Hellojulie

One thing to take into account is those filing DCF will get quicker appointment dates. It's worth checkng to see who is filing from within the UK before comparing the dates to your own.

For DCF it is generally currently appearing to run 2 months from the date they receive it. 1 month to receive the appointment letter, and an additional month to the interview date.

Oh horray! So pleased for you. I'm surprised the order they did things in was so different than ours!

We got my husbands visa back 3 business days after the interview.

Tomorrow night we leave for London for our interviews Friday morning. My nerves are getting the best of me, even though I know that we haven't done anything wrong or left out anything. This whole process is so frustrating, and I'm up to my ears in boxes.. walking around them, tripping over them, knocking them over. I know it's best to have everything packed and ready (so I can get a good estimate of size for shipping companies), but living another 60+ days like this is going to drive me nuts (as if I wasn't nuts already!).

Good Luck - I know the feeling! You will be ok I was so nervous, but it was much easier than I imagined. I think it is hard not to get nervous with all the preparation involved I - it is a huge buildup to something that is over in a few hours.

But when its all done you'll be like.... oh... that was IT? and then continue with tripping over boxes. (my husband is currently annoyed that I packed up half of our coffee mugs and we don't move for a month - but, we need to decide what we are bringing sometime!!! )

We received the passport with visa and brown envelope back today. Not bad for an appt on Tuesday! We didnt expect it this soon - he hadn't left an ID here so I was searching through his bin to find a utility bill or something with his name on it when the guy showed up haha!

Ok - as promised - its REALLY LONG, but hopefully helpful to someone, I know reading other peoples experiences helped me.

We were applying for IR-1 visa DCF through London. My husband is UKC and I am USC/UKC dual living in the UK.

We went down to London the night before and stayed at the Radisson Edwardian Bloomsbury - sorta posh modern feeling but not TOO expensive (for London anyhow) it was about a mile from the embassy - so taxi distance, but not too bad. In the morning the taxi driver was actually super helpful and told us where to queue up!

Our appointment was at 9:30, but since it was my understanding that the earlier you get there the better, I got up at 6 and we planned to get there about 7:30. By the time we had breakfast and all got out the door and checked out ect it was about 8 by the time we arrived.

There are two lines near each other - one for US citizen services, one for visas.

We still needed to check our phones at goulds pharmacy, and I realised I had no idea where it was once we got there. So I checked it on google maps on my phone, it is 26 feet away from the embassy, in case anyone was wondering. Its probably worth looking before you go - I had a panic moment, even though it is indeed very close. It took about 5 minutes to deal with our phones at the pharmacy - they give you a number and ask for your name and mobile number. You have to verify them both and sign for it later when you return to pick it up.

So - we got in the line - there were only maybe 30 people in front of us at about 8:15 but it was going very quick! Took maybe 10 minutes tops to get in the building? There were 2 women at the front of the line checking interview letters and passports. The nice woman added my name and my sons name to the interview letter it no problem. (We did not require visas so I was not sure they'd let us in!)

You walk a bit, and then show the interview letter and passports to another guard just before the security hut. They let people into the small building 3 at a time. They ran our bags through an airport type scanner, and we walked through a metal detector and that was it. You leave through a small door to the side and then around the side of the main embassy building. There are signs pointing to where you go that say "VISAS" so a bit difficult to get lost. Up some stairs and inside.

Once inside there is a desk, they take your letter and passports again and attach several stickers to your letter. It is the number they call when they want you.

The main hall has a few things - restrooms - passport photo machine (broken when we were there FYI but they do them at goulds apparently) food stuff. A few computers but not sure what they were for? Printing off visa forms?

Inside there are lots of chairs facing the centre of the room and a panel of screens with peoples numbers and the window they should go to. Lots and lots of people. They also call the numbers out loud over an intercom system. There are LOADS of N numbers being called. It felt like 100 N numbers for every time they called an I number. (N numbers for non immigrant visas I numbers for immigrant visas)

I tried to read a book but I ended up just staring at the screen as I was too nervous to do anything else. Then I would start spacing out and worry I'd miss them calling our number.

I have no idea how long we waited the first time - we had no watches, normally use our phones!. Maybe an hour? 2 hours? We were called to window 13. The woman asked us my husbands passport. She could tell we were nervous and said to calm down a bit. (Told us to BREATHE.) Then his passport photos. The then asked if he had his medical yet - disappeared somewhere for a while and came back with his medical file and xray. She told us to open the xray to be sure it was his. My husband said he they were definitely his ribs and she laughed. (there is a sticker at the bottom with your name and passport number on it.) We were then instructed to the window right next door to pay.

After we came back she asked for his birth certificate + copy, marriage certificate +copy, police report + copy. She then asked for the DS-230. We handed her part 2 (unsigned) and she asked where part 1 was. I said I'd mailed it and wondered if they'd not received it! She left and came back a while later with it. (*phew)

She then asked for the I-864. We tried to hand her the whole stack of stuff at once but she gave back and said to give her just the form. So we did, and after that only gave her the items she asked for (I think we were being a bit eager, and she probably felt like we were shoving things at her - she was patient with us though.) Something to bear in mind, is to only give what they ask for, not a big pile of documents together.

She looked through the form briefly to be sure I'd filled it out and signed it. She then asked for my 2009 tax returns. I had all 3 years since I am self employed but she only wanted 2009. She then asked if I had bank statements. She asked for clarification on what part was savings and that was it. I had made a really detailed file showing quarter 1 earnings (since the form asks for CURRENT earnings, not 2009 earnings) but it was not questioned and so I never gave it to her.

My dad filled out an I-864 as well - I thought we would need a joint sponsor as it is difficult as a self employed person. They look at line 22 of your tax return FYI. (income after expenses are taken out) I was over the poverty level + had savings, but, basically you never know!

She told me I probably had enough earnings +savings and just to keep my dads sponsor form. If it was needed later I had it, but she didn't think so.

The then asked me "Have you taken any steps with regards to moving back?"

The big domicile question! She did not ask if I still had a US license, or voters record or US banks accounts. If that was all I'd brought I'd have been in trouble - its not what she asked for.

I had a whole folder of things as I knew they were looking at this more closely.

I gave her:

1 ) Deposit we paid a relocation agent to help us find somewhere to live - it included a date we planned to use her services to find a place to rent and a page describing what the services are. Basically - proof we would find somewhere to live, even though we don't have an address yet.

2 ) Deposit paid + contract on 3 week holiday apartment rental while we find somewhere to live.

^ with regards to the above. We paid deposits, but in the grand scheme of things, I would have just lost a deposit if everything went to poop. Not the end of the world, but I think helped a lot.

3) School applications for my son. I had a HUGE stack of things including financial aid packets and all sorts - she kind of looked at the GINORMOUS pile and sighed and said to just give her info for one school.

After that she said to stop (please). I also had but she did not take: emails regarding driving lessons for my husband, moving quotes, medical insurance info. plus the usual stuff like voting record ect. I have no idea if any of these would have helped as she didn't know what else I had in my big enormous folder.

After that she gave us a form to fill out for the courier and said to sit back down. Maybe 30 minutes later a lovely man called us back up. He asked a few questions to my husband I could not hear as I was not all that close to the window. I think he asked how long we'd been married - and when we planned to move.

He then said he wanted to ask me some questions - he asked if my clients were US based as they needed to be in order for me to sponsor my husband. I said yes - and that was it really. He asked where we were moving - he had a big smile and said he had lived there too and like it. That was that. OH! he did mention the brown envelope that comes with the courier and not to open it.

We then went to the courier counter and paid. The person at the counter also said not to open the brown envelope when it arrived. Left and did a little happy dance.

We were all very tired - it was a bit emotionally draining to be honest. Got the train home earlier than planned as we were all pretty wiped out.

Sorry - its late and this is long, and I know I have forgotten bits. Overall everyone there was nice - it was much easier than I thought, but I think I overcompensated with the documents a bit. (I recommend this over under compensating though!)

Ok we I get some time this evening I make a whole big write up about it including what documents they took from us. Our situation is also a bit odd as I'm self employed - all my clients are us based but I thought for sure we'd need a joint sponsor but didn't! She told me to keep the folder containing the joint sponsor info unless he asked for it. He just verified with me that my clients were indeed from the us and that was it! Crazy. All the little bits I was so stressed over weren't such a huge deal.

I promise I will write it all out before I forget in the event it might help someone.

rito It's funny he saw us then as I was frazzled haha! We'd just given them all our documents and was balancing what she didn't want plus the huge envelope with my husbands xeay plus our drinks and my coat and bag ect. And I was annoyed the man behind us had a chair just for his jacket and breifcase and glared at me when I bumped the chair because I was carrying 8 million things. Hehe!

My domicile folder was jammed with stuff. She told me to stop handing her stuff after a while. I'll write what I included and what she actually took from me if it will help! I went overboard I think because that was the bit I was really worried about.

No problem - will do it in a bit when I can grab the laptop off my son. He's making up for the fact there are no electronics allowed and spent the morning doing word puzzle books.

should I add it to this thread or make a new one?

Approved for IR-1 visa. Will write up a full report for people of they'd like.

FYI - for those asking about kids, they just let us in, no questions asked.

We got there at 8 for 9:30 appt. Were out in 2.5 hours.

We did not buy any food but we did buy drinks. 2.80 for 2 waters and a fanta. Not insane really. They also had sandwiches, fruit, crsips ect and ice cream!

the courier desk did indeed say cards only.

I sat near to men with I numbers, but was afraid to ask if any of them were from here!

I am sorry for the person above that has to send in more documents.

Thank you very much for your reply. it's what I thought, but wanted to check....

Quick question - I've read in various places that they interview you in the order you arrive not interview time. However the link on the website says they will not let you in more than 30 min before your interview. Does anyone know which is correct? We planned to get there about 7:30 which is substantially earlier than our appointment time.

Thanks all. I'm sure we are fine. Will report back either way.

Ugh. We go down to London tomorrow for my husbands appointment ties morning. Really getting nervous now. don't even know why! :/

If it helps, I'm a USC and I did not seek prior permission to attend the interview. At the head of the line where they look at the appointment letter, I had my US passport in hand and said, "I'm an American citizen. May I go in with my fiance?" He said "sure." While that's no guarantee it will work on any given day, it's worth a try. It is very crowded inside, so I assume they discourage non-essential people because of space limitations.

I took in a purse/handbag that holds a ton of stuff because of many compartments and a full flap that can be stuffed too. It measures 11 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches. You can't take in car keys with the electronic gizmo chips, electronic games, mp3 players, headphones, cameras, cell phones. Items I did see going through the x-ray scanner thing were watches and cigarette lighters. They give a plastic bag out in the line so things like watches and men's pocket items can ride through the x-ray contained in the bag. I was starting to put my watch in the plastic bag and the bag lady said I could put mine in my handbag to ride through the machine.

Thanks for that I have had my name added to attend but not my son. We'll just have to see how it goes! I just need enough room to bring 8,000 word searches for him to last the 5 hours we'll be waiting around. I'll just bring my biggest handbag. I thought there was some rule you cant bring in backpacks. Are messanger type / man bags ok?

My husbands interview is on the day the train strike begins as well. We are now driving - and praying we get refund on train tickets. It was a fortune for the 3 of us.

Also, starting to get a bit nervous. Can someone point me to the size of bag you are allowed to bring in?

We have now decided that for sure my son and I will try to attend with my husband. I want to be sure we have enough to entertain a 10 year old for hours... but it is my understanding that they will not let you bring in a backpack? Is there a link to what you can and cant bring in? (aside from electricals, I knew that bit )

hahah! the last thing I need is him having dirty immigration officer thoughts.

Unlike you, I would never let my husband go in alone because he hasn't touched a single piece of paperwork this whole visa process except to sign where I've told him to. I've got everything ordered and labeled, but if a question arose and he couldn't answer it and it delayed us, I don't know if I'd be able to forgive myself. So all four of us are going.

Oh gosh, I know what you mean - thats why Ive been worried. I have done evvvveryyyything. I just didn't think I had a choice - as in, I thought they would not let us in if my son was with us. I think we will go over the paperwork as thoroughly as possible just in case, but try to go with him. Printing out the page from the embassy website is a good idea.

Thanks everyone.

I don't know how helpful these two links are but I came across them during the week:

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/?p=712

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/?p=784

If someone from the embassy said not to bring them then it seems a little contradictory. But I also notice these blogs were post lasted year so I don't know if they changed something.

That is odd, I went back and read the email I was sent.

To paraphrase it says:

Remember the petitioner is not required to attend - he can appear alone - we do not advise bringing children (because it can take ages), but we are happy to allow YOU to attend (me, his spouse, not child).

So I suppose in retrospect they are advising me not to bring him, not saying that I can't. It is so strongly worded though, it made me assume there is a rule against it. We will be in London with him, maybe we should just all show up and see what happens?

Normally I would not mind him going alone, its just that I am self employed. If they have questions about my taxes ect for the I-184, he'll be a bit stuck answering them.

Ergh. Will be happy when this bit is over.

I have received packet 4 today from the Embassy. My interview date is 6th of May. We are living in Scotland at the moment and my fiance would love to attend the interview with me. We have almost 2 year old daughter which we have to take with us:-) Most of the time she is a well behaved toddler, I think it will be actually entertaining for her, but she might get bored plus I need to take drink/food for her. Has anyone had a similar situation ? Has anyone took the toddler at similar age to the Embassy?

As an FYI, I called the number and emailed the embassy to take our ten year old son with us to the interview. They wouldn't add him to the list to get in and stated that they advise against bringing children - and simply reminded me that the spouse is not required to be at the interview. So my husband will be going on his own...

You may have better luck than I, but its worth calling and emailing the embassy first before travelling all the way down there and finding out on the day.

Ahhh ok. I will have to wait until we have everything together and do the qoutes again with the combined sizes and weights.

Oops - I just noticed on the list I'm listed as k-1, but we are IR-1. sorry - I put that in the timeline but it's not showing under my name for some reason.

congrats!

I just wanted to get an idea of rates for the boxes we plan to ship by air - so I packed up one box - weighed it and got a quote on several websites.

The box is 38x30x30 and weighted 6kg. (just for example - an average box with misc in it)

Parcelmonkey give me a rate of £55.72 for DHL

Interparcel.com gives me a rate of £43.50 for DHL (with NEXT DAY delivery?!?), 45 for fedex and 44 for UPS

Parcel2go give the yet another rate of £38.82 for DHL

I have experience with Interparcel shipping to the US and never had any problems.

The others seem to be basically the same tho - and Parcel2go seems substantially cheaper than Parcelmonkey. Does Parcelmonkey give a discount for bulk shipping or something?

To be honest at 38.82£ per box we could ship 75 boxes of that size to equal the average shipping quote from like Robinsons ect. (3000£ is listed as their average for a move to the US)

In our case we are shipping no furniture. The problem will be books and my husbands record collection. hmmm.... I was going to split between air an space in a container, but I wonder if we need space in a container at all?

yep, I know - we'll see, maybe I can still find someone to watch him... Otherwise, I'll just have to be sure he understands what the binders of documents I am sending with him is for.

Ok thanks

I did email to try to have my son added. They have Easter break then, and the person that was going to watch him for me is away on holiday. They sort of nicely said no as it's recommended not to bring children so my husband may be going on his own. I understand the policy but feel bad - I know my husband really wanted me to be there....