Visa interview appointment in London - can't get through!

[Diego92108 0]

Hello all,

So glad I found this forum. I desperately need some advice from people in experience.

I apologise if this topic has been covered before. I'm British, my wife is American (I'm in the UK now, she's back in California). We're completing a spouse visa (not sure if it's the I or C).

Recently, I had a P4 letter with a date and time for an interview. I could not make this appointment due to work commitments. However, I could not reach anyone at the London embassey to discuss a reschedule.

The number on the website is 020 3608 6998 but when I call I just get led a merry chase through automated menus. When I eventually reach one for immigrant visas, it simply directs me back to the website and hangs up.

At the moment my plan is to arrange a medical and drop in to the embassey while I'm in London, to try and speak to someone in person. From what I hear it's near impossible to get inside let alone speak to an actual human being, so I'd be very grateful for any and all advice on the subject!

Oh, and while I'm here the number given for the medical is 020 7486 7822, the Knightsbridge Doctors... is that still correct? They don't seem to like answering their phone either...

Thanks

Tom

[kmdr 0]

I don't know exactly how London operates but I know for the Dublin embassy if you email them requesting to speak to someone they generally call you back within a few hours. Be sure to watch your phone because if you miss that call when you try to call back you're directing right to that automated system.

[dwheels76 5,468]

Hello all,

So glad I found this forum. I desperately need some advice from people in experience.

I apologise if this topic has been covered before. I'm British, my wife is American (I'm in the UK now, she's back in California). We're completing a spouse visa (not sure if it's the I or C).

Recently, I had a P4 letter with a date and time for an interview. I could not make this appointment due to work commitments. However, I could not reach anyone at the London embassey to discuss a reschedule.

The number on the website is 020 3608 6998 but when I call I just get led a merry chase through automated menus. When I eventually reach one for immigrant visas, it simply directs me back to the website and hangs up.

At the moment my plan is to arrange a medical and drop in to the embassey while I'm in London, to try and speak to someone in person. From what I hear it's near impossible to get inside let alone speak to an actual human being, so I'd be very grateful for any and all advice on the subject!

Oh, and while I'm here the number given for the medical is 020 7486 7822, the Knightsbridge Doctors... is that still correct? They don't seem to like answering their phone either...

Thanks

Tom

Wrong number here is the information page for your embassy.

Consulate Phone Number: Switchboard: [44] (0)20 7499-9000

http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=United%20Kingdom&cty=London

And FYI depending on if you arrive in US (Port of Entry=POE) before or after your 2 year wedding anniversary determines if you are a CR-1 (2 year conditional Green card) or IR-1( 10 year Green card).

Edited June 13, 2014 by dwheels76

[Lakehouse 293]

Hello all,

So glad I found this forum. I desperately need some advice from people in experience.

I apologise if this topic has been covered before. I'm British, my wife is American (I'm in the UK now, she's back in California). We're completing a spouse visa (not sure if it's the I or C).

Recently, I had a P4 letter with a date and time for an interview. I could not make this appointment due to work commitments.

[...]

Ouch! You did get at least a month's notice right?

I am surprised (but I'm sure you have some strong rationale) that you could not attend your interview... something that most of us hold onto with the utmost importance! I don't recall reading many posts about people missing their interview..

From the interview thread in the spousal visa section, I recall hearing that email is by far the most successful way to communicate with a consulate, so maybe give that a try.

Hopefully you will be able to reschedule, but I'm nervous for you that it could be an issue leading to starting over

[*Snowdrop* 604]

You probably won't be able to get into the building if you 'just drop by' to try to speak to someone in person.

Has your interview date passed - did you actually miss it?

How it used to work at London was you called the horribly expensive phone line and when you get through to someone you tell them you need to reschedule an interview and that you need the email code to contact the embassy. This was a code you put in the subject line to make sure your email was read promptly (promptly means 3-5 days to reply)

I managed to change my interview date that way.

Someone who has called and contacted them more recently might be able to chime in on whether that is still the case.

However if you have actually missed your interview date it is URGENT that you or your USC partner get on it immediately as you don't want to end up with a denied visa application and have to start all over again.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Hello all,

So glad I found this forum. I desperately need some advice from people in experience.

I apologise if this topic has been covered before. I'm British, my wife is American (I'm in the UK now, she's back in California). We're completing a spouse visa (not sure if it's the I or C).

Recently, I had a P4 letter with a date and time for an interview. I could not make this appointment due to work commitments. However, I could not reach anyone at the London embassey to discuss a reschedule.

The number on the website is 020 3608 6998 but when I call I just get led a merry chase through automated menus. When I eventually reach one for immigrant visas, it simply directs me back to the website and hangs up.

At the moment my plan is to arrange a medical and drop in to the embassey while I'm in London, to try and speak to someone in person. From what I hear it's near impossible to get inside let alone speak to an actual human being, so I'd be very grateful for any and all advice on the subject!

Oh, and while I'm here the number given for the medical is 020 7486 7822, the Knightsbridge Doctors... is that still correct? They don't seem to like answering their phone either...

Thanks

Tom

This is the ONLY way to reach the Immigrant Visa Unit...online contact form http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/496808-approved-at-london/?p=7070157

One of the options for "reason" is reschedule interview. If you manage to get somebody on the phone, they likely are the Non-Immigrant people and can't assist much because they are clueless about the IVU. The number you called is posted on the website as the number for scheduling a non-immigrant interview. That's not you.

If you drill down the Contact Us page in the visa section, you will find this IV (Immigrant Visa) contact page http://london.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visas/iv_contact_page.html Note it says we will get back to you within 5 days.

Knightsbridge Clinic website http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp

It has the proper number.

[Diego92108 0]

All good answer, thank you. Yes, unfortunately I did miss the date they gave me as I'm all the way up in Newcastle attending a college course for my Merchant Navy second engineer's exam. That's something I absolutely cannot fail, so it was a case of which 'must attend' was more pressing? Rock, hard place, me etc. Now of course I've got the visa thing worrying me when I should be concentrating on my impending exams >.<

I'll have a go at emailing the embassy, my wife seems to think that's the best option too. I've tried the switchboard but got sent around the houses there too.

Thanks again for the info peeps, once again this forum is a fantastic resource which I wish I'd found two years ago!

[NCronin05 0]

On 6/13/2014 at 10:10 AM, Diego92108 said:

All good answer, thank you. Yes, unfortunately I did miss the date they gave me as I'm all the way up in Newcastle attending a college course for my Merchant Navy second engineer's exam. That's something I absolutely cannot fail, so it was a case of which 'must attend' was more pressing? Rock, hard place, me etc. Now of course I've got the visa thing worrying me when I should be concentrating on my impending exams >.<

I'll have a go at emailing the embassy, my wife seems to think that's the best option too. I've tried the switchboard but got sent around the houses there too.

Thanks again for the info peeps, once again this forum is a fantastic resource which I wish I'd found two years ago!

How did you get on with this in the end?