CBM

Well I think everyone is just frustrated and misses their loved ones. It is a bit crazy to make people wait this long for something that takes 15 minutes. It's a very broken system.

That said, I really need to see some July approvals this week. Something. ANYTHING. I'm dying here.

The system might be broken, but it's the only legal option we have of immigrating. I agree it's tough to be without your loved one.

We get to see our fiances around the same time!! Are you already making plans and such for your visit?? Haha I'm trying to restrain myself, since we'll have family obligations over the holidays, but I just want to make an intinerary of plans haha.... I love doing new things together, and we always try to experience something new together on each visit, even if it's something seemingly lame like going to a museum we haven't been to. When he was here in September, we went to Niagara Falls! It was awesome and even better because we were together.

Have you been to the Tower of London on a visit??? When my fiance and I went there last summer (he grew up in the UK and his family still lives there), we did all the touristy stuff but didn't get a chance to actually DO any of it, we just kinda took pictures outside... next time, I really want to do the Tower of London tour. haha, I'm such a geeky tourist.

Alright, maybe it's time to change the subject.

I suppose we've established that whatever the call center operator told En&Em, it's not radically different from what we were expecting in the first place. It's funny, the minute I saw my ticker change over to 4 months+, I got a sense of calm. I, like many of the filers from the same time, was expecting a quick approval like CSC was churning out in June, and clearly missed the boat. Now that things seem to be moving at the right pace for me to get NOA2 within the expected 5 months, and that's less than a month away, I'm pretty much okay.

Don't get me wrong, I may flip over tomorrow and turn into a banshee. This will definitely happen if they go over the 5 months and tell me 'tough luck', as they have been lately. All bets are off at that point.

I'm nervous about the interviewing stage, because my fiance is quite a lot older than me, and I'm sure they'll pick on that to a degree. Other than that, I get the feeling I've been blessed with a very easygoing embassy. Quick interview dates, fiance allowed to be there... Well, I'll find out how compliant they really are closer to the time. After being pulled into secondary questioning twice at O'Hare, I honestly don't trust those US border agents one smidgen.

But don't tell them I said that...

DOn't be nervous! You aren't going to be at a high fraud consulate, and as far as I know, age difference for the Netherlands is not a big deal. You'll do great. My fiance is 7 years older than I am, and I really doubt it will even come up as a question! Seriously, don't fret over it.

That's a great attitude to have over your consulate. Time will fly once you receive NOA2.

PS - just a random fact, but my grandfather served Canada in WW2 over in the Netherlands

being with your fiance is one thing,receiving service is another.i would personally be more than happy to pay more than the 445 or something that we pay now,if i knew that they would be trying to catch up with the backlog or whatever it is that is causing them to start going through petitions as soon as they get close to the five months mark.

another thing you need to keep in mind is that this whole " process " does not end with USCIS,i have already contacted my embassy and as far responding being responsible goes they are not comparable to USCIS,im sure even NVC is better than them,the point being,its wrong to jump to conclusion based on a small portion of the facts.we are all unhappy with USCIS and the way things work,and if i recall it correctly,a couple of weeks ago you were too.as far as United states having the right to deny visas because of the nationality,states is dealing with what they are dealing with based on the high standards they laid upon themselves.we are the ones who are willing to leave our country and families behind just because our loved ones are USCs,but there are A LOT of people who immigrate based on the image that the states has been advertising in different countries.i am thankful for going through the same process over all as a filipino,dutch or aussie,however,i dont think the difference there is among USCIS service centers is correct or fair.

I debated replying to this because I don't want to cause trouble but the bolded sentence annoyed me too much to ignore.

I kinda had to figure you would bring up the fact that I received my NOA2. That is besides the point, because I waited almost 5 months, just as the people in this thread have done. Some are over 5 months, some are close to 5 months. It's not like I magically got my NOA2 in 2 months. And, if you actually go back and read the threads, when people were b!tching and moaning about CSC being out of the processing times of 5 months, I actually piped up and said no they were not. Does it suck to wait? Yeah, it sucks.

You keep moaning about the service you are or aren't receiving. Venting is one thing, and we all do it, but complaining that we aren't getting the service we "paid for" is not going to help anything. You pay for what you get. Your fiance actually paid to petition you to apply for a visa, NOT for it to DEFINITELY BE DONE WITHIN 5 months. CSC will not issue any refunds or anything of the sorts if someone is not approved after 5 months. It's just never going to happen.

And, I'm quite familiar that the "process" does not end with USCIS's service centres. I'm familiar with NVC, and the consulates, the POE, then EAD/AP/Green card, then 10 year green card, then Naturalization, if a person so chooses and qualifies. I, too, have researched my consulate. And happen to know it is one of the slowest in the world. Is it fair? NOPE. Am I grateful to have the opportunity to present my case to a CO and pray he finds the validity in my relationship and grant me a visa? YUP.

Your comment to J was uncalled for. Yes, she gets to see her fiance more often than a lot of couples, but she also gave up her entire life to do that. She gave up her 6 figure job and her own place and everything she had created for herself in adulthood to be close to A. We all make sacrifices in this process, so do not discredit someone just because they get to see their fiance fairly often.

Your sense of entitlement in this process will not get your far. If you go into your interview with guns a'blazing and ready to tell a CO how grossly unfair this process is, be prepared to be disappointed.

Count your blessings.

its not about NVC,its about the service centers,a LOT of petitioners are waiting for the costs to go down.in the end of the day the service they will be offering when the prices go down wont even be worth that 300 something that the reduced rate will be.

You don't consider paying $300 or $400 or $9,000 worth it to be with your fiance? Personally, I've hated the wait every bit as much as the next person, but I would never be ungrateful that this is a relatively easy process. Yes, the wait is absolutely brutal, and the gathering of a million pieces of paper is mundane.... but for the most part, if you have no sketchy past, or someone with your name has no sketchy past, you will be awarded the LUXURY and PRIVILEGE to be with the person you love.

I'm not saying it's completely fair, and that people of high fraud consulates are not denied and are not put in AP for no real reason... but considering how high fraud some consulates are, the process is still relatively easy, since the US government could just deny every single case from high fraud counties, or any country. Just imagine if someone said, "No foreign fiance(e)s. You may ONLY marry within your nationality.".

It's like when my kids want their science test, social studies test, spelling activities, and novel studies back the VERY NEXT DAY. I just keep saying, I'm one person, you are 30. Give me some time. CSC/VSC are however many people... and they get tens of thousands of applications. I'm not saying there was not a hiatus on K1s earlier this fall, there most certainly was, and it was frustrating, but they still employ way less people than they get petitions.

Just my two cents. I'm sure I'm in the minority with my opinion here, so comment away if you like. I just choose to be grateful that I will be with my fiance in hopefully less than a year, assuming Montreal gets it together with interviews. It's better than never.

This is fantastic advice! 12 days is a long time and precious. I've been researching the London embassy on here and it looks like the same story with packet 3, can any UK filers confirm this?

You could post in the regional forum, or off the top of my head, Dodi, Melissa/Julian, Gemmie.. they've all gotten packet 3 from the UK within the last several months so you could PM them to ask! I'm not sure anyone who reads this thread will have gotten packet 3 from the UK lately, haha... just a thought

but yeah, seriously, 12 days is 12 days! I wish I had of figured that out. I still don't actually have the hard copy of P3 in my hands, bc it went to my parents' house first, and they mailed it to me. My fiance scanned his copy and emailed it to me.

Your case should clear NVC pretty quickly. our NOA2 is dated Oct 20th, and Packet 3 was mailed out on Nov 1st. So that gives you a rough idea of when to start calling DOS to see if it's been mailed!

so i spoke with the embassy in london today and they referred me to the link on the UK portal for the forms in packet 3, and said i could send them in even before i heard from the embassy bc they had us entered into the system, but had yet to mail the packet to us (even tho they received our stuff oct 26!) i have had all of these things filled out for ages, but just realized the ds-156k i had downloaded from this site expired the 30th of september, and the links on both the london embassy site and the state dept sites lead to null files (it says "no file to be opened"

anyone recently do the paperwork for london (or a packet three from anywhere) that they could send me the form?

I just sent Packet 3 back to Montreal, and the DS-156K form was expired from Montreal's website, as well. I'm assuming USCIS or whoever updates the forms hasn't done so yet. It expired as of 10.31.10.

I filled out the form as normal, and noted in my cover letter for Packet 3 that the form was expired, and I had used the link they provided on Montreal consulate website, and the only available form was expired, so I had to use it. I also stated in my cover letter that I would bring an updated version of the form to my interview, if one is available at that time.

Then, thanks to J of JLovesA, she gave me the idea to put a sticky note (post-it) on the actual DS-156K saying it was expired, and the only one available. That way, it's noted twice and they don't think you overlooked it.

I don't think it will be a problem, as long as you bring the updated one to the interview, if it's available. There's not much we CAN do if the link they are providing goes to an expired form!

http://montreal.usconsulate.gov has the forms! Again, it's expired, but I'm assuming it's the same link at all embassy's websites.

Well I'm not spiritual or religious, and I certainly don't see a fortune teller....BUT even if we do have a 3 month wait at the UK embassy it still puts him here in Feb/early Mar as long as the STUPID NOA2 arrives soon. All along we had been planning things for the worst case scenario. Sadly it looks like the worst case scenario is reality. We're still planning the wedding for April and I think that's do-able as long as we don't get caught up in any paperwork snags. If the NOA2 arrives in late November or early December that gives us all of December-January-February for embassy stuff.

I also have never been to a fortune teller, nor do I ever plan to go.... my fiance and I are semi-religious, we go to church once in a while and say grace and count our blessing and all the rest. We are not fanatics or anything, but we enjoy our faith.

I think your attitude is really good, because I doubt it would take more than 3 months from NOA2 to interview. If it helps, you are probably more prepared than most when they get Packet 3, and won't have any delays sending it back. And, 3 months on peoples' timelines includes the time it takes to get to NVC, then embassy, and get P3 to the beneficiary... it's not like it's 3 months from sending back Packet 3.

In case you didn't know, here's a semi-short cut (I figured it out too late). Wait until you get the letter from NVC with the new London case number.. then wait a day or two, and call DOS. They will tell you if Packet 3 has been sent yet. If it has, you can send the information back to the embassy, because (at least for Montreal), there is NOTHING in Packet 3 you actually need to send back. You actually have to download all the forms online. I didn't realize that, and we wasted 11 days. It was sent on the 1st, and I only got it on Tuesday and sent it back yesterday. I know it's not a HUGE time saver, but 12 days is still 12 days.

Don't let other people bring you down. A positive attitude carries you far in life and will definitely continue to help with immigration!!

For what it's worth, I think an April wedding is still 100% feasible.

*BUMP*

Anyone have any experience with any of these questions? I know the P3 has changed somewhat recently, but I can't believe CBM and I are the very first ones to have to try and figure it out.

I wish we weren't the first ones getting this new version of P3! I was all set and was ready to go on my way with all the info I have learned from VJ since May..... then it all changes, haha. We'll be trailblazers for the rest of the upcoming P3ers

I sent mine via DHL yesterday. I couldn't be bothered to figure out how to do it for free, since the woman at the counter had no idea and didn't seem interested in figuring it out, either, so I just paid the $20, and was happy enough to get it out of my hands. Have you sent yours yet? Or rather, your fiancee is Canadian, correct?

Thanks for the info, Huggles!

ohh gotcha! Montreal doesn't use that form anymore because they use DS 160 online... and that question definitely wasn't a part of it!

That makes sense now, haha

I would say, just bring an updated form to the interview. No big deal.

are you sure you list all trips to everywhere in the world? I just remember listing trips to the US. I could be wrong though.

I know for the naturalization forms, you have to state all trips you've taken in the last number of years (5 maybe? I can't remember).... but I don't recall that on any P3 forms. Again, could be wrong.

I'm not sure about other consulates, but I know when I got my P3 it just said to tick it off the checklist that I had it. I didn't even have to send it in, let alone attach tax returns Im pretty sure its just for at the interview stage you'll need it. Though mine had I-134 and the I-864 on the list and I thought the latter one was only for AOS...

I noticed they had both on the checklist, too! but I thought i864 was just for AOS.... are you going to get your fiance to that, too? Cause right now, I only have i-134.... I didn't realize it would be part of P3....

I sent it today! I managed to hunt down a DHL location close enough to me. I hope it's okay it wasn't sent from the one 2 hours away, haha.... at least it was DHL, which I think is the most important thing.

Just from her perspective - wouldn't she rather find out about your divorce/prior marriage from you beforehand rather than a CO at the interview? Never mind the negative impact on the visa, but think about how she will feel.

I'm not judging, because it's not my place to judge..... but I personally would rather know about a prior marriage or something like that from my fiance, NOT from someone else. I would feel lied to and deceived.

As most people have pointed out, she WILL find out. Not if, but when. Let her know your ex doesn't mean anything to you anymore and you love your fiancee, and she is the most important woman in your life, but you wanted to tell her because it's the right thing to do.

That's what I was thinking (sorry I didn't see this reply until just now). Well, even though everyone SAYS credit doesn't matter here...I get denied for financial-based decisions on a constant basis and I just don't want to risk something this important. It's like they punch in my SSN and get a skull and crossbones saying: DENY HER IMMEDIATELY AND RUN!

hahah gap1, I love this..... but it's true for me too

my student loan isn't in default, but I owe more on it than I care to think about. ugh.

I feel like there's a giant branding on my forehead, "MASSIVE STUDENT DEBT, DENY HER FOR EVERYTHING, ALWAYS.... ALSO LAUGH AT HER CREDIT SCORE. THEN LAUGH AT HER INCOME EVEN THOUGH HER MASSIVE STUDENT DEBT SHOULD BEING PAYING OFF" haha.... i exaggerate (obviously), but I do feel your pain on the student loans.

I love my career path (teaching), and to be honest, it's really not about the money because I love kids so darn much, and LOVE teaching, I just wish I didn't have to go into what feels like multimillion dollar debt to do what I love!.... and it just won't pay off the loans as quickly as I'd like.

But seriously - my fiance has lots of debt (a lotttttttttt and also owes back taxes he makes payments on monthly, so there's no tax lien in place or anything), and we have no plans of getting a co-sponser bc he makes way above 125% of poverty. Don't worry! You've come this far and I doubt your student loan will hold you back! If nothing else, an education shows you have high earning potential.

Has anyone else tried about 600 times to get the DS-160 online to accept their photo? I have tried to scan and re-scan my photo.

I don't have a photo cropper thingy program, so I can't take a photo with my webcam...

Is there anyone who has just skipped the photo on that part and sent in a physical photo with the packet 3 paperwork instead, or just brough an extra to the interview?

His parents would work fine as a co-sponser, but keep in mind, it can only be 1 person, so probably whoever makes more money.

And, they have to make enough to cover their household plus you as the fiancee. So, his mom, his dad, plus you (and any other dependents in the household) would be counted towards how much the co-sponser needs to make. So, if it's just you 3, then 125% of poverty for 3 people.

I hope I explained that without being even more confusing!!

Congrats on your surprise approval!!

Just got my new P3 as well (for anyone who doesn't know). I don't know anything about previous VJer experience with trying to "pre-schedule" the interview before sending in their P3 info. My sense is that you are right to follow the instructions and wait to schedule until after you have sent in your forms. It's what we plan to do too, unless anyone can offer compelling information otherwise.

Yeah, after my initial melt down (haha) and reading everything 50 more times and reading your SUPER helpful .doc, I'm reasonably comfortable with this new process.

Now if I could just get the website to accept my stinking photo.... haha.

tallfrond, you rock. a lot. seriously, a million thanks.

I'm glad you cae along to calm me down. It's basically the same process as before, but with the online stuff beforehand, then waiting for "P4" via email.

The DHL business still ticks me off, since I dunno how I'd get to London during a school week to send it.... "okay kids, classtrip to DHL in London!!" haha....

yeah, I just received the "new version" of P3, and I'm so lost with it.... the VJ guides/wikis are now obsolete for MTL, since they are doing all this new business. It's so confusing. I started a thread about it a few threads above this one, if you want to check it out. "scheduling interview online" or something like that....

Let me know if you figure anything out!!

i don't know if this helps but this is right from their website

http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/textonly.asp?section=visas&document=immigrant_visa

located at the bottom, you will see links to

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS REQUIRED PER INSTRUCTION LETTER (PKT3 ) &

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE INTERVIEW ( PKT4 )

http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/textonly.asp?section=visas&document=immigrant_visa

PACKET 3 LINK

http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/textonly.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3

PACKET 4 LINK

http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/textonly.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt4

It states it will email you after your case has been reviewed, and provide you the link to schedule your interview.

I had my interview October 22

Have things changed that much in just a few short weeks?

Thanks for the links, MSR. I perused those last night.... the conclusions I've come to are:

1) I'm mailing packet 3 back by Canada Post (registered mail) bc I live 2 hours away from London's DHL, which closes at 5 pm, and I teach until 3:15, aka 4 pm, which means I could not POSSIBLY get to London, ever, during their open hours. Hopefully Canada Post is still okay to mail back P3. It seems ludicrus it wouldn't be.

2) I'm not scheduling my interview at this time. I will be waiting until I have sent back the documents, and they email me via the email I provided in DS-230.

3) I'll have to suck it up and drive to London at some point to pick up my passport in the DHL office there.

I know I seem like I'm blubbering on about nothing, but it's just so incredibly frustrating that I prepared myself in the 5 months of waiting for NOA2 for this Packet 3 business, and now that info is obsolete.

I seem to be among the first VJ Canadians receiving the new P3, which doesn't make me feel overly confident.

congrats! I'm glad it all worked out!!

Good luck with the interview and safe travels there!!

Shedualing interview online post. Was posted from back in september when the new P3 started coming out.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/275336-visa-appointment-scheduling-system-username/page__p__4201324__fromsearch__1#entry4201324

this one even has phone numbers to phone and book your interview.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/275210-can-log-into-appointment-scheduling-system/page__pid__4197792#entry4197792

all of them booked online when they got their P3s.

THanks for your links, but if I'm not mistaken, all of those people had already sent back their P3 info and were waiting to get their "old" P4, with the interview date on them, BUT instead got this new fangled thing telling them to schedule their own interview online.

Again, I could definitely be wrong, but I think that's how it went with that group.

I guess what I really want to know is.... do I still have to wait til P3 info (DS 230 and all that) is logged?

Pretty sure the answer is yes. Otherwise, I would be scheduling an interview and they wouldn't even have my DS info in their system....

I feel like a moron. I'm actually a fairly intelligent person, haha... this is just new and kind of intimidating because I don't want to screw it up. We already waited 5 months for NOA2, and I really, really don't want to mess this up. Funny/moderately shameful that immigration can make a person cry.

Shedualing interview online post. Was posted from back in september when the new P3 started coming out.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/275336-visa-appointment-scheduling-system-username/page__p__4201324__fromsearch__1#entry4201324

this one even has phone numbers to phone and book your interview.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/275210-can-log-into-appointment-scheduling-system/page__pid__4197792#entry4197792

all of them booked online when they got their P3s.

But how can I click the box that says, "you have received permission from the consulate to book your interview" (or something along those lines), when I have not received that permission?

This was also on the new interview scheduling website: If an appointment is scheduled before the case is ready for processing, the applicant will be turned away the day of the appointment which may result in considerable delays in the application process.

I haven't even sent in my Packet 3 info (ie DS 230, et al) bc I just received it literally tonight.... it just doesn't make sense to me.

I know what you're saying, that people have scheduled the interviews online already, but I don't think they did it before Montreal even received their DS-230, etc...... I could be wrong.

I'd be more than happy to check the box and schedule my interview ASAP! I just don't want to get turned away the day of the interview as it says above.

P4 is the interview date letter the confirmation snail mail that you have an interview on that date.... its not another packet saying to make your interview.

The longer you wait to make your interview date the further your interview will move away from you.

Fill out the paperwork you need, book your medical and then book your interview date. Don't wait too long.

Right. But I was referring to Packet 3, not Packet 4. Packet 3 is all new now, with all the online and DHL processing, and VJ's wikis and guides for Packet 3 in Montreal no longer apply. Everything is different than it was even a few months ago.

It appears that no one on VJ has really gotten this new Packet 3 yet.

I've figured out a solution that I hope will work, and if it doesn't, I guess I'll try again.

Edited to add: Packet 3 says to fill out the email address in DS-230, as the interview scheduling (ie the old Packet 4) is no longer sent via snail mail, but will simply be an email notification to schedule your own interview.

yeah but it asks me to check a box saying I have been authorized by the consulate to schedule my interview. I think I won't schedule it, because I don't want to check the box, since it isn't true... unless they mean I've been sent P3, which tells me to go to that website.

UGH. new way = confusing.

I think what I'll do it print all my DS forms tomorrow and mail via Canada post. Then, I'll just wait for P4 and schedule using the online way, and register for DHL then. I'm not driving 2 hours to London to send the package via DHL. That's a bit absurd.