ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Australia and New ZealandNever received 'Packet 3' - what should I do!?

We are just a little bit behind you.  We are finishing out things with NVC and they should be sending the case over to the local embassy (Japan in our case) soon. My wife calls the (Tokyo) embassy public assistance office about once a week to see if they have anything new on our case.  We gave up waiting for the various offices to contact us...and we contact them asking them whats up with out case.  We usually just get a run around or unclear answers but it seems to be better than waiting.  Sometimes we've been told to please  wait some more....then in a day some email will come from them.  I'm not sure if the public relations people really know what the actual case workers are doing in the other rooms.  It sometimes seems that they don't.  I would recommend you contact the Sydney people regularly by email, phone, and old fashioned paper mail if you must.  Keep knocking (nicely) and every now and again you will get answers and can better plan and predict your next steps.  Good Luck!


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-03-05 02:52:00
K-3 Spousal Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsi129f at nebraska service centre

We filed in April2013 to the Arizona office...but then received mail that it was being processed at the Missouri office.  Then in December we got a note saying it was transferred to Texas for quicker processing.  6 weeks later it was approved (130 and 129) and sent on to the State Dept in NewHampshire.  It took 2 weeks for it to get from Texas to NH,  then we were told they would contact us in 30 days...that turned into 60 and we were contacted by email that it was ready for further processing.  We paid the $88 to start the AOS and my wife submitted the 261 form online.   We called the NH office and they said that normally 10 business days after we submit the 261 form they would send another payment invoice for the 260 form which will be $230.  Normally 10 days but....they are backlogged and it is taking a bit longer.  Who knows anymore.  Whatever they quote you in terms of time frame never holds.  This has taken nearly a year now and we still are not up to the interview yet.  I'm frustrated for sure and I feel everyone's pain here as they wait.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-03-17 01:40:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Help!!!! Fee payments and online forms can no longer be accepted

Same thing for me...  Just today I received an email from the NVC directing me to the payments page to pay the $88 Fee for AOS processing.   I got the same "error" notice about termination.  You bet I was worried and confused.   I want to pay immediately and move this process along as soon as possible. Can I call them and pay over the phone tomorrow?  Should I just wait a day or so   or how long?


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-03-05 00:05:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresEntry into US on a Tourist Visa while in this K3/ I-130 process

Thank you 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-02-16 16:24:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresEntry into US on a Tourist Visa while in this K3/ I-130 process

I'm an American Citizen,  my wife in Japanese.  We've applied back in Apr2013 for the I129 and I130.  Recently we received the approvals from the USCIS and they've been forwarded to the NVC.  During this wait time,  is it ok for my wife to enter US on the 90day tourist visa and visit for a while (not to exceed the 90 days)????  or If while here,  can we switch the location of the final interview which would normally take place at the Tokyo Embassy to the local Immigration office here in Hawaii?  


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-02-16 15:56:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN400 document checklist!

The way I understand it,  if you submit copies of your tax returns then you need to also submit copies of the W2 forms relating to that years taxes.  If you go to the IRS webpage and download your Tax Transcripts from them then those alone are sufficient.   Either way...Tax Returns+W2 or Transcripts from the IRS page.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-07-22 01:24:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAOS how many weeks would it take before NVC could finish checking it?

I submitted my AOS in early April and got a checklist back about 3 weeks later notifying me of a few errors on my 864 form.  I quickly re downloaded the form, filled it out again correcting my errors, and mailed to them again.  They (the NVC) received it on May6.   May30 was date they claim to have reviewed it and we got the Case Complete status.   Next step....interview


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-04 07:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsCase Complete at the NVC so how long until they notify us

Thank you for the responses.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-05 04:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsCase Complete at the NVC so how long until they notify us

I just called the NVC and was told our case was complete  :joy:   They are in the process of scheduling the the interview for my wife at the Tokyo embassy.  My question to any of you is....  How long does it usually take for the NVC to notify us by email that our case is complete and or how long does it take for them to change the status of our case from "At NVC"  to "Case Complete"  on the ceac.state.gov page where we can check the status of our application????  All the agent would say is that they would send out an email in a couple of days and the ceac website would be updated but wouldn't say when.   It was GREAT to hear him say the words Case Complete,  but I'd like to see it written from them ASAP.   What has been some of your experiences on this time frame??? 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-04 06:53:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsState Dept Computer Crash

My wife had her interview this past week at the Tokyo Embassy and her CR1 Visa was APPROVED.   However...due to the computer crash of the State Department's Visa Data Base,  NO Visa's are being issued.   They have her passport and are not printing, inserting into passports, or mailing them out.  She has had to cancel Air Flights at her expense and we are not being told when they will resume.   At this most happiest of times....Finally after a year and a half of this USCIS, NVC, and then at the Embassy experience...we are approved and told to wait for who knows how long.   What has been some of your experiences out there?  Who else is held up in this mess???


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-07-30 03:34:00
PhilippinesTime from NOA2 to NVC

Our I-130 and 1-129F were both approved by USCIS on Jan 9.  Still no response from NVC as of today Feb 13. I did send an email to the NVC to register my email address for updates etc.  That was on Jan14.  10 days later on Jan24, I got an email back from them stating they had "recently received my case" and would contact me within 30 days.  They seem to keep pushing out that start of the 30 days point.  


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-02-13 05:19:00
PhilippinesIncome Question

Your example of being $2000 short so you need $6000 in assets IS what that rule means.  That stated,  there are a number of things listed that can or can not be used to make that value.  Stocks, Mutual Fund savings, etc can be used.  The resale value of your car can not be used but if you have multiple cars..then those additional cars might qualify.  You should search for that list in the instruction pages about the support issue.  As for me,  I was a bit short so when I just filed my taxes for 2013,  I "admitted" to unreported tips and brought my income up.  I had to pay taxes on the tips I admitted to but it brought me up above that level.  I do have savings which would have covered that 3times the difference calculation but I'd rather have that income be above their requirement than have them question my ability to support.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-03-17 00:32:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAdjusting Status if my spouse enters US on a tourist visa

I am the US Citizen,  my wife is from Japan.  We applied for the I-130 in early April 2013 and were approved in Jan2014.  We are still waiting for the NVC contact us for the next steps of showing support and interview at the Japan Consulate.   My question,.... IF she comes here for a short visit using the 90 day tourist visa,  can we then apply for Adjustment of Status and do the interview and whatever paper work at the local Immigration office in Honolulu Hawaii near where I live?  


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-03-03 23:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion about US Spouse Visa: I-864 Affidavit of Support

So do I as the American Citizen need to earn 125% of the poverty level income annually to be considered "good enough" to sponsor my foreign wife?  


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-02-13 06:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresaos fee paid, cant paid iv yet :/

I paid the $88 fee and then I was allowed to move on to the Affidavit of Support phase.  My wife (waiting in Japan) completed her DS-261 and submitted it online.  I called the NVC today and talked to them about it.  Usually the 261Form takes about 10 business days to process and then they will send an invoice to pay $230US and upon paying that fee,  we will be moved on to the 260Form.  However,  I was told they were running behind on that 10 day rate and he didn't tell me how far behind they were.  I see someone here wrote 3 weeks...that could be.   So we wait now.  261 Submitted online and when we get the invoice to pay, we will pay and move on to 260.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-03-13 20:03:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion about NVC process times

We filed our A of Support document and the DS260 etc forms were done online.  Received the notices that we need to pay the fees for the AOS and the ds260 forms and we paid those online at the CEAC website.   Now... how long should we expect to wait for them to process whatever and send the paperwork to the local consulate and we get an interview date?


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-04-23 04:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresRFE received last month, no new information

We had a similar experience with the USCIS staff just basically reading to us the same statement that we could read online.  It's very frustrating.  This whole process is ridiculously slow and it will test you in many ways.   I would ask to speak to higher level supervisor if it's possible.   I would also do your best to be friendly to whoever you get on the line.  They are just some person sitting at a desk reading a computer screen and sadly they don't care about how long you've been waiting and nothing you or I say to them will pick up the pace.   I have found that getting into a friendly conversation with them will get them to share what they know about the process and they can give you hints about time frames and what they are seeing in general with other cases.   Getting upset with them will only cause them to give you the standard answers like....please wait 30 or 60 days to process.   In our case,  it took 5 months from the time we applied to the USCIS to get the approval and then we just got shifted over to the NVC which is yet another case of 30 day wait times for each step to happen.  I'm sorry to tell you...but I hope you have a year to let this process play out.   We applied to the USCIS with our 130 in April 2013.  It's now May2014 and we are still waiting for the NVC to give us our interview date at the Tokyo Embassy.  The estimate is around mid June so start to finish is about 1 year and 2 months.  


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-02 07:24:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Claims they didn't receive my A of Support documents

In an update to this story,  the NVC rep on the phone told me they DID have my 864 forms and to disregard the checklist stating they had not received it.   Subsequently,  a few days later,  I did get another checklist from the NVC regarding my 864 form.  They noted 3 or 4 items where they say I didn't check a box here and didn't add the number of household members and I didn't bring my total income down to a certain line.    They told me to fix those items and re submit my 864 form.   I quickly downloaded a new form,  filled it out,  double and triple checked it for accuracy, and sent it back at them.   Since then,  all is quiet.   Acceptance of this revised 864 is the only outstanding issue and the next step should be a Case Complete followed by an interview date assignment.

 

Thank you all for suggestions for those links about the process and checklist issues.  Very Helpful.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-09 05:43:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Claims they didn't receive my A of Support documents

Over 3 weeks ago I mailed my A of Support paperwork with Tax documents and assets info to the NVC.  I mailed it Priority Mail and tracking.  I have checked and I have confirmation from the US Postal service it arrived to them on April 7.   Today my wife called to NVC and checked on the status and they claim they don't have my documents and just now I got an email from the NVC with the checklist of items they need from me....and it's the A of Support they claim they don't have.  How to I tell them to search better for something they have had for 3 weeks...and I can prove it.????


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-04-29 01:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresForm i 864 for NVC

About assets,  I went to my Bank and Financial institutions websites and printed out either my most recent statement or the main page with my account balances.  I made sure it was a page that my name and or email with acct. numbers were noted.  I submitted those printouts with my 864 and have not had any comments back from the NVC for further or better documents to show my assets.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-09 05:54:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresSupporting Documents for Re-establishing Domicile (AOS packet)

All this looks good to me.  You've covered all the bases with solid evidence.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-09 05:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresBetter to use tax transcript for AOS (split topic)

So, my husband will just send the IRS transcript then, he don't need to send the 1040w and W2? I am right?

That is what the instructions say for the I864 Affidavit of Support forms. 

 

http://www.uscis.gov.../i-864instr.pdf

 

On page 6 of the 13 pages,  there is a heading that reads.... Item 14 Federal Tax information.   Its written about 3 paragraphs into that section.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-21 21:23:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresBetter to use tax transcript for AOS (split topic)

I printed out the Tax Transcripts that I downloaded from the IRS page.  I have not heard anything from the NVC that it was not acceptable.  The instructions for the I864 state that the IRS Transcripts are acceptable and you don't need to submit W2's if you send in the transcripts.  IF you send in copies of the 1040 or whatever tax forms you originally filled out when you did your taxes, then W2's are required.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-21 20:18:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGot Visa, now what? Any Japan/NVC questions?

In my case,  my wife went to the City government office, Kuyaku-sho,  and got a few more copies of the Konnin todoke.  This way we sent the NVC the actual form and we still had 1 each if either of us needed.  On birth certificates,  we submitted what my wife had for herself and we have not gotten back any checklist requesting anything different.   If your final interview will be at one of the US embassies there in Japan,  don't worry about translating the Konnintodoke or the birth certificate / Family register kind of stuff.  The embassy staff is certified to read and judge those as legitimate.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-27 01:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC?Processing times ??

If you follow the NVC MAY filers thread there is a link to a spreadsheet on the very first post. Everyone updates their information and if you study it, you can get an idea of the time it will take. Sadly it is taking 3-4 weeks for them to review their mail. It was taking 2 weeks at the beginning of the month. They claim they are backlogged. 

 

I would have had a Case Complete on May1st but they decided that my husband's birth Certificate is not an original ( which it is) so we got cheklisted for another Birth Cert. They scanned it in on May 8th and I have been waiting ever since. Today is the 3 week mark.   I call twice a day because eveyday they add something to my file.  This wait is just STUPID.

Thank you for the suggestion.  I will check the May filers thread.  This is a second submission for me too.  I first submitted by i864 back in April but I got a checklist with a few errors which needed correction.  So those corrections have cost me at least a month.  I've only been calling them once or twice a week but I guess I should call more.  Hopefully anyday now will be the day they finish this.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-29 07:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC?Processing times ??

Submitted our I864 Financial Support documents to NVC and they admit to receiving it on May6 2014.  As of today, May29,  they still have not reviewed it and the NVC agent on the phone will only quote me the standard "30 days" time frame.  A few weeks ago,  the agent on the phone may have told me info I wasn't supposed to be told...and that is that they were taking around 15 business days to process stuff and gave me an unofficial estimate about when they would probably get to my file.   Does anybody have any more updates or info about NVC processing time?  It's very frustrating since 17 working days after they have all my documents that they still have not even reviewed them...much less approved or sent a checklist to fix something.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-29 06:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHow do you get through at NVC?

I start calling them at 7am East Coast USA time.  Even when I call right at 7am,  I'm usually on hold waiting for about 30-40 minutes before someone actually comes on the line.   It is frustrating.   


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-29 06:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes the Consulate return the original form I-864EZ along with the original documents at the time of the interview?

I think they will return the various documents like birth and marriage certificates and other stuff but the actual 864 is a signed contract by the petitioner to cover the beneficiary financially so I don't think they give that back.  I'm sure you could ask for a copy but the original is theirs I believe. 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-04 06:57:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTracking our package from the NVC to the Embassy where the interview will be

Thank you.

 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-12 04:59:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTracking our package from the NVC to the Embassy where the interview will be

We are almost there!  Our case is complete at the NVC,  and we have been told the date for the interview at the embassy.  I have heard there is a way to track the shipping of the documents the NVC will send to the Embassy( in our case Tokyo).  Do we need to call the NVC and ask them when they sent it and they tell us the tracking info?  Is there some way online that I can follow our documents from the NVC  to the Tokyo Embassy? 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-12 03:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTranslation for beneficiary's birth certificate and marriage certificate

I was told by the NVC that we DO NOT need to translate my wife's Birth Certificate or our Marriage Certificate because they are in Japanese and the interview will be held at the Tokyo Embassy.    IF for EXAMPLE,  my wife was from Korea ( or any other country) and we were having the interview at the Tokyo Embassy,  THEN those documents (written in Korean for this example)  would need to be translated into English.    That is my understanding.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-18 03:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHas anyone requested a change in their interview date?

We have an interview date set at the Tokyo Embassy.  This whole process has taken long enough and we would like to try to get an earlier date for the interview. The pages on the embassy website have a place to request a change of the date but it seems to refer to people who are unable for some reason to be there on the assigned date.  We can be there but we want an earlier date.   Has anyone successfully requested and received an earlier date for their interview? If we request a change,  will we lose the date we have and then they will make a new date at their preference which might be later?  Can we specifically request an earlier date and make it clear that if they can not make it earlier then to leave it as is?   What are some of your experiences with this?


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-06-18 02:44:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-864 questions

Great topics covered here about the 864 and related tax forms.  As I read the instructions,   I had the option of sending my copies of the 1040 forms and W2 ..or..the tax transcript from the IRS website without the W2.   I chose to send the IRS Transcripts.  

 

On translations,  the NVC rep in the USA told me that I didn't need to translate the various documents like our Marriage cert.  (Konin todoke) or my wife's Japanese birth cert. because it was going to be sent to the Tokyo Embassy and they could read it.   Only non-Japanese documents would need translation.  (For example) if my wife was from lets say Korea and her birth cert was in Korean...then it would need translation.  But Japanese language documents to be read by the Embassy staff in Japan ...need not be translated with the signature of the translator stating competency etc.   That is what I was told and we submitted those documents to the NVC and have not received a checklist back to translate them.


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-05-09 05:34:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNo answer given after interview

Currently "Ready". However, Status Update Date has been only changed to 22 July from 18 July, today. Once it's approved, how do you see it on CEAC and it will be update on time? Thank you.

 

 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-07-24 07:46:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNo answer given after interview

thank you.   


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-07-22 00:21:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNo answer given after interview

My wife had her interview at the Tokyo Embassy.  She told me everything went smooth.  The staff person asked her all the normal questions...when do we meet, where will we live, what do I do for employment etc.  He was very "Matter of fact".  He asked questions and while doing so was looking through various paperwork and was imputing data into a computer.   She did give him her passport with all the other required things we were told to bring.   

 

At the end of the 5 minutes at the window,  he basically just told her they needed to do some final check in the computer and would contact her within a week.  No "Approved or Not Approved" comment. They kept her passport. Everything seemed okay and we know that after 1 year and 4 months of this process that every I is dotted and T is crossed.  We've met all the requirements for finances and neither my wife or I have criminal or Nat'l Security issues.    

 

So what do I make of this?  Is this common to tell the person that story about "Final Checks" and they will contact within a week?  Would they say "Not Approved" and tell us why?  Can we assume that it's probably approved and the Passport with the Visa will be sent to my wife in a few days?    

 

 


asafrommauiMaleJapan2014-07-21 23:49:00