Eladnolnod

16 minutes ago, corntop said:

Any DQ'd CR1 had any movement from the NVC? 

Nothing here.

Haven’t heard any positive news this week yet...

1 minute ago, 8bithearts said:

That's been my mantra for months 

 

I just think regardless of all the rules and regulations and presidential decrees there are still visa types that can be processed I don't see any reason why they couldn't open and have the staffing when we even have barstaff and hairdressers returning to work who are at a higher risk surely. I personally have been working the whole time (that is irrelevant but not to me lol).  I understand the need to protect against the dreaded 2nd wave but the UK government think it's fine to ease restrictions (although they have hardly been world leaders in their handling of covid - same with the US) so I think and hope they will follow suit.

 

Maybe it's due to staff returning to the US? I would think they are exempt from the quarantine but even if not get them back and start booking for 2 weeks time onwards.

 

Hopefully next week will bring more clarity 😁

I feel if they just publicised more accurate information for example - exact dates when they will start rescheduling cancelled mission critical category interviews and dates when they will start accepting cases from NVC - then people would fee a bit more at ease and probably stop bombarding them with questions. 

I guess all this fretting and guessing doesn’t really do anyone any good and it will happen when it will happen but it’s a tough situation for everyone to be in.
 

Just now, Melc said:

Interestingly, the embassy rescheduled my interview and moved it forward. It was scheduled for the 7th, and has been moved to the 6th now. 

That is interesting & bodes well that they are actually conducting some interviews, slowly but surely. 
 

Good luck for your interview! 

1 hour ago, shallot343 said:

So I obsessively check the US Embassy website -- they just updated it a little while ago and now has this in the FAQ

 

 

Correct me if I am wrong but this is the first time I have seen that statement....usually they just say "We will resume services as soon as possible" or something like that. Does not bode well. 

For what it’s worth, that’s been there for at least the last week.

I don’t think much has changed this week in terms of their plans (or lack of) to start interviews. Hopefully next week will bring more clarity!

1 minute ago, shallot343 said:

Thanks! Literally just grabbed the data and threw it in a spreadsheet! 

 

Looks like of the 10,856, only 279 were IV (2.5%). 97%  are NIV.  The lion's share are B1/2 (50% of the total). There were only 82 CR1 and IR1s combined in Jan 2020, and 93 K1/2 (They are listed at NIV). 

 

There were a little over 2000 H, J, and L visas combined (about 19% of the total Jan 2020 issuances)

 

Which is all a very long way of saying that the backlog is going to be bad but not astronomically bad. 

That was fast, thanks very much for that! 
 

Hopefully things will get moving in the next few weeks and we will get a better feel for how bad the backlog will be and how quickly London will be able to work through it. 

2 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

London Visas issued

Jan 2020– 10,856 visas

May 2020– 109 visas

 

Imagine the backlog when they open fully. 😲

 

Oh the joys...

That is grim reading.

1 hour ago, MattyUKtoUS said:

I felt sure I read it could take 3 to 4 weeks from DQ to get the interview and the interview was typically within 3 to 4 weeks. 

 

Matt

Thanks. 
 

Hopefully things aren’t delayed by too much then. 

Does anyone know generally how busy London was with interviews pre-covid, & what the average wait time was for NVC to schedule an interview after becoming DQ?

5 minutes ago, BC97 said:

So even those being issued CR1 visas can’t actually go at the moment...?

I’m expecting them to get rid of the travel EO and open embassies in one fell swoop.

As far as I understand, Spouses are exempt from the PP’s and EO.

6 minutes ago, transatlantic88 said:

 

I believe this is incorrect, NVC receive the approved petitions from the USCIS office in London (obviously now closed permanently) and then they send it back out to the Immigrant Visa department in London. Some users on here have commented that they managed to get their case numbers, allowing them to book the medical and interview, but you need official paperwork with the LND number to attend the medical. It's not enough to just know your number. I personally wouldn't bet on getting the paperwork in time before the appointment how things are going right now. I also believe that the members who have managed to get their case number over the phone were approved a while before us, I'm in the same boat as a lot of people waiting on the NVC to send the approved petitions back to London. I believe that NVC advise the beneficiary when this is done via email. As always, anyone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong. I merely commented in this forum to inform others that I've been waiting more than 5 weeks for the LND number. 

One would assume that if the USCIS local office in London sends the approved petition to NVC you would then receive a welcome e-mail which states your LND number on it (as is the case for petitions sent for non DCF cases from US based USCIS Service Centres)
 

I would think it strange for the approved petition to be sent from London to NVC and then back to London before you receive your LND number.

Just my 2p, I’m not DCF...

I was always under the impression that DCF bypasses NVC completely. 

9 minutes ago, corntop said:

I really hope that non-expedited CR1 don't just get lumped in with "routine visas" and end up staying in the NVC for the rest of the year I have no real reason to expedite at the present time, so reading that they're only doing "emergency and mission-critical" visas doesn't fill me with much hope. Trying to keep positive to hear more news in July.

The good news is that according to This , IR-1 / CR-1 visas ARE classed as mission critical. Excerpt below:-

“Mission-critical immigrant visa categories may include applicants who may be eligible for an exception under this presidential proclamation, such as: IR/CR1, IR/CR2, IR/IH-3, IR/IH-4, SQ, SI, and certain employment-based medical professionals, as well as cases involving an applicant who may age out.”

I am holding on to any slight glimmer of hope that taking everything into consideration, the embassy will start to process all of us waiting within the next few months. 

39 minutes ago, corntop said:

"Routine visa processing is currently suspended. We are only able to process visas for certain family members, such as spouses and children." if this is the case, why aren't NVC sending cases across? Someone posted a review topic about an expedited interview, so it seems they are still happening. We got DQ on 22nd May but there's been no other movement from NVC since. 

Hoping that we will start to see some movement by NVC in the coming weeks given that situation in the UK is becoming better by the week - this is all, of course, dependant on the embassy’s take of the current state of COVID-19 in this country. 
 

30 minutes ago, hannahjsf said:

Same here, no news. Approved at the beginning of May and still no news or update on the CEAC status.

You’re not alone, hoping we all hear some more good news very soon!

22 minutes ago, shallot343 said:

Thank you for setting this up! I emailed the embassy yesterday via the contact form to see if they might give me a real response-- I cited the DoS guidance that CR/IR-1s are mission critical and the downgrading of the threat level in the UK from 4 to 3. I got a form letter back but they did say they were tentatively opening up some interview slots (I assume these are for DCF who can schedule themselves, or K1. We are not DCF filers)

 

 

 

The UK is set to open cinemas and museums in the next few weeks...I can't imagine embassy appointments pose more of a risk of COVID spread than the cinema does! And it would be relatively easy to maintain social distancing and limit the number of people in the embassy at any one time .

I hope with today’s announcements of the relaxing of certain restrictions, and as mentioned by yourself, the downgrading of the threat level that the embassy will start to schedule these ‘mission critical’ appointments.

I am sure once those with cancelled interviews are able to go and undertake their appointments that further appointments for people currently waiting should be announced shortly after! 

Hi all,

Thought it might be helpful to start a thread for anyone who is waiting on an interview at London for CR-1 / IR-1, so we can keep each other updated as and when news and appointments start to be issued. Also keeps all of this info directly related to us centralised so it’s easier for people to view. 
 

Our case is still currently sitting at NVC after being DQ’d at the start of June. 
 

I noticed today that they updated the information on their website that says they are able to process spousal visas... which is a step in the right direction I guess:- 

UPDATED: Can I apply for a fiancé(e)/K-1 visa?/What if my fiancé(e) visa petition expires?

Routine visa processing is currently suspended. We are only able to process visas for certain family members, such as spouses and children. Therefore we are unable to proceed with fiancé(e) visa applications at this time.
If the fiancé(e) visa petition expires, you may revalidate the petition with a letter from the petitioner stating that you both remain legally free to marry and that you will do so within 90 days of your arrival in the United States. You should take the letter with you to your visa interview in the future, not mail it or email it to the Embassy.

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

2 minutes ago, 8bithearts said:

That would be amazing, I just want the date so I can start making plans I'm so fed up with treading water.  Just out of interest what was your PD?  Mine is 12th August 2019

I know that feeling, but I’m lucky enough to be kept busy with work which is passing the time. Hopefully booking the medical will be straightforward once we get a date. 
 

Our PD was 02/03/20 - we applied online and lucked out that we were approved so fast, we didn’t expect it all especially after being transferred to Nebraska from Texas. 

1 hour ago, 8bithearts said:

I got DQ'd in May and I am waiting for the interview date which will be booked by NVC, when I check online it says my case is still with NVC

We are in the same position then. Hopefully we will hear some good news this week! 

16 hours ago, 8bithearts said:

I am keeping positive that we may soon be getting some movement for IR1/CR1 with the DOS statement that these are now mission critical AND the UK today dropping the alert level to 3 and possibly cutting down the distancing guidelines from 2m..  Although until that visa is in my hand everything is subject to change.

 

Definitely more positive news for interviews this week

What stage are you at, Is your case still at NVC?

Just now, Wuozopo said:

 

New today on June 18:

 

I have been offered an expedited appointment. What do I need to know about attending the appointment?

 

 

Wuozopo,

Good eye, thanks for that!

Just now, 8bithearts said:

It did change today but I can't tell what info changed from the last update on 5th

 

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

Ha! Yeah, I’m the exact same. I read over it a few times and I can’t tell either. 

6 minutes ago, 8bithearts said:

I have seen on here and Facebook that a number of embassies are now scheduling interviews for  IR1, IR2, CR1 and CR2. I have looked on the London Embassy as it doesn't specifically state they are doing these, just doing mission critical work.  However I have now seen those visa classes described as mission critical elsewhere so fingers crossed.

 

I know Vietnam, Jamaica and Poland at least are doing this. 

Following this.

Hopefully they announce something similar soon! 

10 minutes ago, Southernboy123 said:

Hi

A quick question if i May, we are about to get to NVC stage and i am currently serving military. Did NVC stipulate exactly what they needed in regard to your military record? I am only able to get a print off of what HR and JPA (If you’re familiar with that) call a JPA Personal Profile Report for an Employee, this shows everything from my postings,medals,and ‘competencies’ to NOK. Not aware if there is anywhere else other than HR who have what NVC are looking for.

Hi,

I assume that should be enough - I used this form to obtain my ‘Certificate of Service’ which only stated Service number, branch, length of service, discharge date amongst a few other basic details.

I assume you are still serving and what you describe sounds more detailed than what I submitted so should be ok. NVC only stated I needed to produce a ‘photocopy of your military record’ 

Hope this helps!

10 hours ago, ohcoffeeeyes said:

I think London is a soft embassy, so unlike others, if you explain, they'll understand.

Thanks for your comments, hopefully I won’t run into any delays then!

Hi all,

We just recently received our DQ from

NVC and are currently awaiting scheduling of our interview. I received my military records via email in PDF form which I directly uploaded to CEAC and was accepted by NVC.

Given the guidance states that the original copies should be presented at interview, would a print out of this PDF copy suffice since I never received anything in the post? 
 

Appreciate any guidance.

Thanks!

DQ’d today, June 1st.

Submitted Civil Docs - May 13th

Submitted AOS Docs - May 17th

Good luck to everyone still waiting, hope you all hear something soon!!

Hello,

ESTA isn’t actually a Visa, it’s a Visa Waiver for selected countries that are part of the programme.

Unless you have had a physical visa in your passport then you have never been issued a visa. 
 

Hope that helps!