Extending Petition Approval Time - London Embassy

[liamh1991 0]

Hi all

I have done some looking around on here to find an answer but all the posts I've looked at are a few years old now so I just wanted to make sure I had the correct information.

Basically it looks like me and my fiancee wont be able to get an interview date ready in London before our deadline ends. On my petition approval letter it says I have to take a notarized letter of intent from my fiancee with me to the interview if it goes over the date allocated. However I see a lot of people on here are sending letters to the embassy beforehand to get a 4 month extension. I was just wondering if that's still the correct action to take or if I should just take the notarized letter with me to my interview whenever that gets booked for like the letter says? Even if the interview is after the deadline given?

Thanks for the help in advance!

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K-1 Progress to UK Regional Forum~

~Inquiry is embassy-specific phase of process~

Edited October 20, 2013 by A&B

[rhirhi 35]

My situation is a little different, but this is what I intend to do (based on what I have read on this site):

We filed in July, our NOA2 came through MUCH earlier than expected (September). I don't intend to move until mid-July 2014. Our expiry date is Jan 2014.

I will book the medical as soon as I am able (about a month before) for the end of Jan/start of Feb. Once I have booked the medical I will send off my DS160 and DS2001 with a cover letter stating my intended month of immigration and asking if they could therefore extend the expiration date of our petition. The cover letter obviously also contains the usual medical date, interview date request etc.

I will also bring the notarized letter of intent to the interview.

There may be more to it so I'm also interested in reading any replies to this thread

[liamh1991 0]

My situation is a little different, but this is what I intend to do (based on what I have read on this site):

We filed in July, our NOA2 came through MUCH earlier than expected (September). I don't intend to move until mid-July 2014. Our expiry date is Jan 2014.

I will book the medical as soon as I am able (about a month before) for the end of Jan/start of Feb. Once I have booked the medical I will send off my DS160 and DS2001 with a cover letter stating my intended month of immigration and asking if they could therefore extend the expiration date of our petition. The cover letter obviously also contains the usual medical date, interview date request etc.

I will also bring the notarized letter of intent to the interview.

There may be more to it so I'm also interested in reading any replies to this thread

Ah right ok, see our situation is different also. I have already sent out the forms including DS2001, so once the embassy gets my medical results they should send out the interview letter. Unfortunately I'm waiting on my fiances dad to send the affidavit of support forms as he is a co sponsor, so I'm holding off booking my medical until I know those forms are on the way, hopefully in the next day or so. Our expiry date is 10th November though so I can't see things getting done that quickly. But I mean if I follow the approval notice instructions word for word, brining the notarized letter with me to the interview after that date should be fine. I just wanted to get others opinion to try and trouble check things really.

[Vanitas 310]

You will be fine if you take the notarized letter of intent with you on the day of your interview.

I cannot say the same for trying to extend the petition all the way to around May-July in the other case, mind. That might require the letter of intent being sent in the mail with a written request for an extension.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

My situation is a little different, but this is what I intend to do (based on what I have read on this site):

We filed in July, our NOA2 came through MUCH earlier than expected (September). I don't intend to move until mid-July 2014. Our expiry date is Jan 2014.

I will book the medical as soon as I am able (about a month before) for the end of Jan/start of Feb. Once I have booked the medical I will send off my DS160 and DS2001 with a cover letter stating my intended month of immigration and asking if they could therefore extend the expiration date of our petition. The cover letter obviously also contains the usual medical date, interview date request etc.

I will also bring the notarized letter of intent to the interview.

There may be more to it so I'm also interested in reading any replies to this thread

Step 1 is submit your form DS-160. You shouldn't leave that for months. Get that in so they don't think you have abandoned your plans for a visa.

Then stall by not having the medical or sending the DS-2001 Readiness for Interview form. Yes, you can send that well after submitting the application(DS-160).

[rhirhi 35]

Step 1 is submit your form DS-160. You shouldn't leave that for months. Get that in so they don't think you have abandoned your plans for a visa.

Then stall by not having the medical or sending the DS-2001 Readiness for Interview form. Yes, you can send that well after submitting the application(DS-160).

I was actually considering doing just that, for that exact reason I'm still waiting for my packet 3 to arrive...even though I'm sure I could send the DS160 in now as my petition arrived in London on the 4th of this month, I thought I might as well wait til I have that letter in my hands as I do have the time. They're not to know that I read this site and know exactly what I'm supposed to do next without receiving the packet 3 letter

I think I will probably end up sending the DS160 with a cover letter stating DS2001 to follow, then send the DS2001 with a second cover letter stating medical date when I have that booked. It does seem to make sense in my case. Thanks for helping me make my mind up!

Wheatley- my request for an extension will be put in my cover letter, as I suggested to the OP just in case. Think that's probably the best way to get their attention and ensure they know my plans pre-interview.

Edited October 20, 2013 by rhirhi

[liamh1991 0]

You will be fine if you take the notarized letter of intent with you on the day of your interview.

I cannot say the same for trying to extend the petition all the way to around May-July in the other case, mind. That might require the letter of intent being sent in the mail with a written request for an extension.

Thank you!

I was actually considering doing just that, for that exact reason I'm still waiting for my packet 3 to arrive...even though I'm sure I could send the DS160 in now as my petition arrived in London on the 4th of this month, I thought I might as well wait til I have that letter in my hands as I do have the time. They're not to know that I read this site and know exactly what I'm supposed to do next without receiving the packet 3 letter

I think I will probably end up sending the DS160 with a cover letter stating DS2001 to follow, then send the DS2001 with a second cover letter stating medical date when I have that booked. It does seem to make sense in my case. Thanks for helping me make my mind up!

Wheatley- my request for an extension will be put in my cover letter, as I suggested to the OP just in case. Think that's probably the best way to get their attention and ensure they know my plans pre-interview.

To my understanding, could you not send DS2001 at the same time? Thats what I have done as they wont schedule the interview until they receive medical results. So as far as I'm concerned, to the best of my knowledge now I have sent DS2001 along with my other forms, one they receive my medical results they will send out packet 4? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but thats how I understand it. Saves sending DS2001 at a later date if you can do it all in one go.

[rhirhi 35]

Thank you!

To my understanding, could you not send DS2001 at the same time? Thats what I have done as they wont schedule the interview until they receive medical results. So as far as I'm concerned, to the best of my knowledge now I have sent DS2001 along with my other forms, one they receive my medical results they will send out packet 4? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but thats how I understand it. Saves sending DS2001 at a later date if you can do it all in one go.

I could, but thinking about it if I send them both at the same time, they won't hear from me til the end of this year at the earliest and might assume that I've abandoned plans to go ahead with the visa as Nich-Nick said. At least if I send in the DS160 within the next few weeks, followed by the DS2001 with a medical date specified in the cover letter then they'll know I'm still going ahead with it.

If I wasn't trying to draw this process out so I can go ahead with my intended moving date then I would send both forms at once

Edited October 20, 2013 by rhirhi

[PhilLuv 43]

Not sure if they are hot on the petition expiration date here in London. My expiration date was 1509/2013, which did concerned me at the time as i was still waiting for my packet 4. Eventually i received it with a date booked for 15/10/2013. Maybe this was overlooked as the delay wasn't my fault but theirs.

I would suggest you do the medical asap and leave it to them.