rtor1

Hmmmm, yeah my case was part of the shipment to London on the 22nd, though I tracked the 23rd's shipment date as well. Both shipments were received and signed for at the embassy today, but my case still says "in transit". I just really, really want my fiance to get packet 3 from the embassy in the mail before his medical on the 12th. Hoping this goes fast for all of us!

Has anyone scheduled a visit with their fiance after the NOA2 approval came through? My fiance was thinking about visiting me here (in NY) in a few weeks, but we're just hoping that it's not an issue now that we're further along in the K1 process.

Mine changed to READY on the 22nd, the actual date the Embassy was supposed to receive (There was a delay with DHL).

Well, I don't believe it will be an issue if he visits you. I went in September and clearly told him I was going to visit my fiancé. He just looked at me and asked where he worked. No issues at all...

Hi there! I know, it's totally confusing. Go here:

http://www.dhl.com/en/express/tracking/shippers_reference.html

For "Shipper's Reference" use this (if it was shipped today it might not be in the system yet):

EXP 29 DEC 2014A

Date Range for shipment from:

28/12/2014 (use the day before)

Date Range for shipment to:

29/12/2014 (use current day)

Shipment Destination: the country where your embassy is (which I'm assuming is Canada)

Ours was shipped on the 23rd, but they get packaged the day before, so I checked the date for the 22nd since that was when the shippers reference was made, if that makes sense. So if yours was definitely shipped out today, they might have made the shipping slip on Friday the 26th. So might want to track that day as well (just swap the 29 for a 26 in the shippers reference code). Hope that helps!

rtor1: Ha! We doubled up in explaining to JolyDan

Has yours been received by your consulate yet?

Hehhe, yup, we doubled up!!

Well, I e-mailed them today to ask and they ''nicely'' just told me: Your case is not in your office yet.

According to DHL tracking my case was received on the 23th in the afternoon. Maybe they just didn't touch it yet.

One thing made me really curious: Me case says READY and it was just updated today (They say the date of update changes every time they touch your case) and coincidentally NVC sent them another package on the 22nd which was received today (Mine was sent on the 19th according to NVC). I was wondering if MAYBE NVC messed up my shipping date or my package is just there so lonely at the Embassy, lol. Well, they told me it was sent on the 19th no I tracked the only package sent on the 19th...

Renata,

I am Brazilian yes, and I am grateful for your help, thank you.

You're welcome. We will probably have close interviews date, if not the same!!!

i think I must be doing something wrong but I have no Idea how to track my package on DHL.

On CEAC it says in transit and I know it left today. Can someone help me please??

Ooops, I forgot to tell you that the update is usually on the next business day so today you probably won't see anything!!!

i think I must be doing something wrong but I have no Idea how to track my package on DHL.

On CEAC it says in transit and I know it left today. Can someone help me please??

Go to DHL website: http://www.dhl-usa.com/en.html

Select EXPRESS > TRACK BY SHIPPERS REFERENCE

If you know exactly when it was sent probably your reference number states 1 day before they picked your package or maybe the same day depending on the situation (Monday for instance), if they sent today, your reference number should be probably EXP 29 DEC 2014A and then you select the country where your interview will be held and the date range for shipment. You will see everything NVC is sending to your country. I always like to mention that there is not guaranteed that your case is inside the package they are sending. If there is a way to be 100% sure I would say that only calling NVC is the way to know so (I didn't call and just made an assumption that what they were sending to Rio was my case based on the shipment day)!!!

Hi Renata,

I today have this message please tell me what it means

Case Was Sent To The Department of State‏

On December 23, 2014, we sent your case, to the Department of State for visa processing.

Hii!!

It means they just sent your case to NVC (National Visa Center), which is part of Department of State. At NVC they will review your case and assign a new case number. In average it takes 1 to 2 weeks until they put your case in their system, assign a number and finally send the package to the US Embassy in your country. Are you from Brazil as well, right? So it means your case number will start with RDJ (Rio de Janeiro, the only Embassy in Brazil that processes the K1).

Once you have this number (You can get the number calling NVC and providing them the USCIS case number, beneficiary and petitioner names and DOB), you can move on and fill your DS-160, track at CEAC and e-mail the Embassy to make sure they received your case and if additionally they scheduled your interview. Looks like NVC is taking a little while now (Probably due to the Holidays) and you should call maybe in 2 weeks to ask if they received, case number and if it was sent to the Embassy and when. Just keep in mind it's a pain in the #$# to call NVC, line is often busy and they can put on hold up to 60 minutes, but eventually you get to talk to somebody!

Things move a little bit faster now. Today I e-mailed the Embassy here in Rio and they said my case is not there yet even though I tracked on DHL and it was delivered on the 23rd and CEAC status was updated today. But no big deal since it got there on the 23rd and they probably even didn't touch anything due to the holidays (They just got back to work today).

Good luck!

My fiancè is arriving to Miami at 9:00 am on a K-1 Visa. Will a 3 hour layover be enough time to get thru immigration and make the connection? How can I see the amount of other international flights arriving around the same time?

Well, it's definitely something hard to predict! I have been in Miami several times and sometimes it didn't take me more than 30 minutes but once or twice it took me something like 3 hours and I almost lost my connection to Canada. It depends on how busy is the day and how many flights are arriving at the same time. But don't worry, they're aware of the delays there and if she misses her flight they will put her in the next available one.

Hello.

I read the Step by step for SSN and there it's saying that to apply for a SSN is necessary:

1.The SS-5 form you downloaded and filled out (they have some at the office if you forget).

2.your Passport (with the K-1 Visa in it)

3.your valid I-94: Electronic I-94 Copy; or (for older entries) an original (and bring a front/backside copy) of a valid paper I-94

4.another form of valid ID (as defined in the SS-5 instructions)

5.You should also bring the document RM 10211.530 that you printed out

My question regards number 4.

Considering I'm obviously not from USA, and I don't have any form of USA ID (for a driver's license here in NJ we need the SSN first), what else would they accept as extra ID besides the passport itself?

Regards

I would say your passport will be enough. Under a J1 visa I got a SSN and for sure I didn't have a State ID. Take your marriage certificate as well.

First of all I am sorry for the hard time y'all been facing, but as you said ''it happens''. I assume you didn't apply for the AOS yet, is that correct? According to the situation you described I would say you need to find a co-sponsor for you Affidavit of Support since as of now your spouse can not be financially responsible for you (That's the purpose of the Affidavit of Support). She has to be the main sponsor, however if she doesn't make enough money to reach the Poverty Guidelines according to the number of family members, you will need a co-sponsor who earns enough. In my opinion the fact she will need food stamps or other Gov support won't direct affect, but the fact she doesn't make enough to support you will IF you don't have a co-sponsor with enough income to support you. Don't freak out and please read the AOS Affidavit of Support requirements and Poverty Guidelines and make sure she will be able to apply for you herself or have a co-sponsor added.

Thank you so much .

So in my case i just have to contact my embassy and check about my case right?

Hi,

I don't how's the Embassy over there so I would recommend you to search for forums about your country! At least here the Embassy doesn't give you information if you tell them your case number (I mean the NVC # assigned to your case) and we basically e-mail them with our case number and names and ask if they received our case and if they already have an interview date, but again it's how it is over here.

You can get this number when they send the letter with all the info (But I read here that don't always send the letter) OR you can call NVC and ask your case number (What most people do), they will ask your USCIS case #, petitioner and beneficiary name and DOB of petitioner or sometimes the beneficiary DOB. You just need to wait for a while until to get to talk to them (Sometimes like 50-60 minutes) and the line is often busy but you need to keep trying. I heard they had a problem with their line this week but I don't know if it's fixed yet. The number is:

Customer Service Representatives can speak with you Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight EST, excluding holidays.

Once you have your case number you can track at CEAC website. According to your timeline your case is already with the Embassy so you will probably see READY at CEAC.

Hey guys i have just recieved a letter of approval did not recieve text or an email and my case still not updated online and the letter said that my case has been sent to the consulate .What does that mean?

Congrats, you were approved! It is important to mention that even though the NOA2 does not mention the NVC, your case was sent to NVC where they assigned your case number and shipped your package to the American Embassy in your country. Sometimes the NVC doesn't send the letter where you can see your case #, Beneficiary ID and Invoice#. At least here I can do little things if I have the numbers even though before receiving the Package 3 (Here we don't send anything to the Embassy before the interview, we take everything with us and don't even need to wait until they send you anything since I can check online).

Congrats!!

all of you guys got something

we've been told to wait 35 days, why? I don't know

That's what they tell everybody, they even say it should be written in our NOA2. But I am sure that next week they will have everybody's number by next week when they get back to work.

Never open the sealed package. This package will be opened by CBP at the POE.

Oh good!!! so you're saying it's on its way to the embassy. I saw that status and just about had a panic attack! LOL thank you!!

Hallelujah! Won't it be nice when we don't have to worry about this stuff anymore?!?!? thank you!!!

Yup, CEAC will start with AT NVC, then IN TRANSIT and then READY, but be aware that READY doesn't always mean your case is with the Embassy and already into their system. Mine was changed to READY couple days ago, however it was potentially received at the Embassy today if I was tracking the right package with DHL. If it wasn't my package it was just a huge coincidence they had a package from NVC to Rio de Janeiro Embassy exactly on the same day they told me they shipped my case! I read somewhere here on VJ that they change the status once the case is available n the system (By NVC) to be processed by the Embassy (Not sure about it, but kinda makes sense since I know my case was not there already when they changed it).

This process makes us go crazy..Funny line: I was getting off work and I saw a DHL motorcycle going to the American Embassy Direction, the guy stopped at the red line and I tried to ask him if he was heading to the Embassy, lmao. Good thing the red light turned out green and I didn't make to reach him, lol! It would sound (And it is) so desperate, lmao. I was even considering going to the Embassy to see if he was going there, however my shoes were killing me and I didn't feel like walking for additional 5 minutes, lol!!!

If you know when they shipped your case you can go to DHL website and track it using EXP ___ DEC 2014A and then select your country!!! But you should consider the day before they said they shipped because it gets prepared in advance. For instance mine was sent on the 19 but my tracking reference was 18.

So here's something that I hope is normal, does this mean it's on it's way to our embassy? We never got an interview date from them (obviously) just our case number when i called last week. Did everyone else's say this once it left NVC?:

Your case is in transit to the Consular Section. Your interview date was provided to you by the National Visa Center.

It's a standard status, when your case is on its way to the Embassy that's what you see. Once it gets to the Embassy the next stage will then start!

yeah I know, but I did an i129f for an ex a few years ago who ended up not coming to the US. I included everything that I originally included in my previous petition plus a few things.

Hi,

I am picturing they lost your letters. Just send them again as requested and add chat logs with wedding plans and etc. MAYBE the fact you have applied before and she ended up not going to the States, now they want to make sure it's not going to happen again and need more proofs that she really intends to go.

And yeah, you don't need to include documents for the Affidavit along with your Petition, it's for the Embassy.

My file was sent over to nvc dec 5.

They havent recieved it yet.

Could it be lost or something?

Hi,

It's probably there, however sometimes they take a little while to put into the system and they guidelines here recommend us to wait two weeks, so I believe you're in the normal timeframe. When I called at first they said my case was not there even after a week and the next day it was there, however no case number at the time since they were still processing it. Try to give a call by 7am UST (They work from 7 to 12 midnight). It didn't take me so long when I called exactly 6:59 am.

My fiance is supposed to start the k1 visa process. what does he need to send the 129 form? i thought that he only had to fill it and it was done; and im reading here http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guidethat we need several things.

can any of u tell me if this information is true? are all these things are necesary to send the first package?

Yes, just follow the guidelines here. Everything is true and that's exactly what you need to do.

I tried to call and didn't take long and got to talk in my second attempt, however my case was not there yet...Well, my bad, I know we need something like 2 weeks to call. The guy there told me I should wait 35 days and then call them!!!

The NVC stage goes very fast! My case is already at the embassy, all of this happened within two weeks from my NOA2. The NVC had my case within days and sent it out just as promptly. Check my timeline for those wondering about the timeframe after the NOA2.

Congrats to the new approvals!

Well, I just tried to anticipate things and just called tuesday (15th), the guy told me my case was not yet (it was sent on the 10th)... I guess I got lucky because I got to talk to them on my second attempt... When was your case sent since I can have an idea of how long it really takes to get there!!

U mean for a K1 Visa? If so, 1 for each...

Does anyone knows if only the petitioner can call NVC like USCIS or can we do it too?

Yes according to this old forum (That's what I was wondering as well and was just ready to look for it).

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/373580-can-the-beneficiary-call-the-nvc-to-see-if-the-case-is-received/

The bad thing is that looks like they take forever so it can cost a lot to make this international call depending where you live or which way you going to use!

oh ..hah...I went to San Francisco via Miami....I thought I had plenty of time to clear customs, using American Airlines. I missed the connecting flight but AA gave me another ticket in the next flight. I had a bad experience flying with AA, OLD PLANES!! I had a mild panic attack from Miami to San Francisco..no fun.

So, I read the POEs experiences here, and Atlanta was a perfect choice for me, two reasons...the flight from Atlanta to SF is shorter than MIA-SFO or NYC-SFO....and they have a line for the k1 visas, and I don't know if MIA has that special line.

At least they gave your fiance a hotel

I have had Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte and DC POE, definitely I like Charlotte the most, the airport is good and not that busy (Comparing to MIA or ATL).

Well, to be honest Miami is always like that, at least all the times I have been there it didn't take less than 2 hours and before they even had a sign saying they don't have enough people to work!!

wow

but it will be impossible for me to book the medical appointment without knowing the exact date of the interview, because I want to accomplish them on the same week, in Turkey I need to travel to the capital to undergo the medical check which is far away from me (800 km) so I prefer to go there to get them both (medical check and the interview).

Well, I work 5 minutes away from the American Embassy and I live 20 minutes by bus from the Medical Office, so I'd rather have my medical before to make sure my records will be there on my interview date (When you have your medical at the same day it takes 2-3 days to get there, so you won't know if you will finally have your visa around 3 days after the interview. I don't want this stress. One girl had such an issue that the Embassy said they didn't get her medical but the doctor had sent...If I can have it before...Of course I won't do a month before but at least a week to have the records there on my interview date). I can schedule and let him know later about the date.

What is the advantage of getting your case number from the NVC by calling, rather than waiting until it hits your consulate? Are you able to get a head start on certain things (background check, etc..) by having your case number prematurely? or is it just to keep your mind at rest knowing they gave you a case number and things are moving along?

Congrats on the recent approvals by the way, hoping everybody from June gets taken care of before Christmas.

At least here with the case number you can schedule your medical appointment and e-mail to Embassy to get your interview date since they don't always send you package 3. I have read a lot of people saying that they never got anything from the Embassy before the interview (All the instructions and forms are available online anyway so I don't need to receive anything from them).