London-More or less information

[kutakendra 3]

We're about 4 weeks from our NOA2. We have a lawyer, so expecting a bit faster (not much) pathway through the Embassy. My fiancee had a J-1 refusal when we were first dating in 2009, due to not showing enough evidence of ties to the UK. (They actually probably had it correct.) We are very nervous about his interview. We have nothing to hide, but are wanting some help and advice going into London. We have an age difference of just over a decade. I am older. I have children. We don't plan on having them. I have ample income to support. He has been refused at the airport for a visit, due to being honest about the refusal. It was deemed that he was a risk to stay, illegally. Our questions: How much information should we bring in? financials, extra stuff? relationship proof? and How much grief are they going to give him about the age gap and the refusals. (all were related to me, and that is well documented.)

NOA1 10/27/10

[KittyPollitt 284]

We're about 4 weeks from our NOA2. We have a lawyer, so expecting a bit faster (not much) pathway through the Embassy. My fiancee had a J-1 refusal when we were first dating in 2009, due to not showing enough evidence of ties to the UK. (They actually probably had it correct.) We are very nervous about his interview. We have nothing to hide, but are wanting some help and advice going into London. We have an age difference of just over a decade. I am older. I have children. We don't plan on having them. I have ample income to support. He has been refused at the airport for a visit, due to being honest about the refusal. It was deemed that he was a risk to stay, illegally. Our questions: How much information should we bring in? financials, extra stuff? relationship proof? and How much grief are they going to give him about the age gap and the refusals. (all were related to me, and that is well documented.)

NOA1 10/27/10

As long as he is honest about the refusals and the reasons for them, they shouldn't be an issue, because he was honest at the POE when he was refused. I haven't heard much about age and intent to have kids being a problem at the London consulate. You should be fine.

Having a lawyer won't make anything go any faster for you, though. If your lawyer told you that, he's fibbing.

[YuAndDan 153]

Prior refusal for a non immigrant visa has no barring on a K-Visa, the reason for refusal is not applicable in K-1 cases because K-Visa have immigrant intent.

As for financial, keep it simple, if income is sufficient, then don't complicate it with assets, attach to the I-134 copies of recent IRS returns, copies of pay stubs, employer letter.

Age gap is not an issue unless it is very big like 30 or 40 years.

[Justine+David 218]

must agree, the lawyer won't get you through there any faster unless his brother works at the embassy

[Barbara J 115]

We're about 4 weeks from our NOA2. We have a lawyer, so expecting a bit faster (not much) pathway through the Embassy. My fiancee had a J-1 refusal when we were first dating in 2009, due to not showing enough evidence of ties to the UK. (They actually probably had it correct.) We are very nervous about his interview. We have nothing to hide, but are wanting some help and advice going into London. We have an age difference of just over a decade. I am older. I have children. We don't plan on having them. I have ample income to support. He has been refused at the airport for a visit, due to being honest about the refusal. It was deemed that he was a risk to stay, illegally. Our questions: How much information should we bring in? financials, extra stuff? relationship proof? and How much grief are they going to give him about the age gap and the refusals. (all were related to me, and that is well documented.)

NOA1 10/27/10

As the others have said should not be a problem but don't know where the idea came from that you expect NOA2 faster because of a lawyer. Your NOA1 was only Oct so you still have a bit to wait March at least

[Ally & Rach 24]

exactly what I was thinking.. Why do you think you'll get your N0A2 in 4 weeks? If this came from your lawyer they are clearly at it as there is no way they were given this information from USCIS..

Good luck though.

[kutakendra 3]

We aren't expecting to get through any faster than the 147 days posted. We are 110 or so in, now. We have all our paperwork properly completed and prepared and has been done, since October, for accuracy, by the lawyer.

[Ally & Rach 24]

We aren't expecting to get through any faster than the 147 days posted. We are 110 or so in, now. We have all our paperwork properly completed and prepared and has been done, since October, for accuracy, by the lawyer.

Well again good luck to you.. I hope however you haven't been left out of pocket by said lawyer as there is nothing that they can do throughout this process that you can't do yourself. Initially I was quoted for a lawyer and was all set.. Then I joined visajourney and soon realised Id have been p****d had I handed over the cash.. Anyway, each to there own and hope you get good news soon..

[Justine+David 218]

We aren't expecting to get through any faster than the 147 days posted. We are 110 or so in, now. We have all our paperwork properly completed and prepared and has been done, since October, for accuracy, by the lawyer.

Be careful because your financial information may be considered outdated by the embassy, especially as it's been 5 months now and will probably be at least 3 more months by the time you get to the interview...

[kutakendra 3]

What is the 8 week hold-up in getting an interview, anyway? (And PS, we are up to date on financials.) Does anyone know any tricks to expedite?

[Justine+David 218]

What is the 8 week hold-up in getting an interview, anyway? (And PS, we are up to date on financials.) Does anyone know any tricks to expedite?

I thought your lawyer was doing that for you?

Edited February 11, 2011 by Justine+David

[kutakendra 3]

I am just wondering why they take so long. Our lawyer has taken care of the documents and ensures accuracy. We are coming from a denial, and want to be certain of all issues. The paperwork is cumbersome and confusing. From what we have been told, it will be 4 weeks for an interview, but they all seem to be about 8-10 from the forum. I have been trying to find out from past interview schedulers, but to no avail. I am just wondering, is that timeline normal? Is it an Embassy thing, or are the various steps just a compounding of time? We were told to expect a total of 4 months. Now we are looking at 8. I understand the increased applications at CSC exactly when we filed, but I am confused about the multiple steps after NOA2 and am hoping for some more guidance and ways to ensure a smooth flow.

I thought your lawyer was doing that for you?

I am just wondering why they take so long. Our lawyer has taken care of the documents and ensures accuracy. We are coming from a denial, and want to be certain of all issues. The paperwork is cumbersome and confusing. From what we have been told, it will be 4 weeks for an interview, but they all seem to be about 8-10 from the forum. I have been trying to find out from past interview schedulers, but to no avail. I am just wondering, is that timeline normal? Is it an Embassy thing, or are the various steps just a compounding of time? We were told to expect a total of 4 months. Now we are looking at 8. I understand the increased applications at CSC exactly when we filed, but I am confused about the multiple steps after NOA2 and am hoping for some more guidance and ways to ensure a smooth flow.

[KittyPollitt 284]

I am just wondering why they take so long. Our lawyer has taken care of the documents and ensures accuracy. We are coming from a denial, and want to be certain of all issues. The paperwork is cumbersome and confusing. From what we have been told, it will be 4 weeks for an interview, but they all seem to be about 8-10 from the forum. I have been trying to find out from past interview schedulers, but to no avail. I am just wondering, is that timeline normal? Is it an Embassy thing, or are the various steps just a compounding of time? We were told to expect a total of 4 months. Now we are looking at 8. I understand the increased applications at CSC exactly when we filed, but I am confused about the multiple steps after NOA2 and am hoping for some more guidance and ways to ensure a smooth flow.

USCIS seems to work in waves when it comes to how long they take to process things. Threads and threads on VJ have been dedicated to speculating on why they take longer at some times than others. Bottom line is, we don't know. It could be an influx of petitions hit them and they are behind. They could be short staffed. No one here knows, and your lawyer doesn't know and shouldn't be promising you timeframes, when they have no control over it. The timelines on this forum are based on real time information that other users are putting into the database. While it's not an official gauge by any means, because people on VJ are only a small portion of actual petitioners, the timelines here tend to be pretty close to accurate.

If you have not yet received a NOA2, then the timelines of the consulate and NVC have not even come into play for you yet. Once the NOA2 arrives, things tend to move a bit quicker and more predictably. Time between NOA2 and the interview varies widely from consulate to consulate, so you should pay more attention to the consulate specific timelines when estimating your wait. I hope I clarified a bit for you.

[JoannaV 174]

Once the Embassy has received the medical results and the packet of forms you will send in, they then schedule the interview and send you a letter. They generally give you 3-4 weeks notice. This means that the normal time till the interview once BOTH medical and forms have been completed is 1-2 months. A longer average time is probably due to people having the medical a while after sending off the forms, or waiting a while to send off the forms. If you have a valid reason to request an earlier interview date then it is a good idea to write that on the interview readiness form. This could just be that you are planning to fly to America for a friend's wedding on xx/yy, or whatever. So in those cases the Embassy might schedule the interview date immediately and give you just two weeks notice. But generally they are booking for a month ahead.

If your interview is after the tax deadline, April 18th or whatever, make sure you have your 2010 tax transcript.

Your lawyer definitely underestimated the time line. For a 4 months time line you would need USCIS to be processing applications immediately they are received. This does happen sometimes, for a few days, rarely.

[kutakendra 3]

Once the Embassy has received the medical results and the packet of forms you will send in, they then schedule the interview and send you a letter. They generally give you 3-4 weeks notice. This means that the normal time till the interview once BOTH medical and forms have been completed is 1-2 months. A longer average time is probably due to people having the medical a while after sending off the forms, or waiting a while to send off the forms. If you have a valid reason to request an earlier interview date then it is a good idea to write that on the interview readiness form. This could just be that you are planning to fly to America for a friend's wedding on xx/yy, or whatever. So in those cases the Embassy might schedule the interview date immediately and give you just two weeks notice. But generally they are booking for a month ahead.

If your interview is after the tax deadline, April 18th or whatever, make sure you have your 2010 tax transcript.

Your lawyer definitely underestimated the time line. For a 4 months time line you would need USCIS to be processing applications immediately they are received. This does happen sometimes, for a few days, rarely.

Thank you very much for your polite answer. The steps are difficult to navigate. It helps to have a better grasp of them. We will get some guidance from our lawyer, I am sure, but like the USCIS and Embassy, without a little lube , nothing happens. Like all, impatience is getting the best of everyone, and flights over the pond are expensive. We just want to ensure that we and the lawyer make the posted 80 days from NOA2 to Visa, more like 50-60.