London - Instructions for DS Forms and Scheduling Medical

[Protocol417 161]

I think the website (http:london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html) was just updated with the changes for the DS-260, so I'm not sure if this was there before, but there appears to be a slight contradiction between steps 2 and 3 and I was wondering what other people have done.

Step 2 says "...complete the Notification of Applicant(s) Readiness, Form 2001 and mail it to the Immigrant Visa Unit together with a covering letter containing your email address, if applicable, date of your wedding and date of the medical examination."

Step 3 says "Schedule a medical examination"

Right now, we are waiting for the police certificate to arrive (requirement for the medical to be scheduled). We'd like to send in the DS forms and cover letter while we're waiting. Can we do this even though the medical hasn't been scheduled yet? Do we just leave that date off the cover letter?

Or would it be better to wait until the medical is scheduled before sending anything in?

(Sorry if this has already been asked, but I couldn't find anything much more recent than 2006, and the search function is being a little wonky on me today.)

[UK-USA-K1 128]

I sent in my forms except the Readiness form before the medical, and then sent in the Readiness form just before my medical. Honestly though, with the way the timing is, sending the forms earlier won't speed it up much if at all. Basically they won't schedule your interview until they have all your forms and the medical, and it's 2-4 weeks after they get the medical when they schedule the interview which is about a month later. Also, medical is about a two week wait for an appointment (at least last I heard a few weeks ago they were scheduling 2 weeks out. So once you are ready to schedule your medical, you can get the appointment then mail in all your documentation. That gives them 3 weeks to receive all your forms and get them logged in (this figures in the 5 day wait for the results of the medical to arrive).

Like I said, it doesn't hurt to send in the forms early, but from our experience, it's really not likely to speed the process between medical and interview.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

I agree. Mail all of the other forms and call to book your medical (you just need the LND# from NVC).

Send the DS2001 form when you have everything in hand. The form is signed to be you lawfully saying that you have everything ready and in hand - as in, if they gave you an interview date of tomorrow, you'd be good to go.

I wouldn't risk sending the DS2001 before you have everything....just in case things get lost in the mail.

As was mentioned, the Embassy won't schedule your interview until they have the medical results in hand anyway, so sending the DS2001 way ahead of the medical won't help you at all.

Good luck!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I think the website (http:london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html) was just updated with the changes for the DS-260, so I'm not sure if this was there before, but there appears to be a slight contradiction between steps 2 and 3 and I was wondering what other people have done.

Step 2 says "...complete the Notification of Applicant(s) Readiness, Form 2001 and mail it to the Immigrant Visa Unit together with a covering letter containing your email address, if applicable, date of your wedding and date of the medical examination."

Step 3 says "Schedule a medical examination"

Right now, we are waiting for the police certificate to arrive (requirement for the medical to be scheduled). We'd like to send in the DS forms and cover letter while we're waiting. Can we do this even though the medical hasn't been scheduled yet? Do we just leave that date off the cover letter?

Or would it be better to wait until the medical is scheduled before sending anything in?

(Sorry if this has already been asked, but I couldn't find anything much more recent than 2006, and the search function is being a little wonky on me today.)

Here's my homemade version of what to do, as the steps are somewhat interchangeable.

For LONDON--

1) Mail in your 3 application forms and do one online form immediately.Only the forms. No attachments.

2) or 3) Start gathering your documents that will be taken to the interview. The affidavit of support is part of that. It has to be mailed and received from the US.

2) or 3) Book a medical exam.

4) or 5)When you have all those documents in hand, then you can mail the DS-2001 to let them know you have everything.

4) or 5)Attend a medical exam.

(posted in this forum four days ago)

Note: Without a police certificate in hand, you don't have all the documents gathered.

Hope it helps a little. .

[Protocol417 161]

I sent in my forms except the Readiness form before the medical, and then sent in the Readiness form just before my medical. Honestly though, with the way the timing is, sending the forms earlier won't speed it up much if at all. Basically they won't schedule your interview until they have all your forms and the medical, and it's 2-4 weeks after they get the medical when they schedule the interview which is about a month later. Also, medical is about a two week wait for an appointment (at least last I heard a few weeks ago they were scheduling 2 weeks out. So once you are ready to schedule your medical, you can get the appointment then mail in all your documentation. That gives them 3 weeks to receive all your forms and get them logged in (this figures in the 5 day wait for the results of the medical to arrive).

Like I said, it doesn't hurt to send in the forms early, but from our experience, it's really not likely to speed the process between medical and interview.

I agree. Mail all of the other forms and call to book your medical (you just need the LND# from NVC).

Send the DS2001 form when you have everything in hand. The form is signed to be you lawfully saying that you have everything ready and in hand - as in, if they gave you an interview date of tomorrow, you'd be good to go.

I wouldn't risk sending the DS2001 before you have everything....just in case things get lost in the mail.

As was mentioned, the Embassy won't schedule your interview until they have the medical results in hand anyway, so sending the DS2001 way ahead of the medical won't help you at all.

Good luck!

Thank you UK-USA-K1 and ChicagoSarah, this was very helpful. We're shooting for a November 23rd wedding date, so I was trying to shave off any time I could, and was hoping the interview would be scheduled faster if they had everything in hand already when the medical results came in.

With the timeline UK-USA-K1 posted, though, it looks like we're not going to make it

[UK-USA-K1 128]

Thank you UK-USA-K1 and ChicagoSarah, this was very helpful. We're shooting for a November 23rd wedding date, so I was trying to shave off any time I could, and was hoping the interview would be scheduled faster if they had everything in hand already when the medical results came in.

With the timeline UK-USA-K1 posted, though, it looks like we're not going to make it

My timeline is a standard timeline for a standard case. London does generally make attempts to squeeze people into an earlier interview slot when possible, so be sure and be very clear on your cover letter detailing your wedding date and when you plan to travel to the US. They very well may be able to get you an earlier appointment. There are no guarantees of course, but i'd say that it is feasible.

[Protocol417 161]

My timeline is a standard timeline for a standard case. London does generally make attempts to squeeze people into an earlier interview slot when possible, so be sure and be very clear on your cover letter detailing your wedding date and when you plan to travel to the US. They very well may be able to get you an earlier appointment. There are no guarantees of course, but i'd say that it is feasible.

Thank you. It's always good to know there's hope. It's a very special date for us.

Turns out my fiance misread the instructions for the medical. He thought he needed the police certificate before he could schedule the medical, not attend it. He's going to schedule it tomorrow, so hopefully things will go fast!