Linds&Youssef

Thanks again for the insight; this is an awesome thread!

tru_loves_journey, you might be my hero for the day... strike that, you're my second hero for the day!! My #1 hero today is the guy who delivered our dossier to the consulate in Casablanca today!!!!! And then you because I wouldv'e gone crazy this weekend without those two waybill numbers from DHL. So thanks again! Now I wonder how long before we find out when his interview is... I sure would love to buy a plane ticket!

Next your case will be sent to NVC (National Visa Center) where it will go through cursory processing... they'll check to make sure addresses are accurate and such, then they'll assign a case number before sending the petition to your consulate. This process may take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several weeks (CSC appears to be pretty slow to send NOA2 cases along to NVC these days... average looks to be about 28 days or so). I've also heard of cases that have been at NVC waiting for case numbers to be assigned for 3-4 weeks recently. That said, I've seen them also go through from NOA2 to receipt at the beneficiary's consulate in as little as 2 weeks recently. You can start calling the NVC about a week after you received the NOA2 to inquire as to whether they've received your case, assigned a case number, and even whether they've sent it to the consulate (using your WAC receipt number). This is also a good time to start gathering the documents and evidence that you'll need for the Packet 3 and the interview. Congrats and best of luck!

This is fairly common... some cases may have expedited service, others may be front loaded in the order that the processing center prefers (making the petition easier to process for them), and others may be missing information or not presented in an organized fashion. When a case petition isn't easy to process or looks like it's going to require additional work, it often gets put aside in favor of one that's better organized or more complete. I can't say for sure exactly what may be the case in your situation, but these are just some examples of why some cases are put through to NOA2 faster than others.

Ha... got it. I think we're on the same page now

I called and got my case number and Ema has her interview date, but how exactly track your number on the dhl website?

What I'd like to know is how you already have an interview date and know what that date is?

@Nicky & Imad: I'm constantly sending positive energy your way for you to get your NOA2 and speed through the NVC process toward your interview, too! Incha'allah, hopefully you'll have an update in the next couple of days!!

As for tracking through dhl, I've been playing around on the dhl site, thanks to tru_loves_journey for getting me started with instructions, and I found the correct format for the shipper's reference. I want to explain the format I used so that it makes things easier for others, with mine as an example:

The first section you enter is "EXP". This means the courier is traveling express. Next, you enter the day of the month you were told your package was sent, followed by the 3-letter code for the month, and then this year. You have to follow the year with the letter A. Now here's where it gets tricky: there are spaces between "EXP" "day" "month", but not between "month" "year" "A". So since my case was sent on July 19th, my shipper's reference is: EXP 19 JUL2012A.

YES! One was sent yesterday too Waybill: 9450866331

Have fun watching it move along to the embassy

Thanks bunches!!

Great news!

Today it was sent??

I found this on dhl ......Waybill: 9450867705

The operater at NVC said it was sent yesterday, but I suppose it could've been put in the outbox and not been picked up until today. Was there a tracking number for yesterday? Thanks for that, by the way; I went to the dhl website and tried to follow your instructions. But I couldn't figure out where to go to enter details without having to enter an account or tracking number.

I just got off the phone with NVC, and I found out that after 2 days on-site, our K-1 case has been sent to the consulate in Casablanca... houbi and I are over the moon!!!!!!

Check out Igor's List here: http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/monthly_filers.php?form=1&visa=1&scenter=2&option=1&sortby=2 This link will show the top last 15 approved. Scroll down, and you will see approved petitions from last August to Present. Many January and some February filers are getting approved. The realistic time frame has been 5-7 months for a very long time now. It is pretty much standard. I filed in April and will consider ourselves lucky if my fiancee and I can be together by November. This might be realistic if we were to get approved by the end of September. Even then, it would come down to a lot of crunch time. Good luck!

Yikes! Kind of a worst case scenario, but I agree. Don't expect anything sooner than November or December if filing in June. :thumbs:

It is rare, but some people do get approved right under the 5 month mark. Many people you see getting approved within a couple of months or 3 are more than likely military personnel getting cases expedited.

I don't think it's a worst case scenario at all. I'm not talking about it taking 9 - 12 months to get approval of the petition. The original poster said she was hoping to be with her fiance by the 5 - 6 month mark. We all know there's a heck of a lot more that goes into getting your fiance here physically than receiving your NOA2 approval! Yes, it's a fact that if you add up the number of K-1 cases filed since 2010, the average wait is right at 5 months (it's actually 19.45 weeks, to be exact... I ran the numbers). Unfortunately, with VSC's current pace, the cases appear to be taking longer than average right now for NOA2. After that, you still have to factor in passing through NVC, being received at the beneficiary's consulate, competing the Packet 3, and then passing the interview before you get the visa that allows you to come physically be with your USC fiance to get married. All in all, the average K-1 case takes approximately 9 - 12 months.

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Vayama.com will on occasion have cheaper tickets than cheapoair.com, but if you want to have a reasonable price and more options about which actual routes/travel transit times, etc, you take, I always go with Expedia.com because you can select "to" flights separately from the "from" flights. I also go to AirFrance.us to compare because you can see flight options for a week at a time and look to find out which days are cheaper to fly on. Of course, if you're solely looking for the cheapest way there, you might try booking to and from Paris, France, then going with either easyjet.com or jet4u.com for the Paris to/from Morocco let of the flight. It takes more effort on your part to line things up, but can save a considerable amount of money if you're willing to go through the hassle. Incidentally, jet4u.com is a Morocco-specific site... worth checking out regardless.

Congrats!! I know our petitions are from different service centers, but mine took a week to get to NVC (received on Tuesday of this week). I guess my thought process is that our petitions are from the same country so maybe, just maybe, you'll have a similar experience... sending hopeful thoughts your way!

Thanks for all your great responses! I called again this morning and was told that the case was received on Tuesday, and that they need to enter it into the system and do the very basic background checks that they do to every case at NVC, and then they'll mail it to the consulate (she even said they don't do any processing at all, but that the consulate handles that, and that all they do is enter it and verify some of the petition info). She then said to call back on Monday to see if our case had been sent yet or not. Mitexi, thanks for the link; I can't tell you how much better I feel having read that and then getting this statement today from NVC. I'll call again Monday and see what they say...

up chuck

I spoke with a representative of NVC this afternoon, and he shared that our case was received yesterday and that it's in A/P. Is that standard for a K-1 at NVC? In other words, is that just their way of saying they're running the standard background check, or should I be concerned? After all, I did get the whole line about there not being a time frame for admin processing...

Thanks; I thought I was posting in the K-1 forum... I don't know how to delete the post, though.

I spoke with a representative of NVC this afternoon, and he shared that our case was received yesterday and that it's in A/P. Is that standard for a K-1 at NVC? In other words, is that just their way of saying they're running the standard background check, or should I be concerned? After all, I did get the whole line about there not being a time frame for admin processing...

Nevermind, ignore my question above... I just found out: all you have to do is call and ask if they've received it.

Out of curiosity, how do you know it was received if it's not in their system? If there's a different way to ask that might get me a different response than I've been getting at NVC, I'd lovvvvvve to know!! Congrats, by the way!

Better Off On Moroccan Soil.....

MFIOE

I hate to burst your bubble, but I think your time frame is highly unrealistic. If you just filed in June, you'll be just receiving your NOA2 in late November, most likely. Assuming your petition is approved with no RFEs, you still have to go through the background check at the NVC (which can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a year, depending on whether someone on any of the international terrorist or criminal watchlists has the same name as your beneficiary fiance). After that, the petition file goes to the fiance's consulate and they have to file more papers and get a medical exam before they can even have an interview. A more realistic timeline is probably 9 months to a year from your file date. That said, I've heard of a couple of cases put through in as little as 6 or 7 months (only once or twice, though), and I've heard of them taking almost a couple of years (if they have to go to AP or receive a NOID/NOIR). If I were you, I'd settle in, get used to waiting, and count yourself lucky if you've got an NOA2 by December. Best of luck to you!

Hello, my dear! I can help with that whole live person thing...

Call USCIS' customer service line: 800.375.5283.

The series of numbers you push to get to a live person is 1-2-1-1-2-2. In other words:

press 1 for English,

then 2 for filing your petition not online,

then 1 for immigration services,

then 1 to check status of your application,

then 2 for "I don't know my receipt number".

The auto attendant will tell you where to look,

then you enter 2 again to say you've lost it.

They'll then transfer you to a live person (assuming you call between 8a and 8p EST).

Just to spread a little hope: I just received my NOA2 this past Wednesday. I was at 162 days (at the VSC). So don't worry; your time is coming, I'm sure of it!