Lyuda_and_Kip

Congrats!

I use Google Voice, seems to be one of the cheapest options without any hidden fees that calling cards usually have (connection fee, weekly fee, some other bs fee). If you have an Android phone, you can set it up to use Google Voice for international calls just using the regular phone app and calling the number regularly. There's also this thing called OBi100 (pretty cheap on Amazon) that connects to your Google Voice account using your Internet connection and then you just plug in any regular home phone into it and you can use it as a home phone (free incoming/outgoing to US and Canada, and Google Voice rates for calling anything else). No need to pay for a home phone (be warned, no 911 access when using it)!

Otherwise the cheapest route to go is using something like Skype or any other Internet calling app and then it's free and usually has better voice quality then calling phones.

Thanks for the info vbtwo! I looked into the OBi100. And though I am not 100% sure yet, the info from OBi seems to indicate that if you have an OBi box hooked to the internet at home here and one hooked to the internet somewhere else in the world, that you can directly call between those two boxes using the identification number on the bottom of the box and the call will be completely free! There is no monthly or yearly fee associated with it. Just purchase two boxes ($40 - $50 each) and you can potentially communicate with someone across the globe without any additional expense! I'll provide another update as I get more info.

Thanks for the info everyone! I will check these options out and see what works best for us.

Currently the communications between myself and my fiancée are via email, Skype and at times phone using calling cards. Once her visa is approved and she moves here, she will want to continue to communicate with her family regularly as she does today. Her parents are older and not technically savvy so the communication with her parents will mostly be by phone. Are calling cards the best option for this?

I looked at Vonage and see that Ukraine is not one of their 'unlimited' countries. Are there ways to call Ukraine other than calling cards?

how did you know your case received by nvc? coz until now we dont know our case progress..

we got noa2 on 24 july and until now we didnt know our case still on uscis or nvc or embassy....

You need to call the NVC @ 603-334-0700 or the Department of State @ 202-663-1225 . Give them your receipt number from USCIS and they will be able to tell you if the NVC has received your petition or not and if a case number has been assigned yet. Once you have your case number, you can track progress here:

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?

Congrats! Things move along a little faster now

Congrats!

Congrats!

I think your A number is typically assigned after the NOA1. But make sure you see it on your NOA2.

It's still a good idea to include bank statements. As mentioned previously, you can black out acct#.

Congrats!

Congrats!

Congrats!

We did finally receive a letter from the NVC today stating that our case was received there and would be sent to the embassy. This letter does not seem to be of real importance. The letter we are really waiting for is the letter from the embassy that is to be sent directly to my fiancée. My understanding is that this letter is needed at the interview.

Thanks for the info Nate! My fiancée has an interview scheduled for a couple of weeks from now. You are right, to read the reviews of the embassy you would believe the interview is a cakewalk. We will prepare for a stressful and difficult interview and hope for an easy one

Congrats! You should receive your hard copy of your NOA2 shortly by mail. If you don't receive it within a week, call USCIS and ask about it. That hard copy form is needed for future steps.

We did not receive anything from the NVC

Your case timeline sounds very similar to ours. Has the embassy received your case yet? You can check it online here:

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx? Choose Immigrant Visa and enter your case number.

Our case was just received at the embassy Aug 5. The status now says READY. My fiancée contacted the embassy to ask if she can schedule the interview and was told that she can schedule it. We still don't know for sure it the embassy will send a letter, but everything I've read says they will.

She is now ready to pay the visa fee and will schedule the interview. My understanding is that interview times are available most days right now.

I will post an update if she receives something from them.

Our case is a little odd. We were VSC that was sent to TSC. We were told by USCIS tier 2 rep our petition was approved on 7/6 but didn't receive our hard copy for 3 weeks. When it came, the Notice Date was actually 7/25. I received an email from USCIS that it was sent to NVC on 7/26. I called the NVC on 8/1 and they had already received our case, assigned a case number and sent it off to the embassy in Kiev.

I agree with Gary and Alla completely! The info of VJ is great, but the info on the Kiev Embassy website tells you exactly what they need and expect. They also provide valuable info regarding what your fiancé needs to supply.

When USCIS actually sends your case to the NVC there should be a message posted on the USCIS website similar to this "we shipped this approved or re-affirmed case to the Department of State for visa processing".

So the answer is yes, there should be something at least on the site that indicates this. You may or may not get an email about it if you've signed up to receive email notifications from them.

Sent from VSC to TSC on 6/21.

Told by USCIS tier 2 rep that petition was approved on 7/6

NOA2 is actually dated 7/25

Received case number from NVC on 8/1

Your K-1 petition was approved on Jan 27th and sent to the embassy in Frankfurt a week later, and you haven't done anything with the process since then? Did you contact the embassy in Frankfurt to get the petition timeframe extended? From what I understand, the approved K-1 petition is only good for a limited time. I just received mine and it is valid for only 4 months.

Thank you!! So glad this first part is behind us

Received hard copy of approval NOA today! Woohoo!!! It is a little odd though. The Notice Date is 7/25, but it is valid from 7/06 to 11/05. No matter... official petition approval in hand now!

On to the NVC...

Look what I got today!! Yippeeee..just got the email!!!!

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On July 26, 2013, we shipped this approved or re-affirmed case to the Department of State for visa processing. For more information, please contact them directly.

For approved applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include USCIS sending notification of the approved application/petition to the National Visa Center or the Department of State. For denied applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include the processing of an appeal and/or motions to reopen or reconsider and revocations.

Congrats!