JBRE22022

Correcting previous post: the accredited Fleury unit in São Paulo is located at Av Republica do Libano 990, and the immunization clinic at the same avenue, number 732. Driving from Pinheiros / Jardins towards Vila Nova Conceição, the immunization clinic will be right before crossing Av Juscelino Kubitscheck (Ayrton Senna tunnel entrance), and Fleury will be right after.

Hi everyone. Would like to share here what worked for our case in October 2022. Please beware that other countries and others cases in Brazil can be different so please check what is necessary for your case. Medical examination scheduling There are four doctors in Brazil in the US consulate panel. They are located in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Belo Horizonte. To schedule an appointment in São Paulo, I contacted the doctor office via email and then sent the interview confirmation letter with case number, filled the forms the doctor office sent with our data and sent scans of our vaccination records. In our case we got a date 15 days before the scheduled interview. Before the interview we printed, signed, scanned and sent them a confirmation. We also had 6 3x4cm pictures taken before the doctor appointment. Process varies according to the city. For example, in Brasilia you just send a WhatsApp message and they take care of everything, pictures are digital. Vaccines It is very important NOT to take vaccines at least four weeks before the appointment otherwise they might need to wait further before applying the required vaccines. This is specially relevant for the TDAP / DTAP vaccines which have different application schedules in Brazil and the US. Considering some vaccines can take six months to have all doses taken (e.g. hepatitis) this stresses the importance of planning early for the vaccines. The required vaccines vary according to each individual and age. It is important to review any records you plan to use because they need to have your name, birthdate, date vaccine taken, lot and name, registration and signature of the professional who administered the vaccine. In my case the vaccines on the vaccination card most Brazilians get at the public health system (carteira de vacinação) were documented well, however some vaccines I had as an adult in private providers were not. If you had taken your vaccines at a private clinic such as Vacinar in São Paulo you can ask them to pull their records and make a letter to the doctors office. The letter must be sent directly to the doctor's office (via email), you can't get it personally or through email and forward. Medical examination in São Paulo The panel doctor in São Paulo, CEMEP (Dr. Furbetta) is located at Faria Lima avenue, close to Rebouças avenue. As in any healthcare facility, don't forget your facemasks. We took to the appointment our passports, interview letter, 3x4 cm pictures (6) and vaccine records. There is an examination and an interview at the office. Payment can be made by pix or debit card. They also accept dollar bills, but please confirm with them. You will get also the medical requests for diagnostics and vaccines that you need to take. The required diagnostics vary with age. Children need to do an immune test (IGLA). Adults up to 24 need to do lung x rays, urine tests and blood tests for syphilis (VDRL). Adults older than 24 do not need to do the urine test. There is no fast or other preparation required, however women can't do the urine test during their period. There is no need to schedule the tests or vaccines beforehand. All tests must be be performed at the Fleury unit at Republica do Libano 730 close to Ibirapuera park. They took credit cards. Vaccines must be taken at the ProMatre / Santa Joana immunization center at Republica do Libano avenue, one block from Fleury. They also took credit cards. We did our tests and vaccines in the same day after the doctor's appointment. After we took our vaccines, we sent an scan of the declaration from the vaccination clinic and updated vaccination record to the doctor's office. They took one week to ready the report and send it through email. The lung x-rays went to the doctor's office and need to be retrieved there in 30 days after the examination. You must take then with you if asked by CBP officers when entering the USA. ASC (CASV) Appointment We could choose to do the ASC (CASV in Portuguese) appointment in São Paulo, Rio, or Brasilia, and did so in São Paulo. It must be scheduled at least one day before the interview. We took the DS-260 confirmation sheet printed from the CEAC system (which is different from the AIS system where ASC appointments are scheduled) and passports. We had our picture and fingerprints taken. We could enter ASC with cell phones turned off. Interview at Rio de Janeiro consulate Interviews start very early at Rio de Janeiro consulate. We presented ourselves to the staff on the entrance at Mexico street. There are also lines for non immigrant visas, so it was useful to identify that we were interviewing for an immigrant visa to go to the right line. Electronics including cell phones are not allowed in the building, and you cannot take bags of any kind, just a document folder and printed books. Our appointment was early at 7:20 AM and we were out by 10:00, but of course this varies according to the case and day. At the consulate after we were seated and filed a form with basic information they checked the documentation and then queued the applicants for the first data gathering at one of the interview boots. After that, we wait until the applicant name was called by the consular officer. Our case was an NIW, and although not required it was helpful to have employment letters. Employment letters from future or prospective employers or business associates and documentation about your profession, business or employment in the home country also probably don't hurt. Passport retrieval at ASC and entry in the USA Interview was on a Friday and we received an email on Wednesday afternoon that our passports were ready at Sao Paulo ASC. I scheduled an appointment on Friday to pick them up, along with the immigration packages. These must be opened only by the CBP officer when entering the United States. It is a good idea to check the information carefully to make sure there are no typos and the address is right. We packed them along the x-rays in our cabin luggage since you we needed then before retrieving checked luggage. Upon arrival, we went to the non - resident line (same as always) and when asked by the officer gave the immigration packages. We went to the secondary inspection room and waited until processing, then the officer went with us to pick our luggage. Before inspecting them he made a series of questions about personal information and plans in the USA, took a written declaration and asked for an employment letter, so again it was useful to have such information. The visa stamps have an expiration date according to the medical records (usually some months). That's the period you must enter the United States for the first time. Once validated by the officer, the visa stamp works as an I-551 (aka "green card") for up to one year.

Thanks ! I everything went fine and I am already back in the USA. I'll share some information in the corresponding threads

And finally I have received the I-612 approval. Final timeline:

@konrad89 I just got the I-797 from USCIS and nothing else from DoS. So I haven't heard of the envelopes they ask.

So my I-612 was approved, updated timeline is then

@immishok That's a good question, in my case it was fast, but I think more and more cases are coming and jamming the system. I think you can try also a USCS inquiry once the case is 90 days approved, but hopefully it will be solved by then. Meanwhile, double check your i140 form to make sure it is assigned to go to consular processing.

We'll pick it up at the São Paulo ASC. I am concerned how many days this might add vs picking it up in Rio ASC, but hopefully it will be fast

Hi everyone. regarding interview scheduling, I have received the interview scheduling email on 8/31. We were anxious since our 212e waiver wasn't approved until 09/07, but eventually everything went fine. The interview was scheduled for 10/21 (This was already scheduled in the AIS website, no flexibility to rescheduled). We scheduled the medical examination for 10/6 in Sao Paulo. A few points about the AIS website: its mandatory to schedule a CASV appointment for a date before the interview. There were options for the CASVs in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. The website opens a window of about 10 days before the interview to schedule the appointments, which are limited, so scheduling as soon as possible helps. At the AIS website you can also choose how the passports will be returned. You can choose courier service to your residence (for a BRL 60 per passport fee) or you can pickup at the CASVs in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia with no extra fees.

Finally got the I797 notice in the mail on 7/19. It states that case was received by USCIS on 9/14. This way my updated timeline is

@ctbply Thanks very much, that's a very good post. I have a question, how do you know USCIS received I-612 from DOS? Was that the date on I-797 receipt you got on the mail or did you receive an email ? I have got FR on 09/07 and wonder what will be the next step.

@WaiverFinder I have two considerations here. The first one is, if you're living in the US, try checking the USPS branches responsible for handling your mail, and in your case it is worth checking the old and new address. You can search at https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm and entering the address. It will usually be the closest one to your address, but you might try checking the other ones as well. I had an EAD which was sent by USCIS and they provided no answer to my inquiries, but indeed arrived at my place three months after with a postmark around the date it was approved. So it sat all the while in the post office. I think some USCIS mail is flagged as signature or hand deliver and when the postperson cannot find anyone at the address they return and keep at the location. The other is that this looks like a case for the USCIS ombudsman, have you tried contacting them? I think any proofs of contact that you present will be helpful to make the case at the consulate.

An update here, got FR on 09/7 (coincidentally Brazil's independence day), website changed overnight before 09/08 morning. Now waiting for the receipt number from USCIS

@WaiverFinder I believe this last step is highly dependent on the post. We were DQ'ed on 7/17 and the scheduling email came on 8/31. Interview is scheduled for 10/21 in Rio. We also just got DOS favorable recommendation for 212e waiver, and since we have to travel before the interview for medical examinations and biometrics appointment we are wondering how long will I-612 take and whether the interviewer needs the receipt or the on screen approval would be enough

@da22 My documents arrived on March 12 and documents including NOS were marked as received on 4/16 with 4/14 date for the NOS and 4/15 for the other documents. Case is still pending. Case is plain vanilla post doc without any complications. Are you aware of any complications on your case such as Fulbrigth or other scholarships?