People between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~

[Wendy_n_John 0]

Had a nice chat with gmj last n ight (Ginny) we decided to call the embassy and try to get it moved up to Nov or early Dec. John and I are going to shoot fora Christmas wedding due to my sisters failing health (so she can attend), so hopefully they will be sympathetic I will report the outcome.

Talked to the embassy this morning. I was instructed to send an email (after they took my $16 of course) to the London Embassy and given a specific code to refer to.. I've emailed them just now and await a reply. She said give it a day or two for an answer. She said it will be quick as they don't receive much correspondence.

Here's what I wrote:

Good Morning. I spoke with one of your Embassy Representatives today "Evelyn" and explained our situation and respectfully request to have our interview date moved up.

Our circumstance is this. We would like to move our interview date up to the end of November or first week of December as we have to move the wedding date up to 12-12-09 or 12-19-09 (pending officiant availability).

My Sister whom I want at my wedding has been battling pancreatic cancer for 5 months. Her health just took a turn for the worse and she has been diagnosed as not having much time left with us. If we can get an earlier interview date, and our visa is approved, John could arrive in the states and we could have a small ceremony to celebrate our future with my family and she could be a part of it.

This would mean everything to us.

If you can see it possible to grant this request, it will mean so much to John and I and our families. Your consideration and review is extremely appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.

Here's to a quick reply from the embassy...

Wow, Wendy. Given these horrendous circumstances, I really hope they come through for you. We lost my brother to Cancer, a year ago last month. After battling it bravely for four years he took a turn for the worst, and we lost him within a few months. We were all with him when he passed. It was a life altering experience. Those final months were such walking hell. I have to commend you on how incredibly strong and amazingly upbeat you've been, considering the sheer hell you and your family must be going through.

I know that now, a year later, I STILL feel guilty planning such a celebratory event. My whole family is having a hard time moving on, still. It comes with the territory of grief. So I can only imagine you feel that as well, it's just human nature. And yet, you've been so brave, not mentioning a single word of your sister's illness to us, even though I'm sure it's been torture, watching this happen to her at such a happy time in your life. I know it was that way for me. It even postponed our applying for this visa for six months. And yet, despite all of the information you've shared about yourself and John and your situation, you've never said a thing about this horrible tragedy. How amazingly stoic of you. Such restraint in the face of such overwhelming tragedy. You're an inspiration, truly. Those of us who have lost a close loved one, a sibling, to this barbaric disease, understand exactly what you're going through. And I am blown away by how you've never, ever let it show. I would imagine it would be out of a desire for privacy, I certainly understand and respect that. I wouldn't be discussing it now, except that you told us all about it by reposting your letter.

I will keep you, your poor poor sister, and your entire family in my thoughts and prayers. I wish for comfort and peace for you and John, during what will be, I'm sure, a very bittersweet wedding ceremony.

Thank you for your kind words Roughsweet. Your absolutely correct in all that you said regarding pain, and pleasure from all of lifes unexpected turns. I too lost my mother in 1991 to pancreatic cancer and my brother when he was 12 to adeno carcenoma just 3 years prior to her death. Having gone through cervical cancer and melanoma myself, I have tasted this disease first hand. Everyone has there own battles and for our family cancer has been our demon.

I pray for all those who suffer direct or indirectly and hope that even a small amount of pleasure can lessen that pain. Your a special person as well to endure what you have. God speed. I will keep yall posted . Love to you my VJ family.

Edited November 14, 2009 by Wendy_n_John

[Amanda and Tony 0]

Wendy, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you get your December interview and you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. You truly are an amazing woman and you deserve every happiness x x x

[Wendy_n_John 0]

Wendy, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you get your December interview and you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. You truly are an amazing woman and you deserve every happiness x x x

Thank you Amanda

"Good lunck Wendy and John, i hope this works out for you, make sure you let us all know and im sorry to hear about your sister"

Thanks Lesley

[Justine+David 218]

Wendy, let us know how it turns out.

Hopefully since the UK is a low-fraud country they won't ask for any documentation (what popped into my mind). That's so awful and I'm sorry about your sister. I'm sure you'll need your John at your side in the coming months.

[woki1986 1]

I have a question about the sending of packet 3 and interview dates.

I've had my medical on the 12th of November but I have to have a letter signed by my doctor and the soonest appointment I can physically get is the 27th of November. I will be sending my packet 3 checklist back to the US embassy in London in a week or two, to get there before December 5th.

Is there any chance that I'd have an interview scheduled for December or January? I'm actually hoping it's a little later - I'm hoping to be moving out there (pending the result of the visa interview of course) around April/May sort of time.

[Jay&Jo 4]

I have a question about the sending of packet 3 and interview dates.

I've had my medical on the 12th of November but I have to have a letter signed by my doctor and the soonest appointment I can physically get is the 27th of November. I will be sending my packet 3 checklist back to the US embassy in London in a week or two, to get there before December 5th.

Is there any chance that I'd have an interview scheduled for December or January? I'm actually hoping it's a little later - I'm hoping to be moving out there (pending the result of the visa interview of course) around April/May sort of time.

the good thing about the checklist is that it asks when your travel date and wedding date is... so if you put that you're travelling april xxth then when london sees it im sure they'd take that into account and delay giving you a date for a while. there are people who are desperate to get over a lot sooner than that who they'll prioritise if you're happy to wait.

is there a reason you want it to get there before december 5th???

Edited November 14, 2009 by Jay&Jo

[gmjdmj 2]

Once the visa is issued you have 6 months to use it so you can get an interview at any time and still make your deadline. The London Embassy typically schedules interviews based on the dates that you put on the checklist. Is Dec 5th, the expiration date for your NOA2? I would just make sure that you get your packet 3 and checklist in by then to be on the safe side. If you have an interview in December or January, your visa would be good until June or July depending on when your interview is...

[woki1986 1]

Once the visa is issued you have 6 months to use it so you can get an interview at any time and still make your deadline. The London Embassy typically schedules interviews based on the dates that you put on the checklist. Is Dec 5th, the expiration date for your NOA2? I would just make sure that you get your packet 3 and checklist in by then to be on the safe side. If you have an interview in December or January, your visa would be good until June or July depending on when your interview is...

The NOA 2 expires in... I think it was December 5th.

I was sure that it's 4 months :S I've read that the visa lasts for 4 months instead of 6 on one of the embassy websites.

I'm actually planning to go there on holiday over christmas and I've got a letter from my employer to state that I am going back to work after that date. I know that I could still be turned away once I get there but we just want to spend christmas together.

I have all of the paperwork that I need, I got my police certificates last week as well.

I'm worried that I'll get a letter while I'm away as well - If I'm not stopped entering the US.

Ah, that's good then. I gave the checklist a quick glance - didn't notice those two parts with the expected marriage date / travel date.

[woki1986 1]

I didn't make myself clear there - I mean I got the letter from my employer saying I'm going back to work after my holiday.

[gmjdmj 2]

The visa is good for 6 months. That is certain...no worries there. Would you want to move to the states by Christmas? or do you need to come back before leaving again? If so, you can put on the checklist that you wish to have a January interview date and I can get that you will get one. We got notice of ours yesterday that it is in 10 days, which we are very happy about but if you want to insure that you do not get scheduled while you are away I would put a date for later in January to be sure. There are so many people wanting to have December interviews, I am sure that the Embassy will be happy to schedule one for a later date.

[woki1986 1]

The visa is good for 6 months. That is certain...no worries there. Would you want to move to the states by Christmas? or do you need to come back before leaving again? If so, you can put on the checklist that you wish to have a January interview date and I can get that you will get one. We got notice of ours yesterday that it is in 10 days, which we are very happy about but if you want to insure that you do not get scheduled while you are away I would put a date for later in January to be sure. There are so many people wanting to have December interviews, I am sure that the Embassy will be happy to schedule one for a later date.

I'm going over there for christmas and then coming back home to the UK and returning to work. I intend to come back. Mm hmm. At the moment I'm just worried that Customs won't let me in because I'm going for the K1 visa... on top of getting an interview scheduled for while I'm actually away.

We've always planned/hoped that we'd get me over there somewhen around May, we expected that everything would take a while to get done: Getting the forms, having the medical and everything else, which it actually has. So while we want to be together (and not have to part again) as soon as we can, getting everything sorted so that this can take place takes a lot of work.

We figured that the longer I can actually work while in possession of the visa (in the UK before I move to the States), 3,4,5 months - would help gather up some more savings that would help enormously once I actually get there.

Congratulations on getting your interview date

Edited November 14, 2009 by MattHeartCass

[DIARD 1]

Wendy, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you get your December interview and you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. You truly are an amazing woman and you deserve every happiness x x x

Thank you Amanda

"Good lunck Wendy and John, i hope this works out for you, make sure you let us all know and im sorry to hear about your sister"

Thanks Lesley

Wendy I hope they can move your interview up for you. I wish I would have known before you sent in your packet 3 I would have told you to write a cover letter explaining why you wanted your interveiw sooner. I happen to see another vjer mention that so we did a cover letter explaining my pregnancy and its complications (placenta previa), asking for a quick interview. We got one for 2 1/2 weeks later. Im sure it was due to the cover letter.

So anyone reading this, if you have circumstances like mine or Wendy's and need a quick interview, write so in a detailed cover letter when you send in your packet 3. It could speed the process for you.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I have a question about the sending of packet 3 and interview dates.

I've had my medical on the 12th of November but I have to have a letter signed by my doctor and the soonest appointment I can physically get is the 27th of November. I will be sending my packet 3 checklist back to the US embassy in London in a week or two, to get there before December 5th.

Is there any chance that I'd have an interview scheduled for December or January? I'm actually hoping it's a little later - I'm hoping to be moving out there (pending the result of the visa interview of course) around April/May sort of time.

To MattHeartCass---

We were much like you on the K3. Nick had planned a trip to the US for a few weeks around the 4th of July not knowing when the NOA2 approval would come through. So as it played out, it looked like it was possible an interview could be granted before or in the middle of his trip. So he included a cover letter with the Packet 3 returned items listing what was sent. Then in bold this statement:

Please can you schedule an interview appointment from July 15 onwards as I will be unable to attend prior to that date. (July 15 was a week after his return so he would have time to prepare and make London plans if the appointment letter arrived while he was away.)

The interview appointment letter arrived before his trip, but the appointment date was July 31. I believe we had stated an August travel date (about 6 weeks earlier than the real date). I'm sure they scheduled him based on the cover letter request because the others with our same timeline all interviewed late June or first week of July. He wanted to have the visa in hand before giving a month's notice at work. Then he wanted to have time to spend preparing for the move and selling off things without having to go to work. It worked out well not being in a super rush.

And there should be no problem getting in the country if you haven't overstayed before. They don't know at the airport immigration line that you have appled for anything. I personally asked that question of the US officer when I went through. It is perfectly normal to be coming to spend Christmas with your loved one. You can say boyfriend or girlfriend. If they asked if you are engaged or going to marry, then say "yes, after my K1 visa goes through." The people turned away often are coming for the full 90 days, multiple times a year. They are unemployed and aren't in school. They draw suspicion. But a person with a job to return to, coming for a short Christmas visit is not likely to draw much extra questioning.

[woki1986 1]

To MattHeartCass---

We were much like you on the K3. Nick had planned a trip to the US for a few weeks around the 4th of July not knowing when the NOA2 approval would come through. So as it played out, it looked like it was possible an interview could be granted before or in the middle of his trip. So he included a cover letter with the Packet 3 returned items listing what was sent. Then in bold this statement:

Please can you schedule an interview appointment from July 15 onwards as I will be unable to attend prior to that date. (July 15 was a week after his return so he would have time to prepare and make London plans if the appointment letter arrived while he was away.)

The interview appointment letter arrived before his trip, but the appointment date was July 31. I believe we had stated an August travel date (about 6 weeks earlier than the real date). I'm sure they scheduled him based on the cover letter request because the others with our same timeline all interviewed late June or first week of July. He wanted to have the visa in hand before giving a month's notice at work. Then he wanted to have time to spend preparing for the move and selling off things without having to go to work. It worked out well not being in a super rush.

And there should be no problem getting in the country if you haven't overstayed before. They don't know at the airport immigration line that you have appled for anything. I personally asked that question of the US officer when I went through. It is perfectly normal to be coming to spend Christmas with your loved one. You can say boyfriend or girlfriend. If they asked if you are engaged or going to marry, then say "yes, after my K1 visa goes through." The people turned away often are coming for the full 90 days, multiple times a year. They are unemployed and aren't in school. They draw suspicion. But a person with a job to return to, coming for a short Christmas visit is not likely to draw much extra questioning.

Thank you Nich-Nick for your reply. It's just a worry I have. I haven't written a travel date yet but we're planning it for around May time next year, so it's going to be a long while. I'm thinking that sort of time frame because I'd need time to sell things that I have and to tie up at work and everything, plus a few extra months of income would be useful, too.

I last went out there in march for two weeks and I'm going out there for a month this time and there is no way we are going to marry until the visa goes through. Thanks, it's made me feel a lot better about everything

[Wendy_n_John 0]

Hello all my fellow VJ'rs I have wonderful news!!!! John's interview has been moved up successfully from originial date of 1-4-10 to 11-25-09 at 9 am!!! I received a reply to my email this morning at 6:07 am CST.

If anyone else needs to know about moving their interview date, you can call the Embassy and they will give you a code and direct email address to the consulate to request the change.

They noted in the email: "We have rescheduled the appointment for 25NOV at 09.00. Please ignore the appt letter for Jan.

Regards,

IV/Branch

London"

This is it!! Thank you for all your support and Prayers, We are now just 9 days away from our itnerview. God Speed!!