Is it okay to schedule the interview in advance?

[noypi321 19]

My brother and his fiancé got too excited when their file shipped from the NVC the other day and they scheduled an interview even though the status says In Transit.

 

Theinterview is for February 4. Through the DHL hack on the PDF that Greenbaum posted, it seems like the file will be in Manila by next Monday January 27.

 

Is it okay that they scheduled the interview in advance as long as the status is Ready before the interview? Or should they cancel it and wait for Ready and reschedule then?

 

Help please! @Hank_ @payxibka

[Hank_ 9,174]

3 hours ago, noypi321 said:

My brother and his fiancé got too excited when their file shipped from the NVC the other day and they scheduled an interview even though the status says In Transit.

 

Theinterview is for February 4. Through the DHL hack on the PDF that Greenbaum posted, it seems like the file will be in Manila by next Monday January 27.

 

Is it okay that they scheduled the interview in advance as long as the status is Ready before the interview? Or should they cancel it and wait for Ready and reschedule then?

 

Help please! @Hank_ @payxibka

 

They should have waited until they saw READY status before scheduling the interview.  They may be OK .. hard to say.   The embassy has made it known to NOT schedule interviews until CEAC status shows READY; early last year the embassy made a few people that I chatted with reschedule their interviews, and one the embassy gave them a "time out" before they let them reschedule.    I would not suggest rescheduling at this time ( 🤞) hopefully it will all go smoothly.  And yes CEAC status must show READY before the interview.

 

Here is a link to the guide for the visa process in the Philippines, the K-1 info is listed just below the I-130 tabs.

 

https://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/us-embassy-usem.html

 

 

[noypi321 19]

17 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

early last year the embassy made a few people that I chatted with reschedule their interviews, and one the embassy gave them a "time out" before they let them reschedule.   

Was this because they scheduled it too early/before the status was Ready?

Were they informed/turned away when they showed up? Or were they emailed/called by the embassy?

How long was the time out?

 

Quote

I would not suggest rescheduling at this time ( 🤞) hopefully it will all go smoothly.  And yes CEAC status must show READY before the interview.

How about cancelling their current appointment and scheduling once it says Ready? Or is that pretty much the same as rescheduling...

 

Quote

Here is a link to the guide for the visa process in the Philippines, the K-1 info is listed just below the I-130 tabs.

 

https://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/us-embassy-usem.html

 

Thanks Hank! I'll forward the link to them

Edited January 23, 2020 by noypi321

[Hank_ 9,174]

15 minutes ago, noypi321 said:

Was this because they scheduled it too early/before the status was Ready?   CORRECT!

 

Were they informed/turned away when they showed up? Or were they emailed/called by the embassy?   The embassy refused to allow the interview.

 

How long was the time out?   It was a couple weeks to maybe a month, I don't remember exactly.

 

How about cancelling their current appointment and scheduling once it says Ready? Or is that pretty much the same as rescheduling...  That would be rescheduling.  And I would not cancel the current interview at this time ..  just watch their status for now and hope all is ready at the embassy on interview day.

 

Thanks Hank! I'll forward the link to them

 

[noypi321 19]

11 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

 

11 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

The embassy refused to allow the interview.

Wow, that sucks. Hopefully that won't be the case for them.

 

How were those people notified? On the day of the schedule interview? On CEAC--you said watch their status)? Or some other way?

Edited January 23, 2020 by noypi321

[Hank_ 9,174]

Just now, noypi321 said:

 

Wow, that sucks. Hopefully that won't be the case for them.

 

How were those people notified? On the day of the schedule interview? On CEAC? Or some other way?

 

Just as noted earlier, they showed up and were refused entry .. told to reschedule.    One I remember had no issue rescheduling, still  the opening was a few weeks out.   Another tried to reschedule and  couldn't get it completed, contacted the embassy and were told they had to "wait".

 

As for your friend .. I still would not suggest to reschedule at this time ..  watch CEAC and hopefully all the ducks will be in a row on interview day.     

[noypi321 19]

9 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

Just as noted earlier, they showed up and were refused entry .. told to reschedule.

Were they explicitly told that it was because they scheduled too early? Or is that more their hunch as the reason why?

9 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

As for your friend .. I still would not suggest to reschedule at this time ..  watch CEAC and hopefully all the ducks will be in a row on interview day.     

Hopefully so! Do you of anyone who scheduled early but was still able to interview and didn't have to reschedule? 

[Hank_ 9,174]

4 minutes ago, noypi321 said:

Were they explicitly told that it was because they scheduled too early? Or is that more their hunch as the reason why?

Hopefully so! Do you of anyone who scheduled early but was still able to interview and didn't have to reschedule? 

 

Scheduling early use to be a way of life.  I did it.   Then a little over a year ago the embassy dropped the hammer on a bunch and made it very clear to ... wait until the case file is actually at the embassy.   I changed the info on my website to reflect this so others don't "hit a wall" on interview day.

 

I do know of a few that scheduled their interview quick (like your friend) in the past year and they didn't get "tagged", which is why I don't suggest to reschedule .. for now roll the dice, all may work out just fine.

[noypi321 19]

10 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

Scheduling early use to be a way of life.  I did it.   Then a little over a year ago the embassy dropped the hammer on a bunch and made it very clear to ... wait until the case file is actually at the embassy.   I changed the info on my website to reflect this so others don't "hit a wall" on interview day.

 

I do know of a few that scheduled their interview quick (like your friend) in the past year and they didn't get "tagged", which is why I don't suggest to reschedule .. for now roll the dice, all may work out just fine.

Thanks so much Hank. Your website is a great resource!