NFBP

Hello - our interview is Thursday at the Frankfurt embassy and we just want to make sure that we aren't missing a list of things to bring to the interview. I believe we mailed them everything that was required but again, wanted to check and make sure!

Thank you!

10 minutes ago, MarcusMuc said:

Updated: After calling my panel physician they called the general consulate. I wrote an email to the consulate and asked if they could let me know the status. They just wrote back that my medical had been found and my visa is processed as we speak.

 

So that was quick and I want to give a shout-out to the whole crew in the general consulate for their professionalism and ease of process. Sure it takes a while, even with DCF, but it is certainly not up to the caseworkers, consular officers or basically anyone you’re working with on how the process is designed or fast it can go.

 

Now I’ll patiently wait for a surprise in the mail and hopefully take my immigration flight as planned next Wednesday to start my new job and life on October 1st with my wife.

 

Perhaps I find the time to summarize my whole experience and provide in one easy overview necessary links and documents for a DCF IR-1. In the end it was more or less easy, once you dig through and know which process and way to follow.

 

Marcus & Laura

 

 

Thank you so much for such a detailed post! That is super helpful for us following behind you. We will be sure to double check the medical exam arrives to avoid this confusion!

Congratulations and safe travels!

1 hour ago, MarcusMuc said:

Update from our side. 

 

We've heard back from Frankfurt and they state that the latest IRS transcript is missing and I need to bring a new photo. In an e-mail from today they wrote:

 

"We have received your recent correspondence including some of the requested documents, however, for your  final visa interview we still require the following document(s).Please submit the requested document(s) on the day of your visa interview. Without the required documents your case cannot be processed to completion."

 

So I went ahead and under http://cdn.ustraveldocs.com/de/index.html?firstTime=No I applied to an interview. This came out at the end:

 

 

I hope I did the right thing. Good news is that they seem friendly and responsive. So if I don't hear back in a couple of days I will write them again. Note: Don't write them about your case if you are within 30 days past YOUR last action. They stated that they've a lot of incoming mail and it takes up to 30 days for a case-worker to see the files. So though we all want our visas, I'd recommend not to bother them too early.

 

Marcus & Laura

That's great that they just let you bring the missing items to the interview instead of waiting for you to send them first and then schedule the interview date! Glad they are friendly and responsive. We are having trouble creating an account on the UStraveldocs website but hoping their customer service/contact us email gets back to us quickly.

How far away were the interview dates?

On 8/12/2019 at 5:12 AM, payxibka said:

Now

Thank you - we're having problems creating an account of course so hopefully the customer service can help us sooner rather than later!

15 hours ago, rangers90 said:

Well, we are starting to get worried. We haven't gotten our NOA2 yet and it looks like a few folks who got their NOA1 after us have already received their NOA2. I emailed on 30 July for a status update and still have not heard anything back. Tried calling and can't get a hold of anyone. Anyone got any additional tips other than to just keep trying?

 

We are at day 111 since we got the NOA1 in the mail and day 118 from the date on the NOA1 receipt from USCIS...

When we were waiting we sent three emails and never heard back. We didn't receive our NOA2 until day 114 after NOA1 so honestly you're still in the about average time, I wouldn't get too worried. If they needed something more from you, you would have heard by now (my assumption) 

Hi everyone! Trying to gather this last paper for our packet three and have a little confusion. For the Document Delivery Address the one bullet point says "prior to your interview" we must provide this address and then the next bullet says to include a copy of the address registration confirmation page with this packet. So am I going to Ustraveldocs website, creating an account and picking the address now, or later? The first bullet kind of implies later but the second implies now?

Thank you!

16 hours ago, mex2lou said:

Our DCF i130 was approved for my wife's CR1 at the Mexican embassy.  A month ago we received a 1 page letter in the mail with a case number and directions to complete DS-260 online at https://ceac.state.gov/IV. When I enter the case# then wife's date of birth and press continue it goes to an error page that reads "Your request cannot be processed at this time." 

 

I called the NVC multiple times and they were no help. Has anyone seen this before of have suggestions on what to do next?

the letter 

 

Hi @mex2lou we are receiving this same error as you. At one point we got to the second or third page (everything was super slow) but then it showed up as an error again. Maybe they are having a problem with their site? 

For everyone that has been following us/talking on a few threads with us just wanted to let you know we received our approval today! 

Now to wait for the visa application paper 🙈

22 hours ago, Nitas_man said:

I had the opposite problem.  Our I130 was processed too quickly so we delayed the interview until it was time to go back.

 

You can enter the US and start working anytime.  Helps a LOT with the support affidavit.  If you can’t show continuing US income at the interview you either have to show a lot of liquid (cash) assets to sponsor her or you have to get a joint sponsor.

 

Your wife will get a Packet from the embassy with some things to do before they will schedule her interview.  In addition to your part (the support affidavit) she needs to procure a police certificate and take a medical.  She has lots of time to do that.  Based on what you posted I would suggest she delay the medical / police certificate until November or so then do that and schedule the interview.  Assuming a December interview the visa would be good through April (based on 6 months after medical) and she can delay US entry until she is done and before the visa expires.

 

You would have in the meantime started your new job and be able to show continuing US income to satisfy support affidavit requirements.

 

As to being apart - if you can demonstrate that your assets are adequate or you can get a joint sponsor you can stay with her until she is done.  No time apart needed.  

 

Your schedule is based on what you have to do to meet the support affidavit requirements, hers has flexibility and is based on when she gathers her documents and completes her medical for interview.

 

As to entering and leaving?  We did that too.  She can leave for up to 6 months after activating her visa and return with very little likelihood of issues at POE.  That would be an option B but she needs to be carrying her green card if possible when she re-enters so you need to get it to her.  The visa itself, after activation, is good for showing legal permanent residence for 1 year but the airlines may give her grief (or) she might get some questions at POE if it was issued and she isn’t carrying it.

Thank you so much for the helpful response! 

4 hours ago, PatrickAlina said:

Hello you two,

 

We've been keeping track of your immigration process for quiet some time now, because we filed the I-130 one month after you did and are waiting for the next step for almost the same reasons as you do.

My husband is a dual citizen and applied for a graduate program in the US. I'm a student myself, but planed on not completing my master in Germany and looking for a Job in the US instead, so we can be together.

The first get together, campus tour for new graduates and so on is going to be in the middle of August (not in September, as we though some months ago),

so obviously , I won't be able to move to the US together with my husband because of the delay in Frankfurt.

I am reconsidering my plans too and would be allowed to write my master's thesis next summer, if I stayed in Germany for on more term (November - Feburary).

 

Like USS_Voyager says, its no a bad idea, that the petitioner moves to the US a bit earlier in order to satisfy the domicile requirement.

But I don't agree with the last line - I'm definitly going to try to get to the US in September or October (depending on the visa process) for a month or so as a tourist, because I don't have any courses right now and we want to see each other.

There will always be the risk of being refused at the immigration of your destinated airport, if you are suspected of wanting to immigrate illegaly, which means having to pay the flight forth and back for nothing.

But - as Germans, we don't have to apply for a "real" tourist visa because of the visa waiver program, which makes things a bit easier (according to what I read in other forums -

you and us are not the first, who want to visit each other while the visa is still being processed) and on top of that you are enrolled at a german university.

I'll print out a confirmation from my university, that I'm a student right now to show to any officer who cares to see it and I don't think its suspicious, wanting to spend your holidays between courses together.

The safer way is of course for the petitionier to visit the beneficary and not vice versa, but he's just not going to have as much free time as I will. He even won't come back for the interview, I'll need to do it on my own.

 

All the best and good luck for whole the visa process,

Alina (and Patrick)

P.S.: I'm sorry for any grammatical errors or misspellings. I'm obviously not the native speaker between the two of us.

 

 

Hi Alina and Patrick!

I am sorry that our timeline isn't more exciting for you, we are racing to the mailbox every day to look for the NOA2! It is crazy that we have almost the same exact situation timeline, career and masters program wise. It is definitely bittersweet finding out that I, Noel, can leave before my wife, Franziska, but my new employer in the US is very happy to hear that. Franziska will stay for this last semester of classes and then permanently move to the US in March where she will write her thesis. Her classes are Monday-Wednesday afternoon so we are hoping she can fly to the US once a month for a long weekend so we can see each other. While we understand that some people do indeed have to wait years to see their spouse as USS_Voyager said we do not want that. (For us personally if it came down to that we would just stay in Germany)

Are you planning on interviewing ASAP and getting the green card when you visit in September/October or waiting for the interview until closer to February? That is our debate now which is the "safer" option - her traveling back and forth with the green card for a few months, or her flying with an ESTA as a tourist

Your English is better than my German so no worries at all!

2 hours ago, Allisongm said:

Have you gotten the NOA2 yet? Just curious because I think we sent ours only a couple days after yours. 

No we haven't

Hello - this is going to be a longer one so please bare with us!

So this is our situation, I am the US citizen and received a job offer and originally told my new boss I could start August first. We have obviously had to push that start date back because of the delay there seems to be with Frankfurt processing. My question is can I move back to the US now, or at some point before my wife, or must I stay here during the whole process? I would of course fly back for the interview but I am not sure how many more months my boss is willing to wait.

The second part of our situation. Originally my wife was not going to finish her masters here in Germany because we thought DCF would take 3 months and she would have still had two more semesters to finish but now that it seems to be taking longer she is considering staying for the next semester and then she has been giving permission to write her thesis while in the US. So this next semester would finish in March and then she would move to the US full time with me. Lets say we finish the process and get an interview in September or so, is she allowed to fly back and forth until March or would they look poorly on that? I know she has six months after her medical to "claim" her green card in the US, so would it be better for her to stay in Germany completely until March and then fly for the first time with her visa in March? We would obviously like to avoid being separated for that long and would much prefer her to fly to the US right away, get the green card and then fly back and forth for a few months. But we also don't want to cause any long term problems/issues/concerns.

Thank you for your help! 

2 hours ago, rangers90 said:

Skalg,

 

If I had to guess I would plan on 4.5 months from NOA1. I’m basing this on this users timeline as well as this thread discussion.

 

The website with the timelines is clearly wrong or is statistically skewed lower from submissions much earlier in the year.

 

We are still waiting on NOA2 and submitted it 3 weeks after NFPB.

 

NFPB, 

I bet you get NOA2 either this week or next week. I think it’s taking 100-120 days from NOA1. Then add another month to get the final packet. Can you repost in this thread to let us know once you get it? It will help others get a feel of more accurate timelines.

 

It sounds like the closure of all the USCIS offices overseas by 2020 to bring them back to the US to help with the border processing backlog will impact every DCF and significantly increase immigration timelines. I will be curious to see if the DCF USCIS immigration option is completely eliminated or if they will just transfer that role to the Embassies. My hunch is it will be eliminated and everyone will have to file through one of the lockbox facilities.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2019/03/12/U-S-closing-immigration-offices-located-overseas/stories/201903130060

 

 

Yeah I will for sure post whenever we get it. Fingers crossed it comes this week and then we are about three weeks behind @MarcusMuc

4 hours ago, MarcusMuc said:

We received Paket 3 today (which is just a single letter with your application / case number and instructions) from Frankfurt.

That's great! The next part is online right? This was three weeks after you received your approval? 

4 hours ago, Paul & Mary said:

Still showing as 2 months

 

https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/international-operations-office

4 hours ago, SALKG said:

Yes that's true. Should have been updated on 15th of July ... 

Our two kids are also American citizens, - it is only me who needs to go through the process. 

 

Does anybody on here know how they handle travelling to the US while your immigration case it pending? I am reading conflicting statements online...  

I still have a job here and a household so not planning on staying of course - just visiting for 2 weeks. 

While the website does show two months from what I gather everyone that has applied from March on are all over 90+ days before they hear back from the first part. Not sure if we are all just unlucky in that respects or if that estimator is just way off 😕

5 hours ago, Allisongm said:

Okay I had a look thanks! Crossing my fingers that the packet 3s don't take long to arrive. We were supposed to move to the US early August 🙄

We applied April 9th and still haven't received an approval yet - we were also hoping to move around that time but does not look that way

1 hour ago, mcduffs said:

Hey guys!

 

My wife and I are literally in the same boat. We have been waiting for about 100 days so far when it was stated 90 days was the timelimit (approx). We haven't heard anything at all from them about the visa or the form besides the fact they recieved it on march 18th. 

I have emailed them and called them. 
Email: Automated response from them and no response for over a week ( 8 business days )
Phone: I called the number they have listed and they just automate a bunch of places to look for info on things. Then it says "Transferring to a representative.." "The call can not be completed at this time. Please try again later." {click}. So it goes to say they don't have their operators standing by to field questions from people.

 

Ugh that is so disappointing to hear 😕 

8 hours ago, payxibka said:

Embassy or USCIS?

USCIS Frankfurt

Hi all! Online says that the German embassy takes about 2 months for the I-130 and we're nearing three months starting to get nervous/anxious. Has anyone received an approval for their I-130 recently from them?!

1 minute ago, missileman said:

Have you studied this guide?  https://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

Thank you!

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

My bad 

No worries!

8 to 9 months? According to Frankfurt we should have less than 90 days...

Hi Everyone! Our I-130 has been sent in and received - what can we do to prepare for the next step?

-I know my wife's medical exam must be completed no more than 30 days before our interview, but what about the police report? 

-I am putting together all my W2s and ordering tax transcripts for the last 3 years

-Cosponsor is doing the same

-What questions are in the next form? Are there any more documents we will need?

Thank you!

Hi Everyone

So we sent our I-130 packet to the Frankfurt Embassy Friday and when we checked our tracking number today it said that the packet is being sent to a different address as per "the receiver's" wish. Did this happen to anyone else? On the envelope we put the address that they sent us on their handout..

Thank you!

Hi All!

We are looking to move from Germany to the US hopefully around mid-July. We are looking for recommendations for moving companies. We aren't looking to move furniture, our biggest items will probably be our three bikes and one cabinet/shrank. Otherwise it will be around 20 boxes of clothes/dishes/electronics/pictures those kind of things.

So far we have looked at UPak, just wondering if there are any other recommendations?

Thank you!