biggish data

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Sep 20 2007, 09:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (TracyTN @ Sep 20 2007, 11:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am late to the party, but I just wanted to duck in and congratulate Alan on getting his interview date!

Notice how quiet he has gone since he got it

QUIET ! MOI !

I have been in London for the medical...

making a separate post to reassure others... right now...

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-21 02:40:00

QUOTE (khanshahid @ Sep 18 2007, 06:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 18 2007, 11:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

MARGOTDARKO IS A STAR AND THE FIRST ONE TO SAY THERE IS NO PACKET 3 FOR CR1 via service centers and nvc to a standard embassy !!!

MARGOT I SALUTE YOU AND AWARD YOU THE VIRTUAL BOX OF CHOCOLATES !!!!!!

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME HOPE IN THE DARK DAYS ---alan

CONGRATULATION ALAN, BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR MEDICAL AND INTERVIEW,
I AM COMING BEHIND YOU I GOT MY CASE COMPLETED ON 11TH OF SEP WAITING TO CASE FORWARDED TO LONDON.
LET SEE WHCIH DATE I GET FOR MY INTERVIEW MAY BE LATE OCT OR EARLY NOV IS'NT?

06/13/07 - NVC receives petition and case # assigned.
06/25/07 - Form DS-3032 (Choice of Agent) & AoS bill generated.
06/27/07 - E-mailed choice of agent using James' shortcut.
07/03/07 - Mailed AOS bill via overnight mail using James' shortcut.
07/11/07 - NVC e-mails back accepting Choice of Agent
07/13/07 - IV bill generated.
07/16/07 - Received IV bill via snail mail
07/18/07 - Mailed IV bill back via overnight mail.
07/20/07 - I-864 received via snail mail
07/23/07 - Mailed I-864 via overnight mail.
07/28/07 - Payment for IV bill entered into the system
08/06/07 - DS-230 generated.
08/15/07 - Received DS-230 coversheet via snail mail.
08/24/07 - Mailed DS-230 packet to NVC via overnight mail (didn't use James' shortcuts).
08/29/07 - DS-230 info entered in NVC's system.
09/11/07 - CASE COMPLETED!!! THANK GOD

thank you it feels good !

your dates ? well the embassy has proved it can surprise everyone - the early nvc people get the last interview dates and 6 to 8 weeks becomes two !

Proof enough that it is most unpredictable..

I trade foreign currencies movements 8 hours a day in between VJ posts but I wouldnt try and predict the embassy....

jeez

booking flights tomorrow dont care if embassy says dont - need a morale boooster after all this

phew

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-18 13:27:00

QUOTE (MargotDarko @ Sep 18 2007, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 14 2007, 11:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 14 2007, 11:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes Chicago is the airport we'll be arriving at!

Hooray ! piece of cake - lovely people - I always join the line with a male officer - you just smile pleasantly and its no prob.

Scowling chicks with badges and guns make me uneasy..

Then you will be up those potholed Illinois toll roads until you get to that lovely smooth tool-free road in Wisconsin...

Done it VERY many times

alan

Congrats on the interview!!

Also, you MUST mean "toll-free" - there is no such thing as a "tool-free" highway!!

(Does that joke come across okay? "Tool" is more an an Americanism, isn't it?)

Nope 'tool' works here too. I used to work in a Jewish family firm and tell em the one about the two carpenters who were working in a synagogue and fell asleep at lunchtime.

When they woke up they had both had their tools nicked !

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you dont get it then you need this link...
http://www.circumcis...CFQbmlAodDkrh8A

Edited by saywhat, 18 September 2007 - 11:15 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-18 11:14:00

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Sep 18 2007, 04:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 18 2007, 03:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

haha ! guess who has an interview date ! my NVC date was before everyone else's but they gave me the last interview date !

MY INTERVIEW DATE IS OCTOBER 19 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you reckon if I go Sunday 4th November then I am due a 10 year card or has it to be after midnight -ie the 5th - come on you techies and train spotters and experts !

alan

Alan,

Hi many congratulations mate very glad they have relieved your agony. Good luck on the day.

I believe they will issue you a CR-1 visa, and that you need to arrive the day after your wedding anniversary. Be sure to tactfully point out at POE that you have passed the 2 year date as they might not notice otherwise, it being a CR-1 visa they often don't look passed that.

Thanks folks - yes 5th is a Monday which is really busy on the roads so I think I will treat us and we will go to Manchester airport Sunday afternoon 4th -our anniversary- and we will stay at the airport hotel which is a nice one - candle lit dinner - and then its a 2 minute free shuttle to the terminal on Monday morning the 5th..

Yes I will have to ask the POE officer to see if he can mark a comment on the file to the effect that we are past our 2nd anniversary...

I am really stunned about this quick interview - I really thought it was shaping up to be November 12 - and these other guys - 2 weeks notice ! Embassy are so unpredictable.

Well I know its not over til its over but it feels over. I look back on all this stuff and I hope I never have a year like this again. Also we had to suffer it in the worst 'summer' weather since the ice age in a rented house in the rat/drug/drunk capital of europe...

Phew well Carolyn is going to hand in her notice and we will hang out in the canary islands for a week and try and wind down some..

being retired I will no doubt return to visa journey once I get to Florida to help others with what I have learned and remind myself how nice it is to be past this torture... ok no booze till Thursday medical then I am going to celebrate with that special bottle of wine we have been keeping since last christmas...

I have all the medical/innoculation forms stamped up from K1 medical in Edinburgh so medical should be ok -
Bought train ticket for interview and I am taking an umbrella this time as you stand in the open in front of the embassy for up to an hour..... Also folks - my interview is 10.30 but that just means you are the 10.30 batch through the gates - I was 10.30 last time and my interview was 4.30pm ! so book a late train back...

The embassy link for left luggage doesnt work so i will stay at a hotel the night before and ask em to hang onto my sweaty underwear and mobile phone (cheapo prepay 10 quid credit !) until after the interview... think I will wrap the phone in my underwear that should make sure its safe haha ! Even the thieves in London draw the line at a gimmers kecks !

alan

Edited by saywhat, 18 September 2007 - 11:10 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-18 11:08:00

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-18 05:29:00

haha ! guess who has an interview date ! my NVC date was before everyone else's but they gave me the last interview date !

MY INTERVIEW DATE IS OCTOBER 19 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's perfect because I dont want to go til 5th November so I would rather my VJ buddies got the october 3...

If I go 3rd november I will get a conditional green card and then have to do removal in 2 years
If i go 7th November I will not have been in country 5 years on my 65th birthday so I wont get Medicare

so it has to be 5th november

I really thought they would interview me 6th nov and just spoil my plans by one day

THIS 19OCT is perfect !!!!!

medical this thursday so i really needed forms too ! so thats great

many thanks to all my VJ buddies and a few I have locked horns with too - you have all kept me going through this utter nightmare

ok opinion please - I married (ok we married) 4th november 2005 on elm street haha !

Do you reckon if I go Sunday 4th November then I am due a 10 year card or has it to be after midnight -ie the 5th - come on you techies and train spotters and experts !

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-18 05:02:00

QUOTE (andy2006 @ Sep 18 2007, 10:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My interview is October 3rd!!! Yipee!!!

andy I have had a pm from ericdraven who is also 3 oct ! jeez thats early !

and scooty too 3 oct ! come on mail !

thats 3 so far today all 3 oct and i thought i would be first !!!

my mail comes in 1 hour... 11.30 to 12 noon brit summer time alan

tell us when you left NVC - do your timeline you naughty person !

Edited by saywhat, 18 September 2007 - 04:40 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-18 04:36:00

QUOTE (ericdraven @ Sep 15 2007, 07:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anyone know what the dallas airport like I know I've got ages yet

but I was after a direct fly't from london

Thanks in advance

jack kennedy said it was all right going in but he never got to comment on the departures lounge ...

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-15 13:37:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 14 2007, 11:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes Chicago is the airport we'll be arriving at!

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-14 05:17:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 14 2007, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many congratulations CardiffIan!

Does anyone have any recent experiences for going through passport control upon arrival in America? Just wondering how long the process takes with looking through paperwork and taking fingerprints, etc. I guess it's just the luck of the draw, depending on how many people are coming through to get green cards that day. Is it a painless process?

Waiting for the movers to pick up our boxes. Anytime between 11am and 6pm!

No such place as America - it's 50 states and they are all different.

In some they haul you into a back room for 2 hours and in some they stamp you through fast !

I am going for Chicago - thats a nice one - long line but a nice one - I was through with my K1 in less than 3 minutes.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-14 05:00:00

Top Leek look you !

good man CardiffIan

Alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-11 14:02:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 11 2007, 09:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry- I should have done some research before that last post. My husband's visa in his passport is just a temporary green card, isn't it?

The beat goes on -its a fright a minute isnt it ! - but we get over them..

yeah the really tough bit is OVER !!!!!

They might send the green card with the wrong name or make it 10 years when it should be two etc etc but by then you are in country and can sort it out at your leisure....

Sorry dont get alarmed ! I just mean you can do any other stuff like conditions as a hobby now - the BUSINESS is done and you did it !

congrats !...alan

Carolyn is in Milwaukee this week - Bradford beach ! yippee

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-11 10:29:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 10 2007, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My husband received a text stating that his visa should arrive tomorrow before 12. The movers will be dropping off our boxes tomorrow too. Time to decide what to toss, and what's worth shipping to America.

Good luck tomorrow CardiffIan!

Party time ! he should follow Erica's example and put it in a plastic bag under his pillow (saves dribbling on it and making ink run) !

hey superb and go CardiffIan !

Edited by saywhat, 10 September 2007 - 03:53 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-10 15:52:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 10 2007, 09:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info. Was hard understanding the officer at the embassy when she was explaining the procedure to us. The voice calling out the numbers made it nearly impossible to hear our officer. Anyway, I agree I'm crazy to have my husband arrive in America before our two year anniversary. But I would miss two weddings and I would have to live with my inlaws here in England for that extra 18 days. To be honest, I'd rather do the removal of conditions! I don't do anything the easy way...

Looking fwd to that big hall at the Embassy - I waited from 10.30am to 4.30pm for my K1 interview - everything about this process is awfully jinxed for me. I have no room to talk about doing it the long way - I did K1 and Adjustment of Status and went back to England a few weeks before the AOS interview when I already had a firm, date for the green card !

So all this stuff I did this year was 'unecessary' although Carolyn has seen a lot living here for almost a year...we have been all over the U.K. and Europe.
She set off for a week's holiday in Milwaukee 1 hour ago and I know she could never settle outside the U.S. as she has been here 12 months and worked in a big office too and she still feels an alien and says England is 'a third word country' - they don't even televise Packers games every week !
Well we got 'case complete' at NVC 17 August and I still don't have packet 3 so looks like the wheel has come off again...
I just bought a car online and they will hold the price to December 31 which I might need at this rate ! My hopes of getting medicare at 65 have gone now as there is no way I can get an london interview by 3rd November... So all the obstructiveness and inefficiency and incompetence along the way by all the agencies has wrecked all my plans for no valid reason - but this time I will stay the course. Alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-10 04:55:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 8 2007, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi all! My husband Wayne got the okay at the embassy yesterday! We are very excited, needless to say. We were there for exactly 3 hours total. The first lady that we met with seemed annoyed that we'll be arriving in America 18 days before our 2 year wedding anniversary. But we have weddings to go to this week, and honestly I just want to go home. She told us to mention to the customs officer in Chicago that our anniversary will be coming up. I'm assuming we'll still have to do AOS, but now that the interview is over, I'm ready for anything!

Thanks to everyone for the good luck messages. The embassy was stress free for us, and totally easy. Not what I was expecting.

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Sep 7 2007, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (CardiffIan @ Sep 7 2007, 07:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

looks like i'm next up after missingmilwaukee and getting a little nervous already!

I've got a bunch of financial evidence but i'm still worried they're going to ask for more. I have a copy of my fiances last few payslips, her 2006 tax return, letter from employer, letter from bank and affadavit - plus statements from my bank to show my own funds - HSBC were hopeless when i asked them for the 'letter from a senior bank officer' that the P3 docs mention, they were completely baffled by it and it seemed like i was the first person to have ever thought about emigrating, so i hope the statements are ok.

I also still need to get passport pics - I went to the Snappy Snaps in cardiff last week and its turned into a cafe bar! so i'll have to do a quick trip to oxford street to get my pics.

But its my last day at work today, the rugby world cup is starting and the american football season is starting (go bears!) so its all good, roll on tuesday and i hope we hear good news from missingmilwaukee soon!

When we got our visa I noticed a photo booth in the waiting area at the Embassy. Someone who has been recently might be able to confirm it is still there.

The photo booth was there, but had an out of order sign on it! My husband had his photos taken at a machine at the train station, and they were acceptable.

AOS ? on a cr1 visa ? no... just removal of conditions after 2 years.. yes you are nuts to put yourselves through that for the sake of 18 days but hey its a free country right ? Our 2nd anniversary is 4th Nov and all the tea in china wont get me to emigrate before then...
Congrats ! alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-09 05:43:00

QUOTE (missing milwaukee @ Sep 6 2007, 08:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Omigoodness. I've been waiting since our first application was sent off in January for the interview. Now that it's nearly here, I can't believe it! I have all our paperwork in a massive folder which I'll be carrying around London all day tomorrow, as well as to the Jesus and Mary Chain concert tomorrow night. That'll be fun when they search my bag and find an xray! Thanks to everyone for the advice thus far. I hope to only post good news from now on. Until tomorrow...

Natalie

All the best you two - there is a reason why this is my third yes third application - (same woman might I add) - and I might not make it to the promise land widja - I might not make it to the mountain top - but you folks who have fought for it since January like me - (cant say us as I am not allowed ) - you deserve a nice result and a happy life. I have fought and fought for three years and been a good soldier so I deserve it too - but whether I arrive there with you is up to more factors than the London Embassy ...
Yup it's good news for you - interview is a piece of cake..

tell us the good news as soon as you can..and say hello to Milwaukee and water street for me...
alan

Edited by saywhat, 06 September 2007 - 04:17 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-06 16:17:00

top hole marstorr !!!!!

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-04 12:20:00

QUOTE (elmcitymaven @ Sep 4 2007, 12:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll say it before and I'll say it again -- London are (is?) rubbish in entering stuff onto their systems in a timely fashion. It took nearly 2 weeks for them to input my P3 as "received" after I had sent it Special Delivery 9am (and the Royal Mail had confirmed delivery). Add to that the intervening Labor Day weekend, the August Bank Holiday weekend preceding it, and general August-related-laziness and bingo: delays for you.

Yes, it is taking a long time for you and if it were me, I would be fretting as well because I'm a worrier. But it is not outside the realms of the possible that London is sitting on it -- it's been fewer than 2 weeks since the NVC sent it, and two bank holidays intervened as well. My advice? Call the Department of State to check your status. Cheaper than calling the extortion line, and someone will pick up the line in Washington and speak to you (unlike those emails bouncing back). Calling the Embassy is nearly always fruitless -- they will tell you to call the extortion line. Bonus: you can call the DoS every day if you feel like it (although others will disagree with me on this) for updates.

Hey thanks for that - I feel I am hogging the forum sometimes but if others can track my detailed progress it may ease their anxieties and let em see what is up ahead

After all that has gone wrong since January 9th I am overly twitchy and just expecting lost files etc. We are both screwed up to an extent that I am not going to reveal on my medical ! Carolyn is covered in nerve/allergy rashes and I am on anti biotics because of eye and ear infections - I am positive its our bodies that have been brought low by the stress.... it doesnt help when they say 4 to 6 weeks before calling us again and all that rubbish...

Yes you are right and I am going to cool it now and we will reassess. It might be best if Carolyn goes back to the US and gets on with the apartment and getting a job as she hates it here in Lancashire almost as much as I do... I could go back to Yorkshire and have some REAL beer before I have to give it up forever. We are only here for her job and it could well be christmas with the leisurely pace of the embassy....

Weirdly enough I got two letters from NVC today saying the stuff had gone to London 23rd. NVC say they send it courier AND electronically - so London must be as slow as the rest of the process if not slower. I had got (gotten) used to being able to talk to NVC but London seem much more remote and stone walling... come back NVC all is forgiven !

I accept your advice about DOS and I will talk to them direct - I will call em tomorrow...

I keep saying what Saddam said to himself as he was standing there with the rope around his neck 'don't be afraid, it's all going to be alright'.... jeez how wrong he was....

thanks VJ buddies - you are right-- alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-04 07:18:00

QUOTE (blspicer @ Sep 4 2007, 11:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

APPROVED!!! Pete just got out of the interview and everything went fine. I'll post his full report when he gets home. Wow, now I just have to catch my breath, lol

Hey well done and congrats ! hooray eh ? at last...

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-04 06:13:00

ps just called the london embassy but its an auto line on about all sorts of junk

anyone know how to speak to ap erson ?

thanks
alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-04 05:10:00

a few days ago I sent an email to london consular and it bounced back rejected unread...

I got a reply just now 10.50am 4 sept.. !!!

It says my file has not been received in London !!!

just checked the auto message at NVC - it says my file was completed and sent to the 'consulate' on august 23rd !

I knew it ! I knew it was lost

I bet they make me go back to January 9th like they did my friend....

just got a reply from london consular to my reply to their email - it says 'deleted without being read'

oh jeez will this ever end ?

alan

Edited by saywhat, 04 September 2007 - 04:53 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-04 04:52:00

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Sep 3 2007, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You realise today (Monday) is a public holiday in the USA. No federal offices will be open

Crikey - I could have waited 24 hours !

now who is the dumber - me for not realising they have a holiday over there or them for leaving an auto message that says I will will be answered in 15 minutes....

I am biased - I think they win on the dumbness stakes....

Anyway same result...

Business as usual with dragging the cross up to calvary

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-03 11:13:00

called dept of state in usa to try and confirm my case has at least arrived in London- the message said there was a 15 minute wait and to hang on ...

i have now held on for one hour and 10 minutes with a message every 20 seconds or so saying they will be assisting me ...

i believe the moon landings were a studio mock up...

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-03 08:56:00

QUOTE (marstorr @ Sep 1 2007, 11:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I found this site quite late into our process (only about 2 weeks ago), but it has helped me calm down immeasurably in the run up to our interview this Tuesday, the 4th. We filed our I-130 on the 23rd of March, and I hope we'll be ok. Our interview is at 8:30am, so we're driving down to London on Monday and staying in a hotel for the night. Elmcitymaven, I wanted to thank you in particular for your detailed post about filing late tax returns at the London embassy, as I was in a similar predicament, causing me lots of stress. We filed the late tax returns last Wednesday (for our interview 6 days later, waiting until the last minute), and it was as easy as you described.

Besides the nasty tax shock, our process has been remarkably smooth (which makes me even more worried going into the interview, as I have heard some real horror stories and can't believe we'll be spared!). As long as we get approved, I should only be in the states for 2 weeks ahead of my UK spouse. Almost better than we could have ever hoped for. Thanks for all the help!

Interview is a piece of cake and just to make sure you exist...

Stand up job at the counter and a little chat about stuff for a few minutes

i did it at K1 and it was painless

You will walk it !

best wishes

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-02 04:03:00

QUOTE (The_dip_sticks @ Aug 31 2007, 09:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We would love to be put on this thread! I always just eye ball it, but it just makes me cry and Im not sure if we fit in. We have been wating to get our NOA2 for my husbands I-130 or I129f but neither of them have arrived. USCIS is making our life a living hell as its been over a year now still stuck there, yes that is correct just at the first level still at USCIS. We have not even made it to NVC. Congressman and senators say there is nothing they can do untill they finish their background checks or fbi checks or name checks or what ever the hell checks it is they are doing. They tell us ther is nothing they can do to help to get our case moving and its out of their hand, till these checks or complete. I wish the can be done. I mean how long does it take for them to complete what ever it is they are doing, its been over a year now. =0(

Personally Im going crazy and I just wish we could get our approval and they finish their checks so that we can move with the rest of the process and join all you guys there. Unless you want to add us and list us honerary members some place on the list and..... write WISHING HOPEING AND PRAYING that we get approved soon. Maybe the rest of the UK peeps can say a prayer for us and hopefully the prayer will be answered with more voices .

Probably need your own thread chucky - in the K3 forum ? that is where you are at right now...I feel terribly sorry for your predicament - when it's a check or a form or something that goes wrong at least you can do something about it but yours is so hard. You shouldn't be saying 'or whatever it is ' though - you should get them to be specific at least about what kind of area they are not certain about or checking into.
Can't help you with the praying stuff as I would rather believe in the tooth fairy and her red nosed reindeer than God - but even God needs terrestrial help so I would encourage you to to spend less time praying and more time pushing the USCIS via your Congessman etc etc etc so at least you can get some specifics... try not to get hysterical (like I get) as it is counter-productive. I dont believe in immigration lawyers generally, but I reckon it would be a good idea here as long as they are really good recommended ones who give you an estimate of charges.

best of luck with it and hope you are onto the Embassy forum sooner rather than later

Alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-31 03:34:00

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Aug 30 2007, 06:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Alan if NVC only sent the case to London on the 17th Aug it isn't that long yet. Appreciate your time constraints but you might pee them off by keep e-mailing.

One day during a business call with the lady in charge of the section that deals with the I-130s in London I ask jokingly her when she was going to do ours. The next day they cleared all the I-130s up until the day before the file date of ours and then did nothing more for 5 weeks.

That confirms what Carolyn says - she says they think like that...

Never did understand the female mind - oops did I really say that ! I am sure male administrators are just as petty and vindictive (cough)

Luckily my email was bounced by their automatic system as it needs a special code apparently before it gets through

I have visions of the thing getting lost twixt NVC and London but there must be pretty rare. They get lost USCIS -NVC regularly from posts that I have read and from a pal's story

Yes I have resigned myself to it being late November now so I will work on plan B to fill the long winter evenings and not order my car without a wide range of dates as there is a lot of horror ahead I am sure....

This interminable dangerous random chaos process is going to spit me out of the other end as wizened and with the same future prospects as a fallen Florida orange if I don't get a grip!

Everyone seems to accept that this process is how it is because the U.S. government does not have the money to fund it to meet the level of demand so that it can be made reasonably quick and with minimum error.

I have my doubts and I think it is designed to try and shake out a good percentage through attrition.

If I am right then I will have to acquire patience or they will succeed

so the P3 can be another week or two
the p4 can be a month
the interview can be 10 weeks
etc etc
jeez - every time you reach an important milestone you celebrate and think you have cracked it - only to be worn down by the next one...

ok positive thinking !

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-30 12:35:00

oh well

postlady comes down the road and walks past every day

no sign of packet 3

email bounces back 'email returned - deleted unread'

think i will try that with my tax bill

or does it only work one way ?

might is right eh ?

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-30 06:36:00

I would like to say I got P3 but I haven't - Carolyn is in London today doing the sights will her pal from Milwaukee - perhaps I should ask her to nip in and get it ?

Some people get p3 in 2 days and some in 2 weeks - there is a corrolation between the waiting time for p3 and the full moon in the 2 months preceding the autumnal equinox

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-28 05:43:00

You know I am one of the few people on VJ who dont use swear words that are xxx ed out... I have never done that.

Nevertheless, I am sure that when I dont agree with the moderators teams views, my posts disappear ! The debate about what can go in a cover letter with Packet 3 is not off topic.

If its not off topic and there is no swearing then I can only conclude that it clashed with a moderator's post and she decided to have no opposition

Well if it's going to be run like a North Korean newspaper where only 'congratulations' type posts are allowed, then I need not post any more I suppose.

I have noticed that recent additions to the moderators team are being very intrusive like an over eager new referee at a football game.

a little bit of power is a dangerous thing... I wonder if this post will be scrubbed too... whoever is the very top dog here - please keep an eye on your under managers to make sure they dont abuse their powers and become the judge of what opinions are allowed

Ok well VJ was good for the last 3 years but the 'thought police' are running it now so I will have to find another source

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-26 11:19:00

QUOTE (essjay @ Aug 25 2007, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (elmcitymaven @ Aug 25 2007, 05:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My turn to wander off topic...

6days, essjay??? How you feelin'?

kind of sums it up.

I have coffee on IV drip now, the house looks remarkably like we are going to be here another six years not six days, and the only thing reminding us that we need to get our ####### in gear is that our purchasers keep e-mailing us, telling us how excited they are, and when can we leave THEIR house!!

Still. Flights booked, taxi booked, shippers booked. What else matters???

Oh, and MBE still secure. Fire and flood precautions engaged!!

When Erica got her passport with the visa in it - she was keeping it under her pillow - in a plastic bag to stop her dribbling on it and making the ink run ! I have just done a sample of 15000 vj members - the case left NVC Thursday by courier which means it was in London Friday or will be Monday coming - so I reckon pckt 3 on thursday as it seems really quick. I have a finely honed version of my cover letter ready . It paints a picture of a starving American far from home who needs to get back there before malnutrition sets in..... it's pretty weak actually and they might knock a day off - max - it looks like an 8 week thing to me though realistically + 2 weeks to packet 4 from Thursday = just too late... oh well we tried.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-25 12:06:00

QUOTE (essjay @ Aug 25 2007, 03:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the bigger problem, far bigger than ANY of the columns, is that there is no standard pattern for the dates.....

Alan, if I were you, I'd go back to the praying for a date

Everyone will argue that their particular case is either standard, unique or both!!

Simple cultures pray - I chip away - night and day - until i stumble on finding an edge - I don't care whether it's my idea or someone elses... perhaps I can sign Carolyn up for the army ? I can sign her name quite well now. If the Taliban forgot her birthday they would be decimated within 48 hours - war over

Or say I need to get there soon to chair the U.S. Foreign Consular Appreciation Society's inaugural meeting....

thats the USFCAS

When you all join this organisation you will be entitled to sign your packet 3's as 'Associate FCAS' and that should lop a month off

Sorry I am getting off topic - I will shut up and go back to being bored....

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-25 10:18:00

QUOTE (essjay @ Aug 25 2007, 03:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Done that!!

Not on all forums but on a couple...

Thanks for you guys working on this - you know I am not one to be picky (er-hum), but could you sort of line up the columns and the column headers to make it easier for pensioners to read ?

I am trying to figure out a way to make it easy for people to predict when their interview might be as it ranges from 4 weeks to 9 weeks...
I know one member's spouse is off to do some taliban bashing and so they got an earlier date, and some folk are delayed as they need extra doctor info or sponsor info - so in order to try and figure out how long a 'normal' case is can be quite difficult. I haven't got the answer yet, perhaps another column saying 'not standard' might do it... dunno

From a news point of view and seeing our buddies progress , it is excellent - but as a predictor of dates, we would need to refine it some.
Could be impossible as even a 'normal' case might have wedding dates etc twisting it some...

hum yes - it's too difficult - ok 'at ease'

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-25 09:39:00

how come samwatts and cardiffian have interviews 1 day different and their p3's are a month and a half apart ! and blspicer was 3 months ! makes it difficult to estimate interview dates....

Edited by saywhat, 24 August 2007 - 08:15 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-24 08:13:00

QUOTE (elmcitymaven @ Aug 24 2007, 01:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is it just me or has the list become really short compared to the huge number of May/June/July/August dates? We need to make a general plea to the UK VJ community to come here and give us their dates! I know I found all the support I got on this thread awesome, and it would be great to welcome more of us here.

Seconded ! however if there really is less traffic then I might get an early interview date !

But yes I would be even more insane by now if I had not been able to get advice and just plain comfort from VJ

Having filed TWO K1's and ONE Adjustment of status and then all this CR1 stuff starting January 9th which has been a nightmare from the start , I am totally pooped !

Come on November 5th and a 10 year unconditional green card !

and to any 'guests' who are browsing, come on board - this is one thing you CANNOT do on your own - VJ is not an optional bit of info if you are doing this visa thing.......

and to anyone who thinks an immigration attorney will do it - we were never in such a mess as when we got one of those involved - the guy was having a family crisis and forgot to mail our petition for weeks ! Then I ended up advising him what forms were needed and he said no and then we got an RFE for the thing I had told him was needed !

VJ rules the waves !

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-24 07:57:00

keeping uk driving licence

QUOTE (BexandAlan @ Mar 17 2008, 09:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry I don't mean to hijack but it seems silly starting a whole new thread for the same thing. Alan it's lovely to hear your enjoying yourself so much since you've moved. I don't know who couldn't be happier with that description you listed.

I'm a diabetic and so have to renew every three years. I'm guessing that I wont be able to renew my license from the US when its due in 2009 and if we ever return to the UK I will just have to sit the whole thing again. It would however be good to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience.

Hope this finds everyone well

Bex xxx

hey bex - kez's reply gives us hope ! Even with an expired license you should be able to renew if you have to go back to the uk to live and your doc says you are ok - seem that re-sitting your test is something they dont make you do unless you have been a naughty driver

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2008-03-17 17:02:00

QUOTE (willchels @ Sep 15 2007, 11:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's great news! Come on Packet 4! We're waiting for ya!

Mine left NVC 13 days before yours so the arrival of mine around 24th ? will be a good indication...

If you get yours first I will stamp my feet ! You NEVER know.

I reckon my interview will be 6 weeks so 8th november ish...

My brand new V6 Toyota Camry 3500 cc 268 horse power is ordered, deposit paid and will be waiting - yum yum...

THE Top selling car in the USA but withdrawn from the market in the UK through lack of demand

come on Guy Fawkes night... Royal Mail please don't strike like you have threatened !

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-16 02:49:00

check futureamerican's timeline signature....

NO PACKET 3 !!!!

http://www.visajourn...?showuser=21264

more and more evidence accumulates there is not a packet 3 for CR1 via service centers and 1st letter is interview......

hum....

Edited by saywhat, 15 September 2007 - 01:53 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-15 13:53:00

ok peeps hear this:

I believe MargotDarko's sainthood is drawing nearer !

one of my main doubts about one letter only for CR1 via service centers is the Police Certificate and warnings to go get one...

I have just found a piece of paper in my files which says go and get a police certificate

I had assumed (a word that makes an ASSS out of U and ME) that this was a left over from my 2005 K1 visa BUT
on the bottom it says...

LND Police Cert Notice
Revised 9/16/96

BUT - I may have received it this year at some stage - have any of the current CR1's via service centers (not DCF or K1 or K3) received this notice ? if so then 1 letter seems back on....

Edited by saywhat, 15 September 2007 - 09:52 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-15 09:49:00

QUOTE (willchels @ Sep 15 2007, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can't believe they sent that message! Geez! I had actually sent an email to the NVC once to ask a question about our AOS, and I wasn't thrilled because the response came 2 weeks later and all they said was that they didn't know how to answer my question....but that's 10 xs better than what your reply from the embassy said!

Alan, is there no way we can speed things up at all? Would they respond to letters sent to ask for expedited cases or are we just to wait? I'm actually the American half of the couple and my visa expires on Oct 12, so I suppose I'll be flying alone as well. It's just so depressing.....I've been keeping myself super busy so I won't have to think about it.

Thing is I wasn't begging for expediting or special treatment - they didn't even have to look at my case ! just information about the system
is all I was asking for..

this is a copy:
This is a CR1 visa via National Visa Center.
It was ‘case completed’ NVC August 17 and mailed out to London August 23
Can you say whether I will receive a document checklist first and an interview appointment letter at a later date,
Or will I simply get an interview letter as the next communication..
Many thanks

Yes the not knowing is the worst bit...
Only consolation is I know there are people far far far worse off than we are in this process - we have actually made it all the way through and reached an embassy with a 'relatively' low wait time .. we should be thankful..

Still stalking round the house like a caged tiger though !!

mail comes in 90 minutes

alan

Edited by saywhat, 15 September 2007 - 03:21 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-09-15 03:20:00