tomgndallas1

Not sure if you saw on my other thread, we got our case number, it is a BNK number. I was able to get the DS160 done, get my AA number and confirmation page. Then go into US Travel Docs and create a profile for Yui, enter her information, pay the fee and I was able to schedule the interview for June 24 so she has enough time to get everything ready. We are using the thai clinic you recommeded and she will be able to go in and get 3 out of 4 rounds of vaccines before her medical exam and interview. About the police report, I am looking at what you need to bring, passports, 2 photos, the confirmation of appointment with embassy and case information paper work. What I am not sure of is the copy, just a copy of the information page with photo, or does it need to have pages with stamps? I pictures of her old and new passport information page so i can print that in color for her and send, else she will need to go and make copies before her appointment with the Royal Thai police. Any experience on the forum?

Yes, we are both excited. This is the only thing that is still bothering me a bit...just wonder if anyone else has experience. A few more things, so she does not have any record of vaccination, so she has gone in for a first round this week, will wait about a week, get the next round, then a month for a final round. however this still technically leaves her with one more shot to get for a series that will be done in 6 months. Since I am sure it will take time to schedule the interview, we will get this done before her med exam so she has almost all of her vaccinations on her card, and hopefully they will grant her entry with the understanding she can get her final in the series for the Hep A and B. Anyone have experience with this? When I googled it, it made it sound like this was allowed as she would have proof of having her majority of her shots and could get the final one here at a clinic or doctor.

Yes for sure... So DS 160 filed and have the confirmation letter. UStraveldocs accessed and was able to pay the fee and schedule in advance for June 26. This will give us time for NVC to send to embassy in Thailand and so that Yui has enough time to do the police report, get more vaccinations and have time to make the medical appointment well before the interview date. 4/29 received K1 FTP and Package 3 adn 4 4/30 went online and made a profile for her and filled in information with barcode and AA number There were appointments at embassy for earlier, but I think we need time as it will take a couple of weeks before everything lands in Thailand at the Embassy If I were to build a schedule it would be 5/9 - next vaccinations 5/22 - police report and translate birth certificate 6/6 next vaccinations Week of 6/9 medical exam Current appointment 6/26 with a bit of wiggle for scheduling for doctor visit Hopefully by week of 7/7 we have approval and visa 7/25 i travel to Thailand to pick her up 7/31 arrive USA Earlier would be better but this is the tentative timeline

Great news, I received the case number and K1-FTP email, along with the Packet a 3 and 4 email. I have started filling out the DS-160 form, not the most user friendly interface as even when you save it sometimes loses information. Really just have 1 final piece of information which is her high school start date, but she cannot quite remember so we may just do our best and estiamate as she does have her graduation date and where she went to school. I did notice they ask for 5 years of work history, but the form only will let me add 3 line items, so I figured we could just print this out and she can present it to the case officer if they need it. A few more things, so she does not have any record of vaccination, so she has gone in for a first round this week, will wait about a week, get the next round, then a month for a final round. however this still technically leaves her with one more shot to get for a series that will be done in 6 months. Since I am sure it will take time to schedule the interview, we will get this done before her med exam so she has almost all of her vaccinations on her card, and hopefully they will grant her entry with the understanding she can get her final in the series for the Hep A and B. Anyone have experience with this? When I googled it, it made it sound like this was allowed as she would have proof of having her majority of her shots and could get the final one here at a clinic or doctor. I am hoping that we can finalize the DS 160 and submit it tomorrow so I can pay the fee and start working on getting those last bits done, the final vaccines, getting her police report and scheduling her medical exam all before the appointment date. Making progress, but still so much to do. It is amazing what is required these days.

well no good news this week. will continue to send the inquiry, will try again Tuesday of next week. Quick question to those who have recently entered the USA under K1. When you were were going through immigration, were you able to accompany your fiance'? i am asking this as I will travel to Thailand and pick Yui up, stay a few days in Bangkok, then we will travel together to Dallas. She is nervous about going through immigration as it will be her first time here and I know in the past, the agents did not really care if you accompany your spouse or fiance as an American citizen. Her english is ok but I wanted to be able to be with her in case any questions came up. Is this allowed?

wow that sounds challenging. i will continue to check in via inquiry form moving forward. thanks for sharing your experience and good luck.

that is fantastic on getting your NVC Case number.. Just curious, how were you notified?

Just to clarify on this one, is it better to use the NVC Inquiry form, attaching the NOA2 or sending the email to NVC Research. I have been going the research route and the agent has told me for the last couple of weeks now that my petition has been recieved and just pending data entry into the system. I also included the request to update email in this last go around, but the agent to not say anything to confirm that it would be done. I just get the standard response back: The National Visa Center (NVC) recently received your immigrant visa petition from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your petition is now waiting for data entry into our systems. As soon as your case is in our systems, we will send a letter with instructions. Then, if you still need help updating your case, you can contact us by using one of the methods listed on https://nvc.state.gov/ask . For current processing times, please visit our website: https://nvc.state.gov/timeframes for English or https://nvc.state.gov/plazos for Spanish. To make sure your private information stays protected, send future inquiries and attachments using the Public Inquiry form only. So it sounds like the inquiry form is the way to go here and just being patient. I will continue to check in weekly.

Sorry, I see you answered the question above.... The "packet" is just what you receive in the e-mail that basically tells you that you can proceed to fill out the DS160. You need the case number from the embassy in order apply for the criminal background check. Is the case number from the Embassy the same as the case number from NVC/DOS?

Was having a think on the police report background check. You have to wait until you get your embassy packet or letter before you can do this, right? Also, this is another document that you would have in both Thai and English? Lastly, were they able to issue it that day, or did you have to come back? Since she is working full time 6 days a week, I am trying to think of all of the go and come back or wait for something to be sent. Her boss is pretty cool, but I have a feeling that she may have to go to part time or give notice for days off. She is usually only off on Thursdays and works a late shift so does not get to bed until around 5am.

still waiting for the case number and welcome letter. another email sent this week. fingers crossed, will follow up weekly and pray for the best.

here is the google answer, but of course, always looking at the experience of the members to be superior No, getting a new passport during the K-1 visa process will not be a significant issue. The passport number on the K-1 visa application (Form I-129F) doesn't need to match the passport number on the passport you present for the visa interview. A new passport will simply have a new number, but the visa will still be valid and usable with the new passport. Here's a more detailed explanation: Passport Validity: The visa is issued on the valid passport you provide during the visa interview, and the visa remains valid even after that passport expires. Passport Renewal: When you renew your passport, your old passport will be returned to you along with the new one. No Need for a New Visa: You don't need to apply for a new visa with your new passport, as long as the existing visa is valid and not damaged, according to the U.S. Department of State. Visa Transfer: The U.S. Department of State does not have the authority to transfer visas or stamps to a new passport.

Well not great news, Yui's mother did not retain her pink book and vaccination records from when she was a child, so she will have to go and get all of her vaccinations redone. Most are pretty straight forward, the only one that I am worried about is the Tdap, as it appears to be a series of shots. I am not sure if I am reading the chart right, but it looks like there are 3 or 4 doses, initial, 4 weeks, 4weeks and 6 months? Does anyone else have experience with this? She has made an appointment to go to the thai travel clinic to speak witht the Doctor and start her vaccinations. I am hoping if there is a series, she can get the first few and possibly get the final dose here in the USA as a final booster. One other questiont that has popped up in my mind is that since this process takes forever, her passport was about to expire. She now has a new passport, a 10 year passport, and of course it has a new number and format as compared to the document we used to start the process. Is this something that I should notify NVC of, perhaps next week once they enter my case into the system so that they can have a picture of the new passport and update her passport number in the system? It probably would not hurt and might prevent issues down the line as I am not sure when filing the DS160 it would ask for that. She has the old passport and can present both documents at any time. Cheers and happy Thursday

Well I sent another request to NVC Research to see if they had my approved petition. The good news is that they have confirmed receipt of the documents and are now just waiting to enter the data into the system and issue the case and invoice number. I will wait about another week and then send them another inquiry, though I am a little worried about being harassing...lol. So far their response has been good. It usually takes only a couple of days to respond. Also, since some of the next items on my mind are getting Yui's vaccinations in order, I received this on another thread and found it to be very useful. I have asked her to get in touch with her Mom tomorrow to see if she still has her "pink book" of childhood vaccinations, and to call and make an appointment with the clinic so she can get ahead of the required vaccinations. Appointment slots appear to fill up quickly and she only gets one day off a week. Here was the link that was posted by another member, again thought these were both very useful. table for the vaccine requirements. Pay attention to the age ranges because that's what determines what is required and what is not. https://www.cdc.gov/immigrant-refugee-health/media/pdfs/Vaccine-Requirements-According-to-Applicant-Age-panel-physicians-p.pdf We used the Thai Travel Clinic https://www.thaitravelclinic.com/cost.html Good luck to everyone, another step closer.

This is super helpful and thanks for sharing. Yes, I was worried about what to do about that translator part, she understands English ok, but her reading comprehension is not that great. I can walk her through the document enough to where she will understand it. Cheers and continued good luck...

we are essentially in the same boat. I sent in my second inquiry yesterday, so waiting to hear back. My NOA2 was date Feb 27, but we did not get an official notice from the system until April 3rd that the petition had been sent to DOC/NVC. I may also take this strategy on the email as well. If it helps, that is a good thing, as I hear the letters are a bit slow to be delivered.

Thanks for the response, it is helpful. So my understanding is that before you get your police report, you have to recieve a letter or packet from the embassy, is that correct? Also, this packet will also tell you what vaccinations your beneficiary will need or did you get that from another resource? Yui only gets one day off a week and it would be good to have those done while we are waiting and get the documents and shots done, possibly spaced out a little. She does not remember what she has had and I do not think the hospital in Korat would have a record either. She lives in Bangkok so finding a clinic near her home should be easy or i will just send her to Sukhumvit hospital where I usually go. Did you need to translate the birth certificate? I have heard yes and no on this one, and I have a lawyer service that can do this. Lastly, there is a section on the affidavit where you can indicate that you prepared the document. You did not need a translation back to Thai or an interpreter or anything? Just trying to think of all the snags and to use this waiting time wisely. Nothing else to do and DOS is taking their sweet time.

Hey Brandon, I see that you were approved in your interview. So any more information to offer on this process for Bangkok Thailand? We are still waiting for the NVC case number so I can pay the fees online. I plan to do the same as you and print out everything during the time of payment. Any other advice? For example, I see it took about 2 months to get your interview scheduled. How was the process of getting the Police Report and Medical? I will also DM you and we can chat there...just really curious about your journey and any lessons learned that will help us avoid potholes. Cheers.

Recieved notification that case has been sent to NVC/DOS on April - a bit different that what the NO2 letter said, which was Feb 27 and NOA2 was recieved a month ago. I am hoping that I can get the case number in the next week. However, current CEAC timelines are: Current case creation time frame: As of 7-Apr-25, we are working on cases that were received from USCIS on 23-Mar-25. Once USCIS sends your I-797 approval notice, they will send your approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC) for processing. At NVC, we will create your visa case and enter the data from your petition into the system. After creating your case, we will send you instructions for processing, as well as a Welcome Letter that includes your Case Number and Invoice ID. You will use these numbers to log into our Consular Electronic Application Center (https://ceac.state.gov). Also, the website states that: Current case review time: As of 7-Apr-25, we are reviewing documents submitted to us on 29-Mar-25. Before the National Visa Center reviews your case, you must pay all fees and submit all required documents, such as: Petitioner’s Affidavit of Support; Supporting financial documents; Applicant’s DS-260, and Applicant’s civil documents. Required documents vary based on petition type @crazy cat - this is likely regarding another petition type, like for marriage instead of K1? I surely hope so as this can feel confusing and I want to be able to start getting things ready soon so that I can send documentation to my fiance' and begin prepping for interview. Also, with all these changes and things going on with immigration in the news, we are getting nervous. I am sure others are feeling the same way.

yes the process is in consistent. I recieved notification that our petition was approved and that our package was being sent to NVC on Feb 27th. This was the date listed on the NOA2 that arrived soon thereafter in March. However, they did not actually transfer the case over to the NVC/DOS until April 3. So now I am waiting about another week and checking the CEAC timelines to see what date range they are currently working on, which is updated each week on Monday. I had sent an inquiry into the NVC via email, after about a month from recieving the NOA2 and they had not recieved the case. They stated that it is taking 6 to 8 weeks to get the case number, then you can go online and register on their site, pay the fees, etc. Since the next step will more documentation and affidavit of support, keep us posted. What I am curious about is that I have heard / read two different things. One being that you pay the fees, get a confirmation of reciept, then you can schedule the appointment and that you will send your pacakage (proof of continued relationship, afffidavity, financial records, etc) to your benficiary in their country. The other made it sound like you would be uploading documents prior to sending documents to your fiance'. I am sure countries have their nuances, it can be very confusing.

So looking for some wisdom again here. The official NOA2 came in the mail already and stated that the case had been transferred to NVC. I see that it can take 2 to 4 weeks and read in another post from a user that it can take as long as 6 weeks to get the Welcome letter from NVC that will contain your case number so that you can go onto CEAC and pay the fees for interview. I know I have to submit affidavit of support, any new photos, proof of income (pay stubs, previous years taxes, offer letter from company, and official bank statement/account summary). This is all easy to do. I guess my question is, should I go and get those statements pulled say...next week ? I guess my question is how close to the date that the case file is entered and case requested and welcome letter do the documents need to be generated? This could obviously go into early April, so right now I can get current as of today, and for things like 401K, I can generally get the current day, last month and previous quarter or year end statement. I guess I am just eager to start building the package and I am under the impression that NVC via CEAC will request the files be uploaded electronically, and then I would mail the originals or copies to Yui in Thailand? The process is nearly clear, but still a little muddy. On and I did see where CEAC posts timelines on what they are processing each week and how to submit a request for information on case number to login to the system. Some folks have said they have received their case numbers this way as it took longer for their letters to be generated and mailed. to their address.

Thanks TBone, will definitely do that and appreciate the words of support.

To the Mod, sorry about that. Thanks for helping us and others. I did not spam; it was a resource to others only to have statistics on processing. The information was helpful, and I am happy to be on this forum. The information on VJ on how to prepare a proper case has been the reason why we were successful. The information and experience here on VJ is why we were approved. The guides, the wealth of knowledge—you all helped me build the perfect case and the paperwork required to achieve a goal that gets more difficult as time passes I have spent the last 5.5 months worrying; and i need this forum and the experience. If I did something wrong, I am sorry and will not do again. I am a testament to the information and guidance that is given here. I followed your guidance and prepared everything per the instructions and recommendations here and now I am approved and we will move to DOS and NVC.I will continue to update and I am always grateful. Many more steps. I want to be a help and inspiration to others to hang on, it will happen. Trust this site. trust the experience here. Let me say this, to others in the process and this journey, read what is here. Follow the guides, follow the advice and i will share my experience. Yui and I need this community and we are thankful and blessed. Today was a great day.

a few updates as well. the old place she worked closed, and I had a friend who was able to help us and give her part time work back in November. She is now full time and gets a pay stub for proof of work, and pays taxes so we have proof of legitimate work for the interview which is great. Hard to do sometimes with workers in Bangkok as many places hire part time and pay cash and then will not give a letter of employment. She also traveled home and already has the letter of single status. So now, it is the affidavit of support, which will be no problem, the police background and medical. Also, I spent two weeks in January there and we have plenty of new pictures and I have proof of travel there. Interestingly enough, when I arrived the agent stamped me in for 60 days, which was new. Usually 30 day exemption so things are changing. I am hoping that the remainder of the process is smooth and we will be together later in the year. I work on contract, so that is the only other obstable, we will know if we win the new contract soon, I am hopeful. I have plenty of savings (more than 250K) that I can use for the affidavit, so worst case, we are still good to go I think. Blessings to everyone else going through this process. It is long and sometimes painful when your loved one is so far away. Do not give up hope.

I just received the notification that our application was approved and is being tranferred to DOS, NVC. Hooray. For those on this journey, bless you all and be patient. We are so happy. I also have been using this service to track statistics and get real time information, it is 13 USD per month to use but is quite useful. https://app.***removed due to spam***/