Carolyn is here with me in the UK....

We are fighting Carolyn's 'domicile ' issues and NVC say that if they release our file, it is up to London Embassy at the interview to decide...

Obviously it would be hugely beneficial for her to be there and answer their questions

Is it allowed ?

alan

I can only tell you my experience on Tuesday August 7th. I arrived at the Embassy with my husband (USC). I knew other people had previously gone in with no problem, so he was there to help me carry bags

The lady checking details said that the London Embassy had a new policy as of August 7th that USC's were no longer allowed into the visa section unless they were there to help for medical reasons or translation reasons. USC could wait in the consular section but not in the visa section.

While I was waiting for my interview, I saw one couple who had tried to risk it anyway and so UKC and USC were there together. After a couple of hours, the USC was spotted and asked to leave the building.

Someone else was told their USC wife wasn't allowed in even though she had come to sign something for her husband. They were told to do whatever signing was necessary in Grosvenor Square and for UKC to go in alone.

Hubby told me that he could spot lots of USC's in Grosvenor Square gardens who were in the same situation, not knowing how long it was going to take, and so all watching the Embassy entrance for signs of the UKC's.

Now that was my experience, but I think someone yesterday was allowed in with USC. Maybe it's worth a call to the extortion line to see what they say??

Thank you so much for that valuable info:

I am hoping I can convince the officer that Carolyn is coming back to the US with me and I will have our original flight tickets etc...

If they do kick up on domicile then Carolyn will fly back alone and rent a place then send the rental agreement direct to the embassy to release the visa


so a fail at the interview is a recoverable situation, but if the NVC wont give on the domicile thing then that will stop us for months as carolyn needs to give notice on her job before she can go back alone and get a rental agreement in the U.S. and then the NVC has to start up their process from there

Everyone on VJ has been agreeing for the 3 years I have been reading posts, that the domicile thing is rarely an issue - but the NVC are fighting us hard - this is even though Carolyn has 'limited leave to remain' in the UK and petitioned for my immigration to the U.S. 2 months and 2 weeks after she arrived. She runs all her affairs in the US and uses her U.S. checking account and U.S. credit card and U.S. driver's license in the U.K. and has all her furniture in store in Wisconsin awaiting her return and we showed them the storage receipts.
They are saying she has gone and has no connection with the U.S. - they have disowned her - like they did to Charlie Chaplin.

London refused to take our case as DCF because Carolyn is 'temporary' in the UK - and told us to file in Nebraska - but the NVC say she is not domiciled in the US

catch 22

Between them, they dont accept that she is anywhere

oh well - never mind - I think I will have anice cup of tea....

sorry I am getting off track - thank you again for the really good info

alan

I had the same issue with the London Embassy. I've been living in the UK since Oct 2005 on a 2 year visa. They wouldn't take our case cuz it was a temporary situation, but then the office in the US wouldn't take it either as they said I was living in the UK.....frustrating!

We also have to prove US domicile, although they haven't mentioned any concerns yet. I sent in a copy of my visa showing it expires on Oct 12 and so I need to leave the UK by then. I've also already accepted a job in the US, so maybe that's why they haven't said anything yet.

I researched this a year ago before we even decided to come here in to the UK for a while before doing the cr1 visa...

most times domicile is not a big deal - lots of vj people who did this from the uk say so- but when nvc make it so -it is

I think having a job there in the U.S. is really good stuff and I dont see why you should have a problem. We were told our 864 was 'fine' so this happened on final review of the whole package...

i am retired with an adequate pension for both of us so Carolyn does not need a job right away and so we are struggling to prove temporary absence

I reckon yours should be ok but I would lay it on heavy with all the links to the US that you can find - just to be sure

I KNOW I can convince london embassy as i will take carolyn's job resignation letter , our rented house notice of leaving letter, and 2 flight tickets to chicago dated 3 days after the interview..but I just have to get past nvc

We are still hoping it will work out later next week - but if it doesnt then this will be one bumpy ride...

no sleep from now til then...

saywhat, I just want to say that this really makes no sense at all and must be soooo frustrating for you.

If you can get Carolyn into the Embassy, I think you are fine. From everything I have read and my own personal experience, domicile for the Embassy is not the problem here, it is NVC.

As you pointed out, DCFers are not having the same problem, and it is because our files don't go anywhere near NVC during the process. With us, DCF, neither of us have ever lived in the US, we don't own property there, don't have jobs, don't have bank accounts or driving licences, don't have furniture in storage, in fact can't prove ANY ties to the US whatsoever (other than SO being USC...) and yet the Embassy never once said the Domicile word to me at all during my interview.

The important thing seems to be getting to the Embassy and out of NVC. Even if Carolyn isn't allowed in, you have more than enough evidence to satisfy London of domicile and so would be fine at interview. But your problem seems to be at NVC.

I really hope you get this sorted quickly, any my thoughts are with you...

many thanks for your support essjay - i have sent a screen shot of your post to carolyn to keep our morale up until NVC send a reply to our begging for clemency (and temporary absence status)... We keep trying to distract ourselves by going for long walks in the country etc but we plod along through the fields and the subject keeps coming up over and over...

We just want to go live in Tampa and the plan is to rent a U-haul and drive down there from Wisconsin with Carolyn's stored household goods and get set up. If NVC decide to wreck our lives for no reason at this 'final review' stage, then she would have to resign her job after 1 month's notice (she likes to do things properly), fly to Florida alone, rent a place alone and do all the utilities etc and get a car and car/health insurance and then plead with NVC again that 'a suitable period' had elapsed to prove she was now resident again which would have them acknowledging domicile. In other words - sit in a rented apartment alone while enough months passed that NVC reckon they have inflicted enough suffering on her and she can now be considered 'domiciled'. Then there would be another 3 months while it went through london embassy stages.

Really that prospect is just too horrible to contemplate so we are trying to shove it to the back of our minds until later in the week when we are hoping they will relent....If they do, I for one will be too stressed and traumatised to celebrate or even smile. Just an ebbing away of my chest pains and wrenched guts will be enough for me...

Really, a respectable USC with plenty of financial base and a genuine 2 year old marriage (in Wisconsin), is being treated like a criminal here and tormented and tortured for no reason - she DOES fit 'temporary absence' criteria in every respect and they really are sticking it to us because ?

Oh I am just ranting on.... and on... we have no idea whether the next year is totally ruined for us and the nightmare continues, or whether we will be having a barbecue on our own balcony in Florida come christmas

We just want to break free from NVC - Hate immigration process - love VJ

I really wish I had some kind of useful suggestion as far as the NVC is concerned. I just don't understand how they can question the domicile like that.

We do exactly the same with long walks along the river. We often joke that most of our major decisions have been taken whilst looking at water!

Hang in there. It will be worth it in the end. And you will be on that balcony looking back at the visa process and celebrating.

If USC can't go into the visa section any longer, perhaps the London Embassy info should be updated to say so? Who can do this for us?

Anyone can do it. There's an 'add/update information' link at the top of the embassy page.

I just updated it, though, and also removed some old verbiage about waiting times (that was dated October 2006).

If anyone has time, could you review and possibly update the medical information? I know the location of the medicals have changed since we went through there, but I wasn't sure if they still call themselves 'Knightsbridge'.

Odd.

I went in with Dawn last Thursday for her interview. I was never asked to leave, nor was any ordeal made about me being there at all. As a matter of fact, I went up with her and her daughter for the actual interview part, AND was asked a couple questions.

I guess they aren't really enforcing such new rules that strictly.

VERY interesting. Perhaps its all down to who is working the door that day?

That is the least helpful being inconsistent on apply that policy. They should do one thing or the other.

Hiya. I'm the USC and my husband has his interview date for the 7th of September in London. When we sent back packet 3, we filled in the section that asked if someone would be joining him at the interview & put my name down. Is it okay to assume that, because we're married and my name was submitted on packet 3, that I'll be let into the interview? Just when I think this process is in the bag, another obstacle pops up! Good luck to everyone who hasn't already been approved or received their visa. Sincerely, Natalie

not an expert on this subject but i asked the same thing - some say no as from august - new regulation - others say they did it last week and no problem - seems we are getting conflicting reports just now

ps Carolyn is from Milwaukee too and is missing it too - she will be back there for a week in 2 weeks time - cant be missing it too much as we are heading for Florida so she isnt volunteering for another winter !

My husband and I are considering moving to Florida at some point. We were married in Cocoa Beach and we love the area, although a hurricane did prevent us from getting married on the beach. Moving to Florida may be necessary to keep my husband happily living in America, as I don't know how he'll respond to a Wisconsin winter! I can't wait until that becomes my next concern- deciding what state to live in, rather than worrying about the visa process. Every worry from now on will be a piece of cake in comparison!

I second that emotion. Probably the first hurricane will have us scurrying back to Hubertus, Milwaukee ! I did one full winter and one half winter there and tell him 'there is no such thing as a hard climate, only inappropriate clothing'
it was 3 degrees F when I got there 3rd november ! 29 degrees below freezing point. In January I saw how blue the sky was and said come on lets go for a walk its a beautiful day - I got 200 yards and thought my hooter was going to turn blue and drop off - ran back to the house.
wait til he sees the chipmunks and 13 lined ground squirrels - I am retired so i spent all day playing with them...and a skunk !
I would go back actually - fond memories - but only if Florida is a sweaty, hurricane ridden flop. We will give it a good go ! St Petersburg is great but Tampa area generally is the target. Ordering my car on line this week to be ready for mid November then renting an apartment with short notice terms - online and unseen but i will pay over the average and get a nice place. ! That means we can hit the round running and get florida driver's licenses , car insurance and bank account immediately and it will even help with the domicile issue at the interview if that crops up. If it is not nice, we can get out with a month's notice payment.

try an email to the embassy about spouse coming with ....

There have been some reports of the USC being turned away but since that happened others have said they were allowed in.

Don't think now anyone can give a firm answer just say what happened to them. All you can do is go and see if they let you in. If not there are several nice refreshment places nearby.