Packet 3 LDN

[sammills89 2]

I've tried e-mailing the LDN embassy numerous times over the last month, and everytime I've waited at least a week and heard nothing, has anyone else had this problem? Have they actually started deleting e-mails without reading them? I'm trying desperately here to find out whether or not they have received it (really wish I hadn't been in a rush when I posted it, should have asked for recorded!) Now I'm quite worried. Can anyone help here at all?!

Thanks.

The Sam's.

[Talyss 0]

You can call the DoS helpline, Department of State 202-663-1225, press 1 then 5. They will be able to tell you whether it is showing as received on the embassy system and if an interview date has been allocated yet or not.

I used to call them from the UK using skype regularly and it didn't cost much.

You need an e-mail code to e-mail the embassy with a query, for that you have to ring the very expensive embassy helpline.

[Marty J 0]

I use Discount Dial to call the US for 0.5p a minute.

You just dial 0844 200 9595, and then enter the number you want to call (in this case it would be 001-202-663-1225), and then press # and it'll put you through.

Or you could get your fiancé(e) to call from the States.

[krystiandjon 0]

The embassy never answered any questions we sent them over email either. On their reply they say they don't respond to emails about status updates. Eventually we just started looking at it as because they don't reply, they must believe they have everything they need. And, like everyone else said, call DOS, they're quite helpful!

Oh, and if you start to get really nervous, have your senator send them an email. We'd waited 7 weeks, then had my senator's aide send an email and got the interview date 2 days after email was sent (the senator's aide called us with it).

Best of luck! I think that waiting for the interview date was the hardest part of the whole process! (and we waited 7 months for NOA2!)

Krysti

[sammills89 2]

How would I get in touch with my 'senator' then?! And I might just get my fiance to call them, no doubt it will be a lot cheaper. It's incredibly hard work! We're having a nightmare with the medical which is giving me a lack of sleep at night waiting for something else to go wrong, only time will tell. It's a horrible feeling knowing the end is (possibly) so close and I might not even know it! 30 degree weather sounds amazing right now! Thanks for the replies though, appreciate them!

The Sams'.

[sammills89 2]

Hey everyone, so my fiance in the States called the DOS and she said that there is a recorded message which states they will not comment on individual cases, and she said she could hear no options regarding speaking to a person about an individual case queery, can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks again.

The Sams'.

[laura819 0]

Hey everyone, so my fiance in the States called the DOS and she said that there is a recorded message which states they will not comment on individual cases, and she said she could hear no options regarding speaking to a person about an individual case queery, can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks again.

The Sams'.

You listen to the recorded message, and i think the last option is the one you pick, and then you listen to the next menu, which says thats its the last automated thing you have to listen to before speaking with a real person. listen to ALL the options, and at the very very end, there's one about speaking to a visa officer, or something like that. meaning you get to talk to a real person. I don't remember the numbers right now, but I definitely called DOS and got info from them a LOT!

[krystiandjon 0]

Your fiance will have 2 senators from her state. Just pick one and they'll probably have a website where you can email them about issues you're having with federal agencies. Send an email and, depending on the office, you could get a reply that day with further things you might have to do in order for them to look into your case (they might have you sign a waiver).

With DOS, press 1 and then 0 to talk to an operator.

Edited May 26, 2009 by krystiandjon

[sammills89 2]

Thanks for your help again! She's just calling DOS as we speak... No idea if they're still there or not! Really is quite nerve-racking, with the whole mess from the medical that I got myself into and not knowing whether or not they received my sent-back packet 3, it's hard work! I wish they would keep us more informed! Can't wait to get out of here now, really hope it all just goes well. Thanks for the advice regarding the senator, being British I don't know much about all that but I'm sure she will! Will keep you all posted

The Sams'.

[sammills89 2]

Right, so my fiancé just got off the phone with DOS, and they said that they have received my package but they're waiting for additional documentation or something? I'm so confused! She also said something about 'OS-230' which I thought might be 'DS-230' but my fiancé thought differently... Has anyone else experienced anything like this? We sent it back a while ago now...

[Rob&Dawn 1]

Know it is a silly question but have you double checked you returned all the documents?

If in doubt send a complete copy of your pkt3 along with a covering letter explaining that DoS have advised that 'they are waiting for additional documentation' and what date you sent the original packet back.

Hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

[krystiandjon 0]

If it's any consolation, every once in a while DOS would say we hadn't sent all of our documents either. We sent them all in the same packet and I'm sure Jon checked it 37 times, so we were quite sure they were all together when they arrived at the embassy. I just think sometimes DOS says what they think may have happened. And if you take what they say as the gospel truth, you're bound to get tense (not that you're not already, I'm sure!). They deal with all the embassies and all the different visa options and I think because of that, they don't really know how long each embassy should take and what documents are required by that embassy in order for it to be a complete packet 3.

I'd try the senator. Best of luck!

[sammills89 2]

Okay so my fiancé called again today and another guy at DOS told her that as far as they know everything is there, and that they have no access to it or something but they have received packet 3 and everything was in order (as far as he knew). So they HAVE received our packet 3 back, and everything appears to be in order... I'm still not sure! What can we ask the senator exactly? Does anybody know the extent of the information they can give us? I'm almost 100% sure that everything was in order, I did checks about 50 times also! Hopefully it will all be okay! Thank you for your help guys.

[krystiandjon 0]

Okay so my fiancé called again today and another guy at DOS told her that as far as they know everything is there, and that they have no access to it or something but they have received packet 3 and everything was in order (as far as he knew). So they HAVE received our packet 3 back, and everything appears to be in order... I'm still not sure! What can we ask the senator exactly? Does anybody know the extent of the information they can give us? I'm almost 100% sure that everything was in order, I did checks about 50 times also! Hopefully it will all be okay! Thank you for your help guys.

Well, if you're sure they have everything you have two options.

1. Wait for them to assign an interview date (give them another two weeks. It looks like the ones they don't assign right away take about 8 weeks)

2. If you're really getting down to crunch time and need something soon, get a hold of the senator and ask him/her to send an email explaining why you need an interview date soon and asking confirmation that they have everything they need. They definitely respond to senator inquiries more often than inquiries from the general public.

I know it's frustrating; we were in your shoes at this time last week. Good luck!

[sammills89 2]

Thank you for being so helpful! Yeah I'll wait until 8 weeks are up and as you said, if I still haven't heard anything I will get Samantha to e-mail her senator and go from there. I know I put down September for the wedding date on one of the forms, no doubt that will have a big effect on the whole thing! I was just worrying that they hadn't received everything they need too in order for them to proceed in sending me packet 4, if that all made sense...