HNE

2 hours ago, ThereL said:

Hi! Thanks for updating with this information. One question: Do you only get your I-130 approval and case number via post or do they also email the information? I.e. is there any way of knowing if you don't have very regular access to your physical mail? 

 

Many thanks! 

Both of mine came in the post. I was able to find out that my I-130 was approved via the USCIS email. Basically I saw on the processing times update that they were processing I-130's filed 2 days after mine, so mine should have been processed. I was out of the country though without access to our mail, so I just emailed them explaining I was away for a couple of weeks but was keen to know the outcome as we were getting ready to sign a lease for a house in the U.S. They emailed me back the next day saying it had been approved.  I also had a tracking number for the return envelope I sent in and was able to track when the notice arrived. (It was May 22nd, so 5 days after it was approved on the 17th).

As for the case number, that also arrived in the post and as far as I know there isn't a way to get your number without the letter. But then again, I didn't look into it too much. This was in my I-130 letter, so perhaps it would be possible to contact the Immigrant Visa Unit a couple weeks after your approval and get your case number. I don't know for sure though.

"IF the beneficiary does not receive a Case number within eight (8) weeks OR the beneficary has a question about the immigrant visa processing, the beneficiary will need to contact the U.S. Consulate – Immigrant Visa Unit in one of two ways.

1. The beneficiary can use contact form on the below link:
    

• https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-information-services/contact-us-immigrant-visas/u-s-embassy-london-visa-unit-contact-form/

2. You can write directly to the below address:

U.S. Consulate - Immigrant Visa Unit
Embassy of the United States of America
33 Nine Elms Lane

London SW11 7US "

Answering my own question in case anyone is interested... so it seems at the moment, there is only a 2 week wait for interview appointments but a 4 week wait for medical appointments. 

We arrived back in the UK today and had a case number waiting for us. My approval was May 17th and the letter with the case number was dated May 24th. This afternoon I was able to submit the DS-260 and book the medical and interview for my husband. Unfortunately, while interview dates were available starting from June 12th, the first available medical was not until June 28th. We've booked this but I am hoping to snag an earlier appointment by calling in and checking for cancellations over the next couple of weeks (I did check to confirm I could do this while scheduling the appointment).

Thanks again for all the help.

9 hours ago, Jmatts said:

London turnaround has been very fast. I was also very surprised by the 6 week timeline quoted in the petition approval letter but as you can see from my timeline we got the approval letter on a Wednesday (last month) and had the case number the following Monday.

 

Start getting your DS-260 info ready as that's the next step, and you'll be able to book an interview appointment and Medical straight away.

 

If our experience is anything to go by, you'll be spoilt for choice for interview dates but Knightsbridge Medical won't have availability for weeks, so recommend phoning them as soon as you have the LND number. They do occasionally have cancellations as well, so you can call back to check, and if you happen to get a medical appt earlier, your interview date can be changed/moved forward online but most advice says that you should leave 7-8 days between the appts rather than the embassy website's stated 5 days.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks for that, all really helpful stuff!

Does anyone know the current wait times between the approval date for the I-130 and receiving a case number with DCF London? The letter quotes 5 to 8 weeks but I'm sure I've read that people are receiving their case numbers much faster than that. (We haven't received our approval in the post yet as we're in the U.S. until the end of the month, but I was able to confirm with USCIS via email that our I-130 was approved on May 17th).

Also, when you do receive your case number, how soon are medical and interview appointments available? We have all the police certificates, healthy summaries, etc. ready to go so hoping we'll be able to book the earliest medical and interview dates available.

Hi,

I submitted relationship evidence with my application. We've been married for 7 years and have two kids so it was just copies our children's birth certificates and passports (they're dual US/UK citizens), a joint bank statement, joint property ownership proof, etc.

I know they'll ask for more information if they need it but as we're working to a tight timeline and you only submit copies, I figured it was better to send too much than too little. My I-130 was just approved last week and I didn't receive any requests for more evidence, so I guess it worked.

I don't think they'll let you know they have received the extra documents. You could always email them and just ask for confirmation that they received the documents.

As for actual waiting time, I assume it depends on what information that asked for, why they needed it, etc. I'm pretty sure the embassy will have been closed at some point over Easter and perhaps even a few employees will have gone on holiday since it was the long 2 week break for schools so I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a little longer due to all that as well. 

My petition is still pending in London so I have no personal experience with this.... however, from several different forums and timelines I've been reading it seems that when they ask for additional documents, they are immediately reviewed once received (you don't have to go back to the end of the line).

This thread has some really good/detailed timelines: http://britishexpats.com/forum/marriage-based-visas-35/immigrant-visa-dcf-i-130-filed-uk-timeline-only-843594/page29/. Here is an example copied straight from there:

" 16/03/2018: RFE received, asking for affidavit confirming that boxes on I-130 left blank should be not applicable.

18/03/2018: Affidavit returned to London Embassy. Emailed also, but email reply stating that cannot accepted emailed return.

28/03/2018: I-130 approval received in post. "

We recently paid our I-130 fee via my husband's UK credit card (HSBC). We had no issues with payment and it was charged in USD. We did have an additional fee at our end which I think was about £11 or so because of the currency, but we expected that. As a side note, we never use our credit card so I half expected the charge to be flagged but it went through just fine so I wouldn't worry too much. It took the embassy about 5 or 6 days to charge the card.