Interview Help!

[Wolfiemia 2]

I'm hoping somebody can help me.  We applied for the CR1 visa and my case was expedited at USCIS and now at the NVC before me uploading my documents.  I received an email to confirm that I need to book an interview and medical.  I have booked my medical on the 23rd May which was the earliest appointment available.  The medical centre advised allowing 10 days before booking the interview.  When I logged on to book the interview the only dates available are from the 11th - 24th May, everything thereafter is greyed out.  Do they only release the dates 10days at a time?

 

Also how long after getting the visa after interview do I have to enter the USA? My husband is due to come back on leave to the UK in August and leaves September.  We are having a second wedding with our family here before leaving, the plan is for him to help me pack up our house in the month that he is home and then help me fly our three dogs out.  I have heard that once the visa is issued you have a month to enter the US, however, I have also heard that you have 6months, so I'm slightly confused!?

 

This is causing so much distress as I need time to sort out my house and if I have to move within a month then I will book an interview in August.  Tried to call the Embassy and of course they were of no help.

 

Thanks!

[milimelo 4,194]

Book the interview when you can. They'll just hold your case in AP (221g) until they get the medical exam in. Visa is good for 6 months (from medical exam). You'll be fine. 

[milimelo 4,194]

~Topic moved to CR-1 visa forum.~

[Dashinka 23,238]

I agree.  the only requirement I am aware of is the medical exam has to be conducted prior to the interview.  If the medical exam results/report is not at the consulate at the time of the interview, you will be fine.  They may use the term the visa is refused at the interview, but that does not mean denied, it just means they are waiting for more information before they can issue the visa.  Therefore, schedule your interview when you can after the date of the medical exam.

 

Good Luck!

[milimelo 4,194]

5 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

I agree.  the only requirement I am aware of is the medical exam has to be conducted prior to the interview.  If the medical exam results/report is not at the consulate at the time of the interview, you will be fine.  They may use the term the visa is refused at the interview, but that does not mean denied, it just means they are waiting for more information before they can issue the visa.  Therefore, schedule your interview when you can after the date of the medical exam.

 

Good Luck!

Actually, it doesn't have to be done before if it's not possible to schedule it. It can be done after the interview  - they'll just hold the visa issuance (221g) until the medical exam is in.

[Dashinka 23,238]

33 minutes ago, milimelo said:

Actually, it doesn't have to be done before if it's not possible to schedule it. It can be done after the interview  - they'll just hold the visa issuance (221g) until the medical exam is in.

Had a debate about this very question a few months ago and I was under the same impression.  However, reading the Travel.state.gov website, they emphasize the medical exam must be completed prior to the scheduled interview.  It does not say the report has to be completed prior to the interview though.

 

1. Schedule and Complete a Medical Examination

You (and each family member or “derivative applicant” applying for a visa with you) are required to schedule a medical appointment with an authorized physician in the country where you will be interviewed. This exam must be with an embassy-approved doctor, also referred to as the Panel Physician. Exams conducted by other physicians will not be accepted. You must complete your medical examination, along with any required vaccinations, before your scheduled visa interview date. Please visit our List of U.S. Embassies and Consulates for country-specific medical examination instructions.

 

After your exam, the Panel Physician will either send the exam results directly to the embassy or give you a sealed envelope. If the doctor gives you an envelope, do not open it. Instead, bring it to your visa interview and give it to the consular officer.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview.html

[Wuozopo 4,285]

23 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Had a debate about this very question a few months ago and I was under the same impression.  However, reading the Travel.state.gov website, they emphasize the medical exam must be completed prior to the scheduled interview.  It does not say the report has to be completed prior to the interview though.

In London at this time, a lot of folks posting in the UK forum have had their Medicals after the interview. This has been going on just since January. The NVC started cranking out a lot of interview dates, sometimes with only two weeks  notice (formerly 4-5 weeks). This has put Visa Medicals way behind and unable to get everybody in before their scheduled interview date.  And this of course, gets the embassy off their work flow plan because they have to back track when the medical arrives and try to catch up. They also have to issue a certified copy of the passport to be used at the later date medical so they can keep the passport at the embassy. It makes more work and slows down the process, but a medical after the interview is very possible in London.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Wuozopo

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, Wolfiemia said:

The medical centre advised allowing 10 days before booking the interview.  When I logged on to book the interview the only dates available are from the 11th - 24th May, everything thereafter is greyed out.  Do they only release the dates 10days at a time?

Typically you should be seeing June dates available. I would suggest to keep checking every day until you find something after the medical. The calendar can change. Everything will go more smoothly if your medical report is already at the embassy. Then you will get your visa within the week after the interview. Those who do the medical after the interview get delayed a lot wondering when the embassy will get back to finishing their case. You can pick your own interview date so can control your timeline better than those who are assigned by NVC. It will be less stressful to you to stay in the desired work flow plan over getting out of the queue and wondering when the embassy bloke will bother to pull your case out of his “To Do” pile.

 

You will have until around Thanksgiving to enter the US…six months from medical date.

 

2 hours ago, Wolfiemia said:

Tried to call the Embassy and of course they were of no help.

The Immigrant Visa Unit in London does not take phone calls. To get to the people who have your case,  you have to contact them using their contact form found on the London embassy website. 

[myjourney123 2]

Can you schedule a medical exam without having a case number yet? The next available appointments here for the medical examination are August or later due to the high workload of Ukrainian cases here now. 

I guess probably not, since they’re sending your documents directly to the embassy. 
 

[Wolfiemia 2]

2 hours ago, myjourney123 said:

Can you schedule a medical exam without having a case number yet? The next available appointments here for the medical examination are August or later due to the high workload of Ukrainian cases here now. 

I guess probably not, since they’re sending your documents directly to the embassy. 
 

I already have a medical exam, if you call them they have appointments in May, mine is on the 24th May.  It's the interview appointments they don't seem to have ant of! They only currently have until the 19th May available for interviews and then nothing after!  Also I just found out that the GP no longer covers travel boosters under the NHS so have to pay out of pocket for any missing vaccinations.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, Wolfiemia said:

Also I just found out that the GP no longer covers travel boosters under the NHS so have to pay out of pocket for any missing vaccinations.

You probably only need one of the four shots required for adults. Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis has to be within the last 10 years.

Varicella is waived in the UK (not readily available)

Flu is waived (not flu season)

You probably had MMR already as a child.

[Mar11 0]

You can attend the interview without the medical exam. 
I had my interview last week & my medical results weren't on the system. You'll receive refusal pending the medical and once your medical is complete/posted to the embassy, they will put your case to administrative processing. After a day or so in administrative processing they will issue your visa.

 

I would book the earliest interview since you don't know if the backlog wait will change.

 

Hope all goes well :) 

[Wolfiemia 2]

38 minutes ago, Mar11 said:

You can attend the interview without the medical exam. 
I had my interview last week & my medical results weren't on the system. You'll receive refusal pending the medical and once your medical is complete/posted to the embassy, they will put your case to administrative processing. After a day or so in administrative processing they will issue your visa.

 

I would book the earliest interview since you don't know if the backlog wait will change.

 

Hope all goes well

Thank you! I have now booked an interview two weeks after my medical as more dates were released, so fingers crossed everything is approved on the spot!