CR1 Electronic Filing Processes

[dnoblett]

Been working my wife's mother's petition through the system, it is a simple matter of emailing the I-864, doing so automatically opts in to the electronic process, NVC shortly sent out an email with the new GZO number, no need to inform them.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Submit_documents.html(Method 2: Choice of processing)

 

It does look like they shuffled the order of things a little on the NVC site to streamline it a little.

1. Choose agent
2. Pay both fees
3. Submit DS-260
4. Collect Notarial Docs
5. Collect Financials (I-864)
6. Mail or Email

[HotBaozi]

That may have worked, but I would not recommend it. The better choice is to always be on record as having made the choice from the beginning and having a clear record of that choice in an email and a reply from the NVC as I showed here:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/48160-cr1-electronic-filing-processes/?p=625068

 

This particular thread pertains to electronic processing for CR1, and what the NVC wants and recommends from its customers. The best way to know what they want is to read it directly from their website, which appears here, and always remember to use the barcode cover page with all email communication with the NVC as noted earlier in this thread.

 

Case Number:

Petitioner's Name:

Principal Applicant's Name:

Preference Category: CR1

Your Priority Date:

Foreign State Chargeability: CHINA - MAINLAND

Invoice ID Number:

All the steps and information appear here:

Petition

Submit a Petition

After Your Petition is Approved

Check Priority Date

Begin Nation Visa Center (NVC) Processing

Choose an Agent

Pay Fees

Collect and Submit Forms and Documents to the NVC

Submit Visa Application Form

Collect Financial Documents

Collect Supporting Documents

Submit Documents to the NVC

Interview

Prepare for the Interview

Visa Applicant Interview

After the Interview

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

[roseattle]

Hello everyone, I have been lurking and reading the information on this wonderful forum while I have been working on the I-130 petition for my wife. So, right now I'm also at the NVC process and I'm a little bit confused about the NVC Electronic Processing.

 

Case background:

Currently at NVC stage.

Agent Chosen

Affidavit of Support Fee Paid

IV Fee Paid

Working on VISA Application Form Online

My Case Number Currently is Starting with GUZ

 

Question:

How should I choose to use the NVC Electronic Processing? How do I get my case number switched to GZO?

 

My guess:

Based on reading the info here, I should do:

1. Complete the VISA Application Form Online

2. Email the scanned AOS and IV package together to NVC. (This is the point where my case number automatically be switched to GZO)

 

Do I have the correct direction? Are there any additional info I should know?

 

Really appreciate you awesome folks here! Thanks!

[dnoblett]

Yes, If you scan and email the paperwork to NVC they will switch the case from a GUZ to a GZO case. Then bring the physical paperwork to the consulate.

[roseattle]

Yes, If you scan and email the paperwork to NVC they will switch the case from a GUZ to a GZO case. Then bring the physical paperwork to the consulate.

 

Thank you.

[unmepbmn]

Hi,

 

I am at the Electronic Processing step with NVC. I understand that each document needs to be in its own separate file. But from the discussion on this thread, it seems the OP is suggesting that the first page on each file (for each separate document), should be the barcoded document cover sheet. Is this correct?

 

I had thought that the barcoded document cover sheets (for AOS and IV) would just be included as separate files in the email to NVC.

 

I appreciate your help guys. Thank you.

[dnoblett]

When I submitted my wife's mothers documents it was a separate PDF for each document, the file names all began with GZO case number, and written on first page of each document was GZO number.

[HotBaozi]

Hi,

 

I am at the Electronic Processing step with NVC. I understand that each document needs to be in its own separate file. But from the discussion on this thread, it seems the OP is suggesting that the first page on each file (for each separate document), should be the barcoded document cover sheet. Is this correct?

 

I had thought that the barcoded document cover sheets (for AOS and IV) would just be included as separate files in the email to NVC.

 

I appreciate your help guys. Thank you.

 

Suggest you compile the complete package into ONE single file and create a cover letter that lists the complete contents. I strongly suggest you avoid sending separate files even if they are as multiple attachments in a single email as it increases the chances of NVC losing them. Make sure the barcode sheet is always page one.

 

Download a trial copy of Adobe Acrobat from the Adobe website, which is good for 30 days. Using acrobat enables you to combine single files into ONE file. When all is in one file in the order you want save and optimize so the file size is less than five megabytes

[unmepbmn]

When I submitted my wife's mothers documents it was a separate PDF for each document, the file names all began with GZO case number, and written on first page of each document was GZO number.

I am naming all files to being with our GUZ case number. So you included a page with a type case number as the first page for all files, not the barcoded document cover sheet with the case number. We don't have a GZO case number yet, I'm assuming we'll get one assigned after I email them the docs.

[unmepbmn]

Suggest you compile the complete package into ONE single file and create a cover letter that lists the complete contents. I strongly suggest you avoid sending separate files even if they are as multiple attachments in a single email as it increases the chances of NVC losing them. Make sure the barcode sheet is always page one.

Download a trial copy of Adobe Acrobat from the Adobe website, which is good for 30 days. Using acrobat enables you to combine single files into ONE file. When all is in one file in the order you want save and optimize so the file size is less than five megabytes

 

I like your idea of compiling and organizing all documents into a single PDF file with the barcoded cover sheet and cover letter at the top. However, the NVC Document Scanning FAQs are specific that separated files be submitted for each document, "Create a separate file for each document, including all of its pages and both sides of double-sided documents. Do not include multiple documents in any scan file".

 

In your case, did you submit all documents compiled into a single PDF? Did you have any problems with NVC because of this?

 

Thanks for your help, HotBaozi.

[HotBaozi]

 

Suggest you compile the complete package into ONE single file and create a cover letter that lists the complete contents. I strongly suggest you avoid sending separate files even if they are as multiple attachments in a single email as it increases the chances of NVC losing them. Make sure the barcode sheet is always page one.

Download a trial copy of Adobe Acrobat from the Adobe website, which is good for 30 days. Using acrobat enables you to combine single files into ONE file. When all is in one file in the order you want save and optimize so the file size is less than five megabytes

 

I like your idea of compiling and organizing all documents into a single PDF file with the barcoded cover sheet and cover letter at the top. However, the NVC Document Scanning FAQs are specific that separated files be submitted for each document, "Create a separate file for each document, including all of its pages and both sides of double-sided documents. Do not include multiple documents in any scan file".

 

In your case, did you submit all documents compiled into a single PDF? Did you have any problems with NVC because of this?

 

Thanks for your help, HotBaozi.

 

 

 

Good find on the NVC website. I didn't see it when I submitted our paperwork. So, I compiled everything as previously described and separated each section with a separate and titled cover sheet labeled "Attachment A, -- Beneficiary Marriage Certificate" and so on.

 

However, now it is clear they didn't want that. But, they accepted it anyway. They likely get all manner and sort of documents submitted every which way as they are accepting people into this country whether they come in the front door or the southern border without a damn piece of paperwork to show for it. Anyway, it looks like you're doing the right thing and even finding things I didn't see. I'm not sure if the link you provided is new content or not as I didn't see it before.

[clearcoated]

Yahoo and Gmail limit attachments to 25 MB. It seems that my set of PDFs will come in at around 35 MB in total. I could probably re-size a few large attachments and shave off 4-5 MB (my largest file is 3.9 MB), but I don't think I'll get everything to fit under 25 MB.

 

Yahoo suggests using Dropbox for attachments bigger than 25 MB.

 

Has anyone tried using Dropbox to send their PDFs to NVC?

[unmepbmn]

Yahoo and Gmail limit attachments to 25 MB. It seems that my set of PDFs will come in at around 35 MB in total. I could probably re-size a few large attachments and shave off 4-5 MB (my largest file is 3.9 MB), but I don't think I'll get everything to fit under 25 MB.

 

Yahoo suggests using Dropbox for attachments bigger than 25 MB.

 

Has anyone tried using Dropbox to send their PDFs to NVC?

The sum total of the sizes for all your attachments is supposed to be under 5MB! Check NVC instructions under Email Processing here.

 

You can reduce the size of your PDFs by optimizing them with Adobe Acrobat Pro (free trial available) as described HotBaozi on one of his posts on the first page of this thread.

 

I don't think submitting file links to external sites will work but I haven't tried that or heard of anyone who did.

[clearcoated]

After Google searching, I've found there's been a lot of confusion going back 6 years or so as to what is meant by 5 MB attachment size. It seems a lot of people I've found who've dealt with this online in the past have interpreted it as limiting each attachment to below 5 MB, not the whole package.

 

For I-864, Part 7, I need to submit evidence of assets to supplement income (since I'm working in China and have no W-2), and we have lots of paperwork regarding closing statements, mortgage notes, appraisals, and rental leases on two properties for rental income, plus 3 years of tax returns, and other evidence of domicile. Big pile of evidence.

 

So, my current plan is to re-size as much as possible to get everything down below 25 MB so I can try emailing it all at one time.

[unmepbmn]

I had read somewhere that NVC's email system can't handle emails with attachments over 5MB. Not sure how true this is though. I myself submitted 25 PDF documents and barely managed to optimize the files to get under the 5MB limit.

 

I do know of some people, with a large number of files to submit, who ended up submitting their documents in two separate packages/emails: 1st email/package for the financial documents only and the 2nd email/package for supporting documents only. They kept each email size under 5MB and clarified in each email that it was the 1st of two or 2nd of two packages being submitted for their case.