are panicking that we missed something and it will screw our entire application. We have already been waiting a year and don't want to have to wait another year. 

2.  Nothing to do until ceac status says ready

3.  Montreal doesn't even know about you yet

4.  Long

[sarahcha 5]

I'm in the same boat - we applied in February 2020 and received our NOA2 in September 2020. I don't know how you got your NOA2 in only 3 months and ours took 7?? We did get an RFE but we didn't even receive THAT until August, but we're at the same place now which is NVC limbo.

 

We did not receive anything from the NVC indicating they got our approval, and in fact they were very late getting it from the USCIS because the USCIS misplaced it and it took a few mail cycles before it was sent. We called several times after it was outside of normal processing, and they only confirmed receipt in February and gave us our case and invoice numbers. 

1. Up until this point it appears things have gone faster for you than anyone else I've seen with a beneficiary from Canada...
2. I'm confused about this also, but everywhere I've seen says we CANNOT submit the DS160 until receiving the P3, which doesn't happen until the case is sent to Montreal. (https://ca.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/07/Packet3Instructions-K1.pdf) having said that I've heard conflicting information so I'm wondering if maybe some countries embassies operate differently. 
3. No real sense contacting the embassy yet, your case isn't there and has not been requested. Wait until the CEAC reports it as in transit or ready. 

If I learn anything more I'll be sure to let you know, but I think as long as the case status says "At NVC" it's just part 2 of watching and waiting. 

[Veros87 2]

1 hour ago, sarahcha said:

I'm in the same boat - we applied in February 2020 and received our NOA2 in September 2020. I don't know how you got your NOA2 in only 3 months and ours took 7?? We did get an RFE but we didn't even receive THAT until August, but we're at the same place now which is NVC limbo.

 

We did not receive anything from the NVC indicating they got our approval, and in fact they were very late getting it from the USCIS because the USCIS misplaced it and it took a few mail cycles before it was sent. We called several times after it was outside of normal processing, and they only confirmed receipt in February and gave us our case and invoice numbers. 

1. Up until this point it appears things have gone faster for you than anyone else I've seen with a beneficiary from Canada...
2. I'm confused about this also, but everywhere I've seen says we CANNOT submit the DS160 until receiving the P3, which doesn't happen until the case is sent to Montreal. (https://ca.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/07/Packet3Instructions-K1.pdf) having said that I've heard conflicting information so I'm wondering if maybe some countries embassies operate differently. 
3. No real sense contacting the embassy yet, your case isn't there and has not been requested. Wait until the CEAC reports it as in transit or ready. 

If I learn anything more I'll be sure to let you know, but I think as long as the case status says "At NVC" it's just part 2 of watching and waiting. 

Hello neighbour!

 

It seems we have a similar problem. At least, it is nice to know I am not alone. 

 

1) I am thinking the only reason we got our NOA2 so fast was due to no additional RFE.

2) The NVC contact people were frustratingly vague about their role in the process and timeline. Did you receive ANY communication from them, confirming receipt of your case? We did not. We only got our case number after I called them directly to confirm they have created our case in their system. I was under the impression from the research we did, that we were supposed to receive a letter with our case details and invoice number in the mail.

3) Agreed the DS-160 thing is frustratingly vague. The NVC's own process guidelines don't seem to match up with the actual processes they follow when questioned about it (Eg. the welcome letter package not being sent out)

4) Thank you for commenting, and I will do the same if I hear anything on our end.

 

Best of luck to you both xoxo.

[Moultingrook 0]

I am in the same boat as you. It seems like there is so much conflicting information online regarding the K1 visa from the official sites themselves... This website has been amazing since it seems like it is the only place I can find reliable information on embassy-specific K1 instructions. We originally filed in February of 2020 and received our NOA2 in July, 2020 and that is all we have heard.

I emailed the NVC repeatedly to get my MTL case number and invoice number and just like you, our case has said "At NVC" since September of 2020. I definitely was panicking more than a little since everywhere it seems says that a letter will be sent to you when the NVC receives the application, but we didn't receive anything either--just silence for seven whole months. I keep double-checking just to make sure that there's nothing we need to do to make it move to the next step just because the wait seems unbearable.

 

It seems like everyone is in this awful limbo. Everyone keeps asking me if I've got a date for the wedding yet and it gnaws at me that I don't even know when I'll be able to schedule an interview date.

 

Best of luck, I hope that you hear something soon. It's a huge weight of my shoulders just to know that we're not the only ones.

[Veros87 2]

On 4/3/2021 at 12:17 PM, Moultingrook said:

I am in the same boat as you. It seems like there is so much conflicting information online regarding the K1 visa from the official sites themselves... This website has been amazing since it seems like it is the only place I can find reliable information on embassy-specific K1 instructions. We originally filed in February of 2020 and received our NOA2 in July, 2020 and that is all we have heard.

I emailed the NVC repeatedly to get my MTL case number and invoice number and just like you, our case has said "At NVC" since September of 2020. I definitely was panicking more than a little since everywhere it seems says that a letter will be sent to you when the NVC receives the application, but we didn't receive anything either--just silence for seven whole months. I keep double-checking just to make sure that there's nothing we need to do to make it move to the next step just because the wait seems unbearable.

 

It seems like everyone is in this awful limbo. Everyone keeps asking me if I've got a date for the wedding yet and it gnaws at me that I don't even know when I'll be able to schedule an interview date.

 

Best of luck, I hope that you hear something soon. It's a huge weight of my shoulders just to know that we're not the only ones.

Agreed. We just received notice that our case was moved to the Embassy. Trying to figure out what I need to do next.