Contacting the London Embassy

[Damian P 92]

So I call the London embassy to check whether or not they've got my petition. The lady on the phone says that I have to email the enquiry, and she gives me the addy. I duly oblige, and am immediately greeted with the following reply:

"Your e-mail was deleted without being read.

This e-mail address is solely for individuals who have been authorized

to contact the Consular Information Unit about a specific matter. This

address is not for general inquiries from the public, attorneys or

agents of record. Please understand our workload does not allow us to

read unauthorized inquiries, but the Embassy has set up several

mechanisms to provide general and personalized guidance.

Highly detailed visa information is available from the Embassy's website

at http://london.usembassy.gov. Due to our heavy workload, we cannot

respond to email inquiries when the subject matter is addressed on the

website.

We also cannot respond to requests for expedited processing, or

nonimmigrant visa "case status" inquiries which are still within the

estimated time frame given on the website, or by the interviewing

Consular Officer, whichever is longer.

If you still have questions after reading all of the content on the

website, please call the Embassy's Operator Assisted Information Service

for personalized service. Contact information for the operator service

can be found on this page:

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/index.html. Callers from the

United States may call this line for non-immigrant visa information or

to schedule a non-immigrant visa interview. "

Mmmmmmmm...............really helpful.

So how the hell do I contact them? I'm assuming some of you have done it?

[Scarlett 0]

So how the hell do I contact them? I'm assuming some of you have done it?

Hi Damian - Fancy seeing you here. That's rubbish isn't it. I would call them back I have spoken to them twice and they were very nice (and Scottish incidentally) both times.

I am going to call them this afternoon to see whether they have my petition, seems that NVC have had it since at least Monday, so you never know.

But I am also thinking of begging them to let me schedule an interview appointment because my packet 3 will arrive while I am out of the country for 2 weeks. I doubt that it will work, but I have to try.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Scarlett

[Damian P 92]

What number did you call, Scarlett? I was told to dial 0207 4999000. The lady that answered was pleasant enough, but she simply pointed me in the direction of the email route and that was that.

What were you told when asking if they had your petition?

[Scarlett 0]

Ah that's the switchboard. You need 09042-450-100 Operator Assisted Visa Information line. But beware it costs £1.20 a minute (I ring from work )

The first time I called the guy told me my petition was not there yet. The second time I was told that all the Assistants were busy and so I'd been put through to someone who could not help me with Fiance enquiries (?)

Good luck, let me know what happens, I am hoping that I won't be too far behind you!

[pandora 0]

From what i have seen on here - you tend to get better and more information by the USC ringing the DOS number and hanging on the phone for a while to talk to a person.

The UK numbers - cant give any information and tend to only give you an email address to correspond with

The Department of State is a big organization with a lot of stuff going on. You can read about it here.

I will leave it for others to fill in more about the organization. I am creating this page simply to let you know that you can check your case status by calling the DOS:

Dial 202-663-1225 Then press 1 and then 0 for an operator. Have your case number ready.

The operator should be able to tell you where your case is at, whether your packet 3 has been sent out to you and whether you have an interview date scheduled.

Copied from the vjwiki

Hope that helps

on a side note - which part of b'ham are you from

[Damian P 92]

From what i have seen on here - you tend to get better and more information by the USC ringing the DOS number and hanging on the phone for a while to talk to a person.

The UK numbers - cant give any information and tend to only give you an email address to correspond with

The Department of State is a big organization with a lot of stuff going on. You can read about it here.

I will leave it for others to fill in more about the organization. I am creating this page simply to let you know that you can check your case status by calling the DOS:

Dial 202-663-1225 Then press 1 and then 0 for an operator. Have your case number ready.

The operator should be able to tell you where your case is at, whether your packet 3 has been sent out to you and whether you have an interview date scheduled.

Copied from the vjwiki

Hope that helps

That helps a lot. Especially as I have unlimited calls to the states included in my Sky package. B)

Does it have to be the USC, or can I call?

on a side note - which part of b'ham are you from

Acocks Green.

[pandora 0]

I dont think it matters who calls the DOS as long as you have all the correct information ( and dont forget there in washington so 5 hours behind us and there office hours are 8.30 to 5pm i think) - i havent rung them as i;m on BT and would prolly cost more than the extortion UK, calls can take over 20 minuets with being on hold

wow your about 3 miles away from me in that, I live in Billesely by the common.

From my other post - i kinda get the feeling the Consulate Officers that do K-1 are on there hols atm as there dont seem to be any movement of stuff and no interviews between the 30th and 13th August, but hope I am wrong

If you do manage to get your LND number when ringing the DOS you can find sample packet 3's here that you can complete in the meantime.

[Damian P 92]

I dont think it matters who calls the DOS as long as you have all the correct information ( and dont forget there in washington so 5 hours behind us and there office hours are 8.30 to 5pm i think) - i havent rung them as i;m on BT and would prolly cost more than the extortion UK, calls can take over 20 minuets with being on hold

wow your about 3 miles away from me in that, I live in Billesely by the common.

From my other post - i kinda get the feeling the Consulate Officers that do K-1 are on there hols atm as there dont seem to be any movement of stuff and no interviews between the 30th and 13th August, but hope I am wrong

If you do manage to get your LND number when ringing the DOS you can find sample packet 3's here that you can complete in the meantime.

Oh I've got my LND number - NVC gave me that - I just wanna know if the London embassy have actually received it, that's all.

[Nicoxcx 1]

I also called the London Embassy yesterday to ask if they had recieved my case, he asked me for my LND# and I gave him it, he said there computers are down but because of the type of Visa it is he could access it, he also said although it wasnt entered into the system yet, its probably sitting in a pile waiting to be enterd.

I was on the phone for less than 5 minutes, and he answerd right away and was very nice and helpful.

but yeah 09042-450-100 is the correct number, we are considering calling DOS to, just to see if they really do have better info.

[Scarlett 0]

I called that number on Friday night, they were having trouble with the phones and the computers there, but the guy was lovely and helpful (so much better than the US-side agencies!) so I would keep trying the Embassy.

The guy told me all the forms to get ready for packet 3 (which I knew already because of VJ) and also that I can download the iv15 checklist and do that in advance too. (Enabling me to mail the whole thing while on holiday as soon as I know the Embassy has my case.)

Another thing I discovered on Friday is that if you have your LND number you can book your medical now. This is what someone told me on another thread:

"To book the medical:

You need to know your LNDxxxx case number. The Dept of State will tell you that or your P3 cover letter will have it. Anyway it's your new case number that NVC gave you.

Call the number you find for Knightsbridge doctors in that P3 info I sent.

The medical lady will ask if you have P3 or your letter from London and you say YES. She just thinks you have to have it before you can know your LND number. So she will ask for that number and then schedule your appointment. Before you go you should have your immunization record to take. See your doctor or his nurse to prepare you a current list of your shots and have him/her sign it. My fiance needed MMR and Dtap and got them free from NHS, but others haven't been as lucky. His nurse did an immunization form but it took her a week or so to get it together. They hadn't invented the chickenpox vaccine when he was young, so he told the nurse his mum said he had chickenpox in 19xx so she just took his word for it and wrote it on his form.

It's okay to do the medical whenever you want...like schedule now. Here's the Knightsbridge doctor's page http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp They only do the Map B location now. Phone number is 020 7486 7822 "

It worked for me, so I am having my medical on 12 Sept.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Hello UK folks on this thread--

Call the Dept of State for everything. They are sooooo much better than calling that 1.20 a minute (non)help line.

I got much more accurate info from them than London Embassy. Things they were able to tell me:

1. That my petition had arrived and when P3 was sent out. London had said minutes before that it was still processing and had not been mailed. Well the postmark showed it had already been mailed two days earlier, just as DOS had told me.
2. That the interview had been scheduled and when it was, before P4 arrived in the post.
3. That my fiance's visa had been issued and printed while we were waiting on that incompetent SMS courier. I was concerned that Embassy computers had been down the interview day and I wanted to make sure the folder wasn't put in a pile somewhere instead of getting entered when the computers were fixed. So I called DOS 3 days after the interview to see what kind of info they had on our case. At first she said "it says you were a 'no show' for the interview, what happened?" I told her we both were there, but the computers were down, could that be the problem. She said she could look in another place. "Okay, I see your visa was issued and printed yesterday and should be picked up by the courier by now." She was just really helpful and seemed to have the most information and didn't mind digging for it instead of giving some canned answer.

DOS: 202-663-1225 Then press 1 and then 0 for an operator

Once I got a semi-grumpy man, but I also got the really nice man and lady. Call back if you get "Grumpy" and he doesn't give you the information you are seeking.

[Scarlett 0]

OK everyone, I'm convinced. I am now here in the USA with my fiance (hoooray ), and I can't call the Embassy no. at all from outside the UK (why?!). I will call DOS when they get back to work in the morning. Shame they are 3 hours ahead of us over here in Washington State... Thanks again for all the experience and advice x

[Nicoxcx 1]

I also called the London Embassy yesterday to ask if they had recieved my case, he asked me for my LND# and I gave him it, he said there computers are down but because of the type of Visa it is he could access it, he also said although it wasnt entered into the system yet, its probably sitting in a pile waiting to be enterd.

So after doing this on the 8th , I recieved my packet three on the 11th (a Monday) meaning London told me they didnt have it the day AFTER they had sent out my Packet 3.

Call the DOS, we will be doing so in a couple of weeks to see if they recieved our forms.