burnabrenna

Just got the email saying they received the AOS packet documents I sent before the optin was accepted. Oh well, guess that will speed up that one a little bit!

I live outside the US and since I don't work here in Canada, I got my mom to be my joint sponsor. I don't think they really care where the income comes from, as long as you show proof that the immigrant won't be a burden on the government.

I sent my optin email on the 9th and just got my response today. I also tried resending it with "supervisor review" in the subject on Friday and they responded to my original optin, not the other one. I would just wait a few more days and you should hear something back.

FINALLY received the EP optin acceptance email. It was a reply from the original email from July 9th, not the resent supervisor review one on the 19th. I resent the AOS packet in just to be safe.

Our IV bill was invoiced today! I'm still waiting to hear about the EP optin though. I'm hoping it doesn't take too much longer because I'd really like to send both the AOS and IV stuff in as soon as the DS-260 is completed.

If I sent a second optin email on Friday morning with Supervisor Review in the subject, when should I expect to get a response?

What does this mean?

On July 19th, 2013 we shipped this approved or reaffirmed case to the Department of State for visa processing.

Pardon my ignorance but is the DOS and NVC the same ?? I am confused now as to what this means

The NVC is part of the DOS. It's all good!

Sorry, the way you worded the post, it sounded like you should re-send the DS-261 based on not being accepted into the EP program yet.

I'd say that if you don't hear back by Monday morning, send another one, but use the DS-3032 trick from the FAQ on post 2.

Well, over the last 2 years (after I had gone through the process), optin acceptance emails took considerably less time, usually just a week. Which was well before one is able to email the AOS package, so it didn't become a problem. But, if NVC is slowing down again to similar times as when I went through, well, it then becomes an issue. But, like I said, once you get the optin acceptance, just re-send the AOS package. No big deal. That's what I did.

Oops, sorry! Should have worded it a bit differently. Thanks for your help, hopefully I hear something soon!

Keep in mind, the optin email is for EP. The DS-261 is part of online forms. Two different things.

Someone else just PM'd me actually about not getting an optin acceptance email either and it had been a week if I remember correctly. NVC may have just gotten a backlog for optin emails.

And yeah, you may want to send the AOS package again when the optin is accepted. That's what I had to do. Although, to do this day, I don't know which package they reviewed: from my first email or the second time after I had received the optin acceptance email.

I know they're separate, I was just calling about the DS-261 and figured I'd ask her about the optin as well! I'll wait a few more days I guess and then if I still don't get the acceptance, I'll go ahead and send another.

I guess I just hadn't read anything that told me specifically not to send it before getting the optin acceptance, and I saw your timeline with the package sent before acceptance, so I sent it.Then I started seeing everyone's timelines showing they submitted it all after, so I figured I was wrong! Oh well, I guess it can't really hurt me at this point, so I'll just count on emailing the AOS package again later.

Thank you, as always!

I still haven't gotten the optin acceptance email yet and when I called to ask if the DS-261 has been added to our case yet, she suggested that I try resending it. Has anyone had success resending the EP optin email, or should I just wait it out for the first one to get accepted?

Also, I just now realized that I probably shouldn't have emailed the AOS packet in without the optin acceptance email yet (oops, a little over eager), so am I going to have to resubmit that once I do get the acceptance?

I called NVC and had them email me the cover sheet for my AOS stuff, but I just checked the site and it allowed me to print it right from the payment portal. I compared the two and they are different. Is this going to cause problems, or is it alright?

Got the cover sheet emailed to me and just submitted my AOS packet! Still waiting for my optin acceptance email though.

Best news today!

On July 16, 2013, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN.

Yay, congrats!

For the people who have had the cover sheet emailed to them, how long did it take for you to get it after you called?

Apparently they've been having issues lately so people have had to call and get their cover sheets emailed to them.

I am! Just sent in the DS-261 yesterday, waiting on the AOS fee to get invoiced.

ceac.state.gov is down for me, at the moment - anyone have problems?

Down for me too.

Got our NVC case number today! Anxiously awaiting the invoices so we can pay them.

Best of luck to everyone still waiting for their NOA2, hope you guys get some news soon!

Grats! Did you give over both email addresses to an operator?

Thanks! Sure did!

Just got our NVC case number and sent the optin email! This is the first time I've been excited about waiting to pay a bill for something.

Call NVC for the NVC process. If it was indeed sent out when they say it was sent out, it should make it to NVC within the next few days and you should hear soon that it was received there. It's then another week or so before a case number is assigned.

While you're waiting, have you read the guide I wrote for EP and online forms?

Ok thank you, just checking! I've read your guide and it is super informative and helpful! I'm just anxious to begin this next step so I think I'm over reading into things and then I start questioning myself (hence why I asked a stupid question, hah).

This might be a stupid question, but should we be calling the NVC or DOS to find out our case number and everything? We got the notice that our case was shipped out on the 25th from the NBC, so about when should we expect it to arrive? We've called the past two days and they said they haven't received the case yet.

I do agree them that the term illegals is derogatory and shouldn't be used. While we might not think it's fair that they can be in the US while we have to wait to be together with our spouses the legal way, a lot of those people give up A LOT to make it to the US. They might not have done it the legal way, but everyone has a different set of circumstances and I don't think that them being in the US is easy at all. Just my two cents.

1. Country USC resides in: Canada
2. Is there a USCIS field office in this country / Is DCF still possible? No
3. When did you file the I-130: April 2013
4. How long had you been living abroad: Since May 2012
5. Do you reside in the country legally? Yes, on a visitor visa that I keep current with the government
6. What is the reason for your residence: work permit/student/tourist/ Work - Tourist
7. Did you list your foreign address on all forms in I-130 package? Yes
8. Did you send I-130 package from abroad? Yes
9. Did you include evidence of your residence abroad in the I-130 package? Not really, just the fact that we got married abroad and had a foreign joint bank account.
10. Did you mention the fact you reside abroad in the cover letter or write a letter describing your current situation and the evolution of your relationship with your spouse (mentioning your residence abroad)? Yes
11. Has your case been "auto-expedited"? How long between NOA1 and NOA2? I guess so, 80 days.

Not sure if 80 days is expedited, but it seems that recently it's been taking a bit longer for foreign applications compared to a few months ago.

We got our NOA2 this past Saturday, anxiously awaiting beginning the NVC step! These threads are going to be a lifesaver for us when it comes time, thanks!