Angela Murray

That's good to hear. I think we might take that as a cue and search for a house outside of hurricane zones. It's tough being apart from each other, especially after this whole mess. When all the power went and cell phone networks went down with no way to contact him I kinda lost it. Stuart called again today and told him to call on Monday if the tracking number still doesn't show anything and they'll give him a direct embassy number where they can physically search for it. I've developed a love/hate relationship with skype.

Hey Holly!

That's the number we have. We've been using the tracking number but nothing yet. They said that it's up to about 10 working days from 1 day after it was received. So technically, that's today. They said if we hear nothing by the middle of next week then to call.

Sandy messed long island up pretty bad. So many people here are still without power. We we're lucky enough not to lose any power but there are downed trees, damage and closed businesses everywhere. There's a gas shortage as well which has people loopy but apparently we're getting some delivered tomorrow. Did you see any damage by you?

It's day 16 since they picked up the form and passport. They received it on the 18th of October. My husband and I stalk that tracking number but there are no updates. We just had a hurricane here in New York which was pretty traumatic I really need my husband right about now. It's just a signature--Do you think they're revisiting the entire case?

London turnaround times for something as straightforward as this are pretty quick, as Stu pointed out. You're likely to get the good news this week. I can't recall anyone waiting as long as even a month in this situation. This isn't really AP as AP is thought of -- you just left off a signature and nothing more need be addressed. It's a hiccup, not a hurdle.

Thanks, Honeycrumpet! That would be the most amazing thing in the world. We can handle a hiccup. Right now we're just kinda stuck in this purgatory that should have ended on the 11th but rather than a 'yes' or 'no' we got a 'get me this form back'. So we made that metaphorical leap over the hurdle and we've been stuck in mid air for over 2 weeks. You're right, it is pretty straightforward but I guess in a panic you start to wonder if this sort of thing will cause them to revisit the case and decide differently for whatever reason. Thanks again, you've really eased my mind.

Sorry. I'm just sharing what I've read so far here on VJ. As I've said AP times vary depending on each case.

No worries, Apple. You're just repeating the information you've seen. We're just total basket cases at this point.

I really hope so, Stu4Lee. So you were approved in the end! This is good news. We're on 11 days since they've picked it up. We went for CR1 and they really didn't ask for proof of relationship which we thought they would. I guess the procedure is a little different when you're married. No offense Apple but you scared the ####### out of me lol. 90 days?! I hope not!

rade2rising, hence why we hired the lawyer. We knew we'd miss something. However we paid her nearly $4k for HER to miss something so..Ugh. Hopefully it's a quick one. I really want him here for Thanksgiving.

My husband had his interview at the London embassy on October 11th. We hired a lawyer to file on our behalf. As we were pretty confident that we'd find a way to mess up we didn't want to take any chances. Needless to say our lawyer overlooked a missing signature on the affidavit of support and although the immigration officer stated that everything was in order and he was happy with what he'd seen, my husbands application was refused and he was issued a blue slip. He was given the number of the embassy courier and was advised to get me and the co-sponsor to sign the affidavit of support here in New York and get it back to him. Once he has it in hand, call the courier to pick it up with his passport up. He called me moments after his interview (4:45 am my time) With that early of a start I was at Fedex

as they opened and had that form in his hands in 4 days (would have been 3 if not for the weekend)

The forms arrived on Monday the 15th and were picked up by the embassy courier on Tuesday the 16th. It's been 10 days since they picked everything up and I've yet to unclench my buttcheeks. We knew that the tension and waiting would be over once we had the interview and our answer. The interview came and went and 2 weeks and 1 day since we've still not gotten our answer. Is anyone familiar with how long this whole process takes? We're starting to lose our minds over this whole waiting game and overall unknown. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm the American and my husband is from England. Our interview is on the 11th. I was married previously but divorced. Will they need my marriage certificate from my previous marriage? My ex still has that and I'm not in contact with him. I do however have my divorce decree. Do I need to order a certified copy of the marriage certificate? Thanks in advance!

My husband just called me! We got a letter from the embassy today and the interview is October 11th!! I did not expect it to be that fast!

Hey True Brit! I'm a fellow DCF'er too. My husband went for his medical on the 5th of Sept and our DS230 and DS2001 was couriered over to the embassy by our lawyer the same day. We haven't got our interview date yet but we've been running neck and neck with Holly from filing date. Given Holly's interview date I predicted around Oct 24th. If I'm right I'm playing lotto lol. I plan on posting an update once we get it though so people who've sent theirs around the same time can get an idea. Soon!

Photos are considered secondary evidence and for the UK just a few photos of you both together and 2 or 3 wedding photos would suffice. The best evidence you can provide would be documents that show a co-mingle of funds. Bank accounts, insurance policies, leases past and present, etc.... Pictures for your case are not as necessary as they would be for somebody in my case because the consulate we have to go through has been labeled a high fraud post. Best wishes!

Thanks! We've got a joint bank account in the UK and I'm on the lease of the house his currently living in. I moved in there in Feb but left in August to get stuff done here. No insurance policies, I find that whole thing a little morbid however I know that will change once we have kids. I didn't know that about Morocco! The more I read here the more I learn about immigration experiences from different countries. Best of luck on your journey!

If the horror stories aren't an actual experience from the embassy in LONDON written by the person who interviewed (not second hand retelling version) then ignore them. It sounds like you have 70 more photos than people normally are asked for in London. Why do you need more?

Have you been living in the UK and need to show your intent to domicile in the US? DCF filer? Photos is not really the way to do that.

I lived in the UK for 3 years. I came back to the USA last month. So far I've got an apartment, registered my business with the IRS to this address, I'm waiting for the original marriage certificate to make it over from England so that I can renew my passport to my current address with my married name.

As far as intent to domicile I'll be able to show a lease and my letter confirming my business being registered to this address from the IRS.

This is me too. I wonder if people like you and me are really just over thinking this stuff.

That's what my lawyer said. She said we were over thinking and not to give them more than they ask for.

Unless he is wanted by Interpol or the FBI, man up and do a few nice photos for USCIS.

I was able to get a good chunk of photos out of him but not nearly as many as a lot of these shutterbugs out there. He refuses to even LOOK at photos that he's been in. That's why I've taken to screen caps whenever more of either of our family become involved in the chats.

They would help prooving that you 2 are together and have been having frequent contact with eachother. It would help show a ongoing relationship, if thats what your asking.

I was thinking more along the lines of adding this to the photos section since that's looking slightly on the anemic side. But if you think it works proving an ongoing relationship overall I'll add it anywhere so long as it helps. Thanks!

A few snapshots together ought to be fine. Don't obsess over one aspect of documenting the relationship. The CO considers the totality of evidence presented.

I'm obsessing over every aspect. I really need to try and calm down. Each day it's different. Usually directly related to whatever horror stories I've read here . Thanks for the info!

My husband is a pain in the a** when camera's become involved. The moment he notices a camera aimed in his direction he runs for cover or at you lol. On rare occasions he'll allow you to photograph him but for the most part you have to have ninja skills. Now I fear it may come to bite us in the ####. We have photos together (50 ish) just he and I but as far as with other people (Stuart and my friends, Me with his family etc) we have around 20. This is over the 2 years we've been together.

We're at the whole 'establishing domicile' stage of the game since we're now just awaiting his interview date. As of September 3rd I've been in America getting our apartment sorted and relocating my business while he's back in the UK continuing to work and awaiting the interview. We Skype several times daily and often me and my family (Mom, Sister) will Skype with he and his (Mother, Brother, Father, Step Mom, Step Dad). On these occasions I've taken to screen capping Skype sessions...For example, Me and my mom VS Stuart and his Brother:

Would these be admissible?

AHHH i want to choke your lawyer!!!

The I-864 does not get mailed anywhere for DCF, you take it with you to the interview. Your lawyer doesnt even need to have touched or seen it unless you wanted them to double check it. As for this years earnings, you dont need to put those because the year isnt done yet. You need the 2011 tax return (2010 and 2009 if you feel it will help) showing income of more than $18,912 if it is just the two of you. Along with W2 and usually pay stubs so whatever it is you have to prove your income from your business(from this year). If you didnt earn that much last year, you will still need a joint sponsor. Because what you're earning now, you wont be able to show until next April (ish). If you use a joint sponsor, you need them to fill in an I-864 as a joint sponsor and provide their tax returns, W2's and pay stubs and a photocopy of their passport or birth certificate. If you use for example, your mom, since you live with her, you will do an I-864 and include the earnings of your household member (mom) and she will do an I-864a as the household member and still provide the same documents. Does any of that make sense? It does in my head but its come out as a massive jumble! ( i have just re-read and your mom is already your joint sponsor so ignore most of that!) If you want any help with the form if you do it yourself, give me a shout

I know what you mean about pissing on each others parade! Every time i mention a story or something to my husband he refuses to listen because he doesnt want to worry! Thankfully he doesnt read about immigration stuff!

The man from El Salvador is right. It really is (in a straight forward case) that simple. The passport will be taken, he will pay a courier (£14.80 by card or exact cash amount) and they return it a week or two later.

Is your lawyer a UK or US based one and do they specialise in immigration? Im actually really mad with them about how much they are misleading you, its not fair for the amount they charge!

I thought about it! But realised i have to go to college for that and that must be where they teach them to be morons. I know there are loads of good ones and i used one to get my husband to the UK. Im just being a cynic

Thank you for your help. I need to speak with my husband about this again. I could have it wrong! I will admit that I do have a habit of selective hearing when it comes to things that cause me stress. I literally take in bits and pieces and put them together later. It's a built in filter and it causes more harm than good sometimes but I do recall him saying, they have received the affidavits of support but not processed them yet.

Our lawyer is a US Immigration lawyer and she's based in London. We wanted someone who specialized in it and she's American too. She's actually is a really lovely gal and doesn't give off that whole vampiric 'I vant to suck your money' vibe so, party bonus! I know that she sent over the DS230 the day of his medical (5th of this month).

We really just wanted to do this right and we just weren't confident that we could pull it off on our own. I think we've paid around $4,000 so far? It really is a buttload of money but the way we looked at it was a few grand now for an eternity together was worth it. We're cheesy bastards.

I'm glad were not the only couple stressing eachother out! Every other day one of us is saying 'Come on, I need your support, stop freaking me out!' I've been trying to refocus my attention on getting this place anglo-americanized in an effort to calm down. Electric kettle (walmart), Kitchen scales (bed bath and beyond), grocers that carry English products when he craves Irn-Bru or sausage rolls (Meyers of Keswick, NY) Where will you be living in the US?

As far as evidence of my current income I have paypal invoices showing all of the payments I've received from Jan 1st onward. Final one to be printed the night before the interview for good measure. A letter from an Etsy staff member (The website that I sell on) stating the amount of earned thus far which has been signed and with a phone number for any further questions. A print out from my etsy shop stats for this year so hopefully they accept it. That's all I can think of for now.

We're not far apart in the process. You could end up being interview buddies!

Holly, have you ever considered giving immigration law a go? I mean, I thought I was pretty 'up' on procedures, general timelines, forms and terminology but...I should stop irritating the living ####### out of my lawyer and just talk to you!

I am curious about something--OK, more than curious more like mildly crapping my pantaloons. My husband and I have this way of inadvertently pissing on eachothers parade with regards to how the process is going/will go. Wow pee and poo mentioned in all of 2 sentences. Can you tell which one of us is the American? One of us will have a random thought about possible RFE's or some sort of denial risk but then bring it up with the other and then the seed gets planted and suddenly we're both googling and printing and doing spontaneous math. All this waiting it turning us into lunatics!

Anyway, On to my concern...Yesterday my mother introduced me to a man at her job because he'd just completed the same process with his wife in El Salvador who was approved July 30th. Seeing as I'm currently living with my mother whilst my husband is in the UK, my mom gets the benefit of seeing me inflict punishment on the aforementioned pantaloons day and night. After a conversation with him about his experiences she had him try to ease my mind. In a nutshell he said they filed themselves, i-130 and DCF, He's also an El Salvadorian immigrant who came over in the 80's and since Stuart has made it passed the medical it's smooth sailing from there. 'Pffft, he's had his medical, all they're gonna do is ask him how long you've been together, maybe a few more questions and stamp his passport.' I know it's probably not that cut and dry but regardless I couldn't wait to get home and share this peace of mind with my husband.

That lasted all of about 13 seconds because my lovely hubby says--Yeah but they haven't processed the i-864 yet. I get the interview if that gets approved...And suddenly my reflux is making me realllly regret that caramel macchiato.

So--I'm self employed and have been in business for almost 2 years now. My first year I made $11,000--From Jan 1st to today I've made $23,594. My lawyer said that she'd be putting this years earnings at $29K given my monthly average but do you think this will result in an RFE? In addition, I think I may have to speak to her because on this sample i-864 (maybe I'm spazzing) but I can't see a space where I can give current income just the previous piddly 3 years. ((In addition my mother is co-sponsor in case they felt that self employment was a bit too precarious))

Thanks in advance!

We have not actually embarked on the process yet. We are trying to make sure we have everything in place before we get to the filing stage as we don't want to stall or to be denied simply because we didn't have our paperwork in order. The big hold up at the moment (beside trying to get to grip with the timescale) is that my husband discovered he should have been filing returns with the IRS all these years despite not being resident in the US and only being employed here in the UK. Big gaff. So now, as I understand it, he is going to have to back file.

Just a heads up, Even though you'll be filing the 3 years together, when you submit them to the IRS make sure you mail them out in 3 separate envelopes. I learned this the hard way when I ordered my transcripts a few months later only to find that they lost my 2010. After speaking to many a unapologetic agent they all managed to reiterate that I should have known better than to submit more than 1 tax return in 1 envelope because that's how they manage to go missing. I know that NOW.

Congrats on your interviews! :thumbs:

Hopefully my husband wont be far behind you and we'll be October interview buddies. Since my birthday is on the 5th that would be an awesome present.

I'm going to have a lot of trouble getting my husband into a blouse for his interview

File it and file it fast! I had to file 3 years worth of taxes at the US embassy in London when I lived there in order to proceed with the process. It wasn't until we hired the lawyer to file our petition that we found out that regardless of where you are in the world, if you're an American, you file your taxes with the IRS.

My 2010 had to be all 0's since that was the year I was awaiting my work visa and couldn't legally work. It seemed a pointless return but it had to be done. I got the shock of my life when I called the IRS in New York about 3 weeks after I got here to get transcripts in preparation for my husbands interview--Somewhere between London and the USA, the IRS managed to lose my 2010. 2009 and 2011 were fine though. It's OK, they blamed me of course lol.

When I called my lawyer she said to re-do it stat. Print 2 copies of your 1040 from the IRS website, sign them and send them next day/signed for to the IRS. Go to the USPS website and print out the proof of it being signed for. Then you can submit the signed for slip from the post office, the print out from the post office showing that it was signed for and a copy of the 1040. That should do it. Good luck!

The waiting is the hardest part. That's what this place is, one giant virtual waiting room. Right now my husband and I spend every free moment on Skype. To the point where I'm getting lower back issues and am looking into buying a laptop it's a sucky thing but it's all we got at the moment.Just think how strong your relationship will be once this is all over with. That's what keeps us going. Hang in there

I'm with you. CR1-I-130/DCF. My husband had his medical in London on the 5th. I know it's a little premature since it's only been 9 days but we're waiting...Impatiently lol.

Congrats! Have a happy and safe journey.

How did you manage to bypass the interview? What are the circumstances required for that to occur? My husband and I are still awaiting the interview date as he had his medical more than a week ago in London.