I can totally understand that!!

But hey, even if you can't go with him, you'll know when you get on the plane whether or not he is approved (and of course he will be).

PJC~ Thank you!! I am so jazzed at this moment *might be the coffee*


LisaD~ to bad you won't be visiting in Feb. we'd make a trip to see you. We suppose we will do 4-5 days in Whitby just relaxing. Besides I need some new jet earrings!
I am flying into Manchester...always do.

Chris and I have been slowly transporting his stuff here the last year or so. He's been doing lots of ebay sells too. Honestly thank God for ebay. We have made fantastic money. He is a big time music collector of rare items. He was smart with a lot of things and bought two while the prices were low. So now these things are selling for loads. He is a drummer as well. ANYone who knows drummers will understand how much stuff will have to be moved and sold in total. However most of it is already here!

Jealous of the house on the coast!! Ever make it up to NC?



TRACY: you are totally right! What a vacation this will be!

Yeah that woulda been cool to have a meet up over there, but I'm not going for some time yet. We're on the starting path of this journey after one complication after another...but it's all good!

I love the north in Feb...it's always so cold and snowy and being as I live in FL, I don't get that here, so naturally the grass is greener there. I am so happy for you that you get to go over and experience it with such a weight off your shoulders!

Ebay is awesome...we've sold tons on it. We're actually getting ready to list an arcade cabinet that D actually built. Hopefully it will yield some good money! As far as music items...D has a vinyl collection spanning like 20 summat years with v rare things....We've contacted several stores both here and there, and we're slowly but surely getting rid. It's such an exhaustive process...you must be so happy it's coming to an end soon.

Funny you should mention me getting up to NC cos my friend just moved up there. She's living in Raleigh, I believe. D doesn't like her, but I'd love to twist his arm and get him to make a visit at some point after he arrives. Whereabouts are you? If we make it up there, we most certainly have to have a meet up....the boys will feel right at home with each other

Well then we will plan for a meet up! Twist his arm!

Umm I am actually in the mountains....The beautiful mountains!

The ebay process is exhausting! Although I can't complain at all. It is all about Chris. I just get to reap the benefits!!

Tracy is in TN... not really close but not really far away. Perhaps we could plan a little meet of of the Brits...

I think it will be a needed thing for the boys! We can go shopping! Need anything from England?? Might bring back a few food items...

This goes for anyone..I am will to work it out if I can bring back some small items for anyone! No charge but item and postage!!

Hey a Brit get together when we all finally get over there sounds like a fab idea! Count me in! Ok so I will be WA and I keep forgetting just how vast America is as a country It made me laugh the other day when I was reading about the UK on a US website (I think it was the FBI site - don't ask - long story) and it had this "comparative size" thing when comparing the UK to the US. It described the UK as "slightly smaller than Oregon" Made me laugh anyway! And yeah yeah, everybody in the UK knows each other personally, heard it all before

Congrats!!!!

I hope we are next! We posted the checklist on Dec. 4 (well pjc did)! Maybe this will be good cause then we may get an interview date it could be for slightly later and maybe after I arrive! I get there Feb. 11 and stay till the 24th.
I just got my ticket! woo hoo! DId you know that flying Air Canada is like $150 cheaper than BA AND I get travel insurance? We'll see though...I may found out I wish I had taken the BA Boeing planes instead of the AC Aerbus (LOL Im just biased as I am from the Seattle area and we are the kings [and queens] of Boeing lol)

Hey guys, what are the times of the interview? Are they always at 8am?

Nah, Chris' is at 10 a.m.

I am going over on the 8th till the 26th! Lucky duck on a cheap ticket....I fly direct from Atlanta and it was a pretty good price...

PJC: I've made the connection between you two so HIYA (ya I am slow)!! Yes the US is huge..But perhaps we can get a time together to have some kinda meet up! VJ should do conventions! Ha

Could you imagine being in front of every VJer that's here?

no I can't and there are several that can stay home!! What a scary group it COULD be!

Great news for you!!

and you're on the 7th too, it's going to be a great day for everyone!!!

who else is on the 7th as well?? I know I've seen at least one but I can't remember.

GTSnapper!

*laugh*
having a blond moment am I!

Still nothing today....this is getting rediculous....

These people sent P3 on 2 Jan and got their P4 this weekend. So yay for them, and hopefully everyone else's is in the mail.

Yay, Pigu passed his medical.

(assuming he doesn't come back positive for TB or something)

Still nothing. Pjc called the embassy again and we are labelled "eligible for interview" but no interview is scheduled yet. I don't get it? This is VERY frustrating. Everyone else seems to be getting theres and we get put on the back burner. Anyone else having this problem?

At least you know they have all his stuff. :/

Hopefully they'll pull it together soon.

I thought an 8-12 weeks was common 'wait time' for packet 3 to packet 4. Or has that changed recently?

BlueRain, it looks like you're at about 5 to 6 weeks (give or take the time it took them to get you from the mailing room to 'upstairs').

usuallly 8-12 to interview, not P4.

Some people do get lost for a bit - keep the faith!

Ah ok - knew I was getting that figure from somewhere!

Just wanted to come on here and say:

Good luck, Packet-4-waiting people (and already-got-Packet-4 people, for that matter)!!

I keep looking at this thread 'cos it's exciting to see you all getting closer and closer and closer to actually having your visas - I hope everyone who's still waiting gets their P4 soon!

It is frustrating I know! But it is coming!





Thanks Feather!
Looking forward to your visit with you Fiance??

I just called Dept of State. They say London hasn't received Pigu's P3 yet. Royal Mail says it arrived on the 3rd, but I suppose what State really means is it's still sitting in a pile somewhere at the embassy. I'll try back in a few days, I guess. I'm impatient! But it just two weeks tomorrow.

Ohhh I can't wait! 39 days 'til he gets here... not that I'm counting, of course!

Trust me I was SOO impatient!! But I didn't call. I was going to and then we got the Packet 4 the next day! Ours took about a month to come through. But I was starting to panic.

It is coming!

I emailed the embassy a week after sending my Checklist (2nd jan ) and they wrote me back confirming that they had received my forms but not the checklist as yet..

I called the 'help'line yesterday to be told to resend the forms as theres nothing on the system that they were received?????

hows that for confusing, think Ill stick with the embassys response...

Im sooooo impatient, Im not planning on moving until end of May as we need the pounds that I earn, but still I feel I cant start really clearing my flat out until that elusive envelope appears.,

Good luck to everyone, its nice to know that Im not the only one going crazy here!

xchloe

I am taking off Feb 10 to head over to England for 2 weeks (for Valentine's) I can't wait!! 25 days and counting. Hopefully we will get our packet 4 by then. Would really love to be able to attend the Embassy Interview. Just wish they would send us our date already!
Curious...did you guys put specific Wedding dates down for your packet 3?

We just put that we intend to marry ASAP or as soon as we get the visa..something along those lines. But we have a wedding date of June 23rd.

I should be close to getting my little heart under my name up there!! Humm

I have a quick question about this whole cover letter thing. Do you think it would help in my case where we are afraid we will have the interview too soon? We are not wanting to get married until next December, and my fiance doesn't want to come here until after October 13th (His sister is getting married). We can't really have an interview until the end of April or beginning of May if he wants to stay that long. We just got packet 3 the other day and are stressing about trying to hold it too long. We still have to apply for the police certificate and everything, so I know it's possible to hold it a bit, but not for 3 1/2 months.

And by the way, how can you guys afford to go shopping there? So expensive with exchange rates! I was just in England for a month and brought back like nothing, aside from loads of chocolate. Mmm.

I can't answer from experience. So I think I will just let someone else see if they can help..I would hate to answer incorrectly. But the police certifcate normally takes about a month to arrive at your door. That would seem to buy you some time! Also don't forget that you have 6 months to enter in to the United States. I am sure you know that.

How I see it. If you applied for your police stuff Monday..think of it arriving around Feb. 17th. If you then send out your packet...you have about a month or waiting there...so consider March. 17th or more. Then you have about a month until your interview...so April/May...

BUT again I am not sure how long you can hold on to packet 3. So I guess I am not really a help! I CAN BE POSITIVE FOR YOU THOUGH *grin*

Umm about affording things due to exchange rate....I just decide how much money i can take over and I never over spend. Recently Chris and I decided that instead of me buying money to take with me he would just supply me the cash and what ever I spend in England I would put the equivelent back into our savings. Works out for me...not so much for him *grin*. Anyway This time I am not going to buy a lot. Although I want a duvet!

I suspect you can hold P3 for a pretty long time. It might be good to email londonconsular and ask. (Put your LND case number in the subject line.) Just say you won't be ready to send in Packet 3 until April and you want to make sure that's okay. Your NOA2 will expire in the meantime, so the USC should contact the embassy about having that extended. That's pretty routine, though.



And I have a confession - I called the State Dept again today. It was my lunch hour, and I was bored. Our file still isn't updated with P3. It's interesting that State Dept employees use the term Packet 3 - I thought maybe that was just a VisaJourney thing.

How was the medical?? Wasn't it yesterday?? Am I thinking correctly?

Medical went great, thank you. He said I was wise to get a letter from my doctor regarding the specifics of my history of depression. I also got the necessary immunizations on the NHS, before I went to the medical. There were no problems.

Oh, also you don't seem to need influenza vaccine unless you're over 50.

I submitted my final packet 3 checklist on the 7th Feb.. Is anyone else now waiting for Packet 4 from London??

I need some company while i wait..

Yup! Although I only posted it all off today, so hardly qualify as 'waiting' yet - I'll give it, ooh, at least until next week* before I start gnashing my teeth over the failure of my Packet 4 to materialise by return post!

Have you had your medical yet? I booked mine this morning, for next Friday (Feb 23rd), and then went to get vaccinated to within an inch of my life by the practice nurse at my GP's surgery. She got a bit carried away and decided she realllly wanted to give me Hep A/Typhoid as well as the MMR & TD that I actually needed, on the grounds that 'you'd need your booster in 3 years anyway, I might as well give you it now!' Um, thanks. I think. Now I have two sore arms and a sore leg.

Feather B - I have my last set of vaccinations on wednesday and then the dreaded medical booked for Friday..
Am gnashing teeth already about the failure of Packet 4 to arrive on my door step. I have buyers for my house that will only wait until the 13 march for me to exchange or they'll pull out - so I'm panicing about everything right now.. I don't think I'll get the visa interview within that time, and don't want to exchange without first getting the visa...... Oh the stress
I tried calling the Visa dept to get an expedited appointment - but there is nothing they can do.. We're all in the same boat as far as they're concerned..

Ill join you and feather we sent off our packet 3 yesterday so now the wait for us begins too! Me being the worrier that I am was reading about the cover letter and date and asked my fiancee today so what did you put in for the wedding date and arrival date? He says he left them blank cause nothing has been set in stone yet -.-. Hope this doesnt mean the embassy is like meh we cant wait as long as we want to give them their interview! Fingers crossed for all us, I thought I was bad obcessing over the NOA2 but already my nerve level is going past that knowing we are at the final step lol. Everyone that just sent off keep us posted!

I put in the wedding date box - ASAP

I know it won't really make much difference, but it was worth a try.. We don't have a date for the wedding set - we're waiting on the visa before we make concrete plans, so its gonna be a hectic one to plan !!

Hey, let us know how that medical turns out, okay? My fiance has his medical on Friday the 23rd. I don't know if he's nervous, but I sure am for him! You know the what if he's got a serious illness that they won't let him over for? Paranoia, that's all it is.. lol He checked online, and the Embassy received his packet on the 12th, so we're in the P4 waiting line as well. Good luck with the selling of the house. I'm sure it's quite stressful, but at least within a few months you'll be with you honey!

THE MEDICAL IS TOMORROW - I'm so nervous.. Its one thing having a routine check up, its another thing when all my cards are banking on a clean bill of health!!
I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.. I had my last set of vaccinations yesterday - although their MMR jab was out of date, so i'll need to get one in London.

Also had an email back from the London embassy this morning - in response to an email I sent them about receipt of the final checklist.. Looks like we're in for a wait for that packet 4.. Also going to lose the house saleat this rate as they want me out on the 13th March - or they can't proceed - and there's no way my interview is going to be scheduled before then after reading their email... This is too stressful....


-------------------------
The Immigrant Visa Unit can confirm receipt of the completed forms. There is currently a delay before we can complete action on your case and notify you of your appointment date and time. You can expect to receive written confirmation of the date and time of your appointment in approximately 4 weeks.



Thank you for your e-mail correspondence.


Consular Information Unit
U.S. Embassy, London
CONS/CIU/SF

How did the medical go?

I've been doing some investigating and trying to keep myself busy so I don't call and harrass the Dept of State by looking at the most recent timelines of people who have their interviews coming up. The latest 3 have gotten their p4 about a week and a half after they sent in their p3, which is sweet! I'm going to try REALLY hard not to call the Dept of State until the 2 week mark tho.

I also just sent out all my documents to my fiance last Friday. I did the Global Express Guaranteed. Supposed to be there 1-3 days. The lady at the post office didn't really know what she was doing, said 3-5 days. I keep checking and the last time it was scanned in or whatever was when it was flying out of Chicago. Great! I know we have plenty of time before he has an interview, it's just frustrating because some of that stuff will be hard to get again.

I just don't know how people do this day in and day out. I am gonna drive myself nuts waiting and worrying! Think I'm gonna need some medication for this process! lol

Good luck to everyone with their upcoming medicals, the wait of the p4, and OF COURSE the interview!!

Im waiting anxously to know how you faired too PCK! Though Im sure everything was fine. My fiancee scheduled his medical today its Feb 21st. Nicole Ill be right there in the crazy house with you, this is maddening Im also right there with you on calling the state dept. I keep telling myself just wait the 2 weeks but I think Im going to break down and call in a week lol even if they cant tell me anything it somehow just makes me feel a little better knowing im doing something with it.

Hi Guys.. Ok I HAD MY MEDICAL!!!

Well it was 10.30am at the Knightsbridge Dr (very easy to get to from Bond St tube station, just followed the map from the questionnaire).. I arrived 15 mins early, reported over to reception and handed over passport, photo, medical questionnaire and vaccination record. Had a tense 15 minute wait in the waiting room, and was given another questionnaire to complete and an authorisation form to take the HIV test. Then was called in by the vaccination nurse. Was given a quick MMR shot and told not to get pregnant for 4 months and then sent back off to the waiting room.

After about 5 minutes, was called in by the Dr (a very nice young woman).. Went through the medical questionnaire and was then told to strip (everything but the undies).. Was weighed, height taken, and then asked to sit on the bed. She checked inside the mouth, arms, hands, breasts, and then legs, breathing was checked, stomach .. that kind of thing.. No internal examination was carried out.. I then had the blood taken - OUCH!

That was it by the Dr - she told me she was happy to Pass me, and that if there was any problems with the blood test (please God no!) she would call within 2 weeks..

I then got changed, and waited again for the XRAY.. Another room - another Dr...Had to strip again (hard work I tell you)..but just the top half, put on a robe, stand in front of the machine and bobs your uncle. Waited with the Dr until the XRAY was done, he put it up on the screen and said it was OK.

I then had to report back to reception to hand over £170 + £35 for the MMR.. even bigger OUCH!!

All in all, I was in and out in an hour exactly.. I'm so glad its over........... phew...

If anyone needs any other details - just ask!!

Now where's my packet 4 ??....

I'm glad everything went well. It usually does!

UGH! Just called the State Dept number. The guy said they (London Embassy) hadn't received anything, which we sent out our packet 3 on Feb 9th and the postal service said they received it on the 12th. Then he gave me the number for the National Visa Center, which I had asked shouldn't we call the Embassy instead and he said no, contact this number. I called the NVC and they said they don't process those at this point, call the Embassy. I'm tempted to call the State Dept number back and hopefully get someone who knows what they are talking about. This is just frustrating because I've gotten myself all excited looking at peoples recent timelines who received their packet 4 like two weeks after sending in packet 3. I was hoping we'd have an interview date by now (I know I have to wait just like everyone else...) I was more nervous about calling the State Dept and finding out about the visa interview than the interview I have for a new job today... Hmmph.

My fiance had emailed the Embassy before about not receiving packet 3 (after I had called the State Dept number and they had said it had been sent out). Well, he had called a number before hand, got a code to put in the Subject line, so they would reply back. Should he get another code or use the same one?

Nicole72082 - it takes some time for the embassy to enter the info into their computer system. I think this is what they guy at the state dept meant. I know this as i had sent my final checklist and called a few times and it had not been entered into their system.. Give it a few more days..

This is by the far the most frustrating part of the visa process and i am going mad and losing it to say the least...

I submitted my packet3 checklist on the 7th Feb and still no interview date. I called them yesterday and still nothing.. I don't think we can expect a 2 week turnaround time from these guys.

I emailed the embassy about 3 times before they responded with an automated response of thanks - expect 4-8 weeks or something similar.. so don't expect to get any decent information out of them.. No one will tell you anything it seems. You just have to wait and go crazy each day..

I hate this crap .. really not having a good day today..

I know people have said it before, but I'm gonna say it again.. At least I know I'm not alone in this wait. And although there are people who are speeding right by me (darn them! lol) I know there are people who have had to wait a really long time to be with their loved one.. Just pouting, I guess.

I wonder if you go the doctor and tell them that you're going through the K1 Visa process, if they'd just give you some crazy pills just to help you deal with it. lol I believe you definitely have to be a strong person AND strong couple to put up with all of this nonsense.

Thank you..

if you manage to get any of those pills - can you send some my way please...

well i just called the premium rate number as i am crazy now.
All my documents are sitting in the system waiting for an interview date. The lady on the fone told me to wait for 6-12 weeks from the 14th Feb.. Happy Valentines..

now i don't know what to do.. i need to exchange on my house on the 13th march or lose the sale.. I have no idea whether to take the risk and sell it before i get the visa..