London 2012- K1s from NOA2 to interview thread

[Elora & Rob 15]

So my fiance is mailing off his affidavit of support form and supporting evidence tonight and I was just wondering if photocopies of pay stubs etc.. are good enough to prove his income or do they have to be originals?

do you have any other evidence?

why risk it. send originals. it doesn't really matter to your fiance as well.

[xXJulzXx 0]

do you have any other evidence?

why risk it. send originals. it doesn't really matter to your fiance as well.

Yes,that's why I said etc.. other evidence is his tax return and letter from his employer but he said he is just gonna send me those now and then before my interview send me photocopies of 2 or 3 of his most recent pay checks so that I could just print and use them. Would that be okay?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Yes,that's why I said etc.. other evidence is his tax return and letter from his employer but he said he is just gonna send me those now and then before my interview send me photocopies of 2 or 3 of his most recent pay checks so that I could just print and use them. Would that be okay?

Photocopies are fine of the paychecks. People do what you are planning...scan the last minute pay slips and email them over.

The employer letter should be original and that's a good proof, as is the tax return. Remember it's all pages of the return plus the W2 or a tax transcript on its own. Quite frankly, the pay checks are redundant because you will have two solid proofs already. I wouldn't worry about copies vs originals of those. For what it's worth, I have never seen anybody post an experience where the embassy held up a K1 visa because a pay slip was a photocopy. They aren't that fussy unless he is below the poverty level or doesn't sign his I-134 or provide any proof at all. Otherwise they just glance at it while they're shuffling papers about and never actually talk about it.

[xXJulzXx 0]

Photocopies are fine of the paychecks. People do what you are planning...scan the last minute pay slips and email them over.

The employer letter should be original and that's a good proof, as is the tax return. Remember it's all pages of the return plus the W2 or a tax transcript on its own. Quite frankly, the pay checks are redundant because you will have two solid proofs already. I wouldn't worry about copies vs originals of those. For what it's worth, I have never seen anybody post an experience where the embassy held up a K1 visa because a pay slip was a photocopy. They aren't that fussy unless he is below the poverty level or doesn't sign his I-134 or provide any proof at all. Otherwise they just glance at it while they're shuffling papers about and never actually talk about it.

Okies, thanks for clearing that up and yeah I didn't think it would matter but still I was curious and just wanted to know for sure.

[lucy12 0]

What is the current waiting time for getting an interview date in London for a K1? I received my NOA2 on 22nd August, and I sent back the completed forms within a couple of days. My medical was on 5th September, last week. When should I expect my letter? I've read about backlogs and delays and 10-12 weeks I even saw somewhere! I was hoping to travel on Nov 15th and now I'm worried I wont make that.

Also, I saw some people saying they'd sent of the packet 3 form AND FEE. Was I supposed to send my fee then? I didn't. The paperwork didn't mention sending the fee then, it just said Before the interview. Given that I spent £227 on the medical I was waiting until after pay day for the fee. Have I caused myself a longer wait? HELP!

Edited September 11, 2012 by lucy12

[Elora & Rob 15]

What is the current waiting time for getting an interview date in London for a K1? I received my NOA2 on 22nd August, and I sent back the completed forms within a couple of days. My medical was on 5th September, last week. When should I expect my letter? I've read about backlogs and delays and 10-12 weeks I even saw somewhere! I was hoping to travel on Nov 15th and now I'm worried I wont make that.

Also, I saw some people saying they'd sent of the packet 3 form AND FEE. Was I supposed to send my fee then? I didn't. The paperwork didn't mention sending the fee then, it just said Before the interview. Given that I spent £227 on the medical I was waiting until after pay day for the fee. Have I caused myself a longer wait? HELP!

you don't send your fee you call up and pay it.

have you sent the DS-2001? when did you send it?

if you post a timeline in your signiture like others it would help to answer questions.

[Knope2012 10]

What is the current waiting time for getting an interview date in London for a K1? I received my NOA2 on 22nd August, and I sent back the completed forms within a couple of days. My medical was on 5th September, last week. When should I expect my letter? I've read about backlogs and delays and 10-12 weeks I even saw somewhere! I was hoping to travel on Nov 15th and now I'm worried I wont make that.

Also, I saw some people saying they'd sent of the packet 3 form AND FEE. Was I supposed to send my fee then? I didn't. The paperwork didn't mention sending the fee then, it just said Before the interview. Given that I spent £227 on the medical I was waiting until after pay day for the fee. Have I caused myself a longer wait? HELP!

We sent our Packet 3 back about 4 weeks ago and we had our medical nearly a month ago and we're still waiting. We did have a delay of about a week because we had to get a letter from his GP. There's still a chance you'll make it November 15th. You only have to pay the fee before the interview. As long as it's paid before you show up for it, then you're fine. That won't cause you a longer wait.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Packet 3 return does not start the clock for an interview. (Packet 3 isn't even a real term anymore either.) There are 3 steps to complete--

1. Application for visa received by embassy

2. Medical exam complete and received at embassy

3. Readiness for interview form received by embassy

When the last of those 3 things happens, then you may push the start button on the timer. I would wait 3 weeks after that before worrying about when the interview would be assigned.

As an example from the post above

"medical almost a month ago". So let's say Aug 16

"delay of a week waiting on GP" that brings is to Aug 23

Maybe Knightsbridge didn't review it an give it to the courier until Monday, Aug 27

Estimated arrival at embassy Aug 28.

[start the 3 week timer] maybe factor in the bank holiday and Labor Day too

Don't expect anything to happen before Sept 18. Then maybe begin to worry about delays.

Basically my example is all speculation but it illustrates how there are tiny hitches along the way that can influence the timeline. Answering the question "how long after I sent Packet 3 will I get an interview?" is pretty impossible to answer.

[Knope2012 10]

Packet 3 return does not start the clock for an interview. (Packet 3 isn't even a real term anymore either.) There are 3 steps to complete--

1. Application for visa received by embassy

2. Medical exam complete and received at embassy

3. Readiness for interview form received by embassy

When the last of those 3 things happens, then you may push the start button on the timer. I would wait 3 weeks after that before worrying about when the interview would be assigned.

As an example from the post above

"medical almost a month ago". So let's say Aug 16

"delay of a week waiting on GP" that brings is to Aug 23

Maybe Knightsbridge didn't review it an give it to the courier until Monday, Aug 27

Estimated arrival at embassy Aug 28.

[start the 3 week timer] maybe factor in the bank holiday and Labor Day too

Don't expect anything to happen before Sept 18. Then maybe begin to worry about delays.

Basically my example is all speculation but it illustrates how there are tiny hitches along the way that can influence the timeline. Answering the question "how long after I sent Packet 3 will I get an interview?" is pretty impossible to answer.

Thank you. We know everything is logged so we're just in the queue now. They said to give it 3 weeks from the date it was logged, which was September 6th. To anyone reading, take it from me and do not try to plan a wedding before the visa is in hand. At this point, I may or may not get my November wedding.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thank you. We know everything is logged so we're just in the queue now. They said to give it 3 weeks from the date it was logged, which was September 6th. To anyone reading, take it from me and do not try to plan a wedding before the visa is in hand. At this point, I may or may not get my November wedding.

Did you indicate in a cover letter any urgency or have you requested a cancellation spot saying you can attend on very short notice? If you put the November wedding date, they will try to honor that and get you there. If somebody else is in line with you and put a January date, they will slot you in before the other. They try to factor in who needs to travel first. That's why they ask you to include a cover letter giving the date of wedding if known. I made up a wedding date a month before the one I was planning on.

You can send a new letter to the IV Unit address stating that all items have been in their hands since [date]. Estimate the date your medical arrived or see if Knightsbridge can give you a date. Tell them you have a wedding planned and would like to travel by [date]. "I would would very much appreciate your earliest possible interview date.I have all my documents in hand and I can attend on short notice if you have a cancellation. My email address is ___________ and my phone number is __________. Thank you for any consideration you can give me. "

The reason I say mail it is because the expensive phone call often gets the same old "wait" response. At least the letter gets straight to the IV Unit. If you sent the cover letter way back with you other DS forms, nobody has reviewed that in a long time. A new letter shows you've done your part and puts your urgency newly in their face. They may read that, look at the schedule and shoot you an email saying be here day after tomorrow. It's happened before.

[LeedsUK 4]

I like the idea of sending another letter. My timeline is spot on to the one Nich-Nick estimated above. I haven't had my 3 week wait yet so I'm still ok. However I phoned up DOS last Tuesday & a nice guy said all my documents had been received accordingly & to just keep calling back or to wait for an email about my interview. So I called back yesterday & a lady said their computer systems were down. I phoned back again today & a rather irritable woman said that there was no notes to say our paper work was complete I was extremely alarmed & asked What does this mean? She said that usually they will update the files after going through all the paper work to say everything's in order & that an interview date will be assigned any day. I told her I spoke to someone last week & he told me everything WAS in order & everything required for "packet 3" had been received. The guy I spoke to last week even referred to it as "packet 3" even though we know it technically doesn't exist any more. She said that according to her system, no notes have been updated. She was quite rude & said there was nothing I could do but wait I have had only friendly people on the phone when phoning DOS & today upon hearing my voice, the woman went "Didn't you just call 10 minutes ago??" I hadn't.

Anyway I am feeling really stressed now. Does this mean something is wrong? Or that they are just going through my papers, medical results etc? I know a few of us have had DOS tell them nothing has been received by the embassy when we all know we sent forms recorded delivery & then people have resent them. I am going to call again tomorrow in the hope that she had the wrong info. I don't know how everything could be fine last week & now not

Edited September 11, 2012 by LeedsUK

[Knope2012 10]

Did you indicate in a cover letter any urgency or have you requested a cancellation spot saying you can attend on very short notice? If you put the November wedding date, they will try to honor that and get you there. If somebody else is in line with you and put a January date, they will slot you in before the other. They try to factor in who needs to travel first. That's why they ask you to include a cover letter giving the date of wedding if known. I made up a wedding date a month before the one I was planning on.

You can send a new letter to the IV Unit address stating that all items have been in their hands since [date]. Estimate the date your medical arrived or see if Knightsbridge can give you a date. Tell them you have a wedding planned and would like to travel by [date]. "I would would very much appreciate your earliest possible interview date.I have all my documents in hand and I can attend on short notice if you have a cancellation. My email address is ___________ and my phone number is __________. Thank you for any consideration you can give me. "

The reason I say mail it is because the expensive phone call often gets the same old "wait" response. At least the letter gets straight to the IV Unit. If you sent the cover letter way back with you other DS forms, nobody has reviewed that in a long time. A new letter shows you've done your part and puts your urgency newly in their face. They may read that, look at the schedule and shoot you an email saying be here day after tomorrow. It's happened before.

Thank you for the tip! We did put our wedding date on our cover letter and requested a date by mid October, but I think we will send a new letter like the example given above. My fiance's going to write it today and mail it off tomorrow. We finally got a response to the e-mail we sent and it says our file was completed and logged on 9/4 and that we should expect to be given a date in the next 2-4 weeks. We're definitely going to send a new letter and hope for the best.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Anyway I am feeling really stressed now. Does this mean something is wrong? Or that they are just going through my papers, medical results etc? I know a few of us have had DOS tell them nothing has been received by the embassy when we all know we sent forms recorded delivery & then people have resent them. I am going to call again tomorrow in the hope that she had the wrong info. I don't know how everything could be fine last week & now not

Well sometime they just don't bother looking. Makes you wonder though if the first guy was on the right page or if the grouchy lady was. My experience with DOS was calling after the interview. The computers were down at the embassy. The interviewer said "I can only say tentatively approved because we run one last check on you which I can't do now." People were sometimes getting texts (from the courier) on the coach home from interview that their visa would be delivered the next day. Most got a text by the day after the interview. Yeah, I know. Fast! So after 2 full days i called DOS to see what the status was with the computers and visa.

I gave the nice lady the case number and her response was "it says here you were a no-show at the interview. What happened, hon? Why didn't he go?" I assured he he went and I was there with him. She dug around awhile and said let me check some other places. Then she came up with "okay, this says the visa was printed this afternoon."

So sometimes you get weird info even from DOS that can't be figured out.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Nich-Nick

[LeedsUK 4]

Just phoned DOS again & spoke to the nice guy who I am pretty sure I spoke to last week. He said all my forms & medical had indeed been received & they were just reviewing them. I should expect an interview date in about 2 weeks he said, thank god...beware of an irritable older woman with a crusty voice & hispanic accent

[LeedsUK 4]

Well sometime they just don't bother looking. Makes you wonder though if the first guy was on the right page or if the grouchy lady was. My experience with DOS was calling after the interview. The computers were down at the embassy. The interviewer said "I can only say tentatively approved because we run one last check on you which I can't do now." People were sometimes getting texts (from the courier) on the coach home from interview that their visa would be delivered the next day. Most got a text by the day after the interview. Yeah, I know. Fast! So after 2 full days i called DOS to see what the status was with the computers and visa.

I gave the nice lady the case number and her response was "it says here you were a no-show at the interview. What happened, hon? Why didn't he go?" I assured he he went and I was there with him. She dug around awhile and said let me check some other places. Then she came up with "okay, this says the visa was printed this afternoon."

So sometimes you get weird info even from DOS that can't be figured out.

Thanks Nick. Some people are just weird, makes you wonder what they are being paid for really...can't believe that woman thought you didn't go to your interview! She was obviously looking at someone else's info. I am pretty certain the nice guy is doing his job as when I phone up, I don't say anything other than give my case number so they don't know I have sent "packet 3" back until they look at my file & tell me. He always apologises for making me wait the 10 seconds while he checks too lol. The rude lady put me on a silent hold line for a minute where I felt like she was probably finishing her sandwich or talking to her colleague saying "God it's that woman again who I just spoke to, (not me) I just told her I didn't have any info, why is she calling back??" because after hold she gave me a response which feels like she checked nothing at all like you said, wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't.