NVC November 2009 Edition

[scotinmass 588]

Hi Tree. Where have you been hiding?

Was on holiday with the hubby How are things with you? I'm planning to visit him over there soon, and I'm wondering just how much stuff I can/should take with me lol. How are you plannning to do it?

As soon as you get your NVC case number you can have your medical. I just called the number in the embassy website and the girl asked me when I wanted it. I got to pick the day and time. They aren't exactly over worked. Better to get it done now and out the way.

I have no idea how long the wait is for the interview. There are only 3 of us on here that are doing a CR1 through London and we are all at the NVC. It says on the website that it is 10-12 weeks but from what limited research I have done it seems to be about half that.

When I have gone for a visit I took as little as possible. If you take too much they are gonna be suspicious and not let you in. I am not planning on taking much with me when I go but the few things I am taking I will store at my mother's house and take a couple of suitcases back with me every time I visit. Better than spending hundreds or even thousands on shipping.

Thanks, I'll consider calling and having my medical before my visit. It's within walking distance, so if there's a time that's convenient and I'm not too busy I'll get that over and done with. I do wonder why so many from the UK prefer the K1 over the CR1 - I suppose you do get to be together sooner, but it does seem more hassle in the long run. I didn't realise there were only three of us at the moment - yay, that means they won't be rushed off their feet when it comes to interviews!! From what I remember, CR1 time slots are completely independent of K1 - definitely a good thing don't you think

Thanks for the tip, but I was only planning on taking two suitcases and absolutely filling them with stuff I normally travel light, eg on this recent holiday my suitcase was only 10kg, but having checked BA's allowance which turns out to be 2x23kg means that I should be able to take a fair bit with me I'm dreading having to ship stuff over when I go for the 'big move' - London to San Francisco is a long, and expensive, way!

If you live in London you can maybe give me info about my planned journey.

I am getting the Gatwick express to Victoria station and I have plenty of time before the medical so I was planning to walk to Bentink St from there. According to google maps it is 2 miles and goes right past Betty's house. Is it easy walking in central London or will it be too busy and have too many roads to cross and end up taking me all day? If I get the tube I'd have to get 2 trains and probably get lost so I'd rather be above ground and taking in the sights.

When I say there are 3 of us on here I mean there are 3 that I know of. There might be a few more hiding in the background. There is you, me and another chap who is a prolific poster and seems to be following the title of a recent Simon Pegg movie in his attempts to make friends!

I hope you are right about CR1 being scheduled differently from K visas cos there seems to be dozens of them. From what I can gather from the timelines the last one to get a CR1 interview seems to have taken about 4 weeks from case complete but earlier ones took months. We'll find out when the first one of us gets an interview date.

Yes, it's entirely doable, and I myself plan to not only walk to the medical but to the interview as well. Then again I walk everywhere, how I'm going to cope in CA I don't know . It'd have been easier still if you were going to Basil Street! Anyway, seing that you've not been to London before and are unlikely to visit after you move to the US, I'd definitely walk it. I'm no fan of Betty and her family, but walking past Buck House and the immediate vicinity is really rather nice, and you can plan your walk so that you go past the embassy so that you're more familiar with where it is etc come the day of the interview. It shouldn't be too busy, and as for roads to cross the only really major crossing I can think of is getting from one side of Hyde Park Corner to another, and if you're coming from Constitution Hill you can either turn right onto Piccadilly and then cross the road, either going through Mayfair and past the embassy, or turn back left onto Park Lane...OR cross through Wellington Arch and then onto Hyde Park itself, and then either continue in the park or back onto Park Lane. Just before you get to Bentinck Street you'll have to cross infamous Oxford Street at some point, and that is busy, but it's a surprisingly narrow street so it's not like you'll have too much trouble Hope that helps!

I'm not sure whether I read it on this forum or another, but from what I remember K1 interviews have more days, perhaps even the whole week, whereas CR1 are only on one or two days a week and scheduled entirely separately. Here's hoping that it only takes four weeks! Good luck at the medical

Thank you. That helps a lot. I walk everywhere too so 2 miles each way shouldn't bother me. I'm not a fan of the royals either and it'll be nice to no longer having my taxes wasted on supporting them!

[treehugger 23]

Thank you. That helps a lot. I walk everywhere too so 2 miles each way shouldn't bother me. I'm not a fan of the royals either and it'll be nice to no longer having my taxes wasted on supporting them!

Glad to be of help. Even that 'soft' husband of mine no longer thinks anything of walking several miles a day. Yes, that's a huge bugbear of mine - do you know that as citizens of the UK we actually own Buck House, and yet we're charged royally (haha) to go in? Hence my refusal to. And I never understand the argument that the royals bring in tourists - does anyone actually come to the UK hoping that they'll glimpse Betty drinking tea, carrying a handbag in her own (actually our) house?

[scotinmass 588]

Thank you. That helps a lot. I walk everywhere too so 2 miles each way shouldn't bother me. I'm not a fan of the royals either and it'll be nice to no longer having my taxes wasted on supporting them!

Glad to be of help. Even that 'soft' husband of mine no longer thinks anything of walking several miles a day. Yes, that's a huge bugbear of mine - do you know that as citizens of the UK we actually own Buck House, and yet we're charged royally (haha) to go in? Hence my refusal to. And I never understand the argument that the royals bring in tourists - does anyone actually come to the UK hoping that they'll glimpse Betty drinking tea, carrying a handbag in her own (actually our) house?

Yeah we are told Americans love the royal family but the ones I know couldn't care less about them and don't see the point of them. And I'm sure if American tax payers had to contribute to their up keep they would be long gone!

We own all the royal palaces. I have stood at the gates of Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh and admired my property. Pity they never gave me a key! Any other family who had their own income and claimed benefits would be prosecuted so why do they get away with it?

[treehugger 23]

Thank you. That helps a lot. I walk everywhere too so 2 miles each way shouldn't bother me. I'm not a fan of the royals either and it'll be nice to no longer having my taxes wasted on supporting them!

Glad to be of help. Even that 'soft' husband of mine no longer thinks anything of walking several miles a day. Yes, that's a huge bugbear of mine - do you know that as citizens of the UK we actually own Buck House, and yet we're charged royally (haha) to go in? Hence my refusal to. And I never understand the argument that the royals bring in tourists - does anyone actually come to the UK hoping that they'll glimpse Betty drinking tea, carrying a handbag in her own (actually our) house?

Yeah we are told Americans love the royal family but the ones I know couldn't care less about them and don't see the point of them. And I'm sure if American tax payers had to contribute to their up keep they would be long gone!

We own all the royal palaces. I have stood at the gates of Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh and admired my property. Pity they never gave me a key! Any other family who had their own income and claimed benefits would be prosecuted so why do they get away with it?

I agree with all that you say. I think on that front at least, we'll fit in quite nicely in the US

[treehugger 23]

Ok, I have a proper question guys I was hoping to be in CA during the NVC process, but in the past day or so it has become clear that my next visit won't be for a bit longer. I've filled in DS-230 and am about to send it to hubby, so that as soon as he gets the IV bill and package, he can send it on. Now, does it really matter if I put today's date on it, seeing that we anticipate he'll be getting the IV package next week?

[Twisted K 2]

you could do like we did, since your hubby will be sending it to nvc for you. i just added the date after the iv bill arrived, and sent it on. i had his ds230 ready to go since may. before we even sent off the i130

[david'sgirl 134]

Ok, I have a proper question guys I was hoping to be in CA during the NVC process, but in the past day or so it has become clear that my next visit won't be for a bit longer. I've filled in DS-230 and am about to send it to hubby, so that as soon as he gets the IV bill and package, he can send it on. Now, does it really matter if I put today's date on it, seeing that we anticipate he'll be getting the IV package next week?

Presumably the NVC knows one spouse is in another country and would sign on a different date. David signed and sent it to me and it took a week and a half to arrive. I think you should be fine.

[treehugger 23]

you could do like we did, since your hubby will be sending it to nvc for you. i just added the date after the iv bill arrived, and sent it on. i had his ds230 ready to go since may. before we even sent off the i130

Thanks Did you send a covering letter on his behalf as well, as I do need to explain that, as per state dept guidelines, a certain document is unobtainable. I'd rather state the obvious in a single sentence in a covering letter than get an RFE asking why is something missing! I suppose my husband can add the date to that too.

By the way, very impressed that you had the forms done that ahead of time!!! Well done you

[david'sgirl 134]

you could do like we did, since your hubby will be sending it to nvc for you. i just added the date after the iv bill arrived, and sent it on. i had his ds230 ready to go since may. before we even sent off the i130

Thanks Did you send a covering letter on his behalf as well, as I do need to explain that, as per state dept guidelines, a certain document is unobtainable. I'd rather state the obvious in a single sentence in a covering letter than get an RFE asking why is something missing! I suppose my husband can add the date to that too.

By the way, very impressed that you had the forms done that ahead of time!!! Well done you

The thing we waited longest for was the police form and the passport photos. We have had all the forms done from the start. I had the whole support one in an envelope just waiting for the cover sheet and same with choice of agent. The DS-230 was a little tricker with originals and copies. I just hope the NVC do not lose any of those. Hopefully whatever form you are lacking will not hold you up.

[treehugger 23]

Ok, I have a proper question guys I was hoping to be in CA during the NVC process, but in the past day or so it has become clear that my next visit won't be for a bit longer. I've filled in DS-230 and am about to send it to hubby, so that as soon as he gets the IV bill and package, he can send it on. Now, does it really matter if I put today's date on it, seeing that we anticipate he'll be getting the IV package next week?

Presumably the NVC knows one spouse is in another country and would sign on a different date. David signed and sent it to me and it took a week and a half to arrive. I think you should be fine.

Thanks, Diane Well, if they accept medicals ahead of a case complete, I don't see why a form possibly dated a day or two before the IV package is generated should be that much of a problem. A week and a half to arrive , is that because of all the postal strikes we had? Gosh, I won't be able to make it this afternoon now, will have to send it first thing tomorrow morning instead!

[treehugger 23]

you could do like we did, since your hubby will be sending it to nvc for you. i just added the date after the iv bill arrived, and sent it on. i had his ds230 ready to go since may. before we even sent off the i130

Thanks Did you send a covering letter on his behalf as well, as I do need to explain that, as per state dept guidelines, a certain document is unobtainable. I'd rather state the obvious in a single sentence in a covering letter than get an RFE asking why is something missing! I suppose my husband can add the date to that too.

By the way, very impressed that you had the forms done that ahead of time!!! Well done you

The thing we waited longest for was the police form and the passport photos. We have had all the forms done from the start. I had the whole support one in an envelope just waiting for the cover sheet and same with choice of agent. The DS-230 was a little tricker with originals and copies. I just hope the NVC do not lose any of those. Hopefully whatever form you are lacking will not hold you up.

Thanks, I hope so too!! The state dept's website acknowledges that that form is unobtainable, so fingers crossed it won't cause any problems. I just thought it was better to say, 'according to state dept etc these forms don't exist, hence not submitting one' rather than wait for the RFE. I've had all my originals waiting in a folder for months, but as I honestly thought I'd be in the US when the time came, I filled out the form, then discarded it!

[Twisted K 2]

yeah, i did the cover letter, but signed it under my name. but i think for yours since you have to explain missing documents, maybe you should write the letter. again, he can put the date on it.

thanks about having the documents early, but unfortunately, i didn't realize at the time that india requires 2 different police certificates. so we got the dreaded rfe. it only took him a few hours to get it, but it caused a delay in our case completion but they have it on file now. so the hardest part is waiting again.

you could do like we did, since your hubby will be sending it to nvc for you. i just added the date after the iv bill arrived, and sent it on. i had his ds230 ready to go since may. before we even sent off the i130

Thanks Did you send a covering letter on his behalf as well, as I do need to explain that, as per state dept guidelines, a certain document is unobtainable. I'd rather state the obvious in a single sentence in a covering letter than get an RFE asking why is something missing! I suppose my husband can add the date to that too.

By the way, very impressed that you had the forms done that ahead of time!!! Well done you

[scotinmass 588]

Ok, I have a proper question guys I was hoping to be in CA during the NVC process, but in the past day or so it has become clear that my next visit won't be for a bit longer. I've filled in DS-230 and am about to send it to hubby, so that as soon as he gets the IV bill and package, he can send it on. Now, does it really matter if I put today's date on it, seeing that we anticipate he'll be getting the IV package next week?

Presumably the NVC knows one spouse is in another country and would sign on a different date. David signed and sent it to me and it took a week and a half to arrive. I think you should be fine.

Thanks, Diane Well, if they accept medicals ahead of a case complete, I don't see why a form possibly dated a day or two before the IV package is generated should be that much of a problem. A week and a half to arrive , is that because of all the postal strikes we had? Gosh, I won't be able to make it this afternoon now, will have to send it first thing tomorrow morning instead!

I sent the the letter by airsure right in the middle of the postal strike but the royal mail sent it on the first available flight and it was in New York the next day. The USPS decided it wasn't a priority and left it sitting for over a week and stopped tracking it. We had almost given it up when it arrived.

[david'sgirl 134]

Ok, I have a proper question guys I was hoping to be in CA during the NVC process, but in the past day or so it has become clear that my next visit won't be for a bit longer. I've filled in DS-230 and am about to send it to hubby, so that as soon as he gets the IV bill and package, he can send it on. Now, does it really matter if I put today's date on it, seeing that we anticipate he'll be getting the IV package next week?

Presumably the NVC knows one spouse is in another country and would sign on a different date. David signed and sent it to me and it took a week and a half to arrive. I think you should be fine.

Thanks, Diane Well, if they accept medicals ahead of a case complete, I don't see why a form possibly dated a day or two before the IV package is generated should be that much of a problem. A week and a half to arrive , is that because of all the postal strikes we had? Gosh, I won't be able to make it this afternoon now, will have to send it first thing tomorrow morning instead!

I sent the the letter by airsure right in the middle of the postal strike but the royal mail sent it on the first available flight and it was in New York the next day. The USPS decided it wasn't a priority and left it sitting for over a week and stopped tracking it. We had almost given it up when it arrived.

Then it was one day from hee to NVC where it languished n a desk for a week and now we still wait for the envelope to be opened and read! grrrrr

[And_Sam 44]

yeah, i did the cover letter, but signed it under my name. but i think for yours since you have to explain missing documents, maybe you should write the letter. again, he can put the date on it.

thanks about having the documents early, but unfortunately, i didn't realize at the time that india requires 2 different police certificates. so we got the dreaded rfe. it only took him a few hours to get it, but it caused a delay in our case completion but they have it on file now. so the hardest part is waiting again.

you could do like we did, since your hubby will be sending it to nvc for you. i just added the date after the iv bill arrived, and sent it on. i had his ds230 ready to go since may. before we even sent off the i130

Thanks Did you send a covering letter on his behalf as well, as I do need to explain that, as per state dept guidelines, a certain document is unobtainable. I'd rather state the obvious in a single sentence in a covering letter than get an RFE asking why is something missing! I suppose my husband can add the date to that too.

By the way, very impressed that you had the forms done that ahead of time!!! Well done you

I had my husband send me all his original documents to me then I mailed them out. I even had the cover letter that he signed, but I dated the ds-230 because we had done it ahead of time..

I am just hoping that we don't have an RFE coming my way!!