Does anyone have experience with the London embassy appointment scheduling?

[Housaki 0]

Hi folks. Just a quick question:

 

So it has been smooth sailing through our K1 and it's time for me to book my embassy appointment and medical. About a week and a half ago I booked the medical and that took all of 30 seconds. I'm from Northern Ireland, so I was picky about my flights to London and managed to get the cheapest possible flights. Great! The problem is I didn't realize that there was a 5 week cap on booking appointments with the embassy. My medical is on the 25th of July and the latest I can book my embassy appointment is the 27th according to the scheduling system, which is not enough time for the medical to process the paperwork and send it down to the embassy. We figured we'd just leave it for a week and a half (while checking sometimes twice daily!) and see if the schedule would update on the appointment system. It hasn't. The last date I can book is still the 27th. Has anyone else had this problem? Do they not update the schedule system? I thought perhaps it would update at the turn of the month or so, giving me more dates to work with, but no or not yet. I can't seem to find any information on this particular problem so I'm considering phoning the embassy. My other option is to try and re-schedule the medical for an earlier date (a week+) and pick up the 25th of July embassy date so I don't lose out on my 25th of July flights. The problem with this plan is it will make everything rather rushed. It's do-able, but not ideal.

 

Any thoughts or information on this scheduling system? Does anyone know if it actually updates with new times that go beyond the 5 week mark?

[Scandi 3,984]

Even if the embassy doesn't have your medical results in time for the interview you'll still be fine. They will just hand you a 221(g) that says they can't issue your visa until they have all documents needed to make a decision. Once they get the medical they will issue the visa.

 

I had my medical two days prior to my interview.

Edited July 3, 2017 by Scandi

[Housaki 0]

9 minutes ago, Scandi said:

Even if the embassy doesn't have your medical results in time for the interview you'll still be fine. They will just hand you a 221(g) that says they can't issue your visa until they have all documents needed to make a decision. Once they get the medical they will issue the visa.

 

I had my medical two days prior to my interview.

 

Hi there. Thanks for the response.

 

They seem to state quite often in the letter and websites that they want you to leave enough time for the medical to process your information before your embassy appointment, so I'm still a bit concerned about it. How do you receive your visa if they can't issue it there and then? Do they just post the package that you bring to border control to your home address? Or would I have to make another trip to London?

[Scandi 3,984]

2 minutes ago, Housaki said:

 

Hi there. Thanks for the response.

 

They seem to state quite often in the letter and websites that they want you to leave enough time for the medical to process your information before your embassy appointment, so I'm still a bit concerned about it. How do you receive your visa if they can't issue it there and then? Do they just post the package that you bring to border control to your home address? Or would I have to make another trip to London?

In every other country they mail the sealed envelope and passport back to you so I don't see why England would be different. The visa has to be printed with your information etc, it won't happen at the interview. 

 

They do state that they generally want two weeks in between medical and interview but like I said - you'll be perfectly fine anyway, they just won't issue your visa until they get the medical results. Then they will print your visa, put it in your passport and send it all to you.

[JFH 12,189]

*~*~*country-specific question moved to United Kingdom regional sub-forum*~*~*

[marknir 12]

Hi There

I went the K1 route in 2004 and it seems like things have changed a lot since then! At that time you just got an appointment for the medical and interview on the same day, although I did have to staying in London overnight to be able to make the early time. Anyway I just wanted to say Hi, and good luck on your journey.

 

Mark

[RealDrift 0]

Please do not go to the interview if it hasn't been atleast 7-10 days since the Medical. While it is true that you can go and you'll just receive a 221(g) form pending your medical results being sent to the embassy, it is an absolute hassle. The embassy take their sweet time with 221(g) administrative processing. In my experience, once you are in AP you are not a priority as you would be had you gone to the interview with all the correct documents with your medical having reached there by your interview.

 

But again, this is my experience, feel free to take the gamble. I know I did and had to reschedule my flight due to the delay. Your post says your flight is on the 25th of July, is that correct?

[Housaki 0]

13 minutes ago, RealDrift said:

Please do not go to the interview if it hasn't been atleast 7-10 days since the Medical. While it is true that you can go and you'll just receive a 221(g) form pending your medical results being sent to the embassy, it is an absolute hassle. The embassy take their sweet time with 221(g) administrative processing. In my experience, once you are in AP you are not a priority as you would be had you gone to the interview with all the correct documents with your medical having reached there by your interview.

 

But again, this is my experience, feel free to take the gamble. I know I did and had to reschedule my flight due to the delay. Your post says your flight is on the 25th of July, is that correct?

That's what I figured. I'm trying to avoid that if possible. It has been pretty smooth up until this point, so I would rather not complicate matters if I can help it.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. My flight for the medical is on the 25th of this month, yes. I booked that in about 30 seconds. They were really on the ball at Knightsbridge. I was impressed. The problem is the embassy online scheduling system. It has almost been 2 weeks and there are no new dates and no information online or on the phone as to when they release the new dates. I'm not even sure if they will update on my calendar. I tried phoning the embassy today and it's a dead-end on anything that's visa related. You're simply regurgitated familiar websites and a contact number for their call center. The call center is not helpful, but I honestly wasn't expecting much. They have as much information as I do and only have the power to book your embassy appointment for you. It's a tad frustrating.

 

I have two options:

 

1) Wait and hope that the scheduling system updates with new dates for August. This feels a little like chance, because there are a lot of what-if's involved. What if the embassy expects you to book within a 5 week slot and simply don't give you more dates to work with? If so, what if I wait and all the slots are taken up and I'm left with none. I realize that this probably isn't going to happen, but it's an emotional time and I'm honestly not thinking all that clearly. I worry that if I wait, it will complicate the process.

 

2) Re-schedule my medical from the 25th to an earlier date. I can use the flights on the 25th for the embassy (there is a 25th slot available, although the times are going to be tight). The problem with this is, Knightsbridge may not have earlier appointments. When I phoned before, they only had 2 time slots available for the 25th. I'm not hopeful for many times available before then. This approach leaves everything a little rushed for me, which might make me more prone to mistakes. But, it's doable and I am prepared to do it. I just wish I had more information in relation to when they release the new appointment dates for the embassy.

 

I'll probably just ring Knightsbridge tomorrow and see what earlier appointments they have and just get on with it. I'm a bit frustrated by the online scheduling for the embassy (they make you pay first!) and the lack of information about dates outside of the 5th week cap, but it is what it is.

Edited July 3, 2017 by Housaki

[Scandi 3,984]

3 hours ago, RealDrift said:

Please do not go to the interview if it hasn't been atleast 7-10 days since the Medical. While it is true that you can go and you'll just receive a 221(g) form pending your medical results being sent to the embassy, it is an absolute hassle. The embassy take their sweet time with 221(g) administrative processing. In my experience, once you are in AP you are not a priority as you would be had you gone to the interview with all the correct documents with your medical having reached there by your interview.

 

But again, this is my experience, feel free to take the gamble. I know I did and had to reschedule my flight due to the delay. Your post says your flight is on the 25th of July, is that correct?

Were you also in England? It might differ from country to country then. My visa was issued the day after they received the medical results, so it was super fast really.

[Wuozopo 4,290]

4 hours ago, Housaki said:

That's what I figured. I'm trying to avoid that if possible. It has been pretty smooth up until this point, so I would rather not complicate matters if I can help it.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. My flight for the medical is on the 25th of this month, yes. I booked that in about 30 seconds. They were really on the ball at Knightsbridge. I was impressed. The problem is the embassy online scheduling system. It has almost been 2 weeks and there are no new dates and no information online or on the phone as to when they release the new dates. I'm not even sure if they will update on my calendar. I tried phoning the embassy today and it's a dead-end on anything that's visa related. You're simply regurgitated familiar websites and a contact number for their call center. The call center is not helpful, but I honestly wasn't expecting much. They have as much information as I do and only have the power to book your embassy appointment for you. It's a tad frustrating.

 

I have two options:

 

1) Wait and hope that the scheduling system updates with new dates for August. This feels a little like chance, because there are a lot of what-if's involved. What if the embassy expects you to book within a 5 week slot and simply don't give you more dates to work with? If so, what if I wait and all the slots are taken up and I'm left with none. I realize that this probably isn't going to happen, but it's an emotional time and I'm honestly not thinking all that clearly. I worry that if I wait, it will complicate the process.

 

2) Re-schedule my medical from the 25th to an earlier date. I can use the flights on the 25th for the embassy (there is a 25th slot available, although the times are going to be tight). The problem with this is, Knightsbridge may not have earlier appointments. When I phoned before, they only had 2 time slots available for the 25th. I'm not hopeful for many times available before then. This approach leaves everything a little rushed for me, which might make me more prone to mistakes. But, it's doable and I am prepared to do it. I just wish I had more information in relation to when they release the new appointment dates for the embassy.

 

I'll probably just ring Knightsbridge tomorrow and see what earlier appointments they have and just get on with it. I'm a bit frustrated by the online scheduling for the embassy (they make you pay first!) and the lack of information about dates outside of the 5th week cap, but it is what it is.

General London info:

• They will open up more appointments. You will have to wait on it. The panic is not necessary. It will work out. There is no formula that says when more are added. 
• You can take a date and go back later and pick a new one.
• Anybody you talked to on the phone is from the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit and they don't know your K1 process. You can not speak to the Immigrant Visa Unit , nor make your K1 appointment on the phone. 
• If you need to ask a question, they have an online place to do that via email.
• Your medical results will be at the embassy as quick as 3-4 days unless you get to the medical and the doctor needs more info from your GP that you failed to bring. Then the wait is on your GP to provide the info.
• You can indeed interview without the medical results. Your visa will be pending until they get back to it. They will not necessarily push your Visa forward the same day the results finally get there. You are in a "to do" pile, but most are handled within two weeks. 
• If everything is in place at the interview, your visa and passport will arrive back to you in 7 days (maybe 10) by the courier you sign up for when you pay for the visa fee. Do make sure your flight allows you to travel with ID other than the passport because the embassy keeps your passport on interview day.
• Knightsbridge clinic does not have a long wait for appointments. They likely have something earlier if you want to change. 

Anything else?

 

Edited July 4, 2017 by Wuozopo

[aless02 9]

Actually Knightsbridge are really busy at the moment (husband was just there last week and they commented that they are experiencing much higher than usual with longer waits for appts), so I wouldn't rely on being able to book them earlier. I would keep your medical for the 25th and just keep an eye on the embassy appointments, they will open up eventually.

[Housaki 0]

15 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

General London info:

• They will open up more appointments. You will have to wait on it. The panic is not necessary. It will work out. There is no formula that says when more are added. 
• You can take a date and go back later and pick a new one.
• Anybody you talked to on the phone is from the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit and they don't know your K1 process. You can not speak to the Immigrant Visa Unit , nor make your K1 appointment on the phone. 
• If you need to ask a question, they have an online place to do that via email.
• Your medical results will be at the embassy as quick as 3-4 days unless you get to the medical and the doctor needs more info from your GP that you failed to bring. Then the wait is on your GP to provide the info.
• You can indeed interview without the medical results. Your visa will be pending until they get back to it. They will not necessarily push your Visa forward the same day the results finally get there. You are in a "to do" pile, but most are handled within two weeks. 
• If everything is in place at the interview, your visa and passport will arrive back to you in 7 days (maybe 10) by the courier you sign up for when you pay for the visa fee. Do make sure your flight allows you to travel with ID other than the passport because the embassy keeps your passport on interview day.
• Knightsbridge clinic does not have a long wait for appointments. They likely have something earlier if you want to change. 

Anything else?

 

Thank you so much for the information. We've decided to just keep checking the scheduling system and keep the medical for the 25th. Fingers crossed.

 

3 minutes ago, aless02 said:

Actually Knightsbridge are really busy at the moment (husband was just there last week and they commented that they are experiencing much higher than usual with longer waits for appts), so I wouldn't rely on being able to book them earlier. I would keep your medical for the 25th and just keep an eye on the embassy appointments, they will open up eventually.

Cheers for the real-time information. I had the impression that they were very busy when I made my original appointment (which is why I made it so far out). I'll stick to the 25th and just keep checking the schedule for the embassy.

[RealDrift 0]

I was indeed interviewing in London. In theory you can interview without the medical and they will process your visa once the results get to them. BUT there is always a chance that the results will take longer than usual to get to the embassy. And then you have to contend with how quickly the embassy get to looking at your results and approving everything. Nothing beats going to your interview with everything and getting approved on the spot.

 

I would not risk going to an interview without the medical or anything that could lead to a 221(g). But again assess the risk as it pertains to you.

[aless02 9]

On 7/5/2017 at 5:50 PM, RealDrift said:

I was indeed interviewing in London. In theory you can interview without the medical and they will process your visa once the results get to them. BUT there is always a chance that the results will take longer than usual to get to the embassy. And then you have to contend with how quickly the embassy get to looking at your results and approving everything. Nothing beats going to your interview with everything and getting approved on the spot.

 

I would not risk going to an interview without the medical or anything that could lead to a 221(g). But again assess the risk as it pertains to you.

I would NOT recommend doing it intentionally but we just had this exact situation. It only added one day, thank goodness, but the unknown would put me off scheduling it like that on purpose.

[GazLisa 1,168]

So it's better to schedule your medical plenty of time before arranging the actual interview, our case only just received by London yesterday ☺ going to call knightsbridge Monday and plan medical exam once I'm back from USA