ladonna

The form 156 sent with our Packet 3 from the Naples Embassy is obsolete. Does anyone have a fillable form 156 that is updated (exp 5/31/2011). Thanks.

One more file out of the way for the rest of you. We finally made it out of NVC today after 33 days. I think I had written 34 somewhere recently but I was mistaken. Good luck to the rest of you! Hang in there, you will eventually make it.

congratulations! I'm happy for you!

GOOD NEWS! We were sent out to Brazzaville today!! Good luck!!

Congratulations! I wish you a speedy process from here on!

Yes I have been in AP for two weeks and met with the congressionalconstituent services rep today. Could anyone give me a good reason why that would be wrong of me or out of line? I see so many cases that gotNOA2 after me that are at the consulate already. When I gave him a copy of the NOA2 he was amazed at the wording that was used. As far as I am. Oncerned I do t want to wait a month or more and if my congressional inquiry speeds things up 1 or 2 days it was worth the 30 minutes that it cost me this AM.

May main objection (and it still is) was the letter they sent me when my case first arrived to NVC. That letter clearly said my case was approved and would be forwarded to the consulate within 7 days. I found out 2 weeks later it was still in NVC and it stayed there 2 weeks more after that. They should stop sending that misleading letter to people, and replace it with a letter saying simply "your case has arrived at NVC and is undergoing processing... we will notify you when there is a change in your status or if we require further documentation." That would solve a lot of grief.

I called NVC yesterday and spoke to a supervisor named Betsy. She said she saw nothing new with our case. I guess that was a "hint" that we will not get out this week. It's day 33 and this truely sucks.

No, Mari that's not necessarily true. I called one morning and they said "nothing new" then I called later the same day and they said, "Well! It looks like you're getting out of AP today!" The lady said it so sweetly and warmly, I think they really like to give good news. They don't try to be mean. It's just a bureaucracy, and they have to follow protocol and say what they're told to say. Anyway, I think I'll never forget those words and that sweet tone of voice. I knew that woman was so happy to give me good news.

ok I have an unusual question and don't know where to ask it, so I'm going to put it here ... My fiance doesn't have a middle name, and I never know what to put in that spot ... I always wonder if they'll think his name is N/A or None

congratulations all who got the good news today! what a relief it is for you all, I know, because I was in the same place a week ago ! Good luck !

Just called DOS... She said "why did you call here" "We don't supervise NVC" "Why don't you call NVC" She told me I was in AP and that my case had not been sent to the consulate. And then without asking, she transfered me to the NVC#.

Not a call I am going to make again...

I guess I am at the point that there isn't anything that can speed it up and it is what it is... A call a couple of times each week to see if it is through should be sufficient...

It sux that they already did the background checks and decided there were no issues, but for some reason now NVC must do it again...

Just sent an email to saoinquiries@state.gov. but its a bad email address...

I never got that result when I called DOS... i sometimes got the wrong person, but they were nonetheless nice and helpful. Finally I got the right person. Go to DOS website, look for telephone directory, then scroll to bottom of page 12 or 13, there is a Barbara somebody who is in charge of passport services. Taht's the number you need to call... sorry but i didn't keep the number or i would tell you it for sure. If you don't find it easily, send me a PM and I'll find it for you. Ciao and good luck. p.s. I don't think you will be there much longer, keep the faith ... but you might contact your congressman. I just sent an e-mail to mine through his website, and the next day I was out of AP .. maybe a coinky-dink, maybe not.

I just got a call from NVC I think. The number is 603-334-9400 and "US.GOVT DEPT OF" showed on the Caller ID. I didn't make it to the phone on time unfortunately and and they left no message and when I called this number back the recording said "you have reached a non-working number of the US DEPT OF STATE, check the number..."

Has anyone heard of this happening? I am both excited and scared that they called me. I guess at this point I would rather just be denied than to keep waiting indefinitely without knowing anything. I don't think my fiancee or I have any reasons for denial so I'll try to stay positive but this process has pushed me right to the edge of sanity. On second thought maybe I have already slipped over that edge...

I just called the number for self-torture and the guy was really nice and tried to find out what was going on/who called. After holding for five minutes or so he came back on the line and said he had been unable to find out anything and that there appears to be no change in my case status and that if no one calls me from there within an hour to call back and ask for a supervisor.

On the edge, not sure which side.

Are you signed up for e-mail notification???!!!! I never heard of a missed call from them. Good luck

If they are actually doing something, checking names, etc. (which I thought was what was supposed to have taken place during the almost six months we were at VSC) then great, but they should communicate this and provide a time frame and then the whole process wouldn't be neary as frustrating. But I highly doubt there is anything organized taking place. As someone said on here--just imagine if we let the government get control of the health-care industry!!!

Lost at Bureaucra-Sea.

EXACTLY!

I personally don't buy into the whole "AP at NVC is additional background checks" theory. First because why would it only be on K visas? And then why random? If it is so important that you have to do ADDITIONAL checks at NVC, then shouldnt it be all of the K visas? And why would issues not be caught at USCIS..after all THEY are a part of Homelanf Security. Sure would look bad for NVC to find something that USCIS couldn't. i dunno...and I guess noone will ever know the truth about AP. But we do know one thing....IT BLOWS

I just called still in AP but I got a different answer from the operator, I wanted to speak with the supervisor but will hold off until this afternoon.

She said, I know this is frustrating but I don't see this staying here more that 30 days, and told me to call back on Friday.

So I asked if she saw something on the screen to indicate that it was this Friday, but she said no...I may be reading into this too much but am hoping she's right.

30 days seems to be the norm ... hang in there, you're probably at or near the top of the stack.

If they are actually doing something, checking names, etc. (which I thought was what was supposed to have taken place during the almost six months we were at VSC) then great, but they should communicate this and provide a time frame and then the whole process wouldn't be neary as frustrating. But I highly doubt there is anything organized taking place. As someone said on here--just imagine if we let the government get control of the health-care industry!!!

Lost at Bureaucra-Sea.

yes, or, oh ... the banking industry or finance or ... oh wait! the government DOES control those things

Good morning all.

Boghy, looks like today is day 40 for you. Really this week should be your week. Based on what happened this past Friday, I think they push to have alot of these done by Fridays. If this Friday comes and goes without your being released, you need to get on the horn to your Congressman. I can't say for certain it helped me, but it was definitely registered in their system as being received on Monday Sep 28th...and then I was out on Friday. But really I hope today or tomorrow is it for you.

dhc and Waiting4him...you both are close, hopefully this week is yours too...I am hoping for good news soon 4 both of you

Steve S...what is your NVC receive date?

Czazymazy...my son LOVES your avatar!

To anybody else I may have missed....hopes and prayers for all of you to exit this ####### soon.

I didn't had the time to call NVC today, but i do know that tomorrow will be my day out from AP. I'm very confident about it.

Not only that, but there are some here who might not want to pay for a long distance call every day. Fortunately for me, we have outgoing watts at work, so I could call free. Anyway, if the cost is a consideration, I would call only on Friday afternoons. Good luck to all!

Hi Maverick, Hi dhc ... I see you are here too. I just stopped in to see what the latest buzz is. I'm still not convinced my case has been shipped to my embassy, even thouh I saw one package on the DHL website going to Italy. It weighed 5.5 lb.s ... mine was only about 1 lb.

I am not clear about some of what has been posted - I have called and called and all the NVC supervisors tell me is we are undergoing additional processing and I can call as often as I want.

If I am reading this correctly, it's all about HOW I call that determines if we stay in AP? Have I misunderstood?

There is a time factor. You can call 20 times a day and talk to the highest supervisor but it's probably not going to get you out of AP until your file reaches the top of the stack. The thing about calling is, that's the ONLY way to know when you get out of AP. NVC won't notify you. And even the supervisors won't tell you why your case is in AP or how long it will be held, until it's near the top of the stack. Then they might tell you something. If your case is in AP just because of random selection, then you should get out in about 30 days (based on recent activity). If there is another reason you are in AP, such as missing documents or missing answers or you have drug dealers in your immediate family, well, who knows? All the cases here during my stay just seemed to be in AP due to random selection, not any particular reason.

Good luck ! Try to be patient, but do call them often. I cried a lot of tears, both sadness and frustration, while in AP.

If that was NVC that told you it was sent out yesterday, then it probably was. There were about 100 petitions shipped out of NVC on Friday, maybe more. I mean at least 100 embassies were shipped packages from NVC. Each package might contain more than one petition. Good luck.

BTW I did see some shipment to Thailand in DHL tracking website, but no way to tell whose it was, unfortunately. NVC won't tell you the tracking number, which I find ridiculous. It would save a lot of people calling repeatedly to NVC. I myself called NVC every day, sometimes twice a day, I talked to supervisor, I wrote them a registered letter, and I finally e-mailed my congressman. The day after I e-mailed my congressman, my petition was sent... a coinky-dink or no? who can say?

Hi yes I am anixous I called the uscis # about my rfe that they have sent out

they told me it was mailed on the 17th...I still have not received it. They also said that

it was form I797 that was mailed and to follow the instructions...of course this was a computer and not

a person. So does anyone have an idea of this form and what it contains?

My Fiance is on me to find out so we can be a step ahead but I don't know what else I can do

to find out more.

I'm not sure if this is any help, but I never received my NOA1 and I called USCIS and they told me they wouldn't mail another one. The computer also told me to follow the instructions on that form, but of course I couldn't follow the instructions if I didn't get them, so I just kept my fingers crossed. Then about 3 months after that I got NOA2, and that one I DID receive in the mail. Anyway, my point is, I never did follow any instructions, and my case went to NVC anyway.

You have my sympathy. I know this process is so confusing. Sometimes you are scared to do something, and scared NOT to do something also. Ridiculous they don't make the instructions clearer.

Once your petition is approved - NVC will forward it to the correct Embassy/Consulate (the correct one that processes K-1 Visas for your actual residence.) Not to worry.

thank you for your quick reply, did it happen to you, too? I was getting REALLY scared, but I really hope the NVC will be clever enough to send it to the correct Consulate, no matter what I wrote.

I did the same thing and put the Milan consulate... The automatically deferred it to Naples Although we would prefer Milano!!!!!

yeah no kidding, I don't know why Naples and not even the Embassy in Rome. Naples is the farthest one, and honestly I'm a little bit concerned about going down there...

well anyway I'll take the risk of going to Naples, if this means that I will receive the visa

lol my Fiance doesn't want to go to Napoli either... must not be a very good place to visit. I told him he should just tell them he's from Roma and maybe they would genuflect when he enters. You Italians! As bad as the U.S. with regional snobbery lol.

Hello everyone, I was wondering if any of you has an idea about this.

I have never applied for a B2 visa because I have usually traveled as a tourist under the Visa Waiver Program. Now that our petition for the K1 visa is pending (NOA1 received a few days ago), can I still travel to the US as a tourist? We called USCIS and they said "no problem as long as you get back home for the interview". so simple?

Also, having traveled many times to the US in the past few years, I read it's advisable to apply for a B2 visa, but then again, will the US embassy give me a visa while our petition is pending?

On the B2 visa form it's expressely asked if someone ever filed an immigrant visa petition for me (and I'd say that the I129F form to obtain the K1 visa is exactly the case, although technically K1 is not an immigrant visa...). If I say yes, I think I can forget about the visa.

Anyone in the same situation?

Yes you can travel on the VWP.

Be sure to bring plenty of documentation you will return to Italy.

thanks for your reply. Bringing documentation I will return to Italy is actually the main problem:

- I'm a self employed professional

- I don't have any estates or vehicles under my name

- no loans

of course I will have a return ticket, but that's it. what else could I bring?

Do I have to bring the papers about the K1 visa petition?

It's my understanding if you come to the US while a K-1 is in progress, it's best not to apply for a visa but just come as VWP and don't mention the K-1, just say "visiting friends". Of course you wouldn't deny the petition if asked, but you don't have to offer that information.

My SO came here earlier this year under VWP and they didn't ask him to prove any compelling reasons for returning to Italy. He's also self-employed, and has no children, no loans. And he had already sold his house, but they didn't even ask him about all that.

ParisHeart, you are a beautiful soul!

I tried to find a package to Italy just now and I don't see it either ladonna

Have faith, it will be okay

It wasn't today, it was yesterday. did you see ANY packages for today or yesterday? I keep repeating myself, but it seems I'm not making sense... the codes for DHL don't work anymore, unless someone is seeing SOMETHING for yesterday.

And I have to wonder why NVC won't tell the individual tracking number. That's only the number for one shipment, it shouldn't be a secret.

Yes I am looking at many shipments from yesterday, I just don't see one to Italy...

I am using the code EXP 30 SEP 2009 A,B & C

The only code that did not work for me was "correspondence" and it said there were too many to list.

When I narrowed it down to just yesterday's date, it worked, but I still did not see one going to Italy...

Wish I could be more help....

What city is your fiance's Embassy in?

yes, I see Oct 1 shipments using the EXP 30 SEP 2009A, but when I put in EXP 02 OCT 2009A there is nothing. lol i feel I'm saying the same thing over and over, but no one hears me ... twilight zone. thank you anyway. Good luck to all. I'm giving up on this thread. If that petition is ever approved, then it is. If it isnt', then God must have a different plan for me. I'm tired of this. I wish you all Godspeed and happiness. Addio tutti.

ParisHeart, you are a beautiful soul!

I tried to find a package to Italy just now and I don't see it either ladonna

Have faith, it will be okay

It wasn't today, it was yesterday. did you see ANY packages for today or yesterday? I keep repeating myself, but it seems I'm not making sense... the codes for DHL don't work anymore, unless someone is seeing SOMETHING for yesterday.

And I have to wonder why NVC won't tell the individual tracking number. That's only the number for one shipment, it shouldn't be a secret.

this doesn't make sense... really I think I'm going to lose it if they've lied to me again. anyone know why there are no packages going through DHL on October 1? If anyone knows anything about this, please help. This is a nightmare roller coaster from hell. It's like they enjoy torturing you. First they tell you your petition is going, then they say it's in AP, then they say they can't tell you anything, then they tell you again, it's going, now there is no shipment. #######???!!!!

NVC DOES somewhat they say, they do send it to embassy the day its out of AP but NOT DHL. They email it to embassy, then a few days later or a week, they send the hardcopy out DHL to the embassy. Paris embassy confirmed this to me, and the Department of State!!!

Thank you Paris Heart. I'll try to keep that hope then. But Mazy saw hers in DHL within one day, and I think some others here said the same thing. I don't know why this whole process has to be so convoluted and shrouded in mystery. If we were suspicious characters, then ok. I'm trying to keep hoping. I'm sure some day our petition will be approved and finished, because we are good, honest people, but this process is really like torture. Each time I think we are closer, it seems we move back to knowing nothing and just languishing in this maze of bureaucracy. Thank you and God bless you. Ciao.

Believe me, I understand and know how you feel. I too was in AP for a K3 at NVC 37days, but in that time I completed NVC with our CR1 visa, both cases completed the same day at NVC, UGH!.

I saw a 4 pound DHL packet went to Paris the other day, a bit too light for our CR1 file, it alone weighted about 15 pounds, LOL. I was told to call NVC today to see if sent out, as of Wednesday it was not, was being prepared to be sent to Paris.

Hang tight my Dear, soon we will laugh our butts off over this nightmare as we sit with our loved one.

Lets check the DHL today ,I will check all 4 ways I know of, they usually pick up round 3:30 pm eastern time. I will post of what I see to Italy. Hang on Hon, we will see it soon. But remember, NVC emails the petition first, then DHL it out!!!

Hugs,

Beth

Thanks Beth please let me know ... I can't find ANY shipments in DHL for yesterday. That's unusual, and it makes me think the reference codes we've been using are not working any more. Hugs

I called NVC just now and they said my package was shipped yesterday with DHL. They would not tell me a tracking number. The reference code we've been using doesn't seem to work now. If anyone knows the new reference code, please tell me. I've tried EXP 01 OCT 2009A (also with B, C and D) It says there are no shipments with those reference numbers.

Then we know something for fact that are MORE reference keywords then those that we knew already which are "CORRESPONDENCE" , "EXP 30 SEP 2009A", "EXP 30 SEP 2009B" and "EXP 30 SEP 2009C".

The challenge will be to find them one way or another.

Last month when they sent me that letter telling me my case would be forwarded within a week, I called DHL on the phone and spoke with a very sweet woman who looked at all packages for a week going from Portsmouth NH to Naples Italy. I don't know if anyone else can try that if they have time. I'm at work and I don't want to call with all my officemates listening, but I'm jsut saying it's possible DHL will help you IF you get the right person and IF you are very polite and nice with them. I never divulged to DHL that reference code, though, because I didn't want them to change it. I just asked a date range, a shipping point and a destination. Then they gave me details on 3 shipments that week to Naples Embassy from Portsmouth NH, and even told me the tracking codes and who signed for them at the Embassy.

I called NVC just now and they said my package was shipped yesterday with DHL. They would not tell me a tracking number. The reference code we've been using doesn't seem to work now. If anyone knows the new reference code, please tell me. I've tried EXP 01 OCT 2009A (also with B, C and D) It says there are no shipments with those reference numbers.

this doesn't make sense... really I think I'm going to lose it if they've lied to me again. anyone know why there are no packages going through DHL on October 1? If anyone knows anything about this, please help. This is a nightmare roller coaster from hell. It's like they enjoy torturing you. First they tell you your petition is going, then they say it's in AP, then they say they can't tell you anything, then they tell you again, it's going, now there is no shipment. #######???!!!!

I used the SEPT 30 code and is showed 1 package going to Jamaica on Oct. 1st.

Try that and all FOUR codes "correspondence" as well as the date with "A" "B" or "C"

yes, I tried that. There is no package to Italy. This is why I'm upset. It seems every time someone gets a verbal clearance from NVC they see their package going to their Embassy. I see nothing. I think they just told me I was cleared so I would stop calling them. If I sound paranoid and frustrated, well, I have good reason. My case does not appear to progress like others. I mean, those ahead of me, what they tell me to expect doesn't happen with me. Sorry if I'm bringing down the happy spirit of this thread. I'll try to just stop posting messages. Good luck to all.

this doesn't make sense... really I think I'm going to lose it if they've lied to me again. anyone know why there are no packages going through DHL on October 1? If anyone knows anything about this, please help. This is a nightmare roller coaster from hell. It's like they enjoy torturing you. First they tell you your petition is going, then they say it's in AP, then they say they can't tell you anything, then they tell you again, it's going, now there is no shipment. #######???!!!!

NVC DOES somewhat they say, they do send it to embassy the day its out of AP but NOT DHL. They email it to embassy, then a few days later or a week, they send the hardcopy out DHL to the embassy. Paris embassy confirmed this to me, and the Department of State!!!

Thank you Paris Heart. I'll try to keep that hope then. But Mazy saw hers in DHL within one day, and I think some others here said the same thing. I don't know why this whole process has to be so convoluted and shrouded in mystery. If we were suspicious characters, then ok. I'm trying to keep hoping. I'm sure some day our petition will be approved and finished, because we are good, honest people, but this process is really like torture. Each time I think we are closer, it seems we move back to knowing nothing and just languishing in this maze of bureaucracy. Thank you and God bless you. Ciao.