OhNoRobo

After speaking to a manager at NVC, I asked them to verify the tracking number/s for the civil documents they "sent". It's been a day and they can't seem to do it, which I think is proving my point. Hopefully.

Same thing happened to me but they only lost my AOS.

What did you do? We can't really replace everything in the DS230 package without taking quite a while to find all the paperwork again - plus we would need to wait for another police report from Canada :/

Update!! The DS230 apparently never made it into their system! We have proof that the papers arrived and were signed for - I suspect they're just sitting around someone's office like decorations >_<

Our embassy requested an expedite which was approved on 6/18 and were were sent a letter to that effect. On 6/28 we were sent our I-864 via DHL express. According to NVC the only mailings that were sent to us were the aforementioned two. I am at a complete loss as to what to do. NVC and it's operators won't listen no matter how many times I explain what is going on, they apparently don't have tracking numbers for the items they've sent, and can't grasp that while we've received 2 pieces of mail, only one contained civil documents and the other was just a letter. We are owed one more package (our police reports, birth certs, etc.).

I have a theory that the expedite was accepted before our DS230 was processed. Maybe it didn't make it into the system?

Questions:

- Are civil documents always sent via express mail, with tracking numbers?

- How can I verify the ACTUAL location of our documents?

I emailed the embassy and explained our problem, so hopefully they can help...

No one said a word about not sending things in to the NVC when we requested the expedite - we didn't know there was an option, so we're both kicking ourselves right now >_< I suspect we should be getting the DS230 next week since we sent them in a week apart.

We live in Okinawa, so we're working with the Embassy in Urasoe. They've been really helpful and amazingly sweet, except that they insist they cannot schedule an appointment without all the files in hand. They instructed us to call as soon as we get the files back and they will schedule the interview immediately... Sadly, it would take a few months to collect all of our paperwork again, as my husband lived in Canada for a while and would need to get another police check processed :/

We received our expedite confirmation in the mail about a week ago, but so far the NVC has only sent us back half of what we sent them. They delivered our I840 via express mail, but left out the Ds230 and it's supporting documents. The Embassy has no idea why and NVC assures me that it's already been sent as of two weeks ago. I'm not sure what's going on any more.

Good luck with your interview and I was seeing your post on visa journey and my I-130 petition approved on May 7 and I'm still waiting NVC receive my petition. So I feel your pain that NVC taking forever for everything! Hope your interview goes well!! One more step to go!

We had a 2 month wait before we got our case to NVC - after a month, we found out that USCIS has misplaced (misfiled?) our paperwork. If you email the NVC inquiry address now, you might save some time if the same thing has happened for you!

Thank you! I will talk to them about the SafeFile. I feel like such a pain in the ####. I've had to cry to our embassy for help during every NVC step (which they have gone out of their way to give!)... I imagine that this is just the special NVC farewell gift! One more screw up before we're free

We have finally been NVC approved, and were waiting for the embassy to contact us about our interview - but, when they called, they told us that the NVC hadn't included my husband's other official original documents (police reports, birth certificate, etc.). The embassy claims that they cannot schedule our interview without that paperwork. When I spoke to the NVC they told me that they had sent those particular items to me, for some reason. I'm really worried because we live abroad and things have a tendency to take FOREVER to arrive at our place (which I would assume is an NVC issue and not the post due to the postmarking on the mail).

Is this common?

Is the embassy really required to have those things before they can schedule, or can we provide them at the time of the interview?

We got a notice from the NVC inquiry this morning that our DS3230 was accepted and that I am now the agent for my husband. I haven't received any info from them yet regarding the bill pay, but they did say they would be sending the information to the address we chose - will they also send the invoice to my email like the AOS fee? Or should I call to find out if they've generated the invoice and number?

I was under the impression that the embassy's request was kind of in effect as soon as they called - is that not so?

I spoke to the loca embassy and they called for an expedite on my behalf.

OK, Thanks for the advice! I've already got everything together and I'll send it out ASAP.

My husband and I both live in Japan. We have recently received our NVC case #, sent our DS3230, and paid out AOS fee. I know that the I-864 is next on the list. Because we are abroad, it might take a long time for us to receive paperwork via snail mail... Do we have to wait for the I-864 package to arrive, or can we send all the required paperwork now and eschew the weeks of delivery time?

Also, I don't think Japan accepts scanned/emailed paperwork at the moment.

Update - I finally got my case number last Friday, and my AOS fee and Choice of Agent paperwork on Wednesday.

My paperwork has finally arrived at the NVC, but no number yet. I suspect it will be soon, as they told me 2 weeks for sending and it only took 5 days. Fingers crossed.

My congressman hasn't responded in a about 2 weeks and I don't think they're really interested in helping. However, I did speak to my embassy and they are waiting for my case number so they can request an expedite on our behalf - I love them so much. I guess it's one of the perks of living on a small island with a relatively non-busy embassy...

Guys,

It has been 9 days since I got my approved email.

I called yesterday night and the guy said its not there yet. When should I call again?

15 days from now? or what?

You can call as much as you like. I waited the 30 days they suggest, and they told me that my paperwork had not been sent yet. But every situation is different - your paperwork could be there soon, so calling to check would help you move things along as far as getting your case number and email correspondence set up.

Got this from the NVC yesterday:

"Please be advised that the National Visa Center (NVC) contacted U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to locate your approved

petition. USCIS has informed the NVC, that your petition is currently

located at USCIS; however this petition will be en route to the NVC

shortly. Once we have received your petition, the appropriate agent

will receive further instructions within 6 to 8 weeks."

So it turns out that the USCIS lied about not having my paperwork. But after seeing that additional 6-8 weeks of waiting to get my case number started, I called to talk to someone about that delay. After a lot of pushing, I was able to speak to a supervisor and was told that 6-8 weeks is the time frame in the case of extreme backlog and that they are not experiencing one at the moment (which is hopefully true). She advised me to call at least once a week to see if my number had yet been assigned. I would like to believe all of this because she seemed like a pretty straight-shooter. I am allowing myself to be cautiously optimistic.

I would think it would be in the NVC's best interests to notify people of the backlog... then they won't get everyone calling in a panic every day, thinking that their paperwork has been seriously misplaced.

Same situation - My petition was approved on 3/26 and I have heard nothing from the NVC either.

I was instructed by an NVC operator to email NVCResearch@state.gov with an explanation and a scanned copy of my I-797 which I did about a week ago. They replied yesterday, telling me that they didn't have my petition and would contact the USCIS about it. I don't know what to expect or when I will hear back :/

I just got an email from the NVC:

"Please be advised that the National Visa Center (NVC) has received your

inquiry and the attached I-797 Notice of Action - Approval Notice.

Unfortunately, we do not have record of receiving your approved petition

from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The NVC will contact

USCIS on your behalf for information on the location of this petition."

Anyone having received their NOA2 on 3/26 or before and who has not heard from NVC should probably email the research department. On the plus side, it only took them a week to respond to my research email. On the negative side, they still don't have my paperwork >_<

Just spoke to USCIS (who were MUCH nicer than NVC) and the operator assured me that my case was in the process of being transferred to NVC. Here's hoping.

I hope so! It's amazing that it takes them so long to move a folder of papers from one place to another. And even more amazing if they were not capable of doing that effectively...

I'm worried that the petition hasn't left the USCIS yet because NVC says they haven't received it as of today.

Yes - we received NOA2 on 3/26 and got a hard copy of the confirmation in the mail with a receipt number.