London 2012- K1s from NOA2 to interview thread

[Vanitas 310]

For the people that received their visas already... Are you getting 6 months to leave the UK?

You usually get 6 months from the date of your medical.

[Vanitas 310]

Just got a second copy of Packet 3 today. This time with the checklist included on blue paper, and those two missing fields filled in properly.

[rhirhi 35]

Hah, Wheatley, I just came on to post the same thing, except I had two identical letters. So I now have three letters in total.

[Mikejets 0]

Hi everyone. So I called DOS today and they told me my UK fiancée has her interview scheduled for November 13th. My question is what do we need to do now to: 1. Pay for visa fees and 2. Arrange for express delivery to her home.

Can someone please advise?

Also is it realistic to think that she'll receive her passport with visa inside back by November 22nd as we have a flight to U.S. that day?

Thanks so much!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Hi everyone. So I called DOS today and they told me my UK fiancée has her interview scheduled for November 13th. My question is what do we need to do now to: 1. Pay for visa fees and 2. Arrange for express delivery to her home.

Can someone please advise?

Also is it realistic to think that she'll receive her passport with visa inside back by November 22nd as we have a flight to U.S. that day?

Thanks so much!

Did you go to the link for this? http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/IV019_fiance_appt_letter.pdf

It has the paying instructions, Follow EXACTLY. It is unforgiving if you start wrong.

Maybe if there is a depot close where she could collect it, you might save a day or so. Good luck for by the 22nd. It could be close.

[Mikejets 0]

Did you go to the link for this? http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/IV019_fiance_appt_letter.pdf

It has the paying instructions, Follow EXACTLY. It is unforgiving if you start wrong.

Maybe if there is a depot close where she could collect it, you might save a day or so. Good luck for by the 22nd. It could be close.

No I haven't seen that link in that past so thank you Nich-Nick. I will follow the instructions on there, etc.

I also found out from DOS that my fiancees Packet 4 was mailed on October 22nd, but she still hasn't received it. They told me on the phone her interview date is still 11/13. Given that she still hasn't physically received Packet 4 (interview letter) is it alright for us to pay the visa fee online NOW and print the receipt for her to take to the interview for November?

Also, from recent experience at U.S. Embassy in London, can anyone say how long it took for them to receive visa/passport back after K1 interview there? Also, is there an estimate as to how long the K1 interview process takes physically at embassy?

Thanks.

[Nurseling 34]

No I haven't seen that link in that past so thank you Nich-Nick. I will follow the instructions on there, etc.

I also found out from DOS that my fiancees Packet 4 was mailed on October 22nd, but she still hasn't received it. They told me on the phone her interview date is still 11/13. Given that she still hasn't physically received Packet 4 (interview letter) is it alright for us to pay the visa fee online NOW and print the receipt for her to take to the interview for November?

Also, from recent experience at U.S. Embassy in London, can anyone say how long it took for them to receive visa/passport back after K1 interview there? Also, is there an estimate as to how long the K1 interview process takes physically at embassy?

Thanks.

Well I can tell you my experience to date. I had my interview on the 22nd approved and the on the 23rd CEAC said administrative process and on the 24th visa was issued. I am just waiting for courier contact now hopefully before the end of next week I should have the visa in my hands.

Oh the embassy process was about 1 hour

Oh the embassy process was about 1 hour

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

No I haven't seen that link in that past so thank you Nich-Nick. I will follow the instructions on there, etc.

I also found out from DOS that my fiancees Packet 4 was mailed on October 22nd, but she still hasn't received it. They told me on the phone her interview date is still 11/13. Given that she still hasn't physically received Packet 4 (interview letter) is it alright for us to pay the visa fee online NOW and print the receipt for her to take to the interview for November?

Also, from recent experience at U.S. Embassy in London, can anyone say how long it took for them to receive visa/passport back after K1 interview there? Also, is there an estimate as to how long the K1 interview process takes physically at embassy?

Thanks.

Yes, you can pay now. The letter refers to that document I gave you the link for is likely why you haven't seen it. . (Well it has but they have been changing up the Packet 3 letters this week so no telling what the interview letter might contain when she gets it).

Time at the embassy: it's first come first served no matter what the appointment time is. They start people through security and into the building around 7:30. The windows to do the paperwork and interviews open at 8:00.

Get there at 6:45 and you could be first in line and have immigrant ticket #1 called to a window at 8:00, and out the door before 9:00.

Get there at 9:00 and not really a long line outside. But you could have immigrant ticket #20 and be waiting inside over an hour behind the others. You could be there until noon. Because they don't take peopl in order of appointment time it is variable on what time you arrive and how many immigrant visas that day. The vast majority in line will be quick non-immigrant visas, so no panic thinking you are behind all of them to get served.

How long for delivery: there is a thread in this forum where you can read the experiences over the last few months. Delivery changed in the summer and it's been having some issues but getting better. Scroll down and find the thread and look at their timelines. Again variable.

Edit-- here's the thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/447661-recent-interviewees-do-you-have-your-passport-yet/

Edited October 25, 2013 by Nich-Nick

[Mikejets 0]

Yes, you can pay now. The letter refers to that document I gave you the link for is likely why you haven't seen it. . (Well it has but they have been changing up the Packet 3 letters this week so no telling what the interview letter might contain when she gets it).

Time at the embassy: it's first come first served no matter what the appointment time is. They start people through security and into the building around 7:30. The windows to do the paperwork and interviews open at 8:00.

Get there at 6:45 and you could be first in line and have immigrant ticket #1 called to a window at 8:00, and out the door before 9:00.

Get there at 9:00 and not really a long line outside. But you could have immigrant ticket #20 and be waiting inside over an hour behind the others. You could be there until noon. Because they don't take peopl in order of appointment time it is variable on what time you arrive and how many immigrant visas that day. The vast majority in line will be quick non-immigrant visas, so no panic thinking you are behind all of them to get served.

How long for delivery: there is a thread in this forum where you can read the experiences over the last few months. Delivery changed in the summer and it's been having some issues but getting better. Scroll down and find the thread and look at their timelines. Again variable.

Edit-- here's the thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/447661-recent-interviewees-do-you-have-your-passport-yet/

Understood, thank you Nich-Nick.

Another question. I'm assembling the documents to give my UK fiancee to take to interview. One of them is a letter of employment from my U.S. employer. I wasn't sure when to get it so I obtained it back in September (about 1 month ago). The letter is dated September 26th, 2013 and my fiancees interview is November 13th, 2013. Are the dates too far apart, should I ask for a more recent letter of employment with a "newer" date?

Also, aside from the I-134 form, the copy of my tax return from IRS, and recent pay stubs, is there anything else she needs to show evidence that she won't become a public charge in U.S.?

Thanks.

[Kiwinyc 62]

Understood, thank you Nich-Nick.

Another question. I'm assembling the documents to give my UK fiancee to take to interview. One of them is a letter of employment from my U.S. employer. I wasn't sure when to get it so I obtained it back in September (about 1 month ago). The letter is dated September 26th, 2013 and my fiancees interview is November 13th, 2013. Are the dates too far apart, should I ask for a more recent letter of employment with a "newer" date?

Also, aside from the I-134 form, the copy of my tax return from IRS, and recent pay stubs, is there anything else she needs to show evidence that she won't become a public charge in U.S.?

Thanks.

It'll be fine. The letter from my Fiance's employer was dated from mid-July and my interview was Sept 24. I had the other stuff too - three years of tax summarys and his last three most recent payslips.

[nancy108 1]

I paid my MRV fee and now it wont let me print the payment receipt, or print instructions

when I click on 'print instructions' the links says "The page you were looking for doesn't exist- you may have mistyped or the page may have moved"

When I click on 'print receipt' it wont go anywhere as there is no link.

Luckily I took a screenshot of both, will this be ok?

Also my birth certificate is a bit tatty but you can clearly see mother's and father's name, my name and date of birth, will this be ok as well?

Edited October 30, 2013 by nancy108

[stevensane 10]

Hello!

I just got this:

"On October 31, 2013, we shipped this approved or re-affirmed case to the Department of State for visa processing. For more information, please contact them directly."

I take it that means it has been sent to the National Visa Centre? How long will it remain there before it is shipped to London?

When London do receive it I take it they will then start asking me to send them paperwork, but do we have control over when we send it, or are there deadlines for when they want information by? For example, the embassy will send me Packet 3 instructions etc after they have received the case from the NVC, but how long do we then have to complete and return the Packet 3?

The only time limitation I am aware of so far is that your visa is valid to enter the US on from 6 months after the medical.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

On a good day, the petition should leave NVC about 3 days after arriving. Sometimes they get hung up there. Takes about 4 days to get to London. London won't send out your letter the day the packet arrives. There is usually some backlog before they get to you.

Look at your NOA2. It has an expiration. You are supposed to get your visa by then, but you can revalidate an expired petition with a new letter of intent from the USC. London says it should be notarized. It is taken to the interview along with your other documents.

How long do you want to stall getting a visa? What is you desired time to get it?

Edited November 1, 2013 by Nich-Nick

[stevensane 10]

On a good day, the petition should leave NVC about 3 days after arriving. Sometimes they get hung up there. Takes about 4 days to get to London. London won't send out your letter the day the packet arrives. There is usually some backlog before they get to you.

Look at your NOA2. It has an expiration. You are supposed to get your visa by then, but you can revalidate an expired petition with a new letter of intent from the USC. London says it should be notarized. It is taken to the interview along with your other documents.

How long do you want to stall getting a visa? What is you desired time to get it?

I need to get my fiancée to send me a scan of the NOA2, as I am not sure what it's expiration date is, though she only got it a few weeks ago.

I suppose it would be best if the interview was at the end of January-ish. Looking at what other people have written it may be the case we don't get an interview until then anyway, but everything has went so quick for us so far (we got our NOA2 24 days after our NOA1) that we weren't fully prepared. Not that I am complaining about the comparative swiftness, of course! The documentation should be fine, but my fiancée's employment situation won't be ideal before then. As it stands if I were to send in the I-134 right now I would put my mother-in-law-to-be (who is in the US on a G4 diplomatic visa and is a Chinese citizen) as a co-sponsor. This is not ideal because:

firstly, although it does not specifically state on the paperwork that you cannot have a co-sponsor who is not a US citizen/permanent resident at the I-134 stage I am worried this would cause the visa to be denied at the interview stage as I cannot find information anywhere that confirms or denies you are able to do this. If anyone knows where I can confirm this please let me know!

secondly, at the I-864 stage when I apply for AOS I would then use my fiancée (by then wife) as my sponsor. I am not sure if having different sponsors on these different forms would be problematic.

It would therefore be best for us if the interview date (which is, as I understand it, the date I would hand over the I-134) was at some point after the new year, when my fiancée will be done with her internship and hopefully be employed full-time so I can put her down as my sponsor on the

I-134 in the first instance and avoid the mine-field of having a G4 co-sponsor.

As soon as we have the I-134 taken care of I am happy for the visa to come ASAP after that! So I suppose desired receipt time would be February/March-ish.

Does this sound plausible to you?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I need to get my fiancée to send me a scan of the NOA2, as I am not sure what it's expiration date is, though she only got it a few weeks ago.

Scan?? Why? Call her. Text her. It's approx Feb 18.

I suppose it would be best if the interview was at the end of January-ish. Looking at what other people have written it may be the case we don't get an interview until then anyway,

That will be easy. I thought maybe next August or something. It is likely to fall then anyway. London slows down a bit at the end of the year because extra holidays for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. Plus many take vacation, and the American's take longer trips back to the US. Just follow the plan and don't rush to schedule your medical before London even notifies you they are ready for you application. (like many do.) The key you hold fobesetting an interview is submitting the Readiness for Interview form. Hold off on that until you are ready.

I suggest do it by London's desired order--

1. Wait until they notify you with a letter that they are ready for you to apply. Instructions http://london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html

2. Submit the DS-160 application.

3. Work on getting your documents and immunizations.

4. Attend a medical appointment in early December. You don't have to rush that.

5. Submit the Readiness for Interview form when you are actually ready with the I-134.

Then you wait 4 weeks probably before they will send an Interview letter. By then it's easily January.

As far as your other concerns, London would likely take your MIL's affidavit. The I-134 is not strictly structured like the I-864. The officer in London has to be convinced you will not become a public charge. That's really all it says in the Foreign Affairs Manual. People self sponsor...so how are they US citizens or even reside in the US? They don't. If you have a diplomat in the US who is willing to sponsor you it should easily be ok with the officer. If your fiancé has 100% of the poverty level, they would say yes. But it sounds like your fiancé will be set with a job by the time you interview anyway.

Different sponsors for AOS are not a concern. The visa from the Dept of State is an end point. You are starting over with USCIS for AOS...new process...new people who aren't going to be reading your fiance's I-129F petition or your visa file.

Specific requirements for AOS affidavit of support I-864--

Yes your wife must fill out a form even if she doesn't make enough.

The level required is 125%

She can use a joint sponsor. It can be someone different than visa sponsor.

It's can't be a Chinese citizen unless she holds a greencard.