February 2010 Filers - California Service Center

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Thanks for the info, guys! It'll be very useful once I've sent my visa forms and document checklist in later today...

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Emi

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Hey everyone

Hope you're all having a great holiday weekend!

I'm compiling a folder with all the required documents and relationship evidence in preparation for my interview. I was just wondering how much stuff people are including with regards to evidence - I'm sure I'm probably overdoing it but I don't want to leave anything out in case it might be important! LOL. Well, here are the things I'm including:

Photos (tons of them from all 5 of our visits to each other)

Phone bills

Emails from 2009

Emails from 2010

Boarding passes / e-tickets from our trips

Receipts from our visits

Photocopies of passport pages showing US entry stamps

Chat transcripts

Wedding venue contract with both our names on (not sure if this will be useful or not, but didn't think it could hurt!)

I was just really wondering how much of any one type of evidence other people are planning to take to their interviews... I know the interviewing consular officer is probably gonna get bored after looking at even 3 of our photos, so they'd never in a million years look at all of them! (that won't stop me including them, though, haha). But how many emails do you think I should include? The folder has 40 plastic wallets and I've gone through labelling sections so that I can find things relatively easily when/if required. I've allowed 4 plastic wallets for emails from 2009 and the same for emails from 2010, and about the same for phone bills and chat transcripts. Is this roughly what other people are including?

As an aside: I don't think I've ever been so organised in my life! I don't even have an interview date yet! This really isn't like me...

Emi

Edited May 31, 2010 by Shawn & Emi

[dswann 1]

lol, yes it makes you that way. I have done the same things as you. Pay subbs, chat logs, invoice for ring, phone bills, two years tax returns, one year bank transscripts from three accounts. Insurance policies, Lease agreement with her name on with mine. a bit pver kill i know. Shipping it ro her via DHL in the morning. Call for interview in the morning as well after i purchase my 12 dollar pin. Ready to go. Anna order police report today. Only need Medical now and papers for cat to get onto to plane.

David

[Jared and May 16]

Hey everyone

Hope you're all having a great holiday weekend!

I'm compiling a folder with all the required documents and relationship evidence in preparation for my interview. I was just wondering how much stuff people are including with regards to evidence - I'm sure I'm probably overdoing it but I don't want to leave anything out in case it might be important! LOL. Well, here are the things I'm including:

Photos (tons of them from all 5 of our visits to each other)

Phone bills

Emails from 2009

Emails from 2010

Boarding passes / e-tickets from our trips

Receipts from our visits

Photocopies of passport pages showing US entry stamps

Chat transcripts

Wedding venue contract with both our names on (not sure if this will be useful or not, but didn't think it could hurt!)

I was just really wondering how much of any one type of evidence other people are planning to take to their interviews... I know the interviewing consular officer is probably gonna get bored after looking at even 3 of our photos, so they'd never in a million years look at all of them! (that won't stop me including them, though, haha). But how many emails do you think I should include? The folder has 40 plastic wallets and I've gone through labelling sections so that I can find things relatively easily when/if required. I've allowed 4 plastic wallets for emails from 2009 and the same for emails from 2010, and about the same for phone bills and chat transcripts. Is this roughly what other people are including?

As an aside: I don't think I've ever been so organised in my life! I don't even have an interview date yet! This really isn't like me...

Emi

You can also request tax transcripts through the IRS online.. It's better to bring those then the tax returns. Anyone can fudge a tax return, much harder to fudge an official tax transcript from the IRS.

:thumbs:

[twowls 217]

Hey everyone

Hope you're all having a great holiday weekend!

I'm compiling a folder with all the required documents and relationship evidence in preparation for my interview. I was just wondering how much stuff people are including with regards to evidence - I'm sure I'm probably overdoing it but I don't want to leave anything out in case it might be important! LOL. Well, here are the things I'm including:

Photos (tons of them from all 5 of our visits to each other)

Phone bills

Emails from 2009

Emails from 2010

Boarding passes / e-tickets from our trips

Receipts from our visits

Photocopies of passport pages showing US entry stamps

Chat transcripts

Wedding venue contract with both our names on (not sure if this will be useful or not, but didn't think it could hurt!)

I was just really wondering how much of any one type of evidence other people are planning to take to their interviews... I know the interviewing consular officer is probably gonna get bored after looking at even 3 of our photos, so they'd never in a million years look at all of them! (that won't stop me including them, though, haha). But how many emails do you think I should include? The folder has 40 plastic wallets and I've gone through labelling sections so that I can find things relatively easily when/if required. I've allowed 4 plastic wallets for emails from 2009 and the same for emails from 2010, and about the same for phone bills and chat transcripts. Is this roughly what other people are including?

As an aside: I don't think I've ever been so organised in my life! I don't even have an interview date yet! This really isn't like me...

Emi

Heya, Richard is going to the interview WEDNESDAY (sound of crowd cheering and fireworks) and here's what he's bringing:

about ten photos of us

about ten full emails

about 3 pages worth of chat logs---100s of chat records

3 or 4 handwritten letters/postcards

evolution of relationship letter

(1 handmade scarf--that's right, I knitted something.)

I think that's it. We haven't been able to visit each other so we don't have boarding passes or anything from during the visa process. This isn't the biggest packet of stuff ever, but I don't feel worried about it. If they actually have a look at any of this, I think it will be pretty obvious we're a real couple. And from what I've heard, that's not the major hurdle at London as it is in higher fraud consulates.

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Thanks everyone!

Yeah, this whole visa process does seem to be good at making otherwise normal people just a little bit crazy... lol.

It's silly, because I feel as though I absolutely have to include loads of photos, even though just a few would probably be enough. I really don't think we have anything to worry about, yet I'm worried anyway! Our relationship is without a doubt genuine, and I really don't think the CO will even ask for half of the stuff I'm taking with me, but whatever.

Good luck to everyone with interviews coming up! I can't wait to have mine (and at the same time, I know I'll be nervous as hell!)

Emi

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Hello again everyone!

I seem to have a million questions at the moment - sorry!

London received my completed visa forms today (packet 3) - we were just wondering when we should start calling DOS? I thought maybe we should leave it until the end of next week before we start calling, does that sound reasonable? Or do you think we should wait longer? Obviously we're wanting to get an interview sooner rather than later, not that calling DOS probably makes much difference with timings etc. Is Packet 4 the interview appointment letter? I've seen on another forum that people are waiting like a month before they even receive their interview letter - is that about right or have people on here been getting their letters faster than that?

Thanks!

Emi

[twowls 217]

Hello again everyone!

I seem to have a million questions at the moment - sorry!

London received my completed visa forms today (packet 3) - we were just wondering when we should start calling DOS? I thought maybe we should leave it until the end of next week before we start calling, does that sound reasonable? Or do you think we should wait longer? Obviously we're wanting to get an interview sooner rather than later, not that calling DOS probably makes much difference with timings etc. Is Packet 4 the interview appointment letter? I've seen on another forum that people are waiting like a month before they even receive their interview letter - is that about right or have people on here been getting their letters faster than that?

Thanks!

Emi

Looks like we got our packet 4 about two weeks after we sent packet 3. I think I gave it a week after they had p3 to start calling. Called every other day until they told me the interview date. Then R got the letter several days later. So it didn't speed up the process, but it helped us plan and get some relief sooner.

[Shawn & Emi 16]

That's cool, I didn't wanna start harrassing them too early but I feel better knowing other people contacted them after a week. I guess we'll do the same!

Good luck for the interview tomorrow - can't wait to hear that you're approved!

Emi

[SunDrop 59]

Argghhh, it's been crazy hectic around here recently. Interview's tomorrow and just noticed so is Twowls' richard, so I'll look out for him and embarrass the heck out of Ry going up to random people saying "hey, are you Richard?" or "hey, are you Emma?" (Y&E on VJ) lol

I promise I'll be back to update the thread by the end of the week

Emi, have a look at my sig for an idea of London's turnaround times at the moment. Seems about average, so I'd say give it a couple weeks and then start calling. I got our P4 the day after our medical, so by that logic, we're looking at June 16th for you

And Friday, October 15th is an awesome date, coz it's my daughter's 11th birthday lol so heyyyyyy, stop copying me for important dates! lol

Back tomorrow (later today) with an interview update...

[twowls 217]

APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got it!!! Sundrop, I can't believe I missed the fact you'd be there too! Oh well. Richard said everything went completely smoothly, and that they didn't even want our joint sponsor affidavit! Which blows my mind, because I've only been working for 6 months (after school and travel), at very close to the income line if not below it, and I only had one tax return showing 5 months of work. Amazing.

They also gave him no trouble whatsoever over his vwp overstay or denial of entry last October. They asked when we had met (R managed to give the wrong year at first--I cannot stop laughing) and then one cursory question verifying that the overstay had been less than six months. Oh, also a simple inquiry into a pre-cambrian-era caution R had in his police report. THAT'S IT.

Never looked at a photo, any emails or chat logs, evolution letter, renewed intent letters, my birth certificate, nothing. Asked for nothing at all except my affidavit. "Okay, we are going to issue you the visa." Richard is now getting worried because it was "too easy." But this is our way: deep abiding anxiety and the certainty of doom despite all evidence to the contrary. It's a very advanced form of Zen practice--Way of the Worst Possible Scenario.

K going to go jump around some more. Good luck all!!!!

[Chavonia 4]

Ok, so we had been waiting on packet 3 and nothing had ever come. The Dominican Consulate is slow at everything so we figured it would take a while. I decided to call the Dept. of State number for an update today and the lady tells me that sent packet 4 on May 24th and our interview is on July 9, 2010 at 0600....zomg!!!!!!!!!!!?!??!?!?!?!?!?! I am sooo excited and nervous. Lol, this is like record time for the consulate. What to do now!??! Wow, so I hope everyone else has been doing well and that their cases are moving along. Best wishes!

[Chavonia 4]

oh, btw....congratulations twowls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bainbridge558 0]

APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got it!!! Sundrop, I can't believe I missed the fact you'd be there too! Oh well. Richard said everything went completely smoothly, and that they didn't even want our joint sponsor affidavit! Which blows my mind, because I've only been working for 6 months (after school and travel), at very close to the income line if not below it, and I only had one tax return showing 5 months of work. Amazing.

They also gave him no trouble whatsoever over his vwp overstay or denial of entry last October. They asked when we had met (R managed to give the wrong year at first--I cannot stop laughing) and then one cursory question verifying that the overstay had been less than six months. Oh, also a simple inquiry into a pre-cambrian-era caution R had in his police report. THAT'S IT.

Never looked at a photo, any emails or chat logs, evolution letter, renewed intent letters, my birth certificate, nothing. Asked for nothing at all except my affidavit. "Okay, we are going to issue you the visa." Richard is now getting worried because it was "too easy." But this is our way: deep abiding anxiety and the certainty of doom despite all evidence to the contrary. It's a very advanced form of Zen practice--Way of the Worst Possible Scenario.

K going to go jump around some more. Good luck all!!!!

CONGRATS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shawn & Emi 16]

CONGRATULATIONS TWOWLS!!!

Sounds like a very easy interview - I can only hope mine will be as anti-climatic!!

When will you be arriving in the US? I bet you're soooooo relieved to be approved!

Emi