NoorAbbas

NoorAbbas, thanks for the timely response. I still have a few questions which are below.

1. So the NVC tells you that your case is complete and also the date and time of visa interview in the same letter?

2. How far in future does the NVC schedule the interview. I mean, how many days / weeks between the date of case complete and the date for visa interview at the US Embassy?

3. Does the US Embassy emails you that you have been issued a visa, or you have to check it yourself each day?

Btw I am located in Islamabad so the closet courier will be the one in G-8/4 for me.

Thanks

1. No. For us it was two separate emails. First we received an email saying the case was completed and they were in the process of setting the interview date. About two weeks after that, the NVC emailed again and told us the interview date and provided the P4 (interview letter). So for us it was separate. I don't know if that's normal for everyone or not but that is what happened with us.

2. This is different for everyone. It depends on how many people are needing to be scheduled. At the time we got scheduled it was about 50 days from the time you received the interview letter until your interview date. We received our interview letter the last week of July/first week of Aug. And our interview date was Sept 22nd. For most people during that time, their interview date was approximately 50 days after they received the letter. But again there is no set time. It just depends on how many people are needing to be scheduled so yours could be more or less.

3. Yes and no. If at your interview, the consular says "congratulations your visa is approved" you don't need to check anything. You'll receive your passport back within 7 business days usually. At my husband's interview they told him he needed a joint sponsor. I sent the docs the following week after his interview and his visa was issued one day after they received the documents (which was Oct 1st). If you don't get approved at your interview you will have to check yourself. No one will email you to tell you

This is where you can check the status of your visa https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?eQs=o/iS8zDpeAKjMWCuebHqOw==

Same thing for me. I had to send in a corrected form because I'm self employed and I filled out the I-864 as if I was employed by someone else. (meaning I put the wrong number from my tax form). I had to send it back in and wait. It took approximately 3 weeks after I sent it back in. Then my case was completed and two weeks later we received the interview date.

If I understand the OP correctly, this is my take on the question:

There is no time frame you have to wait to file for I-130 petition after your wedding date. But my lawyer told me to wait at least a month after the wedding before you file I-130. He said that USCIS freaks out and think its a fake marriage if you file I-130 petition right after getting married.

Most everyone I know who has gone through the process has filed within one month or less of being married. Some have their visas some are still waiting. It depends on the case but most file immediately after getting the registered marriage certificate.

Finally..congrats

Thank you

The NVC schedules the interview. Once they complete the case they'll notify you it is completed and is being sent to the embassy. About two weeks after we received that notification, we received the interview letter and date.

Here is the courier info and link http://www.ustraveldocs.com/pk/pk-niv-passporttrack.asp#LocationsandTimings (go to the bottom of the page where it says locations and timings and click on the place where it says CLICK HERE then a part will open that shows all of the courier locations in Pakistan if you let me know what city you're in I can give you the specific info for you)

For us it was the one in Lahore because it was the closest to where we lived. (We lived in Sheikhupura) depending upon which one of these you're closest to that is the one where you will go.

Normally 5 business days after your visa is issued the embassy sends to the courier and the courier phones you and sends an email to let you know your passport is ready for pick up. But that didn't happen with us. So if you don't receive your passport within a week or two after it is issued. Make sure to contact the embassy via their online form. It took about 2 weeks of me emailing them daily but then they finally contacted us and sorted out the problem.

It doesn't get delivered to your home. you have to go to the courier location nearest to you and pick it up. The charge is 1000 rupees to collect the passport or that is what they charged us. If you go to a different location other than Lahore it might be different for you.

Hope that helps if you need any other info just let me know.

While you can file the day after, you'll be issued a conditional visa (CIR1) that is for people filing who have been married less than two years. If you've been married more than two at the time you apply, then there are no conditions.

There's additional filing you need to do. Maybe someone who has more knowledge can reply to you to explain in more detail about the CIR1 visa. I was married to my husband for five years before we applied so the conditions didn't apply to us.

Just to update. My husband finally received his passport yesterday. The embassy sent it to the courier on Oct 15th. On the 17th my husband went to the courier but they said they didn't have it. He called them two more times. Once per week after that. Each time they said it wasn't there yet. Every day I kept sending messages to the embassy via their online form. Finally yesterday someone from the embassy phoned my husband to ask him what the deal was and if he had received his passport. He told her no and about visiting the courier etc.

She called him back a few minutes later and told him to go to the courier that they would remain open until he got there. (It's a little over an hour from his house and they were due to close in 30 mins)

So long story short, he finally got his passport. If the courier hadn't goofed, it would have only taken five business days from the time it was issued until he received it. Instead it took nearly 30 days for us to get his passport.

But alhamdulilah wa shukr he has it so I won't complain.

On the ustraveldocs.com website, if the passport is sent via the courier, will it show on that website? Or what exactly does that website update for ? Does anyone know?

The status date changed again. This is the fourth time. It was issued on Oct 1st, then the date changed on the 15th 22nd and 24th. Hoping this means he'll get his passport soon. Just wondered if that website would say they had sent it via the courier or not.

First time I was able to talk to live person at the embassy today.

Try calling them Tomorrow

+92 51 2080000

We tried calling again today but they said the same thing they won't discuss it over the phone. I don't know how you managed to get to talk to someone. I wish we had your luck.

So sorry I do hope it works out. It was mind wracking for my one month wait but all over now. You will be fine and I pray the best for you

Thanks. The process does drive you crazy at times. Or it has me anyways.

I would just call them and ask what you should do. If there's an issue they'll let you know and ask you to redo it. You'll have to redo the entire thing but it's better to just phone them up. They'll tell you what you need to do. Try to call after 9 pm EST. That's the easiest time to get someone to answer without having to wait too long.

The embassy emailed me to come pickup so I went back to the same counter I had my interview. Once I saw issued, I emailed the embassy and asked them if I should com pickup.

. No, mine was stuck in ready the entire time, sorry I wasn't clear. It went from ready to AP to issued with the day. They claimed it was issued before but the issue date stamped was only 2 days before my pickup.

You may not be able to call but f they are like Jamaica, they do respond to emails with 5 business days.

Oh ok. that scared me for a minute. This embassy doesn't reply to emails or phone calls. I email them anyways even though they never reply to me.

Mine was the same. Hubby, the USC, emailed them twice and one month after interview I went in and picked it up. Hubby als went in and saw the congressman but not sure how that factored in. btw, the date kept changing the same way and it went AP only the night before issued. good luck!

How were you able to go in and pick it up? That's not allowed where his packet is. They won't hand it over the counter. It has to be delivered by the courier service.

So yours went from issued to AP? I thought once it was issued, that was it. I didn't think it could go into AP after it had been issued.

go on ustravel .doc web site click on passport tracking number then put your husband passport number in it it will atleast tell you where your passport is.

this mean still embassy is having your passport but do the thing i told you atleast it will give you little relief

I've done that multiple times. It says "there is no new status update for the passport you entered". It never says anything different than that.

Well the date on the status updated to Oct 22nd. but it still says issued. So not sure what that means. If it's good or bad. I don't know why the date keeps changing. This is the third time it's changed since the status changed to issued.

First time I was able to talk to live person at the embassy today.

Try calling them Tomorrow

+92 51 2080000

What did you say to get to talk to an actual person? When I phoned that number and said I needed to speak to someone regarding my husband's visa, the guy said "one minute". Then I got a recording that said "We don't discuss cases over the phone visit *insert website urll here*" and then it hung up on me.

Did you just ask for a consular or something? What did you do to get by that recording?

Would it be better for my husband to call from there or me from here (US)?

I am trying to get in contact with a friend who I believe had the same issue. I believe 3 weeks went by before her husband finally got his visa packet. His embassy was in India. My friend just called me. She said it did take her husband 3 weeks after the ceac website said issued for him to get his visa packet.

You are doing all the right things by calling NVC and emailing the embassy. Many people these days are saying the embassy will not answer their emails. Your last step is to contact your congressman or senator and ask them to look into the matter. The embassy will answer their emails and give them details they might not give you.

Have you been working with a congressman or senator? If not they will need a release of information form with your signature. You might be able to get a copy of it from their website and either take it to their office or mail it tomorrow.

I am trying to get in contact with a friend who I believe had the same issue. I believe 3 weeks went by before her husband finally got his visa packet. His embassy was in India. My friend just called me. She said it did take her husband 3 weeks after the ceac website said issued for him to get his visa packet.

You are doing all the right things by calling NVC and emailing the embassy. Many people these days are saying the embassy will not answer their emails. Your last step is to contact your congressman or senator and ask them to look into the matter. The embassy will answer their emails and give them details they might not give you.

Have you been working with a congressman or senator? If not they will need a release of information form with your signature. You might be able to get a copy of it from their website and either take it to their office or mail it tomorrow.

That makes me feel some relief. I've been petrified his passport was lost forever and we'd have to do this all over again. I haven't worked with a congressman or senator. As I said we've not had any issues. I sent in the I-130 in April 2013. It got sent to NVC in Oct/Nov 2013 and in March 2014 the NVC process started. I accidentally put the wrong number on the I-864 because I'm self employed so I had to resend that in July 2014. It was then sent to the embassy. In Aug 2014, they scheduled him for an interview on Sept 22nd. He attended and on Oct 1st it was issued.

Until now we've not had any issues and even the wait (compared to what I've seen some people mention) doesn't seem to be extraordinarily long or out of the norm.

ETA: I've done the entire process completely by myself until this post. His visa is IR1 with no conditions because we'll have been married for seven years in Jan. I read websites and stuff and did it all myself. I have no clue how to even contact my congressman/senator or what I'd say to them. Are there sample forms or something that I'd need to fill out? Do you have links for that if possible?

Deeply grateful and appreciative for all of your replies.

Usually he would have his passport and visa packet in a few days after the ceac website says issued. The date changed to the 15th which might show his visa packet is still with the embassy. I don't have an answer for why it is taking so long. Have you tried calling NVC and emailing the embassy?

Yes I called NVC but they say there is nothing they can do. That once they send everything to the embassy you have to deal directly with the embassy. BUT the embassy won't discuss cases over the phone. You have to fill out this contact form and send it from their website. Which I've done. And they won't reply to me.

I also contacted the ustraveldocs.com website. They have no answer for me. My husband went to the courier office from where he's suppose to pick up the packet from but they say they don't have it and have no way to help him and no info on who to contact.

Everything I've ever read, once it says issued usually within 5 business days you receive it. If you go by Oct 1st when it originally said issued, it's closer to 12 business days because of closings for holidays. If you go by Oct 15th, then today (it's already tomorrow morning there) would be the fifth business day.

I'm really worried and have absolutely no clue who to contact or what to do or why the delay.

ETA: we've not had any issues through this entire process. Although it was long, everything always went through ok. So I'm not sure what the issue is.

Does it show issue on the website? Was it his first interview?

Check his status on

ceac.state.gov

Yes it shows Issued on the website. I've attached a screenshot with the case number only removed. It originally said "issued" on Oct 1st and then on Oct 15th the date changed from Oct 1st to Oct 15th but other than that no other changes.

and yes it was his first interview. The guy that interviewed him told him it would be sent within 5 business days and that he didn't need to come back to the embassy for anything. There was no issue with the interview and my husband specifically asked if he'd go into AP and the guy told him no. Everything was good. His interview was Sept 22nd.

My husband's IR1 visa was issued on Oct 1st but he has not received his passport back. The officer at the consular said it would be about 5 business days. It has been double that time. I have sent emails to the embassy but no reply and I can't call as they do not discuss this over the phone. What can I do to find out why his passport has not been sent to him? Is this normal?

Your help is greatly appreciated.