susan.

If you're filing your taxes abroad and your income is foreign based, you get and auto-extension to file your taxes, I think it was until June or July. So I don't think it will a problem for you.

I read the checklist over again and found out they also want my husband's foreign taxes added to the AOS package. That's interesting! We didn't even have to submit that to the IRS when filing... And we could not have sent them any earlier, because they just arrived last week, so this checklist could not have been avoided just by sending in the 2014 transcripts.

Surprisingly, the checklist doesn't ask for a new AOS from our joint sponsor?! I'm pretty sure there's an error since we don't qualify without her, and her 2014 IRS transcript is missing as well. So we'll play it safe and re-send both packages.

(However, due to a sudden change in the plans we may want to delay the process a little bit so actually receiving a checklist was better for us than a CC right now. Sounds crazy to all of you waiting, I know, but our situation is quite different from most of yours since we're together as a family and both employed abroad.)

Received the expected checklist by email today. Checklist issued May 6, and it's about AOS transcripts as I expected. Delivery by mail will take forever so it'll be another 2 weeks before checklist scan date . Does anybody know if we can send our package and joint sponsor's package separately (but under the assigned cover sheet)? Or will that mess everything up? I was just wondering whether we could mail ours from here and our joint sponsor from the US.

SamWiSam I've had the same error a few times but it passes after a while. Strange!

No news for us either yet (SD 04/10). I keep checking the CEAC website several times a day for the 3 N/A's, and my email for a checklist

ArroTG, I guess the standard time for the fees to become available is 7 days, and that's seven working days, not calendar days. Just be patient (as frustrating as it feels)!

A question to all of you who received a checklist: did you receive it by email the same day NVC reviewed your case, or did you get notified by calling NVC on the expected case review date and then received the email/letter later? How long does it take to receive the email? It seems like our case could be reviewed next week, and since I'm expecting a checklist for the tax transcripts it would be nice to know approximately how long it takes.

Congrats to all CCs!

1. Country USC resides in: Finland

I think you just need the copies/originals you sent to NVC before. Originals when applicable (1-846, taxes), and copies of birth certificate/passport etc.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how we've been preparing.

Filing from abroad you will probably get through the fast lane at USCIS, which could shorten your waiting time by several months. In our case, had we been active and submitted all of our documents and fees immediately, we would probably have gotten through this process in about 7-8 months. We're both residing abroad and our I-130 was processed in about a month. NVC has also stepped up its game and processing times are much shorter than just a few months ago. So technically, if you don't receive any RFEs or checklists along the way, I would say it's rather realistic you'd have your visa in hand by the end of this year.

Just filled the DS-260 online. It took about 2 hrs... but now it's complete! I had a little bit of a hassle with entering my previous addresses, since I've moved so many times, but all in all it was not a bad form. If you know where you've been and when, it's actually pretty easy. Now I'm ready for NVC to review our case ! (and ready for the 2014 tax checklist, already asked our joint sponsor to order her transcript)

NVC is reviewing document really fast now. Just got email checklist for IV fee payment. My scan date was 4/8/2015.

Wow! Our scan date is 4/10/15 and we paid the IV fee only yesterday. I won't have time to fill the DS-260 until this weekend, I hope they won't try to review our case until next week... Oops! I really do not want a checklist. (Though I think we'll probably get one, since we did not have tax transcripts for 2014 due to not having filed yet - USC living abroad get an auto-extension till later in the summer.)

That's been way too long for you. I hope the IV fee is available for you now?! Otherwise you definitely need to give them a call.

We have a scan date! NVC confirmed by email that they scanned our documents on 04/10. Ariani, you can add us to the list, thanks!

We still got the 60 day processing letter with the email, so at least officially review time is still 60 days.

Called NVC a moment ago, and our case was reviewed over the phone. The customer service agent was very helpful and nice and said we should receive the IV bill within a week!

lisbethk,

Not sure if you found the answer to your question but the IV bill is not going to be invoiced until you get your DS-261 reviewed. You can wait until they review on their own or you can call and call until you get someone to review it over the phone. After its reviewed your IV bill will be ready in a day or two and DS-260. Good luck.

I was wondering about this too, we received a confirmation email regarding our DS-261 about 1,5 months ago, but still no IV fee. I wonder if this means it was already reviewed or not? It sucks that we apparently have to call, we're both abroad and waiting on the line is NOT cheap. We had problems with our USCIS NOA2 as well (never received it, but case went to NVC and we got a surprise welcome letter from NVC by mail) and it just is insane that the online services don't work!

Congrats for all the approvals!

Congrats Curiousgeorgina!

We submitted the DS-261 on Feb 15, and paid the AOS fee on Feb 28, but still no IV fee invoiced... booo! Sent all the documents last week but they're still in the mail (sent from abroad), so I guess we still have 2+ months to wait for the fee to be generated...

We were wondering about this same issue and decided to follow the NVC instructions and sent it all in one package under one cover sheet. Let's hope it works out!

We just mailed our AOS & IV packages off to our joint sponsor, who's going to add her AOS stuff in the package and send it to NVC.

We combined the whole case (all documents) into one package, under one cover sheet, since we read the NVC's instructions like that - let's hope it won't result in a checklist! Reading from the forum I see most people put the AOS and the Supporting Documents under separate cover sheets, and even in separate envelopes? The NVC website states "you must submit all of your forms, financial evidence, and photocopies of your original civil documents in ONE package to the NVC. Your case may be significantly delayed if you fail to submit all of your documents in one package." which is what we followed. Are we the only ones...?

Anyways, I don't know if you guys got married in Finland or if you already have a social security card in your current name, but if you do need a new card, I would recommend getting an extra vaestorekisteriote from the magistrate with the words marriage certificate added to it and have them add an apostille just in case. Would maybe save you guys the gas money we spent on driving around

Thanks for the tip! We did get married in Finland and I've never had a US Social Security card, so it's good to know. We got married at the registrar office and not at a church, so our marriage certificate is pretty simple and straightforward, but it's always better to prepare! I'm dreading the whole process of getting the SS card, opening a bank account, getting my driver's license exchanged and all... and filing my taxes for the first time! I have actually filled out the forms for my husband while he's been here, but it's been easy with the foreign income exclusion. I'm usually pretty good with forms but the IRS forms (and especially the instructions!) beat me even...

Ellinora, did you get an international vaccination card for your child before moving or some kind of proof of all the shots given at neuvola? I guess the kids will also need their records for school... we'll be able to get the second set of MPR for our son before moving and then he should be eligible to sign up for school health-wise.

Thanks DKNC, and yes we did finally receive the IRS transcripts! We checked this forum and some other links for re-establishing domicile, and in our situation the bank accounts and "lease" agreement from family are the best proof we can offer. Let's hope it's enough!

I haven't been here for a while, but hey, congratulations for a Case Complete, DKNC! Your processing was super fast, wow!

Also congrats to all of you who finally received your NOA2!

We're still processing our AOS package... proving domicile has been a challenge and I just hope they'll be light on us, since my husband has been abroad with me for the past eight years. He was just a student when he came here and we married, intending to go back (with me) in a year, but then life happened and the kids happened and so... we don't have much to provide as evidence but we're doing our best. (What did you use as proof of domicile, DKNC?) Planning to send the AOS & IV packages off this coming Monday to our co-sponsor, who will then add her stuff and send the whole thing to NVC.

Just checked and no IV invoice yet...

No news here yet, we're still working on the AOS package. This domicile requirement is a little tricky for us, since we've both lived in Finland for the last eight years and my husband was only a student when he moved here, so he doesn't really own anything in the US (nor can we afford to purchase anything like a house or have any assets to transfer to his US account), only a bank account. But we're hoping the proof we have will be enough. We do have a co-sponsor so sponsorship is not an issue. We were also waiting for my husbands tax transcripts for a LONG time, but finally received them two weeks ago.

I'm hoping we can send our AOS & IV packages on Monday to our co-sponsor, who will then add her AOS stuff and send the whole package to NVC. So I guess it'll be many months yet until our process moves forward, NVC processing time is currently at 60 days.

Thanks for the medical check-up info, Ellinora and Lenny&Sanna! I thought it would not make any sense having to go twice, but then again, this process doesn't really fit with what one would see as rational and reasonable anyway... Overall, however, our process has been really smooth so far and none of the documents have caused any headache yet. Again I am thankful for the very functional and organised Finnish society and authorities!