Mindy & Raju

Once u have ur documents u take it to embassy and they'll schedule for u.

@mindy when I call that Nbr it says that Nbr is not working and when I call other Nbr they always say closed even tho it open. Have u ever been able to contact them? If so how?

Not me, but my husband was able to call that number and get through to the call center. There was a time when they were accepting calls directly through the embassy but now it is a separate department that is for general inquiry. That number was working on July 1st when he called to check on the status of his passport. If you are calling from a cell phone, see if you can call the number from a landline instead. My husband called the number from a landline in Nepal and was able to reach the call center, but it would never work with his cell phone. He was calling that number that I posted, but it was never picked up when he called with his cell phone. He didn't even get the message you are hearing. It would give the message that the phone number you are dialing is not correct or something. If you are calling from a landline and getting that message then I think there must be something wrong with the embassy routing system.

There is nothing to pay at the consulate, if the fees are paid to NVC. There is a fee for Affidavit of Support of $120 and Immigrant Visa (IV) Application fee of $360, that is paid online to the NVC at the CEAC website. It is normally paid before the case is complete or the interview is scheduled. After that there is only the Immigration fee of $165 that is paid online to the ELIS website after the interview approval and passport is received. That is for getting the green card in the mail at the US address. You can pay that before you depart or within one year because the temporary green card will expire. The interview is scheduled by the consulate and sent to NVC and the NVC will send you an interview letter with the date and list of documents to bring. You can call the NVC to see what the date is if you didnt get the letter/email yet. I think calling the NVC is the only way you can get things moving faster. I honestly think we made more than 20 calls to NVC. I think that can help but maybe its just luck.

Good luck!

Also, there is a fee for the medical. It is 12,000 Rupees for the first day and 7,000 Rupees on the second visit. This was for the vaccinations and the exam. I guess the cost can vary depending on what you have already completed with the vaccinations. So thats about $200 in fees for the medical. That needs to be done prior to the interview.

Anyone know the best way to contact the embassy for inquiries? Would it be by phone or email? Cus I find when I email them sometimes they don't reply or they send a response that doesn't answer my question. And when I try to call during their working hrs it says they're closed .

"Applicants may also make inquiries and schedule appointments by calling the customer service center, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm, at 1 800 091 0114."

This is on the US Embassy Nepal website;

http://nepal.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas.html

guys,

also a quick one once all the process is completed at NVC and send to consulate. Do the applicant has to pay anything in Nepal? do NVc make appointment or do we have to schedule appointment by ourselves. Based under IR1 category

thanks

There is nothing to pay at the consulate, if the fees are paid to NVC. There is a fee for Affidavit of Support of $120 and Immigrant Visa (IV) Application fee of $360, that is paid online to the NVC at the CEAC website. It is normally paid before the case is complete or the interview is scheduled. After that there is only the Immigration fee of $165 that is paid online to the ELIS website after the interview approval and passport is received. That is for getting the green card in the mail at the US address. You can pay that before you depart or within one year because the temporary green card will expire. The interview is scheduled by the consulate and sent to NVC and the NVC will send you an interview letter with the date and list of documents to bring. You can call the NVC to see what the date is if you didnt get the letter/email yet. I think calling the NVC is the only way you can get things moving faster. I honestly think we made more than 20 calls to NVC. I think that can help but maybe its just luck.

Good luck!

THANKS BTW!

there is no requirement to pay the ELIS fee prior to jumping on the plane.

in fact, you have up to year after the POE timetick to pay it.

The instruction sheet from the IV Unit uses strong words, some attempt to get you to handle it immediately. Relax, aye?

I thought it was needed so my husband would get his SSN in a timely fashion to start work at a company that is waiting for him.

Are you talking about the SSN? That has nothing to do with the green card immigrant fee or ELIS.

Yes this whole ELIS fee payment research mission was based on the SSN, I don't know where I got my wires crossed about the Enumeration At Entry, and the ELIS fee.

It doesn't have to be paid before POE. It simply needs to be paid before the temporary green card expires, which is one year after the beneficiary enters the USA.

I am so confused about this Enumeration At Entry, I wish I hadn't selected that option on the DS260!

I am hoping to avoid processing delays with the issuance of my husbands SSN, and also the green card (although less important because its not needed to start work).

Somewhere I read that if you don't pay that fee before POE, it causes all kinds of processing errors. I did read through this thread here and you have mentioned several times that you can just go to the SSA office and request another application after 2 weeks, but there again it just depends on who knows what they are doing and more opportunities for errors, the comedy of errors never ends!

That EAE would be dependent on the fee being paid on ELIS, or am I confuzzled on that?

I am planning to have my husband pay the $165 immigration fee on ELIS with my US bank account and then get on a flight to head this way later the same day. Does completing all the steps to submit the payment count as "paid" or do we have to wait for it to actually clear my bank before POE?

Hi VJ, I am planning to have my husband pay the $165 immigration fee on ELIS with my US bank account and then get on a flight to head this way later the same day. Does completing all the steps to submit the payment count as "paid" or do we have to wait for it to actually clear my bank before POE?

That should be enough time. It was a busy day at ORD on our poe it was about 1hr to

Complete everything

What happened to us was that we had 9hrs connecting flight because we used miles for the domestic flight here in US, we got lucky because we were bumped up to an earlier flight

I was thinking it might depend on time of day with the amount of people but I have no idea what it will be like at 4:35 PM in JFK. I think its going to be fine, if you were at a busy airport and it was still only 1 hour. I think our chances are good. Its not like a 2 hour layover, that would be a real gamble. Thanks!

That ought to be enough time.

As long as nothing goes wrong, right? Thats what scares me. I think we will take our chances though. Its not like he would be stranded there if worse comes to worse, we can just buy another ticket. Thanks!

Hi All, I am looking at a ticket for my husband with POE in JFK, New York City, layover for 3 hrs 55 min, arrival time is 4:35 PM and departure for his connecting flight home is 8:30 PM. Do you think this will be sufficient time to process immigration for a CR1? What time do you generally have to be at the gate awaiting the preboarding? Basically, how much time would he have to process immigration, go through the securities and be at the gate by their time limit to board the plane? The only alternative is a ridiculous layover like 12 hours. I don't really want my hubby sitting at JFK for that long. That airport is not very comfortable. I feel like, hey its worth it if theres sufficient time, but then again, maybe 3 hrs 55 min is plenty?? Better ask VJ!!!!

Thanks for any replies

I found some F2A interview descriptions here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/442887-please-share-your-f2a-visa-interview-questions-with-your-consulate/

that stamp in the passport is called i-551 which is a temporary green card. I read some replies on other posts on here that says you can travel with that temporary until you get the physical card. you can search for i-551 and maybe find some clarification about it.

I am not sure if what they put in your passport will count as the required VISA, but thats already stamped in the passport and you get that separate from the folder. I think the folder has medical exam/vaccination records and other stuff about your case. Then you get your green card in the mail at the address you put on your DS260. That stamp in the passport is all there is besides the green card. (I tink so anyways)

I am looking at the status tracker on CEAC and it says "Administrative Processing". My husband was told at the interview that he was approved but our I-864 was lost by the NVC that they only needed a signed copy replaced and then they would issue him the visa. When he returned with the paperwork, they said everything looked good but they are not able to issue the visa due to the technical problem. I am wondering if this Administrative Processing is on there because of some additional processing with the I-864 that was submitted or if it is just a status used to describe a sort of limbo inbetweeny state. Is anyone else with an approved case pending issue due to the technical problem seeing the same status? I am hoping I am just waiting for technical solution and not some additional processing for an I-864 that NVC failed to send.

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?eQs=o/iS8zDpeAKjMWCuebHqOw==

My wife has a same day interview 6/18 @1pm

Yay, congratulations and good luck to you! Hopefully we can all be blessed with the best outcomes.

Recieved my phone p4 today too )

y

Congratulations and all the best, my husband's interview is on 17th June

Congratulations to you also! I have waited so long, and finally its almost over! I hope you and I both have the best of luck

Hi, have you recieved your interview letter?

Yes! I have received the letter. The letter was dated 5/29 and my husbands interview was scheduled for 6/18.

Ok thanks I'll have to do the same. So u just put the address of the Kathmandu office not ur husbands address right?

Yep thats the safest bet, I think. There is a way to have a package held at a FedEx location, so make sure you request that the package be held at that office. Then use the actual address for the office to prevent any possible attempt at delivery elsewhere. You can put your husbands name and phone number with the address so they know its for him. My husband called the head office there in Kathmandu and gave his name and explained he was using the head office address so they will know he is coming to pick it up also.

Anyone ever send a package to Nepal? I have to send my i 130..

I mean my affidivit of support

Fedex has facilities there. I am putting the address for their head office in Jamal, Kantipath, Kathmandu and asking to hold it there for pick up.

"Due to the recent earthquakes in Nepal, all immigrant visa cases involving immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are being considered a top priority, and we are working on a system to process every case we receive as quickly as possible. We understand that U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services and the National Visa Center are expediting these cases for transfer to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu. What this means is that most immigrant visa cases will be processed as quickly as we can receive the files from the United States, ensure that applicants undergo a medical examination by our local panel physician, and schedule a visa interview with a consular officer."

http://nepal.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas.html

Hi again, This past Monday my husband called the immigrant visa inquiry customer service number for the embassy and they gave him some hopeful news. They reported there is no damage to the embassy and they are fully staffed. They also mentioned that the back log was already sorted out and cases are currently being worked for scheduling. They advised that things should be happening very quickly now, so I think they are at least picking up the pace if not expediting. I'll continue to post here if I learn more.

Natural disasters often to cause an expedite of cases, such as happened in recent years in Haiti and the Philippines. However, they can only expedite when they have the manpower and conditions to do so. I do not know what state the embassy is in, but they may for example have lost vital support staff in the earthquakes, or damaged part of their building, or be unable to get the cases from NVC/ get the special printer ink for visas right now.

Thank you for the insight. Unfortunately the embassy was in the middle of the worst of it, right there in Kathmandu. I think they were lucky to avoid any damage to the embassy building as they do have a more secure structure there than the 100 year old buildings that have collapsed. I have called some courier services with facilities in Kathmandu in regards to international mail and they were able to confirm that the airport is still operating for commercial and business, but not sure how the special ink is delivered. I think it must be a manpower issue, but I surely hope no one is hurt. My husband should have contacted the embassy help desk by now, and I will update any helpful info here for anyone else who might want to know.