ealachan

Hi again All,

It has been 8 weeks since I send in my notice that I was ready for an interview and I have heard nothing back at all from the embassy, should I be worried? Whats the best way to contact them for an update: I called there £1.20/min info line once before and was charged a small fortune and didnt even get to speak to a real person so i dont fancy that again, Ive already emailed them at both londonpassports@state.gov and SCSLondon@state.gov. What else can i do? The wedding is now 15 weeks away and Im getting nervous about having my interview in time!

Sincerely,

Mark

I'm in the same boat, except our wedding is only 8 weeks away. I can't get any info from DOS other than that we're "in the system", and my fiance hasn't had any mail through from the Embassy at all on his end. All my emails have been bounced back saying they don't accept email enquiries! If you find anything out, please let me know as I'm in panic mode at this point, too.

Whats this about DOS? How do we find out about that? Sorry to hear you're date is closer than ours, I wish you the best of luck in getting your interview in time.

There is a number you can call from the States - 202-663-1225, Opt 1, Opt 0 - that is the Dept of State visa hotline. You give them your case number and they look it up and tell you what they see. Unfortunately, they don't usually have much info. It sounds like you called the premium number first - did they give you an email access code? I just got mine and emailed yesterday, so I have no idea if they'll be able to tell me anything more via email or not, but at this point I'm willing to try anything.

I should also add that it was only because it was UNDIAGNOSED high blood pressure that it was a problem. If you wanted to head any problems off at the pass without going down to London, have him get a full checkup with his local GP now, so that anything like that can be an "Oh, I know about it, and I'm getting treatment".

Yep- and get the letter from the doc ahead of time as well! Totally helped us.

You only need a letter from the GP if you have something you're diagnosed with, right? Mark was just at the GP a couple weeks ago and has a clean bill of health...does he need a letter stating that?

Can anybody tell me if there'd be any point in writing a letter to my Congressperson about the situation at this point? Or is there nothing they can do about it once it gets to the Dept of State?

You can ask them to make an inquiry but likely the only response you'll get is that they're backed up. It might get someone to actually look at your file though. What travel date did you list? Maybe that's why they're holding off on scheduling you?

If it's possible you should really reconsider holding off on the medical. If the embassy has everything they need at the interview they might issue the visa the next day and you'd have it the next day. They say 5 business days but it's usually quicker. If they've got to wait for the medical results you'll be pushing everything back by a week. Not the end of the world but if you're really in a crunch I wouldn't put anything off. Also (and I hope this doesn't happen) if something goes wrong the day of the medical, even something that seems like no big deal like slightly elevated blood pressure, you'll want time to be able to deal with that before the interview.

elevated blood pressure will keep them from clearing him for a visa?! Seriously?

Yes. It happened to us, and another couple this summer.

It delays the approval of the medical. In our case, about a month. If he went to his NHS doctor within a week and then started medication right away, probably only two weeks, but Nik elected to take a "monitor before medicate" approach. It's very easy to take care of, BUT it will cost you time.

I think the problem was spotted when you said you had sent in packet 3 in two parts? Do you mean the forms, and then later, the checklist? Or...one batch of forms and then later another form etc? Maybe you should send in the entire packet response (complete with your wedding and desired travel dates!!) again.

Also, check again with your vendors. Call them and make sure you can't reschedule (not cancel). We are still nearly 60 days away, so that reschedule window is closing...It was pretty standard for me when I asked that they accepted a reschedule and would even refund a certain amount if we canceled before 60 days.

We didn't send the packet 3 in two parts, no...we sent it complete once, but not recorded delivery. After 6 weeks of them saying they still hadn't rec'd anything from us, we sent it again recorded delivery. Three days after the recorded delivery one was signed for, the DOS was telling me that we were now in the system. Whether it was the first packet that was just making its way in, or the second one, I have no idea, and they can't tell me of course. They just say now that our Packet 3 was received in on July 14th and no interview date has been issued at this time. We did send a letter with the second packet 3, stating that we've planned an Oct 10th wedding and that Mark would like to be able to leave the country by Oct 3rd, but I don't know as it's done us any good.

As for vendors for the wedding - they'll happily reschedule, but any deposits we've paid are lost and we'd have to pay them again to secure new dates.

Contacting a congressman will do you no good, London will just tell you and the congressman that you shound NOT have made any plans until the visa was issued. To organize and book your wedding that can not be changed is very fool hardy.

Lets all hope that everything gets sorted out in time. I would not wait until the interview date to have the medical as this will delay the issue of the visa. Spend the extra it will cost for the trip south for the medical at least a week before the interview date.

True. In the interview letter they usually state precisely that. Do not make plans until your visa has been approved.

But you have to admit that plenty of people do it on a regular basis and it works out fine. I read about them on here every day.

Can anybody tell me if there'd be any point in writing a letter to my Congressperson about the situation at this point? Or is there nothing they can do about it once it gets to the Dept of State?

You can ask them to make an inquiry but likely the only response you'll get is that they're backed up. It might get someone to actually look at your file though. What travel date did you list? Maybe that's why they're holding off on scheduling you?

If it's possible you should really reconsider holding off on the medical. If the embassy has everything they need at the interview they might issue the visa the next day and you'd have it the next day. They say 5 business days but it's usually quicker. If they've got to wait for the medical results you'll be pushing everything back by a week. Not the end of the world but if you're really in a crunch I wouldn't put anything off. Also (and I hope this doesn't happen) if something goes wrong the day of the medical, even something that seems like no big deal like slightly elevated blood pressure, you'll want time to be able to deal with that before the interview.

elevated blood pressure will keep them from clearing him for a visa?! Seriously?

Can anybody tell me if there'd be any point in writing a letter to my Congressperson about the situation at this point? Or is there nothing they can do about it once it gets to the Dept of State?

Len is right. If you are filing for a K-1 he cannot be married to receive the K-1. If he gets married then the K-1 becomes null and void and you would have to start the visa process all over again from the beginning with a spousal visa (CR-1). Having some sort of an engagement party or reception on the date - as long as there is no ceremony that can be interpreted by USCIS as a wedding - is possible but still very risky. You cannot have any type of officiant to swear the words - and I actually doubt you would be able to find an officiant who is willing to give a 'non-legal' wedding ceremony. Your best options are either to hope you can get an interview soon - or consider putting off the date of the 'wedding'. Good luck.

Our officiant has actually done so before and doesn't have a problem doing that if we need her to...but we're only using that as a worst case scenario option.

In general, trips to the US are no big deal, even if you are denied entry. But when you go between packet 3 and the interview, you may force them to re-review your travel history and thusly delay your visa.

I can understand how you might be stuck on your wedding date of October 10th (I'm certainly stuck to mine!!). As I was getting ready to plan our wedding, I kept saying, "Well, if we don't have the visa by then, he's coming over here for the party, so THERE!!" I understand a little more about the process, so your plan of coming over for the ceremonial bit would be a case of last resort...If you feel uncertain and panicky, have you considered selecting a different day? Can you afford to eat the cost of a reschedule?

8 weeks is still quite a while. If you stay on top of things, you may still make it. Is there anything you can do to minimize any hold-ups? Medical complete? All documents in hand, etc?

Hope things work out.

I can't afford to reschedule, no. The only thing working in my favor is that I haven't sent invites out yet, but everything else has had deposits put down, etc. Ugh.

So, am I right in reading from your reply that you think he WOULD be allowed to enter the US even if he was between packet 3 and interview? We're totally find with just doing the ceremony but not signing anything official until the visa actually is granted, but it does me no good to plan on that if he gets turned around oncehe gets to Boston...lol

He hasn't had his medical done yet because he wanted to try and schedule it the same day or a day before the interview so as to only have to make one trip down to London and back. Everything else is ready to go, though. He has a copy of all the stuff I've ever sent the USCIS, he's got his police certificate (in duplicate), and he's got extra copies of all the forms we filled out from the packet 3 letter (even though he sent copies of them all in with the checklist).

Do you think the fact that we sent another whole packet 3 response 6 weeks after we sent the first one might have mucked things up somehow? It wasn't maybe 3 days after the embassy rec'd the 2nd packet 3 response from us that we were suddenly showing up in their system when I called.

I also would not plan on entering and "marrying" on the VWP. London can be pretty accomodating in terms of rescheduling interviews so don't worry about that until you actually have a date.

Try calling DOS (202)663-1225, press 1 then 0

Not sure how much they'll be able to tell you but they can let you know if you've been qualified for an interview or if you're missing any paperwork or if they've for some reason invented some new kind of AP to put you on even before the interview (doubtful of course).

I call the DOS number about once a week. I actually called today before I called the $16 number, and they are closed today for some reason. They never tell me anything except "your packet 3 was received into the system on July 14th and that no interview has been scheduled, and to call back in a week. It's super frustrating.

Alright, so I just got off the phone with the Embassy phone service...the one that charges you $16 just to give you an email access code...and I was told that there's something holding up the scheduling of Mark's interview, but I have to email to find out what. I've sent the email, but I've heard they don't reply too swiftly. Our wedding is planned for 8 weeks from now, and I'm panicking. Worst case scenario, if his interview is scheduled after Oct 10th (our wedding date), would he still be able to enter the country on a visitor's visa before then, be here for the wedding (though not sign the license), and then go back to the UK for his interview? Or will that not work? I'm so sick to my stomach over this. Everything went so well right along this whole process until now, and I'm so afraid that all this planning I've done and money we've spent is going to go down the tubes!

Any help anyone could suggest would be most appreciated...

Hi again All,

It has been 8 weeks since I send in my notice that I was ready for an interview and I have heard nothing back at all from the embassy, should I be worried? Whats the best way to contact them for an update: I called there £1.20/min info line once before and was charged a small fortune and didnt even get to speak to a real person so i dont fancy that again, Ive already emailed them at both londonpassports@state.gov and SCSLondon@state.gov. What else can i do? The wedding is now 15 weeks away and Im getting nervous about having my interview in time!

Sincerely,

Mark

I'm in the same boat, except our wedding is only 8 weeks away. I can't get any info from DOS other than that we're "in the system", and my fiance hasn't had any mail through from the Embassy at all on his end. All my emails have been bounced back saying they don't accept email enquiries! If you find anything out, please let me know as I'm in panic mode at this point, too.

Quick update for you all: we re-sent our packet 3 stuff on July 8th (via recorded delivery this time!!). It was signed for on July 13th, and I called the DOS a few days later just out of curiosity, only to be told that we were FINALLY in the system, as of July 14th! YIPPEE! No clue if it's the actual first packet 3 stuff that finally got processed, or if it was the second batch...but as long as we're there, I don't care too much!

Now we're just waiting on an interview date. In peoples' experience, about how long does it usually take to get the interview date from the time you're processed into the system? I've read about 4 weeks elsewhere...hoping it doesn't run much longer than that, as we're going to be cutting it close as it is.

I posted my Packet 3 to the address provided on the checklist and got this message ...'Your item with reference SCXXXXXXXXXGB was delivered before 07:23 on 21/07/09. As the item was redirected, it will have taken longer than usual. Please ensure the correct address is used for future mailings'.

Can anyone who has sent special or recorded delivery tell me if they got this same message please?

Thank you for your help in advance.

Mine said the same thing, but it got there just fine.

Ok, an update: he DID send the packet to the right address, so there shouldn't be any reason why they haven't gotten it. I think we're going to send it again, just incase, and send it recorded delivery this time just to ease my frantic mind...

In the original packet, he sent the checklist along with ALL the forms we had downloaded and filled out (some signed, some not, as per the directions). He did NOT send the police certificate, his birth certificate, or any of the I-129F materials. Was this all correct, or is there something else we should be sending / not sending? The info on the actual embassy website is kind of unclear, and he's nervous that sending in the wrong things will delay the processing.

It's not unheard of for it to take more than 4 weeks to enter the system, especially during the summer when there always seems to be a slowdown. However, if you are really concerned, you might consider resubmitting P3. It is completely possible to send it back Royal Mail with tracking -- I sent mine special delivery which was trackable.

WAIT WAIT WAIT -- I just read he sent it to a PO Box address? What address was that? As far as I know, it should have been sent to the Immigrant Visa Unit, which is at Upper Grosvenor Street. Could this be the problem?

I'll have to double-check with him what address he sent it to. If he sent it to the wrong address...oh, boy.

I'm so frustrated. Mark sent his packet 3 stuff in to the Embassy 4 weeks ago on Friday, and DOS is telling me, as of today, that there is still no indication that the Embassy has received it. I'm not even asking for an interview date...I'm literally just asking them to acknowledge that they've received our stuff and we're in the queue for a date. I was told today that we should have shipped it to the Embassy in a manner that could be tracked, but Mark says that it's not possible to ship recorded delivery to a PO Box in the UK? I'm so fed up with trying to get info out of the DOS about what's going on 3000 miles away. If I cough up the $16 to call and get an email code so that I can email the embassy, will they even be able to tell me whether or not his stuff has been received?

Sorry to tread already-worn paths...I'm just at my wit's end. I don't dare to go through with any more wedding plans until Mark gets his interview date, and I'm getting tons of pressure from my family to get the wedding planned and ready to go. I just wish information were more accessible.

We've been waiting well over 8 weeks for an interview date and my fiance has called the DOS every day for the last few weeks and we're getting the same 'it's fine, just keep waiting' #######! Should we be worried at all that it's still not here? I know I put down the wedding date as September 24th so that's probably not helping things. Getting quite worried about all the little problems which could arise at the interview, I really can't wait until it's all over and done with and we haven't got to worry about this phase any more. Fed up of my job and general life here in England, and I obviously miss Samantha like crazy! Really is getting too much for me I have to be honest Oh well, rant over. Thanks for reading

The Sams'.

Hi - Mark sent his packet in to the Embassy 3 weeks ago on Friday, and DOS is still telling me over here that we're not even in the Embassy's system yet...so I feel your pain, to a certain degree. We were knuckleheads and didn't put anything into the "do you have concrete travel plans" question...we just left it blank because we weren't sure what to do...so I'm praying that they don't take that as a "we're happy to wait"!! We are planning an Oct 10th wedding, and I dare not send out invitations until Mark's got his interview date, so the longer this drags on, the worse the stress level gets.

Also - the last time I spoke with the DOS (which was Friday), I asked if it mattered whether we had put a date in the travel date area or not and she claimed that it has nothing to do with whether the paperwork gets processed faster. I'm sure they're probably trained to say that, but...I found it interesting.

When you sent in your packet, did you ever get anything back from the Embassy stating "yes, we got your packet"? We have not, which is what worries me. I've heard people say they don't send anything out, and I've heard people say they do...so I've really been stressing over it.

Take care,

Shelby (Vermont) & Mark (Huddersfield)

Hi Shelby. I'm in Vermont too. Been here since 2004 but planning to leave as the winters have finally got to me!

No way! Where in VT, if you don't mind my asking? I'm right on border with NH, about an hour and a half southeast of Burlington.

The winters ARE hard (and expensive nowadays!), but I don't think I'd trade it for anywhere else...at least, not yet. Maybe in another 20-30 years I'll be singing a different tune.

Hi all -

Just found this board with the help of another VJ'er, and figured I'd introduce myself. My name is Shelby, and I live in Vermont, USA. My fiance is Mark, and he's living in Huddersfield, UK. We've just sent in all the forms to the embassy in London a week ago, and we're now nervously trying to figure out what's next!

I emailed the Embassy earlier today to check that they got our package, and got a reply back that the email had been deleted without being read and that I wouldn't be able to get any info via email. My main question is, is there a way to check and make sure they got everything? Is there a number I can call or something? I'm sorry if I'm asking questions people have answered 100 times...we're new to this!

Also - Mark was hoping to be able to schedule his medical for the same day as his interview so as not to have to pay to get down to London and back twice. Is this advisable, or is it better to do it earlier and just have it done with? Can anyone give us any advice there?

Thanks everyone!

Best,

Shelby

Darned topic got moved while I was replying.

No, they don't tell you they received it.

No, you do not have to make an appointment for the medical before the interview. In fact, you can have the medical after the interview, no issues (except a slight delay, as they will have to wait for the results before visa processing can begin). I believe that those who try to have the medical on the same day (or the day before or the day after) call for an appointment with Knightsbridge as soon as they know the interview date. It seems to work out pretty well. DOS can tell you when your interview date is as soon as it's scheduled (as opposed to waiting for the letter in the mail), but you have to call them. 202 663 1225

Yes, I think you mail the forms in but bring the documents with you. Some forms were supposed to be signed, some not. If he's unsure he can print out another copy and bring them unsigned to the interview with him. I don't think that sending too many things will hurt (like sending too few would).

Lastly, why don't you come on down to the UK forum? We've got pinned threads for medicals, and recommended hotels etc.

-H

Oooh, I wasn't aware there was a UK forum! Good deal.

I guess i"m just nervous and over-thinking things because we're trying to plan a wedding on 10/10/09 and the longer we go without hearing anything, the more freaked out I get about spending money on a wedding...which, I know, we probably shouldn't have started laying money out for stuff until he had visa in hand, but things just didn't work out that way.

Hi all -

My fiance sent all his forms in a week ago to the London embassy. Do they typically mail out some kind of a receipt saying "yes, we got all your paperwork and you're now in the queue"? Also, is he supposed to make an appt for his medical before getting his interview date? I've read that some people make the medical appt and then tell the embassy when it is in hopes of getting an interview date on the same day? He can't really afford to make 2 trips to London, so we'd really like to have both appts the same day if at all possible. I'm just nervous that if he waits to make the appointment for the medical, they'll be all booked for the day he has his interview.

Also, Mark couldn't decide what forms were supposed to be sent in to the embassy, so he sent everything that the letter told him to download and fill in. Is that going to hurt us, or was that the appropriate thing to do?

Any info you could give me would be great.

Thanks!

Shelby

scan filled out form is ok

it just needs original signature.

Super. That's what I was hoping. Seemed to make sense.

Thanks much!

Hi All -

I helped out my very busy fiance by filling in the DS230, DS-156, DS-156K and DS-157 forms that he will need to take to the embassy in London with him. I scanned them and emailed them to him when I was done, but then I happened to think...will the embassy be ok with that? They're no less original than if he were to type the info in and print them out himself, really...and I have plenty of time to mail him the hardcopies if necessary...I just wondered.

Also, all these forms seem super redundant...they all ask for the same info! Do we really need them ALL?

Thanks

Shelby

Great - it worked! Now have the USCIS site setup to update on progress via email.

If you've already gotten your NOA2, I don't think you'll hear anything more from the USCIS at this point, anyway. You're in the hands of the Dept of State now (as are we!), I believe.

My fiance is from the UK as well and we just got our NOA2, so we're kind of in the same boat as you...feel free to PM me if I can be of any help.

Straight from the FAQ:

Basically, your employer letter should state "To whom it may concern: (first name,last name) has been employed

full-time with the XYZ Company since 200_ as a (name of your job), and is an employee in good standing with an

annual salary of $XXXX. Signed, John Doe, Supervisor (or whatever title)" The letter should be on company

letterhead.

thank you. there's so much info on this site that sometimes I'm not sure where to look. I didn't see it in the guide so I thought it best to ask.

Hi all -

I'm working on gathering the stuff my fiance will need to take to the interview with him, and on the guide it says that along with the I-134, I should have a letter from my employer stating my job title, salary, etc. I'm about to ask my boss to do this for me, but my question is kind of silly: can it just be a "To Whom It May Concern" letter, or does it have to actually be to a specific party / address?

Thanks

Shelby