meganf0412

1) Yes, but don't buy tickets without visa in hand. You never know.

2) Yes, he can travel.

3) Go to the SSA office after arrival. Bring passport and i94. He can apply for jobs, but not get paid until he has a SSN. Shouldn't take more than a few weeks.

4) He'll need his SSN to apply and take the test. Depending on the state, he might need other things too. Check with your local SoS.

Thank you, that's helpful!

We weren't planning on buying the ticket prior to, but trying to get a sense of the timing (assuming all goes according to plan!)

The process on the job front is also especially helpful so thank you again.

Hi everyone,

So my husband has his interview at the embassy in London on January 3rd and assuming everything goes okay and he gets approved *fingers crossed* we need to start looking ahead to the next steps. I have a couple of questions regarding his move over here:

1) Assuming he gets approved on January 3rd, is mid-late January a good time to expect him to be able to fly over?

2) Assuming he flies over in late January, would we be able to leave the country (Canada) in mid February (just for a weekend)? We live in Vermont and wanted to drive up to Montreal for his Birthday, however I just thought maybe that isn't possible if he'll be waiting on his 'real' green card. Will his temporary paperwork suffice?

3) Getting a SSN / applying for jobs - Can anyone point me towards information for him to apply for a SSN once he is approved? Also, will he have to wait to apply for jobs while he is waiting for a SSN? I know when I moved to the UK I was able to get a temporary NI number while I did some temp work just to speed things up.

4) My other half is a city boy, and therefore is one of those rare breeds without a drivers license. I know each state is different but I'm wondering what the process will be? I've had him start studying for the written permit test and I want to have him take it the first week or two he moves over, that way I can teach him ASAP. But I'm not sure if I have to wait for the SSN and residency to kick in? I only ask because we'll be in quite a rural area and the sooner he can drive the better.

Thanks all!

I just realised I forgot to reply. Thank you for the info (a month later)! And I see from your timeline that you were approved - congrats!

You need a copy of the police certificate also but otherwise your list is spot on.

You just need to book your interview online. Have you had the letter from the visa unit telling you to book it?

I just had 3 letters, NOA1, the later saying it'd been accepted and transferred to the processing unit and then the letter from them saying to book the interview and prepare the documents.


Updated...
Book it!
Just saw your pdf, definitely book it on the link they provide! you've had all the letters

Hello everyone,

My husband (British) and I (American) have lived in the UK for the last 2 years. We applied for our I-130 back in late July and were approved. In late September I moved back to the US to get a job / place to live etc... My husband has had his medical & police report and all good there. He has also filled out the DS-260.

I guess at this point I just want to make sure we understand correctly what the process / prep is for the interview.

We've checked online and on October 28th (screenshot attached) and it says we are ready for an interview but we have not received the letter that everyone keeps mentioning (packet 4?). I think this is just because it might need another week? Or can we go online and book now?

Once the interview is booked, it is my understanding that all we need to do is finalise our interview documents (most of which we have together). The list I have so far is:

• Copy of NVC interview letter
• Beneficiary (my husband's) passport (valid for 6+ months)
• 2 colour passport sized photos (Beneficiary)
• Confirmation page from DS-260 application
• Beneficiary (original) birth certificate
• I-864 from petitioner (me)
• Petitioner (me) copy of passport & birth certificate
• Copy of our marriage certificate
• Copies of photos and a few emails (relationship proof)
• Copies in both names of our lease agreements from 2014-2016 (relationship proof)
• Beneficiary police report
• Petitioner letter of employment + payslips from October 3rd on
• Petitioner copy of 2015 US tax return (to go with I-864)

Is there anything glaringly obvious that seems to be missing? I am worried that I don't see anything listed about proving where we are going to live. We are starting out by living at my Mom & Step Dad's while we save for a house. Should we include a letter from them and a copy with proof that they own the house with sufficient space for us? In the UK visa that was a really important element but it might not be here, just not sure.

Also for the taxes, I've filed as I should have with an expat tax service the last 2 years and always filed previously. Are they looking for anything other than proof that I don't owe the IRS anything? (I ask as I was a student a few years back with a lot less income) Should I include the optional extra years of tax returns and if so, do I need the W-2s that go along with it?

Sorry for all the questions! I just want to make sure we're on the right track! Thanks everyone for any input.

LND - London.pdf

Status.pdf

Hi all,

So we got our 2nd letter with our case number! So much quicker than expected. For everyone who is a little further along in the process, a few questions:

1) How many years of addresses did you have to provide on the DS-260? Was it more than 10? We need to compile it all to have ready if it's more than that.

2) Were there any sites with tips for the DS-260 as a few of the links we've clicked are broken and want to make sure everything is correct!

3) I'm a little bit fuzzy as to what documentation to be getting ready now. Is there a list somewhere on this site that someone could point me to? Like the one available for the I-130. Also, do we just need to have all this evidence gathered for the interview or is it required sooner? (For instance do I need several years of tax returns or simply a letter from my new employer?)

I felt really well researched up to this point and now I feel a bit like I don't know what's to come detail wise. Any help is appreciated!

Ah so much has happened in the past few days!! Packet 3 arrived on Saturday morning, way sooner than we thought it would! My love spent sat and Sunday doing the DS 260 which took forever and was complicated due to all our time traveling abroad but not really having residency. He submitted it on last night and this morning booked his medical and interview!! Medical is 29th of September and interview is 8th of October!! Cutting it a little close but it should be fine. Really really hoping he can fly to be with me here in the US on the 17th of October!!!

Oh my goodness, that's so quick! Fingers crossed all goes smoothly and we hear soon with packet 3 as well!

Would love to hear updates once you've had the medical and interview as well. In regards to scheduling everything, was there a big range of the dates you could pick from for the interview?

So I took a look at the appointment times... as early as 8th October if anyone was wondering. I'm looking towards the end of October so we can go in half term and I can get everything ready.

Congrats and thanks for keeping us in the loop, it's really nice to have a look into what's coming.

Flying across the pond today to get settled, so everyone cross their fingers we receive our NOA2 soon!

We got our NOA2!! Yay! Petition Approved!!!

Dated yesterday, arrived today, and I arrived in the US on Tuesday so what a sigh of relief this is!

Here's to hoping the rest of it moves quickly!

Congratulations! That's great news!

Also makes me excited as our NOA1 date was only 6 days behind yours. I fly next Thursday so hopefully it will happen right before I go. *fingers crossed*

Keep me updated as you know more and good luck

Congrats Englishsammy! Good to hear they're getting through applications. Our NOA1 date was July 18th so slowing inching towards it. I move back to the US to get settled for the next stage in mid September so fingers crossed we hear by then.

And good luck Futurekings on your move as well. It's an exciting / stressful undertaking ha

Hey Meganf....any updates? Impatiently waiting over here!

Hey futurekings, no news yet! However the website says they are processing July 5th as off August 22nd so we're getting there. I think you should have news in the next week or two hopefully.

Let me know when you hear and fingers crossed for good news

As he was only visiting (although extensively), he was never a US resident. Besides (and most importantly), according to the following site:

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

Note: Present and former residents of the United States do NOT need to submit any U.S. police certificates.

Ah, now I feel silly, I've looked at that page so many times, I missed out that line.

Thanks so much for your help on this!

You'll need to figure out which visa it was. A visitor visa is multiple entry, but would not allow him to stay longer than 6 months at the time. Maybe he was able to circumvent that by making short trips abroad, but it should not be possible and if he had continued such behaviour, he would have gotten into issues for violating the terms of his visa.

I believe he wouldn't need to get police records from the US no matter what -- as USCIS would be able to access that without his.

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate the help!

I just asked him about the specifics of the visa type (as I myself have obviously never had to look at US tourist visas!). He was on a B2 for 6 months and had an approved extension while he was there making it just under a year. He then left and worked in the UK for a few months and then came back to the US for another 6 months (with a 3 month approved extension).

Again he never broke any of the terms of his visa, and has come back to the US for short trips (under 2 weeks each) in 2014 when he visited me before I moved to the UK. He's never had any issues and as far as I was aware there was nothing dodgy on his end.

But it's confusing to me regarding the police records because for this visa it says anywhere you stayed over a year and though he was not there for over a year at a time, he was collectively. So I just want to make sure we get one if it's required.

Thanks again for your help!

He'll need the MMR vaccine and tetanus booster. I don't have UK spesific knowledge unfortunately. If he's had chickenpox, the varicella vaccine will be waived.

What do you mean that your husband "lived" in the US on a tourist visa? The timelines you give would indicate (if entering on a tourist visa), that he has a history of illegal presence in the US?

Thanks for the info on the vaccines. He has a doctors appointment later this week so hopefully they will be able to give further info.

As for his time in the US, definitely not illegal. He had (/still has as it is valid for 10 years) a multiple entry visa for travelling with friends. I'm not exactly sure the visa type as I've only fully researched the one we're applying for, but it allowed him to stay up to a year at a time with multiple entries. As long as he didn't work (which he didn't) it was all within his visa. He's also visited me on the same visa since 2012 as well and never had any issues. But because of this I am unsure if he will need a police record.

He was in the US collectively for 1 year and just under 9 months between 2010 and 2012 so I believe he would need a police record but still unsure. Any ideas?

Hi,

Your husband should have no problems. Just bring proof (aside from the ticket out of the US) that he is maintaining his residency in the UK; lease, job, etc.

Be honest at the POE. Don't hide anything. Don't disclose anything unless asked.

Safe travels.

Thanks for the info! That's what I thought, I just wanted to make sure we were doing everything by the books.

My husband and I are gathering what we can while waiting for our NOA2 and have a few questions. If these answers are already in other threads, apologies & feel free to link me to them.

Vaccines: we have obtained his vaccine records and as he was a premature baby there were many vaccines he did not get as the doctor at the time advised against them. Below are the vaccines that I saw listed on the US Visa website:

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Influenza

Influenza type b (Hib)

Measles - has not had vaccine, had measles as a child.

Meningococcal

Mumps - has not had vaccine, had mumps as a child.

Pneumococcal

Pertussis

Polio - had in 2004.

Rotavirus

Rubella - has not had vaccine, had rubella as a child.

Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids - had in 2004.

Varicella

The ones in red are vaccines he has had (though I believe he will need a tetanus booster as they are required every 10 years?). The ones in green he had as a child and therefore never had the vaccines.

Due to this does he need any of the vaccines in green? Will he need a tetanus booster? Also, just to confirm, varicella is exempt in the UK? Are there any others that would be exempt?

Lastly, does anyone have details on which vaccines are available on the NHS? We have had a hard time finding complete information online. I believe the best place to get the remaining vaccines not covered by the NHS will be at a travel clinic. If there are any recommendations for clinics in London, that would be very helpful.

Police Reports- My husband lived in the US on a tourist visa on two separate occasions between 2010 and 2012. The first time he was in the US for exactly 1 year and then the second time was for roughly 9 months. Since this is over a year altogether, do we also need to obtain a US police report for him? If so, does anyone have links for how to go about this one?

Last but not least, is there anything else that we should be gathering while we wait for our NOA2? I think we have everything needed for relationship proof, and I can't really gather my sponsorship details until I move back to the US in September but is there anything else?

Thank you all so much.

Hello,

My husband (British citizen) and I (US citizen) have applied for the IR-1 visa via the London embassy. We have received our NOA1 as of the 18th of July.

We currently have plans to visit my family in mid-September (this trip was booked long before we decided to apply for the visa). We intend to fly to Toronto for a long weekend, and then drive over the border as my family is in Vermont. He will stay for a 2 week visit and then return to the UK alone (he already has a return ticket), and I will stay in the states to gain full-time employment and ensure that my sponsorship responsibilities are met.

My question is this: is there any issue with him joining me in the US for 2 weeks? I don't know if we will have our NOA2 at that time, potentially we will receive it just before we leave, and if this is the case, will that affect the trip at all?

I am just unsure of things like whether or not we should declare the visa application upon arrival? If so should we also bring further proof of his return to the UK (such as a letter from his employer which he is able to obtain and a copy of his letting agreement etc...)

Any advice is much appreciated. We just want to make sure we are fully following all the rules and I have seen some conflicting information from various sources.

Many thanks!

Up to June 20th Now!

I saw that yesterday too. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to you both! Just an update here, just received my NOA1 with an official date of payment taken on July 18th. Let the waiting game begin!

Sorry Tuesday! The 5th. I am going to do our timeline and everything this evening.

Thanks for your reply! Glad to have someone with a similar timeline to compare with. Have you by any chance received the NOA1 yet?

Hi all,

My husband and I have mailed off our I-130 packet today to the US Embassy here in London and I was wondering if anyone has mailed there's around now? Would love a few people to compare timelines with / chat through the next stages.

Thanks in advance!

I've found 4-5 couples that have submitted I-130 for IR-1 since March 2016. You should be able to find them using the timeline feature and searching on DCF/London.

I've created a thread here for our journey http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/593072-dcf-london-i-130-mailed-7-april/

I'd be uncomfortable submitting a credit card in someone else's name. Maybe someone that has experience doing so could confirm if it will work. If you don't have access to a credit card in your name it might be worth the hassle to get a money order or cheque. Isn't there something like a pre-loaded credit card you can get? UK card is fine to use.

I guess the self addressed envelope will be fine to your husband's work address. I think you need to notify the embassy of your new address if you move during the application process. Are you able to use the new address from the start?

These are the fees I'm expecting.

· $420 I-130 Alien Spouse Petition for Immigrant visa

· £235 Medical exam for Immigrant visa

· $325 Immigration Visa for 1 time entry to USA

· $165 USCIS fee for green card (permanent residence)

· You might have incidentals for passport photos, photocopies, and vaccinations if required.

Thanks for the info regarding timelines, and the fees!

In regards to the credit card, we've decided to go with a Bank Draft instead (one of the other options) just for peace of mind.

The problem with the address is that we are currently living in a 1 bed flat in London, however in a month or two I plan to move back to the US and my husband is going to move into a cheaper shared flat to help us save. But we don't know the timing of it all yet so I don't know exactly when the move would take place (probably September). Most likely before we get the NOA2 back. Going to call the embassy tomorrow to see if we can get a human to answer there.

Hi My I130 was received 27th April, Ive was approved last week but Im waiting for my number to proceed. Im hoping Im not much longer than 6 weeks to get my passport stamped ...

Thank you for that timeline, that seems really quick and makes me feel better than some of the the year+ timelines I've seen. Crossing my fingers!

Welcome to the forum. Your thread is moved from the CR-1 Process forum to the Direct Consular Filing (DCF) forum, to be among similar threads.

Thank you for the welcome and pointing me in the right direction!

Thanks MrsBurgz!

Does anyone have any insight to the questions in red? We're aiming to send off the I-130 by July 4th (seemed appropriate and we have most everything ready to go) and those are the things I am unsure about for the immediate future.

Cheers!

Hello everyone,

I'm brand new to this forum so apologies if there are threads answering ALL of my questions below (feel free to point me to a thread!).

A little about my situation. I am an American citizen by birth, living in the UK since October 2014 with my British husband (we have been married since January 2014). We have decided to move back to the US and are trying to sift through information, as we can not afford a lawyer at this time.

With all that in mind we have decided to file via the US Embassy here in London as we have been told it is a quicker process. I have been researching for the past few days and want to file the I-130 soon, but am nervous of the timing of everything. All that being said my questions are:

1) Does anyone know threads with London timelines for 2016? All of the ones I have seen are a few years old and I've heard to expect timelines from 3 months to 14 so feeling a bit unsure of what's more likely.

2) The instructions for the I-130 seem deceptively easy. Just to make sure, the checklist I have is:

(All forms in english, and neither of us has been previously married)

• I-130 Checklist
• G-28 (Not applicable as we do not have an attorney, correct?)
• Completed & Signed I-130 (All forms in black ink, block capitals)
• Completed G-1145
• G-325A Petitioner (2" x 2" photo stapled)
• G-325A Beneficiary (2" x 2" photo stapled)
• Completed Credit Card Form for the $420 fee (I assume it is okay to use a UK credit card? Also it would be a family member's credit card as we only have debit cards - is this going to hold anything up?)
• Petitioner - Photocopy of US Passport Photo Page
• Petitioner - Photocopy of UK Visa
• Photocopy of Marriage Certificate
• Beneficiary - Photocopy of UK Passport Photo Page
• Self Addressed 1st Class Stamped Envelope (We are moving soon, are we able to 'self address' to my husband's work address instead?)​

Am I missing anything?

​

3) I am concerned about meeting the financial requirement further down the road. I will be moving back in to my Mom & Step Father's house initially after receiving the NOA1 and expect to find a job with an absolute minimum income of $25,000 a year (but looking for closer to $30,000). Assuming the household size is 2 for my husband and I, should I worry about refusal with this estimate at all?

4) My Mom & Step-Father will be renting me an apartment within their owned home. (A whole floor with a separate entrance. We plan on having a contract drawn up and I will be paying rent just as I would anywhere else. Does the fact that it is from family implicate my household size to include them?)

5) Visa costs: I'm having a hard time budgeting the full cost of this visa process. Does anyone have any links (other than the official website which I've already seen) which lays out all the visa costs throughout the timeline?

Phew. Sorry to be so long winded and again, feel free to answer with links to the answers if I've missed them somewhere else.

Thank you all so much in advance for the help!