So, called an operator up again today. Instead of getting the usual reply of "it could be 20 business days", this operator suggested I actually re-send the documents since it's been 3 weeks. So, I just re-sent our I-864 and DS-260 packages by email.
The operator mentioned that our case was only changed to EP on February 17, yet we sent our documents before that. But if they process the emails in order, then technically, by the time they get to my email for the I-864, they'll have switched me to EP since I had sent the optin email three days earlier.
Two days before our optin was accepted, an operator actually suggested to me to re-send the optin email since they hadn't switched our case to EP yet.
I'm hoping the same thing happens now where they're just really behind on emails and they'll get to our February 4th email of our I-864 package soon. It wouldn't make sense to have to wait for optin acceptance to email things if they process emails in order.
~Lindsay
Showing posts with label DS-260. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DS-260. Show all posts
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
DS-260!!
A little after 8pm, our IV bill finally appeared as paid! It took me a second to realise what I saw. I had been signing into the payment portal all afternoon, every 20 minutes or so, and nothing. But it finally changed! I hit the button to start the DS-260 application.
I'm very glad I went through the DS-260 screenshots. I saved a lot of time by finding out information that would have taken a few hours to get. Page after page, I entered in the correct information. At the end, there's a review page on each section.
I printed out each review section and sent a PDF version to Ben to review. I'm glad he did as I missed a question about the petitioner's email address. I swear, it didn't ask that in the form, but I clicked the edit button, and voila, it was there. Mysterious...
After we both reviewed, I digitally signed it (like with the DS-261) and then clicked the submit button. A confirmation page was presented and I printed that out as well.
Then it was time to send off the email for the supporting documents for the DS-260. I printed out my cover letter, signed it, and then scanned it. I added that, along with the cover sheet, to the package. While Ben's I-864 package was nearly 8 MB (reduced from 20 MB), my package was only 3 MB (and not reduced).
I prepped the email with the needed info, attached the package, and emailed it off.
So, within 7 days, Ben and I have finished paying all the bills and sending in all the forms and documents. Now all we have to do is wait for NVC to review them and complete our case. Very exciting!
~Lindsay
I'm very glad I went through the DS-260 screenshots. I saved a lot of time by finding out information that would have taken a few hours to get. Page after page, I entered in the correct information. At the end, there's a review page on each section.
I printed out each review section and sent a PDF version to Ben to review. I'm glad he did as I missed a question about the petitioner's email address. I swear, it didn't ask that in the form, but I clicked the edit button, and voila, it was there. Mysterious...
After we both reviewed, I digitally signed it (like with the DS-261) and then clicked the submit button. A confirmation page was presented and I printed that out as well.
Then it was time to send off the email for the supporting documents for the DS-260. I printed out my cover letter, signed it, and then scanned it. I added that, along with the cover sheet, to the package. While Ben's I-864 package was nearly 8 MB (reduced from 20 MB), my package was only 3 MB (and not reduced).
I prepped the email with the needed info, attached the package, and emailed it off.
So, within 7 days, Ben and I have finished paying all the bills and sending in all the forms and documents. Now all we have to do is wait for NVC to review them and complete our case. Very exciting!
~Lindsay
Friday, January 7, 2011
Some good news!
*Reference link to abbreviations/terms post*
Just to start off, Happy New Year!
I had a great Christmas with Ben. He flew in Wednesday night and left less than four days later. I'm so glad we got to spend our first Christmas together.
Also, as of January 2nd, it's been 4 months since our NOA1. And as of today, I've known Ben for exactly a year ^_^
Anyways, on to the good news. So, on VJ, I came across a thread indicating that the DS-260 is now mandatory for all visa applicants going through the Montreal Consulate. At first, I was kind of disappointed since I already have the DS-230 filed out, but soon realised how amazing this DS-260 is.
*Reference link to post about the DS-261/DS-260*
I just found out today some very uplifting news which I am so grateful for. This new DS-260 is getting rid of the mail backlog at the Montreal Consulate. As soon as a case is complete at NVC, the DS-260 is sent electronically to the consulate. An interview date is then assigned. How fast are interviews getting assigned now? In this other thread I'm following about the DS-260, there were two members that got case completes this week, and got their interview dates this week as well. This has never happened before. NEVER. (Unless it was expedited, but these are non-expedited cases). Usually, for Montreal, after a case complete, one waits about 4 months, gets assigned an interview date, and then has the interview one month later.
Plus, I haven't gotten to the best news of all. Sure, getting an interview date assigned fast is nice, but WHEN the interview date is important. Instead of being 5 months from a case complete, these two members have interview dates TWO months after case complete. TWO MONTHS. When I saw this, I broke out in a smile. Like, a very large smile. :D :D
If this get-an-interview-two-months-from-case-complete remains, then to get to South Dakota for our first anniversary on May 21, I'd have to have the interview at the beginning of May, which means I need to get a case complete around the end of February/beginning of March. And since NVC only takes a few weeks, this is all possible once we get our NOA2 in the next upcoming weeks. So happy and thankful.
~Lindsay
Just to start off, Happy New Year!
I had a great Christmas with Ben. He flew in Wednesday night and left less than four days later. I'm so glad we got to spend our first Christmas together.
Also, as of January 2nd, it's been 4 months since our NOA1. And as of today, I've known Ben for exactly a year ^_^
Anyways, on to the good news. So, on VJ, I came across a thread indicating that the DS-260 is now mandatory for all visa applicants going through the Montreal Consulate. At first, I was kind of disappointed since I already have the DS-230 filed out, but soon realised how amazing this DS-260 is.
*Reference link to post about the DS-261/DS-260*
I just found out today some very uplifting news which I am so grateful for. This new DS-260 is getting rid of the mail backlog at the Montreal Consulate. As soon as a case is complete at NVC, the DS-260 is sent electronically to the consulate. An interview date is then assigned. How fast are interviews getting assigned now? In this other thread I'm following about the DS-260, there were two members that got case completes this week, and got their interview dates this week as well. This has never happened before. NEVER. (Unless it was expedited, but these are non-expedited cases). Usually, for Montreal, after a case complete, one waits about 4 months, gets assigned an interview date, and then has the interview one month later.
Plus, I haven't gotten to the best news of all. Sure, getting an interview date assigned fast is nice, but WHEN the interview date is important. Instead of being 5 months from a case complete, these two members have interview dates TWO months after case complete. TWO MONTHS. When I saw this, I broke out in a smile. Like, a very large smile. :D :D
If this get-an-interview-two-months-from-case-complete remains, then to get to South Dakota for our first anniversary on May 21, I'd have to have the interview at the beginning of May, which means I need to get a case complete around the end of February/beginning of March. And since NVC only takes a few weeks, this is all possible once we get our NOA2 in the next upcoming weeks. So happy and thankful.
~Lindsay
Monday, November 15, 2010
DS-261 and DS-260
*Reference link to abbreviations/terms post*
A few weeks ago, I came across the terms DS-261 and DS-260 on VJ. I had never heard of them before.
Apparently, the DS-260 is a new online form of the DS-230 that is required at the NVC stage. And the DS-261 is the online version of the DS-3032.
As far as I know, this is how the new process works:
Once a case has reached NVC and the beneficiary and petitioner get their NVC case number, they fill out the online DS-261 form to choose the "agent" where all future correspondence is sent to. This is similar to emailing/mailing the DS-3032.
The rest of the process is the same (payment portal, sending in the I-864 package). Once the IV bill is paid, the DS-260 can then be filled out online. Once the form is filled out online, the rest of the package still has to be mailed in (passport pictures, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc).
At this time though, the DS-260 is only open to a few consulates: Amman (Jordan), Athens (Greece), Baghdad (Iraq), Ciudad Juarez (Mexico), Lima (Peru), and Montreal (Canada). NVC eventually wants this online form to be available to every country, but this process just started in October 2010 and they're currently doing testing of this new method.
This is different from EP since you still have to mail in the I-864 package and part of the DS-230 package. You don't scan anything and email it in.
Personally, I wouldn't want to do the DS-260. I'd prefer to do EP. I've seen screenshots of the online form and it's spread across many, many pages. It's the same information that's on the DS-230, but just seems way longer. In the long run, for those unable to participate in EP, I would do the regular DS-230 just because you can pre-fill it out. The DS-260, I believe, you can only fill out once the IV bill appears as PAID. With the regular DS-230, as soon as the bill appears as PAID, you can mail off the DS-230 package instead of filling out the DS-260.
Anyways, just wanted to write up a post about these new online forms.
~Lindsay
P.S. Less than 10 days till Ben is here! ^_^
A few weeks ago, I came across the terms DS-261 and DS-260 on VJ. I had never heard of them before.
Apparently, the DS-260 is a new online form of the DS-230 that is required at the NVC stage. And the DS-261 is the online version of the DS-3032.
As far as I know, this is how the new process works:
Once a case has reached NVC and the beneficiary and petitioner get their NVC case number, they fill out the online DS-261 form to choose the "agent" where all future correspondence is sent to. This is similar to emailing/mailing the DS-3032.
The rest of the process is the same (payment portal, sending in the I-864 package). Once the IV bill is paid, the DS-260 can then be filled out online. Once the form is filled out online, the rest of the package still has to be mailed in (passport pictures, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc).
At this time though, the DS-260 is only open to a few consulates: Amman (Jordan), Athens (Greece), Baghdad (Iraq), Ciudad Juarez (Mexico), Lima (Peru), and Montreal (Canada). NVC eventually wants this online form to be available to every country, but this process just started in October 2010 and they're currently doing testing of this new method.
This is different from EP since you still have to mail in the I-864 package and part of the DS-230 package. You don't scan anything and email it in.
Personally, I wouldn't want to do the DS-260. I'd prefer to do EP. I've seen screenshots of the online form and it's spread across many, many pages. It's the same information that's on the DS-230, but just seems way longer. In the long run, for those unable to participate in EP, I would do the regular DS-230 just because you can pre-fill it out. The DS-260, I believe, you can only fill out once the IV bill appears as PAID. With the regular DS-230, as soon as the bill appears as PAID, you can mail off the DS-230 package instead of filling out the DS-260.
Anyways, just wanted to write up a post about these new online forms.
~Lindsay
P.S. Less than 10 days till Ben is here! ^_^
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