RJS7

Thanks for the info folks

Hi all,

Is it a good idea to write in the case number on top right of I-864/I-864A? Because it's an original document I'm just not sure. I've added it to all the copy documentation.

Thanks

No. But either way its not like you cant have multiple signed copies (as in all are signed with a pen vs photocopies)

The reason I say no is because EP countries dont send originals and bring it to interview.

But for those of us that have to use old fashioned snail mail, isn't it a requirement to send the original I-864? I ask as I am about to send the package to NVC shortly and don't want to end up with a checklist by sending a photocopy when the original is needed.

But isn't it mandatory to send the original I-864 to NVC?

My husband just did his medical there last week. They'll give you your vaccinations. When my husband called ahead to let them know he needed them, the nurse said they were no extra charge and are included in the total EUR395. He had an 8:00 AM appointment and was done with everything within 30 minutes.

Perfect, thanks.

Hi all,

Has anyone any recent experience of having their vaccinations done in Ireland?

Can they be done at the medical itself?

Alternatively, is there a cheaper provider (travel centre etc) in Dublin that would cover all the shots?

Thanks.

Three weeks for the police cert? What's your local Garda station? I hand delivered my police cert request + copy of passport + stamped return envelope and I got it back within a week.

I'd say if you put together these 3 things, go personally to your Garda station and explain the urgency they might sort you out, especially since they have already done the checks for the previous cert.

Hi all,

We are in the process of getting my mother in law's I-864 ready for our CR1 files for NVC. We are thinking about including an I-864A for her husband/my father-in-law as they are joint tax filers and it would make completing these two forms a bit simpler when cross referenced to their tax transcripts (thus reduce risk of NVC checklist)

That said, I think my MIL makes enough in her own right that the I-864A would not be necessary to put us over the poverty guidelines.

However, if we go with an I-864A, I am a little concerned with proving my FIL's US citizenship. He does not have a US passport. He also does not have his birthcert anymore and was born in the 60s in a US Military Hospital abroad (his dad was on active duty at the time).

My FIL was in the service himself and does have his DD214 but that doesn't list his place of birth and, even if he did, that would be outside of the US anyway.

What other evidence of US Citizenship could we provide for my FIL? We have no issue proving relationship to MIL (we have their marriage cert) but it's the citizenship issue I am concerned about.

Thanks in advance.

For CR1 is it generally possible to change your appointment date once you get it? Or are you stuck with what you get?

Off topic but how did the interview go? I'll probably be in a position to do mine in the next few months so would be good to hear some recent experiences.

Actually, two passports from the same country is possible, might not be possible for OP's country though, or not possible in his circumstances.

This is true, the CEO of my employer has two passports. I've seen notarised copies of both. He travels a great deal so uses one passport for obtaining business visas when needed (which can take weeks in some embassies) and continues to use the other passport in the meantime.

Hi all,

I am just wondering, once you get case complete from NVC and your file is sent to the embassy, can you still control the timing of the interview? That is, do you have the ability to set the interview date (defer if necessary) or does the embassy give you a date straight off?

I've seen mentions of "notice of readiness" but I'm not sure where it all fits into a coherent process and when the applicant is up against the clock (e.g once visa is approved = 6 month countdown from medical date).

My embassy is Ireland if that is of relevance.

Thanks.

Thanks for the info folks, I have submitted the DS-261 and will go ahead with paying the fees. Good to know I can get the cover sheet separately from the welcome letter, I wasn't sure about that part.

I rang NVC around the 8 of Feb and got my case number, invoice number and provided my email address. My case was approved by USCIS on 6 Jan initially.

However, still no sign of the welcome letter. How long does it normally take to issue? Will give them a call tonight to check but just wondering am I ringing too early (and going to waste my time and expense on doing so - ringing from Ireland)?

Thanks.

you do not have alien number yet

Yes I am am aware of that but my question is whether it is normal not to have an alien number yet?

Also, at what stage are they normally assigned?

I'm the husband of a USC spouse (by birth) and we have had our I-130 approved and is now with NVC. After calling NVC earlier this month I got my case number and invoice number.

However, there is no alien number for me on either my NOA1 or NOA2. Is this normal? Or should I call NVC to clarify?

Thanks

I'll have a look at mine this evening.

No alien number on my NOA2 and the space is blank on my NOA1.

Separately, when do NVC send out the welcome letter? I've yet to receive mine and also have gotten no email (I gave my email address when I rang earlier this month).

Hey Dub42, congrats on your approval. I'm in a similar boat myself. I live in Shannon, Ireland with my wife and we filed our I-130 in December. We haven't been approved yet though, still waiting. We're at the California processing center though so it shouldn't be much longer (hopefully). Glad to hear you got approved so fast. Congrats again on your case number and invoice number, that's another big step.

Anyway, just wanted to say welcome. Hi from Shannon.

As a Clevelander, Go BUCKS!

-Reg

Lots of Ireland and Midwest love floating around. All going to plan I'll have emigrated to place about 30 mins west of Cleveland by the end of 2016.

Yep i got it in the post in mid January. Ill give them a ring later today. So i need to ask them for a NVC number right?

Case number and invoice number. Read through the NVC guide link Looky posted. It's comprehensive.

Really we need somebody else to chime in and tell us whether they have an A# in the beneficiary box of the NOA2​. I don't know if the process has changed and they you it at a later or you need to contact USCIS about it.

I'll have a look at mine this evening.

Hi Looky!

Aw thanks for clarifying this for me, we got the letter also to confirm this status. The letter said that I (the benefactor) just receive further communication. This is the "welcome pack" right? Where then i can logon to a secure portal and make some payments, select my agent etc?

Thanks for your help on this, you guys are rockstars

I think Looky posted the link but quick Google and you'll find the phone number in any event. There is a specific VJ guide to the NVC process. I'm on my phone so don't have link handy but look in the Guides section.

PS it only took me about 5 minutes to get the info down the phone from NVC and the guy on the phone was helpful. I rang at about 8pm Irish time on a Monday.

Hi guys

Let me introduce myself and my situation to you.

I am Irish and my wife is a US citizen

We are married since 2012 and live in Dublin with our infant daughter (also US citizen)

We submitted our I-130 in December and it was approved on 13th January 2016.

We have a WAC number so I guess it's being processed in California.

I guess at this point we are waiting for NOA2.

Hopefully it won't take too long

Glad to have found people in similar situation, will need your support over this coming year and this gruelling process!

I'm in a similar situation myself, Irish, USC wife (except married only last year and no kids!). When you say it was approved, do you mean it was just accepted at the lockbox or actually approved by USCIS?

I ask because if it was approved you might want to think about ringing NVC. My I-130 was approved 6 Jan via CSC and I rang NVC about a week ago and they were able to tell my case number and invoice number over the phone. I'd say you should give them a shout also as you are about a month out from I-130 approval like I was (assuming we are talking about the same thing here).

That reminds me, I really need to complete my agent choice form this week!

Sorry only saw your post now.

It was pretty straight forward, I don't remember all the details as it was over a year ago and a bit of a blur, but I'll see what I can do.

On arrival you will go through airport type security and leave mobile phone etc in locker then get a pass. Then you go up to waitin room and wait until called when I first went up I was asked for payment, medical documents, passport, birth cert etc I took way to much with me but better to have everything, I basically took our whole application, proof of relationship and then all medical and offical paper work.

Once all that was done I sat back down and waited for them to process all that and call me for interview. It was pretty basic questions

Who's your fiance

When did you meet and how

Where does he live

Where does he work, what does he do

When have you visited

Where did you stay

What happened to his previous marriage

Does he have children

Have you met his family etc

Once I had answered those she told me I had been approved there and then, and it would be mailed out to me along with passports etc.

They arrived about 4-5 days later I think, I did have to go back because they miss printed my son's visa in passport which they sorted very quickly

No problem, thanks for the response. When you said 3 December I thought you meant 2015 rather than 2014 and were one of the most recent interviewees. Good to know anyway.

Alright, thank you. I'm sorry I should have checked your timeline. Just getting a little anxious in my own wait I guess. I'm surprised at how quickly your I-130 was accepted. I'm glad to hear things are moving along nicely for you.

Good luck to everyone!

-Reg

No problem. Stay patient and positive, as long as you have the visa in the passport by the end of the process, that's all that matters.

Had you gotten an NOA2 or any indication that your I-130 had been approved by USCIS yet? I did a quick search back through this thread and couldn't find a time when you said you'd received indication that your I-130 was approved. I filed mine a while ago and it went to California and I haven't gotten any indication that it has been approved yet. Think I should give the NVC a ring tomorrow?

If you had already been told (with a NOA2 or otherwise) that you'd been approved, then I must have missed that. Thanks for the heads up though, I might try to find a phone that can do international calling tomorrow and give them a ring!

Good luck to everyone. I hope that you can get a bit more help the next time you call Caleb. I'm sorry to hear that you're being turned away so much. That's rough. Cheers!

-Reg

My timeline should be up to date. In any event, I got both hardcopy NOA1 and NOA2 in the post to Ireland. I'd say 8-10 days after the actual notice issue - which is normal standard postal time from the US to here.

I'd say if you haven't heard from USCIS that should be your first phone call. No point ringing NVC until your sure it's cleared USCIS first.