ieb

8 hours ago, AlexandraNoel said:

Ohhh okay thank you so much! I am starting the whole process soon and they tell me it’s usually 6 months for everything to be completed. Is it that short of a timeframe for real??

NO! Not a real timeframe. Historically, it was. I know some people who did this a couple of years ago and it was then. (as I understand it all immigration services are taking longer than they ever have ... short staffing? anti-immigrant sentiment? both?) Our process will have been 10.5 months from receipt of I-129f to entry. This websites timeline estimator was pretty good - it's based on data from our timelines that we share. 

1 hour ago, AlexandraNoel said:

This is VERY helpful! When you sent in the I-129f, did you have to submit your fiancés birth certificate too? If so, did you have your fiancé translate it in English there or in the US? Thanks 

You don't need their birth certificate for the I-129F. At the interview you need it and/or the extrait d'archive (this is what they really want as I understand it). On some govt website I saw a note that if the document is in a language of the host country of the embassy then it doesn't need to be translated. I figured at some point (I think at the marriage license office in CA?) we'll need an English translation so went ahead and did it. He went with a folder of back up papers like that that weren't needed but just in case. 

Re: this NVC and DS-160 timing string. 

Last December we went ahead and scheduled our wedding for August 25 which seemed safe given historical processing times. TLDR it was close but we made it, he has his passport and is coming to the states next week. 

It took a full 7 months for our NOA2 (Nov 7 - May 22) so I was biting my fingernails. The MINUTE we got it we did the DS-160 and scheduled an appointment for July 26 (first available at that time). I then called NVC every week for an update and in search of the PTP number that we needed to do other things, namely the medical. In June they were telling me it could take 4-6 weeks for our application to move through them. I think it took about 4 weeks. You can't get a packet 3 without that PTP number... as it turns out, we never got our packet 3. My fiance is charming as hell and presented the appointment confirmation at the hospital and had them call the embassy to confirm (luckily at that point, beginning of July the PTP number had been created by NVC though the location of our app wasn't exactly clear). When he arrived for his interview they were looking for the letter of appointment from packet 3 but he again presented the appointment confirmation from the ustraveldocs website and was ok'd. They asked a few questions and gave him his approval. It took 6 business days for his passport to arrive at DHL. 

My take away - I don't necessarily recommend doing it this way, scheduling your appt while app is at NVC but given the timing, it can be done. It's just a little extra stress. But if you're running against the clock with a wedding/birth date, do it - it can be done. And worst case, you can reschedule the interview if the application hasn't made it to the embassy (but given it's already been at NVC for a minute, and the wait for appointments I think it'll be fine)

Irene

ps - other questions I've seen in the last few days:

i-134 affidavit of support they did not look at.

the police report was perfunctory.

there was an error in his gender on extrait darchive (and the ding dong we had paid to expedite a corrected copy didn't do his job) and they didn't notice/care. 

Make sure they have your "how you met" story down (and pref not "on facebook" or some other arranged marriage sounding deal) 

Keep in mind that globally, the approval rate for K1 fiancé visas is 95% - the risk is more in timing than approval. of course have you papers in order and double/triple checked, but try to breathe also. 

I always got better service (relatively... it wasn't good just better) calling the embassy through the english line than my fiance through the kreyol line. 

3 hours ago, IssaCaptureFL said:

I’m sure we can get it done as a collective effort. 

I just made some quick edits based on information I had at hand/at the top of my head but didn't update all.

6 minutes ago, NessaFP said:

 

Nessa - this sounds dreadful. We haven't gotten to the interview stage and I certainly hope to not run into such a situation. I hope that you get a positive resolution soon. Have you tried calling to follow up? The menu is frustrating but eventually you can get through to a person. 

9 minutes ago, PortauPrince4Love said:

OK, we are ready to submit the DS160. My fiance is submitting it in PAP today. But, I have a few questions. 

 

Once we submit, we should print out the confirmation page with the barcode? Then, do we take the confirmation to Sogexpress to pay for the visa? And, then what happens? Do you pay for the interview at the same time? Can someone help me with the steps here?

Yes, you print out the sheet with the barcode and go to a sogexpress to pay the fee (in whatever the gourdes conversion that the sheet tells you is - it is an outrageous exchange rate). The fee equivalent to ~265USD is for the visa application/visa/interview. No further fees payable to the US govt until change of status application (still got to pay for documents and medical and what have you). 

With the sogexpress receipt number you can log in to ustraveldocs and schedule the appointment. 

Congrats SW1315! 

I just thought I'd update that my fiancé and my NOA2 finally arrived end of May - no online update just got the hardcopy. We've done the DS-160, scheduled an interview (July 26 #######.. 55 days out from the day we booked, everything is taking the max amount of time), and requested packet 3. 

I'm wondering though - where do you find the NVC in transit/received information? Is that on the ceac site? Do you use the receipt/case number? Applicant ID number from DS-160 confirmation? Immigrant or non-immigrant visa? I'm not being able to get in - but maybe it also doesn't matter since it's all moving ahead. 

Thanks for all your crowd sourced knowledge!

So - this anxiety talking but... our NOA1 was Nov 6 (so a week over 6 months ago now). I'm looking at some other websites and I don't know if the language changed but did the case status change from "my case was received" to anything like case under review before NOA2? We're still a month out from the case inquiry date given on the timeline page... but I want to be sure there aren't any other signs that I should be worrying.... It seems like most people on this visajourney.com haiti/california processing got NOA2 right about at 6 months. 

Thanks... nerves. 

1 hour ago, Kween said:

On 5/2/2018 at 10:21 AM, Dot13 said:

Hello everyone. For those of you that has traveled to see your fiance in Haiti please let me know some information that may be need during travelas well as living there for 2 weeks......My fiance was living in Dominican Republic the 2 times I went to visit him and now that he has his interview On May 15th. I am going to visit him in Haiti because it is our Anniversary as well. I hear bad things about an American traveling to Haiti. He lives in Cap Haitian. Please,any advice? What should i bring,what shouldnt I bring? How safe is it? 

The visa process is still revealing itself to me but this I can speak to! I live in Haiti (Port-au-Prince/Leogane).

Don't worry, enjoy your visit - seriously violent crime in Haiti is not statistically particularly bad and is mostly within the usual realms, gangs, politics, organized crime etc. Keep your eyes open and don't go waving money and electronics in the air, don't put anything valuable in your checked luggage, keep your purse closed, stick to bottled/Culligan/purified water, and other common sense business. You can fly direct to Okap and it's a much smaller, calmer airport. Still airports are where I feel most at risk (that and leaving banks and being in the posh elite/expat zones), just make sure he or a friend or family of his is picking you up (you'll need $10 exact to pay a tourist fee on entry). You can get a local sim and pop it in your US phone. I bring as much cash as I'll need as ATMs aren't ubiquitous and then change it to gourdes as needed (grocery stores are good for that if he doesn't have someone in the area to do it). I've been hearing about some protests up there but these things tend to be super localized and he should be able to get the word on the street and navigate for you. (Oh but you have to interview in Port-au-Prince at the embassy right? So if you fly to PaP same thing - make sure you have someone lined up to meet you at the airport, motos can't go in anymore so it's gotta be a car)

Every few weeks it seems like there is a small protest or some sort of activity around the embassy. I think they're generally pretty low key and peaceful but you can sign up for email alerts from the US state dept/embassy in PaP just to get a heads up (though they're a bit alarmist in my opinion). And in your benefit, they don't generally start super early in the day.

Otherwise, standard tropical packing list: bug spray, sunscreen, brimmed hat, loose clothing, a back up battery for your phone is a good idea since depending on accommodations electricity isn't guaranteed all the time. If you have a sensitive digestive system an anti-diarrhial and a broad-spectrum anti-biotic wouldn't hurt to pack but they are also available at any pharmacy here.  Anti-malarials, tetanus, dengue I think? and hepatitis and maybe more are all recommended by the state dept/cdc. Make of it what you will. My vaccines are all up to date but I don't do well with anti-malarials ... personal risk assessment.

9 hours ago, ieb said:

Hi all - I'm new to this thread. Thank you for sharing so much incredibly useful information!!! Waiting for our petition to be accepted... (received Nov 6 so hopefully soon) but getting papers together in anticipation. I am confused about this discussion of birth certificate + copy. Can anyone clarify? extrait d'archive = birth certificate or copy? I thought it was the only thing available (we've been going back and forth for months trying to get a new extrait cause the first one referred to him as both a garcon and "her" so I really hope there isn't more). 

Sorry I wasn't clear. Yes, we are trying to fix the pronoun. My question is on the list of documents does birth certificate = extrait d'archive or does copy = extrait d'archive? Thanks! 

On 4/10/2018 at 2:45 PM, Loyal Empress said:

Oh ok your referring to the extrait. 

Hi all - I'm new to this thread. Thank you for sharing so much incredibly useful information!!! Waiting for our petition to be accepted... (received Nov 6 so hopefully soon) but getting papers together in anticipation. I am confused about this discussion of birth certificate + copy. Can anyone clarify? extrait d'archive = birth certificate or copy? I thought it was the only thing available (we've been going back and forth for months trying to get a new extrait cause the first one referred to him as both a garcon and "her" so I really hope there isn't more).