ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
National Visa Center (Dept of State)NVC process
Don't wait the 4-6 weeks. Call NVC and give them both of your email addresses. They'll email you everything soon after it's generated.

Read these to get an idea of what you need to prepare and how it will work:

http://www.visajourn...he_NVC_ShortCut
http://www.visajourn...wchart_v1-2.pdf

I don't know much about waivers. You should probably ask about that in the waiver section here:
http://www.visajourn...p?showforum=113
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-07-29 08:33:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Super Super Help Needed!!
That depends on the capacity of the embassy. Some wait two days, some wait 2-3 months.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-04 08:59:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Super Super Help Needed!!
The NVC won't contact you to let you know your case is complete. You'll have to call them to ask. Then you just wait for the interview date, which they will email you about.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-04 08:35:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Super Super Help Needed!!
It means your case is almost complete! Give NVC a call tomorrow and speak to an operator to find out. May take a day or two.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-03 12:41:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Good news -Sign In Failed at NVC
The CR/IR-1 visa fee was the $400 paid to NVC

Edited by imaisha, 01 August 2009 - 06:33 PM.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-01 18:33:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Weird!!!
It didn't happen to me but I've read about it happening quite a few times before. It's almost always just something weird with the computer. The best way to check is to make sure the funds were taken from your bank account. As long as the money is gone you should be good to go.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-03 08:57:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)IIN/Paying Online Quesiton
Your friend should make sure to give an operator at NVC both of their email addresses. When the AOS fee bill is generated it will be e-mailed to both of them. That's the only way to get the IIN- the operators do not have access to it.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-17 20:11:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Tax returns vs. tax transcripts?
QUOTE (sapana @ Aug 21 2009, 08:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
IRS says they don't provide transcripts until 1 year after they are filed. What have people done for the tax year 2008? thanks.


Definitely not true. I requested my 2008 transcript maybe 2 months after I filed and got it without incident. If your return has been processed, you should be able to get it.


From the form: "Return transcripts are available for the current year and returns processed during the prior 3 processing years."
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-21 07:56:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Tax returns vs. tax transcripts?
QUOTE (spectheintro @ Aug 7 2009, 12:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So Haole, just so I'm clear, you went through this process with the NVC, only sent the tax transcripts, and had no problems? I'm submitting both an I-864 and an I-864A, and I have three years worth of tax transcripts for both, but I want to make certain I don't hit an RFE by not including the 1040s.


I filed an I-864 and an I-864A. I submitted only a 2008 tax transcript for myself, but 3 years of tax transcripts for my household member. Went through with no problems.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-07 08:07:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Birth and Marriage Certificate translations?
QUOTE (Peter'n'Jaime @ Aug 27 2009, 06:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If you send orginals you will not get them back so that is something to think about.


We got our originals back at the interview- everything except the police certificate. I think you just have to ask for them.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-27 07:53:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)NOA 2 Approval To NVC Case Number
Ours took 6 days. I wouldn't worry just yet. Also, try calling and speaking to an operator. Maybe yours is one of the fluke cases where the AVR never updates?
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-06-16 08:06:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)What do they expect from you in the interview?
Have you completed processing at NVC yet?
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-02 15:22:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)where exactly can i go to use case number?
QUOTE (Estu and Torry @ Sep 9 2009, 04:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
where exactly can i go to check the progress of my case with this new case number the nvc sent to me? or is it for the consulate because they told me that they already forwarded it...


K-1 cases are not loaded into the automated system at NVC. If the case has already been forwarded to the consulate then there is nothing to check on with NVC. You should be dealing with the embassy and DOS now.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-09 08:07:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)checklist from NVC
Why would you send in the DS-230 if the IV fee bill hasn't been paid yet? I'm shocked they even opened the envelope.

It will take longer in that you've lost time because you didn't follow instructions, but once you're back on track you'll be scheduled along with everyone else at your embassy with cases completed around the same time. When that will be depends on how quickly you complete what they are asking.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-11 07:54:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Although the petitioner is the "Agent",can the beneficiey send the "DS-230"
QUOTE (redBlue @ Sep 15 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
yes but my concern is that i'm the benefiary,not the agent..wanna make sure wouldn't cause a problem


It won't be a problem. As long as the mail service you use is reliable and NVC receives it, they don't care who sent it.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-15 13:28:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Log in Failed
QUOTE (mstangie @ Sep 21 2009, 04:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Malrothien @ Sep 21 2009, 04:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yes.

My husband lives in Montreal. Do you know how they set up there interviews?


Very slowly unfortunately.

Are you applying for a CR/IR-1 visa? If so NVC will notify you of the interview date.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-21 15:38:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)AOS is paid-can we send I-864 package now?
Don't wait for them to mail you hard copies of anything. If their website shows a status of "PAID" for the AOS fee bill and you can print the barcoded cover letter then you are all set to mail the package in.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-14 15:57:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)When to send in I-864
Did you print the barcoded coversheet from the NVC website that you logged into, or did you print a coversheet that you made yourself?

As long as NVC shows the AOS bill as PAID rather than PENDING, and they have generated a coversheet for you, you can go ahead and mail it in.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-10-02 09:55:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Assembling the I864 Packet....
Do not punch holes in anything.

You can and should write your case number in the upper right hand corner of every page of every piece except original certificates (birth, marriage, police etc.). For those you can write it on a post-it note and stick that on.

You can staple multiple pages of the same thing together (i.e. if your tax return is 2+ pages) but just put a big clip around the whole thing.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-29 13:01:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Has NVC possibly completed my case
https://ceac.state.g...ice/signon.aspx

That's the website. When your AOS fee bill is generated they will send you instructions on how to log in.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-20 08:58:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)HOW TO TRACK YOUR CASE FROM NVC TO EMBASSY
QUOTE (Nana119 @ Jul 1 2009, 03:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ok I have a question... when i called nvc they said my case was shipped out on June 29... now when I put june 29, I see my consulate, but when I put june 28 it says no shipments found? I checked june 30 and there are no petitions sent to my consulate but there are other petitions sent out. So what conclusion should I make out of this?


June 28th was a Sunday, they probably weren't dong business then. In your case I'd think yours would be the 29th.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-07-01 14:48:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresLetter to congressmen about K-3 ead process
hi all. i've written up a lengthy little letter for my congressmen about how i think it's unfair that the social security administration recognizes k-1 visas as valid employment authorization but not k-3 visas. as i watch the projected i-130 adjudication date in my timeline get further and further away i get more and more upset about having to go the k-3 route. there's some personal stuff in the letter that's particular to my situation, but if you feel the same way and would like to send out a copy to your congressmen feel free to edit it to suit you. the more the merrier!

also, has anyone seen where on the uscis site or in the laws it says that k-3 visa holders are eligible to work? i keep finding it in forums and lawyer's websites but it would be nice to include an official snippet.


Dear Representative *,
I write to you now to ask that you reconsider what I think is an arbitrary and unnecessary distinction in one of the policies of the Social Security Administration (SSA). In my situation it is a bias that will lead to considerable heartache for my family. The SSA unfairly requires additional documentation from a K-3 visa holder in order to issue a social security number- documentation not required of a K-1 visa holder- resulting in unfair preferential treatment that makes it more difficult for the former to become gainfully employed.
A K-1 visa holder (the fiancée of a U.S. citizen) receives an Employment Authorization (EAD) stamp in his or her passport at the immigration checkpoint of their port of entry. This stamp indicates to the SSA that the visa is valid for work purposes and a social security number may be issued. A social security number is of course required by all employers as part of a legal hiring process.
Employment authorization is also already included in a K-3 visa (for the spouse of a U.S. citizen) but the EAD stamp is no longer offered to these visa holders at any port of entry. Instead they are required to file an Application for Employment Authorization (I-765) with the USCIS. The filing of this form currently costs $340 and takes approximately 3 months to process. Only after this form is approved will the SSA assign a social security number. Please note that this process does not give work authorization to the visa holder- that is automatically granted when the visa is issued. It is simply a request for a piece of paper confirming this.
My husband is a citizen of the United Kingdom and his application for a visa to join me here in the United States is currently pending at the USCIS. I am not (yet) writing out of frustration due to the wait times or the inequality in processing between the service centers or the sometimes unimaginable manner in which applications submitted months after other, still pending, ones are approved within just a few weeks. I am instead just trying to think ahead.
The K-3 visa process is such that the applicant may follow a different route depending on the timing of the approval. There are two forms filed- an immigrant visa application (which results in a green card) and a non-immigrant visa (which results in only a K-3 visa and must be followed by adjustment of status upon arrival). This is beneficial in certain cases because the applicant can choose whichever one is approved first. Right now it is projected that our application for an immigrant visa and the associated green card would take 6-8 months longer than the non-immigrant K-3 visa.
While it is incredibly important to us that we are able to be together as soon as possible, in our situation it would be an unnecessary and extreme financial burden should we have to pursue the K-3 route. My husband will be leaving his job and his home to come here but instead of being able to begin our life together he will have to sit at home alone all day waiting for a document that just confirms what we, as well as the SSA, already know. A company has even expressed interest in hiring him once he arrives, but he cannot legally accept the job without a social security number. Unlike a K-1 visa holder who can begin working a matter of days after arriving, we will have to wait several months and pay several hundred dollars on top of all of the time and money we will have already spent waiting to be together. I should note that there is no cost to file the I-765 when it is included in an Adjustment of Status package. The cost for that is $1,010. We are told that in order to reduce our costs we should file for that right away- a huge sum on top of the burden of the cost of moving and losing my husband’s source of income during the time he cannot work. We have every intention of filing to adjust status and eventually pursuing citizenship, but doing so immediately would impose undue hardship that could be avoided by applying later on during the two years that the visa is valid.
I know that I have referenced quite a few very specific immigration policies, ones that you may not be familiar with. I hope that it is still clear though that K-1 visa holders are afforded an unfair advantage in this process. I do not think that my marital status entitles me to any privilege. I ask only that we be treated fairly and equally. I believe that K-3 visa holders should either be given the same EAD stamp that K-1 visa holders receive or the Social Security Administration should accept the K-3 visa in a foreign passport as proof enough to issue a social security number. As my congressman you are one of only three people with the power to make this change possible and I hope that you understand the impact that your consideration would have on my family. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about my case specifically, the process in general or anything at all. You can find my contact information below. Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely,
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-24 10:35:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCan my husband visit me?
It's not illegal- the UK is part of the visa waiver program so he wouldn't be trying for two visas at once. He can certainly try, he just has to prove he's not coming to stay for good. He'll have to give the immigration official he sees at the airport good reason to believe that he is just visiting and will be returning to England. This can be done by bringing proof of employment, a copy of a lease and so on, showing he still has ties to the country and can't abandon it.

My husband is also British. He has been over twice since we began the process and he's never had any problems or even needed to show any of that stuff. It's still definitely recommended though just in case.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-18 18:30:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGoing to US for 3 months... Hopefully... Please help...
i say it's useless because there is really no difference in processing times anymore. it was created at a time when the I-130 was taking much longer to process than the I-129f. nowadays the two get approved on the same day. sometimes filing the I-129f will actually delay you more (it did that for me- everyone who filed only the I-130 got transferred to the much quicker California service center and i got stuck in Vermont for 7 months). if you use the guides and the NVC shortcuts here you really can get the immigrant visa in about the same amount of time as the non-immigrant.

the other benefit to the CR/IR-1 visa is financial. It'll save you $671 in the long run. check this out:

K-3:
I-130: $355
I-129F: NONE
Consulate: $131
Adjustment Of Status: $1010
($1496)

CR-1
I-130: $355
NVC I-864: $70
NVC Visa fee: $400
($825)

also, it takes about 3 months to get an EAD, so that'll be 3 months when there's not much she'll be able to do (some people have had trouble getting even driver's licenses during that wait, but that depends on the state). with the CR/IR-1 she can work basically right away (as soon as she gets the ss card ~ 2 weeks after she gets here).

don't mean to preach but i originally planned on going the K-3 route and it's done nothing but terrible things for me. even the operators at VSC always asked me why i bothered when i called for updates. just want you to choose the best one for you!

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-17 19:54:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGoing to US for 3 months... Hopefully... Please help...
while i can't in good conscience tell you not to worry about any of that, i can tell you that my husband has come over twice since we filed and told them he was here visiting his wife and they never asked him for any more information. you never know though and it would be terrible to get turned away (as other people have), so do bring as much as you can. i wouldn't worry about the letter being from her brother if it is somewhat official (on letterhead, with contact numbers etc.) and a lease could only be helpful. maybe also consider sending her a copy of the NOA1 as proof that you are pursuing legal immigration.

on another note, have you considered pursuing a CR/IR-1 visa instead of the K-3? unless you have a reason for choosing the K-3 in particular, the immigrant visa is almost always the better choice now as the K-3 is basically useless. just a friendly suggestion!

Edited by imaisha, 17 May 2009 - 07:16 PM.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-17 19:15:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAfter approval what should be the next immidiate step
there is no website but you can get status updates by calling (603)334-0700.

read through the NVC shortcuts again, very closely and make sure that you have all of your documents ready to go.

http://www.visajourn...he_NVC_ShortCut

you don't necessarily have to wait to receive their request for something. you do however have to wait for them to ask for it. for example, if you mail the DS-3032 before they ask for it, they won't register it. once you call and find out that something has been generated, you can pay for it and send it in (no fee for the DS-3032). if the automatic phone system doesn't update, you can also speak to an operator and they can let you know if something has been generated.

if you are feeling unsure about any of the lingche instructions though, don't try to do the shortcuts. wait for NVC to tell you what they need. if you send in original documents before they ask for them, they may be lost forever, so it's important to be very careful and pay close attention to where NVC is in processing your case.


imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-15 15:00:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVSC approved...What's next?
ooh congrats! please fill in your timeline- i'm waiting on NVC now and it'd be nice to know how long it took them to get your case entered smile.gif

as for what's next, give this a read:

http://www.visajourn...he_NVC_ShortCut

it's a pretty interesting read.

good luck!
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-19 13:56:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOut of Country - I-130 vs. I-129F
I think that you'd just have to call USCIS to have the address changed but if it's at all possible I'd avoid doing that. Since you won't be filing until after you're married hopefully you'll have more concrete plans by the time you mail everything. Because USCIS is usually difficult to deal with, I'd say give them all the information first and don't try to change it later. You don't want to give them the opportunity to mess something up because they will take you up on it.

As for where the interview is, if you go the CR-1 route (I-130 only) it will be in the country she lives in. If you go the K-3 route (I-130 + I-129f) it will be the country where the marriage took place.

You may want to file the I-129f just because it might go a bit quicker. That's a big might though. If you follow all the shortcuts on here, the CR-1 and K-3 will take about the same amount of time (depending on how quickly your country schedules interviews- check the timelines above for an idea of that).

Overall the CR-1 is less expensive and you avoid the hassle of having to deal with USCIS again to file to adjust status after arrival. She'll also be able to work as soon as she arrives, rather than wait three months for her EAD.

In general I think most people these days go the CR-1 route but because you'd like to move pretty quickly, maybe you should go ahead and try the I-129f as well, follow both tracks and choose later on.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-19 14:45:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOut of Country - I-130 vs. I-129F
Oops. I see now that you are there on a tourist visa, so you will not be eligible for DCF. Sorry.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-19 13:43:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOut of Country - I-130 vs. I-129F
Hmm... a few concerns first. Are you going to get your marriage license in June, or actually get married? You cannot file the I-130 until you have the physical marriage certificate. A marriage license is simply proof that you are allowed to be married, not that you ARE married.

Second, is January 2010 a finite date for a move? I think it is unlikely that you will get the visa by then. You should plan on about a year for the whole process, maybe a bit less if you get lucky every step of the way.

You might consider getting married now and filing for DCF if you are a legal resident there. It would be much faster- you might make it by January in that case.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-19 13:30:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS Citizen in UK - Where to File I-130?
you're very welcome! best of luck!
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-26 13:52:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS Citizen in UK - Where to File I-130?
you should definitely ask around in the DCF forum. i'm already a little in over my head. i was totally wrong when i said that NVC handles the actual application part of it. the london embassy website appears to say that all of that is done by the embassy, in which case you might be shaving a month and a half off that estimate. i think what that box on the side of the page is referring to is just the I-130 processing- technically that's the "petition" and the DS-230 is the "application."

http://london.usemba.../ivprocess.html

there's the information about what happens once the I-130 is approved. i think initially you'll be submitting the I-130, the G-325A and your payment and that's it for now. definitely check out the DCF areas to make sure though!

and yes if you start now you should definitely be able to make it by october! just to give you an idea of how long the k-3 takes, i started this process last october and we're hoping to be done by this september.

Edited by imaisha, 26 May 2009 - 01:23 PM.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-26 13:19:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS Citizen in UK - Where to File I-130?
and also check out the DCF specific forum here: http://www.visajourn...hp?showforum=82.
they will definitely have more info than i do!
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-26 13:14:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS Citizen in UK - Where to File I-130?
yes you would be getting a cr-1. that just means that two years from when your husband enters he'll have to apply for an unconditional card. you cannot get a k-3 visa through DCF since the original purpose of it was to reunite families while they wait for an immigrant visa to become available (back when the I-130 took much longer than the I-129f) and you're already united!.

if you go the cr-1 route via DCF you're looking at probably 3-4 months. there's a little box on the london embassy website showing what they're processing right now. from then you'll go through NVC which is the actual application part, leave a month and a half for that and then you'll probably have to wait a month for an interview, maybe as little as a couple of weeks. these are all estimates of course, and rely on you reading up here and learning about the shortcuts.

it only takes longer when you are applying from here in the states. then you have to deal with the USCIS offices here which take 6 months to process the I-130, rather than 1 month.

if you go the k-3 route you will have to restablish some sort of residence in the u.s. and from then it will be about a year to get the visa.

absolutely go the DCF route.

Edited by imaisha, 26 May 2009 - 01:07 PM.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-26 13:03:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS Citizen in UK - Where to File I-130?
if you are there on a spousal visa and have been there for at least six months then you're eligible.

they mean you must have leave to remain (whether limited or not) rather than just pop over on the visa waiver program and do it that way.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-26 12:51:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS Citizen in UK - Where to File I-130?
YES! definitely go for DCF. it will save you many months.

here's the london specific info page:
http://london.usemba...i130filing.html

and here's more about the process in general:
http://www.visajourn...h...om&page=dcf

good luck!
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-26 12:48:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresi need help plz
The DS-3032 is the first step in applying for the immigrant CR/IR-1 visa. You'd have to send some more paperwork to the NVC and it will take at least 1-2 months, and then they would assign you an immigrant visa interview date.

Because your interview date for the K-3 is next week it might be best for you to just stick with that. Read the "Guides" section above though to learn more about the CR/IR-1 visa to see if it would be better for you and worth the delay of a few months.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-25 10:30:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAdvice for filing K3/CR1
yeah they don't really care about personal touches. it's all just formalities. if you give them what they need that's all they care about. so definitely type it up.

are you going to file this before you leave? if you wait until after you're gone then you won't have to put anything in the I-94 box. you might even be able to leave it blank no matter what since you're not in the US in the sense that they mean yet (permanently), but i don't want to advise you to do anything incorrectly or illegally so definitely see if anyone else has any ideas. maybe start another thread with I-94 in the title and that'll get more responses.

and yes, i was originally planning on going the K-3 route but that was before i knew any better. they were both approved on the same day though so we're going to pursue both since the K-3 won't cost us any more money until the interview. if we get a very late interview for the CR-1 then we'll ask about using the K-3 interview to get an immigrant visa. hopfully we'll be on track at NVC to get our CR-1 interview around the same time anyway though.

imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-19 08:51:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAdvice for filing K3/CR1
good choice with the CR1. here is everything i put in for my I-130 in october of 2008. never got an RFE, all went well:

- Payment in the amount of $355
- I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
- G-325A and passport style photo of petitioner, labeled
- G-325A and passport style photo of beneficiary, labeled
- Birth certificate of petitioner
- Marriage certificate
- Photographs from throughout relationship

so nope, no birth certificate for the immigrant. i included mine, the petitioners, as proof of citizenship. you can include a photocopy of his passport if you'd prefer.

as for the cover letter, i wrote that. it is the american citizen petitioning for their relative, so the USC should do it. i also always recommend typing everything. it's easier for them to read and you can save it on your computer to refer back to. i've looked back at all of my paperwork at least a million times, so it's handy to have it all on the computer.

and if you have access to a scanner, even better. scan all of your documents and keep a digital copy. that way when originals aren't necessary you can save the postage and just email each other the copies of the forms you've already done. it helps since they ask for the same information about a dozen different times on various forms so it's nice for consistency's sake.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-18 18:05:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAdvice for filing K3/CR1
also forgot to mention, if you need to change the address on file you can do that by calling USCIS. if you're doing it because of an imminent deployment though, that's also a reason for an expedite and you should definitely let them know that as soon as you find out.
imaishaFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-18 16:14:00