Seoul DCF, Interview Scheduling

[Momus 0]

After receiving our Case Number (5 working days after submitting I-130!!!) we immediately scheduled the medical check up for the next week. I wanted to be proactive and schedule the interview at the same time, but I was having a hard time with the website. It kept saying "no appointments available at this time". We went on vacation and figured we'd just take care of it when we got back. The I-130 was approved so quickly that we felt like we could relax a bit.

Anyway, we got from our trip and decided to sit down and schedule the interview. I just called them directly, rather than waste time on that website again. The guy told me the earliest appointment was October 20th. Not bad, but I really didn't want to sit around waiting for two months just for that. I said, "are you sure there is nothing sooner?" He replied, "October 20th is the earliest. Sorry." I made an audible sigh and told him, "We were really hoping to get in earlier because we would like to move in October." His response: "When would you like to come in?" .... I looked at my wife and we kind of shrugged... I didn't want to press my luck and say something like "how about tomorrow", so I just said "September 15th?"

The guy just said, " Yeah, ok. That's good, too."

A few minutes later, we got an email confirming our appointment on September 15th. This is more than a full month earlier than his first "earliest appointment." All I had to do was ask...

I hope this tip can aid others in the future. I should have gone all in and asked for tomorrow considering how easily he folded. Nevertheless, 53 calendar days from I-130 to Interview is pretty damn good, I think.

If anyone is getting ready to schedule an interview, I recommend CALLING and then just asking for an earlier date. It was way too easy.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Momus

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

Haha. Good story. Thanks for sharing. Maybe he said "first available" confusing it with last available.

[lyndsey0927 1]

Just curious, how long can you wait to schedule an interview after your I-130 has been approved? For example: could we file directly in Seoul in November, but have the interview months later? We happen to have a morning off of work (rare!!) on a Friday and can travel 4 hours to file in person and make it back for work that day. But we won't be moving back to the USA until July so we don't want to have the interview and get approved too early. It just works out to go file then because we're sure our boss wouldn't let us off any other day to go file our I-130 in person. I haven't been able to find the answer to this question anywhere.

[Momus 0]

I'm not an expert here, so I can only speak from my experience and what I remember, but I feel like once you are invited to schedule an interview, you can schedule it a few months away if you want.

Just call them and do it over the phone and they will be able to answer your questions. If you submit in November and have the same luck I had or better, you won't be able to schedule your interview until December anyway, so I'm sure it wouldn't be too much to push it back a couple months. If you leave in July, you just need to do the interview in February or March to make sure you don't exceed the 6-month window. I think you'll be OK, but just go ahead and file and ask them when you go.

[latekateskate 0]

Hi-

I had the same question and emailed ustraveldocs and this is what they sent me.

" After your I-130 approval, you will receive an informational e-packet3 instructions, which is a list of documents you need to prepare for the visa interview. You will have 12 months from the time your receive the packet3 to prepare for and schedule your visa interview.

The 6 months or 3 months is the immigrant visa's valid period, which is subject to the medical check's valid period. Thank you.

We hope you find this information is helpful. If you have further questions or concerns, please let us know.

You may also visit our website http://www.ustraveldocs.com/kr_kr/index.html for more information. If you have further questions, please contact us again. "

Sounds like you'd have plenty of time :-)