zeljuu

On 10/15/2018 at 4:25 PM, kookee said:

It's 2018 now and everything is still the same. I called both NVC and SSA but no one knows about this type of SSN application. What a joke!

Here to report the same, we received the permanent resident card on Nov  20th 2018. A little over 6 weeks after POE and still no sign of the Social Security Card, I checked the site that was posted in this thread for the status and there is no sign of the case for an SSN having been opened for my wife.

In any case I am prepared for a trip to the local SS Office.. Fortunately not in a shady area of town but once again as someone said, it's sort of a pain that you need to stay on top of this especially when there's a checkbox and statement in the Visa application to generate this automatically.

I'm very thankful for this site, it's an understatement to say if not for the community on here we would be left even more so in the dark than we already are with this process.

On 11/4/2018 at 12:26 AM, Xiao Yi said:

Hey Zakmrak,

 

Me and my wife are in almost the same situation. We had biometrics done upon entry. We've waited over a month for the green card to arrive in the mail, but instead received this i797c with an appointment to do biometrics came in the mail.

 

We're curious as to why they wouldn't have the biometrics already, but we're more concerned about whether or not this is going to cost us any money.

 

Can anyone advise on how long the green card may take to arrive after doing the biometrics?

 

 

Zak please update on your progress.

 

Best.

Hi,

Just an update. So my wife had gone to do the Biometrics. As the Code 2 designation on the notice indicated, it was just a photo, signature and single fingerprint. She had gone on November 8th. The permanent resident card actually came in on November 20th so she is all set.

Mercifully there was no run-around or no issues, very straight forward and the permanent resident card came in the mail a few weeks later. Hope this helps and good luck!

On 11/4/2018 at 12:26 AM, Xiao Yi said:

Hey Zakmrak,

 

Me and my wife are in almost the same situation. We had biometrics done upon entry. We've waited over a month for the green card to arrive in the mail, but instead received this i797c with an appointment to do biometrics came in the mail.

 

We're curious as to why they wouldn't have the biometrics already, but we're more concerned about whether or not this is going to cost us any money.

 

Can anyone advise on how long the green card may take to arrive after doing the biometrics?

 

 

Zak please update on your progress.

 

Best.

Will keep you posted, our appointment is this Thursday. My only idea is that the fingerprints maybe smudged or blurred when they captured it at the POE as to why they would request it again.

I don't believe there is any fee for this, as far as I can see it is just really requesting you to bring the letter and the Visa/Passport as identification. I'm more concerned that this will further hold up receiving the Green Card.

2 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

Sounds like the biometrics was faulty I have seen this posted before where  they are having problems with biometrics or machine didn't scan right. So you go back in. No big deal. Just don't miss the appointment.

I forgot to throw this possibility out there in the OP. I am sort of hoping it's just that, maybe the fingerprints weren't scanned in right at the POE..

I tried calling the USCIS while at work, apparently at this stage as the petitioner I no longer have the right to inquire about the case without my Wife's permission and I'd have to put her on the line to grant permission. She only speaks 5% English so good luck with that.. I will wait for this appointment and ask for more info there if anything with my Wife.

Hi All,

In going through the CR1 process with my wife, I had mostly handled the paperwork and reading through the step by step process. My wife was approved during the Visa interview, and had successfully entered the country with me a few weeks ago. I had paid the USCIS Immigrant Fee a day or two after the visa was at hand nearly two weeks before the POE was made. With that said I am a bit confused on the Green Card process now.

At the port of entry, fingerprints and a photo of my wife were already taken. Today we received an I-797c Code 2 Notice of Action (Code 2 meaning Picture, Index fingerprint, and signature taken)  that we need to show up at a scheduled time at an Application Support Center for biometrics to be done. I was under the impression that after paying the USCIS Immigrant fee  the Green Card would just be sent to us in the mail, no need for further input on our end until within 90 days of GC expiration when the I-751 would need to be filed.

After reading a few articles, it seems like an I-797c NOA for Biometrics is usually a step requested leading up to a Green Card interview, which in our case should technically be at the point after the I-751 is filed if I'm understanding this correctly. Has something gotten mixed up here and I will be having a Green Card Interview soon or is this notice just a step that needs to be done before they send the 2 year Green Card in the mail?

Any information or input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! ☺️

23 minutes ago, John & Rose said:

You will need a sealed package to deliver to the agent at POE.  I don't think you have that yet.  It will be attached to the passport with the visa in it.

That's a negative. Once again, if your case was processed electronically by the NVC/Foreign Consulate they will not send you a sealed packet to provide at the POE nor will you be asked to provide it. Only your passport with the visa page added and your original/civil documents that you had provided during the case will be mailed back to you in an envelope that is meant to be opened.

We just entered this past Saturday with no sealed packet, our case was processed electronically. No problems at all.

If your case is processed electronically at the NVC stage then a sealed packet isn't carried to the POE.

We only showed the Visa/Passport, my wife then had her fingerprints and a picture taken. The passport was then stamped and she was allowed to enter. The doctors did give us some supplementary items in addition to the sealed medical packet that we provided during the visa interview but it was not requested at all at the POE.

If your case is processed via mail by the NVC, after the Visa interview you are supposedly provided some kind of sealed packet needed at the POE.

Our case complete was on a Monday, by the Friday we were contacted that an appointment had been scheduled a Month and a half away.

It depends on the embassy, some can take months before being scheduled.

Hi All,

Just wanted to ask especially for those that have been through the Visa interview already. Are there any specific fees or items not outlined in the general guides/processes that it would be useful to carry extra funds for just in case?

Going in now, I know we need to carry enough to cover the medical exam w/ the cost of additional vaccinations. As well as pay the Green Card fee contingent on being approved. Are there any other fees that are usually paid while at the embassy for the interview or anywhere in between?

Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance! ☺️

Only two places do the medical exam in Belgrade. We made an appointment for the day before (Albeit over a month in advance) and were assured that the results would be ready for the exam next day.

This probably all depends on which country you are in and what sites the consulate accepts the results from, it would be best to call the medical sites in your specific case to find the details.

18 minutes ago, Going through said:

It could be something as simple as she doesn't have phone service right now for whatever reason.

On Whatsapp, Viber, Messenger, etc all you need is wifi to send and receive messages as long as there was some kind of number initially set up with it.

This situation sounds highly suspect, I could understand a few days or maybe a week but months of no communication is a bit difficult to rationalize or excuse. I would plan to reschedule the interview for now and find a concrete way to get into contact with her or her family. If there is still no further response, your hands are tied at that stage, she hasn't sent you what she submitted to CEAC therefore you won't have the documents to most likely needed to be approved in the interview. I would seek a lawyer's advice as well for their opinion.

13 hours ago, balkanboy said:

Zdravo,

 

Moja supruga je dobila poziv za intervju u ambasadi SAD u Beogradu. Radi se o imigrantskoj vizi CR1 (zelena karta). Intervju je zakazan za mesec dana od danasnjeg datuma.

Interesuje me koliko traje procedura za lekarski pregled od trenutka kad se zakaze pregled u jednoj od dve ordinacije u Beogradu?

Da li se radi o nekoliko dana ili nekoliko nedelja?

 

Koliko dana posle intervjua u ambasadi se dobija nazad pasos i koverta?

 

Pozdrav!

 

 

 

Moj supruga ce otic jedan dan unapred na doktorski pregled, rekli su njoj da moze to da se zavrsava za jedan dan. Ja sam se zacudio oko toga jer mislim traje neki dana krv i sve to da povjeru, jos ako nemaju neki potrebni nekciju. Oni znaju najbolji, vidjicemo..

Citao sam nekoliko prica kad si odobren na intervju u BG, ako ces da podignes pasos i kovjertu oni to zavrsavaju za 3-4 dana. ako ces da ti posalju preko posta onda moze trajat 10-14 dana da ti stigne sve.

Ja sam postavlao jedan pitanje prije u veze korko traje od "Case Complete' da dobijes datum od ambasadu za intervju, nama je samo trajalo 5 dana. Znaci dosta brzo u BG. Cuo sam u nekoliko drzava cekaju narod 3-6 mjeseca od Case Complete do intervju.. 😦

1 hour ago, IndigoSkies said:

And what if you are dumb f-face and didn't save/print when it showed after it's completed? Is there a page you can go to print the confirmation page, or are you out of luck? 

Preparing myself for the site to go down again, I made sure this morning to print to PDF the AOS/IV Receipts, the Cover Page (which I think isn't needed in Pivot cases) and the DS 260 confirmation page. The DS 260 you have to click on the IV Application link right below where the flow chart is, then click on the sign tab to the top right. You then have options there of printing or emailing yourself the confirmation page.

Just now, russianlady said:

Mine is working! Slooooow.... I have to wait 2-3 mins for each page to load and sometimes it times out. Happy with that than nothing at all!

Same here, it just connected and took forever...

I immediately uploaded and submitted what I needed to before something happens again.

Site looks like it's up? Mine is spinning at the log in screen trying to connect and going nowhere.. 🤣

14 hours ago, Rosepetal3333 said:

This new message on the website means they are not going to fix this anytime soon or else why would they update their message right before Friday. 😔

Yep, pretty much.

49 minutes ago, Luckystar78 said:

We also got this message right after receiving an email that our case was updated.  So frustrating.

You should call in, they can tell you over the phone what the notices are regarding so at least you know what's going on.

I was also surprised to find I didn't have to submit the DS-261. It was straight to submitting payments, then doing the DS-260 and submitting IV/AOS documents.

We submitted a G-1145 form with the I-130 when we submitted to USCIS. I was wondering if because we did that the DS-261 wasn't required or they've just gotten rid of it altogether if you are submitting via CEAC.

Either way it was pretty straightforward.

I just called in, roughly a 30 minute hold time. I noticed as I was holding and the music was playing it was getting choppy to the point of it basically being inaudible. If I had to guess, I think they're having some kind of network issues over there.

The call representative said there wasn't any time-frame for the site to be back up again unfortunately. 

As I had submitted the payments and all the documents already and just wanted to check the notices I had received Friday they were able to tell me what the notices were regarding via phone. They wanted translations for the Civil docs despite them being in the native language of the embassy they will be forwarded to which shouldn't be the case, so they are escalating it to supervisor for review.

The fun doesn't stop..

2 hours ago, Little_Vixen said:

Facebook and other semi-commercial websites rely on us for their income. They want us to like them and choose to use them. We are their customers.

Government does not need to please us. We need them, they don't need us. Having a website to check our status is a service they don't need to provide.

I think that's more than likely what it is, unlike Facebook, etc. they know we need them more than they need us. 

For pivot cases however CEAC is required for submitting documents/processing the case so we are sort of at a standstill.

I may try calling today to see if the call center has any info on what's going on..

32 minutes ago, Rameda said:

is CEAC down?  it says maintenance for me.

Yep same here, I got case update notices this morning via email as the site is down. Went to check and it says down for maintenance.

Hi All,

Went to https://ceac.state.gov/IV this morning after receiving an email notice that my case status had been updated. (I was actually receiving notices as the site was down) There's a message when you go to the site "The Consular Electronic Application Center – Immigrant/Diversity Visa portal is currently undergoing maintenance."

I'm just continuing to refresh the page throughout the day until it is back again. Was this scheduled maintenance, does anyone know when it may be up again? 

Thanks 

It took me 12 weeks from the receive date to get the Case#, hang in there and keep calling.

On 7/13/2018 at 1:02 PM, shumway1756 said:

It means you'll be uploading your documents online instead of mailing them in. It's much faster! As soon as you get your case and invoice number you should be able to access it, pay the fees, and get started after the payments clear. After uploading documents and filling out the DS-260 VJ'ers are reporting anywhere from 5 days to around 2 weeks for documentary approval. Took mine 2 weeks.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/after-petition-approved/begin-nat-visa-center/ceac-faqs.html

The flip side unfortunately is you will wait a while to get the Case # and IIN. Most people report ~8-12 weeks currently.

Zdravo svima!

Samo da pitam, korko na primer se ceka od "Case Complete" u NVC dok se napravi datum za intervju kod Americki ambasadu u BG? Hvala puno unapred.