how long should i expect to wait for interview date?

[jola83 19]

UK-USA and Laura ,update us if and when you have any luck with your phone calls. I was so excited once my medical was over and I'd sent my forms off thinking everything was straight forward from here,but with this and reading about the problems with the new payment system,I think I was wrong.I'd started off thinking there could of been a small possibility I could of been in states by end off August,then I decided September was more realistic.with that being said I wouldn't be surprised it will be October by reading others time lines over the last few days

[Laura. 90]

Okay I just got off the phone with that UK number, got through to someone pretty quick.

She was adamant that I need to pay the fee before anything else will happen, I told her several times that this was not the case as I was a K1. She then went off to check with a (I think) supervisor, and then just came back and repeated the same thing. She then said "Once you have paid the fee, the embassy will call or email you with an interview" to which I said "You mean without sending Packet 4?" and then she had no idea what I was talking about.

So that didn't help in the slightest. I'm contemplating just paying the fee and seeing if that will do anything.

[bricklane 0]

Okay I just got off the phone with that UK number, got through to someone pretty quick.

She was adamant that I need to pay the fee before anything else will happen, I told her several times that this was not the case as I was a K1. She then went off to check with a (I think) supervisor, and then just came back and repeated the same thing. She then said "Once you have paid the fee, the embassy will call or email you with an interview" to which I said "You mean without sending Packet 4?" and then she had no idea what I was talking about.

So that didn't help in the slightest. I'm contemplating just paying the fee and seeing if that will do anything.

How do you pay the fee though? The MRV system asks for an interview date!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Here's a link to the contact page for the Embassy:

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

These are the numbers they list:

Callers within the United KingdomCallers from within the UK should dial 020-3608-6998Callers from the United StatesCallers from within the U.S. should dial 703-439-2367

My fiance called todayand said it was kind of a pain but eventually got through and was able to select an option for K-1 visas. The guy she talked to gave her poor information (at least I think it was poor) She is very reserved and shy and not one to tell operators they are wrong. They told her she needed to pay first before she scheduled an interview and she accepted that. I don't think it's correct, but she's just not the type to question it. I will probably try calling them tomorrow form the US line if nothing changes before then.

We are hoping to get a flight out no later than October 1st. It's not a necessity, but the price for a one way between now and October 1 is between $440 and $640. They jump to $1,100 and up after Oct 1. would be nice to save some of that cash for the AOS.

Okay I just got off the phone with that UK number, got through to someone pretty quick.

She was adamant that I need to pay the fee before anything else will happen, I told her several times that this was not the case as I was a K1. She then went off to check with a (I think) supervisor, and then just came back and repeated the same thing. She then said "Once you have paid the fee, the embassy will call or email you with an interview" to which I said "You mean without sending Packet 4?" and then she had no idea what I was talking about.

So that didn't help in the slightest. I'm contemplating just paying the fee and seeing if that will do anything.

Because those contact numbers are prefaced with "you may schedule your non-immigrant visa appointment by calling....." well I think you guys may be getting non-immigrant information and not K1 information. From what I piece together the K1 process has not changed.

1) get an instruction letter

2) embassy receives three pieces of the puzzle (forms, medical, DS-2001 readiness)

3) wait 4 weeks for an interview letter which contains instructions how to pay

**New part** 4) pay online instead of calling and make courier arrangements online.

5) attend interview

[UK-USA-K1 128]

Because those contact numbers are prefaced with "you may schedule your non-immigrant visa appointment by calling....." well I think you guys may be getting non-immigrant information and not K1 information. From what I piece together the K1 process has not changed.

1) get an instruction letter

2) embassy receives three pieces of the puzzle (forms, medical, DS-2001 readiness)

3) wait 4 weeks for an interview letter which contains instructions how to pay

**New part** 4) pay online instead of calling and make courier arrangements online.

5) attend interview

Your steps are exactly the way it seems to be under the new system. The 4 week wait for the letter may just be that they are backed up due to being busier in the summer months, but it's hard to say on that since the system is so new right now.

As for the phone line, it does say call to schedule for non-immigrant visas on the website, but when you calll it gives you options for immigrant or non immigrant visas and inside the immigrant visa it gives you the option for K-1 visas before connecting to an operator. I just believe that the operators manning the phones don't fully understand that when you call regarding a K-1 non immigrant visa that it is treated like an Immigrant visa and therefor they give out the bogus "pay first" information. I don't believe paying first will hurt anything since you have to pay in the system either way,but you still won't be able to schedule the interview and will still have to wait for the letter before you know your interview date.

[UK-USA-K1 128]

Okay I just got off the phone with that UK number, got through to someone pretty quick.

She was adamant that I need to pay the fee before anything else will happen, I told her several times that this was not the case as I was a K1. She then went off to check with a (I think) supervisor, and then just came back and repeated the same thing. She then said "Once you have paid the fee, the embassy will call or email you with an interview" to which I said "You mean without sending Packet 4?" and then she had no idea what I was talking about.

So that didn't help in the slightest. I'm contemplating just paying the fee and seeing if that will do anything.

We went ahead and paid the fee as I don't believe it will really hurt anything, but I can tell you for an absolute fact that it doesn't change the fact that you will still have to wait for the interview date in letter format. Once we paid the fee, it says to wait for the letter. It does allow to schedule for home delivery and since it's almost as much money by train for her to go into London (nearest pickup location for her) as it costs for home delivery, we went ahead and scheduled that as well.

Currently our case is just over 2 weeks past the medical, so I have a feeling we won't hear anything for another 2-3 weeks

[Laura. 90]

We went ahead and paid the fee as I don't believe it will really hurt anything, but I can tell you for an absolute fact that it doesn't change the fact that you will still have to wait for the interview date in letter format. Once we paid the fee, it says to wait for the letter. It does allow to schedule for home delivery and since it's almost as much money by train for her to go into London (nearest pickup location for her) as it costs for home delivery, we went ahead and scheduled that as well.

Currently our case is just over 2 weeks past the medical, so I have a feeling we won't hear anything for another 2-3 weeks

I also paid the fee this morning as I figured I'm going to have to do it one day anyway so just got it out the way.

Another day passed and still no CEAC update. Sigh.

[Laura. 90]

How do you pay the fee though? The MRV system asks for an interview date!

You need to register under "Apply for K1 visa" within the Immigrant section I think (it's a week or two since I actually registered) and then it should allow you to pay without an interview date.

[Azsara 110]

You need to register under "Apply for K1 visa" within the Immigrant section I think (it's a week or two since I actually registered) and then it should allow you to pay without an interview date.

Yea this does still ask for an interview date :/

[Laura. 90]

Yea this does still ask for an interview date :/

That's odd. I've seen both options, I made a first account on the wrong section and that asked for the interview date. But then when a registered a new account with the "Apply for K visa" link, it doesn't ask for a date.

[Azsara 110]

Its prob something im doing wrong i wouldnt be surprised! *sigh* think im gonna wait see if you guys get any progress from paying it early and then worry about it in a couple of weeks!

[jola83 19]

I've been on the phone on and off all day .in short the call centre are clueless and after going back and forth with a lady who couldn't give me a straight answer she admitted she "wasn't sure" when I had to pay.another lady told me to email the embassy as she didn't know.I ended up calling DOS .who told me every embassy is different but not to panick as the embassy would mail out clear instructions of when to pay .so all in all I don't think anything has changed you don't have to pay for them before they schedule a interview.the helpful man also told me my medical was logged into the system but my forms haven't been but told me not to panicked as the embassy more than likely have them but haven't logged them yet

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The instructions on how to pay come in the interview letter. Well it tells you how to retrieve the interview instruction document. This is the K1 interview instruction http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/IV019_fiance_appt_letter.pdf

You do not have to pay before your appointment letter. That has never been a requirement for K1.

[BonDrago 0]

I paid the MRV fee and set up the courier earlier today using http://dld.bz/ivbook and the instructions given on the interview instruction document, as shown in Nich-Nick's link in the post above. It worked really well and the step-by-step guide shown was exactly how it played out during the payment and setting up of the courier. It didn't once ask for the interview date. Prior to paying for the MRV fee, it'll make you choose a regional UK centre for the delivery of your documents after, hopefully, approval, but after the payment is processed, you can very easily set-up the courier for home delivery.

[Azsara 110]

hmm not sure what im doing wrong, this is the page i get when i go to Add Applicant, I put a ? next to the part that I believe is asking for my interview date is it a different date its asking for?

Edited August 14, 2013 by Azsara