StrawberryKiss

So it can actually be 4-5 weeks only between getting DQ’d and having the interview. I attached their timeline below. They had been waiting for 3 weeks already as well. 

2 hours ago, Noah&Caroline said:

We just got our interview date yesterday! September 3. Definitely thought it would be a month out but we’re happy.

That’s awesome! Thanks for the info! So it really is only one month from getting DQ’d to having the interview. Wow!

1 hour ago, Bruce Wayne said:

When did your husband file the form I-130? When do you think you're likely to get the visa?

 

I'm trying to get a sense of how long it takes to get the visa?

We filed in December 2020, not sure when we’ll finally have the interview. How long the entire process takes depends on so many factors: the USCIS service center you get assigned to and its processing times, processing at NVC, wait for an interview/backlog due to COVID at the embassy, possible administrative processing after the interview… every case is individual/different. I suggest reading the guide about the spousal visa (CR1/IR1) here on VJ to get a better overview. 

1 hour ago, Bruce Wayne said:

Reading other people's experiences here has made me realize just how terrible the consulate here is. Just to clarify, your husband is a US citizen and you're a German? After he filed the I-130 online from Germany, were you granted an immigrant visa?

Yes, correct. He’s a USC, I’m German. I haven’t gotten my visa yet as we’re currently at the NVC stage where further documents get checked before they’re forwarded to the consulate/embassy for the interview, but the petition for my immigrant visa (form I-130) has been approved by USCIS without any problems or RFE. 

2 hours ago, Zoisdem said:

Thanks for the info! 

I assume you meant 4 weeks to get the interview date, not the actual interview, right? Because this is already our 3rd week

 

It took about 6 weeks from the moment we submitted to get DQ! 

 

Thanks again!

 

 

 

Yes, sorry, that’s what I meant 😊 I hope it’s still like that and they haven’t slowed down due to COVID/summer break/whatever… Not everyone on here updates their timeline though, so there’s no guarantee about the current wait still being only 4 weeks. 
Thank you for your information as well!

15 minutes ago, Bruce Wayne said:

I asked the consular officer and she said I can only apply for immigrant visa for my wife from the U.S.

 

That’s BS and that consulate is awful. My husband is with me overseas (hence the CRBA) and simply filed the I-130 online. No need for you to travel ahead or send papers in the snail mail. 

17 minutes ago, Bruce Wayne said:

Wow. I'm curious what the process is like in Frankfurt. Please tell me what your experience was like.

We were able to fill out the CRBA application online and upload all the evidence: passport bio pages, marriage certificate, daughter’s birth certificate, husband’s social security statement - that’s it. Then one month later, we got an email to schedule an appointment (were able to pick the date ourselves). Had to submit the DS-11 in paper form at the interview. Total timeframe: 3 months (partly due to lockdown/COVID). We received passport and CRBA in the mail 9 days later. 
 

The only problems we encountered were that it took the consulate a long time to respond to emails/questions and, at the time of the interview, the consulate had redesigned their websites. So everybody’s uploaded scans/docs had gotten deleted. Luckily, you have to bring copies of all the docs anyways, so it wasn’t a big problem and the CO was super nice. 

Congrats! From what I’ve seen in some timelines, it takes about 4 weeks to have an interview after the consulate has received your case from NVC.

May I ask when you submitted your docs to NVC? We’re waiting on getting DQ’d. 
 

Maybe wait until you get your interview letter because they normally want you to bring that to the medical as it shows the name and case number. You could already call and make an appointment, but I saw someone (German) on here do that and it caused a bit of trouble because they didn’t have their interview letter by then. 

3 minutes ago, Bruce Wayne said:

Yeah. I'll just apply for immigrant visa when I travel back later this year.m to avoid the hassles of a tourist visa.

That’s what I would do in your case. 

also, sorry to hear you had to go through all of this just to get the CRBA. We had a much easier time in Frankfurt last month. The fact that you submitted so much more evidence than us and still got denied twice is nuts. (I know it’s because of Nigeria being a high fraud country, but still…). I thought our process was already stressful enough. 

9 hours ago, Bruce Wayne said:

So if the immigration officer asks how long she plans on staying, can she say something like one month when she really plans on staying for 5 or 6 months?

You should never lie to a Consular or CBP officer 

Just upload everything under “additional documents (evidence? Can’t remember)” online. 
We had a child after NOA 1 while we were still waiting for the approval of our petition. We added the birth certificate online because it was another piece of evidence for a bona fide marriage. Wasn’t a problem at all and didn’t slow us down. 

Your husband’s and your job situation won’t matter until you make it to the next stage, the NVC, and submit your affidavit of support after your petition will have been approved. 

30 minutes ago, MARYN said:

Yes! I wait also 

When did you submit? We got July 30

I’m not sure I understand your question. Could you rephrase it? 

NVC is making some progress at least  instead of moving only 1-2 days per week, we got 4 this time! 

5 hours ago, Noah&Caroline said:

We just did our medical in Frankfurt without the letter. They gave us a little fuss but whatever, we just gave the case number. We had our case approved 2 weeks ago by NVC, and since the medical is good for 6 months we just decided to do it right away. Good thing because my wife is missing some vaccines and had we waited to do the medical soon before the interview we may have had issues getting the rest of her vaccines in time for the interview. BTW it was €500 in total.

Good to know. Thanks for the info! Not getting the rest of the vaccinations in time wouldn’t have caused a big issue though. You just get issued a 221g slip at the interview for the lack thereof and the visa will be issued once the consulate has received and reviewed the missing docs. Could maybe cause a delay of a few days or weeks - not what anyone involved in this process wants though 😉

12 hours ago, chancecody said:

Do you have proof or personal experience that this is not required? We want to make sure we are giving good advice to new filers to avoid RFEs to ensure there are no delays. The instructions from the online filing that we encountered posted by OP still says type your name so make sure to follow what they are asking for…..unless you have experience or proof that is not required

Maybe I didn’t express myself that well as it was late  No signature required, no A-number if you’ve never been issued one, but I didn’t say the names could be left out.  
We also filed online and submitted digital photos. Only put our names on the “back” (we wrote them individually on a piece of paper, scanned that and cropped it to fit the 2”x2” dimensions), but didn’t sign the backs. And if you’ve never been issued a green card, you don’t have an A-number, so you can’t put that on the back of your photo. 
Our petition got approved last month without any RFEs, so it all worked out  Yes, the USCIS instructions could be better and it makes you overthink/question things a million times, but at least they’re offering online filing now, which is some progress 😄

Good luck on your visa journeys!

You can upload a digital 2”x2” photo, no problem. Don’t have to write down an A-number because you probably don’t even have one. 
And no, you don’t have to sign it on the back either. That is wrong and not even required per USCIS. 

9 hours ago, Queenlizy said:

I submitted July 21st and still checking everyday! But it looks like nvc still looking in to June! 

Yes, they’re working on June 12/13 now. So it’s still at least another month for us here  

3 hours ago, mljW said:

Ah cool - I think i can’t schedule my interview but NVC does (CR1 visa) so I hope it will be soon  

 

can I do the medical without the interview letter? 

Yes, NVC schedules it for you, but they should be able to get you one in about 4 weeks (or 4 weeks from when the consulate receives your case). Around that time you will also receive the interview letter which you will need to bring to the medical (for reference: https://www.internisten-im-westend.de/medical-visa/ I think that’s what they mean by paperwork with a case number). 
The consulate was busy last month, but working efficiently and conducting many interviews. 

4 hours ago, mljW said:

DQ Aug. 6th

last submission was June 10th (we forgot W2 for 2020)

 

Anyone ideas how long Frankfurt takes to schedule interviews at thee moment?

Congrats and thanks for the info! I think it’s taking about a month right now from what I’ve seen following other timelines.
We just recently did our child’s CRBA in Frankfurt and the earliest appointment we could choose was in 4 weeks. So I think that’s the schedule they’re going by right now. Should leave you enough time to schedule the medical before the interview. 

2 hours ago, iamexcited3021 said:

I sent in my 130 online on may 31, got that it's in Nebraska. 

 

May 31, 2021 Case Was Received and A Receipt Notice Was Sent

 

it's been 70 days

anything to do or just wait? just wondering. it's my first time to deal with them. 

 

thank you.

Have you received your paper NOA1 in the mail yet? On the bottom, it should tell you which service center is processing your petition. It apparently always shows Nebraska first for all petitions filed online, so you might have gotten transferred to a different one. 
 

Other than waiting and checking the status of your petition online every once in a while, there’s nothing you can do right now. 

On 8/4/2021 at 2:49 AM, ND9811 said:

The thing that confuses me the most is even the data on VJ shows Potomac usually taking around 2 years. I am wondering if because I was originally with Nebraska that the are calculating the times for nebraska even though I was transferred to Potomac

That’s exactly what I was saying in my first response. VJ disregards any transfers when it comes to the calculation. 

Hi fellow filers,

this thread should serve to keep track of those who have just submitted all documents (affidavit of support & civil documents) on CEAC and are waiting to get documentarily qualified (DQ) by NVC.

Let’s hope for a smooth journey for all of us!

Submission date: July 30, 2021

Boarding passes, gift certificates or chat logs/screenshots could also be used.
We got approved with much less as Paula has also said before. If necessary, additional evidence can also be brought to the interview.