Successful CP @ Islamabad in Dec' 2002 - Part1
Hello All.
BEFORE I START, PLZ NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND VIEWS/IDEAS; SO IT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A LEGAL ADVISE. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND OPINIONS/VIEWS MAY VARY.
When I was in the queue I felt a need of guidence many times on different stages of my CP application; and there was no post on any of the forums about CP in Islamabad. It is specially needed after the 9 one one event which further raised the questions. This posting is for all of you going for CP at the US Consulate Islamabad.
I will not write in detail what happens to the application in the US, just overview. And will try to explain each and everything when it goes out of it.
From I-140 to NVC
=================
The service center sends your approved I-140 application to the National Visa Center in New Hampshire for further processing. NVC puts a case no. on it and sends a letter back to your attorney to double-check if the beneficiery was "really" going for CP? and tell that the CP post will be Islamabad, Pakistan. Although most of us have mentioned it on our application (when filing I-140) that we want to go for CP but they call it 'double check'! This is such an important issue they want to make sure again; but in our point-of-view it delays the process atleast 2-3 weeks. I am not sure if you can call and tell them about this confirmation on phone to save your time.
After NVC recieves the confirmation that you 'still' want to go to Islamabad -
they send you a packet normally called Packet-3. It consists of a guide and some forms to complete and send back to NVC (including DS-230 Part 1). They also send you a letter which is called "Immigrant Visa Application (DS-230) Processing Fee Bill". They want you to pay US $335 per person who is immigrating and WANT YOU TO SEND THIS LETTER ALONGWITH THE PAYMENT BACK TO NVC. This is important because it has your case # in bar codes on it and they are able to just scan it and enter into their system. Otherwise, they said it may delay your processing time. Make sure you make a photocopy of it for your records. You can send this payment via cashiers' check or money order. It can vary case by case but most of the time, after you recieve Packet-3, you reply NVC by sending the completed DS-230 Part 1 for each and every applicant and the payment. But read the instructions carefully. You may need some more documents/forms.
From NVC to Islamabad
=====================
NVC then makes sure they have recieved the payment and all the forms/documents they needed, and forwards your case to the Consulate in Islamabad. They send you a letter confirming this alongwith the phone numbers you may need in order to persue your application at Islamabad. I would recommend to call the number on the letter instead of general telphone no of the consulate for any further inquiries. The no that NVC gives to you is of Immigrant Visa Section @ the consulate where your case is actually being processed. If you call the general inquiry they normally forward you to wrong person asking weired questions like : "On what visa you are currently in the US", "How did you get that" (I was asked for those by a pakistani-goraa on the phone).... what the heck... none of your business!
Islamabad Consulate sends you a Packet-3.5 (not 4) and ask you to complete the forms and send back to them. THEY WILL NOT GIVE YOU AN INTERVIEW DATE UNLESS YOU SEND THE FORMS BACK TO THEM. This is our general understanding that they send the packet 3.5 (to some Pakistan address) and give you an interview date on phone. Yes they do, sometimes, but that is quite difficult to get. I tried many times to make it happen but they always refused. I had to send them a Fax to make this request and they then sent me the fax to give the interview date. this does not happen on phone usually, so be carefull and plan accordingly. Also, they don't send you the Packet 3.5 via any secure mail/courier service. Their web-site claims that they do it via Gerry's FedEx but they sent me the packet 3.5 to Chicago via normal Pakistan Post and via the same (Pakistan Post) to Pakistan Address. I requested on both addresses so you can also I think.
This packet 3.5 has the following forms in it : Form OF-230 Part 1 and 2 and Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support). I think OF-230 and DS-230 are the same forms. You can visit another useful website http://www.immihelp.com for forms and other useful details).
This packet 3.5 has a CheckList also; of the required documents to bring with you when you come to the consulate for interview. A lot of friends asked me about Police Certificates and other documents as if those were required or not. I did not bring anything that was not within the checklist. I believe that is the list consulate is asking you to bring with you. If they ask for anything not mentioned in this checklist, just say it was not in the list of required documents so you did not bring it. You can, for the safe side, take as many as you want but that is my very own point-of-view and that's something I can take a stand.
This list of required documents is:
1. Form OF-230 Part I & II (all questions must be answered)
2. Birth Certificate (Original and One Photocopy)
3. English Translation of Birth Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
4. Marriage Certificate (Original and One Photocopy)
5. English Translation of Marriage Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
6. Death Certificate if previous spouse is deceased (Original and One Photocopy)
7. English Translation of Death Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
8. Divorce Certificate if previously married and divorced (Original and One Photocopy)
9. English Translation of Divorce Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
10. Origianl signed Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support) from the sponsor (OR **EMPLOYEE IF ALREADY EMPLOYED IN THE US) and notarized by an American Notary Public OR **A CONSULAR OFFICER AT A US EMBASSY OR CONSULATE. Please note that if a relative of the applicant has a significant ownership in the petitioning company then he/she must submit Form I-864, their last three years of tax returns, and evidence of business ownership.
** I followed this option and that is for most of us I believe.
11. Copies of the sponsor's federal tax returns (Form-1040) for the past year. ** I took mine **
12. An original job letter/proof of self employment from the sponsor ** very important, they kept this document. This is like employment confirmation. Sample can be found at http://www.immihelp.com under consular process section. I belive this should have your current salary on it (whatever it is).
13. Proof of sponsor's assets. ** I took it as proof of my assets. This include: Bank Statements/Stocks/Property/etc.
14. Passports (valid for 12 months beyond the anticipated visa interview date)
15. Medical Examination report (only from the physicians on the pannel. The list of physicians is given in packet 3.5)
16. Two Photographs per person and according to the specifications given in the packet 3.5 (they have all specs explained pictorially)
The list is complete.
I will post the rest as Part2 since there is a limit on the length of the message. Also, if there are some questions plz ask, I will try to post the answers within the Part2. Expect the second part in 3-4 days.
Thanks!
-atiq
Hello All.
BEFORE I START, PLZ NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND VIEWS/IDEAS; SO IT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A LEGAL ADVISE. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND OPINIONS/VIEWS MAY VARY.
When I was in the queue I felt a need of guidence many times on different stages of my CP application; and there was no post on any of the forums about CP in Islamabad. It is specially needed after the 9 one one event which further raised the questions. This posting is for all of you going for CP at the US Consulate Islamabad.
I will not write in detail what happens to the application in the US, just overview. And will try to explain each and everything when it goes out of it.
From I-140 to NVC
=================
The service center sends your approved I-140 application to the National Visa Center in New Hampshire for further processing. NVC puts a case no. on it and sends a letter back to your attorney to double-check if the beneficiery was "really" going for CP? and tell that the CP post will be Islamabad, Pakistan. Although most of us have mentioned it on our application (when filing I-140) that we want to go for CP but they call it 'double check'! This is such an important issue they want to make sure again; but in our point-of-view it delays the process atleast 2-3 weeks. I am not sure if you can call and tell them about this confirmation on phone to save your time.
After NVC recieves the confirmation that you 'still' want to go to Islamabad -
they send you a packet normally called Packet-3. It consists of a guide and some forms to complete and send back to NVC (including DS-230 Part 1). They also send you a letter which is called "Immigrant Visa Application (DS-230) Processing Fee Bill". They want you to pay US $335 per person who is immigrating and WANT YOU TO SEND THIS LETTER ALONGWITH THE PAYMENT BACK TO NVC. This is important because it has your case # in bar codes on it and they are able to just scan it and enter into their system. Otherwise, they said it may delay your processing time. Make sure you make a photocopy of it for your records. You can send this payment via cashiers' check or money order. It can vary case by case but most of the time, after you recieve Packet-3, you reply NVC by sending the completed DS-230 Part 1 for each and every applicant and the payment. But read the instructions carefully. You may need some more documents/forms.From NVC to Islamabad
=====================
NVC then makes sure they have recieved the payment and all the forms/documents they needed, and forwards your case to the Consulate in Islamabad. They send you a letter confirming this alongwith the phone numbers you may need in order to persue your application at Islamabad. I would recommend to call the number on the letter instead of general telphone no of the consulate for any further inquiries. The no that NVC gives to you is of Immigrant Visa Section @ the consulate where your case is actually being processed. If you call the general inquiry they normally forward you to wrong person asking weired questions like : "On what visa you are currently in the US", "How did you get that" (I was asked for those by a pakistani-goraa on the phone).... what the heck... none of your business!
Islamabad Consulate sends you a Packet-3.5 (not 4) and ask you to complete the forms and send back to them. THEY WILL NOT GIVE YOU AN INTERVIEW DATE UNLESS YOU SEND THE FORMS BACK TO THEM. This is our general understanding that they send the packet 3.5 (to some Pakistan address) and give you an interview date on phone. Yes they do, sometimes, but that is quite difficult to get. I tried many times to make it happen but they always refused. I had to send them a Fax to make this request and they then sent me the fax to give the interview date. this does not happen on phone usually, so be carefull and plan accordingly. Also, they don't send you the Packet 3.5 via any secure mail/courier service. Their web-site claims that they do it via Gerry's FedEx but they sent me the packet 3.5 to Chicago via normal Pakistan Post and via the same (Pakistan Post) to Pakistan Address. I requested on both addresses so you can also I think.
This packet 3.5 has the following forms in it : Form OF-230 Part 1 and 2 and Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support). I think OF-230 and DS-230 are the same forms. You can visit another useful website http://www.immihelp.com for forms and other useful details).
This packet 3.5 has a CheckList also; of the required documents to bring with you when you come to the consulate for interview. A lot of friends asked me about Police Certificates and other documents as if those were required or not. I did not bring anything that was not within the checklist. I believe that is the list consulate is asking you to bring with you. If they ask for anything not mentioned in this checklist, just say it was not in the list of required documents so you did not bring it. You can, for the safe side, take as many as you want but that is my very own point-of-view and that's something I can take a stand.
This list of required documents is:
1. Form OF-230 Part I & II (all questions must be answered)
2. Birth Certificate (Original and One Photocopy)
3. English Translation of Birth Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
4. Marriage Certificate (Original and One Photocopy)
5. English Translation of Marriage Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
6. Death Certificate if previous spouse is deceased (Original and One Photocopy)
7. English Translation of Death Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
8. Divorce Certificate if previously married and divorced (Original and One Photocopy)
9. English Translation of Divorce Cert. (Original and One Photocopy)
10. Origianl signed Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support) from the sponsor (OR **EMPLOYEE IF ALREADY EMPLOYED IN THE US) and notarized by an American Notary Public OR **A CONSULAR OFFICER AT A US EMBASSY OR CONSULATE. Please note that if a relative of the applicant has a significant ownership in the petitioning company then he/she must submit Form I-864, their last three years of tax returns, and evidence of business ownership.
** I followed this option and that is for most of us I believe.
11. Copies of the sponsor's federal tax returns (Form-1040) for the past year. ** I took mine **
12. An original job letter/proof of self employment from the sponsor ** very important, they kept this document. This is like employment confirmation. Sample can be found at http://www.immihelp.com under consular process section. I belive this should have your current salary on it (whatever it is).
13. Proof of sponsor's assets. ** I took it as proof of my assets. This include: Bank Statements/Stocks/Property/etc.
14. Passports (valid for 12 months beyond the anticipated visa interview date)
15. Medical Examination report (only from the physicians on the pannel. The list of physicians is given in packet 3.5)
16. Two Photographs per person and according to the specifications given in the packet 3.5 (they have all specs explained pictorially)
The list is complete.
I will post the rest as Part2 since there is a limit on the length of the message. Also, if there are some questions plz ask, I will try to post the answers within the Part2. Expect the second part in 3-4 days.
Thanks!
-atiq
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