LvivLovers

Mine is stuck there too. Wish they'd get on with it already.

NVC says that now only NVC sets the interview for ALL embassies.

Hmm....I wonder if this means that all the requirements will be the same then for all interviews at all embassies and if all of us will now have to send in the same stuff you have to send in? Seems a bit risky to send them originals. Do they offer any guarantees you'll get it back?

You won't get anything back.

I noticed these greedy bastards are also now going to start charging for phone support. And guess what...they will also force us to use phone support rather than email. Just what we need...make this process a little more costly and complex! Thanks.

I'm hoping and praying that my petition will be one of those freak ones that gets approved in about 4 days and no one knows why! I'd even settle for just a month or so! Good luck, everyone!

Add me too please. NOA1 on 03/13/07 from CSC.

For K-3, Vermont Service Center seems to average to about 40 days for an approval. I have a few more days.

You're so lucky, consolemaster! I wish so much I was going to VSC instead of CSC.

I'm hoping BIG TIME for an approval!

I think I'm at the same point except mine started off at the NBC and I'm waiting for it to go to the CSC.

I like the time it has taken and has given me time to get ready for his arrival. Soon Come and I am better than I deserve with this.

Would the have nots really complain if it improved their processing times also? Because at $5,000 a pop for expedited service, they could hire more adjudicators. I personally think it's better than a general fee increase, because people that don't have the ability to pay so much can still get theirs done without having to pay anything more. Personally, I'm in favor of anything that will speed up the process. Let Bill Gates or someone like that bring someone in in 5 minutes for $1,000,000 and I'll fully support it. lol They say they need more money to be able to hire more people I don't care how they get it. Personally I think families should have priority over business anyway...it's messed up the priorities they have.

Furthermore, another thought I had on this. lol I'm so desperate to get my wife here that if I could get her here on a tourist visa right now and pay some sort of bond to insure she returns to her country I'd even do that. I mean personally, if you've properly filed all the paperwork for an immigrant visa I don't see the harm in letting them come to the USA and wait it out here. I mean we've got like 10,000,000+ people here right now that have done no paperwork...what's the worst that's going to happen? Ok...done with my rant...I feel better. lol

I like the time it has taken and has given me time to get ready for his arrival. Soon Come and I am better than I deserve with this.

Would the have nots really complain if it improved their processing times also? Because at $5,000 a pop for expedited service, they could hire more adjudicators. I personally think it's better than a general fee increase, because people that don't have the ability to pay so much can still get theirs done without having to pay anything more. Personally, I'm in favor of anything that will speed up the process. Let Bill Gates or someone like that bring someone in in 5 minutes for $1,000,000 and I'll fully support it. lol They say they need more money to be able to hire more people I don't care how they get it. Personally I think families should have priority over business anyway...it's messed up the priorities they have.

Well, actually I only got 1 envelope which looks like the one on the picture.

At the end of the interview, the officier told me that the visa would be attached to my passport, and the label on the envelope says that the visa is enclosed...

So I guess both the visa and my passport are inside the envelope.

I live 500 km away from Paris so I'd rather not go back there again...

Let's hope someone from France can help

Thanks anyway

As much as you'd rather not go back to Paris, you may not have a choice. If the Embassy did indeed make a mistake and placed your passport inside the "mysterious brown" envelope, they are the only ones who can open it (besides the people here at the airport when you enter the country). You need your passport to travel and you cannot break the seal on the brown envelope.

But before you take the 500km trip back to Paris, perhaps you can call the Embassy, explain to them the situation and they can tell you if you need to return or not.

Standart procedure is that you should have received this package w/ 3 items in it:

Instruction Sheet

Passport (w/ visa stamped in it)

"Brown Envelope" w/ consular seal on the back (Not to be opened)

If your package does not contain these three things, something is wrong...and I'm afraid only the consulate can sort it out. This part of the procedure is not one that differs from country to country....so someone from France may not be able to offer you any better advice than what you've received.

Call the embassy, speak w/ someone about your situation.

-P

Maybe for some reason they are mailing the passport in another envelope. Either that or something could have happened to the outer package? I'd contact the embassy and maybe they can tell you.

Hey, I say if you can pay then pay. If you can't pay then you would or could find a way to pay. It's not discrimination, because pretty soon, nobody is going to be able to pay when the fees increase. Then that would be a national headline story for sure.

If you have read my other forum topic, you will see that I mentioned something about Employment Based Petitions having the option of Accelerated Processing. I don't think its wrong, HOWEVER, I strongly believe other people in the immigration process should be given the same option. I personally think it is allowed because an employee in the country means federal tax, state tax, social security and medicaid deductions from a paycheck. Maybe I am wrong. And I know it's a dumb question, but would you be willing to pay extra to bring your family here faster? I am sure anyone would. I usually don't open my mouth about a lot of things, but this is something that is seriously hitting a nerve. This could be a national headline story. Let me know what you think.

This question gets posted every few weeks. Obviously anyone who could afford it would pay for premium processing. Then there would be protests about discrimination against those who could not pay. It's not a national headline story by any means.

Personally, I'd pay at least am extra $5,000 if I could get my wife here in 2 weeks. That money could go a long way towards hiring extra help and speeding up the process for everyone.

Every case is different. K-3s should be approved faster than CR-1/IR-1s but lately they've been approved in almost the same amount of time. It's a gamble.

I would definately go the K-3 route. That way you can take whichever one is faster. Fact is, this whole immigration process is a lot of luck and randomness. You can't know which one will get approved more quickly...it's different for everyone. Why cut off one of your options? Most likely K-3 will be faster...that's what it was designed for and if you look at the processes for K-3 vs. IR-1/CR-1 it should be obvious that there are less steps for the K-3.

Congratulations! I can't wait until that day comes for my wife and I!!!

If hemorrhoid is not a problem but why doctors asked to spread butt cheeks during medical exam?

If doctor found out we have this hemorrhoid , do we need to wait couple of months to cure?

Need Ur answer please..

I can tell you that you do not have to worry, they are very common in the Philippines due to the diet over there. Just get some Preparation H and calm down. It is not a disease. I am sure the physical is just a look over your body to make sure your not bringing a disease to the USA.

You will be ok...Unless its infected and causing you major problems.

Are the medical exams all similar to this?! My wife is from Ukraine and I'd hate for her to have to go through something like this. Anyone know what the medical exam is like in Ukraine?

It could be her way of dealing with the stress, etc. It's scary. My husband (I am the USC) was already in the US when we met, dealing with things out of his control (not getting into the details now). He was in Florida, I was in NY. I loved him enough and felt secure enough to decide to move here (to FL) to be with him. That's only 1300 miles, 3 hours by plane, 22 by car. We live in the same culture, he had learned the US culture, and spoke decent English. It wasn't that big of a difference, but it was still a GIANT leap for me to take. I can't imagine going from a country where the language is different, everything is different, to be with the person you love. I know people do it, and survive. But I can't wrap my head around how - there was a time that the stress was so high we almost broke up. I almost went home. (Before we married - before here with him was really 'home').

So maybe she's scared and this is how she reacts. Maybe this is how she deals.

Or maybe she doesn't feel it's right. Right time, right place, right person. And if not? Your heart gets broken, but hearts heal. They sting even after years, but it's much better for her to realize before she comes here and marries you than after. It saves a lot of hurt, a lot of wasted time.

If you go to visit her, I wouldn't do it to "convince her to change her mind." That's not healthy. If you go, do it to be with her in the hopes she will change her mind, but if you do it just to change her mind, no doubt she'll feel the pressure. She's being pressured by her parents already - you're probably the last person she wants to feel pressured by because if there's love there, you should be there for support, not more pressure.

Sometimes, the right thing and the hardest thing are the same.

Great Advice

Sorry about your situation, but it really is best to find this out now rather than later. I would continue to be there for her and try to be as understanding as you can. Tell her you don't plan to file anything until it's what she wants then just give her time. If her love for you is strong enough she'll eventually come around, and unless that happens, you're going to be setting yourself up for failure. Since you just visited fairly recently I'd wait a little bit longer, but then you might try to go see her again as that may cause her to think long and hard about this process again. But most likely you need to wait for HER to let you know when the time is right, because she doesn't sound ready and any pressure is just going to make things worse. Good luck to you, friend!

Congrats!! That's wonderful!!!

Awesome! Welcome to America! =)

I received in the mail on March 14th our NOA2 with a Notice date of March 6, 2007 (saying our petition has been approved). I have been calling the National Visa Center to see if they have assigned us a case number, but still nothing as of today. Then tonight I received an email from the CSC saying they approved our petition and sent us our NOA2 in the mail on March 27th. We have already received our NOA2 in the mail! Are they sending us another one? Our on-line account has finally been updated today saying we were approved and the last touch was on March 28th.

I don't understand, especially why the dates do not match up. And we still do not have a case number from the NVC. I guess we just keep on waiting...

That sounds really messed up. But my question is....can I have one of them? lol

Sorry, I'm no help.

consolemaster, just do a big Good Luck! lol

I guess I will have to have her Americanize her signature in the USA when she arives, lol.

Why? Her signature is her signature.... If you look at mine you would have no idea what I wrote but it is how I sign everything.

Lol! I thought it was just me and my wife that grappled with this. She is also from Ukraine and made her "signature"...I looked at it and was like whoa...wth is that? I finally convinced her to sign one set of G325As the way she normally signs things, then had her do another version where she spelled out her entire name. It was sort of strange for her though...in her words it was "un-natural" to change the way she had always signed her name. After thinking about it for a while,. I ended up using the spelled out version. Besides, her original signature that she did had her old last name even though she took my name when we married.

There are soooo many things in this process that are redundant!

Ain't that the truth!!

It's like we're having to answer to the "Department of Redundancy Department", fer heck sakes!

Amen to that. It's like deja vu all over again.

Anyway, my thoughts were I'd rather have the IR-1/CR-1 (like everyone else), so if we can get this processed reasonably close to the same amount of time as the K3 (within a month or so), we'd just go for the IR-1/CR-1. So the only way to really know, I figured, is to pursue them both at the same time. But here's my question...if I start going through all the process for the I-130 at the NVC and my K3 makes it to the US Embassy in Ukraine where my wife lives and we decide to just go for the K3 due to a big time difference between the K3 and IR-1/CR-1...what happens to the I-130 etc. at the NVC? Since there's a considerable amount of work and fees done there, I'd like to not abandon all that process and file Adjustment of Status once she gets to the USA. Is there any way to get the K3 visa so she can get to the USA, and then keep processing that I-130?

I've seen plenty of info on here about pursuing the K3 or the IR-1/CR-1...but I'm really confused when it comes to pursuing both. Any input?

If the I-130 continues through NVC with the application for a visa (DS-230) and I-1864 etc., and your spouse interviews for and enters on the K-3. She will have two options.

1) Adjust status in the US from the K-3

2) Return to the consulate/embassy for the immigrant visa. Once granted she will reenter the US and be granted permanent residency. If married under two years on entry the green card comes with conditions which must be applied for to be removed 90 days prior to the two year anniversary of her entry into the US on the immigrant visa, or if married more than two years on entry, she will be granted permanent residency with no conditions. (often have to draw attention to the more than two year marriage to be granted the correct status)

Ok. That finally makes sense to me. So if I do manage to get my I-130 to the NVC, get it approved, and get it to the US Embassy before her K3 interview we can hopefully change it to an IR-1/CR-1 interview instead. If the I-130 is taking a really long time, we'll just adjust status in the US from the K-3 since we want to minimize our time apart. Now what if she gets her K3, but the I-130 arrives shortly therafter? Is it possible for us then to interview again and get an IR-1/CR-1 even though she just got her K3?

Thanks so much for the help!

Oops...wrong thread. lol

Thank you for this information, as it wasn't clear to me that the I-797 was the "NOA1".

...And congratulations to you on the start of your journey! Hope it's nice and fast for you!

I'm planning to pursue both the K3 AND IR-1/CR-1. When I submitted my I-130, I indicated clearly in several places that I wanted them to forward the I-130 on and not just retain it when my I-129F is submitted. We'll see how well this works vs. filing the I-824.

Anyway, my thoughts were I'd rather have the IR-1/CR-1 (like everyone else), so if we can get this processed reasonably close to the same amount of time as the K3 (within a month or so), we'd just go for the IR-1/CR-1. So the only way to really know, I figured, is to pursue them both at the same time. But here's my question...if I start going through all the process for the I-130 at the NVC and my K3 makes it to the US Embassy in Ukraine where my wife lives and we decide to just go for the K3 due to a big time difference between the K3 and IR-1/CR-1...what happens to the I-130 etc. at the NVC? Since there's a considerable amount of work and fees done there, I'd like to not abandon all that process and file Adjustment of Status once she gets to the USA. Is there any way to get the K3 visa so she can get to the USA, and then keep processing that I-130?

I've seen plenty of info on here about pursuing the K3 or the IR-1/CR-1...but I'm really confused when it comes to pursuing both. Any input?

We did DCF and submitted the international version of marriage certificate only (without apostille). It was accepted without a problem.

I'm 99% sure you don't need apostilled documents for immigration. What I'm curious about is whether or not I need to have my Ukrainian wife's documents apostilled for use in the USA for other reasons (Things like her school and medical records for example). Anyone know?

It hasn't come up for us with anything else, what, 4 or 5 years down the road now?

I am going to keep giving the same advise, 90% of the people who end up with RFE or rejected paper work, or failed interviews is because they did not bring or do what is required. OVERKILL is the best way to make your process smooth. IF IN DOUBT - DO IT ANYWAY!!!!!! If one person says no, and other says yes, or you might think thye need, or written anywhere, THEN DO IT. You will need the papers apostilled for use in the USA anyway, it only adds small amount of time to get papers completed, so why risk a RFE or rejection???????????????????????????

OVERKILL!!!!!!!!! My wife and I saw so many people turned away for silly non completion of paper work, and the worst of all of it, they trusted peoples comments on what is needed and not needed from people on here or a woman who works behind a desk at the consulate. There is ample info out there of what is needed from the government, as well as posting on here of what people were told they needed. Combine it all and do it all and you cant go wrong!

You will need to get birth certificates apostilled, marriage certificates apostilled in USA, if you do any legal transaction, its a must, however, some people do get away with not having apostilled because the person looking at the paper work may not even know what it is. But legally, Ukrainian documents are not excepted in the USA without being certified under the Hague act of being apostilled. Its $5 and one more day of processing. So GET APOSTILLED. Its better to do now then fly back to Ukraine when you need it?

Hey John! I think that's good advice and I plan to get everything apostilled just to be safe for the future also. If you don't mind me asking, can you tell me what you had to do to get apostilled in Ukraine? I looked up a few things and it looked more difficult than the process here in the USA.

Sonya gave the documents to the translators who sent it to Kyiv to be apostilled. I am looking at her documents, and it was apostilled at:

Ministry of Justice of Ukraine - Department of Citizens Civil Status Affairs

Here is info from Ukraine embassy:

The present Convention shall not apply:

a) to documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents;

B) to administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations.

According to the Instruction of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 18/01/2003 # 61 “On Authorization for Apostille certification for public documents†an apostille for the documents issued in Ukraine is placed by:

the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine – for public documents issued by the educational institutions, state bodies, enterprises, offices and organizations in the field of education and science.

the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine – for documents issued by the judicial bodies and courts and also for the documents issued by the public notaries in Ukraine.

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – for all other types of documents.

In accordance with Article 2 an apostille is placed to:

documents issued by a state court of Ukraine;

for the documents issued by the prosecutors’ offices, judicial bodies of Ukraine;

administrative documents; for the documents on education and academic status;

documents executed before a notary public; official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.

Addresses:

Please apply for the information on apostille certification to:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:

Postal address: Velyka Zhitomirska st., 2, Kyiv, 01018

Phone: (+38-044) – 238-16-69

E-mail: cons_vld@mfa.gov.ua, cons_sld@mfa.gov.ua

Web: www.mfa.gov.ua

The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine:

Postal address: M.Kotsiubinsky st., 12 (“University†Metro Station) Kyiv, 01000

Phone: (+38-044) – 235-40-83

Web: www.minjust.gov.ua

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine:

Postal address: Pobedy Av., 10, Kyiv, 01135

Phone: (+38-044) – 216-22-35

Web: www.mon.gov.ua

Thanks, John! Yeah I was trying to see if we do this ourselves whether I need to go to the same place where we got our LONITM authenticated/legalized.

No, you donot got to same place - thats the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They legalize documents, not apostille them. But its near the same place and they can direct you to thte right place, but I gave you the addresses. If she attended college, it will be important to apostille them as well if you wish to transfer her degree or credits. But you cannot get them translated, the University in the USA require that you use there translators.

Ah. Very good information. Thanks again!

We did DCF and submitted the international version of marriage certificate only (without apostille). It was accepted without a problem.

I'm 99% sure you don't need apostilled documents for immigration. What I'm curious about is whether or not I need to have my Ukrainian wife's documents apostilled for use in the USA for other reasons (Things like her school and medical records for example). Anyone know?

It hasn't come up for us with anything else, what, 4 or 5 years down the road now?

I am going to keep giving the same advise, 90% of the people who end up with RFE or rejected paper work, or failed interviews is because they did not bring or do what is required. OVERKILL is the best way to make your process smooth. IF IN DOUBT - DO IT ANYWAY!!!!!! If one person says no, and other says yes, or you might think thye need, or written anywhere, THEN DO IT. You will need the papers apostilled for use in the USA anyway, it only adds small amount of time to get papers completed, so why risk a RFE or rejection???????????????????????????

OVERKILL!!!!!!!!! My wife and I saw so many people turned away for silly non completion of paper work, and the worst of all of it, they trusted peoples comments on what is needed and not needed from people on here or a woman who works behind a desk at the consulate. There is ample info out there of what is needed from the government, as well as posting on here of what people were told they needed. Combine it all and do it all and you cant go wrong!

You will need to get birth certificates apostilled, marriage certificates apostilled in USA, if you do any legal transaction, its a must, however, some people do get away with not having apostilled because the person looking at the paper work may not even know what it is. But legally, Ukrainian documents are not excepted in the USA without being certified under the Hague act of being apostilled. Its $5 and one more day of processing. So GET APOSTILLED. Its better to do now then fly back to Ukraine when you need it?

Hey John! I think that's good advice and I plan to get everything apostilled just to be safe for the future also. If you don't mind me asking, can you tell me what you had to do to get apostilled in Ukraine? I looked up a few things and it looked more difficult than the process here in the USA.

Sonya gave the documents to the translators who sent it to Kyiv to be apostilled. I am looking at her documents, and it was apostilled at:

Ministry of Justice of Ukraine - Department of Citizens Civil Status Affairs

Here is info from Ukraine embassy:

The present Convention shall not apply:

a) to documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents;

B) to administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations.

According to the Instruction of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 18/01/2003 # 61 “On Authorization for Apostille certification for public documents†an apostille for the documents issued in Ukraine is placed by:

the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine – for public documents issued by the educational institutions, state bodies, enterprises, offices and organizations in the field of education and science.

the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine – for documents issued by the judicial bodies and courts and also for the documents issued by the public notaries in Ukraine.

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – for all other types of documents.

In accordance with Article 2 an apostille is placed to:

documents issued by a state court of Ukraine;

for the documents issued by the prosecutors’ offices, judicial bodies of Ukraine;

administrative documents; for the documents on education and academic status;

documents executed before a notary public; official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.

Addresses:

Please apply for the information on apostille certification to:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:

Postal address: Velyka Zhitomirska st., 2, Kyiv, 01018

Phone: (+38-044) – 238-16-69

E-mail: cons_vld@mfa.gov.ua, cons_sld@mfa.gov.ua

Web: www.mfa.gov.ua

The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine:

Postal address: M.Kotsiubinsky st., 12 (“University†Metro Station) Kyiv, 01000

Phone: (+38-044) – 235-40-83

Web: www.minjust.gov.ua

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine:

Postal address: Pobedy Av., 10, Kyiv, 01135

Phone: (+38-044) – 216-22-35

Web: www.mon.gov.ua

Thanks, John! Yeah I was trying to see if we do this ourselves whether I need to go to the same place where we got our LONITM authenticated/legalized.