Calling London Embassy

[WelshDave86 0]

Hey there Guys..

I am currently stuck in AP at the NVC but awaiting release of my petition to the London USE. I'd like to be able to get my interview sorted asap, as I've got my wedding planned and missing my 13 month old daughter Lily very much!.... i know you've probably heard it all before!

So.. can i call the London Embassy as soon as i receive my Packet 3 to schedule an interview? I've already got my papers sorted and will have my police cert in the next few days.

If so (I am assuming u guys will hopefully give me alternatives if not) can anyone give me their experience dealing with London on the phone. The £1.20 p/m is a bit expensive as I'm sure we all agree, but if it means getting an interview date asap I'll call right away! I am assuming they have their quiet times during the day?!

Thanks for any help at all guys

Dyfed

[amykathleen2005 441]

I don't have experience calling the London embassy. I have heard vaguely if you have set plans you might be offered an earlier date. But I am sure that most of the people in the same position would also like to be with their loved onces as quickly as possible as well....

[payxibka 10,045]

moving to UK forum

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'm sure others can give specific experiences to you, but in general calling the London Embassy £1.20 p/m line rarely gets you more than a phone bill. If you have a specific serious problem, like they put the wrong picture on your visa, then the operator may give you an email code so your email will be answered the next week. Some have actually been able to speak to an immigration officer, but that's rare as hen's teeth.

Everybody is in a hurry to be with loved ones. You can't call in a pick your interview. So what to do???

This is packet 3 last I heard. http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html

Read all the details of the list of documents to bring to the interview as listed on the page. (Click all the links and READ) Get those things ready immediately.

The forms to mail in (3 forms plus checklist) are in smaller print in the right column. You don't have to wait to get the P3 letter in the mail (which is only a link to that webpage) BUT you have to know that your file has been received at the Embassy and LOGGED in. Calling DOS can usually help you find out. They can tell you your new LND case number if you haven't learned it from NVC. If you mail in a packet before London has you in their system, then your stuff probably gets discarded or thrown in the "unknown" corner which would slow you down.

You can schedule your medical as soon as you know your LND case number. If they say "have your received your P3?" say YES. They just want to know your LND number. Get all your shots at NHS (often free) and take immunization records to the medical. Take a summary from you NHS doctor of any ongoing illness or condition that you would tick "yes" to on the medical form....diabetes, high blood pressure. The Knightsbridge doc will want more detailed info about any more serious condition and how you're getting on medically. (Note: no shots are required to be granted a visa, but it makes it much easier to do Adjustment of Status in the US if you take care of it in the UK. That's why I throw that in.) This is the webpage for the Knightsbridge doctors http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp.

The day you know your cased is received and logged in by the Embassy, mail the 3 forms and checklist back and get a recorded delivery so you know it got there. Put a "bumped up" wedding date and travel date because they do try to accomodate people and would move you farther up the list over somebody not planning to marry until next February. But everybody does that same trick, so it's not going to do miracles for you over other VJ "in the know" people.

You can write a cover letter. You can mention your wedding date and politely ask if they can please schedule the earliest possible interview.

You may also say you are totally prepared to come for an interview at short notice and would be pleased to take any cancellation they might receive.

Then you wait for them to mail you a letter with an interview date. Your wait could be 3 weeks to 8 weeks. We've read so many different scenarios here in the UK forum. Maybe with summer vacation season over, the times will speed up a little.

[WelshDave86 0]

I'm sure others can give specific experiences to you, but in general calling the London Embassy £1.20 p/m line rarely gets you more than a phone bill. If you have a specific serious problem, like they put the wrong picture on your visa, then the operator may give you an email code so your email will be answered the next week. Some have actually been able to speak to an immigration officer, but that's rare as hen's teeth.

Everybody is in a hurry to be with loved ones. You can't call in a pick your interview. So what to do???

This is packet 3 last I heard. http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html

Read all the details of the list of documents to bring to the interview as listed on the page. (Click all the links and READ) Get those things ready immediately.

The forms to mail in (3 forms plus checklist) are in smaller print in the right column. You don't have to wait to get the P3 letter in the mail (which is only a link to that webpage) BUT you have to know that your file has been received at the Embassy and LOGGED in. Calling DOS can usually help you find out. They can tell you your new LND case number if you haven't learned it from NVC. If you mail in a packet before London has you in their system, then your stuff probably gets discarded or thrown in the "unknown" corner which would slow you down.

You can schedule your medical as soon as you know your LND case number. If they say "have your received your P3?" say YES. They just want to know your LND number. Get all your shots at NHS (often free) and take immunization records to the medical. Take a summary from you NHS doctor of any ongoing illness or condition that you would tick "yes" to on the medical form....diabetes, high blood pressure. The Knightsbridge doc will want more detailed info about any more serious condition and how you're getting on medically. (Note: no shots are required to be granted a visa, but it makes it much easier to do Adjustment of Status in the US if you take care of it in the UK. That's why I throw that in.) This is the webpage for the Knightsbridge doctors http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp.

The day you know your cased is received and logged in by the Embassy, mail the 3 forms and checklist back and get a recorded delivery so you know it got there. Put a "bumped up" wedding date and travel date because they do try to accomodate people and would move you farther up the list over somebody not planning to marry until next February. But everybody does that same trick, so it's not going to do miracles for you over other VJ "in the know" people.

You can write a cover letter. You can mention your wedding date and politely ask if they can please schedule the earliest possible interview.

You may also say you are totally prepared to come for an interview at short notice and would be pleased to take any cancellation they might receive.

Then you wait for them to mail you a letter with an interview date. Your wait could be 3 weeks to 8 weeks. We've read so many different scenarios here in the UK forum. Maybe with summer vacation season over, the times will speed up a little.

Hi

Thanks for the info - I have my packet 3 sorted already, immunizations are already sorted and have been since i worked in the USA in 2006 right thru till last year. I've got my medical forms and up to date shot list from my GP so I'm ok for my medical it seems, although i dont really want to book it b4 i get my packet 3 from London cos I don't want the embassy receiving my medical info b4 they have my case. I've been assigned LND NVC case number but I think i'll stick it out until my petition has hit London

Glad to see u can try to get a bumped up interview, cos the Dept of State already advised to me the things u just said - only I can't see how ppl can ask for a bumped up interview without proof but good luck to other ppl who do try! You say you can't call the embassy for a cancellation? I'm sure I've read numerous accounts of people calling for a cancellation after getting their packet 4... So if anybody else has a diff story it would be good to hear - I'll have to reread it all.

Thanks for the advice tho, it all seems pretty straight forward and stuff I've already done for the most part..

Dyfed

Oh - I thought i was posting this in the UK forum?!?! I was in it when i clicked new topic - i was in the portal anyway :/

[KAT&Allie 0]

Phoning them for an earlier interview is unlikely to be successful since you just waste time at that expensive line.

I sent a cover letter with my packet 3 explaining the circumstances and why I'd like an interview asap. I did put the intended wedding date on the forms but somebody obviously didn't read it as they schedulled my interview on my wedding day! So I called the extortion line and asked for email code so I can email them. Put the code in the subject line and explain your case in a concise manner asking politely to be considered for any cancelled interview appointment (assuming you can make it into London on a very short notice). You'll receive a standard email from them saying it takes 3-4 days to process the email. I got the response next day. And they were very obliging and moved my interview date forward by 2 weeks. And I still didn't make my wedding since there was a glitch in their visa printing service taking them over 10 days to get it to me. You can only push them so far but it's worth a try.

Good luck.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

You could make the medical appt for weeks from now while there are choices of openings. They give you some choice of when you want to come. Just don't go to the medical until your case is there. If it looks like your case is still hung up at NVC you could make up an excuse to reschedule the medical.

Yes people ask for a cancellation appt by phone, but that's normally after they get their assigned one. Some are successful and some can't seem to get past the call desk. Some people get an email code and still don't get an answer for a week. There's so many different experiences, but you can try anything as long as you don't mind paying for the calls. I don't know of a better time of day over another for calling. I haven't heard anybody complain about busy signals or not getting an answer.

I called twice and they gave me wrong infomation both times, so go figure??!?

Example: "You case has not been processed so you don't have an appt assigned." Then the appt letter arrived in the post with a postmark of two days earlier than the day she said not processed. It's rather random if you will get anywhere by calling, but everybody tries. And sadly there are people who have missed their weddings.

[WelshDave86 0]

You could make the medical appt for weeks from now while there are choices of openings. They give you some choice of when you want to come. Just don't go to the medical until your case is there. If it looks like your case is still hung up at NVC you could make up an excuse to reschedule the medical.

Yes people ask for a cancellation appt by phone, but that's normally after they get their assigned one. Some are successful and some can't seem to get past the call desk. Some people get an email code and still don't get an answer for a week. There's so many different experiences, but you can try anything as long as you don't mind paying for the calls. I don't know of a better time of day over another for calling. I haven't heard anybody complain about busy signals or not getting an answer.

I called twice and they gave me wrong infomation both times, so go figure??!?

Example: "You case has not been processed so you don't have an appt assigned." Then the appt letter arrived in the post with a postmark of two days earlier than the day she said not processed. It's rather random if you will get anywhere by calling, but everybody tries. And sadly there are people who have missed their weddings.

Thanks - lots of good info!

I'll see about booking my medical 2moro then, see what dates they can give me. Its just NVC holding this up at the min.. ah well, sure it won't be long - all of ur advice is priceless guys! I'll do what you said in regards to booking the medical and call London regarding the interview once i get my packet 4. I've already got my cover letter sorted like the Dept of State advised me to do - as well as guys on here saying so as well.

Thanks again

Dyfed

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Did you see this posted by MARM?

For those waiting unusually long for interview dates:

(Link: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/faqs/faq_visa_iv.html)

I sent in my completed forms to the Immigrant Visa Unit, when will I be scheduled an appointment for my interview?

There is currently a back-log in the Immigrant Visa Unit of forms and applications waiting to be processed. If you have submitted the completed forms in connection with the administrative processing of your application, you should allow approximately three months for your case to be processed. During this period, we regret we cannot provide information on the status of the application or confirm if the forms have been received. On completion of the administrative processing of the application, you will receive notification of the scheduled visa interview.

I had read on another thread that alot of UK people are getting held up at the NVC lately and there was speculation that NVC was holding the cases because London was overloaded. Sounds like that could be a good reason for the AP at NVC, and not a sudden rash of additional background checks on Brits.