Welcome letter from NVC

S

samkv

Registered Users (C)
I (U.S. Citizen living in U.S) filed I-130 few years ago for my sister and family who are living in India. Today, I got a letter from the National Visa Center. It had the NVC Case Number and Invoice ID number. It also had a bill for the Affidavit of Support.
Then it has the following:
"Next Steps"
Step 1. Choose an agent 2. Pay Fees 3. Submit visa application form 4. collect financial documents. 5. collect supporting documents 6. Submit documents to NVC.

I am little confused what's step#1 is about? Should it be an agent in India or cant it be me who is living the U.S? If so, will NVC sent all the future communication (including interview letter) to my U.S. address? Should I give my sister's address in India.

Which fees do I need to pay and which fees my sisters should pay? Just the affidavit of support fee? Do I need to also fill out DS-260 and pay the fees? There are lots of confusing steps that you can easily make mistakes.

Anyone with recent experience with this, please help me.

Thanks.
 
This explains the entire process, including the steps listed in your welcome letter: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/approved/contact.html

You can be their agent or they can be their own agent. The interview notification is sent to everybody (petitioner, beneficiary, and agent).

You might be able to pay all the fees, if that's what you want. Read the information they have on all the steps and you'll know what to do. They have links to where you can pay, they discuss the application form and documentation required. You can choose to fill out the DS-260 -- at the very end you can identify yourself as the person filling out the form for your relative.

I have not gone through this (just yet), but I read the information this morning and it was very helpful to me. Hopefully, it will also help you :)
Good luck!
 
fjelltronen said:
This explains the entire process, including the steps listed in your welcome letter: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/approved/contact.html

You can be their agent or they can be their own agent. The interview notification is sent to everybody (petitioner, beneficiary, and agent).

You might be able to pay all the fees, if that's what you want. Read the information they have on all the steps and you'll know what to do. They have links to where you can pay, they discuss the application form and documentation required. You can choose to fill out the DS-260 -- at the very end you can identify yourself as the person filling out the form for your relative.

I have not gone through this (just yet), but I read the information this morning and it was very helpful to me. Hopefully, it will also help you :)
Good luck!
Click to expand...

We paid the affidavit of support fee (AOS) few days ago and waited for the online status to show "Paid". Now, it says the next step is go to step#4. Why go from step#2 to #4 (not 3) ? looks like the steps are not the in the correct order. Just adds to the confusion. So, after paying the AOS, do we need to send in the financial support documents first? Then submit the visa application?? Submit visa application fee is not invoiced. Not sure when it will show "invoiced".

These are the steps shown on the main page:
Step 1: Choose an agent (done)
Step 2: Pay fees (paid AOS fee)
Step 3: Submit visa application form (not sure when to do this)
Step 4: Collect financial documents (working on this)
Step 5: Collect supporting documents (when to do this?)
Step 6: Submit documents to the NVC (need to submit all documents at once or AOS first?)
Do you know how many days we have to send in all the documents after receiving the "welcome" letter?
 
samkv said:
We paid the affidavit of support fee (AOS) few days ago and waited for the online status to show "Paid". Now, it says the next step is go to step#4. Why go from step#2 to #4 (not 3) ? looks like the steps are not the in the correct order. Just adds to the confusion. So, after paying the AOS, do we need to send in the financial support documents first? Then submit the visa application?? Submit visa application fee is not invoiced. Not sure when it will show "invoiced".

These are the steps shown on the main page:
Step 1: Choose an agent (done)
Step 2: Pay fees (paid AOS fee)
Step 3: Submit visa application form (not sure when to do this)
Step 4: Collect financial documents (working on this)
Step 5: Collect supporting documents (when to do this?)
Step 6: Submit documents to the NVC (need to submit all documents at once or AOS first?)
Do you know how many days we have to send in all the documents after receiving the "welcome" letter?
Click to expand...

I think what they're trying to say is that now, since the AOS is paid, you can start gathering the required financial documents. These two tasks are the responsibility/burden of the sponsor / petitioner -- so maybe that's why they suggested #4 after paying the AOS fees.

I think Steps #2, #3, and #4 can be done in the same time period , independent of each other. While you prepare as a sponsor the financial documents, you or them can fill out and submit the visa application online, while they also collect all the other supporting documents. These things can happen at the same time -- not necessarily one after the other.

The instructions on the page for step #6 (http://travel.state.gov/content/vis...grant-process/documents/Submit_documents.html) state clearly that you (as their agent/petitioner) or them have to send everything in one package:

After you collect your Affidavit of Support form(s) and financial evidence in Step 4, and supporting documents in Step 5, you must submit all of your forms, financial evidence, and photocopies of your original civil documents in ONE package to the NVC. Your case may be significantly delayed if you fail to submit all of your documents in one package.
​
I would get ready all the documents (#4 and #5) and fill out the visa application (#3; this may take a while since they ask for a lot of information -- but it can be saved and continued at another time; you don't have to do everything in one sitting -- there is an example here: http://travel.state.gov/content/vis...rocess/documents/Submit_Visa_Application.html). Once you have the visa application ready, submit it. See if that changes the information about the IV fees. Then also send your entire document package to NVC.

I'm not 100% sure about the time allowed for a response, but I have read in this forum (not sure which thread) that if they don't hear from you for 1 entire year, then they abandon the case.
 
Samkv, I am in the same exact boat as you are!! I have paid the AOS fee and pick the agent/ petitioner which is myself. I am trying to figure out why I have not gotten my IV fee sent to me as I am the agent. They said approximately 15 days and I have paid this on March 2nd of 2015. I dont know if I should just send the paperwork or if im not allowed to because that will just slow down the process?? I am doing this for my husband. I have not heard one thing and it is very frustrating!! Am i supposed to send these documents in that they are asking for before I actually get send the IV fee? It never told me anything about going to Step 4 which is what I am confused about.

If anyone could answer these questions please write me back!!
 
Jennifer Marku said:
Samkv, I am in the same exact boat as you are!! I have paid the AOS fee and pick the agent/ petitioner which is myself. I am trying to figure out why I have not gotten my IV fee sent to me as I am the agent. They said approximately 15 days and I have paid this on March 2nd of 2015. I dont know if I should just send the paperwork or if im not allowed to because that will just slow down the process?? I am doing this for my husband. I have not heard one thing and it is very frustrating!! Am i supposed to send these documents in that they are asking for before I actually get send the IV fee? It never told me anything about going to Step 4 which is what I am confused about.

If anyone could answer these questions please write me back!!
Click to expand...

Are you able to access the case online? What does it say about the AOS fees? Was the payment completed? How about the IV fee? Can you make that payment online? -- If you can, why wait for a bill in the mail?? Can you fill out the application online? [although I think you should make sure they receive the fees before sending in any documents (online or by mail)]

If you cannot make payments online and you're not receiving any communication, then you should probably call them and enquire about the situation. "Was the DS-261 approved?", "Why have I not received any invoices?", etc.
 
fjelltronen said:
Are you able to access the case online? What does it say about the AOS fees? Was the payment completed? How about the IV fee? Can you make that payment online? -- If you can, why wait for a bill in the mail?? Can you fill out the application online? [although I think you should make sure they receive the fees before sending in any documents (online or by mail)]

If you cannot make payments online and you're not receiving any communication, then you should probably call them and enquire about the situation. "Was the DS-261 approved?", "Why have I not received any invoices?", etc.
Click to expand...

I have the same situation. Yes I can access the case online, but on the payment page, the ASO fee stated as $120, and I did pay it. but the IV fee stated as "not invoiced", and I can't click it.

Any more progress on this?
 
john.z said:
I have the same situation. Yes I can access the case online, but on the payment page, the ASO fee stated as $120, and I did pay it. but the IV fee stated as "not invoiced", and I can't click it.

Any more progress on this?
Click to expand...

Did you get a confirmation that your AOS payment was received? (email or regular post)

Usually, the IV fee cannot be paid until the Choice of Agent form has been approved. Do you know if that happened? If yes, then try to contact them about it. There have been some issues lately with the website -- so you might just have to wait for them to get resolved. But ... the only way to know for sure what's happening is to contact them.
 
thank u for the reply.The status of choice of agent is "completed", the AOF fee is "Paid". The iv fee is "not invoiced". i'll try to contact them.
 
Hello
PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP !! Im the applicant and my father is the petiotioner. We received the letter a while ago and my father already payed the 120 fee. Now we need to choose the agent but by the time we click on the option that is in the website, it reloads and appears again the summary information. So we cant choose the agent so we cant move on !!! PLEASE TELL WHAT WE CAN DO ? My father already contacted with the NVC and reported the problem and the only thing they did again was to send the letter again.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP
 
You can log in here.. https://ceac.state.gov/IV/Login.aspx and put in your Case# and invoice#. Click on Choose An Agent option from the top of the screen. Is this what you are doing? It may be an issue with your computer?? Try a different computer or different web browser?
 
SAMKV
Yes im doing that !!! And no i dont think so because my father is trying on his computer in US and im trying in a mac (safari and chrome) here in Colombia and we cant still move on. Im desperate for real :(((((( I already sent and email to the NVC today, so ill wait and see but i dont know what else can i do
 
Hello Everyone,

I am from Pakistan and my wife is the Petitioner. She has received the Welcome letter and we are done with Step 1. It says to wait 15 days to get an invoice in email so that you can move to step 2. In the welcome letter there is only 1 invoice (Affidavit of support fee invoice $120). Hopefully within 15 days She will pay the fee online once we heard back from nvc. I have couple of questions as we are doing this at our own.

1. I searched travel state website and it says there are 2 fee bills which you need to pay separately. One is affidavit of support and other is Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee $325. Did any one here paid both fees? As I see everyone is only talking about $120 and also in welcome letter there is no invoice bill from Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee??

2. In the mean while I and my wife is collecting the financial docs and civil docs. I understand financials docs she will get them but what about civil docs? As far I understood I need to provide photocopies of my birth certificate and police certificates but its confusing. Does she needs to provide her police certificate as well or any other civil docs?

Thank you for reading and helping me out here.
 
Tauseef said:
1. I searched travel state website and it says there are 2 fee bills which you need to pay separately. One is affidavit of support and other is Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee $325. Did any one here paid both fees? As I see everyone is only talking about $120 and also in welcome letter there is no invoice bill from Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee??
Click to expand...

Yes, you will need to pay both fees (step 2). You can go ahead and pay the affidavit of support fee now (either online or by mail using the invoice you received). Or you can wait to pay it, but you will not be able to begin your visa application without having it paid.

The immigration visa application fee will be available for payment only after your choice of agent form was approved (in about 15 days) and once you pay that, you will be able to fill out and submit the visa application itself (step 3).

You can see if you can pay these fees online (in your account) -- you don't have to wait for an invoice by mail. If you do want to pay by mail and you are not receiving an IV invoice in 2 weeks, you can call them and ask them for one.

Tauseef said:
2. In the mean while I and my wife is collecting the financial docs and civil docs. I understand financials docs she will get them but what about civil docs? As far I understood I need to provide photocopies of my birth certificate and police certificates but its confusing. Does she needs to provide her police certificate as well or any other civil docs?
Click to expand...

That's very good! Usually, it's the petitioner that is also the financial sponsor for the beneficiary -- so, yes, she will do the financial documents. The civil documents are about you and your relationship with the petitioner. So, birth certificate, police certificates, medical checks are for you alone. Then you also have to show proof for your relationship.

Hope this helps,
Good luck!
 
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