People between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~

[Talyss 0]

mmmm, so according to my NVC info and DHL tracking, the embassy received our case on March 2nd, still not heard anything from them though and called DOS and rip-off line and they can't really shed any light on it. Is it normal to wait 2 weeks or more for packet 3? Do you think theres just a backlog right now?

Yes it can take 2 weeks or so for the embassy to get round to putting the case on their computer system. Until that time neither DoS or the helpline can see it. In my case they put it on the system when they sent packet 3 out (I think it was received according to DHL tracking on 14/01/09 and was put on the embassy system on 26/01/09). They send the packet 3 letter second class so that can take 4 days to get to you.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Nick's was also put in the system around the time it was sent out. I think they have a pile, and when they get to yours, they open it and if complete with forms and checklist, make your appointment, generate your P4 letter and mail it. So you're probably not going to get alot of info prior to them scheduling the appt. Ours arrived the day after DOS told me the appointment. It was actually postmarked the day before DOS had a record of it. When you think about it, if they are working on yours to put in the system, then they might as well schedule the appointment at the same time, while the system is open to your info.

[Kirsten UK 2]

OK, so not to worry for a little while then....I was hoping it was just a typical time frame, thanks!

[MARM 7]

@ Magpie: Well I don't know if you have tried this, but have you tried contacting the Embassy of the U.K in India to get your birth certificate record? I am sure the UK Embassy will have some kind of info for you if not actually help you get it. You are a citizen of the U.K so the embassy there in India should offer you some sort of info/assistance on how to obtain your birth certificate.

About Administrative Processing in London:

My fiance is a Pakistani citizen and has been studying in London for the past 5 years, clean records all-round, and no problem getting his Pakistan Police Certificate (he received a few weeks ago) nor his UK Police Certificate (he received in Dec). We are expecting for him to be put in AP, but looking at the bright side of things, AP in London does not last as long as say, AP in Pakistan, where it takes at least 6 months, not to mention field investigations in some cases. So we are planning with AP in mind in terms of when his POE will be, and also we are going to take a trip to Pakistan before him coming to Illinois. I know of two other VJ members, both of whom had fiances that were Pakistani citizens in the UK on student visas and interviewed for K-1 in London: one of them was in AP for ONLY 4 DAYS, and the other was in AP for almost 4 weeks (the same one Nich mentioned). And from doing other research on VJ and asking around, the soonest is 4 days and the maximum is 8 weeks. So it is not a big deal really. We have waited so long, a few more days are of course added suffering, but at least it is not going to be 6 months+. We figure that it is best to be prepared 150% for the interview with all our paperwork and documents and to do whatever we can on our part to eliminate any unnecessary delays. So we have all our documents ready and are now awaiting an interview date. (BTW, been calling DOS daily this week, still not assigned an interview date, so my fiance is going to mail a letter to them on Monday requesting an interview date around the time he wants it...no harm in trying, hopefully they will honor our request).

Edited March 13, 2009 by MARM

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

@ Magpie: Well I don't know if you have tried this, but have you tried contacting the Embassy of the U.K in India to get your birth certificate record? I am sure the UK Embassy will have some kind of info for you if not actually help you get it. You are a citizen of the U.K so the embassy there in India should offer you some sort of info/assistance on how to obtain your birth certificate.

About Administrative Processing in London:

My fiance is a Pakistani citizen and has been studying in London for the past 5 years, clean records all-round, and no problem getting his Pakistan Police Certificate (he received a few weeks ago) nor his UK Police Certificate (he received in Dec). We are expecting for him to be put in AP, but looking at the bright side of things, AP in London does not last as long as say, AP in Pakistan, where it takes at least 6 months, not to mention field investigations in some cases. So we are planning with AP in mind in terms of when his POE will be, and also we are going to take a trip to Pakistan before him coming to Illinois. I know of two other VJ members, both of whom had fiances that were Pakistani citizens in the UK on student visas and interviewed for K-1 in London: one of them was in AP for ONLY 4 DAYS, and the other was in AP for almost 4 weeks (the same one Nich mentioned). And from doing other research on VJ and asking around, the soonest is 4 days and the maximum is 8 weeks. So it is not a big deal really. We have waited so long, a few more days are of course added suffering, but at least it is not going to be 6 months+. We figure that it is best to be prepared 150% for the interview with all our paperwork and documents and to do whatever we can on our part to eliminate any unnecessary delays. So we have all our documents ready and are now awaiting an interview date. (BTW, been calling DOS daily this week, still not assigned an interview date, so my fiance is going to mail a letter to them on Monday requesting an interview date around the time he wants it...no harm in trying, hopefully they will honor our request).

That's REALLY reassuring...thankums for that. I did contact the Indian Embassy when I originally was concerned but they were pretty useless, and said it was nothing to do with them and that there was nothing they could do to help me.

Hugs -- hope you get your interview date soon!

Magpie.

[MARM 7]

That's REALLY reassuring...thankums for that. I did contact the Indian Embassy when I originally was concerned but they were pretty useless, and said it was nothing to do with them and that there was nothing they could do to help me.

Hugs -- hope you get your interview date soon!

Magpie.

Technically the Indian embassy is correct...you are not an Indian citizen so they are not obliged to offer you any assistance. But the UK embassy in India should offer you some sort of assistance because you are a UK citizen in need of some personal records that you have a right to obtain, and it is unfortunate that you are unable to get them yourself, so they (the UK embassy in India serves as your representative in India) should be able to help you to get them.

And your welcome!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Technically the Indian embassy is correct...you are not an Indian citizen so they are not obliged to offer you any assistance. But the UK embassy in India should offer you some sort of assistance because you are a UK citizen in need of some personal records that you have a right to obtain, and it is unfortunate that you are unable to get them yourself, so they (the UK embassy in India serves as your representative in India) should be able to help you to get them.

And your welcome!

I didn't think of that! I'll give them a call on Monday and see if they can assist me. Thank you so much!

Magpie.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Magpie: Make a chronological report with the documentation of all the efforts you've made to obtain your birth certificate...dates, places, anybody you spoke to and their response, any correspondence you sent/received in writing, etc. That coupled with at least having a photocopy of the BC would show you have made every effort to comply with the BC thing. It will impress them that you have been so diligent and came so prepared with the documentation of your efforts.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Magpie: Make a chronological report with the documentation of all the efforts you've made to obtain your birth certificate...dates, places, anybody you spoke to and their response, any correspondence you sent/received in writing, etc. That coupled with at least having a photocopy of the BC would show you have made every effort to comply with the BC thing. It will impress them that you have been so diligent and came so prepared with the documentation of your efforts.

I have a slight problem...I called the hospital a while back and my cellphone doesn't track call logs that far back. Firefox also occasionally deletes all history to save space on my comp. The only writing correspondance I have is between myself and the police, and even then, I had called them about the letter to back up the certificate. What would you sugest I do...?

Magpie.

[Marty J 0]

Hi Magpie, I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but there's specific information on the embassy's website about unobtainable birth certificates:

Unobtainable birth certificates

Your birth record may not be obtainable. Some reasons are listed below.

Your birth was never officially recorded;

Your birth records have been destroyed;

The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

Please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason your birth record is not available. With the certified statement you must obtain secondary evidence. For example:

A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth and both parent's names providing the baptism took place shortly after birth;

An adoption decree for an adopted child; or

An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parent's names, and the mother's maiden name.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/...2001.html#three

I don't know if that's any help, but at least it shows there are procedures one can go through when your birth certificate can't be obtained. It's not a deal-breaker so to speak.

Edited March 14, 2009 by Marty J

[Stinky Monkey 1]

Honey just take as much stuff as you can to show that you have tried to obtain it as our Nich said

I did not have a birth certificate I took my adoption certificate to the interview, and even then the man who interviewed me had to go to his supervisor 3 times to get it verified. I can actually now by law get my birth certificate but it is a closed case so I would have to apply for it and then have to interviews before they will give me the form to get a copy.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Magpie: Make a chronological report with the documentation of all the efforts you've made to obtain your birth certificate...dates, places, anybody you spoke to and their response, any correspondence you sent/received in writing, etc. That coupled with at least having a photocopy of the BC would show you have made every effort to comply with the BC thing. It will impress them that you have been so diligent and came so prepared with the documentation of your efforts.

I have a slight problem...I called the hospital a while back and my cellphone doesn't track call logs that far back. Firefox also occasionally deletes all history to save space on my comp. The only writing correspondance I have is between myself and the police, and even then, I had called them about the letter to back up the certificate. What would you sugest I do...?

I would just present an organized log of your efforts whether you have written documentation or not. It shows you tried, so they can't just say "get a birth certificate." You can say, "How would you suggest I do that? This are my failed efforts so far." So they say, "Well good girl. Ok forget it, I'll accept your photocopy and approve you"

Approximate dates if you don't know. Just make up something that's close.

Date _______ Called St. Mercy Hospital, Town, Country__Spoke to Birth record dept. Result: __________

Date_______ callled UK police officer James Smith Result: left voice mail

Date_______ callled UK police officer James Smith 2nd time Result: left voice mail

Date ______ UK police officer James Smith returned my call. Result: He informed me........

Edited March 14, 2009 by Nich-Nick

[pothergavel 0]

So what's the record for the number of times someone has gone through their collection of forms and paperwork for the interview, and yet is still completely stressed out that there is stuff missing?!

I'm shooting for about 834573948579384753 attempts so far.

[colinjess 0]

Hey guys !!

so i emailed london the other day to see if they had recieved my packt 3 minus checklist!! theyemailed back saying they got it! so hopefully they have

any way i got some bad news! i went to the hospital the other day, and they told me i need a minor opperation! just in and out in a day ! but means i cant have my medical until i have had my OPERATION so now i have to delay sending my checklist back so i dont get an interview before i can have the medical and have to reschedue!

hope everyones having a great day !!

colin

[MARM 7]

Hi Magpie, I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but there's specific information on the embassy's website about unobtainable birth certificates:

Unobtainable birth certificates

Your birth record may not be obtainable. Some reasons are listed below.

Your birth was never officially recorded;

Your birth records have been destroyed;

The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

Magpie's birth certificate is not destroyed or never registered. It exists, but the problem is that she is unable to obtain the original one because she doesn't have the means to obtain it. It exists, its just not in her hands.

Please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason your birth record is not available. With the certified statement you must obtain secondary evidence.

Magpie cannot get a certified statement from the appropriate government authority for two reasons: 1) The appropriate government authority is Indian Counsel of Births or a similar municipal office, and she must appear in person to get the statement, BUT 2.) She cannot get the statement even if she does find a way to appear in person before an Indian authority because her birth record EXISTS, she cannot get a statement saying it does not exist.

For example:

A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth and both parent's names providing the baptism took place shortly after birth;

An adoption decree for an adopted child; or

An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parent's names, and the mother's maiden name.

For any one of the above methods, Magpie needs to contact her parents or relatives, which is not appropriate under her circumstances. So that rules out any of the above options.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/...2001.html#three

I don't know if that's any help, but at least it shows there are procedures one can go through when your birth certificate can't be obtained. It's not a deal-breaker so to speak.

@ Magpie: My fiance (he is a PAKISTANI citizen, born in Pakistan) does not have a registered birth certificate, so we got an affidavit from his parents stating place, date, and reason why birth was not recorded. This affidavit had to be sworn to in front of a notary and a government authority such as a Judge or High Court Official for the purposes of international use. And to supplement this affidavit we have his Inter and Metric school certificates (grade 10 and grade 12 in Pakistan are called Metric and Inter) stating his name, date of birth, and father's name on them (this is the standard format of school certificates in Pakistan). But I understand that it is not possible for you to get an affidavit from parents or relatives. What about school certificates in the UK? I don't know what the format is, but do they state your d.o.b and parent's names on them? If yes, then take those to the interview as well as supplemental evidence of your birth. And email the US embassy in London with your circumstances and concerns, then print out their response to you and take that to the interview as well, along with the chronological list of efforts to obtain your b.c. as Nich mentioned. And I hope you get some help by contacting the UK embassy in India.

Just to summarize, take the following instead of your b.c.:

1) School certificates, if any that state your d.o.b and parent's names

2) Email response from the US embassy in regards to your issue with the b.c.

3) Chronological list of efforts you took in order to obtain your b.c.

4) A written statement from the police that you mentioned you have regarding why you cannot get a b.c.

5) Any information that the UK embassy in India gives you about obtaining your original b.c.

And I am sure you will not be given a hard time because of not having your b.c. You are providing all the evidence of trying to obtain one, you have exhausted all your resources, and you are presenting what you can and you have valid police-verified reasons that support the fact that you cannot approach your family members to get your b.c. So at the end of the day, you have done everything you could and the interviewer/CO will see that.

Let us know if the UK embassy in India is of any help!

-Marm