Desperate for a Solution - Embassy Non-Responsive (merged)

[stag 51]

I know this is dependent on the consulate, but generally how long does it take from when the case is "Ready" at the consulate to the Packet 3 letter so that you can schedule an appointment? is it days, weeks, months? Or is there some action that needs to be taken beforehand? Will the system allow you to schedule interview without Packet 3 received? Thanks!

[JeanneAdil 6,220]

you need to wait for the notice that the embassy has received our case and you pay visa fee so immigrant can fill out the ds 160

you need this notice to schedule both the medical exam and the interview\

 

meanwhile send for your IRS transcripts as they are needed at interview 

 

[stag 51]

4 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

you need to wait for the notice that the embassy has received our case and you pay visa fee so immigrant can fill out the ds 160

you need this notice to schedule both the medical exam and the interview\

 

meanwhile send for your IRS transcripts as they are needed at interview 

 

Do I need to fill out DS 160 in order to get the welcome letter? 

 

I have read that copies of Tax Return is accepted. 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,328]

34 minutes ago, stag said:

I know this is dependent on the consulate, but generally how long does it take from when the case is "Ready" at the consulate to the Packet 3 letter so that you can schedule an appointment? is it days, weeks, months? Or is there some action that needs to be taken beforehand? Will the system allow you to schedule interview without Packet 3 received? Thanks!

@JojoandTomas created a handy FAQ that covers your question:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nfin98c33IEpB0T0FlURERriblYmlm5O/view?usp=sharing

 

If your case is "Ready", then you can use the case number assigned by the NVC to fill out the DS-160 and pay the MRV fee.  You then use the MRV payment receipt to schedule the medical and the visa interview.

 

You also need the Packet 3 email to know what documents you need to bring to the interview.  If you don't receive it soon, contact the embassy.

[JeanneAdil 6,220]

25 minutes ago, stag said:

Do I need to fill out DS 160 in order to get the welcome letter? 

 

I have read that copies of Tax Return is accepted. 

copies of returns need to have the 1040 (both pages)  ,   w2's ,  1099 's  or 1099R (if there are any)  and letter from employer saying currently working and wages/   IRS transcripts are so much easier to show income 

 

u have to pay the fee and then fill out the ds 160

some of this is consulate dependent and sorry i don't know about Georgia

[stag 51]

20 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

@JojoandTomas created a handy FAQ that covers your question:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nfin98c33IEpB0T0FlURERriblYmlm5O/view?usp=sharing

 

If your case is "Ready", then you can use the case number assigned by the NVC to fill out the DS-160 and pay the MRV fee.  You then use the MRV payment receipt to schedule the medical and the visa interview.

 

You also need the Packet 3 email to know what documents you need to bring to the interview.  If you don't receive it soon, contact the embassy.

Thank you for this. I was hesitant to schedule the visa interview because in the site when going to register the condition to choose is "

I have received a letter/email from the consular section with instructions to register or schedule a K (Fiancé(e)/Spouse/Child) visa appointment."

 

Which isn't the case (yet) so I wanted to wait for the letter. 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,328]

29 minutes ago, stag said:

Thank you for this. I was hesitant to schedule the visa interview because in the site when going to register the condition to choose is "

I have received a letter/email from the consular section with instructions to register or schedule a K (Fiancé(e)/Spouse/Child) visa appointment."

 

Which isn't the case (yet) so I wanted to wait for the letter. 

Each embassy is a little different.

 

Per the above, you should still complete the DS-160 and wait for the email to schedule the interview.

[stag 51]

My approved k1 case arrived in the Embassy last Thursday and the status has shown 'Ready' ever since. We have not gotten any welcome letter from the Embassy (aka Packet 3) in order to proceed with the process and my email to them has gone ignored. We did fill out and submit DS-160 form. 

 

When calling the embassy, they told me that those services only offer email correspondence, hence I can't even talk with them over the phone about this case. I'm really frustrated and don't know what to do. I'm thinking about contacted my Congressional Representative and/or state senator office; this type of treatment is really uncalled for. 

 

Can anyone offer any advice? It would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

[Caboose29 172]

17 minutes ago, stag said:

My approved k1 case arrived in the Embassy last Thursday and the status has shown 'Ready' ever since. We have not gotten any welcome letter from the Embassy (aka Packet 3) in order to proceed with the process and my email to them has gone ignored. We did fill out and submit DS-160 form. 

 

When calling the embassy, they told me that those services only offer email correspondence, hence I can't even talk with them over the phone about this case. I'm really frustrated and don't know what to do. I'm thinking about contacted my Congressional Representative and/or state senator office; this type of treatment is really uncalled for. 

 

Can anyone offer any advice? It would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Wow!  That’s unfortunate. I was thinking about trying to possibly get my fiancé interviewed, since Moscow is closed. Maybe Georgia isn’t such a good idea after all. Let us know how it works out. 
 

Sorry for your frustration. 

[neto-66 42]

1. What arrived at the embassy is not an approved K-1, it is an approved i-129f, as the K-1 is not approved until the interview.

 

2. If I'm understanding your post correctly, your case has only been at the embassy for 4 business days. This is NOT very long at all. It often takes 2 weeks or so to hear from any embassy after they receive the case from the NVC. In my situation with the Paris embassy, it took several weeks to get a welcome letter/interview date.

 

3. It is way too premature to contact a congressman. Even if you did get one to write a letter, they'd get the same response as you would -- be patient.

 

The only advice anyone could give right now, including the embassy, is be patient. They haven't forgotten about you, visas take time. There is no reason to be concerned yet. 

[stag 51]

Just now, neto-66 said:

1. What arrived at the embassy is not an approved K-1, it is an approved i-129f, as the K-1 is not approved until the interview.

 

2. If I'm understanding your post correctly, your case has only been at the embassy for 4 business days. This is NOT very long at all. It often takes 2 weeks or so to hear from any embassy after they receive the case from the NVC. In my situation with the Paris embassy, it took several weeks to get a welcome letter/interview date.

 

3. It is way too premature to contact a congressman. Even if you did get one to write a letter, they'd get the same response as you would -- be patient.

 

The only advice anyone could give right now, including the embassy, is be patient. They haven't forgotten about you, visas take time. There is no reason to be concerned yet. 

Thank you for the reassurance. Yes I meant approved i-129f. 

 

My impression was that Welcome Letter (Packet 3) was sent right after case is received and status Ready by the embassy, didn't know they have to process it further on their end. If it often takes longer, than sure it makes be feel better if that is generally the case and I will wait. My approved i-129f spent only a couple weeks in NVC and was sent to the Embassy at the next shipping date. 

[JeanneAdil 6,220]

Congressman has no influence with immigration matters / told to me by my Senator 

only when you sign a disclosure letter allowing them to inquiry,  can they write and ask about the case

and receive the same message the embassy would send to u

u need to wait for the case to imput into the computer of embassy and get in line behind the cases already there

[powerpuff 5,919]

It hasn’t even been a week since it arrived at the consulate. When my case arrived at the consulate, I waited about a week for any communication from the consulate. After nothing happened, I emailed them as they didn’t take phone calls unless it’s a US citizen emergency. It took 3 weeks for them to respond, i didn’t send any follow up emails in that time frame, I just waited. After which they both sent me an email with instructions and called me to confirm I received the info.
 

They also said their procedures changed and I could have gone ahead and filled DS-160 and scheduled my interview but I wanted to be safe and get a green light first. So in your case waiting a week so far is nothing. My advice is to be a lot more patient and curb your expectations especially with covid slowing things down and that way you won’t be disappointed. 
 

Edited October 20, 2021 by powerpuff

[stag 51]

15 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

It hasn’t even been a week since it arrived at the consulate. When my case arrived at the consulate, I waited about a week for any communication from the consulate. After nothing happened, I emailed them as they didn’t take phone calls unless it’s a US citizen emergency. It took 3 weeks for them to respond, i didn’t send any follow up emails in that time frame, I just waited. After which they both sent me an email with instructions and called me to confirm I received the info.
 

They also said their procedures changed and I could have gone ahead and filled DS-160 and scheduled my interview but I wanted to be safe and get a green light first. So in your case waiting a week so far is nothing. My advice is to be a lot more patient and curb your expectations especially with covid slowing things down and that way you won’t be disappointed. 
 

Thanks for the info, that makes me feel better. I guess I was under a false impression that it was supposed to be sent out much quicker.

 

We did fill out DS-160 and submitted it. Should we also go ahead to schedule the interview or wait for the Welcome letter? Since the appointment website says "

I have received a letter/email from the consular section with instructions to register or schedule a K (Fiancé(e)/Spouse/Child) visa appointment." for the option to go ahead and schedule an appointment. 

[powerpuff 5,919]

26 minutes ago, stag said:

Thanks for the info, that makes me feel better. I guess I was under a false impression that it was supposed to be sent out much quicker.

 

We did fill out DS-160 and submitted it. Should we also go ahead to schedule the interview or wait for the Welcome letter? Since the appointment website says "

I have received a letter/email from the consular section with instructions to register or schedule a K (Fiancé(e)/Spouse/Child) visa appointment." for the option to go ahead and schedule an appointment. 

Im honestly not sure, every consulate has different procedures. Best way would be to contact those who went through Tbilisi consulate and ask how they did it:

 

https://www.visajourney.com/portals/index.php?country=Georgia&tpage=2

 

this is a portal for Georgia. Click on Georgia Visa timelines and you’ll see a list of those you can shoot a PM to.