UK VJers Progress Update Thread

[ChasUno 101]

Hi all,

Sorry I've not updated for a while, the past week has been a bit of a whirlwind to say the least! I arrived in the USA on the 10th (after only having 1.5 hours sleep before leaving for my flight!), got our marriage licence and got married on the 11th, closed the sale of my partner's house on the 12^th (and filed the now complete marriage licence), finalised a lot of paperwork/ legal stuff and cleared the last stuff out from the house on the 13th, hit the road on the 14th to drive from SE Ohio down to our friends in Irmo, South Carolina where we stopped for a day to visit on the 15th, then headed down to Sarasota, FL on the 16^th, spent the 17^th dealing with the rental condo lease/ paperwork and visiting my partner’s bank and spent today (18^th) hunting houses. It feels as if we haven’t stopped!

I've also been meaning to do a report on the POE experience using a K1 visa as this might help others. Here goes:

Monday 10^th August. Spent all night trying to ensure I had everything ready and had everything prepared. Much of this was to do with my mother who has dementia and I had numerous forms and paperwork to be ready for Monday. Most of my emigration stuff was already sorted, and I didn't have a great deal to bring over, because as we don't actually have our own house to live in yet I had no-where to ship any of my belongings to. That will all happen next year when I get my LPR green card and can travel back to the UK and arrange to have my belongings shipped over.

4.30am I felt I had everything done that I could get done. Time for a quick bit of shut eye before the alarm went off at 6am,

06.00am, the alarm goes off. Felt as if I'd had no sleep whatsoever, but I knew I had to get going. Got up, had breakfast, double checked I had the essentials and then waited for the taxi I booked to arrive at 6.50am. Normally I would take the bus, though as this was an extra special trip (I'm flying to the USA to marry my loved one and start a new life abroad!) I decided to treat myself and get a taxi directly to the airport.

07.50am, arrived at Heathrow. Go to the American Airlines check in desk. Lady asks me if I have a valid ESTA and if I am travelling for a holiday or business. I say no, I'm travelling on a K1 visa. She asks what I am going to do when I arrive in the USA (I think she doesn't know/ can't remember what a K1 visa is), I tell her "marry my US partner using the K1 fiance visa". She says congratulations! I check in my bag and get given my boarding pass, then proceed through security. I've done this many times before and it was just the same as usual. I get through security without a hitch and head into the departure lounge.

As I have some time before I'm due to board, I connect to the free (30 mins complimentary) Heathrow WIFI and update my status on Facebook. Some distant friends wouldn't have known that I was emigrating, plus I'm very private with regards to my personal life anyway, so the first that they would know that I was leaving the UK would be via my FB status. If I'm going to make a dramatic exit, I do it in a big way!

My flight’s gate number comes up and off I head to the gate. Once again, as it was a special trip I had booked myself into Main Cabin Extra (aka Premium Economy), which also gave me priority boarding. It was nice to get on the plane before most of the other passengers, and have a much more spacious seat with LOADS of leg room. I settled for the flight, and soon the plane was full and it was time to head off.

10.05am, the flight departs Heathrow to New York JFK. I chose this route as there were no direct flights to Pittsburgh, and as the first airport that I would land in the USA would be my POE, I thought it wise to make sure it was a larger airport that was familiar with dealing with immigrants and visa holders. I listened to some music, watched a movie (Monsters Inc. University - I'm a big kid at heart and love cartoons!), dozed off and before I knew it the plane had landed in NYC JFK.

Somewhat tired, I got myself off the plane and followed the signs (and everyone else) to customs and passport control. Once I got there, I realised that I hadn't been given the customs declaration form to fill out on the plane like they have done in the past. I thought maybe I was asleep and missed them giving out the forms, though judging by the large number of people all scrambling to get the form to fill in maybe they don't give out those forms on the plane any more.

Customs form duly filled in, I asked one of the ushers which line I should join and that I had a K1 visa. I was told to join the "Visitors" line as I would have done with an ESTA. This I did, and all in I think it took me 45mins from joining the queue to being called up to a CBP desk. Once there, I greeted the officer and told him straight away that I was entering on a K1 visa and that I had a package that I needed to hand over. I had also travelled with it still in the plastic courier envelope for added protection, as some people suggested above (though I planned to do this before they posted that advice - great minds and all that!) The CBP officer took the envelope and tore it open there and then, looked through some of the forms and also stamped a couple of them. He also asked me to give my fingerprints and took my photograph, then told me that all was fine and in order but that I needed to go for some final checks in the interview room. I was expecting this so was not at all concerned.

I was led to a room to one side of the CBP booths where the CBP officer told me to take a seat and he then handed my embassy/ K1 folder to one of the border agents sitting at a desk (there was about four desks in total). The waiting room was virtually empty, there was just one other family waiting. After about five to ten minutes I was called up to the desk, the CBP agent stamped a few more documents, asked me which military I was in (I was wearing my army surplus German army camo jacket!), to which I replied none, I just liked wearing army surplus camo jackets! He asked where I was headed next (I told him flying to Pittsburgh to meet my partner), to which he handed back my passport and said I was good to go. I think I then said “Is that it? All done?” and he said “yes”. No detailed questioning, no issue with the CBP agent at the passport desk opening the package first, just a very smooth and painless process!

With that done, I grabbed my carry on bag (that I had to leave outside the interview room), then proceeded to baggage claim where I collected my checked baggage. Here was the only part that didn’t go smooth, as there was loads of people all trying to get through customs at the same time and their was one queue going to all desks, and some passengers were pushing in or didn’t realise that the queue branched from the side towards the back of the baggage area. Queue jumpers always make me mad (I can’t stand rudeness) so I tried pointing out to the people trying to push in/ join at the right angle that there was people queuing from there further back. I just got blank looks so just left it (grrrrr!)

Once I got the customs officer, I did query what I was supposed to put in the section of the customs form that stated “Total value of goods/ money that would be brought into the US if a permanent resident” or “left in the USA as a visitor”. Technically a K1 is neither a visitor nor legally a permanent resident, so I mentioned this and also said that I was coming in on a K1 visa. The customs agent said not to worry and to leave it blank, stamped the customs form and waved me through.

And that was about it! All I had to do then was re-check my baggage for the connecting domestic flight to Pittsburgh then go wait at the gate for my flight to meet with my loved one. The main POE and dealing with the K1 visa went very smoothly and painlessly, and I think much had to do with entering a major international airport that was used to dealing with visas. I can imagine that some of the smaller airports (i.e. Raleigh/ Durham) may not had been as smooth had the CBP agents not been as familiar with K1’s/ visas.

Oh yes, and I even got a bonus on my connected flight from NYC to Pittsburgh. I was right at the front in economy, and business class was very under filled. The stewardess asked me and the passenger next to me to come forward and take an empty seat in business class! It was nice to get a free upgrade (extra drinks and snacks – mmm!) as well as a larger seat on the final leg of my trip. Even more so as once I landed in Pittsburgh, my gorgeous partner was waiting with me and we could be together again, permanently, after not being together for nearly 7 months. I was so happy to be with him again and to start on our journey of building a life together.

Now to start the whole AOS process!

[CharlieTanger 76]

How long is the wait for the interview letter after you send in the readiness form? I read on the timeline here that the U.S. petitioner can call the DOS and ask when the interview date will be? If you don't want to wait for the letter that is. Has anyone ever done this before?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

How long is the wait for the interview letter after you send in the readiness form? I read on the timeline here that the U.S. petitioner can call the DOS and ask when the interview date will be? If you don't want to wait for the letter that is. Has anyone ever done this before?

That used to work, but the DOS folks quit taking calls about K1 status. The wait is usually 2-3 weeks after everything is submitted to the embassy.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Nich-Nick

[marina1294 28]

Got an email today at 11 that my docs are ready! Will pick up visa tomorrow and POE also tomorrow!

Interview - 13th Aug

AP - 14th Aug

Issued - 17th Aug

Email - 19th Aug

Visa in hand - 20th Aug

[CharlieTanger 76]

That used to work, but the DOS folks quit taking calls about K1 status. The wait is usually 2-3 weeks after everything is submitted to the embassy.

Ah ok, maybe you could update it on the timeline list then?

So the beneficiary can only receive the interview date via snail mail? No email or phone calls?

[swji89 41]

Reading your post, ChasUno, is getting me VERY VERY excited! It's also making me tempted to see how much economy comfort will be

[yuna628 9,676]

Ah ok, maybe you could update it on the timeline list then?

So the beneficiary can only receive the interview date via snail mail? No email or phone calls?

Have you had your medical yet? Or has the case even reached the embassy?

The letter is what is sent out when everything is completed. No emails or phone calls (some get a phone call if there is need to move the already assigned date). If you never receive a letter, you can email the embassy using their contact form on the website. That's what we did. The letter arrived a day or so later. But if you haven't had a medical etc, there won't be an interview yet.

Chas: it sounds like you're having fun I'm happy for you both!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Ah ok, maybe you could update it on the timeline list then?

So the beneficiary can only receive the interview date via snail mail? No email or phone calls?

When you say "update the timelines", do you mean the K1 guide? The posts can't be edited. Changes are updated in posts. Did you read this one? http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/474161-london-k1-a-complete-guide/?p=6802340

This is something I posted to a member who did't get the instruction packet and feared the interview letter might not come

Other ways to find out interview date.

1) Contact form saying instruction letter not received so concerned that interview letter was lost as well.

2) Call NVC and if interview is on the books they know the date. Sometimes they aren't so nice and try to brush you off but be nice and say the other letter never arrived and you can't miss the interview.

[Gizzmondo 51]

I called the NVC to try to gain the interview date, they told me twice they dont have access to that information and to contact the embassy.

Luckily the NOA4 arrived

[Wooderz 314]

So still no passport/visa for us. The DX depot Daniel selected (Chancery Lane in London) closes at 4:00pm. He didn't know so he missed being able to pick it up yesterday. He left work early today to pick it up. He got there and passport/visa were not there. They were shipped to the North London depot today because he didn't show up yesterday (the day the tracking said it was first availabe to be picked up FROM). The guy behind the counter said it was a screw up. Same thing happened to the person in line behind Daniel. He called customer service and they said to paraphrase "no, it's standard procedure to only leave it there one day and then ship it off to North London. But you can't go to North London right now to pick it up because that's not the depot location you selected. It will be shipped back to Chancery Lane tomorrow for pick up."

So another afternoon off work tomorrow to see if it's back at Chancery Lane. His flight isn't for another month, but he needs his passport back for something really important on Saturday. He doesn't have a drivers license so it's his only form of photo ID, which he needs Saturday. If he doesn't have it, he will miss his last chance for this before he moves. Really important family thing.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Maybe he can call and check first in case they mess up again

DX LDE

50-52 Chancery Lane

London, WC2A 1HL

Phone Number 02074051403

Business Hours M-F 08:00 - 16:00

DXS North London

152-154, Coles Green Road

Brent

London, NW2 7HD

Phone Number 0208208723

Business Hours M-F 08:00 - 18:00, Saturday 09:00 - 13:00

[Sunya and Tim 55]

Question for the folks that received their interview notices today...did the status updated date change on the ceac.state.gov in the last day or so that would indicate that they had assigned an interview date.

Sorry, I know this seems like stalking but what else do we have to do while waiting but analyze this process to death .

[chrismorrison 96]

Due to receive our EAD/AP combo card today. Kas is going to visit London for 1-2 weeks next week before starting work. He's so thrilled that when he comes back he can resume some semblance of normalcy!

[LEL 20]

Question for the folks that received their interview notices today...did the status updated date change on the ceac.state.gov in the last day or so that would indicate that they had assigned an interview date.

Sorry, I know this seems like stalking but what else do we have to do while waiting but analyze this process to death .

I was wondering the same thing the other day, and no, it didn't. My letter was dated 17th August and CEAC wasn't updated to reflect packet 4 being sent.

[Sunya and Tim 55]

I was wondering the same thing the other day, and no, it didn't. My letter was dated 17th August and CEAC wasn't updated to reflect packet 4 being sent.

Sweet, thanks for the info LEL. My fiance lives in a smaller village so it might take an extra day to get ours. Hoping it comes soon.

We are hoping to get him here soon to start the AOS. We are going to miss a couple of our visits with Tim's son in Ireland because he is not going to be able to travel until the AP comes. I am not sure I want to deal with them missing Christmas together. Gotta love this process!!