Ok I will be 6 months on 27 December 2007 on my k1 visa and I am still here in the UK. I really cant go over to the states till I sell my damn house - my estate agents really messed me about for 3 months and basically wasted my time - I wrote to the embassy askign what would happen if I am unable to use my visa in time? this is the reply:

If you are unable to travel during the validity date of the visa, you may return the unused visa to the Embassy. If it is determined that you were unable to travel due to circumstances beyond your control, a new visa will be issued at the cost of $100.00. Please note that the medical examination is valid for 12 months and must be valid on entry into the United States.

Sincerely

Consular Information Unit


Right now I have a private buyer but he is waiting for his mortgage company to send in the surveyers some time this week or next week - if the survey doesnt go thru then he wont get his mortgage and I will have to look for yet another buyer (this time I am going with yet another estate agents that I know really do have real investors who are interested in houses in my area). If it all goes thru then we are looking at hopefully completing within the next 4- 6 weeks which should be fine and I can travel before the expiration date. IF not would you say me not selling my house is circumstances beyond my control? I think i did mention that on my original email to them.

Thanking in advance

Lina

I dealt with the sale of my house from the US.... My agents did all the work all I have to do was sign the paperwork and fax it back and then put the originals in the overnight mail to the UK.... worked well for me... dont know if they will extend the visa because you have been unable to seel your house but you can try....

Hope you get a buyer soon

Kez

It is very hard for one of us to answer that as it really depends how strict the Embassy want to interpret "beyond your control".

As Niagaenole says you don't need to be in the UK just to sell the house, you can leave it with the estate agent and let them do all the work, you just sign the paperwork when the time comes. If not selling means that causes you further problems before you can travel I would hope the Embassy would view that sympathetically, just not being able to sell while you would hope that would be OK as well I wouldn't be 100% sure of that.

Hopefully all will be OK before you need to find out.

It is my understanding that the embassy will issue a new visa if you can't execute the existing one within the six month timeframe. Did you check with the embassy?

Lina - I'd let my estate agent handle that thing and I'd be on the plane over.

Thank you all for your comments - yes i did check with the embassy and I quoted the email reply I got from them in my original post.

I would love to just let a new estate agents deal with it all and just jump on that plane over but unfortunately I cant do that as I dont have the money to get myself and my 3 cats shipped over, all the money I have is tied to the house and I need it to sell before I can arrange to get the cats to have blood work done - 2 of the cats are 14/15 years old and I was told by an airline they may need the bloodwork done to prove that they are healthy before they can fly - as well as getting a health cert from the vets 10 days prior to the flight. Plus I have boxes to ship over and the tickets need to be bought which I need the money from sale to do all this:(

My family are very non supportive so its not they will rally together to get me the funds to move first and then let me pay them back laters when the house is sold

Oh well lets all pray that the private buyer I have now get his surverys around this week and hope that the report is all good so he gets his mortgage:)

Thank you all
Lina