I-130 Petition for Parents of US Citizens through Consular Processing.

Arbuzik said:
Thanks fjelltronen!

So that's when we gonna send Change Of Agent?
Once they get Welcome letter?
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Yes. As soon as they get the Welcome letter, which will have the NVC case numbers and invoice identification numbers, the Choice of Address and Agent can be submitted. I think the Welcome letter will talk about the next steps the beneficiary needs to complete -- this is the same list of steps that is posted online (http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/approved/contact.html):

step 1: choose an agent
step 2: pay fees
step 3: submit visa application form
step 4: collect financial documents
step 5: collect supporting documents
step 6: submit documents to the NVC

So, once that letter comes in, we can go ahead and complete step 1: choice of address/agent.

Is this the form you already have signed? http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/80023.pdf
 
fjelltronen said:
Thanks! =) It needs a barcode at the top. I'm guessing that will probably also be mailed with the welcoming letter from NVC and it's just a fast way for them to link the form to the NVC case that it applies to.
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Now, that could be a slight problem. Because even though form was retro signed, how do you plan to get barcode affixed to it, if beneficiary is the only one who gets it and he/she is overseas?
 
Arbuzik said:
Now, that could be a slight problem. Because even though form was retro signed, how do you plan to get barcode affixed to it, if beneficiary is the only one who gets it and he/she is overseas?
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I'd say have it scanned over there, sent by email and printed here. If you're 100% decided on sending the form you already have, that's the best way to go about it [they won't care that your form doesn't have the original barcode]. But it seems that the Choice of Agent can be done completely electronically. This article describes how it's done and has some screen shots from CEAC: https://immimom.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/ds-261-choice-of-address-and-agent/. This webpage provides an email template that can be used to request the Choice of Agent via email alone: http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Email_DS-3032_form.

Personally, I will have them submit it electronically -- guide them over the phone/chat or something. If that doesn't work, however unlikely, I'd be willing to try the email request, which leaves the paper form as a last resort for me [since I don't already have it and it would require some effort to get it].
 
Hi everyone I'm very thankful for this group, I'm rather new to it and I'm a little lost of what to do next. I'm petitioning for my mother who is in Mexico. Since she doesn't have a passport our process will have to be a consular process. I sent her I-130 on October of last year and just yesterday I received her approval. I understand that at this point the Department of State National Visa center (NVC) will contact the beneficiary (my mother) to inform her of what is the next step, however I am worry because in this city the mail services is not very reliable and I'm afraid that the mail will get lost.

My questions are

Is my mother the beneficiary the only one who will receive the welcome letter from NVC stating what the next step is?
When should I send the Choose of Agent form DS-261 ? Can my mom sign the paper DS-261 before she gets any notice from NVC?

Thanks in advance for the help, and if I didn't make any sense please let me know..



10/3/14 - I-130 Submitted
10/9/14 - I-130 Received By USCIS
11/10/14 - I-797C (NoA) Received
03/13/15 - I-130 Approved
03/20/15 - I-797 Received
 
Using I130 for my parents in China, how long will the process take?
I am a U.S. Citizen, residing in California. Since they are in China, we would use consular processing, right? My parents are over 80 years of age so I want to learn the quickest process to follow. And also, a guess as to how long it is going to take.
 
Bernice321 said:
Is my mother the beneficiary the only one who will receive the welcome letter from NVC stating what the next step is?
When should I send the Choose of Agent form DS-261 ? Can my mom sign the paper DS-261 before she gets any notice from NVC?
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As far as I can tell, she is the only one to receive the welcome letter from NVC, but I could be wrong -- actually, I'd be happy to be wrong about this and have the letters be received by the petitioners as well. However, as you probably have read in your I-797, you can actually contact NVC after a while if she has not received the letter. Let's assume she doesn't receive that letter (it got lost in the mail) within the next month or two. You can contact NVC at that time and ask about your petition ('if it was received', 'if they mailed the letter', etc.). If they have received it and they have mailed the letter, you can ask them for the NVC case number and invoice identification number of your mother's case. That is the most important information in that letter and without it you cannot continue this process. Once you have these numbers, you can follow the steps listed here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/approved/contact.html

First is, indeed, DS-261 and you or her can submit it online once you have the case number/invoice id number. Your mother can sign the paper form for you right now, if you want to, but to submit that form you need a bar code (that is to be put at the top of the page) and I believe that the bar code will come with the letter -- which you think it's likely to be lost by the mail service.
 
Hjtao said:
Using I130 for my parents in China, how long will the process take?
I am a U.S. Citizen, residing in California. Since they are in China, we would use consular processing, right? My parents are over 80 years of age so I want to learn the quickest process to follow. And also, a guess as to how long it is going to take.
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If they will be outside of the US when the I-130 is approved, the USCIS sends your petition to the Department of State -- since they handle the visas for those who live outside US. The NVC decides which consulate to have the interview at and visa issued by.

This might be the fastest way for them to get an immigration visa, but, as far as I know, there are no shortcuts one can take for this processing. The most you can do is have all your documentation prepared and once you are allowed to submit it, have it done immediately. Other than that there's not much more you can do. The times vary from case to case, but from what I can tell, the approval of I-130 petitions takes 5 months nowadays, the approved case arrives at NVC within 1-2 months, the DS-261 can take 2 weeks, the processing of the visa documents submitted to NVC 2 months. The time to the interview and the visa issuance can vary depending on how busy the consulates are.
 
Thank you so much for your reply! I got a much better picture what i am looking for. My last question is "Should I also submit I864 along with I130 form for my parents or just I130 with all required document?" Do they accept both forms at the same time so that i can speed up the process? I just feel I130 form is so simple. For example, they only ask if your parent ever came to US, if you answer yes and she/he is not currently in US, they did not ask any information for their past recode.

Should i also write a letter to explain my and my parents situation why they want to immigrate to US? would it help to approve?
 
Hjtao said:
Thank you so much for your reply! I got a much better picture what i am looking for. My last question is "Should I also submit I864 along with I130 form for my parents or just I130 with all required document?" Do they accept both forms at the same time so that i can speed up the process? I just feel I130 form is so simple. For example, they only ask if your parent ever came to US, if you answer yes and she/he is not currently in US, they did not ask any information for their past recode.

Should i also write a letter to explain my and my parents situation why they want to immigrate to US? would it help to approve?
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No, you do not send I-864 now. That is a later step. Send I-130 with what it requires. You do not need any kind of explanation.
 
Hjtao said:
"Should I also submit I864 along with I130 form for my parents or just I130 with all required document?" Do they accept both forms at the same time so that i can speed up the process?
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No I-864 with I-130 because the I-130 will go to USCIS and the NVC will look over your I-864 along with all the other supporting documents after your petition is approved.

Hjtao said:
they did not ask any information for their past recode.
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They (USCIS) don't need this information. The NVC will review all of it. The immigrant visa application asks about these details and more.

Hjtao said:
Should i also write a letter to explain my and my parents situation why they want to immigrate to US? would it help to approve?
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Nope. As a US citizen, you can petition the government to allow your immediate family to come and be here with you. No other explanation needed.
 
fjelltronen said:
As far as I can tell, she is the only one to receive the welcome letter from NVC, but I could be wrong -- actually, I'd be happy to be wrong about this and have the letters be received by the petitioners as well.
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Heya fjelltronen,

Unfortunately (or fortunately in my/our case) you are wrong.
She as Petitioner will get the NVC Welcome Letter (PAOSF) first.
Then, if she is not gonna respond to it, her mother will get it next.

Bernice321 said:
Hi everyone I'm very thankful for this group, I'm rather new to it and I'm a little lost of what to do next. I'm petitioning for my mother who is in Mexico. Since she doesn't have a passport our process will have to be a consular process. I sent her I-130 on October of last year and just yesterday I received her approval. I understand that at this point the Department of State National Visa center (NVC) will contact the beneficiary (my mother) to inform her of what is the next step, however I am worry because in this city the mail services is not very reliable and I'm afraid that the mail will get lost.

My questions are

Is my mother the beneficiary the only one who will receive the welcome letter from NVC stating what the next step is?
When should I send the Choose of Agent form DS-261 ? Can my mom sign the paper DS-261 before she gets any notice from NVC?

Thanks in advance for the help, and if I didn't make any sense please let me know..



10/3/14 - I-130 Submitted
10/9/14 - I-130 Received By USCIS
11/10/14 - I-797C (NoA) Received
03/13/15 - I-130 Approved
03/20/15 - I-797 Received
Click to expand...
Hello Bernice321,

You as Petitioner will get the NVC Welcome Letter (PAOSF) (so called Welcome Letter) first.
Then, if you're not gonna respond to it, (according to this letter) your mother will get it next.

Also, you will have to complete Step 1 described in this letter as filling out Choice of Address and Agent form.
Once you do that you will be sent a Choice of Address and Agent Confirmation by email.

It will say the following:


Thank You
Your Choice of Address and Agent form (Form DS-261) has been automatically forwarded to the National Visa
Center (NVC). After we have processed your DS-261, your agent (YOU in this case) will receive an immigrant visa application
processing fee bill. The fee must be paid before processing of your petition can continue.

Next Steps
In 3 to 5 business days, your agent (YOU in this case) should return to this website and, after signing in with the Case Number and
the Invoice Identification Number, pay the fee(s) due by clicking the Fee Payment button and following the
instructions given.
 
Arbuzik said:
Heya fjelltronen,

Unfortunately (or fortunately in my/our case) you are wrong.
She as Petitioner will get the NVC Welcome Letter (PAOSF) first.
Then, if she is not gonna respond to it, her mother will get it next.

Hello Bernice321,

You as Petitioner will get the NVC Welcome Letter (PAOSF) (so called Welcome Letter) first.
Then, if you're not gonna respond to it, (according to this letter) your mother will get it next.

Also, you will have to complete Step 1 described in this letter as filling out Choice of Address and Agent form.
Once you do that you will be sent a Choice of Address and Agent Confirmation by email.

It will say the following:


Thank You
Your Choice of Address and Agent form (Form DS-261) has been automatically forwarded to the National Visa
Center (NVC). After we have processed your DS-261, your agent (YOU in this case) will receive an immigrant visa application
processing fee bill. The fee must be paid before processing of your petition can continue.

Next Steps
In 3 to 5 business days, your agent (YOU in this case) should return to this website and, after signing in with the Case Number and
the Invoice Identification Number, pay the fee(s) due by clicking the Fee Payment button and following the
instructions given.
Click to expand...


Arbuzik

Thank you so much for confirming this for me. I actually just got 2 emails from the National Visa Center (NVC). One with the Welcome letter (PAOSF) with the NVC case number and Invoice ID number. It also states the next step that needs to be taken. and another one with welcome letter I assume my mother with receive the NVC Welcome Letter (ACL) giving her the same info case number and invoice id number and steps to take.

I'm a bit confuse. Who needs to do step 1. Choose an agent???? My mother the beneficiary or me the Petitioner?? Both the letters state that we need to do it so I'm not sure. Since my mother lives in Mexico I had previously had her sign the form DS-3032 just so I had it ready and not waste time when this step came up..

Thanks again before hand for your/any ones help who has previously gone through this!!!



10/3/14 - I-130 Submitted
10/9/14 - I-130 Received By USCIS
11/10/14 - I-797C (NoA) Received
03/13/15 - I-130 Approved
03/20/15 - I-797 Received
4/3/15 - Received 2 emails from National Visa Center. One with NVC Welcome letter (PAOSF) the other with NVC Welcome Letter (ACL)
 
fjelltronen said:
I'm happy to have been proven wrong. I got mine as well. :) Have you submitted the DS-261?
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Fjelltronen and Arbuzik

Thank you so much for your help. I have been going over your past conversations and both of you are on the same step as my mother's petition. I just finished filling out the Choice of Address and Agent DS-261 online, so that step is now completed. I'm so glad I was able to do it for my mother. She would of been completely confused. I printed out all of the barcode confirmations just in case and I still have the signed copy from my mother.

Now I guess is we're on step 2. waiting to be notify to pay the fee.

Quick questions.. I was told that there would be a medical checkup.. At which point would my mother need to get a medical check up?? Thanks again for the help!
 
Bernice321 said:
I just finished filling out the Choice of Address and Agent DS-261 online, so that step is now completed.
Click to expand...

Awesome! That's what I did. It's fast and easy. [I didn't have the paper form already signed.]

Arbuzik said:
Yes, I submitted DS-261, but did NOT pay the fees.
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Arbuzik, did you do it online as well? [DS-261]

Bernice321 said:
Now I guess is we're on step 2. waiting to be notify to pay the fee.
Click to expand...

I actually went ahead an paid the AOS fee online. It was available and I could pay it, so I did. I will receive the bill in the mail, but ... I didn't want to wait until then. The IV fee is not available yet. I'm guessing the DS-261 needs to be approved before that, but I don't know for sure.

Bernice321 said:
Quick questions.. I was told that there would be a medical checkup.. At which point would my mother need to get a medical check up??
Click to expand...

She'll need to take the sealed medical forms (from the DoS approved doctor) with her to the interview. These checks expire in 6 months (usually, but it also could be less), so she cannot do it too ahead of time, but also not wait until the last minute since these doctors might have long waiting lists. You can get more information from here: http://travel.state.gov/content/vis...ss/interview/prepare/medical-examination.html

I'm so glad we're here to share our experiences and help each other and maybe even others. :)
 
Bernice321, Arbuzik, any news?

My parents received the NVC letters. They made it across the ocean in 2 weeks.

What's the status of your DS-261 online? Mine says "completed". Do you guys know if yours have been approved? They say "allow 15 days for NVC to process" it -- Are those regular days (that is, 2 weeks) or business days (3 weeks)? :)
 
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