A&R&Jacob

Just an uptade on our status:

Our case was transferred to California service center on May 16th. On July 1st we received email notification that the petition was approved and the production of the card has been ordered. Hopefully the card will arrive soon.

Does anyone know or has any experience about shipping goods from Paris, FRANCE to USA? Which couriers offer the best services and cheapest price etc

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience on shipping goods from PARIS, FRANCE to USA? What companies, websites did you use and how much did it cost. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

A

In order to transit through the USA in the future, even if it's just a layover at the airport, you'd have to apply for a B1/B2 visitor visa (unless you're under Visa waiver program). Although it has nothing to do with your AOS processing now, the likeliness of getting a visitor visa is rather poor based on the fact that you made an attempt to adjust your status.

Frankly I'm not so sure about the "overflow" of AOS applications in the month of March. I'd be more inclined to believe that few mail bags got misplaced or were allocated to someone who went on prolonged holiday. Surely, though, the "overflow" sounds like a better excuse to give to public by USCIS, without having to admit to its incompetence. On a bright side, whatever the reason, they seem to have got round it eventually.

I had similar situation: chicken pox in childhood and no shot on the record. When getting my medical for K1 visa I told this to the doctor and they marked the relevant box. I only needed to confirm it (verbally) again once I went to civil surgeon here - no need for a shot.

I have received my biometrics appointment letter today with the date in about 3 weeks. Although I don't mind waiting 3 weeks the time scheduled is not suitable. I was wonderting if I can turn up there prior to scheduled date for an early walk-in. I checked the details of the office in Tampa and there is a notice saying that "applicants should not come into the office before scheduled appointment date". So, my question is: does anybody have an experience with this office and what are the chances of walk-in being successful?

Hello All,

We have just received the notice via email that USCIS is processing our AOS- 34 days from sending the packet. Looks like finally they get round to the pile of post they received back in March. Hope things will start moving faster now.

Yes, many people appear to be in the same situation (including us). If you read the posts here you'll notice that there are many March filers still waiting to hear from the USCIS.

We have sent our packet on 19 March and still have not had any information. Based on the posts here it appears that they have a big backlog opening the mail. If you have a confirmation that the packet has been delivered to Chicago lockbox, there's nothing you (or we) can do but wait patiently...

So are we. Sent AOS packet on 19 March, delivered on 21 March and still no info whatsoever (check not cashed either). I called USCIS the other day and was told to call back in few weeks if we haven't had anything by then. I thought our packet was lost but after reading some posts here, it looks like somewhere out there there is a huge pile of mail waiting to be opened... let's hope eventually they'll get round to it.

A.

We have sent our completed AOS packet on March 19 (a month ago) and other than being able to confirm through post office tracking number, that it has been delivered to Chicago lockbox, we have had no confrimation that our application has even been looked at - no NOA1, no email/text confirmation and the check has not been cashed. When I called the USCIS they were unwilling to do anything other than check the system and confirm that they have no record of it and said to call back in few weeks. Interestingly, when I gave them my A# (printed on the visa) it came back with someone else's details. I was told they assign a new A# for AOS. Is this correct?

Has anybody ever been in similar situation and how it unfolded? I would much rather start putting together a new packet rather than waiting and calling every couple of weeks only to be told to call again in few weeks.

A.

Ten years ago I was admitted to the USA on J1 visa and at this time I applied and received a Social Security number and card. The annotation on the card states: VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION. I have recently arrived to the States on K1 visa and I was wondering if I can use my old card to open bank account/get car insurance/ driver's licence etc. Is it still valid or do I need to get a new one?

Many thanks for your replies.

Agnieszka

After all the waiting our interview has finally been arranged for 25th next month. However, we were planning to go abroad to attend my brother's wedding and also give my fiancé an opportunity to meet my parents and we were going to come back on 25th. I sent a cover letter with my packet 3 requesting that the interview is arranged for 26-27th October. I'm not sure whether they disregarded that request or simply booked it a day earlier by mistake. Anyway, we would like to try to re-arrange the date but not sure how to approach it.

My fiancé has emailed the Embassy today, but the email bounced back saying it was deleted. I also called them today and was told to email.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone has any experience trying to re-arrange their date and how successful it was.

Many thanks for your replies.

That's great! Do you by any chance know when your 3rd packet was logged in? Ours still hasn't been, and I am assuming there will still be a wait time after that to get the interview scheduled.

No, I'm afraid I did not ask when it was logged in so i don't know how long that takes from the Embassy receiving packet 3. However it is worth calling to check as it seems it might be some time after the interview is scheduled that they send the actual letter/packet 4 out.

Good Luck!

Tired of waiting I have decided to take the advice and called the DOS (ext. 1 then 0). It was answered after few minutes and after giving the operator our details she confirmed the date of the appointment. I know it doesn't make it any sooner, but knowing the date certainly makes it "easier" to wait.

Many thanks to all who replied to my initial question and good luck to you all!

Sorry to hear you're still waiting,

I never received packet 3 at all so I emailed the London Embassy on the 12th of August and they emailed me back the list of forms I needed to complete for the case to progress (The ones I should have received in packet 3). They said I could return the forms by email which I did on the 24th of August and to my suprise there was an email from them on the 25th of August with an interview date and time (yes you read that correctly 1 day to process the forms). On the 27th I got the offical letter with the interview info.

The interview is is scheduled for Sept 20th at 10.00am

Don't know if its any help to you but:

I emailed them at: LondonConsular@state.gov

The link they sent me to for the forms was: http://london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html

Thank you very much for your reply. It was very helpful. We might indeed try to email the Embassy to see whether we can at least get an update. Many thanks!

There were a few of us that send back our P3 forms at the beginning of August who have gotten interview dates, but it took about 3-5 weeks. We sent ours back on 8/2 and received P4 on 8/25 with an interview date of 9/28. August is a very slow time at the London Embassy as many people go on vacation then. Give it a little more time, you should hear something soon.

Thanks a lot for a reply... I'll try to be patient for few more days... hope the packet will be here soon...

By the way, looks like we had a medical on the same day... what a coincidence...

Good luck on the interview!

We're currently awaiting packet 4 from London Embassy and slowly my patience is wearing thin... I sent back all the forms (packet 3) on 10th August. I have also completed the medical... so all we have left now is wait... easier said than done, though.

Has anybody sent their packet 3 in August and got the date yet? If so what is it?

Thanks for your replies.

Has anybody got any experience with "setting" the date for K1 interview at London Embassy?

My fiancé will come to visit in October and I was wondering if i can request that the interview is scheduled to coincide with his visit. My understanding is that typically the Embassy just schedules the date without input from the beneficiary. However i was curious if they are somewhat flexible and willing to accommodate requests.

Any advice/sharing of experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

A

hello All,

We're at "packet 3" stage and so far the whole process has been going rather smoothly. My fiancé is planning to come to the UK in late October and I would love him to attend the interview at London Embassy. I was wondering whether i can request to have an interview at around that time so it coincides with his visit. Has anybody tried to "arrange" the interview date? (if so how) How likely is it that they'll be flexible and willing to accommodate our request?

Many thanks all your replies, particularly from those who have had "dealings" with US embassy in London.

Agnieszka

I think it's a wonderful idea and i'm sure your fiancée and her family will appreciate the opportunity to be part of your wedding celebration. As you said the church wedding is not recognised as marriage (even in her country) until official ceremony in the government/civil office, therefore i do not think it would be deemed valid/official by US immigration officers. This is how it used to work in Poland up to recently - now the wedding in church is reported to the civil office and deemed valid. I guess it would be worth double checking, whether the church would forward the information about your wedding to the government etc.

Anyway, good luck to you both!

hi there

I was an au pair as well (10 years ago) and did also stay couple of weeks over the 12 months. It is "common knowledge" i would imagine that J1 visa for au pairs has a clause and also that we're not the first ex- au pairs that have gone through the K1 visa process, so i do hope there shouldn't be any problmes with this.

Please let me know if you have any update on this. Many thanks.

I don't think it means that your fiancé would have to go back to Ukraine and live there for two years - i think they just need to live outside of the USA following their departure from the States (expiry of J-visa). Basically if he was in the States for some time on J-visa he wouldn't be able to re-apply for the same visa and perhaps K visa within the first two years of his leaving the States. I would be worth to find a document to corroborate it though as i'm not entirely sure.

hello All,

Just need a bit of advice about obtaining criminal record clearance from Poland. I've been living in the UK for the past 5 years but I believe apart from the criminal check in the UK i'll also need one from Poland. Can anyone please let me know how to go about getting one. My question specifically- where/how should i ask for it? do i have to be there (in Poland) or can someone else pick it up? does it expire?

Many thanks for your help!

Agnieszka