stevo215

Interview in NY office yesterday (NOA Date 10 Sept 2018)
 
Was waiting for 2 hours before being called into the interview. It was a nerve wrecking wait as people who got there after us were being called before us.. couldn't work out their system!
 
The interview went very smoothly, the interviewer we got couldn't have been nicer and even made a few jokes throughout the interview. I didn't need medical exam because I did it for the K1. Interviewer also stated because we already went through the K1 she wouldn't have a lot of questions for us regarding our relationship. The only questions asked were..
What is your wife's full name?
Her profession?
Where is she from?
Her birth date?
Her fathers name?
Where does she have a checking account?
What is your husband's full name?
Where is he from?
His birth date?
His mother's name?
Where does he have a checking account?
 
One thing I was missing that she asked for was a letter from my job proving my employment. I had brought documentation from my job with health insurance info on it because I have listed my husband as my beneficiary. Since it had the company header on it she accepted that as sufficient evidence.
 
At the end she said she couldn't tell us if we were approved and that we would be put through one last background check. We went for a celebratory lunch after and within an hour my USCIS App showed card was being processed. WOHOO!! So much relief. Cant wait to have the card in my hands  🤩 

OLD SITE: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do
NEW site:  https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/users/sign_up
 

Could someone tell me what the old site vs new site is? 

Good luck to all September filers for EAD/AP  

New update about my EAD/AP.  I just got a combo card this afternoon via USPS. PD on Aug 27, NOA1 on Sep 5, Bio on Oct 4.
Feb 2 - New card is being processed Feb 5 - Case was approved (Only for EAD, no change on AP) Feb 6 - Card was mailed to me Feb 8 - Received approval letters (EAD/AP) Feb 11 - Card was delivered My USCIS still says "Case was received" for AP (I-131), so please do not worry if your status hasn't changed at all. As other said, it seems normal.
I guess my SSN will be in mail soon? I have another long wait for the interview, but I feel relieved today.
 
I hope this info might help September filers!
 
 

Don't book until the visa is physically in your hand. Any number of things can happen between the interview and when you receive it.

There are 2 Packages for China. Package 3 is sent via EMS to the Beneficiary, you need to wait for this before you even consider scheduling your interview, otherwise you will be forced to reschedule by the time it arrives, and you have a limited number of reschedules before you are stuck with your date. Package 4 Instructions are sent via Email once Package 3 is completed and returned.
For the K-1 Visa the NVC does not schedule your interview, that appears to be a generic response issued to K-1 and IR1/CR1 applicants.
In regards to filling out the DS-160, and paying the Visa fee, you can do that at any time, the DS-160 never expires, but will need to be filled out again if any of the information changes between the time you fill it out, and the time you receive Packet 3.
You can start Package 3 right now, even without receiving the documents in the mail. Have your Fiancee prepare the following.
1. 2 full color passport style photos (2x2, or approximately 50mmx50mm)
2. Photocopy of the personal page of her passport (the page that has her picture, name, ect...)
3. Complete the DS-160 form on this website https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/default.aspx (Print the Confirmation Page to be sent with the items in 1 and 2)
When Packet 3 arrives you will send items 1, 2, and 3 as well as the instruction sheet that was delivered via EMS back to the Embassy. Once they receive this, they will email you Packet 4.
Here is a photo Album I prepared that shows our Packet 3, and the email we received as Packet 4.
http://imgur.com/a/oFc1x
When you print your DS-160 Confirmation Page, you want to print 2 copies in English, and 1 copy in Chinese.
1 English Copy is sent with Packet 3
1 English Copy is brought with you on the Interview Date
1 Chinese Copy is required to have the medical performed.
Using the instructions in the Image Album I provided, you can start working on Packet 4 as well, you can gather all required documents except for the Medical Exam right now. It is HIGHLY recommended to not have the medical until the week before the Interview, because the validity of your K-1 visa is based on the date of the Medical Exam.
I recommended starting on the Police Certificates, Birth Certificates, Certificates of Marriageability, and what not in Packet 4 now because depending on the Province your Fiance is from you could receive a lot of push back from the local governments. My fiancee had no issues in Shanxi province, but there are others here who were given the run around obtaining these documents.

You need to wait for Packet 3 from the Embassy, it takes around a month to arrive, and is sent via EMS to the Beneficiary. Packet 4 is sent via Email once Packet 3 is completed and returned. Packet 4 will only be sent via EMS if no email address is provided.

It is 6 to 8 weeks for USCIS to send the files to NVC.  After it gets there, wait 2 weeks and call trying to get your tracking number.
 
People are sometimes a little stressed here and USCIS is one of the big causes.  Please feel free to ask away.  We are all here to help.

I know you're annoyed with the amount of questions, but you could possibly be a little more helpful than snapping at someone who is looking for updates - just like you.

Best of luck, dude.

JUST got notice from my attorney that we heard back from NVC. It has arrived. No case number yet, but thank God, finally progress.

We got our case number today! Still at NVC, but I hope it changes quickly. Also submitted the DS-160 today, encouraged by you all. Thanks for the answers!

Yes you do not have to wait for NVC case number to file DS-160. Some on this forums have submitted the DS-160 even before the NOA2 approval and did not have any issues.
 
NVC Case number is needed for medical and setting interview date. So you can submit the DS-160 ahead of time aswell if you wish.

I’m so grateful for thisVJ family. 
From one step to the next, it’s beyond words how I feel about having others who can relate to me.
❤️

Hello! I hope this will help you somehow!  We got our NOA2 on November the 1st and still waiting. Best of luck!
Fill out the following if you haven't already
 
NOA2 to NVC Receive Time Tracker - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1k57PdywNRpUqytomJxMzz6_7DsMqpi52DgnaYt9FyC8/edit?usp=sharing
 

For Packet 3, the only thing you will do is prepare the following
1. 2 Passport Style Photos
2. Copy her Personal page of her passport (the one with her picture)
3. DS-160 confirmation page (do not use DS-230, this is for DV Lottery, and Cuban Family Reunification applicants)
4. You will also need to return the Packet 3 instructions that were mailed.
Here is a picture of Packet 3 (http://imgur.com/iIxkC7Z)
Packet 4 is where the large amount of leg-work is required. Packet 4 will be downloaded from the ustraveldocs website. (http://imgur.com/P9BER1x).
Here is a direct link to Packet 4
The most important things for Packet 4, are the following.
1. Certificate of Marriageability (translated and notarized)
2. Police Certificates (translated and notarized)
3. Resume (translated and notarized)
4. Medical Exam (this can be scheduled any time in advance, but is best scheduled 1-2 weeks before the interview. The validity of the K-1 Visa is based on the Medical date) You must bring your DS-160 confirmation page or they won't admit you for the medical.
5. Birth Certificate (translated and notarized)
6. Proof of continued relationship (chat logs, additional photos, phone records, ect..)
7. Another copy of the DS-160 confirmation page
In total you will want 4 copies of the DS-160 confirmation page. This page needs to be in English for Packet 3, and Packet 4, and in Chinese and English for the Medical Exam. (My wife brought English only to her medical and they told her to provide the Chinese copy).

The Consulate has nothing to do with it - these are official Chinese documents generated for use overseas. They are NOT done to the consulate's specification.
 
Most of the documents needed can be obtained from one of China's Notarial Offices (Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤֤). All Chinese documentation to be used abroad is processed through the notary offices and issued in the form of notarial certificates (known as "white books"). Notarial offices are located in all major Chinese cities and in rural county seats

The documents required are the GongZhengShu (公证书֤) ֤֤ or Notarial Certificate.
 

The only translation that will be accepted by the Consulate is one that issued by the Notarial Office of jurisdiction (公证处 - gong zheng chu).

DualityOneness, please refrain from providing this stale posting again. It is outdated (you can tell by the old consulate address given), and can only tend to confuse people trying to get the correct info the first time.
Here is some more recent info from ustraveldocs: http://ustraveldocs.com/cn/K1%20Instruction%20GSS%2007102013%20%20with%20new%20address.pdf
Good luck on your immigration journey.
~Moved from K1 Progress to China Regional Forum~
~At this stage of the process instructions/requirements are often consulate-specific~

that's right...but
on the subject must be the WAC # (that's the receipt number given to you by the USCIS
on the body of your email:
beneficiary's name
beneficiery's date of birth
petitioner's name
petitioner's date of birth
then you can ask your question
good luck!
if you don't have case number yet:
NVCResearch: NVCResearch@state.gov
for further questions:
NVCINQUIRY : NVCINQUIRY@state.gov

When we got the i-129f approval the wait time for NVC to receive and create a case was around 30 days, it might be different now. I bet you can start calling NVC around 2 weeks after the petition approval to see if they have a case number for you.
 
Once you get your case number you can check the status here https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx
 
The earliest status you can see there is "at NVC", simply meaning NVC has your case and still hasn't sent it to the embassy. The next status would be "in transit" and then "ready". Ready means that the embassy has received your case.

I have seen people getting NOA2 around 6 months. I'd advise you to create a infopass and meet them in person. You can schedule a appointment here. https://my.uscis.gov/appointment

Just like FrontGear said, you can (and should) attend the interview. The CO will decide whether or not you get interviewed. My fiancee was interviewed first and then they asked to speak with me. I clarified some information and they actually said "We appreciate that you are here." Honestly, I felt sorry for the VN women that were there alone. The place is chaotic and just about everyone is nervous. It's a strange experience, but I'm definitely glad that I went through it with my fiancee. As far as "sitting in on it," I was told to sit in an area about 25 feet from where my fiancee was being interviewed. I couldn't hear anything, but I could see her. You interview through a window, like a bank teller talking to a drive-through customer. Very clinical and sterile. But interesting.

You can accompany your beneficiary to the interview. Whether the CO allows you to partake in the interview is a different story. I was told to take a seat in the waiting area unless he needed to talk to me. He never did. When the interview was over (which was like 8 to 10 mins), he called me to the window and said that my wife's visa had been approved and we could expect it in 7 to 10 days.
 
Some of the people here did get interviewed with their beneficiary so it's a hit or miss.