Just phoned the department of state

[americanjetset 0]

I sent in the DS-230 and then sent the DS-2001 a week later (I sent the readiness form the day that my husband had the medical).

My husband just phoned the department of state and they said that they have logged my husband's medical results but have no record of logging any of the other paperwork and that it could take up to a month.

We were hoping to leave the UK together in August together. However, in light of the phone call (we were half hoping the interview appointment paper would arrive this week), I am not hopeful that this will be happening.

Does anyone have any experience with contacting the London Embassy and asking for the paperwork to be logged (is there any way we can try to get the process up and running)? If not, in your experience, how long does this stage usually take?

[lost_at_sea 995]

How long ago did you send stuff? It does sometimes take them a few days to actually get their act together and process stuff, but a month seems a bit long.

Also, did you specify a travel date/plans in the cover-letter that went with the DS-2001?

Edited July 19, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[americanjetset 0]

I sent the DS-230 so that the embassy would receive it on July 4 and the DS-2001 was sent so that it would be received on the 10th.

In the cover letter for the DS-2001, I said that I was planning to leave the UK the end of August (giving my exact flight date) and would like to be able to attend the interview; I said that my husband's travel plans were dependent on when he received the visa (I didn't want to book something I would later have to cancel).

Do you think there's anyway to chivvy them along in sending out an interview letter?

[lost_at_sea 995]

I sent the DS-230 so that the embassy would receive it on July 4 and the DS-2001 was sent so that it would be received on the 10th.

In the cover letter for the DS-2001, I said that I was planning to leave the UK the end of August (giving my exact flight date) and would like to be able to attend the interview; I said that my husband's travel plans were dependent on when he received the visa (I didn't want to book something I would later have to cancel).

Do you think there's anyway to chivvy them along in sending out an interview letter?

The tricky thing is it's difficult to get a human who actually knows things on the phone. The embassy line just goes to a call centre.

What might work better is calling them and getting a code so you can email the embassy instead.

The fact you put a travel date is usually enough to get them to get on with it, but they just may not have looked at your letter yet.

We put a date (30th July) and you can see what date we got. Barely enough time to get the passport back if it takes the full 10 days (it's thankfully due for delivery Monday)!

Edited July 19, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[americanjetset 0]

The Department of State seem like they have fairly good access to everything submitted - although I do find it disconcerting that nothing else has been logged (but maybe I'm just extremely impatient?).

I'll try getting a code for e-mailing on Monday. Would that be the operated assisted number 09042-450-100? I'll write up how it goes.

Do you know if the CEAC has different headings when everything has been received? Mine says: Ready and was last updated on the date that the medical results would have been received.

[lost_at_sea 995]

The Department of State seem like they have fairly good access to everything submitted - although I do find it disconcerting that nothing else has been logged (but maybe I'm just extremely impatient?).

I'll try getting a code for e-mailing on Monday. Would that be the operated assisted number 09042-450-100? I'll write up how it goes.

Do you know if the CEAC has different headings when everything has been received? Mine says: Ready and was last updated on the date that the medical results would have been received.

Yes. I mean. They know if things have been logged. I meant in terms of findings way to get the embassy to process your docs!

It says "ready" all the way until your interview.

Edited July 19, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Jakanna 0]

We sent our paperwork "next day delivery" from the Post office in England. We got a tracking # and all, so we knew when it was actually signed for. It was received on July 2, we sent in July 1st and we called to see if they had it, and it didn't show yet in the system. His medical interview was on the 8th and by the 15th they had ALL the paperwork logged into the system and it is now being processed, per the last phone call my fiance had with the London Embassy. He calls a different # that the Department of State gave me when I had originally called them from here in the U.S. I will try and get that # from him as I didn't keep it once I gave it to him. He calls the # through Skype though. They have been pretty helpful, but I'm sure it's the call center somewhere else in the U.K.

When we knew that the London embassy had the paperwork, we asked how long until we get the interview letter and they stated it could take up to 6 weeks, but the last call we made, the man said 2 weeks. So they kinda put in you limbo. I think 6 weeks is their goal from the time they receive the paperwork, to the time that you receive the letter, Of course it could be shorter or longer, depending on their work load. Then the interview date is usually 3-4 weeks after you receive the letter, so I hear.

The update on CEAC says the same for me, and hasn't changed since I first checked it a couple weeks ago. We are planning for him to be here by August 10th and that is what I put on our DS-2001.

Hope that little bit helps you make some sense.

Good luck!

[americanjetset 0]

We did next day delivery with all our forms too. So I was thinking that if I was able to contact the Embassy via e-mail, I could upload the signatures as an image. I am kind of at a loss how to contact the embassy for an e-mail code - I assume they give you the e-mail address that you should write to over the phone? They had all of our paperwork in the office by the 10th, so it's baffling to me that it hasn't been logged yet! Our medical was a day after yours. We put the 21st of August as our leave-by date.

If you don't mind and can find the number, it would be a great help! I just wish I could get some confirmation that they actually have all the paperwork and hadn't put it off to the side

Do you think the Embassy Line and the Dept. of State are the best ways to go on this?

[lost_at_sea 995]

The number you had above is right. The email is londonconsular@state.gov

If you mail it, it'll say it was deleted without being read. You need the code from the phone line to get it read.

They also sort of lie, because I've mailed it without a code and had a response.

[Jakanna 0]

We did next day delivery with all our forms too. So I was thinking that if I was able to contact the Embassy via e-mail, I could upload the signatures as an image. I am kind of at a loss how to contact the embassy for an e-mail code - I assume they give you the e-mail address that you should write to over the phone? They had all of our paperwork in the office by the 10th, so it's baffling to me that it hasn't been logged yet! Our medical was a day after yours. We put the 21st of August as our leave-by date.

If you don't mind and can find the number, it would be a great help! I just wish I could get some confirmation that they actually have all the paperwork and hadn't put it off to the side

Do you think the Embassy Line and the Dept. of State are the best ways to go on this?

Okay, Don't forget, it takes the Doctor's office 5 days to send the paperwork to the Embassy. Ours barely got there on the 15th, which was this Monday and that is when my fiance called to see if they had it, which they did. Have you called them today to see if they have your paperwork yet? Try not to worry, I know that is hard to say, but what I would do is call them on Monday the 22nd to see if they have it yet. If they don't then call the department of state and see what is going on. Also, we never received "package 3" in the mail, so I got worried and contacted my local congressman, told him what was going on and they were able to move things forward for us and explain what we were suppose to do (they actually contacted the London Embassy via email and sent me the whole thread). Before that, I had emailed the London Embassy with the code, and never got a response. So I think emailing them is #######, lol, but at least you would have record of it. I logged into my fiances skype and he has two #'s (not sure why) for London Embassy they are: +442074999000 and +449042450100.

Hopefully one of those will help you. Just noticed we are doing different visa's, but this # should still help.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Jakanna

[Jakanna 0]

One of those is the same # you had been calling. Clearly I don't know the English #'s very well. Sorry But, don't lost faith. They won't show that they had received the paperwork until both sets from you and the medical have been received. Just know that.

[mindthegap 2,590]

See my timeline for proof that they sometimes lose paperwork behind the filing cabinet...

Sadly the immigrant visa email address is no longer active, but it definitely was at the time!

[americanjetset 0]

I've e-mailled the London Embassy (managed to get the code) but I don't know. I feel that maybe I'm being a little too impatient as I don't like the thought of leaving the UK while my husband's visa is still processing.

The extortion line and the Department of State both said to wait 6 weeks for processing. I suppose I just became a bit over-enthusiastic from looking at how fast other people's timelines were from medical to visa appointment.

Jakanna, I know you posted your DS-230 and DS2001 before we did. Was it difficult trying to find out that they had logged the DS-230 and DS2001 before your medical? They should have had both our DS-230 and DS2001 by the 10th but it still isn't showing up as filed. (They said they have the medical results in the system for the 12th)

Hopefully will have some good news next week or in the next 6 weeks.

[lost_at_sea 995]

I've e-mailled the London Embassy (managed to get the code) but I don't know. I feel that maybe I'm being a little too impatient as I don't like the thought of leaving the UK while my husband's visa is still processing.

The extortion line and the Department of State both said to wait 6 weeks for processing. I suppose I just became a bit over-enthusiastic from looking at how fast other people's timelines were from medical to visa appointment.

Jakanna, I know you posted your DS-230 and DS2001 before we did. Was it difficult trying to find out that they had logged the DS-230 and DS2001 before your medical? They should have had both our DS-230 and DS2001 by the 10th but it still isn't showing up as filed. (They said they have the medical results in the system for the 12th)

Hopefully will have some good news next week or in the next 6 weeks.

Don't feel bad about being impatient. You put down travel plans, you'd like to meet them. That's totally reasonable. Plus, sometimes they do get it wrong, so it's good to be proactive and stay on top of your case.

Hopefully you'll get some good news in the next week. Enjoy the weekend in the meantime.