Just filed I-130...

[Mickndarcyjo 0]

Hiya...I just sent my I-130 off to London!! Could anyone out there tell me what to expect now, and what general time frame we're looking at? I'm getting so excited to go back home!

[meauxna 15]

Hiya...I just sent my I-130 off to London!! Could anyone out there tell me what to expect now, and what general time frame we're looking at? I'm getting so excited to go back home!

Congratulations!

Now you wait.

If you know you are qualified to file in London, you whould get a postcard in the post in about 2 weeks telling you that the I-130 was approved and to wait to hear from the Consulate.

Then you wait.

Then the Consulate sends your spouse the visa application package (the old 'packet three'). If you have collected all the documents and are ready for an interview, you can notify the Consulate in the return post.

Then you wait.

When the Consulate has an interview date available, they notify the beneficiary and include the medical information. Beneficiary goes to the medical and eventually the interview. Walks out later that afternoon saying 'what was the big deal?'

Then you fly home.

Total wait time is ?unknown? at this time. Probably 4 months for the whole thing, but maybe more. Oh, and possibly less.

Having fun yet?

PS: order the police check now and get that out of the way. Then you won't be waiting on New Scotland Yard!

[Jack & Tam 1]

Hi,

I sent in the I-130 for my hubby in early December & got the postcard saying it was approved on Feb 8th (I think Christmas & New Year probably slowed it down). Packet 3 was sent out on Feb 23...so the time frame isn't too bad.

[Mickndarcyjo 0]

Hiya! Thanks for the info...I know everyone's experiences are going to differ, but it helps me to make sure that things are on track and whatnot. I'd like to be back home by July, but don't know if that's even possible. We've sent a request for his military records, and will request his police certificate on Friday. Please let me know if there's anything else that I should do while I wait...And wait....And wait!!

[meauxna 15]

Hi,

I sent in the I-130 for my hubby in early December & got the postcard saying it was approved on Feb 8th (I think Christmas & New Year probably slowed it down). Packet 3 was sent out on Feb 23...so the time frame isn't too bad.

Thanks for that update!

I guess I'd better modify my "two weeks" to say that within that timeframe, you would know if your case is NOT accepted. I didn't realize that I-130 processing was taking quite that long in London (2 months), but as you say, the holiday schedule may have interfered with your case.

[pri 0]

just wait and relax for your NOA's now

[Mickndarcyjo 0]

Hi,

I sent in the I-130 for my hubby in early December & got the postcard saying it was approved on Feb 8th (I think Christmas & New Year probably slowed it down). Packet 3 was sent out on Feb 23...so the time frame isn't too bad.

Thanks for that update!

I guess I'd better modify my "two weeks" to say that within that timeframe, you would know if your case is NOT accepted. I didn't realize that I-130 processing was taking quite that long in London (2 months), but as you say, the holiday schedule may have interfered with your case.

Hadn't really thought of my case not being accepted until you mentioned it.... What are some reasons people have been given for one not being accepted in the past? I've lived here over 2 years, I have the indefinite leave to remain stamp in my passport...He doesn't have a criminal record (he's an RMP in the British Army...) Do I have anything to worry about?

[meauxna 15]

just wait and relax for your NOA's now

She will not be getting any NOAs (I-797s).

Hadn't really thought of my case not being accepted until you mentioned it.... What are some reasons people have been given for one not being accepted in the past?

Not living there for 2+ years, not having an ILR stamp in the passport.

I've lived here over 2 years, I have the indefinite leave to remain stamp in my passport...He doesn't have a criminal record (he's an RMP in the British Army...) Do I have anything to worry about?

What do you think now?

I'm just referring to London accepting the I-130. His criminal record, or lack thereof, and his military record will come up in the visa application process.

[Mickndarcyjo 0]

This is so nerve-wracking!! It was the same when I applied for my visa for myself and my four children to live here in the U.K....The whole process seems so simple and uncomplicated, until you actually start it! Now I'm constantly plagued with the "what-ifs"....(Sorry for sounding so darned whiney!!)

[Jack & Tam 1]

Thanks for that update!

I guess I'd better modify my "two weeks" to say that within that timeframe, you would know if your case is NOT accepted. I didn't realize that I-130 processing was taking quite that long in London (2 months), but as you say, the holiday schedule may have interfered with your case.

Hey,

No problem...at present, the USCIS site says they're processing I-130's in about 2 months.

For updates on times, please go to http://www.usembassy.org.uk/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html . This is the site my NOA1 gave.

"— Processing Times — As of March 6, 2006 we are processing petitions filed on January 10, 2006."

My hubby and I were looking at it every other day hoping they'd gotten to our date I think it made seem longer though

[Mickndarcyjo 0]

I was just wondering....Once our I-130 is approved, can we just automatically send in the next round of forms, or do we have to wait for the embassy to give us the go-ahead?

[Jack & Tam 1]

I was just wondering....Once our I-130 is approved, can we just automatically send in the next round of forms, or do we have to wait for the embassy to give us the go-ahead?

Our packet 3 got lost in the post (stupid royal mail!!!) so I've been on with the pay to talk people who said we should just download the forms online (woulda been nice if they'd told me that 2 wks ago!). They said to send it through the courier they use.

[meauxna 15]

I was just wondering....Once our I-130 is approved, can we just automatically send in the next round of forms, or do we have to wait for the embassy to give us the go-ahead?

Our packet 3 got lost in the post (stupid royal mail!!!) so I've been on with the pay to talk people who said we should just download the forms online (woulda been nice if they'd told me that 2 wks ago!). They said to send it through the courier they use.

Two thoughts (Jack & Tam--you're more current than I am!):

-The pay-to-call line is in Scotland, has no immigration staff working there & are paid contractors, not US gov't employees. I really don't know what the point of that line is. If you need case-specific help, I urge you to email London's IV unit.

-Jack & Tam knew that their P3 had been generated---different from sending your forms in early. I m all for getting an early start on things, but London is a very big, very busy Consulate. If you go outside of their established system, you run the risk of your papers being lost, not matched up to your I-130 and potentially needing to resend them. I do not think one would get a jump on the queue by sending in P3 documents before the Consulate actually has your case. Rmember that the I-130 is handled by a totally different branch of the gov't and you need to wait a bit to get into the Consulate's system.

Mickndarcyjo, I'd say just get everything gathered, photocopied, in an envelope and ready to send out as soon as you hear from the Consulate.

[Jack & Tam 1]

-The pay-to-call line is in Scotland, has no immigration staff working there & are paid contractors, not US gov't employees. I really don't know what the point of that line is. If you need case-specific help, I urge you to email London's IV unit.

You are correct regarding the pay to talk line. We phoned them to get an update as they have the info from their computer system and are able to give immediate updates rather than waiting for 2 days+ for a response (yes...we're a bit impatient )

-Jack & Tam knew that their P3 had been generated---different from sending your forms in early. I m all for getting an early start on things, but London is a very big, very busy Consulate. If you go outside of their established system, you run the risk of your papers being lost, not matched up to your I-130 and potentially needing to resend them. I do not think one would get a jump on the queue by sending in P3 documents before the Consulate actually has your case. Rmember that the I-130 is handled by a totally different branch of the gov't and you need to wait a bit to get into the Consulate's system.

Mickndarcyjo, I'd say just get everything gathered, photocopied, in an envelope and ready to send out as soon as you hear from the Consulate.

I was told that we could send in the forms before we had the info, but was also told that our documents wouldn't be touched until the I-130 was approved-so I would highly suggest waiting for your case ref number as this will cut back on the chances of yor paperwork getting lost/misplaced.