T and M

Yeah you can stop now, ta.

This is very frustrating. I spend the last two years in the UK spending my dollar savings as a student and feeling very much like the Third World refugee someone mentioned. Over the summer I made some pounds and came to the states, only to have them wiped out by this crash. I HATE currencies. Such as waste of productivity and random redistributor of wealth. Bring back Bretton Woods!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_II

Hi all,

I just pass my citizenship interview and got oath ceremony same day. The Interview lady was very nice. She went over the N-400 application and and took civics and history test I answer all of them and she took english speaking and writing test. which is very easy she asked me to read and write simple english sentence. anyway I am very happy that I pass the interview and got my naturalization certificate.

My Question is about signing the Naturalization Certificate. Instrustion page says sign in cursive .. no initials and must match as it is printed on the Certificate. My understanding is we have to write name in cursive letter. but it also says signature. I am kinda confused .. is anybody just got naturalized and got US Passport. I went to Post Office to get application and asked the person at the desk he said I have to sign my usual signature. I am just confused. I will be very thankful for all the help.

Thanks

I "wrote" my name out just as it appeared on the certificate. Got the passport no problem. I just got naturalized on October 23rd.

Ironically, my wife objected to that, has her real fancy artistic way of writing her signature and says it's perfectly legal in Venezuela, but she practiced writing her name like it appeared on the certificate and also that way on her passport plus any other legal documents. It's just a small thing, showed her my part of these forms, with the full first middle and last name, like they ask you to do. Why make problems with such a small thing?

The only forms I recall her signing at the USCIS was the rear of her oath letter and the N-400 in person, also was our marriage license and certificate in person, all full names, everything else, like her certificate of naturalization, passport, SS card was signed her at home. I tend to scribble my full name, but have to control myself when signing important documents, surprise her that I can actually write neat.

The Latino thing is funny, b/c my Bolivian wife always has a fancy way of signing things that isn't so much a signature as a "mark." It's much more secure, b/c it's much harder to forge. But it sounds like the Naturalization Certificate requires the full names, written out...in cursive. (For non-natives: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive . Which is called "joint writing" or "joined writing" in the UK, and "running writing" or "handwriting" in Australia.) Anyway, a "cursively-written name" is not a "signature," especially if it's not the same thing you sign on checks! Just another silly thing we have to go through!

found on a visa site: Note: If you have already been married for two years when you apply for a marriage to U.S. citizen based Green Card the USCIS will grant you a permanent Green Card.

does this mean if the US citizen can take care of the both of them, then in 2 years time the green card is given to the immigrant spouse? at no cost, even?

Nope.

If you married for 2 years when you petition for Greencard sponsorship for your spouse based on the spouse of US citizen condition, you will be easier to collect the proof for bona-fide marriage relationship.

Plus USCIS will give 10 year validity Green Card upon approval of the case instead of 2 year validity conditional green card, which will required to lift the condition on the time when you reach two year anniversary date from green card issurance using I-751 form.

That's it.

Exactly. If you have been married for 2 years when you apply for a Green card based on marriage to a US citizen, then USCIS will grant you a permanent (read: 10 year) green card rather than the 2 year conditional green card. Either way, the process is long, tedious, painful, and costly.

My wife and I were not married for two years when we applied for her Green Card. She received a conditional Green Card in July 2008 and by July 2010, we have to apply to get the conditions removed and she will receive her 10 year Green Card. If you have already been married for 2 years then you would be granted the 10-year Green Card straight away. (After waiting 4-6 months and paying $400-500.) It makes very little difference which you get though, b/c a Conditional Green Card holder has exactly the same rights and responsibilities as a 10 year Green Card holder. Both have to wait 3 years for naturalization, neither can leave the US for long periods of time without losing PR status. It's the same really.

UserName........ Sent...........NOA1......... Biometrics..... Interview......Oath........ Office

Avvypudge.......10/10/08.....10/30/08......11/21/08........................................VSC/Newark

bgbirl...............10/10/08.....10/20/08.............................................................CSC

thea.................10/11/08.....10/24/08........................................................VSC/Washington DC

TX101...............10/15/08.........................................................................TSC

Dima................10/23/08.....11/7/08.................................................................

Thomas F..........10/23/08.....11/3/08.......xx/xx/08........................................TSC/Atlanta

tmman..............10/23/08.....11/12/08.....11/29/08.............................................

kokobearus.......10/27/08.........................................................................

Thanks for all the replys, still find it pretty astounding that your credit history counts for nothing - Im sure actors and sports stars dont have this problem. After all, Experian and Equifax are used in both the UK and US.

If I ever get a diff. answer I will post back.

Actors and sports stars have a public record that counts along with their credit history. Banks do a quick google search to find out that this dude is loaded and they give a bunch of credit. If our millions were recorded in the public domain, we would have no problem either.

Even if a bank or cellphone company hassled a sportsstar, they would have no problem handing over a large deposits to get cable or cellphone service. My friends at the World Bank in DC all had to put down deposits when they got to the states...a year (and 12 on-time monthly payments) later they are having cards and contracts thrown at them and their deposits have been returned.

I agree it is ridiculous not to have your credit transferred over...welcome to the world of being an immigrant. Unfortunately, we immigrants have predictably little pull in this world. Sign, ho, hum.

As previously said.. 6 mos. is the sort of the precipice of when issues may start to "rear up"....

Exactly. Although immigration law permits officials to question permanent residents after trips of any length, even less than 6 months. And the onus is basically on the PR from what I have read. To answer the charge that one has abandoned residence, certain things can supposedly be done. My wife and I will let you know what happens in January, when we re-enter after around 5 months abroad.

1. Joint property in the US.

2. Joint bank accounts in the US with activity on them.

3. Letter from university or workplace explaining that trip abroad was of a temporary nature.

4. File taxes always always always and always always always file as resident of the US.

5. Joint credit cards from US.

6. Never ever ever buy flights that originate abroad. Always have round-trip flights and originate and terminate on US territory.

7. Never ever ever enter the US via tourist hubs like the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, or the Florida Keys (unless of course that is your residence.) Entering and leaving the US without even visiting the place that you list as your home residence is seen as highly suspect.

7. Maintenance of US drivers license.

We have all but the last one, b/c my wife hasn't gotten her US drivers license yet! Will see what happens! I think it also helps to re-enter with your US citizen spouse.

Thomas, that's a helpful list and just what I was looking for.

I'm out of the country for three months starting in the New Year as my wife's doing a brief exchange programme with her US university and one in Asia. Hopefully as it's only for three months it won't be an issue at all but for my own peace of mind that's a good list to follow, where I can.

Good. Keep in mind that this list is something I compiled talking to lawyers and reading online. There is nothing in immigration law that says these things are guarantees. The decision is very subjective.

If it is an exchange program with a US university that is a very good thing. You might even be able to stay for longer than 6 months and not stop the 3 year clock for naturalization. Even better, if you are going to be gone for a year or more you might qualify for expedited naturalization. Immigration law is very good to people who are abroad with US research institutions, US companies, or the US military.

To summarize, you should be fine under six months. 6 months to 12 months you are very likely to be questioned. Any length you should be prepared to show some of the things above. Over a year you have to apply for a re-entry permit before leaving and even then you cannot stay gone for more than two years.

On the up-side, since your spouse is with a US institution, you might be able to qualify for keeping the "3-year clock running" even if you are gone for more than 6 months and if you are gone for 12-18 months, you might qualify for expedited naturalization under Section 319b.

If I read your question right, however, you are going to be gone for only 3 months, so this should not be a big issue.

Never even thought about this till now, over in the Uk credit cards are being thrown at you.

I am going to keep my uk credit card going by leaving funds here and paying for it online now I know, and will have to start from scratch when I get to the US. My other half does not have one he does not believe in them, but I have always had one and would feel weird without it

Beware using your UK card in the US. Aside from cash point charges (all UK banks but Nationwide have them I think and ALL US machines charge to withdraw cash), you have credit card charges for foreign currency (usually 3% on a visa or mastercard).

The main reason, however, to stop using your UK card is that you are delaying the building up of credit in the US. I would use it just for a few days until you get a secured card where you put the money down. Very quickly they will start throwing cards at you but you have to get your name in the system and make a few on-time payments first.

And to reiterate....current accounts do not figure into your credit score in the US. And lines of credit are not given out without first applying and - yes - they check your credit score.

A secure card is the only way to go. I think that's how I started back decades ago...

I suggest reading the section on Credit Cards in "An Italian in America" His way to get around it was to call the credit card companies and say you are transferring your British (for him, Italian) credit cards into American credit card accounts. The key word is transferring! The score cannot be transferred, you have to build a new one but the point now is the card, not the score.

Oh, I just realized you were talking about transferring from the UK to the US. This is most definitely NOT possible! I had the same issue in the UK! I couldn't even get a f-ing debit card, despite having numerous credit cards in the US...all in very good standing. I even went to Citibank, which issues me a credit card in the US, but they would do NOTHING in the UK, explaining that the system is different.

You have to start from scratch. It's like you were just born!!!! I'm very sorry! Something that should probably be changed somehow, but I'm not sure a credit treaty with the UK was in Obama's top ten. These days they are giving less, not more credit.

More than likely the wrong place for this question, if a mod can move it, please do?

Ive been in the USA for around a month now, have received my Social Security Number etc and have started trying to get a few things in my name so we feel more like a family. The problem is I keep getting rejected for credit, I ran a credit check with Equifax UK and I have an impeccible score yet it seems impossible to talk to anyone at any of the 3 Credit Unions (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion).

Does anyone have any experience with getting your score transferred, I cant believe its not possible (ie David Beckham etc being refused Cable Service)

Thanks in advance.

If you are David Beckham you are definitely in the wrong place. You should be on the phone with a high-dollar immigration lawyer.

From what I understand, a credit score's "impecability" is not the issue. It is the length and amount of credit previously borrowed. If you have a clean but short credit history you are likely to get turned down a lot. The best thing to do is put down deposits for cable and cellphone service, and pay your bill on time every month. Then, you get a pre-paid credit card and you will be shocked at how quickly credit card companies start offering you "free credit" and sending you checks that you can fill out and cash at the liquor store. They will only charge you 19% interest, of course.

Hope that helps. I found it difficult to establish credit in the UK, b/c they base everything on account activity, and I was using a US account. When I learned the system, everything was much better.

US has more privacy laws, I think, so credit bureaus don't share info and they also can't access your bank accounts....only your credit accounts.

As previously said.. 6 mos. is the sort of the precipice of when issues may start to "rear up"....

Exactly. Although immigration law permits officials to question permanent residents after trips of any length, even less than 6 months. And the onus is basically on the PR from what I have read. To answer the charge that one has abandoned residence, certain things can supposedly be done. My wife and I will let you know what happens in January, when we re-enter after around 5 months abroad.

1. Joint property in the US.

2. Joint bank accounts in the US with activity on them.

3. Letter from university or workplace explaining that trip abroad was of a temporary nature.

4. File taxes always always always and always always always file as resident of the US.

5. Joint credit cards from US.

6. Never ever ever buy flights that originate abroad. Always have round-trip flights and originate and terminate on US territory.

7. Never ever ever enter the US via tourist hubs like the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, or the Florida Keys (unless of course that is your residence.) Entering and leaving the US without even visiting the place that you list as your home residence is seen as highly suspect.

7. Maintenance of US drivers license.

We have all but the last one, b/c my wife hasn't gotten her US drivers license yet! Will see what happens! I think it also helps to re-enter with your US citizen spouse.

Hey all, hope all is going good. I just have a few questions about differant categories, any help and advice will be much appreciated.

So we received our NOA1 a few weeks ago and im aware of the long wait for the NOA2. I want to get my things together in advance, what i need to get together and get organised. so i have a few random questions i could do with answering.

1. Can i send off for my police certificate now? or do i have to wait nearer to the interview time or until we receive our NOA2?

2. My birth certificate is a small piece of paper without my parents names on it, i dont think that will do, i have read of a long'birth certificate and im assuming mine isnt that. where do i obtain a long birth certificate from?

3. I will be obtaining a copy of my injections i have had, this will only be a photocopy, thats what the doctor said anyway, will this be ok? maybe if i get the photocopy stamped or signed by the doctor/nurse?

4. THE MEDICAL, will the medical and interview be done on the same day? what is the best way to go about it? What is the cost at the London medical center?

Theres a few of many questions i have but i want to be getting things in order and done well ahead, i want all this to be done right as im sure all you guys out there do too. so thanks in advance for your feedback.

Just to throw it in, i have a flat screen television that i bought here in the uk, im wondering if it will work in the US and have it shipped over? It has freeview built in, im curious if it would work, thanks alot

You should definitely apply for the APCO police certificate right now. It should only take around 5-10 days, but I would prepare everything just in case. The old certificates took longer by the way...now they are using a new form which is must faster. By the way, you have to have police certificates from every country where you have lived for more than 6 months. This can take a massive amount of time. We had to wait two months for a cert from Bolivia.

Definitely need a long form birth cert. I was born in the US...not sure where you get one in the UK.

Not sure about the injections. My wife had no records, so she had to get them again.

You cannot schedule the medical until you get your number, which comes in Packet 3. With that number you make your own medical appointment. The results take 4-5 days to get to the embassy, so if you are rushing to get your visa, you should schedule your medical a week or two before your interview date. Many do it on the same day in order to minimize trips to London, but that will push back your visa delivery approximately 4-5 days.

Definitely get all of your documents together before you get the Packet 3. That way, you can immediately return the Checklist and begin another wait for Packet 4, your interview date notice! Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, you should probably go ahead and prepare an affidavit of support and a few bills showing your US citizen spouse maintains residence in the US. That's all I can think of at the moment!!

Congratulations! I bet you were really freaking out, but you never know when they will have mercy. In London when my wife got her CR-1, I didn't have a note from my UK university saying I could finish my PhD in the states. I also did not have any bills proving I maintained my US address. I did have my drivers license. Long story short - it depends on the agent and that's purely luck of the draw! You got lucky!

Let me rephrase this answer.. My grammar is all over the place as I was busy on other things.

Thomas, to answer your question, the Notice will come in the Mail, this is to inform you will tell you when and where will be the interview..

The dilemma on this is, if the interview date is set for example 2 December, your mother received the mail on 16th November...then she mailed it to you in Bolivia, but you received the mail on December 1. and the interview will be the next day...What will you do?

I dont have any idea how the mail system works in Bolivia, but my advice is, whoever received the letter in the US, if you trust the person who received that mail for you.. Have them scan the letter and email it to you... just to know in advance the dates of the interview to plan ahead of time.. You can cancel the interview date by notifying them my mail by this will not guaranty that she will get another date sooner.

Majority of the people who rescheduled it, takes forever to get new date and some case have been set aside.

I am giving advice to you based on what happened to me in the past, I had to spend a lot of money to get rush airline ticket.

This is the scenario last May:

My sister in law received the notice from USCIS regarding the date of interview on 20th May.. According to the letter the interview date is set on June 10th.. She mailed the letter to me on 21st May, but I received the mail from her on 4th June and we already have set vacation the same day of my interview going to my homecountry. If only I did tell my sister in law to open it for me and scan it and email it to me, probably we could have arranged our travel better, the way we want to.

The mail systems overseas for APO is very slow.. I dont know how it is in Bolivia.

By the way, after her interview the officer will tell her when she will do the oath, it might be the same day, might be after a week, a month... it depends to service center..But you she can request to do it same day or another day if she wants to, just tell her to explain her situation to the officer.

Did you check her status online?

Goodluck!

Yes...my mother opens, scans, and emails us all mail related to USCIS. That's how we got our NOA1 so quickly. When it comes, we will certainly get there in time and not cancel! I have also heard the horror stories of what happens when someone tries to get a new interview date. We requested February/March, so we'll see what happens.

I did check her status online and it just confirmed what the NOA1 said, that it is being processed and that we had paid the application fee. I also signed up to receive email updates when the status changes.

The waiting period is not so much fun, but at least we have done what we can up to this point!

Good luck to everyone.

Well, we received our I-797C in the mail today which stated that our case has been transferred to the National Benefits Center to help with processing, but that this would not affect anything. It also said that we should hear back from them regarding the place and time for the interview within 450 days. I sure hope it doesn't take that long!

We are thrilled that our case has moved forward another step!

Congratulations!

Do not worry that 450 days usually is shorter.. My first notice indicated that the interview will be within 365 days but I received a letter after 30 days.. Might a little bit different because the election is finished (i just assume) but let us remain positive..

Thanks Completely. Very glad we will not have to wait 450 days! I have heard that others who went through Atlanta get the same letter, regarding being transferred to the NBC and the 450 day wait. Hopefully we will get an interview letter in by late December/early January. Will it come via postal mail or email?

By the way, we requested an interview in early February or late March to work around the delivery of our baby girl! Hope we get it. Also, do we have to leave the US within 45 days of the interview or the oath?

That's a good question. It sure makes it difficult to plan ahead when you don't know when the oath ceremony will be and it takes another couple weeks for the passport! The USCIS document says "You must show evidence that you will join your spouse overseas within 45 days of your naturalization." Naturalization isn't final until the oath, but how do you show proof of departure at the interview when you don't know when the oath ceremony is? I'll hopefully find out in another month or so and let you know. Anyone else know?

I'm actually pleased to hear that it is naturalization and not the interview, b/c if they give us an interview in early February, we can't leave for around 50-60 days due to the birth of a child. I'm guessing that most interviewees take the first oath possible, be it the same day or a week or two later. But hopefully they will let us wait a few weeks for the oath. Ideally, the oath would be 2-4 weeks before travel, to allow time to get a passport.

Due to the delivery and all we have a flexible ticket on 2 April. Hopefully this will serve as "proof."

Where is your interview supposed to take place. Some of the timelines in VJ should help you to pinpoint the normal time between oath and interview. Why not have a flight purchased for 6 weeks (42 days) after the interview? Surely they will have the oath ceremony within that time....Most 319b timelines that I have found on VJ had the oath within a week or so of the interview.

Well, we received our I-797C in the mail today which stated that our case has been transferred to the National Benefits Center to help with processing, but that this would not affect anything. It also said that we should hear back from them regarding the place and time for the interview within 450 days. I sure hope it doesn't take that long!

We are thrilled that our case has moved forward another step!

Congratulations!

Do not worry that 450 days usually is shorter.. My first notice indicated that the interview will be within 365 days but I received a letter after 30 days.. Might a little bit different because the election is finished (i just assume) but let us remain positive..

Thanks Completely. Very glad we will not have to wait 450 days! I have heard that others who went through Atlanta get the same letter, regarding being transferred to the NBC and the 450 day wait. Hopefully we will get an interview letter in by late December/early January. Will it come via postal mail or email?

By the way, we requested an interview in early February or late March to work around the delivery of our baby girl! Hope we get it. Also, do we have to leave the US within 45 days of the interview or the oath?

Well, we received our I-797C in the mail today which stated that our case has been transferred to the National Benefits Center to help with processing, but that this would not affect anything. It also said that we should hear back from them regarding the place and time for the interview within 450 days. I sure hope it doesn't take that long!

We are thrilled that our case has moved forward another step!

Got my fingerprint notice in the mail today - woo hoo!

UserName........ Sent...........NOA1......... Biometrics..... Interview......Oath........ Office

Avvypudge........10/10/08...10/30/08...11/21/08...............................................VSC/Newark

bgbirl...........10/10/08.......10/20/08..................................................CSC

thea.............10/11/08.......10/24/08..................................................VSC/Washington DC

TX101............10/15/08.................................................................TSC

Dima.............10/23/08

Thomas F.........10/23/08......11/3/08......xx/xx/08..........................................Atlanta

tmman............10/23/08

kokobearus.......10/27/08

Just added our NOA1. Received a letter, I-797C, stating that our case has been transferred to the National Benefits Center for processing but that this should not affect anything. It also said that we should hear from them again regarding our interview within 450 days. I saw in other threads that this is normal for the TSC, Atlanta District Office, and that most applicants hear from them within another 45-60 days.

Good luck everyone!

hi guys, i sent my app on oct 23, they got it on 30th because it was registred mail...can whoever knows how , to add me to the list...good luck to all of us

Hey guys,

I just found out that our check cleared on the 29th! I guess that's a good sign!

So that's, sent on the 23rd, arrived on the 25th, check cleared on the 29th, and I guess we should receive a NOA sometime next week. Does NOA have our interview date?

NOA just lets you know that your file has been received. You still have to get the fingerprint notice which comes after the first NOA, followed by and interview letter. If your in one of the luck states that do the oath the same day then you'll be done. Good luck!

Thanks! Actually I have re-posted my questioned in the 319b thread, b/c we are going through overseas naturalization. Our fingerprints were already done and supposedly the next step is an interview, but I will see what my 319b colleagues say!!!

Good luck to you as well. Hopefully we will all be well on our way come springtime!

HI, I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE EXPEDITED NAT. 319b, AND I HAVE A QUESTION I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH. I JUST GOT MY GREEN CARD 6 MOTHS AGO, MY HUSBAND IS MILITARY AND WE'RE MOVING OVERSEAS (JAPAN), WE WILL BE THERE FOR 3 YEARS. SO, I WANT TO APPLY FOR THAT BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO START THE PROCESS HERE ON THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE WE ARE LEAVING IN LESS THAN A WEEK. I CALLED THE USCIS AND THEY TOLD ME I DIDN'T QUALIFY, IT JUST SOUND LIKE THEIR AGENTS DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT, I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING HERE ON THE WEB AND I THINK I DO QUALIFY, MY QUESTION IS, CAN I START THE PROCESS FORM JAPAN, AND DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA WHERE DO I NEED TO SEND THE N400? I READ THAT YOU DID EVERYTHING YOURSELF I MEAN WITHOUT A LAWYER, I DOESN'T SOUND VERY COMPLICATED I THINK I CAN DO IT MYSELF TOO... WELL, I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. THANKS

Don't listen to USCIS on the phone. They told me expedited naturalization doesn't exist when I called. There's some military specific information on this page. http://italy.usembassy.gov/dhs/uscis/services/N-400.asp and from the list of forms on that page, it looks like you can do it from overseas as well.

Hi Feyser,

Why the delay between filing and the check being cashed? Our check was just cashed on the 29th (we filed on the 22nd). Is this a good sign? What, exactly, is the NOA....notice of approval? Notice of arrival? Will it contain an interview date?

And if we do get an interview date, does that mean they have accepted our 319b request and that my wife just needs to pass the language and civics test and swear to all the good moral character stuff?

I am so excited that the check cleared, but i have no idea what that means!!! Has anyone ever had their check accepted and then been turned down?

hi guys, i sent my app on oct 23, they got it on 30th because it was registred mail...can whoever knows how , to add me to the list...good luck to all of us

Hey guys,

I just found out that our check cleared on the 29th! I guess that's a good sign!

So that's, sent on the 23rd, arrived on the 25th, check cleared on the 29th, and I guess we should receive a NOA sometime next week. Does NOA have our interview date?

thanks a lot. i did check here with US Embassy ACS and with Security, and they apparently no longer official fingerprinting at all. luckily bangkok is only a quick hop away!!

i will investigate that thread further. thank you again!

Good luck! I called the US embassy in La Paz 3 or 4 times before I found someone who would do it. Before that, they kept saying, "We stopped doing that last year....sorry!" I'm so happy I got them, b/c you can't file the 319b N400 without 2 fingerprint cards. You can order fingerprints cards online by the way...or have someone pick some up at the police station or FBI and send them to you. Maybe then your local consul would do it. But a trip to Bangkok sounds like fun anyway!

Good luck to you both!

hello: i am filing 319b from overseas.

** does anyone have a info/link to the current fees for filing under 319b? i downloaded the FAQs on this site, but there is no date on it...

also, the n-400 form talks about biometrics--does this effect the fingerprint requirement?

i am having a hard time finding any 319b info on the actual USCIS site and can't call them from cambodia, where we live.

thank you!!!

This thread [http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=136606] has massive amounts of information that should help you along. The fee is $595, since you won't be paying the biometric portion. You should get your fingerprints done at a local US consulate or embassy. We had some trouble with this in Bolivia, but by asking for "Security" rather than "Citizen Services" we were put through to an agent who did my wife's prints. Sometimes embassy's charge for this, other times, they do not.

The above threat will take you through the other requirements. Don't bother calling USCIS for info on 391b. So few officers have any idea that it exists. Just send it to the Service Center that covers the District Office you want to be interviewed at. For Fairfax you send to Vermont....we are going through Atlanta, so we sent to Texas Service Center...make sure you put "319b ONLY" on the cover letter....all this is in the threat above.

Yes, the process is much too long and complicated. I don't know if you will get you anywhere, but it wouldn't hurt to try requesting an earlier date. There's an unfortunately expensive number to call to get in touch with someone at the embassy. The silly thing is that all they do is give you a code to write in an email. So be clear from the start of the conversation that you just want that week's code so that you can send an email with your request. Just be clear and polite and see what happens.

Also, like the other said, make sure your medical is done at least five business days before the interview. And lastly, you can pay extra to have the courier deliver faster.

Even if you don't get an earlier date, as long as nothing goes wrong at the interview and you pay the extra fee to the courier, you'll be good to fly on the 23rd. So be over-prepared with documents. Good luck!

I completely agree with Margot. Call the extortion line, get the email code...this can happen in 30 seconds, so you don't pay too much, and email them to get an earlier date. See what they say. It can't hurt asking. If not, I truly hope that everything works out for your flight on the 23rd. You should get an SMS message the evening before your passport is delivered....but i'm not sure that its definite.

Is there any way to get an earlier date with the embassy?

You could try emailing the embassy for a new date, but I have never heard of this working. When you returned your Packet 3 and Checklist there was a place where you put down your scheduled departure date, but that is no guarantee. We returned our Packet 3 on June 24, said our scheduled departure was July 15, and got an interview date on July 18th. We got our visa back on July 22nd (over the weekend), and flew out on the 25th. We had hoped to be home in late May, then moved it back to late June, then to late July. I would not count on ANYTHING, as the wait is bad enough without feeling rushed.

Thanks for your replies - I haven't scheduled the medical yet - which is why there is no date for it in the timeline.

I will of course do the medical as early as possible before the interview.

All I need information on is how long it takes to get your passport back after the interview (assuming the interview is successful)

I am worried about booking a flight for say 23rd Dec and not getting the visa back in time.

Anyone who has got their passport back recently - how long did it take?

Thanks

As long as the medical is done at least 5 working days before the interview, you should have your passport back within 2-3 working days, the 19th or the 22nd. Our medical was on July 9th, our interview was on Friday, the 18th, and my wife's passport with visa was delivered via courier on Tuesday, the 22nd. That's two working days from the interview to the passport delivery.

Anyone with more recent experiences?