2 Different Interview Dates in London

[tomsandi 0]

Hi all,

I got my interview date from London a few weeks back, and it's scheduled for 10 March at 9am.

Then today I got a second packet 4, all the same as the first one except that this one has a date of 12 March at 9am!

Help! What is the best thing to do now? Should I ring/email the embassy? Or just show up on 10 March?

Interviews are like buses.... you spend 230 days waiting for the first one....

Thanks!

[catrocks 0]

That's so strange! I would call the embassy, they were pretty helpful when I had to call them about something.

Congrats on your two interview dates!

[TracyTN 237]

You could try to call them, or you could bring the March 12th letter with you to the March 10th appointment. They probably have some way to go in the system and 'free up' the March 12th date for someone else.

[*julez* 124]

You could try to call them, or you could bring the March 12th letter with you to the March 10th appointment. They probably have some way to go in the system and 'free up' the March 12th date for someone else.

Yeah, call the mebassy and tell them to gice the second appointment to babblesgirl! She needs an interview ASAP!

Anyway, I'd go to the one on the 10th as you have an appointment letter, but would still call and advise them that they double booked you so they know that a date is available for someone else (like babblesgirl!)

[tomsandi 0]

thanks for the advice! i looked into calling up the embassy, but i could only find a number that's charged at £1.20/minute! not to be cheap, but i really dont want to call that to correct their error.

i think i'll take the march 12th letter with me on march 10th and get them to free up the date, like TracyTN suggests. i really wish i could help someone else by giving the date to them!! i really have no idea why they would give me 2 dates! maybe they were fooled into a second packet 4 when the medical results came back.

thanks all.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

there's an 0207 switchboard number that's charged at local rates

in fact -

*brief search*

(0)20 7499-9000

(found that here by the way )

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

To be honest, the switchboard usually tells you to call the premium rate number as they don't deal with visa-related matters. (I know -- I tried once.)

You really have two options: call the Department of State on (202) 663 1225 and see if they can tell you what date the Embassy has down for you on the system. This will cost you the standard rate for a call to America. The second option is to call the premium rate number and ask first for the date, and second for this week's email code to email the Embassy to confirm your date. Some have had success emailing the Embassy without the code, but it can be hit or miss to do so without it. (Again, I know -- I tried.)

If it were me, I'd call the DoS number. They've got access to the same info as the premium rate operators in the UK. They should clear it up for you. Good luck!

[rebeccajo 14]

E mail them. Make certain the title of the mail gives them a clue to their mistake.

LondonConsular@State.gov

[bakofoil 27]

You could try to call them, or you could bring the March 12th letter with you to the March 10th appointment. They probably have some way to go in the system and 'free up' the March 12th date for someone else.

Yeah, call the mebassy and tell them to gice the second appointment to babblesgirl! She needs an interview ASAP!

Anyway, I'd go to the one on the 10th as you have an appointment letter, but would still call and advise them that they double booked you so they know that a date is available for someone else (like babblesgirl!)

I've only just spotted this! Thank you Julez for thinking of me. It is such a long shot though, but my medical happens to be on the 10th anyway and if the 12th was freed up (and I flukily got the 12th) my Mum has said we can stay down in London two nights. It's my birthday week

Please tomsandi, call them - I'll even pay for the cost of phoning them if you can persuade them to give me the interview date.

Edited March 3, 2008 by babblesgirl

[Peikko 1,575]

Email works well at the London Embassy. Make sure you give sufficitient details for them to be able to identify your case and put that in the subject header. They will reply, generally very quickly.

[tomsandi 0]

Hi all,

Many thanks for the replies. I've tried to sort things out over the past few days:

1. I called the switchboard 020 number for the embassy - just got a long recorded information message and a pointer to the expensive operator assistance number. Not much help there.

2. I called the US Dept of State. Eventually spoke to a rather sleepy lady, who put me on hold for another 5 min but eventually reported back that the date they have on file is for the 12 March - my 'second date'.

3. I tried to send a brief, concise email to LondonConsular@state.gov. I clearly marked in the subject that I required assistance. However, I was immediately returned a default message saying that my email was deleted:

"This e-mail address is solely for individuals who have been authorized

to contact the Consular Information Unit about a specific matter. This

address is not for general inquiries from the public, attorneys or

agents of record. Please understand our workload does not allow us to

read unauthorized inquiries, but the Embassy has set up several

mechanisms to provide general and personalized guidance"... and so forth again referring me to the £1.20 number!

So I'm going to ring the premium number tomorrow. Unfortunately I work away from home during the week and have no access to a landline - don't think you can ring premium 090 numbers with a mobile phone so I've just asked my Dad to ring for me! Hopefully the fact that it's him calling and not me won't be a problem.

To babblesgirl - I'm so sorry I cant be more help. I havent been checking the boards frequently since our NOA2 so I didnt know you were having such problems getting an interview date. I think the switchboard premium number ppl will tell me to come on Wednesday 12 next week. But even if this was free i'm not sure how I could help you at such short notice. Both appointment letters have my name, along with the date and time, and I dont think the security ppl would let you in with my letter, if i mailed it to you. What does anyone else think? I've been through the visa process at the embassy twice before a couple of years ago (for a J-1 and choir tour visa respectively) and they were super strict on the gates. But I'm willing to mail it ASAP if this will help.

Thank you all for your guidance - invaluable as always

[bakofoil 27]

To babblesgirl - I'm so sorry I cant be more help. I havent been checking the boards frequently since our NOA2 so I didnt know you were having such problems getting an interview date. I think the switchboard premium number ppl will tell me to come on Wednesday 12 next week. But even if this was free i'm not sure how I could help you at such short notice. Both appointment letters have my name, along with the date and time, and I dont think the security ppl would let you in with my letter, if i mailed it to you. What does anyone else think? I've been through the visa process at the embassy twice before a couple of years ago (for a J-1 and choir tour visa respectively) and they were super strict on the gates. But I'm willing to mail it ASAP if this will help.

Thank you all for your guidance - invaluable as always

I appreciate your offer of help, seriously. Both appointments are yours so no it would have to be done officially. If your Dad is calling for you and you cancel either date then I can call them too and request a cancellation. I might be lucky, you never know with these things. But please be assured that I won't be holding you accountable if I don't get lucky. However, if I do get lucky then you'll be my hero forever.

Just calling and letting them know will help massively! Good luck with your interview

[tomsandi 0]

OK my dad called them this morning. He said the guy was helpful although he put him on hold for 5 minutes - at that rate, ouch! Anyway in the end he said he didn't have access to the information we required (what date should I turn up), and told me to email LondonConsular@state.gov. This time he gave us a special code to put in the subject line so it wouldnt get rejected immediately like my last effort! I have just received an acknowledgement of email receipt so will report back when I find out more! Here is the email I sent:

CASE NUMBER: **numbers**

NAME: **tomsandi**

I was told to email by the Operator Assisted Visa Information service.

I am currently awaiting my interview at the US Embassy in London for a K-1 Fiance visa application.

I was originally given an interview date of 10 March at 9am.

I have now received another identical appointment letter from the US Embassy with an interview date of 12 March at 9am.

1. Which date should I attend my interview at the US Embassy in London?

2. Why have I received 2 interview dates?

3. Can I please cancel the interview date for which you do not wish me to attend? I want to give another person the chance to use my 2nd interview date. She has been awaiting a K-1 interview appointment for a long time.

Let's see what they say babblesgirl!

[tomsandi 0]

I just got an email reply from the embassy! This is mainly for babblesgirl's benefit:

Dear *tomsandi*,

Thank you for your e-mail correspondence. Embassy records indicate that you are scheduled for a visa interview on the March 12, at 9:00am. I regret that I do not know how the other letter was generated, but it appears to be a system glitch and was issued in error.

In regards to your friend who has been waiting a long time for a K-1 visa interview, if it has been more than 6 weeks since she has submitted her application form and document checklist to the Embassy, she should contact us directly to query the delay in her case. Make sure to advise her to include the CIU4452 code in the subject heading of her e-mail.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for appointment slots to be assigned or re-assigned except by the Immigrant Visa Unit. If your friend contacts the Embassy as advised above, Consular Information and the Immigrant Visa Unit should be able to resolve her questions regarding an interview date.

Sincerely,

Consular Information Unit

U.S. Embassy, London

CONS/CIU/MLPM

No doubt you've already tried all their suggestions and more, babblesgirl... sorry I couldnt be more help and good luck in resolving your interview problem soon!

[*julez* 124]

Wow! tomsandi, that was really nice of you!! Even if it didn't get babblesgirl an interview, it was nice of you to advocate on her behalf! I'm off to add your March 12th date to the interview thread!