Timmy&FeiFei

Sooo, I filed my I-130 petition for my spouse in Guangzhou on Valentine's Day. Feb. 27 we received an email instructing us to complete to DS-260 and submit a few documents via CITIC bank. Today, March 7 -- exactly 4 weeks after we DCFed, we received an email with instructions to schedule our appointment. I scheduled the interview for the latest available day, March 27, as we still have to prepare the I-864. That's one day shy of 7 weeks from the DCF to the interview day. And if everything goes smoothly at the interview, we could have visa in hand ready to go stateside in less than 2 months from start to finish...

Part of me feels like we should be over the moon about how quickly the process has gone. Another part of me feels like it's been too easy. I've read hundreds of posts and checked out as many timelines over the past several months, and I don't remember seeing anything about it being this easy. Is it possible that we got lucky, filed at just the right time, and put together such a good petition with the right amount of evidence that everything processed so quickly? Or -- as my wife puts it -- did we do such a poor job that they're ready to get us down to Guangzhou just to reject us as quickly as possible? I'm sure it isn't the latter!

I don't even know how to fill in our timeline because of all the steps I feel we skipped, all of these so-called packets we have yet to see, and the fees we have yet to be notified about... If anyone could shed some light on the process it would be greatly appreciated.

Wow, thanks for the quick, informative response!

The DS-260 is done and submitted. I'll be going to the CITIC drop-off location in Chengdu tomorrow. I haven't received any notices about this "fee" that I'll be paying, but I'll be ready for it.

And it what you say is true, that I don't need to be waiting around for an NOA1/2, then this process is going scary fast. I've got my fingers crossed it'll stay on track.

Hello all!

I’ve spent a lot of time on this site over the past year and it’s been a huge help. Now that we’ve got the ball rolling with our CR-1 visa, I have some questions I hope y’all can help clear up.

1) I DCFed in Guangzhou on Valentine’s Day and have been anxiously awaiting our NOA1. Yesterday I received an email from the Immigrant Visa Unit in Guangzhou with our case number and information on submitting the DS-260. Is this email our NOA1?

2) Also, the email includes instructions about going to a CITIC bank location and submitting some other documents. However, the DS-260 instructions hint that electronic processing would be the way to go. Is now the time to opt in for EP, or should I follow the instructions in the email and find a drop-off location here in Chengdu?

3) The email only asks that we complete the DS-260, submit a photocopy of the beneficiary’s passport information page, as well as 2 photos of beneficiary. But, upon completion of the DS-260, the “next steps” are as follows:

All applicants must:

1. Obtain and submit required supporting civil documents.
   
2. Obtain and submit photographs that meet the Department of State’s visa requirements.
   
3. Review the information specific to U.S. Embassy/Consulate General where your visa interview will occur.
   

So which instructions should I follow? It seems I’d be better off sending more than necessary (additional copies of our civil docs - birth and marriage certificates; police record), and as they stated in the email, they can feel free to “destroy” the unnecessary documents.

4) Lastly, I’ve seen other timelines, stories, and flowcharts about the DCF process, and it really feels like we’re skipping some steps here. Is it possible that our case has already reached NVC but I haven’t received an NOA2 stating that our I-130 has actually been approved?!

If someone with some experience could help shed some light on the situation it’d be much appreciated!