GC for Parents - AOS and CP - Information Source

[visaapplicant]

Now when INS sends the files to NVC is there an online status page to track the progress in NVC? or is there published processing times like INS had for service centers?

aabraham,

Congratulations on 130 approvals!

On NVC website
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html
there is info on when to expect case to arrive at NVC from CIS. Once it is at NVC, it can be tracked through automated phone system and email inquiry. Info is on the website. Keep us posted. Good luck!

How do you plan to attach the barcode from the NVC form to the downloaded form? Do you think, it is peelable and stickable? If it is, then it should be a easy job. or should we physically cut and paste it
Anything to cut down the time from our side, we should go for it!

Jenimmi,

Yes for DS-230, I believe it is peelable. This is based on Jaisejames' answer from post
http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=201104

I wanted to check Yamini's approach to expedite the processing.

DS 3032 contain barcode ( i am not sure on the form itself or on seprate sheet), which both you and your parents recieves. SO when you send your form to them send that barcode form along with it. Make sure you take a copy and retain it with yourself.

DS230 does not have a barcode on the form itself. It have a seprate sheet of paper with barcode. In my case, my parent sent me their filled form and neccessary supporting documents and I attached the barcode form and sent it to NVC.

In today's update of processing dates, VSC's I-130 processing (for parents) did not move at all from 2 weeks ago. It is still at 12/3/05. Any insights?

 

[Suzy977]

Yes, it does sound like it, Suzy.
O, I forgot: first the caseworker said "Your father is the main applicant, so your mom's case depends on the outcome of his case". My response was: "What are you talking about? What "main applicant"? These are 2 separate cases." He then said "Yes, but they are married, thus they are tied together".
What can I say? I am getting really tired of this CIS b.s...

You don't understand how these things work.
It says clearly in their Top Secret instruction book: "Whoever is taller or older (assuming that your father is older than your mom) or...has more chest hair, is the main applicant"
..whatever it takes to justify their delays

 

[jenimmi]

aabraham,

On NVC website
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html
there is info on when to expect case to arrive at NVC from CIS. Once it is at NVC, it can be tracked through automated phone system and email inquiry. Info is on the website. Keep us posted. Good luck!

To "aabraham's" original question, I still think case progress at NVC cannot be tracked online, similar to tracking I-130. Is this correct?
Also can you please tell us "where is the info on when to expect case to arrive at NVC from CIS". A cut and paste or another sublink will help. I had looked at NVC website before about this and couldn't find this info.

Yes for DS-230, I believe it is peelable. This is based on Jaisejames' answer from post
http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=201104

Yes.. I remember Jaise's post regarding this. But my confusion was, when you download the DS-230, it already prints with a barcode on it. And also the DS-230 they send to you from NVC, we are not sure if the barcode is peelable, even though it is on a separate sheet. I guess until Yamini confirms, we would just assume it is peelable.

In today's update of processing dates, VSC's I-130 processing (for parents) did not move at all from 2 weeks ago. It is still at 12/3/05. Any insights?

..was wondering the same thing too. I check this almost everyday and also realized that there is no regularity in the frequency of the updates i.e. the "last updated on" date.

 

[Anahit]

You don't understand how these things work.
It says clearly in their Top Secret instruction book: "Whoever is taller or older (assuming that your father is older than your mom) or...has more chest hair, is the main applicant"
..whatever it takes to justify their delays

Good point...
I better start reading about filing a lawsuit or should I say lawsuits...

 

[Suzy977]

Good point...
I better start reading about filing a lawsuit or should I say lawsuits...

I bet that if you file a lawsuit for only one of the parents, the cases are miraculously not tied anymore, and the other parent will be left out and with the situation unsolved

 

[Anahit]

I bet that if you file a lawsuit for only one of the parents, the cases are miraculously not tied anymore, and the other parent will be left out and with the situation unsolved

No doubt about it
I remember, once I called the 800 number to inquire about their cases. My mom was home, so she gave her permission to discuss her case with the IO. When I asked about my dad's case, who wasn't present at that moment, the IO refused to give me any info, since "it is a separate case".
Now, suddenly he is the main applicant

 

[visaapplicant]

To "aabraham's" original question, I still think case progress at NVC cannot be tracked online, similar to tracking I-130. Is this correct?

Yes, there will not be online tracking. Over phone or by email inquiry.

Also can you please tell us "where is the info on when to expect case to arrive at NVC from CIS". A cut and paste or another sublink will help. I had looked at NVC website before about this and couldn't find this info.

From NVC website
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html
pasted below,

======================================
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why don't you have my case at NVC yet?

When you complete a petition (I-130, I-140, etc.) for an immigrant visa you send it to Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security for approval. If the CIS approves the petition they will send you a Notice of Approval (I-797) and then they will send the petition to NVC. There is a delay between when you get the Notice of Receipt and the Notice of Approval from CIS and also between when you get the Notice of Approval and when NVC receives the petition. After NVC receives the petition, we will create a case record and assign a case number. We recommend that you wait at least three weeks after you get your Notice of Approval before calling NVC if you have not heard from the Center by that time.
======================================

But my confusion was, when you download the DS-230, it already prints with a barcode on it.

Where did you download DS-230 from? The one I downloaded justnow from NVC website
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html
does not have barcodes on it. Unless I am missing something.

 

[Yamini Patel]

Yamini,

Thanks for the update. I was under the impression from one your earlier posts that your MIL's I-130 was approved in end of January. But from your signature, it seems that it was approved on Jan 2nd which is a little over 3 months. That is not too bad. I do hope that VSC starts approving I-130 soon.

Based, on your MIL's timeline at NVC, I think we can have parents complete ds-230 forms with signature beforehand (on downloaded forms). Once we receive the barcodes and forms from NVC, we can attach barcodes on previously signed froms and send them back to NVC. Is that correct?


Or do parents have to sign on the physical forms received from NVC and then send it back to NVC with barcodes?



Please keep us posted with timeline at Mumbai consulate. Thanks.

Yes, you are right. It was end of January. Sorry for the confusion. I will update my signature.

Yes, Parents can download the form and sign the form and send it to you. Then you can attach the barcode sheet. Make sure, they print the form on 8 1/2 X11 paper (The standard size we have here). Or you can print the form mail them and they can mail you back the signed forms.

The barcode sheet is separate piece of paper. The barcode is not on the form.

 

[visaapplicant]

Yamini,

Thanks for all the information.

Yes, you are right. It was end of January. Sorry for the confusion. I will update my signature.

In that case, the process moved very quickly at NVC for your MIL. Which is good and you were able to make up for some of the longer time it took at VSC. NVC says it can take upto 3 weeks to receive the approved petition from CIS and then they can create file there. In this situation, after I-130 approval, in less than 2 months you have completed all the steps i.e. DS-3032, I-864 review fee, DS-230 fee, I-864 and DS-230. This is very impressive!

Yes, Parents can download the form and sign the form and send it to you. Then you can attach the barcode sheet. Make sure, they print the form on 8 1/2 X11 paper (The standard size we have here). Or you can print the form mail them and they can mail you back the signed forms.

The barcode sheet is separate piece of paper. The barcode is not on the form.

Could you please clarify a couple of things?
- On completed, signed DS-230, we are not affixing peelable barcode. Instead, the barcode sheet is the top sheet of paper, followed by completed/signed DS-230. This is how the package is sent back to NVC. Correct?
- For DS-3032 (Choice of Agent form), is barcode printed on the form received by you and parents? Or is it peelable barcode? On the form I downloaded, there is place at the top to affix barcode.
- Did you use any courier to receive the signed forms faster? Could you please share the details of courier?

Thanks.

 

[Yamini Patel]

Well all the documents we received, the barcode sheet was saperate piece of paper. You have to just include that sheet with every document you send back to NVC. With all the forms you will receive a barcode sheet.

For choice of agent form, my husband just signed on behalf of my in-laws.
For DS-230, my-inlaws downloaded the form signed it sent it back with one my relatives who were coming back to USA.

 

[visaapplicant]

Yamini,

Thanks for the answers and clarification. I hope your files are sent to Mumbai soon and consular interviews scheduled soon thereafter. Good luck!

 

[peeyen]

Hello All,

Visiting this forum after a long time. First off, let me thank all you good folks for contributing to this thread and making life a bit more easier for the rest of us. Before I post my questions, here's the current status:

Timeline for my Parents' GC:
Mailed I-130 to CSC: April, 2005
Recd at CSC:May, 2005
Check cashed: May 14, 2005
Approved March 14, 2006

I've read through all the postings in this thread and have a few questions in order to be prepared for the later stages.

Is the Police Clearance Certificate to be obtained from the regional passport office alone or also from the current local police station? Thought, I saw it mentioned in some link in one of the posting above. If the person has lived in a different state in India, do we need to get it from there too? Would be such a bummer especially if you don't know anyone living there.

My mom doesn't have her school certificate, but she does have a teaching school certificate (teacher's training) which has her date of birth. Will this suffice in addition to the non-availability certificate?

Lastly, anyone used YourManInIndia.com services to obtain these records? What's the timeframe like?

Yamini, any thoughts I noticed you've opted for CP thru' the Mumbai consulate which is what I opted for too.

Thanks much.

 

[aabraham]

update in my case:

My mom's case is still showing updated date of March 21,2006 without the status having changed.

My dad's case has todays's date(3/22/06) as the last updated and the status says the case has been approved on 3/21/06 and the letter has been mailed.
I have also received the email notification for my dad.

My guess is my mom's case has been also approved or in the process so they'll hopefully update the online status shortly. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[Suzy977]

My new confusion now is, I already had all these downloaded and printed by my Father and he signed and mailed those to me, back in Jan. The paper size did strike me as odd, when I got the mail - they use A4 paper size in India. I still thought it should be okay to send those to NVC - but on Yamini's comments, I'm having second thoughts. Should it be ok to send the different paper size. Anyone has any comments? Yamini ?

If I remember correctly (we used A4 back in my country too) A4 is a little bit bigger than Letter.
Can't you just "trim" it a little bit to the Letter size?

 

[jenimmi]

From NVC website
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html
pasted below
.....

Thanks for the update. I think I had misunderstood what you said initially
"when to expect case to arrive at NVC from CIS" to mean it would say some exact date on a case # basis, akin to online approval of I-130.

Where did you download DS-230 from? The one I downloaded justnow from NVC website
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html
does not have barcodes on it. Unless I am missing something.

No.. you didn't miss anything. I'm glad that you are on top of things and also sharing the info.
I could have sworn I saw the barcode when I first printed it, last year. So, I waited till I got home to take a look at it. But of course, the barcode wasn't there.

To confirm once again, Since the DS-230 does not have a provision to stick / place the barcode (unlike the Agent form), should we simply attach the barcode sheet on top of the DS-230 part I form?

My new confusion now is, I already had all these downloaded and printed by my Father and he signed and mailed those to me, back in Jan. The paper size did strike me as odd, when I got the mail - they use A4 paper size in India. I still thought it should be okay to send those to NVC - but on Yamini's comments, I'm having second thoughts. Should it be ok to send the different paper size. Anyone has any comments? Yamini ?

 

[jenimmi]

If I remember correctly (we used A4 back in my country too) A4 is a little bit bigger than Letter.
Can't you just "trim" it a little bit to the Letter size?

Thanks, Suzy.
The problem with the A4 size form is, the form is printed till the end of the page. I compared its size with the Letter size and if I trim it to Letter size, then I will be chopping of contents of the form.

 

[Suzy977]

Thanks, Suzy.
The problem with the A4 size form is, the form is printed till the end of the page. I compared its size with the Letter size and if I trim it to Letter size, then I will be chopping of contents of the form.

Does it have an original signature or a Seal on it?

 

[jenimmi]

Does it have an original signature or a Seal on it?

Yes. That's the problem. These forms were d/loaded, printed and signed by my Dad.

 

[Yamini Patel]

My feeling is why take any risks. Since in the instruction page it specically says not to download form from internet. Not sure the reason behind it. My husband notice one change on the latest ds-230 was now instead of "immegration and Nautrulization..." it says "home land security....".

I did not know anyone's form got rejected because of the paper size. But, I am thinking, the paper size might be screwing up there filing system or something...just guessing. They want to have all the US standard size paper probably, since different contry has different standard paper size.

Yamini

 

[peeyen]

Anyone????

Hello All,

Visiting this forum after a long time. First off, let me thank all you good folks for contributing to this thread and making life a bit more easier for the rest of us. Before I post my questions, here's the current status:

Timeline for my Parents' GC:
Mailed I-130 to CSC: April, 2005
Recd at CSC:May, 2005
Check cashed: May 14, 2005
Approved March 14, 2006

I've read through all the postings in this thread and have a few questions in order to be prepared for the later stages.

Is the Police Clearance Certificate to be obtained from the regional passport office alone or also from the current local police station? Thought, I saw it mentioned in some link in one of the posting above. If the person has lived in a different state in India, do we need to get it from there too? Would be such a bummer especially if you don't know anyone living there.

My mom doesn't have her school certificate, but she does have a teaching school certificate (teacher's training) which has her date of birth. Will this suffice in addition to the non-availability certificate?

Lastly, anyone used YourManInIndia.com services to obtain these records? What's the timeframe like?

Yamini, any thoughts I noticed you've opted for CP thru' the Mumbai consulate which is what I opted for too.

Thanks much.