Rob & Rachel

It limits the number of times you can refresh the page in a 24 hour period. Don't go crazy refreshing the page. Better to join a QQ group and watch for postings that dates have been made available, and check periodically.
Also, if you don't have your P4 yet, I wouldn't recommend reserving a date yet. Many of us who did this ended up cancelling our appointments (some more than once) because we still haven't gotten the P4 yet, and we've been waiting since early July.

Yay! They're (the visa units) FINALLY owning up to the move (I don't think his was there yesterday
http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/consular.html

I actually got that exact same letter. As well as a copy of my approved petition of the I-129F, and another letter indicating that they have begun the process of the fiancee visa case. It was those 3 items and also a pamphlet for the Chinese fiancee on what to do if you encounter domestic violence in America.
However, my letter (the one you took a photograph of) was a little bit different. Yours says "How to Submit Required Materials." Mine didn't say that.
When I got mine (around the beginning of June), we just did whats on the checklist (ds-230 part 1, copy of passport, photos) and then mailed it in by normal post. That was it. We didn't have to use CITIC bank for that process. We only used the CITIC bank for paying for the visa fee (but that was later).
After we sent in the package back to the embassy, a week later they contacted us through email and said we may start to schedule the interview (that was around June 15th and we finally got an interview slot today for late August).
So, unless within the past month they changed how to send the documents, I don't know what to tell you. Back in the beginning of June, we just mailed them by post to the embassy and we didn't have a problem.

LOL, yes....
I don't trust anyone in this anymore. If I don't have something in writing, It never happened. I really don't care what people say the "Norm" is, when most cases make it to the NVC within 2-3 weeks. Anything more than that, and something is wrong, and you have to pester the hell out of anyone who will listen until something happens.
I've really seen the change in my perspective since I started this process, and when I see new users saying things like, "It's been a week and nothing at the NVC!" I'm filled with a mixture of laughter and sadness, and I want to give them a hug and say, "You poor thing, you have no idea what it's really like yet, and I'm sorry if you find out."

ya, humans are a bit troublesome, yes? Especially when they not understand SAFEFILE usage.
Here's the bit that seemed indicative, ever since GUZ IV has been 'listing' the K-1 Electronic Filing Verbiage.
When a casefile goes out, a human at NVC makes a decision (not know the criteria, alas) to send the casefile out either:
1. SAFEFILE SOLELY or
2. SAFEFILE and DHL shipment
SAFEFILE is the electronic pipe between NVC and all US Embassy/Consulate IV units, worldwide.
It's used for casefile 'pickup' at GUZ IV, you betcha.
So, I suggest you call back into NVC, inquire whether or not the casefile was sent out via DHL or was SAFEFILE used solely.
DOS won't know this one bit, alas.
GUZ IV suffers from a nasty 'dead time zone' lag, all casefiles coming in via DHL suffer a 1 to 3 month wait - the casefiles go INTO a Bonded China Customs Warehouse, per treaty. GUZ IV comes by with a truck, often, to retrieve casefiles and take them to the IV unit for further processing. At some point, the timetick of 'casefile opened' occurs.
This timetick is really important- you chase it down by calling DoS Hotline (see Dodi's excellent post at Dodi - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/264972-shortcuts-when-checking-for-updates-from-the-nvc-and-dos/ ) Dodi's posted how to call, who to call; further down (find this bit, read it) , I've posted what you can get, from whom, and all the timeticks on a K-1 visa.
So, what does 'Casefile Opened' really mean, for a K-1 casefile? It's either:
1. GUZ IV has the physical casefile or
2. GUZ IV has relied on the SAFEFILE version of the casefile, and has opened a casefile based on the SAFEFILE electronic copy of the casefile.
So, it's yet another choice at GUZ IV, as well, to use 'just the safefile verrsion' or wait for the physical casefile to arrive. No One seems to know the criteria for the decision, either (and alas).
Hang in there ! Program yer speed dial ! Practice yer questions for the DOS and NVC Operators, prior to calling - and note you may have to educate a few humans along the way - SAFEFILE usage is usually outside of their normal training.
Good Luck !

not for China.
The P3 packet must be returned. GUZ IV then schedules the interview, sends out an interview letter.
GUZ IV doesn't do telephone. Ever. (Well, you can't call them, but they do call you if someone's in a helpful mood, which is exceptionally rare)
Some things you gotta do...
1. call NVC and ask for GUZ Casefile Number. Call every three days until you get this from NVC.
2. Call DoS Hotline and ask for casefile status, every week. When you here 'casefile opened' or 'Packet 3 Sent' then it's time to use my GUZ IV P3 shortcut, up at GUZ P3 shortcut - http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/GUZ_P3_Shortcut
3. Read this post, #1 and #7 - Dodi - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/264972-shortcuts-when-checking-for-updates-from-the-nvc-and-dos/
4. Review for red flags - GUZ IV red flags - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/234971-red-flag-list-for-visa-denial/page__hl__appointment
5. Get some white books - white books - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/228853-notarial-birth-certificate/

time and timing is useless for forecast for Guangzhou IV at this stage, because ...
A Human at GUZ IV can decide to use the SAFEFILE version of yer casefile, or wait till the paper casefile clears out of the China Customs Bonded warehouse.
If SAFEFILE solely, then expect another 6 weeks from NOA-2 date to the time GUZ IV has it open, as the casefile still has to get into NVC, some internal processing occurs, then sent out to GUZ IV.
If GUZ IV human decides to wait on the physical casefile, expect a 'dead zone ' time lag between 'NVC OUT' and GUZ IV casefile opened' timeticks of 2 to 5 months.
Calling DoS Hotline is useful, the timeticks for case file status are posted in the 'Dodi' link, post #7. Knowing 'where you are' helps you to pull the trigger on the P3 shortcut, always.
So, sorry, it's one or the other, for 'how much more time' ; I strongly suggest you not purchase tickets until you know of the interview date,
and even then - make them for 30 days out , past the appointment date.
Sorry, I wish I had other news/info for you. It is what it is - There's that treaty between China and USA, where consular documents sit in a bonded warehouse for a period of time.
The fork in the decision tree here, is whether or not a GUZ IV human decides to use the SAFEFILE version of the casefile, solely, or not. If they do decide to use the SAFEFILE version of the casefile, you'll get some speed.

NRC? The casefile was at NRC? I've read of that happening this season with other I-129Fs, I'm so sorry that happened to you also. MY I-130 was pegged to go to NRC and I stopped it mid-track whilst it was still at the adjudicating office. It took a shotgun approach, let me tell you.. (I won't write more of it here, it's all in my profile)
IMO, it's a problem with the tracking software used at CSC. about 18 months ago, it never made a mistake. That's when the tracking software was written by DELL GOV Contracting Services.
Right after that time, that business unit was bought out by SERCO. They started making changes to the software, and mis-routings started happening. Sure, it's just one letter off, R vs V, but @#$@ ! Bad Programming mucks up everyone.
Then there's the idiots actually preparing the A-File after approval. It's not the adjudication team, it's another group of folk. They are SO BRAIN DEAD that they would never challenge a NRC routing tag on a I-129F. I wish we could find them and replace them, really - they are brain-dead sub-humans.
I'm starting to hate the ombudsman these days, as they focus on 'single-case' issues and not glaring patterns of mis-management.

Once your NOA2 has been processed at the USCIS level, the NVC and DOS are the only way to really find out when/where your case was accepted until you (maybe) get a letter from the NVC or Packet 3 arrives. As one of my favorite vjer's likes to say "HumansTM" are hard to reach at the NVC and DOS helplines. ESPECIALLY at the DOS. I clocked half an hour of waiting through recorded messages and being disconnected for pressing the wrong option or trying to surf my way through it before I finally wrote down all of the RIGHT options and made myself a road map.

Someone just pm'ed me about calling for a case update at the NVC, so I thought I'd share my "road map" with the rest of you, in case you're tired of getting lost as well.

For the NVC:

K1's are not tracked through the AVR, EVER. They are processed like an immigrant visa, but they are NOT immigrant visas, so they fall into a completely different class of their own. Therefore you need an operator. To get there:

1-603-334-0700

Press 2 for Non-Haiti-Related issue (Please note that this will probably change after some time)
Press 1 for English
Press 5 for an operator

For DOS:

This is where you will be able to find out if your case was received at the Embassy/Consulate. They will not see your case in their system until the NVC has logged it in and applied a case number to it.

202-485-7600
Press 1 then 0 for a live operator.


I hope this helps everyone else who has to wade through the red tape to get to someone (hopefully) with answers. Please be aware that not all of them have the correct information, and you can call back and ask for someone else or request a supervisor if you feel you're being given misinformation (SOMETIMES this helps, sometimes not).

Hey Dodi - Humans are important !!!!
NVC Human will know a bit on an I-129F -
--when it arrived to NVC
--when it left to US Embassy
-- the Embassy Casefile Number.
then Dos Hotline Human knows
--when it arrived at US Embassy (maybe)
--when the casefile was opened
--when the Packet 3 was sent out (if yer country still does this)
--when the appointment date is set
--when the packet 4 was sent out
--interview results
Humans are Important !! Get One, Today !!

Good luck with that, here's been my day so far:
Spoke with NVC, still no arrival.
Spoke with USCIS, after going through everything to talk to someone, and going through the usual questions on their script, then they asked if I had any more questions. Then I started my script, which I'll leave here for anyone that wants to use it:
I always try to sound as nice, polite and as patient as possible.
So I was put on hold for a tier 2, and then, magically, they were having technical issues and couldn't transfer me! I was then asked if I would like to put in a service request (note, this takes 3-5 days to call you back, IF they call back.) I said, well, I can just call back later. She suggested I call back in 3-5 hours (yeah, right. they will be closed by then.)
I wonder if they avoid anyone that knows what's going on, because they can't give a BS excuse.
Anyway, I'll be trying again shortly....

The P3 itself contains more than what I commented on.. I was only referring to the items to return [ASAP]... It's now down to just two documents.
Consulate in GUZ, K1 P3 contents:
http://guangzhou.usconsulate.gov/kvfaq.html
What documents will be in the instruction packet and appointment packet?
The Instruction packet in Guangzhou includes:
Instruction packet (Packet 3) letter in English
Instruction packet (Packet 3) letter in Chinese
Application for immigrant visa and alien registration (DS-230 part I)
Instructions for immigrant visa applicants (OF-169)
Notice to all nonimmigrant visa applicants (list of CITIC Bank)
Evidence which may be presented to meet the public charge provisions of the law (OF-167)
---
as Yodrak says on Aff. of Support... Your SO should have this for the interview.

So I called back, after an hour and a half on hold I finally got to talk to someone. She was unimpressed. She said it's only been a couple of weeks.So she took my information (name, address, etc) and said she'd send an order to CSC and tell them to send the file to NVC. I asked what if it's sitting out at the NRC and she said it's not, we know where it is. I asked so it hasn't been sent out yet? she said "you'll get a letter from CSC about the end of the month saying that they sent it to the NVC, wait for that letter" and hung up on me.

Anyone else finding it impossible to speak to a tier 2 person today?
Curious if there is really a "Technical problem" or just getting the runaround.
If you were able to, about what time was it?
Thanks!

Well, I can share some of my stats, if that's any indicator.
According to the analytics, it's been viewed 893 times since last friday. of these, 548 were in the US. Next highest was the Philippines, with 99...after that everyplace else was less than 25, from a ton of different countries.
Even though it's about 3.5 min long, not everyone watches all of it. in the US, the average view duration is about 2 minutes. Most views were on the first day, and it's leveled off below that now.
it's been shared 9 times on facebook, and 3 times on google + (that's disappointing)
Also, since things are starting to pick up at CSC, it could be that the validity of this could be dropping soon, and since people have short attention spans, if it doesn't start of well, it could be buried fast.

I would have to say as well, that other than the political stuff it's a great video. You have a lot more detail than mine, and the graphs make the point clearly.
I understand you feel the need to take stabs at the administration, but that would still have the effect of alienating (pardon the pun) about half the viewers, and also this would have the effect of reducing the sharing of the video. The goal is to get as many eyes on it as possible, share it and take action.
Perhaps it would be shared with more conservatives with the political stuff, but libs wouldn't share it at all. and if only conservatives are taking action, then it becomes a political fight, and then it becomes an ideological issue, rather than a bureaucratic one. I think that would hurt more than help.
I know myself, speaking as a farther-left-than-Obama liberal, would be uncomfortable posting it because of that part of the message, and I doubt most of my friends and family would share it for the same reason.
You and I are both in this together, and despite having a media that revels in political division, most people out there understand fairness and right vs. wrong outside of political affiliation, pointing it out only creates a divide that doesn't need to exist. Also removing the political element keeps the issue bipartisan, and won't be dismissed by congress people on the left side of the isle. There are plenty of VJ members who are going to be working with lefties, regardless of their own affiliation to try to get results. We shouldn't make things harder for them as well.
I certainly respect your opinions on the issue, and this is a kick #### video! I'd like for as many people to see it as possible, and I'm taking that as my primary consideration with my comments.
Thanks for your hard work on this!

I would have to say as well, that other than the political stuff it's a great video. You have a lot more detail than mine, and the graphs make the point clearly.
I understand you feel the need to take stabs at the administration, but that would still have the effect of alienating (pardon the pun) about half the viewers, and also this would have the effect of reducing the sharing of the video. The goal is to get as many eyes on it as possible, share it and take action.
Perhaps it would be shared with more conservatives with the political stuff, but libs wouldn't share it at all. and if only conservatives are taking action, then it becomes a political fight, and then it becomes an ideological issue, rather than a bureaucratic one. I think that would hurt more than help.
I know myself, speaking as a farther-left-than-Obama liberal, would be uncomfortable posting it because of that part of the message, and I doubt most of my friends and family would share it for the same reason.
You and I are both in this together, and despite having a media that revels in political division, most people out there understand fairness and right vs. wrong outside of political affiliation, pointing it out only creates a divide that doesn't need to exist. Also removing the political element keeps the issue bipartisan, and won't be dismissed by congress people on the left side of the isle. There are plenty of VJ members who are going to be working with lefties, regardless of their own affiliation to try to get results. We shouldn't make things harder for them as well.
I certainly respect your opinions on the issue, and this is a kick #### video! I'd like for as many people to see it as possible, and I'm taking that as my primary consideration with my comments.
Thanks for your hard work on this!

I would have to say as well, that other than the political stuff it's a great video. You have a lot more detail than mine, and the graphs make the point clearly.
I understand you feel the need to take stabs at the administration, but that would still have the effect of alienating (pardon the pun) about half the viewers, and also this would have the effect of reducing the sharing of the video. The goal is to get as many eyes on it as possible, share it and take action.
Perhaps it would be shared with more conservatives with the political stuff, but libs wouldn't share it at all. and if only conservatives are taking action, then it becomes a political fight, and then it becomes an ideological issue, rather than a bureaucratic one. I think that would hurt more than help.
I know myself, speaking as a farther-left-than-Obama liberal, would be uncomfortable posting it because of that part of the message, and I doubt most of my friends and family would share it for the same reason.
You and I are both in this together, and despite having a media that revels in political division, most people out there understand fairness and right vs. wrong outside of political affiliation, pointing it out only creates a divide that doesn't need to exist. Also removing the political element keeps the issue bipartisan, and won't be dismissed by congress people on the left side of the isle. There are plenty of VJ members who are going to be working with lefties, regardless of their own affiliation to try to get results. We shouldn't make things harder for them as well.
I certainly respect your opinions on the issue, and this is a kick #### video! I'd like for as many people to see it as possible, and I'm taking that as my primary consideration with my comments.
Thanks for your hard work on this!

I'll give you some love for it, You did a great job on it, and it looks a lot better from the first version. It's a special kind of talent to make spreadsheets like this, and not one I have. I'll stick with videos.
I think VJ is just kinda slow today. I was getting a lot more comments yesterday as well.
TGIF I guess!
Also, thanks for your suggestions for the video!

I'll give you some love for it, You did a great job on it, and it looks a lot better from the first version. It's a special kind of talent to make spreadsheets like this, and not one I have. I'll stick with videos.
I think VJ is just kinda slow today. I was getting a lot more comments yesterday as well.
TGIF I guess!
Also, thanks for your suggestions for the video!

That's great, but I hope they read it out loud!
The more coverage the better!
Also, any social media, and news places, even things like digg, reddit, etc.

I put together a short video (original link disabled - please see http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/424394-video-is-complete-start-sharing/page__view__findpost__p__6145474 for the new link) as a means of getting the word out about what's going on at the CSC.
it's basically a draft, about a minute and a half long. My goal is to get some input from all of you wonderful folks, clean it up and add in any suggestions you might have, and get it out there tomorrow night, for all to post to whatever social media they see fit.
there's not a lot of info in it, I didn't want to complicate it, so I was going to add some links in at the bottom for more information.
I'll take suggestions on those as well!
Thanks!

Then can you delete the video link in the first post, and mention that the link is changed, as that one doesn't exist anymore.
Thanks!

The Final version is posted
Start Sharing!