Question for fellow London Embassy fiances who are post-interview

[JohnandWendyB 21]

I was reading through a post the other day that I now can't seem to find...

If I understand this correctly, once we get an NVC # he can go ahead and set up the medical if he has his NOA2 in hand? Then at some point he gets a letter from the Embassy or we can call to verify that they have the case and he sends in those documents listed on the Embassy info page on this site. The interview is scheduled like 5 weeks out? At that time he takes a copy of everything (some forms require more than one copy) to the interview. They may approve on the spot. If they approve on the spot we get the visa possibly as soon as 24 hours later. You pay a 14.50 pound fee for courier service to have this delivered. The forms from the medical: do they give those back to him in a sealed envelope or do they send those via courier to the Embassy? I am really confused about the process after the NVC gets the approval and paperwork.

[N&S 32]

Okay, since no one else seems to reply - I'm not post-interview yet but I have my interview scheduled, so hopefully that counts, too

While you are waiting for NOA2 I would suggest familiarizing yourself with the forms required for packet 3, they can be downloaded at

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

They might change again by the time your NOA2 comes through so if you want to start filling them in make sure they are up to date when the time comes. I found it helpful to give me enough time as it took some digging through paperwork and contacting schools etc to find the dates required for the forms.

Note that for some forms will be required in duplicate when you are getting ready to send them in not just for the interview. The page above will tell you which ones. However, you won't send in any of the supporting documents like birth certificate etc. that one of the DS-156 forms asks for - they are taken to the interview.

To prep for your medical make sure you have all the necessary vaccinations (info accessible from: http://london.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visas/medical-examination.html ) and if you are lacking any, try and get them on the NHS for free from your GP. Also get your GP to give you your vaccination record and if you have any chronic diseases a note on those and how they are held in check.

Also, you might want to make sure to get a birth certificate if the UK SO doesn't already have one and once you're closer to the time of your NOA2 start getting the rest of the documents order and the USC to start compiling information for the affidavit of support i-134 to have paystubs etc. all ready. You can see roughly where the USCIS is up to on Igor's list here on VJ:

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/monthly_filers.php?cfl=$cfl

Once your petition has been approved your petition is sent to the NVC where they log the file and assign a London case number - give it about a week and you can call NVC on 1-603-334-0700 to ask if your file has been allocated a London number yet and has been dispatched.

With the London case number you can call the doctors' office Knightbridge and make an appointment for your medical - please note that you will have to have your police certificate by the time the medical comes round so order that in time! Some sources on this board suggest that you want to make sure that London has received and logged your case by the time they receive your medical (normally appr. 4 days after your appointment). Medical is £ 210 GBP and must be paid on the date of appointment. If you have all vaccinations you will get a form from Knightsbridge which you will need for AOS after marriage so you don't need another medical, so hold on to it. They told me not to bring it to the embassy otherwise they might take it off me which they shouldn't as they got their own copy. This record is yours to keep - after the interview you will get other medical records in the ominous "brown envelope" that you need to hand over to the POE officer.

If you get all the forms filled in and all the documents gathered you can send your documents including the readiness form as soon as London acknowledges receipt - you could send it before but then there is a chance it might get lost or misplaced if there is not file to match it to.

You will have to call the London embassy on the really expensive line at least once to pay for your visa application fee of $350 USD everything else you can call DOS on 1-202-663-1225 then option 1 and then option 0 to find out status and interview date etc.

Regarding timing I can just give you anecdotal evidence: For me it took 7 days for London to log the case and 1 more day before they sent out packet 3 from when it left NVC - but times can obviously vary depending on how busy they are. I had gathered all the necessary documents beforehand so sent all the DS forms and the readiness form together after confirmation of case logged and had my medical the Monday after - medical was logged at the embassy the same week, packet 3 took almost 3 weeks to get logged. My interview date was scheduled exactly 4 weeks from the date it was scheduled and is 7 weeks from when I sent packet 3 plus readiness form and judging by the timelines of others I got an early-ish appointment from then.

My understanding is that after the interview if there are no problems or hold-ups you can get your passport back as early as 3-5 days but even within normal frame can take up to 10 days.

Depending on how much time pressure you want to make yourself, you can always wait for communication from the government offices but by gathering necessary documents I have saved at least 2 weeks and letters normally took about a week after I had the information confirmed on the phone.

Hope this was helpful. Good luck!

[jingo 38]

In order -

• Get your LDN case number by calling the NVC
  
• NVC send your case to London after they've processed it
  
• Call Department of State to verify London has received the case and logged it
  
• Schedule medical and send in the DS forms to the embassy
  
• The medical clinic will forward the results to the embassy, which takes about 3 working days
  
• Embassy sends fiance a letter a couple weeks later with an interview date (only after they've received the forms and medical results!)
  
• Pay interview fee over the phone to the embassy
  
• Attend interview, which will be about a month after you receive the letter.
  

Hope that helps

[JohnandWendyB 21]

Thank you to everyone!!! Much appreciated!!!