VisaOfficer:


This isn't a question I have an answer to. Maybe someone here can explain how to get the police certificate?

VisaOfficer:
I thought you all might be interested to know that yesterday I had a chance to get some training at the National Visa Center (NVC), including a tour of the facilities. It's really amazing. You should see the MILLIONS of files, all neatly labeled and filed and tracked. (I felt just like Kristoff when he first sees Elsa's castle in "Frozen" -- "Whoa. Now, that's ice. I might cry... Ice is my life!" )

A few take-aways:

1. NVC was created to reduce the clerical burden on posts. In other words, they want to be sure that spouse petitions are accompanied by marriage certificates, and that a signed affidavit of support was submitted, etc., before they ship a case off. They're not interested in whether the marriage certificate is real or whether the spouses, once married, actually intend to live together as spouses. Those questions are for the officers at post. (I was used to the idea that "USCIS and NVC don't adjudicate; officers do," but I'd never heard it explained explicitly that NVC's primary role is to relieve our burden overseas by collecting the basic documentation, so we can focus on interviews and document verifications and so on.)

2. NVC's tracking system is really impressive. (Again, I felt like Kristoff at Elsa's castle.)

3.a. NVC is focusing on how to make processes better and quicker for petitioners and beneficiaries. For instance, you may have noticed that they no longer ask for certain original documents; they'd rather have photocopies, and ask beneficiaries to bring the originals to the interview, where in most cases they'll be checked and returned. And in the past, they often refused to schedule an interview until ALL the documents were properly submitted. These days, they'll let petitioners know that (for instance) an affidavit of support appears to be faulty, but instead of insisting on a new submission before an interview can be scheduled, they ask the families to bring the new document to the interview at post. So I think you'll start to see waiting periods for petition approvals become noticeably shorter very soon.

3.b. This doesn't mean they're not going to insist on having the correct documents submitted, especially if there appears to be a deeper problem, so anyone who's reading this and thinking they can just file haphazardly is getting the wrong message.

4. I got a chance to verify that sometimes when NVC tells you "Your case has been sent to post," what they mean is "Your case has been packaged to be sent to post, so please don't e-mail LagosIV@state.gov right away insisting that Lagos has your case already, because that's not what we meant. It should go out in tomorrow morning's mail, though; and then give it a couple weeks to get there, please. Thanks!"

5. Most important: The really cool part of talking to people at NVC was the way they all recognized that every single file on the shelf represents a human being who filed a petition and a family who wants to be together. Yes, processing so many cases requires a lot of bureaucracy and technology. But the humans at NVC are also really excited about helping the humans in Lagos and Manila and Reykjavik, etc. I'm glad I got a chance to talk with them.

Titilayodeji13:
Dear VO,
Thanks again,for taking your time to reply. It really means a lot to me.
Please I will like to know the factors that make a F2A a success.

Furthermore,what is are the days interval between when one receives interview letter and the the D-Day of the interview.

Thanks.

Omenaisunday12:
Good morning VO,
May God reward your effort, my case has been complete all document completed from the last mail I received from NVC. And my priority date is 2nd February 2014.please when am I expecting my interview date? Thanks

SirJeffry:
Hi VO, please I have a pressing problem and need your help.

My Wife's petition is already in process and I have paid the AOS fee ($120) and IV fee ($325).

Now I want to start filling the visa forms and that is where my question comes in.

My wife already has a change of name with which I filed her petition but her current passport is in her maiden name.

Can I go ahead and fill her current PASSPORT NUMBER in the visa forms or should she change her passport to her marriage name and get a new passport number before I continue filling the forms?

Thanks for your help here.

Akinsussy:
thank u so much ma for always been there.pls ma there is something I will like to know.when I went for my interview I discovered that it was scheduled for me my wife and my two children.I told the officèr that they will come and meet me later after I get to the usa.I want them to be with me at most 8 months after I depart.how do I go abt it ma. I am F3 visa applicant.

Tiffae:
Okay...thank you...so the one submitted to NVC should be different from the one to be brought to the interview?

korangnancy:

Hello,
I am from Ghana and We are selectees of the DV 2015 program. Our application for visas were however denied on the bases that our two children's given names were arranged differently on their DS-260 forms as against the initial application that we used in winning the DV program.
On the initial DV program application our first child's name appeared as YEBOAH, TAYLOR NHYIRA, but on the DS-260 forms her name appeared as YEBOAH, NHYIRA TAYLOR. Our second child's name appeared as YEBOAH, LOUIS OHENE on the initial application, but on the DS-260 forms his name appeared as YEBOAH, OHENE LOUIS. Meaning that in both cases their two given names switched places

This was not done deliberately to misrepresent ourselves in anyway. This happened because there was no sections on the forms to key in first names and middle names.Their birth certificates and dates of birth as well as their pictures on both forms indicate that they are our children whom we did the initial application with.They were not added on after we were selected. Please is there anything I can do to appeal the decision. Please advise. Thank you.

9jaStar:
Hello VO,

Been a minute.

Great to know you're still with us. Can we file a petition to keep you on here permanently? :wink:

More seriously, I just got back from an international trip and my passport now has just one blank page left. I have a few more international trips coming up that I'll need visas for, meaning I'll need to get a new passport.

Naturally, that brings up the question of how it affects my petition. NVC already sent me an email similar to Titilayodeji13's stating all necessary documentation has been received and an interview will be scheduled.

The petition carries my current passport details. Getting a new passport will mean this one will be cancelled. Is it safe to assume that I can go ahead and get a new passport issued, then bring both to the interview whenever it is scheduled?

Kay213:
Hi VO.
Good morning,
I apologize cause i know this questions might have answered before.

I'm a beneficiary of K1. NVC sent my case number to my fiancee last friday and NVC but said " The NVC will now forward the petition to embassy in LAGOS. Pls note it will take several weeks". I'm filling the D156 form now. My questions are

1) Can i go ahead and get Police clearance and Medical
2) Can i schedule and appointment now since i have the case number with me.

Thanks and looking forward to hear from you.

Olukayode.

mabella2:
Good Afternoon VO
Pls how long does it take to complete an alien application for a sibling. my brother was telling me that it depends on the state you are filing from.he said in Florida where he is based that it takes like 4-5years,he is about applying for me now.am skeptic about it cause I have seen where you said 12years and will the application ever affect my chances of getting a nonimmigrant visa whenever I want to travel. thanks for the good work you are doing in this thread

Marryln:
Hello vo, my birth certificate names are yemi bisi mary. Yemi as my surname bisi my middle name mary as my last name, while my passport name is yemi lola mary, pls vo won't it be a problem during the interview. I told my dad about it he said he has put lola as other name when he's filling the the form in us. Thanks

winnie123:

Plsease how muxh is the fee for the police clearance/finger print card

VisaOfficer:


If an officer's not convinced of the relationship between the petitioner and the beneficiary, but they claim to have a biological relationship (or to have children together), often the officer will suggest a DNA test, rather than simply closing the case and returning the petition for revocation. It's not suggested in every case (or even most cases), but it's very helpful when there's just not enough evidence otherwise to issue a visa.

VisaOfficer:


No idea. Anyone have an answer to this one?

Omenaisunday12:
Good day ma, my visa category is IR1......waiting to hear from you!

VisaOfficer:


You should use her current legal name to fill out the paperwork. She doesn't have to get a new passport, but keep in mind that the name on the visa will match the name on the passport, so it might save some complications if she got a new passport in her new name.

VisaOfficer:


The state a person is filing from has no effect whatsoever on the amount of time it takes to process an application. What matters is the priority date (the date the petition was filed), no matter where the filing took place. All F4 petitions currently take 12 or 13 years to become eligible for interviews, regardless of where they were filed.