London 2012- K1s from NOA2 to interview thread

[kittylondon 47]

does anyone know which one it is as I'm hoping to send these forms on Monday or Tuesday?

Phwew ok.

hey, so you're sending the forms before london has received your file? nvc just got your case friday right? they got mine weds and i was gonna wait til i know it's been sent to the embassy. but if you think it's safe to send straight away then i might do that too? i guess this is the same as sunshine25s question, although she's a few weeks ahead of us...

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Hi everyone,

The london embassy received my case last monday and I'm just wondering if I'm ok to post my forms off tomorrow and pay the visa fee, even though I have not received the packet3 letter.

I rang the DOS number on friday and they said my case had been sent to London and was still pending and no packet 3 letter had gone out.

I've got everything ready and had my medical, so I was going to send all the forms, plus the DS-2001 and the covering letter to say I'm ready for the interview.

hey, so you're sending the forms before london has received your file? nvc just got your case friday right? they got mine weds and i was gonna wait til i know it's been sent to the embassy. but if you think it's safe to send straight away then i might do that too? i guess this is the same as sunshine25s question, although she's a few weeks ahead of us...

My advice is always going to be: follow the rules and do it the way London has set up as the most efficient way for them to handle your visa. It may work, it may backfire but the choice is always yours. Their web pages used to have a blurb that said they would discard anything received too early. Will they really do that? Perhaps if too many people screw with their plan of order. Perhaps not and you get a few days lead getting your papers in. Perhaps you'll be the one that annoys them so they put your papers aside and let you stew a bit because they can. It's all a guess and your decision.

[photomile 101]

Fair point.

one thing that does concern me is having the medical too early as those results will be sent to the embassy early. I did speak to NVC who said it should be sent to the embassy mid the end of next week, but I guess waiting would be wise. Would it be an idea to postpone the medical as well? Kitty has hers on the 11th, and I'm planning on booking mine tomorrow. I wonder if this is too early

[photomile 101]

Also now that NVC has received the case and given it the LND number, I assume that's my level of interaction with them finished and I need to contact a different number to see if london has been sent the file? (I believe it's 202-663-1225? )

[kittylondon 47]

Fair point.

one thing that does concern me is having the medical too early as those results will be sent to the embassy early. I did speak to NVC who said it should be sent to the embassy mid the end of next week, but I guess waiting would be wise. Would it be an idea to postpone the medical as well? Kitty has hers on the 11th, and I'm planning on booking mine tomorrow. I wonder if this is too early

i will postpone the medical if london hasn't received my file by 3 days before (no cost for changing it if you give them 72 hours notice). i just really wanted a weds afternoon appointment cos i work from home then anyway! i'm gonna hold off on the forms for now. but i did just have some gross new passport photos taken this weekend! fyi, for medical, the woman said US or UK size is fine.

[Sunshine25 17]

Fair point.

one thing that does concern me is having the medical too early as those results will be sent to the embassy early. I did speak to NVC who said it should be sent to the embassy mid the end of next week, but I guess waiting would be wise. Would it be an idea to postpone the medical as well? Kitty has hers on the 11th, and I'm planning on booking mine tomorrow. I wonder if this is too early

Most peoples cases leave NVC fairly quickly, 5 days or so. Don't take what the person says at the NVC for fact. We spoke with 3 different people each time we rang, the first said we don't process this here, just send them off to the embassy in a few days. I thought great and booked my medical for 2 weeks ahead, thinking that was plenty of time for my case to get to London, before the medical results get there. After just over a week of not hearing anything, I rang back and was told by a second person it was still there and would be leaving in a few days! By then it was too late to postpone the medical, but I think ( I hope!) they arrived at the same time.

It may well leave in a few days, but I would personally hold off until you know it has left for sure.

Likewise I was holding off sending the forms until I had the packet 3 letter. Most people get there's in 4 days, I'm getting a little impatient, as I got my NOA2 on the 14th May and it's been really slow going

I posted on here if it was alright for me send my forms off, without having the packet 3 letter yet and thanks again to Nick-Nich for being the voice of reason You know your stuff and your advice and is greatly appreciated!

I was thinking the same but just want to get things moving.

I have my moments when I'm impatient and tired of waiting and then the rest of the time, I think it's going to happen when it happens, there's no rushing these people. All I can do is wait, keep working, keep saving and keep smiling!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Also now that NVC has received the case and given it the LND number, I assume that's my level of interaction with them finished and I need to contact a different number to see if london has been sent the file? (I believe it's 202-663-1225? )

NVC can still tell you the day it left. There's ways to track packages from NVC if you haven't found those old tricks on VJ yet. Its even easier now than in 2008 when I did it. Just because its arrived at the mail receiving dock, doesnt mean the IV Unit of the embassy has your case in their offices and entered your info into their system. Remember this is no longer USCIS so a new government agency and case number. The Dept of State (DOS) knows when your case has been logged into the records at London. At that point, London is ready for you so that would be an okay time to get your things to them. Whether you are informed by a letter from the embassy or DOS in the US via phoning, the best plan is for London to be ready to receive your applications. So what happens when somebody sends the forms while still at NVC, or before it gets to NVC, or how about if somebody sends a week after their NOA1 because they want things to London early?? When is it too early? By reading ahead, you are already early. Think of the blokes who don't even know about the police certificate or medical until the letter of instruction from the embassy arrives. So you want to be even earlier than early? Maybe it's brilliant and maybe it's foolish. I don't know. Give it a go and hope for good results if you feel comfortable with it.

[photomile 101]

I think I'll be waiting until the NVC confirms the case has left and on it's way to the UK consulate, and then maybe a day or two afterwards.

Once it's out of the NVC I assume then it's the DOS phone calls?

[Stu4Lee 66]

The nice DOS lady (Sarah) I spoke to today recommended NOT sending forms in before Pkt 3 letter is received.

At this rate they will have the medical results, from last Thursday, before that happens.

This will not be a problem though

Edited July 2, 2012 by Stu4Lee

[photomile 101]

Can you confirm the DOS number you called please?

[Sunshine25 17]

Can you confirm the DOS number you called please?

The DOS number I called on friday was (202)663-1225, press 1 then 0 to speak to someone. I asked them if London had logged my case and gave them my case number. They open from 8.30am (1.30pm English time)

[photomile 101]

The DOS number I called on friday was (202)663-1225, press 1 then 0 to speak to someone. I asked them if London had logged my case and gave them my case number. They open from 8.30am (1.30pm English time)

Thank you

[Stu4Lee 66]

The DOS number I called on friday was (202)663-1225, press 1 then 0 to speak to someone. I asked them if London had logged my case and gave them my case number. They open from 8.30am (1.30pm English time)

That's the one

No security questions when I have called, just asked "is that Stuart?" lol

Edited July 2, 2012 by Stu4Lee

[photomile 101]

A couple more questions !

DS-230 Question 33:

I know it says list all education institutions, but the form seems to be geared more to College and University. I don't get a diploma from my A levels of GCSE so do they really want this?

Also question 35:

This has been touched on in a previous post in this thread but some of my visits were back before you needed a visa or the visa waiver program. Should I simply leave the type of visa field as blank? Or put not required?

[Stu4Lee 66]

A couple more questions !

DS-230 Question 33:

I know it says list all education institutions, but the form seems to be geared more to College and University. I don't get a diploma from my A levels of GCSE so do they really want this?

Also question 35:

This has been touched on in a previous post in this thread but some of my visits were back before you needed a visa or the visa waiver program. Should I simply leave the type of visa field as blank? Or put not required?

I'm assuming you made a typo with the question numbers, on my form they are Q23 and Q25

Q23 - For the school section I put 'O-levels' in the course of study section and "none" in the diploma/degree section

FYI for the young-uns out there, 'O-levels' were replaced by GCSE's.

Q25 - back before you needed a visa or the visa waiver program?? when was this??

The form itself says, "Give type of visa status, if known" If you don't know it put "unknown"

Don't sweat the small stuff, really.