CR1 Electronic Filing Processes

[HotBaozi]

I assume there is a transition from this new NVC website where the fees are paid and the DS-260 , and financial paperwork are submitted, to the Consular US TravelDocs area? Perhaps that happens after the NVC looks everything over and approves and then passes it along.

 

Previously, when submitting the DS-260 the applicant was required to attach a photo and then submit the application. However, that step appears to have been delayed until after the NVC approves and sends on to US traveldocs as there was no step or place to submit it on the NVC site. For now, it appears all is submitted and it's just waiting to hear back from them? Just another of many stupid processes where it's impossible to get validation.

[HotBaozi]

One of the more confusing aspects of the NVC website is that it appears to have been designed so that it can be used for several different types of US Visas. For this reason, it makes it appear that the USCIS was not involved in the approval process and. For example, when one reads the process flow pages, it lists supporting documents that were required to be presented to the USCIS during the initial application process and should NOT be required to be presented again: birth certificates, marriage certificates, and so on.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

Additionally, it is not at all clear when the Applicant should gather their medical and police report information. One assumes it's after they are contacted by the US consulate, but in reading the damned website, it provides overlapping confusion that show a flow chart where that information is gathered before the interview. That is very unlikely for the I-130.

 

At this point, I have an uneasy feeling, but assume, which I hate doing, that it's just a matter of waiting for these bastards to contact us about something now.

[Randy W]

One of the more confusing aspects of the NVC website is that it appears to have been designed so that it can be used for several different types of US Visas. For this reason, it makes it appear that the USCIS was not involved in the approval process and. For example, when one reads the process flow pages, it lists supporting documents that were required to be presented to the USCIS during the initial application process and should NOT be required to be presented again: birth certificates, marriage certificates, and so on.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

Additionally, it is not at all clear when the Applicant should gather their medical and police report information. One assumes it's after they are contacted by the US consulate, but in reading the damned website, it provides overlapping confusion that show a flow chart where that information is gathered before the interview. That is very unlikely for the I-130.

 

At this point, I have an uneasy feeling, but assume, which I hate doing, that it's just a matter of waiting for these bastards to contact us about something now.

 

 

You might also check the USTravelsdocs website to see what you will need in order to proceed there. My understanding is that they (NVC, GUZ, and USTraveldocs) operate as if off the same database, and it's simply a matter of waiting for all that is needed, including the proper star alignment.

 

You "uneasy feeling" seems appropriate, but the stars DO seem to line up as things progress.

Edited September 26, 2015 by Randy W (see edit history)

[HotBaozi]

I've checked the US traveldocs website and many others, which is what started me on this journey of chasing misinformation from other websites, and wiki stuff, outdated misleading, and so on information. For now, the best rule appears to be following the directions provided on the websites, which are to wait for the NVC to finish their stuff first.

 

The process flow for immigrant Visas is laid out on the NVC website here:

 

interview

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/interview.html

prepare for interview

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/interview/prepare.html

The processing directions for Guangzhou are found in the following PDF from the website:

http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Supplemental/GUZ%20-%20Guangzhou.pdf

[HotBaozi]

I think some of the confusion comes from the early days of development of the websites and using CGI stanley. The US State Department always had their own website, and the various consulates around the world also had autonomous websites that were supposed to be under the auspices of the US State Department, but truly by all appearances many of those websites appear to run rouge.

 

As you know, the US traveldocs website limped into existence and remains a confusing existence to the public. It's far from user friendly, and one must wonder whether the data is secure. Certainly the website isn't stable, and there is no way to know whether other US departments are even sharing that information.

 

Now, it appears the NVC and US traveldocs have some handshaking going on, or at least that seems to be the intention. For example, the flow is:

 

1. Petitioner submits I-130 application, fees, and supporting paperwork to the USCIS.

 

2. USCIS reviews and approves, then sends to the NVC

 

3. NVC contacts petitioner and beneficiary with GUZ number, request to pay AOS and IV fees

 

4. Several days later the NVC provides a new GZO case number. This is the electronic case number

 

5. After paying the fees, the applicant (beneficiary) completes the DS-260 online at the CEAC website and submits

 

6. Petitioner submits i-864 and supporting documents in electronic format to nvc email

 

7. NVC acknowledges receipt of i-864, and states they will review and reply within 30-days of their receipt

 

8. After approval of DS-260 and I-864, the NVC forwards the approved paperwork to the consulate.

 

9 . The Consulate sends letter to applicant

 

10. At this point, the applicant should initiate process in US traveldocs

[HotBaozi]

**Update

 

I just spoke to the NVC this morning about our case and got a little clarification about the electronic processing. They acknowledged receipt of the DS-260 and I-864, and even though we are at day '28' of the 30-days they requested for processing, they simply said they are still working on it and would contact us when they are done.

 

But, there is a correction regarding the sending of CIVIL documents. I was mistaken when I thought that the USCIS forwarded our paperwork to the NVC, which includes copies of the civil documents; excluding the police certificate. However, they now say they do NOT receive copies of civil documents and that we are required to scan and send them copies of the paperwork included here:

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

Formerly, the police certificate was obtained later, but the process has changed.

Edited September 28, 2015 by HotBaozi (see edit history)

[HotBaozi]

The electronic processing method being used my American immigration is like everything else in American government; over-staffed, over-budgeted, under-skilled, redundant, and waste.

 

Okay, that's my running negative tirade, but as with any government the motto is you can't fight city hall. Well, I suppose you can, but it's very unlikely you will win, and even more likely you will go backwards.

 

It makes no sense whatsoever that a couple should have so resubmit to the NVC documents already submitted to the USCIS. Yes, I get what they are doing, and it's just lazy and stupid. Obviously the USCIS isn't scanning the paperwork into their system, and if they are scanning it, then why aren't they sharing it with the NVC?

 

So, the long and short of the deal is the couple has to provide the NVC scanned documents of the hard-copy documents they submitted to the USCIS with the original application. What I can surmise from the NVC step five (5) page is:

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

 

Note: These documents apply to the applicant (Beneficiary) and must include a notarized translation

 

1. Birth Certificate

2. Divorce Certificate

3. Current Marriage Certificate

4. Passport Biographic Data Page

5. Police Report

 

This appears to be all. For now, it's National Holiday in China and my wife will check about ordering a new police certificate and translation tomorrow. Once received I will repackage all these documents and send together to nvcelectronic.

[dnoblett]

1. Birth Certificate

2. Divorce Certificate

3. Current Marriage Certificate

4. Passport Biographic Data Page

5. Police Report

Notary documents "White Books" with attached Notary translation except #4 (Scan all pages of each document including cover into separate PDF files for email to NVC)

 

Passport BIO page is already bilingual so needs no translation and can be an ordinary photo copy of the page scanned into a PDF

[HotBaozi]

 

1. Birth Certificate

2. Divorce Certificate

3. Current Marriage Certificate

4. Passport Biographic Data Page

5. Police Report

Notary documents "White Books" with attached Notary translation except #4 (Scan all pages of each document including cover into separate PDF files for email to NVC)

 

Passport BIO page is already bilingual so needs no translation and can be an ordinary photo copy of the page scanned into a PDF

 

 

 

Correct. The very same "White Booklets" we ordered and paid for the Fiance (K1) Visa, and then the i-130. Of course, we scanned all the pages as we would never send an original document to the USCIS. I printed the scanned documents from a high resolution PDF and sent along to the USCIS.

 

I still have copies of those scanned documents, so I will use my version of Adobe Acrobat to reduce the file size to a compatible level for mailing to the NVC. The only things we don't have on hand are the Biographic Data page of her passport and a new version of the police report. The previous police report is expired of course after six months.

[HotBaozi]

My wife made her way to the notarial office to get another police certificate today. Unfortunately we're right smack dab in the middle of the Chinese National Holiday, so they will not be able to produce a new copy until October 19. The NVC warns against sending paperwork in dribs and drabs, so we need to wait until we have the new police report in hand before I can compile it into a PDF file and send it to the NVC electronically.

 

Had we known the details of electronic processing in advance we could have been prepared for it, but hey, hopefully this long hard road will get right here soon.

Edited September 29, 2015 by HotBaozi (see edit history)

[HotBaozi]

I'm feeling a big pit in my stomach right now after realizing I screwed up our package at the NVC by not sending all the paperwork in ONE package that includes the I-864 and all the wife's civil documents. Shit!!

 

http://i62.tinypic.com/2j3pc3r.jpg

 

I need to call them back and get this figured out

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Submit_documents.html

Edited September 29, 2015 by HotBaozi (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

I'm feeling a big pit in my stomach right now after realizing I screwed up our package at the NVC by not sending all the paperwork in ONE package that includes the I-864 and all the wife's civil documents. Shit!!

 

http://i62.tinypic.com/2j3pc3r.jpg

 

I need to call them back and get this figured out

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Submit_documents.html

Yes,

1. Select Agent
2. Pay I-864 fee
3. Email I-864 (This converts GUZ to GZO case) Chooses eProcess
4. Pay Application fee
5. Do DS-260
6. Email notary documents

[HotBaozi]

 

I'm feeling a big pit in my stomach right now after realizing I screwed up our package at the NVC by not sending all the paperwork in ONE package that includes the I-864 and all the wife's civil documents. Shit!!

 

http://i62.tinypic.com/2j3pc3r.jpg

 

I need to call them back and get this figured out

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Submit_documents.html

Yes,

1. Select Agent
2. Pay I-864 fee
3. Email I-864 (This converts GUZ to GZO case) Chooses eProcess
4. Pay Application fee
5. Do DS-260
6. Email notary documents

 

 

 

No, that's not the case. The fees must be paid first, and one can then move forward at any time for up to one year. The DS-260 is done online by the applicant. The financial and civil documents must be compiled into ONE single file and emailed.

 

So, the process flow is:

 

a. Select agent

 

1. Pay fees

2. Applicant complete the DS-260 online

------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Petitioner compiles financial documents

4. Applicant / Petitioner collect and compile civil documents

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Compile 3&4 into a single file and email to the NVC witin one year of paying fee

[HotBaozi]

Phewwww. Just got off the phone with the NVC and explained that I sent only the financial paperwork in the first email. They said that is no problem at all, just as long as we send in the remaining paperwork in another email. I explained that it's now a holiday in China and that we must wait until October 19 for the police report to become available. He explained that we have up to one year to send in the additional papers and not to worry.

 

In any event, the best course of action is to get this all right the first time of course. The NVC said that most everyone is confused about using the electronic processing.

[HotBaozi]

***After The NVC Receives The Appoved CR1 Case and to Kick Off ELECTRONIC PROCESSING***

 

The petitioner, or the petitioner's agent/attorney must contact NVCElectronic via email to inform them that you choose ELECTRONIC PROCESSING. At that point, the NVC will reply and change the GUZ number to GZO and send an email like the following:

 

http://i61.tinypic.com/2ewms5j.jpg

 

Follow the process explained on the NVC website.

Edited September 29, 2015 by HotBaozi (see edit history)