DCF London I-130 for IR1/CR1 Spouse guide

[lost_at_sea 995]

This is a common-case DCF London guide for spousal visas (I-130 for IR-1/CR-1).

NOTE: Always do your own reading and research, and double check everything on the official sites. This is a GUIDE to show what to expect, not the official manual from the embassy. Read the whole thread to check for updates and caveats from other VJ members before beginning.

The London Embassy provides it’s own information at the following URL, and also includes links to all the required forms, a complete and very detailed checklist, and an example completed I-130 form:

http://london.usemba...4_domicile.html

2.4. Complete DS-2001 and write a supporting cover letter noting the date of your medical, your planned travel date (if known) and your email address. It would be prudent to include your LND number, also. This form and letter may be sent before or after the medical, but should be sent only when you’ve collected all the required documents listed above. Yes, you can send DS-230, DS-2001 and cover letter in one pack, if you prefer, all forms are mailed to the same address.

Tip:
If you are on a tight deadline and would like to travel to the USA ASAP, make sure you specify a travel date in the cover letter that accompanies the DS-2001. Although London cannot guarantee dates, they do generally appear to make an effort to schedule interviews in time for travel dates that applicants specify. They do not require evidence of your travel plans. If you are able to, you may also wish to state that you’re available for short-notice appointments in case a cancelled slot becomes available.

Tip:
Now you have your LND number, you case will also be live on the CEAC website, where you will now be able to track the progress of your visa application: https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker

What happens next?

You will now be awaiting an invitation to interview letter (“Packet 4”). Once you believe your medical results and all forms have been received, you can call the DoS line or the embassy to enquire as to whether an interview has been assigned (see contacts below) ahead of receiving the physical letter.

Extra:

Although not necessarily required for interview and London rarely asks to see it except in cases with red-flags, you may wish to use this wait time to compile some relationship evidence for your interview file, such as:

• Joint rental/mortgage agreement
• Holiday photos
• Wedding photos
• Jointly named bills
• Joint insurance or bank statements
• Birth certificates for any children you have together

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 3:
Interview and visa!

You can read reviews of interviews from the London embassy here, to get a really clear idea of how it will go: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=United+Kingdom&cty=&dfilter=5&topic=IR-1%2FCR-1+Visa

Roughly, these are the major things to expect:

3.1. Aim to be at the embassy about 30 minutes before your appointment. Remember you may not take any electronics into the embassy, including electric car key fobs etc. A nearby pharmacy called Gould’s will hold your items for a small fee. There will be a queue to enter, and may take some time. Your interview letter will be checked and you’ll be assigned a ticket number once inside beginning with I. Listen/watch for your number (it will likely not be at the exact time of the appointment on your letter).

3.2. At the first window, your original documents and photocopies will be handed over to a clerk, along with your passport photos, passport and your fingerprints taken. Your I-864 and evidence will be checked and collected (and this is also where you domicile evidence may be requested). You will be given a courier sheet to complete, and asked to pay for your visa ($230). They will also hand you a CD with your x-ray on it from the medical. You’ll then wait again.

3.3. At the second window, your original documents will be returned, you’ll be interviewed after swearing to tell the truth and signing your DS-230 Part II. You’ll be asked some questions about your marriage, partner and likely their family. Answer honestly to the best of your knowledge and you may be given the opportunity to share any relationship evidence you brought with you (rarely needed). Assuming the interviewer is satisfied with your responses, your visa will be approved and your passport will be held to place the visa in it.

3.4. Pay the courier (fee varies depending on delivery option you choose). They may advise you on how long to expect for your visa to be delivered and explain how to track your passport. It will usually be delivered within 10 working days.

3.5. Your passport with visa will be delivered along with a large sealed envelope. The sealed envelope must NOT be opened under any situation, and should be taken with you on your journey to the USA in your hand luggage to be handed over at the Point of Entry (POE). The package with your passport should also inform you about paying for the USCIS Immigrant Fee ($165), which is required to be paid before production of your actual green card, which will be received a few weeks later after your US entry. Note that your visa will act as a temporary 1 year green card until you get the proper one.

Notes:
The petitioner does not need to be at the interview.
The petitioner may return to the USA at any point after initial I-130 filing and abandon their residency in the UK.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact information:

At petition stage (I-130 filing) you can email the local USCIS team in London with any queries: USCIS.London@uscis.dhs.gov

The general enquiry phone number is (extortion line, £1.23 per minute) for the embassy: UK 0904 245 0100

Department of State line (DoS): US 202 663 1225

LondonConsular@state.gov seems to work for making additional queries about interviews/adding spouse to embassy access list

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker Progress tracker post-NOA2.

Address to mail the I-130 petition:
USCIS Field Office
Embassy of the United States of America (DHS / USCIS)
Post Office Box 2444
London W1K 5WT

Address to mail DS forms for visa application (Packet 3 return):
Immigrant Visa Unit
US Embassy
24 Grosvenor Square
London W1K 6AH

The US Embassy in London is also on twitter: @USAinUKCGCorner

And they blog here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/

More about the USCIS Immigrant Fee:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Share your own questions, timelines, process updates and caveats in the replies.

Thank you to Nich-Nick in particular for her help compiling this guide, and to the UK guinea-pigs who have been kind enough to try it out!

Edited July 22, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[lost_at_sea 995]

Our personal timeline

Background and eligibility

Him: US citizen by birth
Me: British citizen
Both living in London, UK

We qualified for DCF as USC is living in the UK on a Tier 2 Intra-company Transfer (ICT) Visa. He had been living in the UK for more than 6 months (which is the minimum amount of time required) and we filed 16 months into his stay in the UK after an initial K1 filing that we withdrew when we discovered we were eligible for DCF (bad lawyer advice, who we fired - a whole different story). The K1 was withdrawn and is mentioned on the I-130 in the appropriate section.

We had initially been concerned that he would not qualify under this type of visa, and also that his first one had been for a year, and we’d switched him to a different type later, with a gap of 2 weeks in the USA to complete this processing of this (from a short-term ICT visa of 1 year length, to a long-term ICT visa) so when we were going to file DCF, he’d only been in the UK on the new long-term visa for 3 months (and again, a minimum of 6 months past residency at the time of filing is required). The Embassy assured us that this would not be an issue, however, as the gap did not count as abandonment of his residency here and the entire length of stay across the two visas would be counted as one. We contacted the Embassy to enquire about via email, and had a same-day response: USCIS.London@uscis.dhs.gov

At the time of filing, the London Embassy website was showing petition processing occurring approximately 1 calendar month from NOA1 date.

Previous to filing, in February/March 2013, I had already ordered and received a Police Certificate (marked no trace) and had obtained my 2 missing MMR vaccines from my local GP and had them print a copy of all the vaccinations they had record of from my medical history.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is our order of events from marriage to visa completion

VJ Timeline link: http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?cfl=0&id=145628

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. 3rd May 2013

Got married!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. 7th May 2013
We completed and mailed the package off with signed-for delivery, guaranteed by 1pm next-day via Royal Mail. It contained:

• I-130 petition for spouse form
• 2 x G-325a biographic information forms (one each, both with US-sized photographs attached)
• G-1145 E-mail notification form
• Photocopy of divorce decree for USC
• Photocopy of marriage certificate
• Photocopy of USC birth certificate
• Photocopies of both the short-term ICT visa and long-term ICT visa in USC passport (showing entry clearance stamps) and photograph/biographical information page
• Credit card payment form (for $420)
• A self-addressed stamped envelope (we included an A5 sized envelope with 2 first class stamps affixed)
• London I-130 Spouse checklist (which needs to be used to check the order of your forms, and should also be included in the package)

We mailed it to:
USCIS Field Office
Embassy of the United States of America (DHS / USCIS)
Post Office Box 2444
London W1K 5WT

Package was delivered by 1pm on the 8th May (as checked with receipt from post office).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. 14th May 2013
Payment was taken from USC’s Mastercard account.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. 15th May 2013

E-mail was sent to USC with subject line “Notice of Receipt of Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130)“ that receipt had been taken for the I-130, and that the NOA1 date, shown in red on the attachment letter, was 14th May 2013.
The letter attachment states that the processing time for I-130 is approximately 3 months, and that petitions are processed in the order they arrive. Also that petitions do not receive a receipt number, but petitioners can check the currently processing NOA1 dates via the website (see link above), which on this date stated they were currently processing NOA1 dates of 24th April 2013. It also gives information on what to do if anyone changes address (the petitioner only is able to write to the embassy to tell them), where to find information on what happens after petition approval, and that there is no need to apply for K3 as the current processing times for these are longer than the spousal visa.
No mailed paper version of this notice was received. I believe they don’t bother to mail one if you’ve included the e-notification form G-1145. Note: Our NOA1 ended up in a spam folder and it took us 5 days to find it, so make sure to put USCIS on your white lists.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. 5th June 2013
Notice of Approval (NOA2). A letter arrives telling us that our petition was approved on 4th June 2013. It came in the self-addressed envelope we included in the initial petition package (a smaller envelope and a single stamp would have been sufficient) and contained a letter confirming the approval and a receipt for the payment that was taken on the 14th May. It provided a case file number and a classification (201(b) Spouse), and explains that the beneficiary will receive further instructions for the visa application within 8 weeks.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. 14th June 2013
Packet 3 arrived with LND number, with a letter dated 12th June with next instructions on booking the medical. As usual, it points to the information on the website: http://london.usembassy.gov/ds2001.html
Called same day to book the medical and requested the next available appointment.

The packet 3 letter can be viewed here: http://static.visajourney.com/images/uploads/monthly_06_2013/post-145628-0-80499300-1371303306.jpg

Now also live on CEAC Status Tracker, first logged 12th June: https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. 17th June 2013

Packet 3 return.

Completed and returned the following forms:

• DS-2001
• DS-230 Part I (with an additional continuation sheet)
• DS-230 Part II (last section incomplete)
• Cover letter stating email, date of medical and what was included in the mailing. I also explained our travel date constraints (noting husband’s visa expiry date and desire to relocate at the same time).

This was mailed to the following address, with next day signed-for delivery:

Immigrant Visa Unit
US Embassy
24 Grosvenor Square
London W1K 6AH

Package was delivered at 9:30am on the 18th June.
CEAC touch date updated on the 19th June, which we assume was the processing and logging of these documents.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. 20th June 2013
Attended the medical.
Experience available here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/8321-london-medical-knightsbridge-doctors/?p=6309900

Documents taken to medical:

• UK Police certificate issued within the last 12 months
• 1 US Passport photo (UK or US size acceptable, confirmed with receptionist)
• 1 Photo ID (passport)
• Vaccination record (printout obtained from GP at last visit)
• Completed medical questionnaire

Cost: £270 (£235 medical, £35 vaccine)
Booking details and questionnaire are found here: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/iv018a_medical.pdf

CEAC touch date updated 25th June, assumed logging of medical results against case.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. 27th June 2013
Called the embassy in London to check that all our documents had been received and our medical results had arrived. I was able to ask if we had an interview date scheduled, and it had been. They had mailed Packet 4 on the 25th June stating an interview date of 16th July 2013.

Physical Packet 4 letter received on 28th June with interview date.

Emailed LondonConsular@state.gov to put husband’s name on the access list to embassy, so he could attend (confirmation received next day by email).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. 16th July 2013
Attended interview. Result: Approved!
Review here: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/view-dos-cis-reviews.php?entry=12336

Documents taken to interview:

• UK passport
• I-186 affidavit of support (with tax returns, W2s, 1099s and asset statements)
• UK birth certificate + photocopy
• Police certificate + photocopy
• Marriage certificate + photocopy
• Copy of DS-230 Part I/II previously mailed in Packet 3 return
• USC’s continuing US employment letter and terms of assignment (to show temporary UK placement, and therefore US domicile)

Additionally, as we were only married 4 days previous to filing, we suspected this could be considered a red flag, so I compiled the following relationship evidence/supporting docs:

• Wedding photos
• A selection of holiday photos from previous 2 years
• Joint rental agreement
• Jointly named bills
• USC divorce decree
• Shared health insurance policy & life insurance payout information
• Receipts for custom-made engagement ring and wedding bands

None of the items additionally taken in the second list were requested or shown!

CEAC status changed to Additional Processing to Issued same day.
DX Courier delivery tracking number became live on 19th July, with scheduled delivery 22nd July.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. 22nd July 2013
Passport received!

[Confusedtinybird 41]

This is great lost_at_sea. Hopefully people who do DCF will write up more reviews! Since it varies country to country.

[Holly2234 66]

This is a thread i wrote last year which includes my experiences http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/371376-london-uk-dcf-2012/

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

This is fantastic! When I did DCF in 2007, there were so few of us going through London that we were figuring it all out as we went along. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[lost_at_sea 995]

This is fantastic! When I did DCF in 2007, there were so few of us going through London that we were figuring it all out as we went along. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Thanks. Only seems fair. Learnt so much here.

[LauraDP 10]

My four children and I had our interviews last Tuesday so I wanted to add a couple of things if I may.

The ticketing system was not operational when we were in the Embassy. Instead we were asked to sit in the holding room in the order in which we had entered the Embassy. This worked up until an hour in when a trio entered and sat themselves in the front row of chairs (which had been vacated by the earliest arrivals). When they then got up to go to the window as the next in line there was almost a lynching. So be prepared for an alternative queuing system just in case and make sure you are aware of who was in front of and behind you in the queue. We were lucky enough to be among the first arrivals so were at the pre-screening / paperwork checking window before any chaos ensued.

When the Embassy phoned me to tell me about our interview (granted with only a few days' notice) they asked if anyone would be accompanying the kids and I and I requested that my husband's name be placed on the list. When we arrived, however, his name was not on the list and he was, therefore, denied entry. We could not prove the correspondence with the Embassy, however, since his ipod was obviously not on him as a forbidden electronic device and we had been away from home visiting family so had no chance to print the email. So we had no choice but for him to hang around outside the Embassy while the children and I entered the building. However, when I reached the first window, I explained to the man the situation and asked if my husband could be permitted to enter since I would benefit from having someone there to wrangle the four children while I concentrated on the whole process. He sent the email down to the security people but he also said I would have under a minute to catch my husband's attention and get him to approach security. I, therefore, flapped at the windows like a mad woman trying to get his attention but he was deep in conversation with another waiting spouse and did not notice. Thankfully the four kids and our unusual surname had made us memorable so the security officer actually went and fetched him and he was allowed entry. So the two lessons to be learned from that experience are a) do not assume that an email correspondence and phone conversation regarding an accompanying spouse will result in their name being on the list and b) ensure your spouse, if not allowed entry initially, checks in frequently with security and watches the windows.

My interview was a piece of cake probably because we have been married for so long and have four kids together. So be prepared to have all of that wonderful evidence you have compiled just in case be completely ignored. Frustrating but, of course, both easier and most welcome.

Incidentally, we had our medicals the day before our interview. We had not requested an interview date but had informed them when our medicals would be. I assume that knowing how far we were travelling (we live in the Scottish Highlands) someone took pity on us and gave us the back-to-back appointments. I also, however, wonder if mopping up five applications in one go was an easy way for them to make some sort of clearance quota. I was told that the day we had our interview had been reserved for expedited (largely military) cases only with a few extras tagged on. The Embassy, of course, did not have our medical results at that juncture so could not approve our visas. We were told, however, that this was just an administrative issue and that they would be sent out in due course. So if your timeline ends up being as peculiar as mine then they will give as close to an approval verbally as they can do even though the paperwork will be a denial because of the need for further information (ie the medical results).

I hope this information helps - particularly for those going through the process with children.

[Holly2234 66]

Laura im so happy for you! Have you got a move planned out?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Broken link update:

There's a link above in Part 2.3 pointing to the domicile FAQ from London that appears to be acting weirdly on here for some reason. I can't edit it, but this is the link again for anyone finding the same problem: http://london.usembassy.gov/faq_i864_domicile.html

[lost_at_sea 995]

Visa payment changes:

It sounds like DCF IR/CR-1 applicants are paying their visa fees through the new online system as K1s are, rather than in-person on the day of the interview. Can someone confirm and write up their experience of using this system? Thanks.

See this thread in the meantime for discussion on the new payment system: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/443169-london-k-applicants-to-pay-mrv-fees-through-new-system-if-interview-26th-july/

Edited August 8, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Visa payment changes:

It sounds like DCF IR/CR-1 applicants are paying their visa fees through the new online system as K1s are, rather than in-person on the day of the interview. Can someone confirm and write up their experience of using this system? Thanks.

See this thread in the meantime for discussion on the new payment system: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/443169-london-k-applicants-to-pay-mrv-fees-through-new-system-if-interview-26th-july/

They have updated their letter about the interview IV-18 Immigrant Visa Appointment Letter http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/IV018_iv_appt_letter.pdf to instruct how to pay for the courier prior to attending the interview. But the fee instruction (if not already paid to NVC) says you will pay at the embassy.

I think if they make changes, they will update that IV-18 letter, so best for DCFers to check that form when your time comes to get the latest.

[Big Papa Zone 93]

_{Great thread (Nich, have you found an apprentice!!??) especially for those with no prior experience of this whole immigration horsesh!t. Thankfully, having already been through the K-1 process five years ago, a lot of this is awfully familiar.}

_{After having studied the links, my one real concern is the whole domicile thing. You see, I'm a UK native, and I won't be employed by a U.S. company on any kind of visa. That's gonna rule out my stay in the UK being of any kind of temporary nature (indeed, I'll be using my British passport to "prove" residency). Therefore, if I'm understanding things correctly, I will have to show that I've re-established a U.S. residence in order to meet the domicile requirements, yes? Or will the fact that I'll have the same U.S. address to return to (sometimes renting a room in a good friend's house really IS a plus!) an active U.S. bank account, a valid U.S. driver's licence, and a vehicle registered under my name (on which I'll still be making payments from Blighty, btw) suffice? If not, then what would you say was the best way to re-establish my U.S. residence? Seeing as I've no intention of leaving the wife behind to go back stateside (until she's approved and is coming with me) all I can conceivably think of is an offer of employment from a U.S. employer. But how does one go through the job seeking process (interviews etc) when one is residing an ocean and 4,000 miles away??? I guess I could always make sure I leave my current employer here in Uncle Sam on VERY good terms so they'd have me back in a heartbeat, right? But what if, for whatever reason, that don't fly?}

_{Interested to hear some responses here, folks!}

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Daymo--I hope the apprentice sticks around.

You can "reside" in the UK, but still maintain domicile in the US by having the valid bank account, voter registration (after your naturalization), driver license, vehicle. I think it's more about you didn't cut your US ties when you moved to the UK. And even if you did, you can show your "intent" to domicile by job hunting, house hunting and showing correspondence of that nature. Or register for school again or appear to be doing so by sending transcripts or something like that that shows your intent to move.

[Dbkrantz 16]

Dear all,

I just wanted to add a few details from my experience so far with the London DCF procedure.

First, the number given for the embassy: UK 0904 245 0100 (described as the extortion line) is no longer working. It has been closed since July 21st. Do not attempt to find another number for the embassy if you don't want to spend hours going through automated message hell.

Then, the Department of State seems to be in no mood to try to help (according to my 3 calls) and experience from other people as well. They won't help if you don't have what they call a receipt number (not available in London), and will tell you to contact London embassy directly even when you say you have no way of contacting them.

To check application status (after approval):

I would wait for about 3 weeks after the Notice of Approval (NOA2) to send an enquiry. In order to do this, you can fill out this form :

http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/visa_contact_form.html

They aim to respond within 5 working days and should provide you with an LND number if you have been assigned one at the time of the enquiry.

Also, if like me, your packet 3 gets lost in the post (doesn't usually happen as it is sent by first class mail), the email will be enough and you will be able to check your application status, send in the forms required for packet 3 and book the medical interview. It doesn't seem like getting the actual packet is necessary as they probably won't be sending me another version.

USCIS phone number: 0207 495 0551 (I am not sure if there is a fee to call this number)

This is the only phone number I found so far to speak to an actual person at the U.S. embassy. Even if it is the USCIS office, they are very helpful (they will not be able to check your application status) but can guide you on any issues relating to the I-130 filling.

Hope all of this help,

I will be sure to add any other information I gather during this adventure and will post my timeline / story once I am done

[lost_at_sea 995]

Packet 3 Form update from September 1st 2013 - DS-260:

http://london.usembassy.gov/ds2001.html

From Sept 1, 2013, the form DS-260 replaces both the DS-230 I & II and DS-2001)

Applicants returning their DS forms after September 1st should now complete and return the DS-260, rather than the DS-230 and DS-2001.

It's unclear what those who have already complete their DS forms (Packet 3 return) but are interviewing after September 1st should do. Probably wise to complete a DS-260 as well as the forms already mailed. Read follow up comment: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/443127-dcf-london-i-130-for-ir1cr1-spouse-guide/?p=6480459

Edited August 30, 2013 by lost_at_sea