biggish data

I'd love to see the spreadsheet if/when you do it! Sounds like a great idea. I wonder if the wait time has more to do with when the packet is logged - or when you are marked interview ready (both packet & medical)...

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-10 14:15:00

N&S - yes, I am making daily (I shouldn't admit that!!) calls to DOS. They are very nice and just keep saying, "He's interview ready, but sorry, no date. Good luck!" Ugh. When we submitted our paperwork in August we put the wedding date of Nov 5th, which, I know we will have to move - thank goodness everything was SUPER flexible. But we figured 2.5 months was plenty to get the last leg done. Guess not! Getting excited for tomorrow as the embassy opens again!

Honestly, at this point, I would just be happy to get an interview date that allowed him to be here by Thanksgiving (as that is when we met face to face last year)...but I think in order for that to happen, we'd need a date assigned by the end of this week...

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-10 10:35:00

RachC - thanks

It'd be nice if the process was set in stone - and not so hit or miss!!

Still waiting - and monday is a holiday! But, trying to have some patience!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-08 14:58:00

Hmm - well, they got our packet three August 23rd...so in that case we've really, really waited! Lol

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-06 15:40:00

So, we have officially been marked "interview ready" since Sept 15th, 3 weeks ago today...and waiting is not my strong suit! I was just wondering if there was an average time to wait for an interview after the embassy marks you as ready?

I've looked at a few timelines, but everything seems to be so sporadic - is there any actual rhyme or reason to this process?

Lol I know you're all in the same boat (or have been) and I'm not trying to complain (much!), it's just after almost 9 months of this process I think it's safe to say, I'm nearly out of patience! Lol

**ooops - typo - after almost 8 months!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-06 14:04:00

NOA2 expires next month...

Perfect - thank you!

I thought it was something to that affect, however, I wasn't sure if I had to renew it or if the embassy did!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-10 17:43:00

NOA2 expires next month...

I know I've seen it asked before, so I apologize for asking again, I just can't find the thread, link or document that explains this...I was organizing and starting to gather stuff for the AOS process (really, just making sure all our ducks were in a row since we plan to marry very quickly after Allan's arrival) and I noticed that our NOA2 expires next month! What happens if it expires before our interview date - which - at this point - is very possible - which is funny b/c we sent our packet 3 our only a few days after getting the letter from the embassy...anyway, advice appreciated!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-10 16:39:00

some things have to do before the die

Be reunited with, and marry, my fiance!!

Everything else is taking backseat until he is finally here with me!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-11 05:46:00

Lol a chicken suit!? Lol I bet the embassy people have some great stories from over the years!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-12 05:30:00

aorobert - great advice! He is planning to "look smart" lol...that is, if we ever get an interview date!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-10 10:32:00

Boiler - Lol lol lol I will tell him it's a requirement!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-06 15:42:00

So, what are people wearing to the interview? Allan was planning on a nice pair of trousers and a sweater or button down shirt...but should be wearing a suit instead?

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-06 14:19:00

Finally! We have our date!

Thanks guys!!

Wishin-N-Hopin: You must be so excited! The 8th is right around the corner. Are you going to do an embassy review? I'll be looking for it!! Good luck to your man!! We're almost there!!!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-13 13:13:00

Finally! We have our date!

So, after four weeks of waiting I called the embassy yesterday to find out that they did not have our medical results (our second medical was on Sept 26). So, the man I spoke to gave me the email code. I emailed them last night at 9pm London time. Today, I received an email at 2 pm London time saying they gave us an interview date yesterday. So, they magically found our medical information! Anyway, it's a bit frustrating that we had to do all this paper chasing - but at the end of that email - they gave us an interview date.

My fiance will have his interview on Nov 21st at 9am!!!!!!!!!

So, we won't be together for Thanksgiving, which is really important to us, as that was when we met for the first time - but - we will be together SOON. There is a light at the end of the tunnel - and we're good with that!!!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-13 09:50:00

The first time Allan went to his medical he took the train - all in one day!! It was such a long day - that's why he decided to do the plane this time. I didn't realize there was a sleeper option!!

He lives right outside of Glasgow - but grew up in Edinburgh.

You must be SO excited to have your train booked now!!! You're interview is so close!! How exciting!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-09-18 08:34:00

Ahh - good luck with the train tickets! Allan took the train to his first medical, but, found a flight for his second medical that was actually cheaper than the train!!! That train ride sounds awful - just b/c it takes so long!!

Well, it's good that you got your interview a bit faster than normal. Perhaps that gives us a bit of hope!!

Have you been in the states for Thanksgiving yet?? Allan really enjoyed it last year! My favorite part is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV - so make sure you do that!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-09-17 06:39:00

Most of his immediate family will be coming over from Scotland for the weekend. My family will be flying in from another state (and can you believe it, it will cost just about the same as those coming from the UK!! Crazy!) I think there will be 15 total, including my fiance and I!! We just discussed the dinner choices tonight!

I'm hoping that he will be here for Thanksgiving, although I know that's doubtful, but that's the week we met - and it's very dear to the both of us!!

I will be watching for your review of the embassy after the interview!! Good luck!!! I hope our interview date comes quickly after his second medical appointment!! I just can't wait to get him here!!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-09-16 19:59:00

Very small, immediate family only wedding a couple of weeks after he gets here. Thankfully, my sisters best friend is a chef, and, owns a house in Bar Harbor - which she has agreed to rent to us. She will also cook the food - it is more of a intimate "dinner party" so our families can get to know each other, really. Because she's a friend of the family, she is flexible in the dates. My father was ordained and will be performing the ceremony. Again, flexible to our needs.

In the spring, 2nd week of May, we will hold a reception/wedding bash, where co-workers, friends and extended family will be invited to celebrate our marriage and the beginning of our lives together.

I would have preferred to have everybody at the wedding and call it a day - but with deposits and the uncertainty of this process - it was just unfair to everybody, including ourselves, to expect this. Honestly, if we had gone with our original thought process and timeline, we would've already been in trouble - we thought for sure we'd be done and dusted by early November, but, due to an unforeseen circumstance with his medical (military related), we are a few weeks behind.

I am thrilled with what we have decided to do - and it has really taken a lot of stress off of the both of us (the what ifs if it didn't work out on time were killing me!)...

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-09-16 19:42:00

Prior Marriages Question...

After a bit of searching on the embassy website - I found this too. I decided to just relax and go with, we didn't need one - because, if you had a divorce decree, obviously you were married to the person you are divorcing. Shouldn't that be proof enough!

I'm glad that somebody else has found the website inconsistent though - I though t perhaps it was just the way I was reading it.

Also, VERY good news to hear about others in that situation making it through just fine without the certificate of marriage, just the divorce decree!! Very calming!

As always, thanks Nich-Nick!!! With all of your help and insight I feel like I will owe you a bottle of wine or some other token of gratitude by the end of all of this!!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-19 10:06:00

Prior Marriages Question...

Great - so just the divorce decree...phew!! I was about to lose it! We have had everything ready for so long, but after looking on the embassy website and reading that made me nervous! We are too close to the interview date to request a marriage certificate to prove he was married...but we have the divorce decree....lol okay - I'm settled! Thanks!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-18 17:02:00

Prior Marriages Question...

So the embassy website says this:

Termination of Prior Marriages: Married applicants must obtain an original marriage certificate, or a certified copy, bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority.

This does not make sense to me - he is not married, and hasn't been for 10 years. He has his divorce decree, but I am almost 100% sure he does not have his marriage certificate. Is this going to be a problem!?!?

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-18 16:42:00

Booking Medical

The embassy will only tell you to do so in packet three - they will not inform you again.

Here is the link to packet 3. In the third step, you will notice they tell you to get your medical:

http://london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html

"Please note: The visa interview will not be scheduled until the Immigrant Visa Unit is in receipt of the results of the medical examination. The failure to schedule the medical examination will result in delays to your application. Click on "The Medical" on the left-hand Navigation bar for further information."

If he has packet three then he can schedule. I would recommend calling soon, as they will not mark you "interview ready" until they receive these results.

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-19 11:59:00

Booking Medical

You will need a medical.

If your case has been logged by the London embassy, then it is safe to book an appointment. We booked ours after DOS told us the embassy had logged our case - which ended up being about a week before he got packet three and all worked out fine

Btw - I believe there is a link in the letter of packet three. If you follow the link, it will give you directions of what needs to be done. I believe you will find the medical information there

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-19 11:45:00

Interview Review - London Embassy

Yay!! Congrats!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-18 05:55:00

Jingo - thanks for pointing out what they ask for regarding the I-134. I was wondering! I sent a letter from my employer, pay stubs and tax transcripts. I had a letter from my bank, I just didn't send it as they messed up my name and address and I didn't want it to be questioned. That settles me down a bit that the letter from the employer was sufficient!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-21 05:25:00

Nich-Nick - Thanks for the list! I had actually found one you posted to answer another persons question a few years back too - but boy did it take some searching to get it! Usually they pop right up.

I always wondered why London was so "easy" compared to stories I've heard from other embassies! That's a insightful explanation!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-21 05:23:00

For the NOA1 & 2 - it's just a copy, correct?

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-18 13:31:00

Does anybody have an interview checklist that they used, and would be willing to share, of things to make sure to bring to the interview?

I have one from a book I've been using as a guide, but I feel like it might be outdated, and not to mention it has given me some wrong information.

I just want to go over everything Allan has to make sure we have everything - if not, I'll need to mail it out this week!

Thank you

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-18 12:43:00

They moved our date!!!

Thank you guys so much

I'm going to have a hard time leaving this board for the AOS portion!! You've all been so supportive and helpful!!

Nich-Nick: Good to know that it doesn't come any sooner, just earlier in the day. I thought it'd be like 1-day air vs regular mail.

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-21 05:29:00

They moved our date!!!

micmac - never thought of that - I see you got your visa in 4 days, did you pay extra or was that regular service?

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-17 16:03:00

They moved our date!!!

So, upon receiving our date on Thursday by email, I emailed the London Embassy back and asked if they might be able to move our date forward. I gave them a timeline of when we had paperwork to them as well as when we had the medical done (and pointed out there were two). I told them about Thanksgiving, and how that is the most important holiday for us to spend together as a couple as that's when we had originally met. I also pointed out that Knightsbridge took 2 weeks to send the paperwork (not our fault) and that if it had been there when it was supposed to we would have made Thanksgiving.

Annnnnd...

They moved his interview date up by 2 weeks! Instead of interviewing on the 21st, he is now interviewing on the 7th!!!!!!!!!!

I'm over the moon right now. I figured asking them to move the date was a shot in the dark - but it worked and they were very, very nice about it!!!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-17 05:34:00

Great! Thanks

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-23 11:13:00

Yes, I found on another immigration board that said Scotland is covered by APCO...I might give a quick call to the embassy tomorrow to clarify this...

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-23 09:03:00

Hmm - I did a little research and it seems like the embassy requires people from Scotland to bring the ACPO certificate - they have turned people away who only have one from Scotland. Hoping we're safe - as we don't have time to change it now.

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-23 07:15:00

Um - what do you mean besides Scotland?! Where is the one from Scotland supposed to be from!??!

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-23 06:57:00

how do you withdraw money on an ATM from a UK account?

When Allan visited last time - he had to tell his bank he was visiting before he came over - try that.

Also, your comments about call centers made me laugh -I'm always telling Allan, "Just call the customer service number, they'll sort it." And he always gives me the SAME response you did - they are useless!! Lol I thought it was just him being a bit dramatic at first - but then when he did call, he'd tell me their response - and you're VERY right - they are useless in the UK!! Lol

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-18 15:42:00

Advice on scheduling greatfully appreciated...

2) NVC kept my case for 4 business days before sending it to London - but that was back in the end of july/beginning of August.
3) A didn't book his medical until it was logged at the London embassy. When he booked it - Knightsbridge was booking 3 weeks out.

Not sure about your other questions, but thought I'd share what I know/went through

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-23 14:13:00

Waiting for interview scheduling

I called:

1-866-382-3589

When I called this number, I hadn't gotten an interview date yet. So, I called and told them I wanted to inquire about my interview date, as they had all of my information and I had waited to be assigned one for 4 weeks. The guy then took my payment and "looked" at my data on file. He told me they did indeed have everything, so to email the embassy to see what's up.

So, I emailed the embassy. They replied saying pretty much, "Oh yeah, here it is and you have a date of Nov 21 for an interview," in less than 24 hours of my email. Then, at the bottom of that email I noticed it said if you had further questions, to just "return" the email - so I hit reply, explained the 2 week medical holdup and thanksgiving situation. Waited 2 full days and on the third day woke up at 6:00am with an email from London saying they moved our date up by two weeks.

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-25 18:20:00

Waiting for interview scheduling

Did you have a legit reason? Mine would be that I've missed my birthday, 1st anniversary and probably Thanksgiving with him so I'd love to not miss Christmas. Think that would fly? Also, I see you're a K1, I wonder if the same applies to CR1.

Well, I explained to them that Knightsbridge took 2 weeks to forward our medical results instead of the 4-5 day turnaround they state. I just explained that if the medical had been sent at the right time, we would have gotten an interview date 2 weeks before now! Lol I also put in a sob story about how A and I met last Thanksgiving, and would REALLY like to be together for Thanksgiving this year as it is a very special holiday to us. Not sure which one was the reason they decided to change it - but they did - and we heard back in 3 business days

My thought was - anything at this point is worth a shot!!! What is the worst that could happen? They say no? Well, then at least I tried.

cmoore25

Female

Scotland

2011-10-25 13:42:00