USCHE

Thought this would be a good place to post this...
When your interview is scheduled at NVC, the person scheduling your interview scans the bar code on your paperwork and enters a code on the system that generates your P4 letter.
Your paperwork is then packaged together and sent to be shipped. The shipping clerk works with DHL software and "registers" the package with your paperwork (and perhaps others for your Consulate/Embassy). When the "registration" occurs, your status changes to "In Transit". There can be quite a bit of time between the "I've got my interview" and when NVC actually SENDS the packet to the Embassy/Consulate.
But here is the catch. Just because the package is "registered" with DHL, doesn't mean it necessarily leaves NVC that day. All the registration does is tell DHL - "Hey - come pick up a package for the xxxx Embassy". It could be up to 3 days (registered on Friday - picked up on Monday, for example) before your package physically leaves NVC. Or, it could physically leave NVC on the same day that your "In Transit" status changes. That's why you never REALLY know which package has your paperwork in it.
Many Embassies/Consulates have mail facilities that are at a different location than the offices where you interview. Sometimes this is for safety reasons, and sometimes for convenience.
When a DHL package is delivered to the Embassy mail facility, it may take another day for someone to scan your bar code into the Embassy's system. So that is why your package might appear to have been delivered, but the "READY" status doesn't appear right away.
When you get a "READY" status, that means that the Embassy/Consulate has opened the DHL package and has scanned in the bar code(s) of the paperwork inside.
I know for most all of us that a delay of ONE DAY seems like the end of the world!
Best of luck to all of you!
Sukie in NY

Hi everyone
My husband and I and our two children are the family featured in this article. All thanks go to my husband for writing such a fantastic letter in the first place. We will keep you all posted if we get any news on anything.

We are in a similar boat as you. Had the NOA1 November 21 and it was sent directly to the Nebraska Service Center from the Chicago Lockbox (we are living in Argentina). I guess we just have to wait and see what happens... Apparently writing to your congressman does nothing. Perhaps someone could write a petition: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/
I do not see why getting Justin Beiber kicked out of the US (that petition received over 200,000 signatures) should be more important than our cases.

Got it! THANK YOU!

We are in a similar boat as you. Had the NOA1 November 21 and it was sent directly to the Nebraska Service Center from the Chicago Lockbox (we are living in Argentina). I guess we just have to wait and see what happens... Apparently writing to your congressman does nothing. Perhaps someone could write a petition: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/
I do not see why getting Justin Beiber kicked out of the US (that petition received over 200,000 signatures) should be more important than our cases.

If they are still having the same problems now that they were having 5 years ago, that shows that no action on their part has fixed the underlying problem or system that is in place. I don't think sitting back and having patience is going to have ANY positive effect. I don't want people who file 5 years from now to be dealing with the same exact problems that we've had because every one needs to have patience, and accept that there's no transparency or answers from this government agency.
My assumptions are not just based on Visajourney's information. In fact, the vast majority of my theories are based on the past behavior of the USCIS, and their very own information. I have read the FOIA documents that were released. I have read the Ombudsman reports and the USCIS's response to them. I've read lawsuit documents. I've read statistics. I've read up on everything I can get my hands on. If I'm wrong, then I want to know about it so I don't hold the wrong people accountable. Visajourney may be a small sampling, but it, and the other immigration sites out there seem to indicate the same things, which are eventually also corroborated with the data that the USCIS puts out.
I hate to tell you, but I'm just as important as the next person. The people who are still waiting are just as important as I am. This isn't some stupid ride at Disneyworld. These are people's husbands, wives, children, and parents. These people and their relationships are not insignificant and should not be compared to some stupid ride at an amusement park.
And if I'm too busy to come on visajourney once my husband is here, there are plenty of friends on here that I plan on keeping in contact with. And I plan on continuing to work towards helping to fix the immigration system's problems, because it's important. My husband *also* thinks it's important. My whole family and extended circle of friends thinks it's important. You don't think it's important, so don't work towards it. Just telling people to wait and suck it up is not helpful to anyone.
They already are getting that answer on a regular basis from the USCIS.

This couldn't have been better said. Well done, and I agree!

I wouldn't mention anything about the I-130 in process, unless asked specifically. The key to dealing with border agents is to be polite and never provide more information than requested.

Come on over to the NVC filers thread and follow it while waiting. Things change all the time at NVC and this is the place you want to be to get updates.
Read Post #1 and #2.
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/463192-nvc-filers-november-2013/page-1

Upon suggestion of a VJ member (thanks foobaz123), I have created a FAQ of the most common questions I see here on VJ concerning the NVC process. If you know of a common question that isn't mentioned here, please inform me through a reply in this thread or PM me. I'd be more than happy to include it here.

FAQ
How long does it take to get a case number assigned after NOA2?

As of recently, it's been taking around 3-4 weeks, depending where you were approved. Check my spreadsheet (linked in post 1) to see where NVC is currently assigning case numbers. If you were approved at a local office, it's taking about one month just for the case to be sent and received by NVC. Then another few weeks for the case number to be assigned.

When (and how often) should I start calling NVC about the case number?

Wait at least a week from your NOA2 date, then start calling. Call about 1-3 times a week for now. Once a few weeks have passed, then start calling every single day afterwards until you get it.

What happens if my case doesn't arrive in a timely manner? (Timely manner being the current wait time)

VJ member tokinaija suggests: "Call USCIS, and specifically request to be connected to a Tier 2 supervisor (bypassing the contract customer reps). When connected to a Tier 2 representative, request that you want confirmation that your approved case has been physically shipped to NVC. In amenable words, request for the specific date that the package was shipped. If you are lucky, you will get someone who would take the time to confirm this for you."

Will I receive XXXX (initial information package, invoices, instructions, interview letter, etc) by email or snail mail?

As long as you give over the email addresses of both the petitioner and beneficiary (once you have a case number), ALL correspondence from NVC will be sent through email. This does not necessarily mean that YOU can send THEM information by email though. Only those eligible for EP (electronic processing) can email the AOS and IV packages.
What's the difference between EP and online forms?
Online forms are just that, online forms. The DS-261 and DS-260 are NOT part of electronic processing. Electronic processing (EP) is emailing in documents. Not everyone can do this yet. You still have to be eligible for EP before emailing in packages. The link to see who's eligible is in the first post.
What's the DS-261?
The DS-261 replaces the old DS-3032. So, instead of sending the DS-3032 once a case number is assigned, you'll have to wait for the DS-261 to become available on the online forms portal (link in the first post). Once it's available, fill it out. It's exactly like the DS-3032, except online. If you wish to see screenshots of the DS-261, you can do so here: Saylin's DS-261 screenshots (these are screenshots I uploaded back in 2011, but should still be the same, or at least similar). To go through all the screenshots, click on the 'next' button (there are 6 images in total). Once you've submitted the DS-261, print out the confirmation page at the end. This is for your own records.
What's the DS-260?
The DS-260 replaces the old DS-230. As before, you will still submit the IV package, just without the DS-230. The DS-260 will be done online. For me, it was only available once the IV appeared as PAID in the payment portal. Not sure if it's changed or not at all since then. But, at the most, it'll be a few days after you pay the IV bill. Like the DS-261, it'll be on the online forms portal (link in first post). You can do the DS-260 before or after you send the IV package, it doesn't matter. As long as it gets done, NVC doesn't care.
Please note: depending on how prepared you are, the DS-260 can take a few hours. You can always save and return, if you wish; it doesn't need to be all done in one sitting. But, it'll take an hour at the least (30 minutes maybe if you're really fast). My suggestion is to have a DS-230 pre-filled out and that way you can just copy over the answers. This will shave off quite some time if you prepare ahead. But be warned, there are some differences between the DS-230 and DS-260 where the DS-260 asks for more information. You can view screenshots (and thus the differences) here from when it was first released back in 2010: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/49845403/DS-260-screen-shots There have been changes since this original DS-260 was released, but it's quite similar still. As with the DS-261, print out the confirmation page at the end. Make sure to bring this to the interview, just in case. It took Montreal quite a few months to get used to the online forms, so they were still requesting DS-230s at the interview. So, it might not be a bad idea if everyone going through NVC now brought a completed DS-230 to their interview, in case it's requested. Having a DS-230 already completed will shave off much time if you had to suddenly fill out the form at the embassy/consulate.

What do I do after my case number is assigned?

Get the IIN from an operator (ask for the 'Invoice Identification Number', not IIN) and also ask for the Beneficiary Identification Number (BIN). Give over the email addresses of the beneficiary and petitioner. If you are doing EP (and are eligible for it), then send the optin email. Once possible, send the DS-261 online (may take a day or two before you can sign onto the online forms portal).

After the case number is assigned, how long does it take for the AOS bill to be invoiced?

Recently, it's been taking a week or less.
How much are the two bills? And how do I pay them?

The AOS costs $88 (per case) and the IV is $230 (per person). They have to be paid with a US banking account on the payment portal (site linked in first post). See information here: http://travel.state..../info_3906.html If you can't or don't want to pay online, here's a link to how to pay through the mail: http://travel.state..../info_3905.html .

Help! I can't sign into the payment portal. Why?

If you're getting an error message ("Please be advised that the case that you have attempted to access is not eligible for further processing by the National Visa Center at this time…" or "This case is in the process of termination. Fee payments and online forms can no longer be accepted…" or "You cannot make online payments for your case at this time. Please contact the NVC if you have questions or need further information."), do NOT panic. This is actually good news! If you just got your case number, then this message means NVC is inputting your case in their system. If you get this message a few days after case number generation, then it's a good possibility that NVC is invoicing your AOS bill. And if this message appears a few days after DS-3032 acceptance, then there's a good chance the IV bill is being invoiced.

What is needed in the AOS package?

Generally, the following is needed:

With no joint sponsors:

- Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal
- Cover letter (optional)
- Completed, signed, and dated I-864 form by petitioner
- Tax information* of petitioner (either just the last year OR the last 3 years)
- Employment letter of petitioner (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income)
- Pay stub(s) of petitioner (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income)

With joint sponsors:

- All of the above of the petitioner
- Completed, signed, and dated I-864 of joint sponsor
- Tax information* of joint sponsor (either just the last year OR the last 3 years)
- Proof of US citizenship/residency of joint sponsor (ex: copy of US passport, US birth certificate, US naturalization certificate, or front & back of green card)
- Employment letter of joint sponsor (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income)
- Pay stub(s) of joint sponsor (optional, but good proof of CURRENT income)

If the joint sponsor is a household/family member, also include proof of that relationship (example: if a parent is a joint sponsor, include the petitioner's birth certificate with parents' name on it to show link).

*You have two choices here of what to send in:

- Tax return transcripts ordered from IRS (preferred by NVC and of most consulates/embassies) RECOMMENDED
OR
- Tax returns (1040) and W2s and any other schedules (if applicable)

What if I (the petitioner) live with my spouse in their foreign country? Do I need to include anything in either package?

You'll need to provide proof of US domicile with the AOS package, as well as bring it with you to the interview. Please read the I-864 instructions (pages 3 and 4) for information about it. This is NOT needed if the petitioner is living in the US. Here is a sample cover letter to include in the package (it lists MANY possible documents, some may not be applicable of course, to prove that you have, or will re-establish, domicile in the US):

NAME
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
FORM I-1864
No. 15 Country of Domicile

I, XXXX, am currently residing in FOREIGN COUNTRY with my spouse, SPOUSE'S NAME. Below you will find a list of attached documents to show that my principle residence is in the US and the steps that I have taken to return to the US with my family.

Steps I have taken to maintain US Domicile:
• Maintained my XXXX voter registration
• Maintained my XXXX credit card registered in the US with a US PO box
• Maintained my bank account at the XXXX Credit Union
• Maintained my bank account at XXXX Bank
• Maintained my XXXX drivers license
• Maintained my US retirement fund through XXXX
• Maintained my US investment account with XXXX
• Maintained my US PO box
• Maintained licensure by the XXXX
• Maintained membership in the XXXX
• Maintained my automobile in care of my parents

Supporting Documents for the above steps I have taken:
• Voter registration card showing permanent US address
• XXXX credit card statement showing US billing address
• XXXX Credit Union statement showing permanent US address
• XXXX Bank statement showing permanent US address
• XXXX drivers license showing permanent US address
• Retirement fund statement showing permanent US address
• Mutual fund statement showing permanent US address
• XXXX license currently up to date
• Renewal of XXXX membership
• County tax bill showing I still own a vehicle

Steps I have taken to return to the US to take up residence:
• Made arrangements for us to have a house to live in
• Contacted schools for requirements of things to bring to register my children in school
• Contacted my auto insurance company to find out about re-instating my insurance on my car
• Contacted shipping company for estimate of costs to ship belongings

Supporting documents for the above steps I have taken:
• Lease agreement for our house
• Email from schools regarding registration requirements
• Email from my former auto insurance company regarding my inquiry
• Email from XXXX with estimate and correspondence regarding shipping our belongings

I declare that I intend in good faith to re-establish my domicile in the United States no later than the date of spouse's admission into the US.

I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the statements in this letter and all accompanying evidence are true and correct.

Signature: ____________________________________________________ Date: ______________________
NAME

Thanks to VJ member lemayz for this suggestion!

I sent the AOS package but got a checklist for the IV package (which I either have sent or not sent yet) [or vice versa]. What's going on?

If you sent the packages separately, then get a checklist for the other one, just ignore it; it's a false checklist. The same applies if you sent just one of the packages and get a checklist for the other. Please understand that as soon as NVC reviews a package, they very frequently generate a checklist for the other package, without even checking if they have it in the building first. If you do get a checklist for one of the packages, you do NOT have to use that bar-coded cover sheet; you can still use the one from the payment portal.

The only time a checklist is real (and not false) is if it asks for something very specific missing in a package (like a police certificate, for example). If it asks for something general, like the entire package, then you can assume it's false. Call up an operator at NVC to confirm.

Thanks to VJ member sulhaq for this suggestion!

When does the IV bill get invoiced?

About a week or two after you complete the DS-261, NVC will accept and add it to your case file. A few days after that, the IV bill will be invoiced. You won't get an email of acceptance, so you need to call to find out when it's been accepted and added to the case file.
What is needed in the IV package?

Generally, the following is needed:

- Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal
- Two passport-style photographs (2" x 2") of beneficiary (on the back, write: beneficiary's full name, date of birth, and case number)
- Copy of bio-data page of beneficiary's unexpired passport
- Original or Certified Copy of beneficiary's birth certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY
- Original or Certified Copy of marriage certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY
- Original police certificate(s)

Please read: http://travel.state..../info_3195.html for additional documents if applicable (such as petitioner documents in IR-5 cases or divorce/military records or proof of permanent residency, etc).

Also read the country-specific documents linked in the first post. There may be additional documents needed not listed above.

If my documents are not in English, do they need to be translated?

NVC's website states:

"All documents not written in English, or in the official language of the country in which application for a visa is being made, must be accompanied by certified translations and submitted to the NVC. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator stating that the:

-Translation is accurate, and

-Translator is competent to translate."

Despite this, I have seen cases of people getting checklists for not having translations of non-English documents. I'd suggest you get everything translated anyways to be on the safe side. It's not needed, but highly recommended.
Additionally, embassies/consulates in some countries require translations of documents into English even though they are written in the official language of the country, so it's best to check with the embassy/consulate to see what document translation requirements are. [Thanks to Ryan H for his suggestion on this last statement!]

How long does it take for a bill to appear as PAID in the payment portal after paying it?

Usually just a day or two, but can take longer.

Do I have to wait for NVC to email me instructions before mailing packages?

NO. If you wait on NVC for this, it can take WEEKS to get anything from them. As long as the respective bill has been paid in the payment portal, you can send in your package.
Members have had luck sending the packages as soon as they pay the bills (since the bar-coded cover sheet becomes available after paying). If you're not going to wait for it to appear as PAID in the portal, at least wait until the money has cleared the bank account.

What address do I send the AOS and IV packages?

You will find their addresses on their respective bar-coded cover sheets, which are printed off the payment portal.

Can the packages be sent from abroad or does it have to be from within the US?

Doesn't matter where the package is sent from; NVC just needs to receive it.

Do the packages have to be sent separately or can they be sent together?

Either one or the other works. Again, as long as NVC receives both needed packages, they don't really care. Each way has their pros and cons.

Help! I called NVC and they said they haven't received my package(s) yet, but the tracking says it was delivered!

Don't worry. Unfortunately, the package won't show up in the operator's system until the package has begun to be reviewed. At that point, it's entered in the system. So, don't fret. If your tracking says it arrived, it arrived.

After sending in the packages, how long does it take for them to get reviewed?

Lately, it's been taking just 1-2 weeks after it's received, but as with everything, it can take longer.
Do I get an email if my packages have been accepted?

No, not that I have seen. You have to call NVC every day and ask for updates on your case to find out if a package has been reviewed and accepted.

Note: If you're in the EP program, lately people have been getting acceptance emails, but don't ever rely on receiving emails from NVC. Call, call, call.

Do I get an email when my case is completed?

Generally, no. Only those doing EP (electronic processing) get the case complete emails. There are some non-EP folk that get case complete emails. It used to be rare, but it's becoming more common. Although, they're delayed by almost a week or more, so do not rely on them. Again, to find out if your case is complete (the fastest way), call an operator at NVC and ask.

After the case is completed, what happens?

In most cases: the case is put in a queue to get an interview date scheduled. Once an interview date is scheduled, the case is shipped out to the consulate/embassy.

Who should I be calling to find out my interview date?

You could call NVC and/or DOS. Both have access to your case information. Their numbers are linked above.

How long does it take to get an interview date after a case complete?

This varies by country and consulate/embassy. Some people find out within a day or two, others a few weeks, then the few unfortunate that wait a few months (ex: Ghana). To get the best estimate for YOUR country is to search, using the timeline feature, when others got case completes and when they got their interview dates scheduled.

When do interview dates get scheduled?

If you talk to operators at NVC, they'll always tell you they ONLY schedule during the second week of each month. This is a LIE. They schedule interviews ALL month long. Many people (like myself) have gotten scheduled during the last week of the month. I repeat, they schedule ALL month long.

How long does it take for NVC to mail my case out after getting an interview date scheduled?

Usually it's the next day, but it can take up to a week or more in rare cases.

Is it possible to get a tracking number for my green card after POE?

Yes it is! Follow VJ member Darnell's advice:

"Call USCIS, get a human, ask for the TRACKING NUMBER on the green card.
Yes, such a thing exists, and they will give it to you when asked.

Then call USPS and inquire for status.
In the end, if USPS sent it back to USCIS, you'll need to call USCIS again, talk with an ISO about 'returned mail pieces', go over your address again on the telephone, and ask to have all returned mail pieces sent back to you."

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Please note: the above time frames are just estimates. Do NOT freak out if your case takes a little bit longer. The time frames are constantly changing. They also depend on NVC's work load for that day/week.

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Summary of NVC process:

- get case number, IIN, and BIN, give email addresses over
- complete the online DS-261
- pay the AOS bill, once it's invoiced
- once the bill appears as PAID, send the AOS package
- pay the IV bill, once it's invoiced
- once the bill appears as PAID, send the IV package
- complete the online DS-260
- respond to any checklists, if applicable
- get case complete
- get interview date scheduled
- case is sent to embassy/consulate