Embassy Troubles

[TheZilla 0]

Hola fellow UK VJers

I have to apologize in advance if I ramble, it's just one of THOSE bad days.

Andy and I have done all we can with the Packet 3 at this point. He filled out and sent back everything he was required to [the first packet 3 forms being sent in at the end of January], he's had his medical, and he sent in his final checklist last week. He hadn't heard anything, so he checked with Royal Mail to see if it was delivered, but since it required a signature [he sent it guaranteed delivery which perhaps was an absolute mistake though we thought we were being careful] he was informed it was sitting in a P.O. Box. He called the Embassy helpline, then emailed the embassy for any info.

He was told, over two different days of calling, that they couldn't tell him if they received it, and when they do it will take 6-8 weeks to ENTER IT INTO THE SYSTEM, then 6-8 weeks TO PROCESS and give an interview date which would take place 2-3 weeks from the date of issue. Andy tried calling to figure out whether the 'enter into system' 6-8 weeks referred to the forms he already sent in January, or the final checklist itself. No one would give him a straight answer and no one would tell him much of anything. We get those monotone cyborg-like responses through email.

So now, we have no idea and of course, no one will tell us anything. We were hoping he'd make it back here for good by my birthday [April 20th] but it doesn't look like it now. It's just one of those moments I feel so frustrated at how they do things, that they don't have to answer for anything. I know from reading threads that we're not alone by any means, and I do know that so many people here have faced even bigger heart-wrenching hurdles thrown in front of them. I don't think I'll ever stop ranting about how they treat all of us like numbers or files, wanting us to jump through so many hoops to PROVE our relationships and love for one another while systematically stepping on it. Leaving us all up in the air, setting down these RULES that are so hard to discern and making it that much harder to see each other. All the while, they don't have to answer for ANYTHING.

Errgggh. Sorry I'm ranting, I know you guys have been put in the same position, if not a worse one many times. I'm just having a good old fashioned 'I hate bureaucratic automatons" moment. Not to mention that I miss him so much it hurts, but you probably knew that

[flutter95 4]

That must be so frustrating! I can only imagine!

I sent mine back confrimed delivery with signature too...I wonder what is going on!?

[Mags 112]

The 6-8 weeks is their standard reply, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I also sent back packet 3 requiring a signature, I don't remember there being any mention of a PO box, but all I wanted to check was that they had actually received it.

[arwensun1965 0]

When I did the K1 I also sent my pk3 stuff with a confirmed delivery, the embassy does not confirm anything, it took ages for a date for the interview and when they did give us a date it was a complete but happy event.

You just have to have patience, a lot to ask but just hang in there and everything will come to fruitation.

Janice

[britbird 4]

Very frustrating indeed. It's been the same for a while. They give you a long date rather than a short one so you don't expect much. They will get back to you, and usually it's sooner rather than later. I would advise not constantly checking and calling, or looking at other people's time lines. I did that for a bit and it drove me mad. Try to let it be...it will not be the end of the world if you miss a birthday, you will have plenty more birthdays and fun times after that.

[jlivings99 0]

Look at the "Waiting for Packet 4" for more information on London Embassy frustrations. No matter what the Embassy says ... assuming they have received Packet 3 ... they will notify you of the interview about 3 weeks after you send Packet 3 (based on VJ data) ... by phoning State Dept. or email Embassy (subject United States) you can find out your interview date earlier than that. We mailed our Packet 3 on Feb. 27 and learned our interview date by email today (March 15) and have an interview on April 18.

My birthday is April 17 and it looks like I will spend it flying to London to be with my husband for his interview ... there are worse ways to spend a birthday. My husband's birthday is April 30 and we hope to be celebrating it in the US together.

[Catica 0]

Hello we are in the same boat as well, We sent back our first packet 3 with all the forms and checklist Feb 12, and to this date they are still saying they havent recieved it, So we declared it lost and did a new packet 3 which we mailed off March9th. In addition cause i just saw the other post we thought it had been delivered to the embassy on March 12th, but apperently it was delivered but to that mystery PO box address where according to the post office hasnt been picked up from there yet... At this point I wont lie, Im feeling really down and hopeless this whole journey has been one road bump after another and still no end in site. Im hanging in there from only the sheer love i have for my fiancee and I wont let anything stop us from being togther. I hope all of us hear some good news soon god only knows we need it.

[TheZilla 0]

Hello we are in the same boat as well, We sent back our first packet 3 with all the forms and checklist Feb 12, and to this date they are still saying they havent recieved it, So we declared it lost and did a new packet 3 which we mailed off March9th. In addition cause i just saw the other post we thought it had been delivered to the embassy on March 12th, but apperently it was delivered but to that mystery PO box address where according to the post office hasnt been picked up from there yet... At this point I wont lie, Im feeling really down and hopeless this whole journey has been one road bump after another and still no end in site. Im hanging in there from only the sheer love i have for my fiancee and I wont let anything stop us from being togther. I hope all of us hear some good news soon god only knows we need it.

"At this point, I won't lie, I'm feeling really down and hopeless"

I understand so much, you're not alone. My fiance' and I have been on the phone every night just aching over all of this. Every morning he wakes up hoping there will be a letter. We're struggling to go about our daily lives as we need to, but still wanting to keep close. It's such a hard balance sometimes as it feels like we're leading these painful half lives most of the time, not wanting to dwell too much on how painful it is to be apart but not wanting to ignore it so much it's like we cease to exist for one another. It also feels like the embassy and this process as a whole does not seem to respect the fact that these are real hearts and lives they're dealing with. They acknowledge no one and answer to no one.

We pay all this money, we follow the instructions by the book, we dot every i and cross every t. Sometimes it feels like all we get for it is being ignored and almost violated in a way.

I understand those hopeless nights and days when the optimism gets a royal kicking. You're not alone and I too hope you get the good news soon. I hope everyone who is going through all this struggle and heartache gets good news soon. While some days it DOES seem like it's miles and miles away, I'm hanging on to thoughts of being reunited. Right now my fiance and I consider ourselves just surviving and grinding through until our real WHOLE lives can begin. When it does, we're going to celebrate and give ourselves the rewards we deserve for getting through this process.

I have great respect for everyone who lives so far apart and gets through this process. I think this in itself attests to the strength and power of all our respective relationships here and for that, I think we all deserve huge congratulations and rewards when we all get through it.

Catica, my thoughts are with you and I hope you two get your interview and get reunited soon. I hope you two will have a huge celebration and all this will soon be but a memory. Loads of good luck to you both.

[garyandkris 0]

Catica, I hope you call on Monday and find out that you're in the interview allocation system. It took about a week for them to get Gary's paperwork in, and I assume most of that time his packet 3 was sitting in the same mysterious PO box. I can't believe they lost your first packet 3, and I can certainly understand your frustration. I hope you get your interview date ASAP.

TheZilla, have you tried calling the State Department to ask about your case status? They seem to know more than the Embassy does. Copied from another post:

Here is a number you need to call: (001 from the UK) 202-663-1225

Once the recorded message answers, just press 1, then press 0, then press 0 again...no need to keep waiting for the message to finish speaking.

In a couple of months, I hope we'll all be looking back on this time with our SOs by our sides and breathing big sighs of relief.

[Teddy406 0]

Catica, I hope you call on Monday and find out that you're in the interview allocation system. It took about a week for them to get Gary's paperwork in, and I assume most of that time his packet 3 was sitting in the same mysterious PO box. I can't believe they lost your first packet 3, and I can certainly understand your frustration. I hope you get your interview date ASAP.

TheZilla, have you tried calling the State Department to ask about your case status? They seem to know more than the Embassy does. Copied from another post:

Here is a number you need to call: (001 from the UK) 202-663-1225

Once the recorded message answers, just press 1, then press 0, then press 0 again...no need to keep waiting for the message to finish speaking.

In a couple of months, I hope we'll all be looking back on this time with our SOs by our sides and breathing big sighs of relief.

I hope so, I mean it just seems that legitimate couples who just want to be with their fiancé(e) / Spouses get a right royal run around. My packet 3 said "GET THIS STRAIGHT BACK TO US SO WE CAN GET PROCESSING!" you pay your £4.50 to mail it back Special Delivery, then almost two weeks later you find its stuffed in PO BOX PURGATORY with people as far back as Dec/Jan.

I mean, Im not trying it on, I'm SOLEY going to the US because my fiancée has since got a better job then me (since our engagement) and the future inlaws decided that "The wedding will be in the US" was the 11th commandment that Moses just merely didnt have time to tell people about. Its frustrating the Bank Of America are giving illegals credit cards, and i've met people doing things the "other" way who think I'm stupid for doing things properly.

I wouldnt have it any other way myself, however, the sort of "randomness" isnt very comforting to people running the maze. Our application has flown through so far, so I cant complain, but you never feel "confident" the wheels of progress are turning! Untill you get surprised (pleasantly so far, thank God)

We want to book a date and I want my fiancée to have the well planned and organised wedding she deserves!

Sorry to people who have been waiting for ages, but it's like pulling a ticket at the delhi counter and thinking "great, when's my turn?" then seeing a waiting room full of people going "we dont know either, but we've been here a LOT longer than you"

Teddy