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It's done guys. Sorry I didn't give you the date as I promised for the second interview but the date we received was so close & I figured what are a few more days?
Anyway below is my fuuuuuuuuuuulll review for applicants/beneficiaries of the F3 category. My country is Jamaica and the embassy is in Kingston. I'm going to start from 2010.
*Packet 3*
-NVC in June 2010 sent packet 3 to us requesting documents and payments for my parents and me. However my mother's fee wasn't paid and her documents not sent in because she had adjusted status in the US via my older sibling. So now it's just my father (primary beneficiary) and me (derivative) that's going to be processed under F3. Keep in mind my parents are still married.
Retrogression happened and 2 years passed befor our PD became current. On November 6, 2012 my father and his mother (petitioner) received packet 4. My father got his through email but his mother got hers by mail. We then found out that my name wasn't included in the appointment letter because I am over 21 years old.
*CSPA*
-I then decided to email the immigrant visa (IV) unit for the embassy. I gave them all the details and asked for my CSPA age to be calculated and how to get my name on an appointment letter. After a few emails and calls (embassy requested a contact number and called us) we got a new appointment letter with my father's name and my name on it. As we know without your name on the interview letter you can't do the medical. Now there are 2 ways for a CSPA derivative to be able to get a medical done. One, wait until the parents do their interview for a consulate officer to look at the CSPA candidate's birth certificate (that the parents brought to the interview), calculate the age and give an official document (Blue Sheet) to the parents for their now successful CSPA covered child. Or two do what I did. However it seems the reason why it was possible to resolve my CSPA issue over the phone was because they had my birth certificate which had been included in my father’s file that NVC had forwarded to the embassy. So the embassy already had the evidence they needed to do the appropriate calculations and officially decide if I was approved or not. Got the new interview letter through my email and printed it.
*Medical*
-Appointment made for November 27, 2012 @ 10am
- Brought the appointment letter, passports, 4 passport sized pictures each, vaccination records and exam & vaccinations fees for each.
-Wait time = 3.5 hrs
-Can pay with cash/credit/debit. We were prepared with all 3 because you never know what can happen (swipe machine might not work).
-Can pay in US or local currency
-Total cost for physical and vaccinations was Ja$34,785 (about US$391) for 2 persons. So that's Ja$17,393 (US195) for each person.
----------I had my vaccination records (vaccinated against varicella, MMR, DPT) and my father didn't have any records yet we still got the same shots in the end.
--------------The vaccines we received were Varicella, MMR and DPT
-Some vaccinations are age appropriate. For example people 65 yrs and older must get the influenza vaccine and folks over 50 get another that I can't recall.
-Picked up the result 1 week later. You are given a copy of the doctor’s report on what you've been vaccinated against. This report can be used as your vaccination record in the US if your new job asks for a vac record or your children need one to enroll in school.
*First Appointment*
-Appointment date came (December 11, 2012 @ 7am).
-Reached embassy at about 6:50am.
-Went through security (no phones, lotions, other liquids (except medication/baby food), calculators, umbrellas, music/recording devices allowed), was directed to an area to get a ticket number and then had a seat where directed to (immigrant section).
-We organized ourselves so the police records, passports, medical reports, pictures and affidavit of support were good to go. We sat and waited to be called.
-We were called on twice. The first time was to hand in the documents we brought and do our finger prints and the second time for the actual interview. At the second call we were sworn in and after talking for about 2 minutes we were given a 'Blue Sheet' for a DNA test. Reason? Because the petitioner's name (my granny) was incorrect on my father's birth certificate and my father's name was added to my birth certificate when I was 6 years old (if you want to know why you can ask but not addressing it in this post). The only other question they asked is if we have B2 (tourist) visas.
*DNA*
-The DNA test has to be done by one of the many labs approved by the US embassy. So what I did was contact the lab closest to the petitioner and set up an appointment. We had to pay for a maternity test (petitioner to her child [beneficiary]) and paternity test (beneficiary to his child [derivative]). The cost was US$550 for the maternity test, US$350 for the paternity and $125 for shipping 2 (out of 3) kits to our embassy. Kits contain the swabs (Q-tip like) that an authorized embassy personnel will use to collect cheek samples for the actual tests. And it's one kit per person.
-Once the petitioner had her sample collected the lab FEDEXed the kits to the embassy. Below is the timeline for our DNA process.
1) Had 1st interview on December 11, 2012
2) Lab appointment made for on December 12, 2012
3) DNA kits paid for on December 12, 2012
3) Kits received by the embassy on December 13, 2012
4) US embassy calls us with info for DNA sample collection on December 28, 2012
5) DNA collected on January 8, 2013 @ 1pm
--------We were told to bring our passports, a copy of the bio info of the passport (this is the first page), 2 passport sized photos, the Blue Sheet and a receipt from the hospital (St Andrews) that showed we paid for that authorized person to take our samples. Also our embassy only does DNA collection on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
6) We were told expect a call in 3 to 4 weeks for our 2nd appointment.
*Second Appointment*
-We got the call on February 1, was told YES we are all related by blood and that we should come to the embassy on February 11, 2013 @ 1:30pm with our passports. The beneficiary was told he didn't have to bring the derivative but we didn't chance it and the derivative still went.
-We reached the embassy at 1pm and were let in. We went through security, got our ticket and directed on where to sit. When it was the beneficiary’s turn he handed the consulate officer the passports and was told to head to DHL. I didn't even go up to the window with him so I really didn't need to go to the embassy after all. Also they didn't take our most recent affidavit of support this time or at the first interview. We were informed that the 2009 AOS from June 2010 was good enough.
-You can pay by cash/credit/debit and the cost is Ja$1,125 (US$13) no matter how many persons from the petition has been approved.
-Also you can either pay at the embassy or when you're going to pick up you package.
Guys remember some of this information is country specific and may not apply or work for you for eg a guy in India HAD TO wait until his parents’ interview to know if he was CPSA approved or with the Philippines if you give a positive for TB in your medical then you may have to undergo 6 months treatment before you’re approved for your visa. So if you want to know specific info about Jamaica feel free to ask even if I didn’t mention it in my post above.
It's done guys. Sorry I didn't give you the date as I promised for the second interview but the date we received was so close & I figured what are a few more days?
Anyway below is my fuuuuuuuuuuulll review for applicants/beneficiaries of the F3 category. My country is Jamaica and the embassy is in Kingston. I'm going to start from 2010.
*Packet 3*
-NVC in June 2010 sent packet 3 to us requesting documents and payments for my parents and me. However my mother's fee wasn't paid and her documents not sent in because she had adjusted status in the US via my older sibling. So now it's just my father (primary beneficiary) and me (derivative) that's going to be processed under F3. Keep in mind my parents are still married.
Retrogression happened and 2 years passed befor our PD became current. On November 6, 2012 my father and his mother (petitioner) received packet 4. My father got his through email but his mother got hers by mail. We then found out that my name wasn't included in the appointment letter because I am over 21 years old.
*CSPA*
-I then decided to email the immigrant visa (IV) unit for the embassy. I gave them all the details and asked for my CSPA age to be calculated and how to get my name on an appointment letter. After a few emails and calls (embassy requested a contact number and called us) we got a new appointment letter with my father's name and my name on it. As we know without your name on the interview letter you can't do the medical. Now there are 2 ways for a CSPA derivative to be able to get a medical done. One, wait until the parents do their interview for a consulate officer to look at the CSPA candidate's birth certificate (that the parents brought to the interview), calculate the age and give an official document (Blue Sheet) to the parents for their now successful CSPA covered child. Or two do what I did. However it seems the reason why it was possible to resolve my CSPA issue over the phone was because they had my birth certificate which had been included in my father’s file that NVC had forwarded to the embassy. So the embassy already had the evidence they needed to do the appropriate calculations and officially decide if I was approved or not. Got the new interview letter through my email and printed it.
*Medical*
-Appointment made for November 27, 2012 @ 10am
- Brought the appointment letter, passports, 4 passport sized pictures each, vaccination records and exam & vaccinations fees for each.
-Wait time = 3.5 hrs
-Can pay with cash/credit/debit. We were prepared with all 3 because you never know what can happen (swipe machine might not work).
-Can pay in US or local currency
-Total cost for physical and vaccinations was Ja$34,785 (about US$391) for 2 persons. So that's Ja$17,393 (US195) for each person.
----------I had my vaccination records (vaccinated against varicella, MMR, DPT) and my father didn't have any records yet we still got the same shots in the end.
--------------The vaccines we received were Varicella, MMR and DPT
-Some vaccinations are age appropriate. For example people 65 yrs and older must get the influenza vaccine and folks over 50 get another that I can't recall.
-Picked up the result 1 week later. You are given a copy of the doctor’s report on what you've been vaccinated against. This report can be used as your vaccination record in the US if your new job asks for a vac record or your children need one to enroll in school.
*First Appointment*
-Appointment date came (December 11, 2012 @ 7am).
-Reached embassy at about 6:50am.
-Went through security (no phones, lotions, other liquids (except medication/baby food), calculators, umbrellas, music/recording devices allowed), was directed to an area to get a ticket number and then had a seat where directed to (immigrant section).
-We organized ourselves so the police records, passports, medical reports, pictures and affidavit of support were good to go. We sat and waited to be called.
-We were called on twice. The first time was to hand in the documents we brought and do our finger prints and the second time for the actual interview. At the second call we were sworn in and after talking for about 2 minutes we were given a 'Blue Sheet' for a DNA test. Reason? Because the petitioner's name (my granny) was incorrect on my father's birth certificate and my father's name was added to my birth certificate when I was 6 years old (if you want to know why you can ask but not addressing it in this post). The only other question they asked is if we have B2 (tourist) visas.
*DNA*
-The DNA test has to be done by one of the many labs approved by the US embassy. So what I did was contact the lab closest to the petitioner and set up an appointment. We had to pay for a maternity test (petitioner to her child [beneficiary]) and paternity test (beneficiary to his child [derivative]). The cost was US$550 for the maternity test, US$350 for the paternity and $125 for shipping 2 (out of 3) kits to our embassy. Kits contain the swabs (Q-tip like) that an authorized embassy personnel will use to collect cheek samples for the actual tests. And it's one kit per person.
-Once the petitioner had her sample collected the lab FEDEXed the kits to the embassy. Below is the timeline for our DNA process.
1) Had 1st interview on December 11, 2012
2) Lab appointment made for on December 12, 2012
3) DNA kits paid for on December 12, 2012
3) Kits received by the embassy on December 13, 2012
4) US embassy calls us with info for DNA sample collection on December 28, 2012
5) DNA collected on January 8, 2013 @ 1pm
--------We were told to bring our passports, a copy of the bio info of the passport (this is the first page), 2 passport sized photos, the Blue Sheet and a receipt from the hospital (St Andrews) that showed we paid for that authorized person to take our samples. Also our embassy only does DNA collection on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
6) We were told expect a call in 3 to 4 weeks for our 2nd appointment.
*Second Appointment*
-We got the call on February 1, was told YES we are all related by blood and that we should come to the embassy on February 11, 2013 @ 1:30pm with our passports. The beneficiary was told he didn't have to bring the derivative but we didn't chance it and the derivative still went.
-We reached the embassy at 1pm and were let in. We went through security, got our ticket and directed on where to sit. When it was the beneficiary’s turn he handed the consulate officer the passports and was told to head to DHL. I didn't even go up to the window with him so I really didn't need to go to the embassy after all. Also they didn't take our most recent affidavit of support this time or at the first interview. We were informed that the 2009 AOS from June 2010 was good enough.
-You can pay by cash/credit/debit and the cost is Ja$1,125 (US$13) no matter how many persons from the petition has been approved.
-Also you can either pay at the embassy or when you're going to pick up you package.
Guys remember some of this information is country specific and may not apply or work for you for eg a guy in India HAD TO wait until his parents’ interview to know if he was CPSA approved or with the Philippines if you give a positive for TB in your medical then you may have to undergo 6 months treatment before you’re approved for your visa. So if you want to know specific info about Jamaica feel free to ask even if I didn’t mention it in my post above.
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