biggish data

I hope so too, thanks all.....now I just hope they acknowledge receipt of my returned packet 3 before I move in 2 weeks time!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-27 15:02:00

Hallelujah! I just called DOS and a lady called Raquelle told me London mailed out packet 3 yesterday after 4 weeks of waiting! I am so relieved, I really thought they may have lost it somehow!

Now, why is it when I called the rip off line this morning they told me they still hadn't received it??

I'm so relieved, i'm going to mail my forms tomorrow morning!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-27 12:55:00

QUOTE (Talyss @ Mar 26 2009, 08:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Kirsten UK @ Mar 26 2009, 02:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its been 4 weeks since NVC sent my case to London and they still haven't put it on their systems, this process sucks

Was your left NVC date from ringing them or from a letter?

It was from ringing them, i've been told many times it was physically sent on the 27th, and the electronic copy was received on the 27th too, but they have not updated the system to acknowledge receipt of the hardcopy. I have been given the same useless info from the various departments I have called and it took them a week and a half to email me back, with yet another useless 4-6 week expected wait! I emailed again on Wednesday evening as a complaint, I probably shouldn't formally write complaining to them but its rubbish, it does not usually take them 4-6 weeks, looking at the stats on here proves that (for the percentage of filers that us VJ). Its so frustrating.

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-27 01:48:00

Its been 4 weeks since NVC sent my case to London and they still haven't put it on their systems, this process sucks

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-26 14:08:00

QUOTE (Nich-Nick @ Mar 22 2009, 02:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Kirsten UK @ Mar 22 2009, 02:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ok, i'm starting to lose the plot again over this process.....my case was sent from NVC on Feb 27th, according to DHL website should have been received on March 2nd (if it was in that batch, who knows??). And since then I have heard nothing. The embassy have not logged it onto the system, I have called the DOS and the rip off line. Whats getting me is the fact that cases received later than mine in March have had packet 3...am I worrying unnecessarily? And what can I do even if there is a problem...oh, I even emailed over a week ago and have not had a response from them!

I would be worrying too because that's not the normal time frame. But maybe something to consider... I did a look at DHL tracking from NVC to London and there's been an unusual lot of petitions going to London. The packages used to be 1-4 pounds in weight. Here's a selection of shipments I found:

Ship date to London/ Size of package
2/23 - 1.4 lbs (typical of one petition)
2/24 - none
2/25 - 18.0 lbs.
2/26 - 12.1 lbs
2/27 - 24.9 lbs
3/04 - 10.2 lbs
3/05 - 39.1 lbs in 2 boxes Whoaa! That's a helluvalotta petitions
3/06 - 32.0 lbs in 2 boxes
3/10 - 5.7 lbs.
3/11 - 10.0 lbs
3/12 - 13.6 lbs
3/13 - 8.0 lbs

So in a 3 week period, London received 125-175 petitions in their mail room. Those big shipments are more typical for Manila and Kiev. It's possible your box got picked up out of order or your petition got out of order in the masses. Or if you put a later marriage/travel date they could have put yours aside to work on those who put an earlier date and are in a hurry to leave for the US.

If you want to contact NVC by email to ask if they are certain your physical file went to London, this is a contact link.
NVC Contact Information

I hope you find out something soon. Your file is probably not lost, but until you get some information it is worrying. I think it's probably due to the large number of petitions.

Thanks for your reply. I felt it was too long to wait too, but even though they have had alot of files, i'm sure I would have heard by now. And the fact that they have not replied to my email after a week and a half makes me worried too....they probably don't know where it is!

No matter who I ask in the various departments I call, it simply is not possible to talk to someone who is prepared to look into it. I always get palmed off with the usual rubbish timeframe estimates. I don't feel like anyone there takes peoples concerns seriously, I know if they spent time looking into everyones case that called up they would never get anything done, but after 4 weeks I feel someone ought to? Does anyone know if there is a way or who I can request to speak to in order to get some real feedback from the embassy on this?

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-22 11:52:00

QUOTE (MonkeyJuice @ Mar 22 2009, 09:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Kirsten UK @ Mar 22 2009, 02:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did the DOS say that it definitely left NVC?

Yep, definitely left on 27th of Feb, the embassy have recieved the electronic copy of the case the same day also. Its just the hard copy of the case has not been officially logged onto the system and nobody that I speak to can offer any advice that is helpful, like, it can take several months to arrive etc. It only makes me worry more that its lost!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-22 04:52:00

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-22 02:32:00

OK, so not to worry for a little while then....I was hoping it was just a typical time frame, thanks!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-13 15:06:00

mmmm, so according to my NVC info and DHL tracking, the embassy received our case on March 2nd, still not heard anything from them though and called DOS and rip-off line and they can't really shed any light on it. Is it normal to wait 2 weeks or more for packet 3? Do you think theres just a backlog right now?

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-13 13:23:00

Thanks alot, god knows where i'd be without this place!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-08 16:18:00

Sorry, i'm having a really stressful time with these forms and my printer has just died on me half way through printing the DS156

I'll have to start again at work tomorrow.

My question is: Do I have to fill out a copy of the DS157 for myself and another for my daughter?
And, for the checklist, do I just tick the relevant boxes, I don't need to cross through the things I am not bringing (like military records and custody decress etc)? Thanks

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-08 15:11:00

The NVC line is always super busy, I tried to call many times last week during hours I knew they were open and got a variety of messages and on some occasions only got an engaged sound. When you do eventually get through be prepared to hold for up to 15 minutes. I only managed to get through after 10pm UK time.

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-07 13:54:00

I wasn't aware you needed the NOA1 at interview!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-03 01:46:00

Hey, i'm new to this thread now I have finally got my NOA2.....i'm so excited

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-02-25 14:03:00

Congratulations, thats fantastic

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-02-11 07:47:00

Official HPV Vaccine/New Police Certicate Thread

Thanks...I did think that my daughter would be able to wait until we are in NC for the HPV, they get it in school there...but I asked and the lady on the phone specifically said they will not pass our medical if we do not have the required vaccinations. I hope you are right, well, I can see it is true for others. I will take a chance I think as its just too expensive right now. Thanks again for the info

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-05 16:21:00

Official HPV Vaccine/New Police Certicate Thread

I just phoned Knightsbridge to see if you have to have started the course of HPV and they said yes

.....the second dose is recommended two months after the first and then about 6 months later.

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-03-05 12:38:00

I'm so truly sorry PB&JAM, keep your chin up, give them what they have asked for and fingers crossed it will all work out in the end

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-05-23 13:30:00

What fantastic news, I'm so happy for you Marm, it must be such a relief!!!!!!
Congrats Moira too

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-05-13 00:19:00

Just when you think you have all of the delays and shabby treatment behind you they do this, I'm so sorry Tanya, I can only try to imagine how disappointed and upset you are right now. Fingers crossed it will arrive asap, i'm sending you e-hugs

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-05-11 00:25:00

Congrats to all the May approvals so far!!!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-05-07 00:13:00

Hello!! Great news, both mine and my daughters visas were approved on April 29th and we received them today!! Can't wait to go now

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-05-01 15:28:00

Congratulations Magpie, i'm so happy for you, what a relief!!

You must be so excited

Good luck to the May interviewees tomorrow!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-30 14:48:00

Congratulations Kat&Allie......how exciting!!! Not long now until you tie the knot

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-29 12:55:00

I just called DOS, my visa was approved today also.....but my daughter's has not yet been approved??!! I can't figure out why they'd approve me first without my daughter...has anyone heard of this before? I can't be happy until I know hers is approved...i'm not going anywhere without her after all!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-29 12:50:00

Hi AlixHilary, I put the blue paper in and a hand written cover letter (printer won't work!) as well as the document they wanted and our passports. I'm not sure if you're meant to include the blue paper or not??

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-29 00:34:00

QUOTE (Alixhilary @ Apr 28 2009, 05:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

one other thing when i phone the courier will they pick it up same day? and when i do send it wot do i need to put on the envelop and do i need to put in the blue piece of paper?

thanxs rich

Hi, I had to send docs back last week too. I called the courier at lunchtime on Thursday and they said they were unable to collect the same day, i'm not sure if its because it was too late then or if they can't do same day collections? So they collected Friday and delivered it Monday! The embassy will not accept courier'd items the same day for security reasons. So my docs were delivered yesterday and it was logged onto the system today, but no approval just yet, fingers crossed I will get it tomorrow!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-28 13:51:00

Good luck tomorrow to Kat&Allie and Juni&Mike!! Bring us back two more approvals!!!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-28 13:46:00

My friend Juni (Juni&Mike on here) has her interview in London on the 29th of April (she doesn't post that much) so there are even more interviews this week! Good luck to everyone, April really has been a good month for VJ'ers so far

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-26 13:29:00

The cheapest I could get for collection and delivery was £28 something, and I don't live far from London. To add insult to injury, they couldn't collect until Friday (yesterday) and told me that it won't be delivered until Monday!!. Royal mail could have got it there faster and far cheaper, but again, the embassy have a way of stitching everything up. They did say though, that the embassy have stopped accepting courier items the same day for security reasons, they must go to the depot first.

I have just resigned myself to the fact that this process is going to cost an arm and a leg at every step of the way, I think AOS is even worse!

Oh, when did you send your docs back to the embassy? Just trying to figure out how long it takes to get the visas back as I am in the same boat!

Edited by Kirsten UK, 25 April 2009 - 02:29 PM.

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-25 14:28:00

Well, the courier collected our passports and my sworn affadavit from the notary public yestreday at 10.30am. It was actually a pretty personal and embarrassing statement in places, he wanted me to write some strange things

...I told him what I wanted included and he worded it in a very formal way....he even described me as a spinster

Hopefully someone will work on it on Monday? I hope we get our visas by the end of next week, please!!!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-25 03:48:00

Congratulations DairyFarmer, you didn't waste any time going home...good luck for the wedding!!

Best wishes to everyone who has their interview today!! Good luck, lets get some more approvals on here!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-24 01:10:00

Well, the embassy took 4 whole weeks to acknowledge receipt of my case from NVC and then I only found out by calling DOS. It took another week to get packet 3.

Thanks again to everyone for your kind messages, I know I should be grateful that I am not stuck in AP but this has proved to be such a demoralising and very expensive process, its just got a bit much today, what with moving house last week, changing job, the neighbours house burning down in the middle of the night, no sleep, and major PMT, I sure I would have been a bit more positive otherwise

I got the sworn affadavit statement thingy drawn up this afternoon, it was a strange process and I must say he has written some very personal things in there

I hope its what she wants? I asked him very kindly for two original copies, one to send, and one to keep for my records, as I thought that she would insist on seeing the original and therefore I would not get it back at this stage. \the courier will collect tomorrow and the embassy will receive it back on Monday. So fingers crossed, all being well, we should receive our visas by the end of next week?? (Please!!!!!!)

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-23 14:09:00

Thanks for the hugs

I do hope you're both right and I get them soon, she certainly implied that everything else was in order and as soon as she gets the document and passports back they will return them within 5 business days!

I have a question though. The notarized affadavit that i must return...should it be the original or a copy?? I'm thinking that I will need the original now for AOS??

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-23 06:53:00

No visa yet

Well, after reading so many positive reviews on here about the interview, and having had a B2 interview before, I figured it too would be a few short questions, check docs and go home with a smile on my face. WRONG!

It was like the Spanish Inquisition, I was asked approx 30 questions regarding our relationship

and that was before she got to the child custody questions that she had already filled out the dreaded blue form for, it was there before she'd even spoken to me!

Basically, I followed the good advice on here from many before me, got a letter from the HMRC to state there are no Parental Responsibility Agreements for my daughter handing her custody to anyone else. I then got a letter from a lawyer backing this up, and stating that under UK law, I have sole parental custody of my daughter and am entitled to take her out of the jurisdiction if I so wish. It stated that we have had no contact with the biological father since 1998 and other details. Basically, my rights and the facts on paper are water-tight. She, in my opinion, is a jobsworth. She now wants a letter from a notary public (also my lawyer, ching ching!) affirming the details I have provided are true and I must also sign it.

I do believe I have read a review that may mention this particular officer. She has long reddish blonde hair, wears a couple of fancy emerald rings and comes across as very polite but very firm. She was training somebody today also, I think I got an extra thorough grilling possibly due to this??

Very very upset, i'm pretty hormonal today and it took all my might not to burst into tears

So, in a couple of hours I have the appointment scheduled with my lawyer/notary public, which will set me back £100 ontop of the £300 I have already laid out for the custody docs. Its all so demoralising. My other half, on the other hand, seems to think things went pretty well all in all, and provided I get the passports and notorised affadavit back (courier collecting tomorrow) I may get the visas by the end of next week, I hope.

Oh, forgot to mention, the photobooth inside the embassy was out of order today, so anyone with an interview soon, go to snappy snaps quick!

Edited by Kirsten UK, 23 April 2009 - 06:36 AM.

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-23 06:35:00

Thanks everyone for the positive vibes

...i'm getting more and more nervous...couldn't sleep much last night. Had a few last minute shocks earlier, things I realised I hadn't copied etc, but fingers crossed I have it all now. One last question...can I take my leather satchel sized handbag with metal bits on it into the embassy (its just big enough to fit my A4 accordian style file in it)?

I'll be leaving at 6am in the morning and won't be taking my mobile, keys etc so am trying to avoid the pharmacy if I can. Appointment is at 8.30 or 9am, can't remember, but all being well I should be at the embassy at 7.30, give or take time to get a cuppa on the way. I'd love to be outta there fast but when I had my B2 interview I was called to the window 4 hours after my appointment arrrrgghh!!

Oh, I have read differing accounts now of the courier fees (hopefully not jumping the gun, fingers crossed!!), some say £14 some over £20. Any recent accounts of fees, and does anyone know if I will have to pay two courier fees as my daughter is getting a visa too? Just need to know how much cash to have on me. I have bought my $ for the visa fee itself.

Right, well I'll be the first to wish everyone a happy St Georges Day for tomorrow, i'm outta here for the night...early to bed, early to rise! I'll be straight on here with the verdict as soon as I get home tomorrow

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-22 14:26:00

Congratulations Mr&Mrs!! Thats fantastic, now i'm next *gulp*

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-20 13:44:00

QUOTE (DairyFarmer @ Apr 20 2009, 09:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take me off AP and add me to the April approved list.

My visa has been issued!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations, thats fantastic news

Good luck Mr&Mrs today, let us know how it goes

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-20 05:43:00

[quote name='Nik+Heather' date='Apr 15 2009, 08:45 PM' post='2842103']
You're right, I copied the wrong one! ARGH. Sorry.....You're so patient with me -- flip flopping your all important interview date all over the place!!

Thanks for updating! This time next week mine will (hopefully) be over!!

Good luck Niniel71 tomorrow!!

Kirsten UK

Female

United Kingdom

2009-04-16 15:32:00