No More 129F Provisional Files/New Procedures

[Scaught]

[This message has been edited by Scaught]

Here's the reply I got from the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw when I asked that a provisional file be opened for us (the old advice) for our 129-F. It sounds like the work is more streamlined now.

**************************************************

 "As of March 03, 2003, the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) implemented changes in the fiance(e) visa processing.  Due to them, the need and the ability of the Embassy to continue setting up provisional cases service has been obviated.
 
  All approved I-129F petitions are being sent by BCIS to the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, rather then being sent directly to the overseas issuing post.  The NVC performs all initial procedures and after they are completed, the petition is sent to the appropriate office overseas. You may be sure that once we (Warsaw) have received an approved petition, we will contact your fiance(e) regarding preparations for the formal visa interview.
 
  The changes in processing fiance(e) visa cases are intended to improve the efficiency with which K-1 cases are handled;  we hope you and your fiance(e) find the change beneficial.
 
  For your future correspondence please use the e-mail address: fiancewrw@state.gov
 
  Sincerely,
  U.S. Embassy, Warsaw"

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to No More 129F Provisional Files/New Proce..., posted by Scaught on Apr 20, 2003

This may be a plus because the Vermont service center is the most efficient one.

[tbirdjoy]

... in response to No More 129F Provisional Files/New Proce..., posted by Scaught on Apr 20, 2003

For those who are interested here's how it's working for me. My fiancee's 129F was approved on March 11th (CSC). I sent my agent in Odessa a scanned copy of the 2nd NOA. He forwarded it to Warsaw. Warsaw responed about 10 days later saying that they wanted a faxed copy sent to them from the states. I faxed them the NOA on March 30th along with the letter from the NVC telling me that they would be forwarding my petition to Warsaw in about a week. I also requested that the embassy open a provisional file for my finacee. At this point they sent my finacee Packet 3 which she received on April 4th. On April 7 I received an email informing me that they had opened a file on my behalf and had assigned a case number (This was based on the NOA my agent had sent on March 11th.) They informed me that they had mailed out Packet 3 on March 26. So whether they call in a provisional file or something else they opened it prior to receiving the information from the NVC. On April 7, I emailed the embassy requesting that they schedule her a date and notify my email so that I could make her and my travel arrangements as I was coming to Warsaw to be with my fiancee for her interview. I informed them that her medical was completed and that her required paperwork for the interview was also completed. On April 14 I received an email from the Embassy informing me that her interview had been set for May 12. They also told me that they would mail her Packet 4 on the 13th.  She received this packet Saturday April 19th.  

I don't have any complaints about the embassy at all. Within two weeks after my fax to them I had the interview scheduled.  So that puts the interview about two months from the actual petition approval date. Not too shabby. Also considering (with the exception of the Vermont Center)the long lenght of time other people across the country are experiencing I can't complain about the 90 days it took CSC to approve the petition.

Mark

[Scaught]

... in response to Re: No More 129F Provisional Files/New P..., posted by tbirdjoy on Apr 20, 2003

Thank you for sharing your experience. It looks like you could follow the old procedures (provisional file, ok) and that now things have changed (provisional file, not ok). If we hear from others and look at their timelines, this can be verified (or not).

That's great that you were able to move things ahead by being proactive. I am not sure how proactive I can be now that they told me they won't open a provisional file-- the key to speeding things up in the past. I will keep posting on actual developments over the next few months, and I invite others to do the same so we can see how the rules of the game have changed and what the new timeline is.

[tfcrew]

... in response to No More 129F Provisional Files/New Proce..., posted by Scaught on Apr 20, 2003

For Homeland Security's benefit to be sure.
For petitioners..more rocks thrown into the gears of the machinery.
The provisional file gave a certain flexability to the K1 process..to tie up loose ends should they present themselves and there is a delay in the 4 month time limit of an approved petition.

[Scaught]

... in response to "Streamlined" ?, posted by tfcrew on Apr 20, 2003

Our petition for 129-F took three months to receive approval. This type of approval in CA previously took about 4 to 6 weeks.  Our approval process was greatly lengthened due to the lengthy transition from INS (no longer in existence) to BCIS (new bureau)-- a few months during which hardly any cases were processed.

Now that the 129-F has been approved, we will see how long it takes from here. I don't think anyone knows how long this will take as BCIS starting running just last month.

If anyone is interested I will keep posting the new info on the fiancee process.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Re: "Streamlined" ?, posted by Scaught on Apr 20, 2003

yes,  please post on the details of what you are going through with the BCIS - since it is a new turn for everyone.