I-140 Approved, what next?

Octa Viva

Registered Users (C)
Hello everyone,

My I-140 was approved today and I had checked the option for CP on I-140. I am wondering what happens next? What do I have to do next? Any help/tips are appreciated.
 
Congrats!

Octa Viva ,

Now that you have cleared the all important step in the GC process, the first thing you should do is relax and enjoy few care
free days.

Then comes the grind. The constant monitoring of the case's
progress is torture. Sometimes I feel 485 process which does
not allow so much of tracking through so many steps would be
better for the mind!

Research the forum to find the documents that you should be
putting together, and start working on them.

The docs that take the longest time are:

a) Birth Certificates / Affidavits / etc.

b) PCC (S) - I do not know your nationality so do your research.
The PCC cannot be older than 6 months when you attend the
interview.

After 10 days or so call NVC at 603-334-0700 to find out whether
your case has reached them.

Raju
 
So, looks like right now I just have to wait for my case to be transferred to NVC and I dont' really have to do anything other than monitoring. Earlier, I was wondering if I have to send another application etc... seems not to be the case.

Pre-emptively, I have got PCC (India) this month. I did read about the debate on this forum about whether PCC is valid for 6 or 12 months.... and looks like there are believer on either side. For, now, I guess, I will just wait for few more months and might decide to get another PCC, if atall.

Thanx for you input.

So far, from what I gather, INS will contact me for the next step... till then, enjoy a drink for I-140! :)
 
word of caution

After I-140 approval, NVC will send a letter to your attorney saying that you're eligible to process your final stage (through AOS) in the US. Are you sure you want to still do consular processing? In my case, the lawyers sent in the right response that YES, we'd like to do CP. But in three weeks when I called NVC they said your case was closed because your attorney said you're doing AOS. It turned out the clerk at NVC made a mistake!!! So, its always a good idea to regularly follow up on all stages.

Also, I was able to do AC140 WITHOUT 824 receipt (since I had opted for CP in 140). So, if you can convince your attorney to send the papers directly to consulate for AC140 instead of waiting for NVC route, it may save you a couple of months....just a suggestion.

-Raj.
 
Thanx raj for your reply.

I had not thought of AC140 as an option at all. All along (for no reason), I assumed CP will go NVC route and that it will take approximately 6 months more after 140 approval to get GC (CP interview).

Now that you have suggested AC140, you are giving me hopes of getting GC even faster :) Can you please tell me more about what I824 is and how can I convince my lawyer to go for faster route? Are there any special requirements? Do you need special/ extra documents? Does AC140 mean that I can potentially get an interview 3-4 months from now?

Any help/ tips are grealy appreciated. You can also write me at octaviva@hotmail.com

Thank you,
 
Documents for ac140

Octaviva,

824 is where you're telling INS you want CP instead of AOS (if you chose AOS in I-140 application).

Document requirements for AC140 are very simple. Basically its packet-3 (ds230-part I) plus letter from attorney, copy of passport pages (with address) to indicate that you do fall into their jurisdiction, copy of I-140 approval notice (they ask for original on the website but we didnt send the original and that was okay), etc. I will see what else was in there, but nothing complicated. The documents (birth certificates, PCC, etc.) are only required during the interview.

I sent papers to Mumbai on 29th Dec, they created case on Jan 7th, interview date was April 10th.

If you send it to Mumbai by 20th of the month, you have a chance of getting the interview date sooner (this is from other users in the forum).

BTW, we kept NVC process going until the point where Mumbai accepted the case. Mumbai gives you a new case # than NVC would. If you paid to NVC (I did not), you can pay that amount less to the consulate (335-260=65) with the proof of payment to NVC (paid check's copy). We did mention NVC case# on the covering letter from the attorney.

- Raj.
 
Hello Raj,

Thank you for the quick reply.
I talked to my attorney as well about AC140 today and he is under the impression that I can go for AC140 only if I had opted for AOS and then later on decided to change over to CP. He is however going to find out more about that and said that he will get back to me on this issue.

Since you had opted for CP on I-140, clearly, looks like I can go for AC140 as well (Mumbai Consulate). That is definitely good news :)

But, then I wonder, why doesn't everybody go for AC140? Does that generally mean extra cost for the company? Is there any risk? Any other issues?
 
I paid an extra $500 to my company since I opted for CP instead of AOS. But nothing extra for Attorney certified process. Most people may not be doing that cause of 'ignorance' sometimes even on attorney's side. Secondly, they may not be very co-operative and wants to do the safest thing.

I dont see any risks in this process. If Mumbai says, "sorry you need to have 824", you got nothing to lose. you would still have your NVC process going on. And if Mumbai accepts the case (which is very likely), you can come back after CP interview and tell NVC to close the case.

Good Luck!
-Raj.
 
please help with some info.

hi,
my 140 got approved recently. i opted CP at time of 140 filing, and am very keen to go for the AC-140 now if i can.
i'd really appreciate if you can help by sharing any info on the AC-140 process.
(1) what are the detailed steps
(2) what can i do proactively to save time
(3) can i start processing (thru my lawyer) as soon as receive 140-approval notice from INS. Or do we need to wait for something else (any NVC connection)?
(4) is i-824 necessary if opted for CP at time of 140 application
(5) if i can start processing as soon as getting 140-approval notice from INS, can i just print off the DS-230 etc. forms of the internet and send to the bombay consulate?

as you can see, i'm pretty much clueless! :) thanks a lot for your help with this.
 
Hi,

I am gathering similar infomation. We are in the same boat. So far, my findings are that once your I-140 is approved, we are all set to apply for AC140 directly to the consulate. As such, this is a parallel process as compared to applying through NVC, which is automatically instanciated once I-140 is approved and had you checked for CP in your I-140.

Bottom line is that, now you should convince your lawyer/company to go for AC140 and apply directly to the concerned consulate (Btw, some consulate don't accept AC140, Mumbai does (my consulate)). Just hope that your AC140 is accepted and if not, it doesn't harm since your CP via NVC is already going on... and that can take over in that case.
 
hi,
thanks for the prompt reply and info. i think my HR will be ok with the AC-140 process. the only issue is that i don't think they've done it for anyone else before and so i'll have to be much more proactive in gathering info. and getting things done. so, do you know if we can start the ac-140 thing as soon as we get the 140-approval notice from INS, or is there something else we got to wait for?
if you'd like to share info via email, that'll be really great. actually i did try emailing on an address you provided above "octaviva@hotmail.com", but am not sure whether you got it.
thanks,

what i know yet on the AC-140 process:
(1) wait to get 140-approval notice from INS (I-797, i believe)
(2) prepare other docs. in the meanwhile
(a) all academic degrees, etc.
(b) copy of passport
(c) cover letter (with email address in it) from attorney to bombay consulate
(d) DS-230 (i believe)
(e) another form (i don't recall the name right now)
(f) copy of 140-petition
(g) copies of PCC, birth certificate
(h) proof of residency in bombay consulate (am not sure if anything more than the passport is required for this)
(i) employment letter
(3) have attorney send all of (1) and (2) to bombay consulate
(4) if bombay consulate accepts the case, will give interview within 2-3 months of having received the case, and will send packet-4 at some time after that.
(5) go to bombay, get medical done, go for interview (with packet-4 and whatever documents are needed), pay the $325 (i believe)
(6) thats about it, i guess
 
Hi,

I didn't get your email... you can try re-sending.... it will be good to co-ordinate.

Also, I believe you have all the right information. Once I-140 is approved, you are all set to go for AC140. I am trying to do the same through the lawyer. I think, we are in a similar situation. My company hasn't done AC140 before, although they don't mind doing it. So, I have to be proactive too... in pushing them to do it. Let's hope for the best!
 
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