DCF recent timeline for London

[Myssie 0]

Hello,

I've been keeping an eye on this website for a while (it's been very helpful), and although there are quite a few timelines for filing at the various USCIS sites in America, there didn't seem to be very many for London DCF, so I thought I'd post ours along with our experience. Hope it helps any other DCF couples in the UK!

27 November - eloped while on holiday in New York

3 December - I-130, G-325A and credit card payment papers sent to London USCIS (forms found at http://london.usembassy.gov/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html)

4 December - Paperwork received at USCIS

5 December - Received e-mail from USCIS notifying us that our filing date was 4 December

4 January - Requested police certificare from local police station (old system)

Now here's where we did things our own way...

Before we received approval of the I-130 and the packet with the DS-230 etc, we printed the DS-2001 (for the interview) and the DS-230 from the webside (http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/ds2001.html) and we...

8 January - DS-230 (parts I and II - part II unsigned) and DS-2001 sent to Immigration Visa Unit in London. On the DS-2001 form were it requests case number I wrote "Case Pending in London"

9 January - Paperwork received at Immigration Visa Unit in London

1 February - Received police certificate

4 February - Emailed USCIS.London@dhs.gov and asked if they had received our DS-230 and DS-2001

6 February - Receved response from LondonConsular@state.gov that they had our DS-230 and DS-2001 on file and were awaiting the approved I-130

8 February - I-130 Approved at London USCIS and forwarded to London Immigration Visa Unit

16 February - Received packet with information on scheduling the medical and another copy of the D230 and D2001

18 February - Re-Sent DS-230 and DS-2001 (just in case) - this time we sent it to the PO Box at the London Immigration Visa Unit - I would advise against this as the Royal Mail still claim that the packet was been delivered to the PO Box and is still awaiting collection, better to send the paperwork to the street address.

21 February - Husband went to GP for innoculations (there is no charge if done at your local GP)

28 February - Received letter from Visa Immigration Unit - Appointment date 6 March at 900a

4 March - Medical at Knightsbridge

6 March - Interview - Visa Approved. The informed us that they had not yet received the results for his medical, so it might take a few extra days to receive his passport.

2 April - Flight to Seattle

Now just a few side notes:

On DCF - I moved to the UK five years ago on a work visa. I never updated my visa to indefinite leave to remain through my husband as my work visa didn't expire until 2009, and filing for indefinite leave to remain is expensive. You do not need indefinite leave to remain to use DCF, my work visa was sufficient, but I did have to include copies of my passport with the I-130 and G-325a to prove I was a legal resident.

Regarding the I-864 - It took me ages to realize we needed 3x the poverty line for my husband and myself if you don't have employment in the US set up before moving. Fortunately this wasn't a problem. I printed out my American bank statements off the internet a few days before the interview and these were accepted without problem. I also had a copy of my 2007 tax return (not the transcript from the IRS - just a copy of the one I sent to them in January), this was also accepted without question. I did not provide any other tax returns. I did wait to sign it until asked at the interview.

I did call the extortion line a few times (09402 450 100)- they were really very helpful. It is true that to email the LondonConsular@state.gov site, you must have a special code from them and it is only valid for a week. If you do not have a code you will recieve a reply noting that your email has been deleted (they may or may not read it anyway and respond...I don't know). If you have the proper code you will recieve a reply noting that your email will be responded to in 4-5 days.

On the Interview - Ours was for 900a. I went along even though we never told anyone that was our intent. We arrived at 815a and were let though without waiting. At the first security checkpoint they looked at my passport and wrote my name in on the interview date letter (and of course they looked at his passport). They confinscated all our electronics (phones, PDA's, Blackberry's, PSP's etc.) We were number 7 in line for the immigrant visas. We waited about 30 minutes and were called to the first counter. They asked for all the original documents and one copy (marriage, birth, police certificate) and all of my I864 with supporting evidence. They fingerprinted my husband. We sat back down and about 15 minutes later we were called to the second window. He was fingerprinted again. We were given back all of our originals. They asked us how long we've been married, how we met, and why we were moving to America instead of staying the UK. Then he said very calmly that his visa had been approved. We walked out the doors at 1015a.

On proving our relationship - With the I-130 and G-325a, I sent in copies of the last two years of our rental agreement and the last two years of our council tax bill (which has both our names) and our most recent bank statement. The marriage certificate was the original from the county recorder in New York (just the short form - not the extended one which we also had just in case).

Finally, I'm convinced that sending in our DS-230 and DS-2001 before our I-130 was approved saved us several weeks in the whole process, as they tell you that it can take 4-6 weeks to process the DS-230 and DS-2001 once they are received at the Immigration Visa Unit. Clearly, this is only something you can do if your are DCF, and there's no guarantee that it will work.

On a side note - we're shipping two rather large dogs, so if anyone has any questions about that glorious process (which is almost worse that this one!) please let me know.

I really hope this helps somone.

Best wishes and good luck to us all!

Myssie

[BritishGuy36 0]

That's an interesting account.

I do rather think you "got away with it" though. I don't think you are supposed to submit the visa application prior to receiving I-130 approval. It does appear to have cut 6 weeks or so off your wait though.

It's almost 5 weeks since we filed I-130. The wait does get tedious!

[belperman26 0]

That's an interesting account.

I do rather think you "got away with it" though. I don't think you are supposed to submit the visa application prior to receiving I-130 approval. It does appear to have cut 6 weeks or so off your wait though.

It's almost 5 weeks since we filed I-130. The wait does get tedious!

Hi yes Im the same sent off my d230 part 1 on 24th jan and the d2001 on the 27th of feb and not im waiting for my interview date. I would recommend to anyone getting the police check done early as that what i have been waiting for since the 25th jan but i got it on the 27th of feb. so that will save some time .

I was under the idea that when i got the letter for my interview it will be 1 month from the letter and you got yours in 10 days . I am hoping mine will arrive in the post on Monday and also be as quick.

[redkitty 0]

Myssie, when you sent in your I-I30 did you attach affidavits from friends/family?

I'm also flying home with my dog, from Heathrow to San Francisco....£975 on Virgin! I knew it would be around that much since it was $2100 to fly her back in 2006. But still shocking to hear that price!

[Myssie 0]

Myssie, when you sent in your I-I30 did you attach affidavits from friends/family?

I'm also flying home with my dog, from Heathrow to San Francisco....£975 on Virgin! I knew it would be around that much since it was $2100 to fly her back in 2006. But still shocking to hear that price!

Hi Redkitty - no I didn't send any affidavits from anyone - just our proper official marriage certificate (not the pretty one issued by the church), two years worth of coucil tax bills (with both our names) and two years worth of house rental agreements!

Regarding the flying home with dog...I'm from SF as well!!! We're moving to Seattle though. That price on virgin does it include the price of the IATA crate and vet check and everything? Our quotes were much, much higher, but we have big dogs!

myssie

[redkitty 0]

Hi myssie, thanks for the reply. I can't understand why some DCF'ers have received an RFE asking for affidavits. I wish the embassy would make up it's mind! Where is the consistency!?

We already have the crate from when she flew over here and our vet will only charge an office visit, plus the rabies vaccination. So the price for Virgin is just the cost of the flight. They charge by the size of the crate, not the weight of the dog.

When are you flying to Seattle?

[londondon 0]

Hello,

My spouse (USC) filed the IR1 application for me with Embassy in London as we both live in UK now.

2 days later all paperwork sent back to us with blank credit card payment form.

Although there was NO explantion why, we presumed that cc didn't go through for some reason.

So we filled it out by using another cc information and sent all package back immediately.

It's been a week since but we haven't heard anything back from them.

My questions are:

1. What action can we expect next? i.e. any notice of acceptance will be sent by email/letter?

2. If so, how soon will it to be? (I have to apply for the police certificate where they require some kind of official proof that I am applying for this. So I need a proof!)

3. When can we expect the filing fee will be charged?

Thank you for your help!