Well, we finally got the letters today stating my hubby and sons petitions are approved Now I guess it's a wait for packet 3? Have mostly everything ready but need to double check a few things.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get the medical and interview the same day or a day or so apart? We'll be travelling from Scotland with a 2 year old who's ability to sit on his butt is significantly challenged! Would much rather get everything over and done with in a oner if at all possible!

Also, is there anyone else doing DCF in London that are around the same timeline as us? I haven't really noticed anyone, maybe one or two but I can't remember who. Would be great to hear if anyone is so we don't feel so alone

Congratulations!

Usually you do the medical at least 4 or 5 working days before the interview as it takes that long for the results to get to the embassy. However, if you scheduled the medical for like the day before the interview, then the embassy may give you an "approval pending medical results" and will finish processing once medical results come in and all is alright. It just might make for a longer waiting period for the actual visa.

Good luck on the rest of your journey!

You can schedule the medical and interview on the same day although you'd need to get your timings spot on. The embassy isn't known for being on time (you can sometimes be there for hours) and neither are the doctors. If you're going to risk it make sure that you leave plenty of time in between appointments.

As a rule it takes the doctors 4 days to get your medical results to the embassy. If you haven't had your medical in time for the interview, and everything else is in order, you'll be approved pending medical results.

One option I can suggest is maybe having the medical on one day and the interview the next (or vice versa). Spend the night in London and see the sights; do the touristy thing. That way you won't be as stressed and worried about appointment times AND you can have a bit of fun too.

Good luck.

Congratulations

Hey, thanks you guys for the congrats and the advice about the medical and interview. I guess once the time comes for the interview, I wait for a date and try to wriggle the Dr round about the same time. Wonder how that one'll work out?!

I was really hoping to see a few others on the same part of the jouney as us but I guess this is an ebb, not a flow, of new embarkers. Oh well, I wonder if that'll have any impact on how quick London get to us? I won't hold out hope!

Thanks again.

Congrats I think you have completed the worst part of the visa journey, I thought the next part went quicker and it isn't just waiting for months for something to happen.

The people posting here are probably only a small minority of the people applying for visa so I guess you're right not to hope for something quicker than normal.

Lansbury- That's kind of what I figured!

I hope you don't mind me asking you if the SSN and green card were sent to you automatically after your arrival in the states? I've read a post or two saying it's best to wait a couple weeks before appling for the SSN so you can be in the system.

I'm still a bit confused about what we will have to do once through POE. We were married more than 2 years ago so I realised that gives my husband an unconditional 10 year visa but have no idea if we collect it or if it's sent to us, if so, how long after arriving?

Sorry for going "off on one" but no matter how much I read, I always end up with MORE questions! If anyone can shed any light for a hopeless idiot, it'd be much appreciated.

Congrats on the approvals! Just to answer your questions -- Bruce got his SSN in the post about 2.5 weeks after we did the POE, and the Green Card came almost 4 weeks to the day after entry. Of course, it may take more or less time for this to happen. From what I've read, the SSN can be hit or miss in whether it is sent to you or not, but you should wait at least 2 weeks before charging down to the SS office to see if you're in the system yet. Green Card will definitely be sent to you, just make sure your address is correct!

Hi Stand_By_Me_Babe,

I'm just a wee bit ahead of you on this journey. I'll certainly post in the interview thread once the embassy has scheduled one for me. I'd imagine we'll both get packet 4 at roughly the same time so once one of us gets said packet then the other's should soon follow.

Silas

congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats and best wishes

Hey William here also from Scotland.

Travelling wise you have a few options

1) megabus (only £20 but its anywhere between 8 hours and 9.5 hours)
2) Air Berlin do cheapie flights last minute from Glasgow to London Stanstead - Easybus do a bog standard cheapy bus service into London Baker Street (£63.50 flights - both of us. and £7.00 each way on the busses for me and wife)
3) Train wee bit less time than the bus and see lots more but kids might no like it.

Can offer you advice on a cheap hotel also, not the ritz, really basic but really cut price and really small toilet also just round the corner from a Scottish pub called the "Rob Roy"

The green card was sent but not the SSN. I did tick the box on the form for it to be sent but the immigration officer at my POE told me to apply for the SSN and seemed a bit non plussed when I mentioned the box on the form 230. Anyway he was right I waited a couple of weeks and didn't receive it and sure enough when I went to the office I had to apply for it. It came very quickly after that.

Once through the POE you don't have to do anything unless the SSN doesn't turn up. You will or should get a Welcome to America letter the green card will be in the post a few of days later, that is about 4 weeks after you arrive. As Mags says wait a couple of weeks for the SSN number and if you haven't got it go into the local office. You can't go before a couple of weeks because you will not be in their system before that and have to wait until you are.