K1 Fiance Visa: Waiting for NVC Case Number -Concerned About NOA2 Expiration, etc...

[PipeStretcher 1]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for guidance on my K-1 fiance visa timeline. I wanted to leave this post as a last resort because I have done research throughout reddit/youtube/facebook groups and I get all different answers. My Fiance is in the PH. I am the petitioner in US. I have used this youtube video as a guide for me but then apparently doing more research there are different ways to go about it. 

 

One reddit user says for k1 users you will not get any welcome letter/email. you will get K1FTP letter before submission of DS 160, is this true? I am so confused. 

 

USCIS/Petition Timeline:

• NOA1 (I-129F received by USCIS): Jan 21, 2025

• NOA2 (Approval notice): Sept 26, 2025 (expires Jan 26, 2026)

NVC/DOS Timeline:

• Case sent to DOS: Nov 18, 2025

• Current NVC processing update (as of 8-Dec-25): working on cases received Nov 24, 2025

• I have not received a case number or welcome letter yet

• CEAC portal (IV/NIV), no access because I do not have my case number

Current Situation/Concern:

• I’ve submitted multiple public inquiry requests. Each response says my case has been received by NVC but has not been entered into their system yet.

• I’m concerned because my NOA2 expires Jan 26, 2026, and there’s a long wait time for NVC to create my case.

• I want to know if I’m at risk of my NOA2 expiring before my case is created and what steps I can take to avoid any issues.

Questions for the community:

1. Has anyone experienced a similar delay with a K-1 where NOA2 was close to expiration?

2. Can NVC still create a case after NOA2 expiration if it was sent within the valid period?

3. Are there steps I can take to ensure my NOA2 remains valid while waiting for the case number?

I heard that NVC does not send welcome email/letter and that I would receive a K1FTP instead?? Maybe I can start filling out the DS160 for my partner, and then my fiance can submit it when the time comes? Also do I track CEAC using Non immigrant or an immigrant visa?

 

 

 

[TBoneTX 48,840]

Thread is moved from the K-1 Process forum to the Philippines regional forum.

 

PipeStretcher, at least one other thread in the K-1 Case Progress subforum is quite similar to this one; we know that you're anxious, but please avoid posting multiple threads on this issue.  Pick one thread and stick with it, OK?   

[J.M. 354]

You're fine.  Just keep sending the inquiries until you get your new case number.  Do not worry about the expiration date.  It will be automatically extended.  You should get a K1FTP email, not a physical letter, when your case is sent to Manila.  On CEAC, you will select immigrant visa to check your status once you know your new case number.  

 

You can work on the DS-160, but you will need your MNL case number to complete it.  The website will save your entered information for a month.  Each time you access it, the one-month period starts over.

[hamorflic247 7]

Your nov 24th timeline doesn't apply to k1s it's for immigrant visas. k1s are treated different. You won’t get a welcome letter or invoice ID, and you won’t be able to track your case using that CEAC timeline. For K-1s, the case is sent directly from NVC to the embassy after it’s created, and at that point you should receive a K1FTP email (not a welcome letter) once it’s forwarded. My petition was approved october 16th and still waiting for them to be working on it much less approve it. Hoping SOMETHING happens this month. Already had almost 60 days which they like saying is their minimum before being bothered. Despite the USCIS notice saying wait 30 days. 

Edited December 13, 2025 by hamorflic247

[J.M. 354]

You definitely can track your case on CEAC once NVC assigns your case number, all the way from "in transit" to "issued."

[rbv_shard 57]

On 12/13/2025 at 8:26 PM, J.M. said:

You definitely can track your case on CEAC once NVC assigns your case number, all the way from "in transit" to "issued."

How do you do that?  I was expecting it to be with https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx - how is K-1 classified in this particular system?  It has the wrong case number format for the non-immigrant visa (which is formally is), and the immigrant visa search shows "Your search did not return any data.".

[J.M. 354]

14 hours ago, rbv_shard said:

How do you do that?  I was expecting it to be with https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx

The link you posted (immigrant) is correct.  Are you entering your MNL case number?  Beneficiary passport number and surname.

[rbv_shard 57]

Just now, J.M. said:

The link you posted (immigrant) is correct.  Are you entering your MNL case number?  Beneficiary passport number and surname.

I was entering all of those, per the prompt on the form.  That appears to have been a mistake.

 

Using case number, "NA", and "NA", it returns the status.  (Despite the fact that no part of our application was processed prior to 2022)

[J.M. 354]

Glad you tried that and got the status!  I know one person that was never able to check their status, no matter what they entered.

[PipeStretcher 1]

On 1/1/2026 at 6:02 AM, J.M. said:

Glad you tried that and got the status!  I know one person that was never able to check their status, no matter what they entered.

Hi JM, I was able to check on my status by entering our MNL case number, NA, NA for passport and surname. It was labelled in transit on 12.30.2025. However after my fiance submitted DS160 on 12/31/2025. We are unable to check the status of the case, we have checked it this morning and both of us have received Your search did not return any data. 

[J.M. 354]

4 hours ago, PipeStretcher said:

MNL case number, NA, NA for passport and surname. It was labelled in transit on 12.30.2025

I assume you tried it with all the fields filled out also?

 

If it was in transmit on the 30th, it will be in Manila very soon, if not there already.  I don't know any tricks to make CEAC work.

[PipeStretcher 1]

2 minutes ago, J.M. said:

I assume you tried it with all the fields filled out also?

 

If it was in transmit on the 30th, it will be in Manila very soon, if not there already.  I don't know any tricks to make CEAC work.

Yes I did. All field filled out and it still says search did not find anything data. Please help, we don’t have an interview date or anything yet