Passport problem - Traveling on holiday after interview

[coleypalazzo 0]

Helllo - I have run into a situation. My fiance has his k1 interview at the earliest available date in England on August 31st and the interview needs to be completed by Sept. 8th. The problem is that we have a holiday booked to Spain on September 10th and I have heard that you don't get your passport back for 10-15 business days. Desperately looking for answers.

[coleypalazzo 0]

Helllo - I have run into a situation. My fiance has his k1 interview at the earliest available date in England on August 31st and the interview needs to be completed by Sept. 8th. The problem is that we have a holiday booked to Spain on September 10th and I have heard that you don't get your passport back for 10-15 business days. I was told that some people in this group were in this situation and they were able to come back a few days after and pick up the passport. Desperately looking for answers.

[Canerican 242]

With your trip to Spain are you traveling from England to Spain or USA to Spain? If it is USA to Spain your fiance will not be allowed back into the USA as the K-1 is a one time visa. The other thing is the date of your holiday. If he does not get his interview till sept 8 and your holiday is sept 10 it will take a good week (5 business days or more) to get the passport back. Therefore you will need to rebook flights, hotels, etc.

[Unlockable 7,306]

Rule #1 in immigration... Never make plans that can't be changed before the visa, or in your case passport, is in your hands.

They need that time after the interview to actually print the visa into your passport. There is no expedite for printing the visas. They are complex with many security features embedded in them.

If you can't reschedule then after you are approved at the interview you could ask to have the passport returned to you immediately after the interview and you can send it to then for the printing of the visa after your return.

Just explain your travel plans and need for the passport to the officer.

[coleypalazzo 0]

Thanks for the fast response. My fiance Lewis lives in England and I am traveling from the states to England & then we are both going on holiday together from Spain to England for a summer holiday. We obviously didn't realize the passport fiasco. Hoping it comes in time - how gutting. I will make sure Lewis brings our receipts and flight info - I have read somewhere that someone was in this same situation and got to take the passport back the same day (didnt happen in london) - and someone else where they were able to pick up their passport a few days later at the embassy. So frazzled

[JFH 12,189]

It has been known that people have been allowed to leave the London embassy with their passports and to return the passport for visa issuance at a later date. How much later you can do this, I don't know. The medical would need to still be valid. It doesn't happen often so there is not much info on this. Most people want their passports back immediately with the visa so they can hurry to their loved ones.

[Unlockable 7,306]

Hi,

I answered you in your other thread. Ask for the passport back immediately after the interview then send it for visa printing after your holiday.

[A'n'L 735]

Why can'the just reschedule the interview for after the vacation?

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Helllo - I have run into a situation. My fiance has his k1 interview at the earliest available date in England on August 31st and the interview needs to be completed by Sept. 8th. The problem is that we have a holiday booked to Spain on September 10th and I have heard that you don't get your passport back for 10-15 business days. Desperately looking for answers.

It averages 7 days for London to get your passport to you after interview. That doesn't mean something weird won't happen and yours would take longer.

They will let you take your passport with you after the interview and put your visa on pause until you send it back to them by their designated courier. Then they finish your approval and issuance of the visa. It won't happen the day you send it back to them. They might not get back to your case for a week or two.

You can log back into the appointment system and see if anything has opened up earlier than Aug 31. People cancel and slots open. Try that over a couple of days. You can also log into the system and pick a new interview date that falls after the trip.

Edited August 1, 2016 by Nich-Nick

[coleypalazzo 0]

Why can'the just reschedule the interview for after the vacation?

Unfort cant because my process needs to be completed by my assigned date of sept 8th. the earliest interview is aug 31.

[A'n'L 735]

Unfort cant because my process needs to be completed by my assigned date of sept 8th. the earliest interview is aug 31.

Why? It can't have to do with immediate travel plans to the US, so why?

You don't have a timeline, so I don't know your NOA2 date, but remember that the embassy can extend the validity of the petition for up to a year, if necessary (if that is your concern about Sept 8th).

Edited August 1, 2016 by A'n'L

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Unfort cant because my process needs to be completed by my assigned date of sept 8th. the earliest interview is aug 31.

I also answered in your other thread. It's now merged so scroll up for my London specific answer.

To answer your other concern. The American writes a new letter of intent which the beneficiary takes to the interview in London to extend the petition validity past Sept 8. Easy Peasy, No issues.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

you will be put on the bottom of the list for interview if you try to reschedule

pay and postpne the trip to Spain

[Ortolan 381]

Honestly, why put yourself through this stress? Rebook the holiday.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

you will be put on the bottom of the list for interview if you try to reschedule

No. It doesn't work like that in London.