NOA2 to Interview timeframe questions

[Jonathan and Tina 4]

Hi guys and girls. A couple of questions that I'm sure have been asked before....

1. Does the 4 month time limit begin from the day your petition is approved, or when you actually get the letter (I-797)? We've had our status change to 'approved' online but haven't had the letter yet. It just seems like 4 months is a needlessly short amount of time to get all this done (medical, documents, etc) before you lose your opportunity to get a visa. Pretty worried about it.

2. Is it a time limit for getting the interview scheduled, or is it a time limit for actually having the interview and getting a visa?

3. Am I right in thinking that this time limit is ticking down even while you wait for USCIS to send documents to the NVC, for them to process it, for the NVC to send it to the embassy, for the embassy to process it.... because it seems like all that can potentially take a couple of months by itself, or even more in some cases. Are we really losing all that time? What happens if the NVC are unusually slow and they take three and a half months? Surely that can't be how it works.

[Anapr 15]

1) it starts counting on the day you are approved. For example, my approval notice was June 23rd, in the letter it states valid from 06/23/2015 to 10/22/2015. 4 months it's quite some time, just start reading what kind of documents you'll need and be ready by the time you're contacted so you can act right away.

2) the interview needs to be scheduled within the time frame stated as validity (from my example, My interview needs to take place before 10/22/2015)

3) time is counting since the approval. I suggest you get on your regional forum and read as much as you can to be familiar with everything you have to do and what documents you should have. There are plenty of active people there and they'll help you tremendously with specific information regarding your embassy and its requirements.

Good luck!

[yuna628 9,676]

Don't worry about the timeframe, the consulate extends it, and would ask for a fresh letter of intent from the American fiancé, which you can bring to the interview if that is the case. For instance, we got approved in May, his interview is literally 2 days before the dang thing expires. Cutting it close London. But anyway it doesn't make any difference because you'll be just fine.

[Anapr 15]

Don't worry about the timeframe, the consulate extends it, and would ask for a fresh letter of intent from the American fiancé, which you can bring to the interview if that is the case. For instance, we got approved in May, his interview is literally 2 days before the dang thing expires. Cutting it close London. But anyway it doesn't make any difference because you'll be just fine.

Sorry OP, yuna has the best answer for you.

(I just got my email with info from my consulate today and they were pretty stern with the time limit and my answers were based on that.)

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Hi guys and girls. A couple of questions that I'm sure have been asked before....

1. Does the 4 month time limit begin from the day your petition is approved, or when you actually get the letter (I-797)? We've had our status change to 'approved' online but haven't had the letter yet. It just seems like 4 months is a needlessly short amount of time to get all this done (medical, documents, etc) before you lose your opportunity to get a visa. Pretty worried about it.

2. Is it a time limit for getting the interview scheduled, or is it a time limit for actually having the interview and getting a visa?

3. Am I right in thinking that this time limit is ticking down even while you wait for USCIS to send documents to the NVC, for them to process it, for the NVC to send it to the embassy, for the embassy to process it.... because it seems like all that can potentially take a couple of months by itself, or even more in some cases. Are we really losing all that time? What happens if the NVC are unusually slow and they take three and a half months? Surely that can't be how it works.

Yep, that's how it works...your time is ticking.

If you don't make it to interview before the expiration date, your embassy LONDON asks that the USC write a new letter of intent stating still free to marry and Intends to marry [beneficiary name] within 90 days of his/her arrival in the US. The beneficiary takes it to the interview and the petition is revalidated. Yep, that easy.

(Note: That's a London requirement. Other places may do it differently.)

[TBoneTX 45,288]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the K-1 Case Progress subforum. ***

[Jonathan and Tina 4]

Thanks everyone. That clears things up... it does seem a little strange to spend 95% of your time wanting the days to go faster only to find yourself thinking, whoa there, that seems a little fast.

Does the embassy just give you a date? Do you have any leeway or ability to choose? I ask because we have a trip booked (me going to the States) in the third of our four months, which we still want to do, so I want to try to get an interview just after that if it's possible.

[yuna628 9,676]

Thanks everyone. That clears things up... it does seem a little strange to spend 95% of your time wanting the days to go faster only to find yourself thinking, whoa there, that seems a little fast.

Does the embassy just give you a date? Do you have any leeway or ability to choose? I ask because we have a trip booked (me going to the States) in the third of our four months, which we still want to do, so I want to try to get an interview just after that if it's possible.

You are given an interview date. For a rough estimate of how long it takes to receive that date after you have completed the medical/forms check out this thread. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/549078-medical-to-interview-date-how-long-2015-data/

And yes, it is strange isn't it?

Edited July 29, 2015 by yuna628

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks everyone. That clears things up... it does seem a little strange to spend 95% of your time wanting the days to go faster only to find yourself thinking, whoa there, that seems a little fast.

Does the embassy just give you a date? Do you have any leeway or ability to choose? I ask because we have a trip booked (me going to the States) in the third of our four months, which we still want to do, so I want to try to get an interview just after that if it's possible.

You have some control over what interview date gets assigned to you. See the Embassy web page here http://london.usembassy.gov/iv/fiance_instructions.html

If you hold off on Step 4 (informing them you are ready to interview) until after your trip, then there is no way you will get assigned a date before that. Now that you know the four month petition expiration is a non-issue, you can feel free to draw out the embassy part of the process to suit your needs.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Time limit? After it goes to NVC they do say can take a year and you have to keep in touch with them through emails and letters to keep it open.

Mine was at USCIS over a year and over a year at NVC (but I hit 2 offices getting damaged in my process)

All depends on you getting documents to them and them approving what you send. I kept getting asked for one question to be fixed and I did it 6 times, then paid a lawyer. He answered the same way I had been doing but they accepted it from Him. I had written cover letters each and every time but they ignore them.

Letters from NVC said your case will be reviewed in 30 days, 60 days and 60 business days

UK = you will not have the problems I had

[Jonathan and Tina 4]

Thanks folks. Just a couple more questions... (which I would post in the regional forum but I can't seem to find them at present)

1. Is it possible to request a 'blocking out' of certain weeks for your interview being scheduled? Surely this must be an option, say if you were a business person making multiple trips and wouldn't be in the UK in a certain week, etc.

2. How does the four week notice from the embassy work if you have less than four weeks till your interview, as it seems some people have? Do they just give you smaller period of notice?

Thanks for any reply, sorry if the answers are obvious.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks folks. Just a couple more questions... (which I would post in the regional forum but I can't seem to find them at present)

On the main forums page, scroll way down to the last section. UK forum is very active and helpful.

1. Is it possible to request a 'blocking out' of certain weeks for your interview being scheduled? Surely this must be an option, say if you were a business person making multiple trips and wouldn't be in the UK in a certain week, etc.

2. How does the four week notice from the embassy work if you have less than four weeks till your interview, as it seems some people have? Do they just give you smaller period of notice?

Thanks for any reply, sorry if the answers are obvious.

1. The "readiness for interview" form used to have a text field to include such information or requests. You can contact the embassy via an online contact form, and that may or may not work because it is separated from your readiness form so not exactly efficient.

2. Are you asking if the interview letter always gives you four weeks notice like their website says? No. It is often shorter, but rarely longer lately. It's impossible to play the numbers. It is a variable timeline.