Problems with the US consulate in London

[leereyno 0]

My fiancee and I have been working since April of 2006 to get her a K1 visa.

We've been using the guides on this site and have followed all of the steps properly. All of the steps that were handled by offices here in the states went smoothy. Then things were handed over to the state department and we've had ongoing problems ever since.

The problem that we are having is that the consulate in london keeps "losing" paperwork and is basically lying to us and giving us the run around. This has been going on now for over a year. The primary problem is that they continually pretend to not have forms that we have repeatedly submitted to them.

In particular there is a form from the UK police department that takes 30 days to obtain. My fiancee submitted this form to the consulate in person as part of her interview. They then claimed not to have it. To be on the safe side, she obtained two official copies from the home office, generating a wait of 30 days yet again. She has submitted one of these to the consulate via their very own courier services. The consulate now, once again, pretends that they do not have it.

The other forms that they are currently pretending not to have are notarized letters of intent from each of us.

This is part of an ongoing pattern of deliberate deception and obstruction on their part. There have been other forms that we've had to submit more than once because the consulate "lost" them, and I'm fully expecting these forms to be "lost" once again in the future.

What angers us the most is that they'll flat out lie to us, at least when dealing with them on the phone. No record of conversation = no accountability and a free hand to hurt others.

A few months back she took time off from work because she was assured on the phone that her visa would be arriving via courier that Friday. When it didn't come the consulate said "Oh, we meant next Friday." This went on no less than 3 times before we finally got a different answer via email that forms were, once again, "missing." This is not a case of us not knowing what the procedure is either. We'd done everything we were supposed to do including her having an interview at the consulate. The only step remaining was for her to receive the visa.

At first we believed that our problems were simple incompetence, or bad luck. But past a certain point incompetence is no longer a sufficient explanation, leaving deliberate malice as the only reasonable cause.

Has anyone else had these kinds of problems with the US consulate in London? Are you still dealing with these issues now, or were you able to get them resolved? If so, what steps did you take?

I'm going to be contacting my senator's office today in the hope that they can do something. Maybe they'll tell me to go jump, I really don't know. All I do know is that she should have had her visa almost a year ago by any reasonable timetable and that someone or some group within the consulate in London is actively preventing this from happening.

If anyone has any advice to offer we would appreciate it.

[Jodinjames 0]

IM sorry to hear that, have you thought about seeking legal councel with an immigration lawyer?

[rebeccajo 14]

Actually, what you are describing is not common at all for that consulate.

When was the interview?

[English Muffin 59]

None of what you have said sounds right. For instance why would they want a notarized letter of intent from you both when they aren't even a requirement? I have my packet 3 in front of me and they don't even ask for one. You need to show 'proof' of engagement and a letter of intent could be used as that but that's not the only way of proving it and it isn't asked for in the check list - especially not a notarized one. This is just one example of your post sounding a bit 'fishy'. Is there more to your story that you don't want to tell us? I can understand if you don't want to disclose stuff on a public forum but people might be able to help you better if you did.

Sorry but I can't really help you on this one. Good luck with everything.

Gillian

[ddkm 0]

That sounds really weird, i havent had any problems with them (so far!) just a lack of speed! Is there anyway you could get in touch with a supervisor/manager at the embassy...it seems like the jobs-bodies on the phones are not going to be any help at all.

Good luck

[maore 0]

welcome to the US embassy of London. Basically due to their incompetence they delay the processing of my DV visa - what I did is suing them under mandamus civil action . The case is still running , I think I will loose the case (deadline was sept 2007) but I am going to make as much noise as I can.

I learned one thing about the US embassy , being diplomatic(sic)/patiente just does not work. If i were in your position I would do the following :

- Make sure I have a strong case

- Collect two copies of every single paperwork they requested

- send them in recorded mail one copy with a sweet letter reminding them you are here to help them

- call the premium number and send them an email indicating the recorded mail reference number and list of paperworks you sent

- start a mandamus civil action (350 $) and in the exhibit of your civil action put the second copy of all the paperworks they requested

Then sit down and relax let a Judge deal with these people .

[gwenneh 7]

To be honest, I am very surpised to hear of this. We have been through the London Embassy for two visas and - apaert from a delay in scheduling our final interview - we have had no problems, and everyone has been super nice.

[leereyno 0]

There really isn't anything more to the story than that. There aren't any additional details to reveal. We're just a normal couple who want to get married. I'm 35 and she's 25 and we've known each other for almost 5 years now. We met online but not through any sort of mail order bride "service." Neither of us was looking to find someone online, but that is just how things turned out.

I really don't understand why this is happening to us. We've done everything we were supposed to do, in some cases more than once. There is nothing "fishy" about either of us. We're not criminals. We don't have any felony convictions, misdemeanors, or even unpaid traffic tickets. There is simply no legitimate reason why the consulate should be treating us this way.

The latest canard that they're trying to sell us is that they don't have the forms we submitted to them via their own courier service, and these are the same forms they've been pretending not to have since last summer. The forms in question are the 2 notarized letters of intent and a UK police report on her. It takes 40 days to get that report and we got 2 copies last time, but I know if we submit our spare it will only be "lost" as well.

I've requested assistance from the office of one of my senators. According to this senator's office this is definitely something that they can help us with. Whether they'll actually be able to or not I don't know yet.

At this point I don't see the use in going through proper channels anymore. Why should we go through the time and trouble of doing things the right way only to be lied to and insulted for our efforts? Why shouldn't I just put her on a plane and bring her over?

[maore 0]

I really understand how you feel : The US embassy of London to my amazement is just not fit for purpose . I can understand things are not done as fast as the applicants desire but it is absolutely unacceptable to be lied by an employee of the US government especially after doing it the right way !

All the best and hope you will reach the goal you want to achieve, cheer up and concentrate as you have done on alternative way of getting what you want.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

It would really help if you filled in your timeline, as the chronology is a little confusing!

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

I don't know if this is possible but in a situation like this it would be best if she could take the forms in person and then get a receipt for them - makes it much more difficult for them to claim they didn't receive them that way!

Otherwise I would suggest getting half a dozen copies of the required information and sending one every single day for a week by insured special delivery mail.