Twinkles

I stumbled upon this Topic last night. Don't feel so alone now. Been feeling like a real wet blanket.

We aka Hubby and i are November filers from 2013.

Having already involved our Senator office once, we surely hope we don't need to ask them to step in again.

I think first week of November is when our 60 days are up. So factoring everything in, i think i may need to start accepting our Son, wont be here this side of Christmas.

We still need case complete, then wait for UK Embassy interview appointment, then wait for his passport and visa to be mailed for him.

It's very hard to say "chin up, not much longer now to him" Everybody keeps asking, if we have heard anything. All we can do is reply with a shake of the head. This is just so incredibly cruel, for Families to be separated for such a long time...well not all families suffer this fate, but i'm not going to go there, cos it just makes me mad >.>

Attempting to think happy thoughts here and hoping of news soon.

On his visa, you will have the interview appointment set up by the NVC first. . What's to keep you from not having the medical until maybe the day before? Nothing.

K1s and DCF filers aren't given an interview (assigned by embassy) until the medical results are received. That isn't hanging over your head. Just do it. Ask for forgiveness instead of permission. "

"I can't find your medical file."

"I'm sorry, but due to coming from the US, we weren't able to bring him to London sooner."

"Okay, then he is approved pending medical."

Is he a child??

Thanks for clarifying.

He is 20 years old ( we married before he was 18)

Due to medical. He needs support and assistance to make a trip to London.

It gets sent to the NVC in the US.

Make a photocopy all of the original documents that you send to the NVC ( for your own use- it's good to have a record of everything you've sent and they have lost things in the past although it's rare), but they will hand back the original documents that you have sent to the NVC at the end of the interview in London.

Thanks for the response. Understood about getting copies.

On a side note, are any of you guys/gals aware of anyone on the I130 track,

who has done the medical and interview in London, in one overnight stay trip recently?

We are hoping special consideration can be given. Not sure who we need to call about that...NVC or London Embassy?

Our Senators office is unsure :/

Since Son will be accompanied by us to London and we will be flying over from the US to oversee this final part.

It's a bit of a travel nightmare for us, if we have to do London in two separate trips.

If it is possible, we do realize, he will be interviewed and then it will be pending Medical result. We are fine with that, this is how it was several years ago for us. So no strangers to waiting.

You send the police certificate with the IV package but get him to photocopy it before he sends it off so you don't need two. The staff at knightsbridge are happy with a photocopy.

Ah that's great. Thanks for clearing the medical up for us.

So does the IV package get sent to somewhere in England, or is it America?

So will we get these original certificates back?

Original police cert and original Birth cert.

He only has one birth certificate in UK, if they don't return documents, then he will need to go to the registry office before emigrate.

Getting myself all caffuffled in the details here. Im assuming for a London IV package, he needs.

He is under 21 and Unmarried.

-Bar-coded cover sheet from payment portal

-Cover letter (optional)

-Two passport-style photographs (2" x 2")

-Copy of bio-data page of passport

-Original or Certified Copy of birth certificate, PLUS A PHOTOCOPY

-Original police certificate

Hi all,

We just filled out the DS261 for my Son

I'm just going over the later details of the process for him in the wiki.

It seems to be different of how things were for me on the K1 process a few years ago.

Im hoping someone can make things a little clearer for me, as im confused.

Here is the link im reading

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process#Step_4_-_AOS_Package

Im reading about an AOS package and a IV package.

So in regards to the IV package, it sounds like my Son in England needs to send us (here in America) his police certificate, for us to mail to the immigration here?

I thought he needs the police check certificate for the medical side in London....

So does this mean he needs two police check certificates? I only ever recall getting one in the past...but that was the past and i realise things may have changed.

Or am i understanding this all wrong >.> any help would be appreciated.

We have waited an awful long time, it would be great if we can prepare/understand whats going to be asked for, well in advance.

Getting our ducks in a row, so to speak.

Thx!

I think you will hear something at completion of 60 days...

60 days was up on the 15th July. We heard absolutely nothing.

So enough of the dancing with them on the phone, finally my Husband was able/allowed to contact the Senator for our area, due to the 60 days expiry.

On the 18th July the Senators office contacted my Husband via email.

Apparently the day the Senators staff inquired about our case, 16th July, was the same day it was approved.

Coincidence? more than likely...not.

Now we are told by the Senators staff, the case is going off to the National visa center and to be prepared for another long wait, to be issued a new case number.

Lord only knows how long that's going to be....Maybe its going to be another one of the magical 60 days tours!

I just hope if it is, it stays a tour and not an expedition.

That looks like it may be the one, thank you. I've no idea if it will in fact make a difference but it's free to get a copy so why not

Nick-Nick, you are once again an outstanding help, thank you!

I was discussing with my fiancee just last night about how the US insurance works as i believe it was the car that was insured and not the driver like it is in the UK. We weren't sure if i need to be a named driver either, which you've cleared up too (dependant on PA rules).

Do US insurers not charge more to insure the car if you are 16 and just started driving for instance? I had heard that immigrants would be treated as a 'new' driver and thus assumed you'd be charged more to insure said car but by the sounds of it that isn't true..

Can only tell you my experience here in Virginia

I never ever drove in the UK.

When i emigrated, my Husband taught me here, on the streets of Virginia xD wrong side of the road an all that.

Passed drivers test in August 2013. I don't get penalized on my car insurance for being a new driver. Although i'm also not 16

The only thing i recall was, my learners permit was linked to the date on my green card.

My two year Green card was expiring at the end of the Month that i passed. Due to there being less than 30 days before expiry.

The Lady at the DVLA had to make a call to Richmond for clearance to issue a drivers license to me.

So i have made one trip back to the DVLA since then.

To show my new 10 year Green card and get my drivers license, expiry date extended.

By the way, up until i passed my test, i learned to drive in my Husbands car.

Car insurance cost didn't change from what he was already paying. Once i passed my test, my Husband bought himself another car and i continued to drive the car i learned to drive in. It was only then (when we owned two cars) that our car insurance cost changed.

i just got the approval today .

Its just little over two months wait.

That's great news =)

Unfortunately, diddly squat for us.

Our Case is now with the Senators office.

Fingers crossed, they can find out what's going on

I hope they don't mean 60 business days. I am planning on calling them this next week...

I don't think it's business days.

We really are baffled as to what the hold up is with this service center.

This case isn't complicated. Our Son has had all checks on him once before and his immigration visa was issued.

We decided at the time to let him continue his education in England and then he would follow me on.

The Embassy told us "sure, let us know when he has a date to leave"

We told them....back in October last year....we are still waiting.

If this is how long it takes for straight forward. I would hate to see the complicated time lines.

Don't mind waiting, It's just the silence and the empty promise of " oh we will contact you" that really is a joke.

With a Department like that. It would do my blood pressure wise, to just let the Senator and his team, step in at this point

and act on our behalf.

It looks like we just need to fill in a privacy act release form and give a little information about our case to the Senators office for that to happen.

I'm having same issue too. I've been waiting more than two months now after sending more information for RFE

Is that with the Vermont Service Centre?

So if you have waited more than two months, have you nudged them?

We tried a few days ago and they told us to wait the full 60 days......

So roll on 15th July when we can hopefully find out what on earth is going on.

Hello all,

My Husband filed for my Son (his step son who is under 21) to join us i130 back in October 2013.

We married before my Son was 18 years old.

In April this year Vermont centre requested more information from my Husband

They acknowledged receipt of all the info we sent them in response on May 16th.

We were then told we would get a response within 60 days.

It's 60 days up next week, 15th July and to be honest the waiting is very hard.

Im like robinson crusoe crossing off the calendar day by day.....

We are wondering if Vermont is having some sort of back log? Apparently processing takes 5 months.

5 months from when >.>?

Our plan on the 15th is to contact our Senator....

To all you kind supporters:

Wow! Who knew anybody would miss me? I don't seek attention, controversy, or to be one of the popular kids. I just give from my heart to those I see struggling to be with their loved ones. For my entire life, if there is something I can do or share to help somebody, then I do it out of kindness.

I give hours daily to VJ because there is always just one more person who seems so sincere and needy that I hate to leave them hanging. So when I opened my iPad one evening to check on my people, I see I have been suspended for 24 hours. There is no reason why. I can't see anything...no threads, no mailbox, no profile, no click here. I was very deeply hurt by what felt like a kick in the teeth when I didn't do anything intentionally wrong. So I decided to move on. I don't fight back, and I don't play time-out games. I'm a volunteer. If it is hurtful, then walk away.

After maybe nine days away, I opened VJ again to check on progress of a couple of people I cared about. I had a PM from someone I was aware of as a regular that I don't normally interact with. It was about tax form 8938. So I replied that I was no longer posting on VJ, but if he still needed help I would be happy to discuss it by email. I guess he informed the UK posse. I didn't mean to cause a VJ bashing riot.

I want you to know that I have had very kind messages from the the Big Kahunas. They are caring people and provide an amazing service. As for me, this long period of not reading posts keeps my heart from being tugged. It's like going into Petco. If I don't go over to the cages of kitties up for adoption, then I am not tempted to bring one home. I just had a quick read of the UK forum, and there are many posts with incorrect info or uncertain replies that I could fine tune. You are correct that somebody with a six year history of a particular area has seen it all and can offer more than the blind leading the blind. But those people will work it out and get their visas, even it it takes a little longer, they make mistakes, or they stress a little more.

Meanwhile I have a long list of things to do for myself like finish clearing my desk so I can remember what color the wood is. Work is never as much fun for me as bringing comfort to a person in need, but I am going to give it a whirl and see how long I can stick to it.

Thank you all so much.

Whatever has happened aside. If there was one person to stick out in my mind from this Forum, it would be you.

Once seen, never forgotten, is an understatement.

You have been the most amazing, wonderful help here.

There have been times over the years, when you have responded to some of my posts and i cant thank you enough.

We have found it all to be a very daunting process and have and do feel helpless and totally un-knowledgeable at times .

My side of the process is all complete. Yay!

Unfortunately, there were some unavoidable delays for my Son and he did not emigrate with me.

When i emigrated alone, his passport with visa inside were returned to the US Embassy in London and they removed the Visa and returned his passport to him. Devastated was an under statement. Three very long years have now passed and i can now see the light at the end of that tunnel for us to be joined as a Family again.

We applied at the back end of last year to finally bring him over here. My Husband is sponsoring him, since he falls into the category for, official step child of American citizen. It feels like its taking forever. Other than the thanks for the cheque, we aint heard diddly squat back.

I try to search VJ for similar London cases, to see if i can get a time estimate indication, yet cant seem to find. This process has an uncanny knack of making me feel like a dumbus -.^

We have always been reassured, that if ever we had a question, help, was not far away aka you and others here in the UK section.

I sincerely hope you will pop your head in from time to time and continue to inject your knowledge in your extremely helpful postings.

and if not, well just know that there are folk who are deeply grateful and wont ever forget the help we got here.

The OP seems to be going through NVC which is different than the K1 and DCF process. The interview will be scheduled by the NVC and won't depend on medical results arriving first. I suppose they could plan the medical for any time, even though the embassy would like the results there before interview day. The hold-up for getting results to the embassy is waiting for the lab report to come back on the bloodwork. The visa could not be approved on The Day, and you would be left wondering how long it would take them to get back to the file and match it with incoming medicals.

Anybody planning to accompany someone into the embassy ought to try to get on the official list by calling the embassy and making arrangements in advance.

Thx for the reply. It's good to see your still around helping others, very much appreciated Nich-Nick.

Just to be sure i have understood you correctly.

I will be able to schedule his medical and interview like i did the last time.

The plan has always been for my Son to follow me on to the States. Unfortunately due to Medical and Education, his K2 has now expired. All thats sorted now and we have a rough leaving date for back end of next year for him W000o!.

We are trying to just check everything out now, to ensure a smooth process.

Medical, police check, interview all need to be done again for this Step Child application.

Even down to his British Passport needs to be renewed (good job my Daughter noticed the expiry >.>)

My US Husband is going to do the step child application for him.

I will be flying back to England to oversee my Sons Medical and Embassy Interview, which is why im hoping we can get this done for him, all in one trip to London.

Check my siggy! We never did get over staying at the Norman Bates Motel *shudders* We really dont want to go back there

So if you have any decent Hotel suggestions, please by all means, let me know.

Oh and we dont mind going Home and not knowing after the Embassy Interview.

We waited from the July until the November the last time we down there.

Im aware of the few days for Medical results to get to the Embassy. It was like that back in the Summer 2010.

In July 2010 We had our K1 and K2 Medicals one day and the following day had our Embassy Interview. Just needed to have on hand our Medical receipt.

Trying to see if anything has changed with that, in the last few years.

Hello all,

For a Step Child I-130 application.

Just want to check if the Medical and Immigration interview, can be done, one day after the other?

Would i also be allowed to accompany my Son into the Embassy?

It's been too long, a follow-to-join has to happen within a year of the K1.

Since you got married to your US citizen husband before the child was 18, the quickest thing would be for him to file a I-130 stepchild petition, it should take less than a year.

Thx for your response Penguin.

Been abit of a journey this, what with medical issues and Education tu boot.

We know a rough leaving date now for him.

Can i ask if this I-130 Visa is like the K1 with a 6 Month expiry on it, once granted?

And also, for him to qualify as a Step Child and it to take less than a year, will he need to be off British Soil, by the time he turns 21 years of age? He is turning 21 in January of 2015.

Looks like he needs UK Police check, his, like his K2, has expired.

Not sure expiration on Medical, guessing that too has expired

and possibly interviewed at the London US Embassy? all over again >.>

Hoping we can get the Medical and Interview done in the same trip to London. Things may have changed, so im searching to see if thats still possible.

Hello all,

Hopefully im in the right section for this.

Little background. I came here just over 2 years ago on a K1 Visa. Married and have just filed ROC (Green card has just been extended for one year)

At the same time i recieved my K1 visa, we secured a Visa for my Son as well in 2010

He had a full Medical in August 2010 and also his Immigration interview (London Embassy) was in August 2010

Due to the Medical Dr wanting quite a few things done, our passports were held by the London Embassy for several months.

In November 2010 we both received our passports back with visas inside. Before we were due to emigrate (Leave England)

My Son decided to stay there and finish Education. I had to inform the London Embassy and return his passport, with the visa inside.

They removed the Visa, returned his passport and told me, just to let them know, when he wanted to follow me on.

I emigrated in February 2011. My Son is age 19 now and we are hoping to move him out of England before he is 21.

We are trying to find out if due to the length of time since we sent his Visa back to the Embassy, if we will need to redo things.

Like police check.. Embassy interview... Medical?

Is there a special form we need to fill in *shrugs* Or do i just call the London Embassy and say ok he is now ready to leave and just give them his planned leaving date. Looking at the back end of next year December 2014 for him leaving England.

If there are things we need to do, i dont want to be missing the Boat on this, so any advice appreciated.

Green card holders do not apply for an ESTA.

You don't need ESTA if you have a green card. When you fill out your Advanced Passenger Information you put your country of residence as US and your country of citizenship as UK (I'm assuming) and it'll ask for your alien registration number. ESTA is only for people visiting the US not residents. Just don't forget to take your green card with you!

Aha, Thank you both very much =)

We did call British Airways....Guy was as useful as a wet fart.

I know it's only $10 for the Esta, but that $10 can go towards the kitty for a Newcastle Brown Ale.

Oh, im terribly sorry, I am a British Citizen. Living in America due to marrying a US Citizen.

I would like to visit my Family in the UK, for Tea and crumpets and then return back to the Usa.

Hello all

I have my two year Green Card.

Planning to fly to the UK in a few weeks time for a visit.

The Visa Waiver i applied for, before we got married has expired.

Just managing my booking on the British Airways site and it mentions Visa Waiver.

Am i safe to assume, i dont need to apply to Esta for Visa Waivers anymore?

Good luck with that. It's harder than you think. Not being understood gets frustrating at times, especially on the phone. If I didnt need to be on the phone and be understood all day in my job then I would still have a more pronounced english accent than i do. Some things won't change though, tomato, banana for example. I caused some confusion in Subway the other day as I asked for tomato in my sub, she reached for the Mayo so I repeated that i would like tomato not mayo. So she reached for the jalepinos. I ended up describing a tomato to the poor girl.

I struck lucky then Naw i knew it would pose a problem and i took some strategic moves to counteract it.

Currently being background checked for a job that actually embraces my Geordie.

The employers would actually be shaking my hand if my Geordie rubs off. You see im going to be starting work for a young bairn who is non verbal. Parents dont care what she says on the day she speaks. Even if it is "Aye" =)

I have noticed that a few things i say tend to raise a few laughs.... Like "Happy as Larry" ..."Bobs ya Uncle"..."Taking the mickey" even the word "besotted" I just take it all in my stride.

I like to spin the tables at times and do my very best Forrest Gump impression haha

Thx for the info Alex and Rach =)

Been here since the end of February.

I have not enjoyed a cup of tea since i left English soil...That gets to me, tea is the answer to ALL lifes problems

Always been a skinny person, emigrate to America and i started to notice my waistband expanding. I mentioned it to my Brother in Law and all he said was "welcome to America"

Now i would give just about anything up for my Husband. Theres a line though and that line stops when it comes to the way i speak, my accent, my Geordieness. I love my Geordieness and i be damned if im giving that up. I divvent na wut all the fuss is aboot. du ye na what i mean like?!

I do try to talk like the Queen alot of the time. Its just draining to do it all of the time.

So when im home with Hubby, it all comes oot and i divvent give a monkees. This is Sparta!

One thing that i have loved, is going back to old fashioned letter writing, to my parents in the UK.

They have sent me a couple of very sweet letters...written by my stiff upper lip Dad tu boot. Just priceless.

I got a letter from him a few days ago, where he told me that they have sent two parcels. I know one of the items is Ringtons Tea bags. No idea what other goodies though. Its little gestures like that, that help me get through the transition.

Hey all,

In the middle of arranging a conference call with England. They will be calling us.

The Lady isnt too sure on what she dials from a UK phone to a USA mobile number. We aint got the foggiest idea! Ventrilo ftw

Does anyone here know what needs to be dialled from the Uk to Usa?

This was the message i recieved from her...

"Just a brief query - is there a prefix we need to use before dialling your cell 'phone number from the UK. I understood it to be 0011 1 then your cell 'phone number?"

I would be grateful for any clarification you could offer

Sounds like progress!

Aye! Huge relief. We still dont know what went wrong, i cant thank the Staff member enough, who helped put it right.

Sounds like you should have an SSN tomorrow. As they said there is always the possibility of an alert due to your info matching someone that already has a number, but that would only delay things another day or two if they made sure right away you weren't the same person. Since someone is watching what the local office is doing, I wouldn't worry.

99% Thats pretty good odds =)

Try to get that same guy again. Since 90% of the SSA employees are incompetent in even doing their own job, you need to embrace that you found one that stands out among his peers like a lighthouse in the desert.

HaHa My Hubby asked for the guys name xD

Its only a small office where we went to. He was on the day i applied but serving someone else.

Today we struck lucky and got him.

I just emailed my future employer and updated her. She wants to meet up with me this Saturday and go over the employment forms and do the Notary. Thats assuming i get issued my number tomorrow.

Sooo now that it looks like i have still got the job. I can look at Medical Insurance. Im used to the NHS so all this med stuff goes way over my head. I dont know where to post this question. Hopefully one of you could help point me in the right direction.

Now i know there are certain things i cant apply for. My question is what about a PCIP insurance policy? Would i be allowed to join that without it spoiling our Immigration AOS?

Heres the site of what im talking about http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/preexisting/states/va.html

I arrived here on our K1 February this year. I have been medically uninsured since i arrived. If it helps any. Virginia is the State we are in.