Bringing additional evidence to interview versus "side-loading" at NVC/CEAC

[JKLSemicolon 327]

Our case was just Documentarily Qualified at NVC today. My goal was to submit the required documents immediately as a way to get in line for an interview ASAP, and now I am wondering how to best handle additional relationship evidence.

 

I submitted a lot of quality evidence with the initial petition, but since that time have been gathering some additional evidence, mostly of visits to see my wife that happened after the initial submission.

 

Originally I was planning to prepare the additional evidence for my wife to take to the interview, but recently I have read about "side-loading" this information by submitting it to NVC.

 

It appears that CEAC still allows uploads even after everything shows as Accepted, and there is a category for "Other" in the Civil Documents section where presumably things like additional relationship evidence could go.

 

So my questions are:

1. Would uploading any additional documents on CEAC after being Documentarily Qualified affect our DQ status?
2. If the answer to (1) is "no", could I upload additional documents up until the case is transferred to the Consulate for interview?

 

If anything, I would consider doing this after my next visit (at the end of next month), and the evidence would mostly be boarding passes + a few photos from the visits that happened since filing the I-130. If going that route then she would still take the evidence to the interview, but the idea would be that "side-loading" would make it more likely to actually be reviewed.

 

I say that because my wife and I previously went through the K1 process and I had prepared additional evidence that she took with her to that interview (at the same Consulate) which I don't think anyone ever looked at. For that visa, the NVC stage worked differently so this idea of uploading additional evidence is new to me.

 

I'm not concerned about our case not being approved, but as long as I'm going to prepare the evidence anyway, it's worth thinking about the best time to present it.

Edited March 16, 2021 by JKLSemicolon

[JKLSemicolon 327]

Since there hasn't been a response after posting this in the CR-1/IR-1 forum, maybe a moderator can move this to the NVC forum?

[pushbrk 12,106]

Consular Officers are not required to consider either side loaded or hand carried evidence, but they are more likely to consider side loaded, as it is already in their file.

[JKLSemicolon 327]

18 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Consular Officers are not required to consider either side loaded or hand carried evidence, but they are more likely to consider side loaded, as it is already in their file.

Thanks, that was what I was thinking as well.

 

I had also been wondering whether additional uploads after the fact affect one's DQ status/date. In other threads I was able to find, some people reported doing this without issue while others cautioned against it.

 

I'm going to send a message to NVC using their public inquiry form in an attempt to get an answer in writing about it. And I suppose that I could also wait until the interview has been scheduled to upload anything else.

[Fullbien 11]

On 3/23/2021 at 11:41 AM, JKLSemicolon said:

I'm going to send a message to NVC using their public inquiry form in an attempt to get an answer in writing about it.

Did you ever hear back from them?

[Hmongtain907 5]

Here my experience we uploaded all the required documents marriage license etc, I also had a consultant who wanted me to make copy of facebook chat money transfer receipt and airline ticket photo when my wife went to interview they did not ask for any of that. It good to be prepared but just prepare what needed if nvc need anymore proof they will ask you. Just make sure she know everything about you cause that what they will be asking for look up visa interview questions. Good luck buddy

[Linos 69]

On 3/23/2021 at 4:41 PM, JKLSemicolon said:

Thanks, that was what I was thinking as well.

 

I had also been wondering whether additional uploads after the fact affect one's DQ status/date. In other threads I was able to find, some people reported doing this without issue while others cautioned against it.

 

I'm going to send a message to NVC using their public inquiry form in an attempt to get an answer in writing about it. And I suppose that I could also wait until the interview has been scheduled to upload anything else.

Did you find any information on uploading after DQ?(did it change your DQ date/status?)

[JKLSemicolon 327]

On 4/19/2021 at 7:20 PM, Fullbien said:

Did you ever hear back from them?

 

On 5/15/2021 at 1:50 PM, Linos said:

Did you find any information on uploading after DQ?(did it change your DQ date/status?)

 

I just got around to writing NVC about this earlier today (I had spent the past several weeks visiting my wife and working on our tax returns, among other things). It will probably take about two weeks to receive a response but I will post an update here when I do.

[Linos 69]

On 5/18/2021 at 2:08 AM, JKLSemicolon said:

 

 

I just got around to writing NVC about this earlier today (I had spent the past several weeks visiting my wife and working on our tax returns, among other things). It will probably take about two weeks to receive a response but I will post an update here when I do.

It doesn't seem to affect the dq date at all as I uploaded after DQ and recently received an interview date this week

[JKLSemicolon 327]

Here is the reply I received from NVC to my inquiry about this:

 

Quote

Once you submit your documents in the Consular Electronic Application (CEAC), you cannot make changes to them unless the National Visa Center (NVC) asks you to delete them and upload new ones.

 

When NVC accepts your documents, you enter the waiting line, either for a visa interview or for a visa to become available. You cannot delete anything that has already been submitted.

 

If you want to submit a new, replacement, or additional document, you may do so in CEAC. However, we will not review them. The consular officer will make the final determination at the time of interview.

 

[JKLSemicolon 327]

With my wife's interview coming up next week, I went into CEAC and "side-loaded" all of the additional documents that I will be giving her to take to the interview including:

• Updated I-864
• Copy of 2020 tax return (it had not been filed by the time we were DQed)
• Most recent 6 months of pay stubs
• Boarding passes from visits that have happened since the initial petition was filed
• Open enrollment confirmation from HR showing that my wife was added to my insurance for the new plan year

I'll report back if anything comes of this.

[EKT 116]

7 hours ago, JKLSemicolon said:

With my wife's interview coming up next week, I went into CEAC and "side-loaded" all of the additional documents that I will be giving her to take to the interview including:

• Updated I-864
• Copy of 2020 tax return (it had not been filed by the time we were DQed)
• Most recent 6 months of pay stubs
• Boarding passes from visits that have happened since the initial petition was filed
• Open enrollment confirmation from HR showing that my wife was added to my insurance for the new plan year

I'll report back if anything comes of this.

Thanks for continuing to update this thread. It seems like you would need to side-load the documents before the case leaves NVC (in July according to your timeline) in order for them to reach the consulate but who knows... Following as our case is DQ and I am debating whether to add a joint sponsor in CEAC or bring to the interview. 

 

Despite your reassuring message from NVC, I'm slightly terrified that submitting something now would delay the interview being scheduled!

[JKLSemicolon 327]

8 hours ago, EKT said:

Thanks for continuing to update this thread. It seems like you would need to side-load the documents before the case leaves NVC (in July according to your timeline) in order for them to reach the consulate but who knows... Following as our case is DQ and I am debating whether to add a joint sponsor in CEAC or bring to the interview. 

 

Despite your reassuring message from NVC, I'm slightly terrified that submitting something now would delay the interview being scheduled!

My understanding is that once the case leaves NVC, anything submitted will not be reviewed by NVC but can still be accessed by the Consulate. I’m basing that on an email we got from the Consulate a few days after they received the case asking us to upload a copy of the original marriage certificate that will be brought to the interview (I had originally uploaded both the original and a certified copy in the same PDF since the latter had typed names that were easier to read).

 

We’ll see if they end up looking at that or anything else I submitted after the interview was scheduled.

[EKT 116]

1 hour ago, JKLSemicolon said:

My understanding is that once the case leaves NVC, anything submitted will not be reviewed by NVC but can still be accessed by the Consulate. I’m basing that on an email we got from the Consulate a few days after they received the case asking us to upload a copy of the original marriage certificate that will be brought to the interview (I had originally uploaded both the original and a certified copy in the same PDF since the latter had typed names that were easier to read).

 

We’ll see if they end up looking at that or anything else I submitted after the interview was scheduled.

That’s really good to know! I suppose the notifications about leaving NVC and consulate received are just throwbacks to when the cases used to be sent as a hard copy. It makes a lot more sense that they just gain access to the CEAC portal. 
 

I will probably upload the joint sponsor documents as soon as we get the interview email. 
 

I hope the interview goes well!

[Kenny joy 5]

On 3/23/2021 at 5:41 PM, JKLSemicolon said:

Thanks, that was what I was thinking as well.

 

I had also been wondering whether additional uploads after the fact affect one's DQ status/date. In other threads I was able to find, some people reported doing this without issue while others cautioned against it.

 

I'm going to send a message to NVC using their public inquiry form in an attempt to get an answer in writing about it. And I suppose that I could also wait until the interview has been scheduled to upload anything else.

Hello! Please do you think I can upload my tax transcript after interview date has been scheduled?