How long before interview scheduled

[robertwdalton 0]

Hello Folks,

Just wondering if someone can shed some light on how long it usually takes for an interview to be scheduled after you have received notice from the Consulate stating that they have received the DS-230 Part 1 and that they will schedule an interview at the earliest possible opportunity.

November 26, 2009 - received email from Consulate confirming receipt of our documents and that an interview will be scheduled at the earliest possible opportunity.

December 30, 2009 – wrote email to Consulate asking if they had an update on when our interview would be. (They said we could contact them at the end of each month for status)

January 12, 2010 – received reply from my December email stating – “it is now the middle of January you should request status at the end of each month not in the middle of the month”

It has now been over sixty days since they have acknowledged receipt of our documents and informed us that an interview will be scheduled.

Should we be worried that something is wrong?

Thanks Robert and Mai

[ScottThuy 140]

What happened with that May 29 date you posted before? Call DoS on Monday and ask them the date of the interview.. It is likely scheduled already for early March or before

Edited January 31, 2010 by ScottThuy

[robertwdalton 0]

What happened with that May 29 date you posted before? Call DoS on Monday and ask them the date of the interview.. It is likely scheduled already for early March or before

Thanks for your quick reply...also we want to express our sincere sorrow over your recent experience with this process.

My fiancee and I are deeply troubled on how your fiancee was treated at her interview.

That March 29, 2008 date was for our first interview. We got blue slip and then provided additional information they requested and later we got letter saying our case was sent back to USISC.

The Vermont Service Center re-affirmed our petition without us having to even do a rebuttal

They denied us because I only made one trip to Vietnam, my fiancée did not say my email address exactly correct when asked and the said that since she replied that we would make concrete wedding plans once we know we can get a visa (they said she was not familiar with what our wedding plans were)

We are better prepared this time. I have now made two trips to Vietnam and third one will be made so that I can be with her for the interview.

I call the DOS every two days to see if an interview has been scheduled. They always say that we have qualified for an interview as of November 29, 2009 but no interview has been scheduled yet.

[ScottThuy 140]

That sux... I think they are draggin feet at the moment due to people taking time off for the holidays.. Christmas and new years and Tet.. keep calling.. as soon as it is scheduled it will be in the DoS system...

thanks about thuys interview.. we have actually put that behind us now.. prepared for the next phase and all we can do now is wait for the 23rd... paperwork is all ready to go..

Kevin got DS 230 info just before you and they are scheduled for the interview next week... You should be in the next month or so.. they won't give you a great deal of lead time... likely 3 weeks or so... so end of Feb beginning of Mar is not out of the question...

[luckytxn 2,263]

Thanks for your quick reply...also we want to express our sincere sorrow over your recent experience with this process.

My fiancee and I are deeply troubled on how your fiancee was treated at her interview.

That March 29, 2008 date was for our first interview. We got blue slip and then provided additional information they requested and later we got letter saying our case was sent back to USISC.

The Vermont Service Center re-affirmed our petition without us having to even do a rebuttal

They denied us because I only made one trip to Vietnam, my fiancée did not say my email address exactly correct when asked and the said that since she replied that we would make concrete wedding plans once we know we can get a visa (they said she was not familiar with what our wedding plans were)

We are better prepared this time. I have now made two trips to Vietnam and third one will be made so that I can be with her for the interview.

I call the DOS every two days to see if an interview has been scheduled. They always say that we have qualified for an interview as of November 29, 2009 but no interview has been scheduled yet.

Wow. I made only one trip myself and there was no problem.

[Bernie C 24]

Robert,

Did your fiancee receive packet 4 in the mail yet? I guess that is a bad question or you would have your answer, dummy me.

We sent packet 3 info (DS-230) on 10/19/09, received packet 4 on 11/19/09 and interview was on 12/15/09.

Not sure what the deal is with "qualified for interview" but none scheduled yet. Sounds like from the time frame you have mentioned you should be up soon. You'll need the appointment letter so you can get medical scheduled and complete. I assume you have already prepared the other documents since you know what is needed from the previous time.

Best bet is to keep calling and asking. Its a crying shame that its so difficult to get these questions answered. I sent an email to the consulate asking for the info also, they were gracious enough to reply with the date a few days before the interview. (Good thing Doan had received packet 4 in the mail and called me right away on November 19 because the email I got from the consulate never came till a few days before the interview! My gosh, I would have missed it if I waited for them!!!)

Remeber that the US Consulate also observes the Vietnamese holidays so not much will be happening during Tet.

Hope you get an answer soon!!! Keep us posted and Best Wishes.

[ScottThuy 140]

It's because it's a reaffirmed case not initial interview.

[Bernie C 24]

It's because it's a reaffirmed case not initial interview.

Oh, thanks Scott for pointing that out. Some much done yet still so much to learn!!!!!!

[lindal24 1]

Even if it's a reaffirmed case, shouldn't the process of getting a date the same?? I mean, it's like of like you "re-applying", no?

Anyways, I hope the petitioner/beneficiary finds out their interview date BEFORE their interview, and hopefully not AFTER! That would suck...

[robertwdalton 0]

Robert,

Did your fiancee receive packet 4 in the mail yet?

We sent packet 3 info (DS-230) on 10/19/09, received packet 4 on 11/19/09 and interview was on 12/15/09.

Not sure what the deal is with "qualified for interview" but none scheduled yet.

We did not receive packet 4 yet. If we did, I think we would have received our appointment letter with packet 4.

The term “qualified for an interview appointment” is the term that is used by DOS when you call them and ask them to provide status on your case. They say the last entry into the system indicated that our DS230-Part1 and DSO-2001 has been received and that we have qualified for an appointment.

I did ask at one point what does it mean when you say “we qualified for an interview. Basically what it means is that after we send them the DS230-Part1 and the DS-2001 and they have reviewed it and determined that has been completed correctly you ill “qualify for an appointment”

[robertwdalton 0]

Even if it's a reaffirmed case, shouldn't the process of getting a date the same?? I mean, it's like of like you "re-applying", no?

Anyways, I hope the petitioner/beneficiary finds out their interview date BEFORE their interview, and hopefully not AFTER! That would suck...

I do not think a re-affirmed case is the same re-applying, though you would go through the same process for your medical and interview as you did the first time around. In any other Consulate besides HCMC, I would think that when your case is re-affirmed, you have a better chance of being issued a visa the second time around, provided of course you can address the original reasons the Consulate sent the case back to USCIS.

HCMC plays by an entirely different interpretation of the rules. Their reasoning process defies logic. You really do not know if having your case re-affirmed will only make them come up with another ingenious way to deny you again.

We are pretty sure we will not miss the day for our appointment if HCMC Consulate updates the DOS database in a timely fashion. We are now calling them daily for our status. I did ask how often the data base is updated and was told that it is updated daily but some Consulates do batch processing and may only update it once a month. I am thinking that is the case with HCMC because they tell you that you can email them at the end of each month for status on your case. You never really can be sure about how things work when it comes to dealing with the HCMC Consulate.

[vuster 0]

I called DOS last Thurs. The lady said the consulate usually set the interview schedules on the first week of the month. She told me to call back after the first week of February for an update.

[lindal24 1]

I do not think a re-affirmed case is the same re-applying, though you would go through the same process for your medical and interview as you did the first time around. In any other Consulate besides HCMC, I would think that when your case is re-affirmed, you have a better chance of being issued a visa the second time around, provided of course you can address the original reasons the Consulate sent the case back to USCIS.

HCMC plays by an entirely different interpretation of the rules. Their reasoning process defies logic. You really do not know if having your case re-affirmed will only make them come up with another ingenious way to deny you again.

We are pretty sure we will not miss the day for our appointment if HCMC Consulate updates the DOS database in a timely fashion. We are now calling them daily for our status. I did ask how often the data base is updated and was told that it is updated daily but some Consulates do batch processing and may only update it once a month. I am thinking that is the case with HCMC because they tell you that you can email them at the end of each month for status on your case. You never really can be sure about how things work when it comes to dealing with the HCMC Consulate.

If it's feasible, you should consider asking your SO to go to the consulate to inquire about an interview date. Everyone keeps mentioning DOS, which I'm sure is a good source, but I think it's more important that you go directly to the source and ask what's the holdup--even if it's just from the exterior window...

Goodluck with your interview date...

[robertwdalton 0]

I called DOS last Thurs. The lady said the consulate usually set the interview schedules on the first week of the month. She told me to call back after the first week of February for an update.

Cool...Thanks for this info...good to know

[robertwdalton 0]

If it's feasible, you should consider asking your SO to go to the consulate to inquire about an interview date.

Goodluck with your interview date...

My fiancee is in DaNang so getting to the Consulate is not feasible. We did send my fiancee's sister to the Consulate (she lives in Saigon) to see if she could get any information but we had no luck with that approach. They would not even talk with her other than to say that they can not provide her inforatiion because she is not involved with the petition.