The Interview Letter - in detail (part two)

The rest of page two tells you that your case has now moved beyond the NVC and, if you have any questions, you should now only communicate with the US embassy. You are given the address of the embassy and are told what details (Case number, Principal Applicant, Category & "Foreign State of Chargeability*") to include when communicating.

The third and final page is entitled "Notice to Visa Applicants".

There's a subheading "Visa Interview Requirements" that I will copy (almost) verbatim.

VLAD THE IMPALA must bring the following to the visa interview:

• Any original documents that were requested by the NVC but were not submitted to the NVC
• The medical examination results if not submitted to the Embassy/Consulate by the physician
• The correct size and number of photographs
• Valid passport for all traveling applicants

Point three is beautifully vague.

Finally there is a very scary looking table of "documents requested" that (in my case) names seventeen documents needed for the interview. Each document has a code letter by it. As most of my original documents were sent to the NVC (or the USCIS) this is a little intimidating.

Then you look up the codes. Basically you're looking for codes 'A' (to be acquired), 'I' (is incomplete) 'T' (translation needed) or 'S' (scanned document received), though a 'U' (document unavailable) is pretty scary too. My application had none of these codes - mine was full of F's, O's and Y's ("not required", "original document already submitted" and "document received and accepted").

I also had a document status of 'C' for a document called "Correspondence Instructions" - this was not explained in the notes. I have to assume that, as this was the first document named, that it's self-referential and is talking about the interview letter itself (as that has to be brought to the interview).

And that's about it...


*is that a real word? Really?

The Interview Letter - in detail (part one)

It arrived in a weird, side-opening envelope a few days after Foof received her copy. It came directly from the NVC in New Hampshire and is (according to the text) the last time that the NVC will communicate with me. It's printed on US "Letter" paper and not A4 so it will be a little too wide for those cute plastic covers that you've been storing all your other paperwork in.

Just like Foof's letter it's dated June 9th. It gives a summary of where we are in the process (i.e. just finishing with the NVC), reminds me of my case number and tells me that my petition has been forwarded to the London Embassy.

The second paragraph gives the interview date and time.

There's then a section marked "Important Information" that points you to the www.ImmigrantVisas.state.gov website and tells you to follow all its instructions carefully so that your application isn't "refused at the initial interview". You are instructed to take this letter with you to the interview (or you won't get in, obviously).

The next page lists everyone who should attend the interview (i.e. me).

There is then a list of "reminders", asking you to bring along any documents you've missed, medical results (if they've not already been sent to the embassy), a "number" of passport-sized photographs (5cm x 5cm), Foofer's income tax return (if needed) and the final "reminder" is another "refused at the initial interview" threat if you don't bring all your documents.

Part two will detail the rest of this letter including the list of what you must bring to the interview...

Invitation to an Interview

As you're not allowed into the US Embassy without a written invitation, I'd asked Foof to send me the letter she had received from the NVC as soon as possible. This turned out to be a waste of time and mail as they have sent me my own copy - which I received today.

Yay!

Turn Your Head & Cough

So now we know when the interview is, I need to book my medical (the final letter from the NVC actually tells you to log on to their website and follow the instructions (for your country) to prepare for your interview).

For this I will need the following:

• Passport
  
• Passport photo
• £180
• Vaccination records
  
• Completed USA Medical Questionnaire

The first three items I have (or can get), the vaccination records I will get from my GP tomorrow (I called them and they seemed pretty cool about it) and the (country specific) Medical Questionnaire I have downloaded from www.ImmigrantVisas.state.gov (as the NVC letter states).

The Medical Questionnaire itself is a one page form at the end of the downloadable medical pdf (which contains some FAQ, directions, vaccination details etc…) which requires your case number, interview date, name, address, nationality etc... and then goes on to ask 21 medical questions. If you answer "YES" to any of these questions you must use a separate sheet of paper to give further details.

I rang a very nice lady at Knightsbridge Doctors who, even though they were busy, managed to get me a medical on the day I wanted (I am donating platelets on July 1st so I didn't want to have any vaccinations until after then) at a time that was convenient. Note: All immigration medicals are performed at their site in Bentinck Mansions.

I now have my medical booked for July 3rd.
Exactly one week before my interview…

Interview Date Set!!

So Foofer just got a letter from the NVC, dated June 9th, telling us that my interview at the London Embassy is set for July 10th. At first we weren't sure why this was sent to Foof. then we realised - they must really take this "agent" stuff seriously.

WOW.

This is also the last time we deal with the NVC. The letter states that, from now on, we should talk directly to the embassy.

Now, while Foof sends the interview letter to me (so that I can get into the embassy), I have to organise my medical.

It's suddenly all happening!!!
(and I couldn't be happier)

Coming to England

Have just heard, via the final NVC automated message, that my papers were despatched (or is it dispatched?) to the London Embassy on June 16th. My case is coming to England.

YAY!

The next thing that should happen (I think) is that the embassy will contact me for a medical. But before that, there is a(n unofficial) way for me to follow my paperwork from the NVC to the UK:

Every day the NVC posts a batch of immigration forms to various embassies/consulates around the world. The always use the same format for their tracking "EXP dd MMM yyyyA" where dd = day, MMM = month (JAN, FEB etc) and (guess what?) yyyy = year (the "EXP" and "A" don't change).

Some examples are: "EXP 08 JUN 2009A", "EXP 24 DEC 2006A" & "EXP 16 OCT 2008A"

The date you will be after is the date mentioned on the automated message (or maybe the day before/after that). Go to this site and enter your reference. This will give you a list of the packages sent on that day. Find your country and track your package...
(update: Mine (9343816182) has gone from Londonderry NH to Boston MA to Wilmington OH (I know that looks like the wrong way but DHL have a major site in Wilmington) and should be in the UK tomorrow(ish))

It's not a great help but, for some reason, it helps...

NVC Automated Messages

For your own reference (and timeline) here are the main automated messages:

NVC Assigns a Case#:

"...This case was entered in the NVC computer system on _______. The case number assignned by the NVC is (Case #). Please allow 6-8 week from this date for the beneficiary to receive the documents"

DS3032/ AOS Fee Bill Generated:
"...NVC will mail...the beneficiary..." OR "DS3032 and AOS Fee Bill has been generated on________"

DS3032 Entered in the System:
"...NVC has received the DS3032, Choice of Agent and Address form on______.
Please allow 4-6 weeks before you will be notified by NVC..."

AOS Fee Processed:
"...NVC has received the DS3032, Choice of Agent and Address form on______.
and will send further instructions within the next few weeks..."

IV Fee Bill Generation:
"...The Immigration Visa Fee Bill letter has been generated on ____and will be sent within the next few weeks..."

IV Fee Bill Processed:
"NVC has received IV fee bill on ______ and will send further instructions within next few weeks. "

DS-230 Generation:
"NVC is expecting return of the biographic forms by the petitioner... "

DS-230 Receipt:
"The NVC has received the checklist letter response on ______"

Processing:
"The NVC received your documents on ______. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks..."

Case Complete:
"... your Case was completed on ______. Please allow 8 weeks for further instructions..."

Case Forwarded to Embassy:
"...The NVC has completed the case and forwarded it to the Embassy or Consulate in..."

Note - If you're outside the US, try a service like Skype to save on call costs (especially as, if you're like me, you'll be calling the NVC a lot more than you'd like to admit)

NVC - Complete

Our case was completed at the NVC yesterday.

YAY!

All Documents at the NVC

The automated number at the NVC now states that, as of May 27th 2009, all documents are now with them at the NVC (er, you've had them for a week guys). They also state that there should be a decision in about six to eight weeks.

As I've said before, we're hoping for a much shorter waiting period...

NVC (kinda) Acknowledges the Affidavit of Support

The automated message from the NVC has changed to one stating that it's awaiting (my) biographical information . . . which is strange as the forms were sent together (albeit in separate envelopes) and arrived at the NVC at exactly the same time. So they are (sorta) acknowledging that they have the AOS (that's Affidavit of Support not Adjustment of Status).

The message says that, once they have my biographical information (clue: it's in your building, guys!) they will make a decision within six to eight weeks.

The good people of Visajourney.com give us some extra hope here. Their records show that decisions are currently taking less than two weeks. The feedback is usually one of three things:

1. Accepted - paperwork will proceed to Embassy
2. Queried - more information required
3. Investigated - mostly happens to engaged couples (and, hopefully, not married ones). This is a bad thing, cases are in a form of limbo for months...

There may be a fourth, rejection, but I have yet to hear of a case that has ended here. More fun to pass the case to the Embassy and let them deliver the bad news...

Going For It!

We've had a discussion and, as the information from the NVC says you should wait to hear from them AND it also says you should not proceed before paying... as we've paid, we're going for it...

Should we wait?
(The NVC case-line tells us to)
Can we sent our stuff now?
The website hints that maybe we can...

We'll just have to see...

Still waiting for the NVC

It's been just under four weeks since payment was acknowledged by the NVC and we've heard nothing. We should have had some forms through by now (either the I-864 "Affidavit of Support" form or the DS-230 "me" forms). The official position is that if you haven't heard from the NVC in six weeks you can contact them.

Foof is going to call them tomorrow. I'm amazed at how patient she's been.

The Waiting Game

Obviously, the trick I've used before of resigning myself to waiting a long time for results, only for the NVC or USCIS to respond almost instantly, isn't going to work again but I'm trying it anyway. According to their automated update system, the NVC generated the next pack for us a day after Foof paid online (I assume it's my DS-230 pack and not the tax stuff for Foofer) but they stated that it could take some weeks to reach us.

As we have all of our paperwork filled in (or filled out if you're on the western side of the Atlantic) in advance and our documents (both original and certified copies) ready, we have nothing left to do at the moment except to spend hours on Skype chatting to each other, waiting for things to arrive in the mail.

And sometimes the mail at Foof's apartment complex gets screwed up.

So we wait.

Again.

Update

...and I'm back!

That was a lovely break (The Dairy Queen in Ludlow, CA will always remain a special memory).

As I mentioned before, I took the DS-3032 with me and we posted it on the ninth (or maybe it was the tenth - I was kinda tired).

We had our honeymoon in NV, AZ and CA.

Just before Foofer started the sad sad task of driving me to the airport yesterday, she checked her mail. The NVC had contacted her, as my agent, in a letter dated 16th April. They were asking for $400 but it still cheered us up as things are progressing (and they're progressing fast).

The letter also contained instructions about how, three days after (online*) payment Foof should go back to the website she paid on and, once payment was acknowledged, download the next round of forms.

Things are speeding up...

*There were instructions about paying by mail but we skipped those - viva la intrawebz.

More mail!

My DS-3032, Choice of Agent, form arrived today. For some reason it came to the UK via Germany (Deutsche Post in Frankfurt to be exact (or, maybe, Niederaula (as that's on the envelope too))). The DS-3032 is a strange form where you have to enter some of the information twice (why? I do not know).

I have a dilemma.

Do I fill this in and send it or, as I'll be in Las Vegas in 48 hours, do I post it from Sin City? I see that a new option (discussed on Visajourney.com) is to email the NVC directly, claiming that you haven't received your form yet and proposing your spouse as your agent.

I will be IMing with Foof later today so we'll decide what to do then.

The "Magic" of this Blog

When I seem to note, on this blog, that I'm waiting (patiently) for something but that it's going to be a long long time, stuff happens.

Today, Foofer received a package from the NVC (posted on the 25th of March).

A copy of the DS-3032 and a bill for $70. Foofer is paying this fee as I type (which will take about three days to go through).

If my copy of the DS-3032 hasn't arrived by Thursday, I now know that there's one waiting for me in Las Vegas.

Yay!!!

Waiting (again)

Every day is like the next - at least, that is, for me,
I'm waiting for our letter from the NVC.
I haven't waited very long (though it feels like it's been ages).
I bet it falls upon my mat, the second I'm in Vegas.

I'm heading out to Las Vegas in a couple of days to have a well deserved mini-honeymoon with Foofer. As the first form from the NVC has yet to arrive, it will be just my luck if it gets here the day after I've flown. Still, Foof should get a copy too so, hopefully, we'll be able to fill that in instead.

More news when I get it...

Please Mr Postman

And so our case is officially at the NVC, I called their special hotline and the (irritatingly drawn out - but oh so useful) automated message system (603 334-0700) confirmed it and even gave me our new NVC case number. It's very straightforward but seems to be busy for a lot of the time.

The next step is, apparently, when I receive a DS-3032 through the mail, although it seems that Foofer should receive a copy of that form too (though I'm not exactly sure why). This is the point where the process splits into two and can get complicated:

The DS-3032 asks me to nominate an agent to represent me. Often this could be an attorney or a family friend or even myself but, as payments are needed from a US bank account (which I obviously don't have as you need a social security number to open one) and we haven't relied on anyone else yet, we decided that Foofer would be my agent.

While I'm busy nominating my agent, Foofer will get a request (for money followed by another) for her tax history (I-864) to prove that she can support me if I were to be unable to find gainful employment. If that's acceptable than that would normally be her efforts completed - but as she's my agent she'll have a few more tasks.

It appears that I have to pay a fee too (or maybe two fees? I'll let you know if/when it happens) and then I'll receive the infamous DS-230 form (biographical information).

But for now, I'm waiting at the door for my DS-3032, checking my mail every day. Hoping that, today, the postman will make me smile...

A Quick Note About Costs

Now, we've already paid $355 for the processing of the I-130 but, as the NVC is a separate part of the process (and, technically a separate entity), we have to pay them too. They require a further $355 plus a $45 "Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge".

Note that, once we progress to the embassy in London, we'll have to pay further charges for a medical (currently £180), the visa itself (about £95 but worth every penny) and the courier to get the visa to me (another £20). That's a total cost of just under $1,200 (not counting any certificates, postage or printing.)

Fortunately, spending the rest of my life with my wonderful wife will be worth every penny (and a LOT more besides).

So, What Next?

Once the CSC has approved a case and issued their NOA2 (they call it an I-797), they forward that case to the NVC, the National Visa Center, in New Hampshire.

We should hear from them within three weeks of getting our NOA2. Whether that's three weeks after the NOA2 date (March 4th) or three weeks after Foofer received the I-797 through the mail (March 19th) - I'm not sure. I am sure that using the word "mail" instead of "post" will take some getting used to.

So, for the moment, we await news from Portsmouth, NH.