This really doesn't look good... what do we do?

[Master Semaj 2]

Well my interview at the london embassy is on Wednesday 23rd and me and my fiancée have put together our I-134 paperworks... problem is, the key parts still haven't got to me in the mail yet, the I-134 forms (petitioner and a co sponsor).

I'm worried now since when she mailed them off weeks ago, the US went into that stupid government shutdown and it seems to have delayed the mail. The last update on the tracking number for the letter was at New York on the 14th and that it is still in transit, I don't know if they will make it in time. Mail sent between us has never taken this long before, especially stuff that has been sent by special delivery...

No mail gets delivered on Sundays and its useless if it arrives on Wednesday since my appointment is at 8:30am.

This is giving me a stomach ulcer now, what the heck can we do? If she and our co sponsor were to re-do the forms, sign them and then scan them and email them to me, along with a letter explaining the situation and confirming that they are scans of genuine, signed documents, would this suffice? Would they show any compassion or leniency?

I don't know how else we can get through this unless that letter gets here before Wednesday.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Master Semaj

[topoftherock2013 23]

Hiya, me and my Fiance also had a slight rush with the I-134.

Have you sent via FedEx? My Fiance paid $70 and it was with me the next day - the day before my interview.

It might be worth your partner re-sending it, for next day service.

Edited October 18, 2013 by topoftherock2013

[Master Semaj 2]

It was sent via the USPS special delivery. Problem is its Friday today and she is at work all day now, if they were to be sent on Monday like you did, it needs to get here by the next day, Tuesday, otherwise I won't be there to receive it on wednesday since i'd be leaving for London in the early hours of the morning.

[topoftherock2013 23]

If you pay the extra cost and post first thing Monday, the docs should arrive by Tues 6pm.

(I might not know the US postal system) but why cant she post tomorrow, Saturday? Then it will get to you Monday as 'next day' delivery? This way you still have Tuesday as an extra day in case anything gets delayed.

Edited October 18, 2013 by topoftherock2013

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

Have you tried calling the embassy for advice? :S

I am just guessing at this, but worst case and you don't get the documents in time, perhaps you might be approved pending submitting the paperwork?! Like Azsara and her passport and birth cert.

So, go along to the interview, explain the situation (take scans on the chance they may accept them or at least as representations of the originals which are still AWOL) and see what transpires from that. I am just thinking what I'd do in the same situation... Really not your fault at all, you are at the mercy of the post between our two countries, they must have had similar situations in the past.

Best of luck with it x

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Well my interview at the london embassy is on Wednesday 23rd and me and my fiancée have put together our I-134 paperworks... problem is, the key parts still haven't got to me in the mail yet, the I-134 forms (petitioner and a co sponsor).

That's why the DS-2001 isn't supposed to be sent until you have everything. Sorry, Mama had to scold a tiny bit. But that's a reason they may not do you any favors.

If she and our co sponsor were to re-do the forms, sign them and then scan them and email them to me, along with a letter explaining the situation and confirming that they are scans of genuine, signed documents, would this suffice? Would they show any compassion or leniency?

I know of at least one who used a scanned copy of the I-134 in a similar situation. She was a pretty blonde and maybe charmed the guy.

(I might not know the US postal system) but why cant she post tomorrow, Saturday? Then it will get to you Monday as 'next day' delivery? This way you still have Tuesday as an extra day in case anything gets delayed.

It's FRIDAY and the sun Isn't even up yet at my house. Plenty of time to arrange it today.

I am just guessing at this, but worst case and you don't get the documents in time, perhaps you might be approved pending submitting the paperwork?! Like Azsara and her passport and birth cert

That's exactly what they do if you are missing anything. You mail back the document and they issue the visa. Normally no more than a couple of weeks delay.

[Boiler 46,130]

No sunrise here, its snowing!

Any reason you can not just self sponsor?

[Master Semaj 2]

Yeah, I had sent off the ready form at the time my fiancee sent me the I134 stuff but she hadn't included the I134s since she hadnt got the co sponsor form filled out by her mom yet. Then it sat around for a while before getting sent over and now all this is happening.

I can't self sponsor as I'm only working a minimum wage job right now and barely have about 3k pounds saved up, part if which is for the AoS stuff.

I'm gonna talk to her tonight since it seems like a complete gamble on things if we don't send new forms over by express courier/FedEx.

That's why the DS-2001 isn't supposed to be sent until you have everything. Sorry, Mama had to scold a tiny bit. But that's a reason they may not do you any favors.

I know of at least one who used a scanned copy of the I-134 in a similar situation. She was a pretty blonde and maybe charmed the guy.

It's FRIDAY and the sun Isn't even up yet at my house. Plenty of time to arrange it today.

That's exactly what they do if you are missing anything. You mail back the document and they issue the visa. Normally no more than a couple of weeks delay.

Yeah, I had sent off the ready form at the time my fiancee sent me the I134 stuff but she hadn't invluded the I134s since she hsdnt got the co sponsor form filled out by her mom yet. Then it sat around for a while before getting sent over and now all thus is happening.

I can't self sponsor as I'm only working a minimum wage job right now and barely have about 3k pounds saved up, part if which is for the AoS stuff.

I'm gonna talk to her tonight since it seems like a complete gamble on things if we don't send new forms over by express courier/FedEx.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Master Semaj

[Master Semaj 2]

Geez my phone likes to mess up post making will edit the last one and make it right when I get home.

[nobbie 105]

I used DHL to send something to the US, picked up about 10 one morning and was in the US at the house next day, no reason why it would not work the other way.

[Avery Cates 1,141]

The USPS is self funded so the government shutdown didn't affect it. However, over the last 9 months the service has got increasingly awful.

However, if you have a tracking number, you need to call them and see what's going on.

[Anna Grant 169]

As Nick-Nich says, they are unlikely to show compassion or leniency as, by mailing in the DS-2001 you have stated that already had in your possession all the documentation you needed for the interview. If you take a scanned version, you are likely to be approved pending receipt of the I-134 with a wet signature. Do you have the evidence to back up income already e.g tax transcripts, pay slips?

USPS was not affected by the shutdown but I also had something mailed through them by priority mail that stopped tracking after it got to Chicago O'Hare. It turned up a day after the guaranteed delivery date and I got a full refund.

I strongly suggest that the documentation is resent using UPS or DHL - I sent something by UPS at 3pm on a Thursday and it arrived at 9am the following Monday. It cost around $65. I think there was a faster service also.

[Master Semaj 2]

Yeah, she has re-done the forms and she sent them off with FedEx today via their expensive fastest next day air delivery, which should allow them to get to me by 6pm Tuesday. She also scanned copies of them to email to me. So now we will see if the original ones suddenly get here in time, or if the expedited ones get here first.

If worst comes to worst, I will take the scans to the interview, along with the receipts as proof of postage of the original "wet signatures" and explain the situation and just hope for the best.

In short, yes, we jumped the gun slightly with the I-134 forms and I wouldn't recommend it, but we had still planned accordingly in order for me to receive them in time, alas we were blind-sided by this ridiculous and abnormal delay with the postal system that happened at the "perfect" time. All the other supporting documentation and photocopies of such for the I-134's are in my possession already, it's literally just the I-134's I need.

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

Fingers crossed for you man!

[Anna Grant 169]

Yeah, she has re-done the forms and she sent them off with FedEx today via their expensive fastest next day air delivery, which should allow them to get to me by 6pm Tuesday. She also scanned copies of them to email to me. So now we will see if the original ones suddenly get here in time, or if the expedited ones get here first.

If worst comes to worst, I will take the scans to the interview, along with the receipts as proof of postage of the original "wet signatures" and explain the situation and just hope for the best.

In short, yes, we jumped the gun slightly with the I-134 forms and I wouldn't recommend it, but we had still planned accordingly in order for me to receive them in time, alas we were blind-sided by this ridiculous and abnormal delay with the postal system that happened at the "perfect" time. All the other supporting documentation and photocopies of such for the I-134's are in my possession already, it's literally just the I-134's I need.

Have you received the second mailed forms now?

Don't forget to tell your fiancee to get a refund from USPS. If there was guaranteed date and the missed it, then you can get a refund. Don't get fobbed off by them saying 'we need to see proof of delivery to show it arrived late'. They tried to do that with me. I eventually received an e-mail from USPS telling me that they were unable to give me proof of delivery.