Need to Postpone Interview? Some Advice Needed

[warren_1986 0]

Hi All,

So I'm applying for a K1 visa, and last week received a letter scheduling my interview for July 29 (9 nine days away). This is much earlier than I expected, and I actually have a two week trip planned to the US to visit my fiancée from Aug 12 - Aug 25. We are both then travelling to Colombia from Aug 25-30 and then both returning to the US. Originally I had planned to make these trips, go back to the UK and wait for my interview and then return and get married.

However, it now seems that my K1 visa will already have been issued to me when I make my Aug 12 US trip. This sounds like a problem since I know once you enter the US having a K1 visa in your passport it must be 'activated', starting the 90 day period for you to get married and you're not supposed to leave.

There are a couple of options that I think might be available to me, and I was hoping someone on the forum could help me out with some advice:

- For work purposes I actually have two British Passports, am I able to go to my interview on July 29, give them one of my passports for them to put the visa in, and then travel to the US on Aug 12 with my other British passport on the usual Visa Waiver (even though I will have a second passport that already has the K1). I've emailed the Embassy today about this today, but wondered if anyone had any thoughts.

- Alternately, could I enter the US on Aug 12, get a New York State marriage in those two weeks (we'd do our religious ceremony at a later date, which is more important for us), but then only submit our adjustment of status application in September after we've returned from Colombia?

If I could do something like one of those options I'd prefer that, as it would save me an additional trip back to the UK.

However, if one of those isn't possible, I have heard that in your interview you can ask for the interviewer to delay the issuance of your visa, does anyone know if this possible?

Alternatively, can I ask to postpone my interview until September? That is the least stressful option, but I'd rather not. Has anyone done this?

If anyone has any advice or experience with any of this options, it'd be a real help.

Many thanks,

David

[S_R 148]

Anyway you slice and dice this two passport plot is bound to lead to some grave immigration problems. Your only clean option is to ask for a postponement of the interview.

[warren_1986 0]

Yeah I figured as much, just thought I'd check though. Rats.

Thanks alot.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Yeah I figured as much, just thought I'd check though. Rats.

Thanks alot.

You can interview and tell them you have a trip so do not want the visa issued until your return. You do not leave your passport. Upon your return to the UK, you contact the courier and pay for a round-trip ticket (for the passport) to the embassy and back to you.

This sounds simple enough, and was before the change to courier processes and the online scheduling. Now people have trouble arranging this pickup service. The former phone numbers will say "we no longer provide this service". They do, sorta...but I have forgotten how the one frustrated person who had made many, many calls and inquires finally sorted it. It's a thread from many months back. And you don't know how long it will take the embassy to get back to your case and passport. It could be 2 or more weeks. It won't be the day your passport arrives.

I would postpone the interview. (We did that because of a trip and don't miss that 3 weeks lost at all.) A later interview I s in line with what your original plans were, so why go through contortions to use two passports and the like. Keep it simple. There is a box for making comments. Ask for an interview the week of Sept X-Y.

The form to fill out http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/visa_contact_form.html

Edited July 21, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[warren_1986 0]

Yes I see, I've just emailed them asking for a postponement until September, hopefully that'll be okay. Urgh, this whole process can induce so much anxiety and stress...

Thanks

[Pitaya 2,577]

Yes I see, I've just emailed them asking for a postponement until September, hopefully that'll be okay. Urgh, this whole process can induce so much anxiety and stress...

Thanks

It certainly can.... You are preaching to the choir.....

[Calikitkat 16]

Hi, Warren! Can I ask you when did you submit the applicant readiness form? I am just trying to understand how long it takes from when you submit this form to the date of the interview. Thank you!

[warren_1986 0]

About three weeks after I submitted my readiness form and had my medical, I received my letter from the Embassy, and my interview was scheduled for about three weeks after that. So six weeks in total.

All the best,