How far in advance can you book embassy interview?

[spikes746 39]

Hello all,

 

My fiance and I plan to get married mid-May 2020 (family rules restrict this as she has to get her bachelors degree before marrying). We were wanting to send the I-129F off in a week or so. As I get out of the Army in April 2020 I was wanting to leave my interview until February 2020 when I have resettlement leave entitled as I know once issued, the K1 visa lasts 6 months.

 

Is it possible to book an embassy interview this far in advance based on expected NOA2 receipt time if we sent the I-129F next week. I have heard of one case of inactivity but that was for AOS I believe. 

 

Thank you for your help, planning everything to fit a certain time schedule is not easy.

[Amadia 711]

My best advice would be to contact the embassy and find out what accommodations they make for situations like yours. Every country's embassy will operate differently regarding scheduling - some people can schedule interviews via the consulate website, others have to wait until the consulate contacts them.

I believe most allow a scheduling parameter of 30 days.

[Letspaintcookies 2,207]

Your NOA2 will be valid for four months. During that timeframe everything including the interview should be done. It can be extended up to a year in four month steps but that decision is up to the embassy if they do it or not ( they automatically do it if the 'problem' is on their end). 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Letspaintcookies

[payxibka 10,044]

17 minutes ago, spikes746 said:

Hello all,

 

My fiance and I plan to get married mid-May 2020 (family rules restrict this as she has to get her bachelors degree before marrying). We were wanting to send the I-129F off in a week or so. As I get out of the Army in April 2020 I was wanting to leave my interview until February 2020 when I have resettlement leave entitled as I know once issued, the K1 visa lasts 6 months.

 

Is it possible to book an embassy interview this far in advance based on expected NOA2 receipt time if we sent the I-129F next week. I have heard of one case of inactivity but that was for AOS I believe. 

 

Thank you for your help, planning everything to fit a certain time schedule is not easy.

No.  The embassy will not allow a booking until the approved petition is on station in London

[Boiler 43,430]

I would get a move on, your time line is very tight.

[spikes746 39]

Sorry I am confused, one person is telling me that NOA2 expires after four months and it seems that getting the extensions from the embassy is not a given. This would imply that I should wait till something like August/September to send the application giving me about 4 months till Jan/Feb 2020 for the interview. However you just said that I need to hurry up and my time line is tight. Sorry if that sounds argumentative or antagonistic, I couldn't think of another way to phrase it. 

 

EDIT: I think I understand now, you are saying that because NOA2 is being received about 150-200 days from filing on average.

Edited May 1, 2019 by spikes746

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, spikes746 said:

Sorry I am confused, one person is telling me that NOA2 expires after four months and it seems that getting the extensions from the embassy is not a given. This would imply that I should wait till something like August/September to send the application giving me about 4 months till Jan/Feb 2020 for the interview. However you just said that I need to hurry up and my time line is tight. Sorry if that sounds argumentative or antagonistic, I couldn't think of another way to phrase it. 

Extensions are routinely given in 4 month increments for up to 1 year.  In addition, the visa will be valid for 6 mos. after issuance.  Petition approvals one year ago were taking 6 to 8 months.  They only recently came down to closer to 4 months.  They can easily revert.  It is really difficult to "time" immigration.

[spikes746 39]

Just now, payxibka said:

Extensions are routinely given in 4 month increments for up to 1 year.  In addition, the visa will be valid for 6 mos. after issuance.  Petition approvals one year ago were taking 6 to 8 months.  They only recently came down to closer to 4 months.  They can easily revert.  It is really difficult to "time" immigration.

Thank you for that clarification. Much appreciated.

 

All your replies to my original post have let me know I need to get the application in ASAP. 

 

Thank you all for your help.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, spikes746 said:

Hello all,

 

My fiance and I plan to get married mid-May 2020 (family rules restrict this as she has to get her bachelors degree before marrying). We were wanting to send the I-129F off in a week or so. As I get out of the Army in April 2020 I was wanting to leave my interview until February 2020 when I have resettlement leave entitled as I know once issued, the K1 visa lasts 6 months.

 

Is it possible to book an embassy interview this far in advance based on expected NOA2 receipt time if we sent the I-129F next week. I have heard of one case of inactivity but that was for AOS I believe. 

 

Thank you for your help, planning everything to fit a certain time schedule is not easy.

Here's some London specific info.

It is correct as stated that you can't book the interview that far in advance. You have to get the petition approved, then the case has to go through NVC, and on to London. That's going to put you to the end of 2019 if you get the petition off immediately.

 

You will book your interview online, but London doesn't offer days beyond a couple of months out...meaning you wouldn't find dates for 4 months in the future.

 

Another note: your visa will be issued to expire 6 months from the medical date, not the interview or issue date.

 

The petition expiration of 4 months is a total non-issue for a London K1. From their instructions--

Petition Affirmation Letter (if applicable)

If your petition expires before the visa interview takes place, you are required to bring to your interview a signed letter from your petitioner confirming that you both remain legally free to marry and that you will marry within 90 days of your arrival in the United States.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Wuozopo

[spikes746 39]

3 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Another note: your visa will be issued to expire 6 months from the medical date, not the interview or issue date.

 

The petition expiration of 4 months is a total non-issue for a London K1. From their instructions--

Petition Affirmation Letter (if applicable)

If your petition expires before the visa interview takes place, you are required to bring to your interview a signed letter from your petitioner confirming that you both remain legally free to marry and that you will marry within 90 days of your arrival in the United States.

That is all very useful to know, thank you.