dnavinnie

Yes, this is a bummer of a process...Not looking for sympathy here, but I envy that you can come to the USA and visit your fiancé...my Filipina princess is not allowed into the USA without visa...and they NEVER approve a visitor visa to young Asian women. Either way, hang in there, our time will come.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

I couldn't agree with you more...I don't know what I would do without the support and help from the VJ community.
 
Here is the response from the USCIS Ombudsman:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (Ombudsman’s Office).
You may submit a case problem online through Form DHS-7001 to the Ombudsman’s Office.  If you currently have a case pending with the Ombudsman’s Office and have already submitted your case online, you will receive a separate email acknowledging your case submission and addressing your question. If you have not submitted a Form DHS-7001, Case Assistance Form, or you have not submitted your case online, we will not respond to this email.  Please see our website for additional information about your case submission.
 Please note the Ombudsman’s Office is independent of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Our statutory mission is to assist individuals and employers who experience problems when filing applications or petitions with USCIS.  If you have a legal question, you should seek an experienced immigration legal service provider.  Please see below for a list of Frequently Asked Questions, including information about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of State.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

I will keep this forum updated. See my response above on this page for the first contact.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

Thank you @dnavinnie!  I appreciate that.  Last night was probably the hardest night for me emotionally, seeing all these numbers pass ours (we are at Day 168 also), I do not share that part with my fiancé, as she is under enough stress with waiting and prepping with 2 boys as well, it's a lot to plan for and we cannot until we hear something.  Trying to keep positive.  I did call USCIS, gentleman was very nice but wouldn't transfer me to Tier 2, but said they are on Apr 1 cases, I told him I realize what the site says, but with my other resources I am seeing cases way after ours getting approved so it has me concerned.  He said, they are still processing cases and until they approve it or need something from you, that is all I can say.  So I will be curious to see what they say when they call you back.  I hope you have better luck.  Trying to be the positive one and not let it spill over to my fiancé, she has enough on her plate, this forum has been a Godsend for me and us. I am also putting in a request for help with our State Senator, will be emailing the papers today and faxing them.   Thanks again, @dnavinnie and I wish you both luck this week as well!

I couldn't agree with you more...I don't know what I would do without the support and help from the VJ community.
 
Here is the response from the USCIS Ombudsman:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (Ombudsman’s Office).
You may submit a case problem online through Form DHS-7001 to the Ombudsman’s Office.  If you currently have a case pending with the Ombudsman’s Office and have already submitted your case online, you will receive a separate email acknowledging your case submission and addressing your question. If you have not submitted a Form DHS-7001, Case Assistance Form, or you have not submitted your case online, we will not respond to this email.  Please see our website for additional information about your case submission.
 Please note the Ombudsman’s Office is independent of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Our statutory mission is to assist individuals and employers who experience problems when filing applications or petitions with USCIS.  If you have a legal question, you should seek an experienced immigration legal service provider.  Please see below for a list of Frequently Asked Questions, including information about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of State.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

Day 168. My fiancé did the same thing. We are both on edge watching all the cases around us get touched. I contacted the USCIS ombudsman and will let you know what results I get. I wish you guys good luck this week @Julie and Kerren.

Hey, my lovely MAYers! Sorry, I've been MIA lately. Been really busy after I flew here to Manila! Anyways, we got our MCN 10/12 and flew here on 10/14. Went to medical 10/16 and 10/17. NVC status of my medical was still AT NVC. Philippine folks, you can take your medical at SLEC even if you just got your MCN. (Especial thanks to @etteniMTtocs of April filers who shared this technique with us). Just make sure to do the online pre-registration ahead of time. Do it here: www.slec.ph. 
@Alma Dela Vega and I got there around 3:30ish in the morning. The queue was long already around that time. The gate opened around 5:30am and the guard checked our documents, make sure to bring:
•passport
•passport biopage
•printed SLEC pre-registration form
•printed screenshot of NVC status showing At NVC.
•if available, NVC letter and interview appointment (in my case I don't have those yet)
 
The security officer said that he's not sure if they'll accommodate me because of the NVC status (but don't worry, because if we got through it, you can too!).
The lady on the ground floor said the same thing to me when she's checking my documents but Idc, I know for sure they'll let me do the medical. Hehe.
 
We paid Php17,025.00 at the cashier and from there everything went so fast. Just a tip, use the stairs not the elevator so you can move quickly to different floors and finish everything early.
 
We finished around 8:45am and was told to go back the next day (which is today) at 8am for the results. Oh such an agony we have to endure! So scared to get that "for sputum" stamp on our receipts!
 
We were scheduled to go back at 8am but we went there around 5:30ish am because we know the queue will be so long again. Aha! We were right. They started letting people in before 6am. The security officer will then stamp your receipt with whatever is written on his computer. The fun begins here! Haha. @Alma Dela Vega was stamped "For Immunization" and we all know that this means she passed! Yay! Meanwhile, I got the "For Counter A, Medical on Process". I was so shocked. I wasn't prepared for it. I didn't know what it meant because all I researched is whether you'll be stamped "For Immunization" or "For Sputum Test". Anyways, Counter A opened at 8am. I waited there for ages for my name to be called. So, when you or your fiancé get this, it means that your medical results are not yet finished. Either they haven't read the blood test yet, the physical exam, or the urinalysis. After few hours, my name got called and was told to go to the immunization room. I got two shots. Yay. During this time, my status at CEAC tracker went from At NVC to In Transit! Yay!
Our payment from the previous day at BPI for the visa fee amounting to Php13,780.00 was validated too! Got validated for about 24 hours later. We got out at SLEC about 1:30ish pm already.
 
@Alma Dela Vega and I have scheduled our interview on the 24th. @krizia will go with us as well for moral support hehe.
 
 

Looks like FOUR approvals for VJ members for 10/16.
Down from the average of 5-6 but normally there are late inputs as the night and early mornings wear on.
 
Just a quick update
Our NOA 2 was 10/4
NVC received the case 8 days later on 10/10 
We received our NVC case number yesterday 10/16
So it took 12 days from approval to NVC number.
Visa payment has been made just waiting for it to post and we can select an interview in Manila later today.
 
I'm not sure about other countries but for the Philippines it turns out you do NOT need the NVC number in order to generate the deposit slip and make the $265 visa payment (in pesos) to the BPI Bank.
As long as you have your NOA 2 you can make the deposit right away and this should save you from waiting the 4 or so hours for deposit to clear.
 
You do of course need the NVC (MNL for Manila) number in order to apply for visa and schedule the interview.
 
Any other thoughts on this from past Manila filers let us know.
 
Let it Rain NOA2's.
 
Steven
 

I told the tier one agent I would like to speak to a tier 2 officer to find out if I have an RFE on my case and I was put right thru. I also stressed that my case was over 150 days.

Western Adjudication Center  
EAC - Vermont Service Center (Previous name: Eastern Adjudication Center). LIN - Nebraska Service Center (LIN refers to Lincoln, Nebraska). SRC - Texas Service Center (Previous name: Southern Regional Center). WAC - California Service Center (Previous name: Western Adjudication Center).

Go @Shoegum!!! Your scans are the highlight of my day!!! THANKS

right there with you...316271...so frustrating!

Go @Shoegum!!! Your scans are the highlight of my day!!! THANKS

Go @Shoegum!!! Your scans are the highlight of my day!!! THANKS

I feel the same, and it is too quiet this few days concerning NOA2 approvals !

Go @Shoegum!!! Your scans are the highlight of my day!!! THANKS

Go @Shoegum!!! Your scans are the highlight of my day!!! THANKS

Awesome!!! You guys are on your way now.