LONDON K1

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

11 minutes ago, fishe23a said:

When did you all submit your DS-160? We have an LND case number, but as of calling last night, the case has not yet left the NVC for the embassy. I can't seem to find anywhere online when the appropriate time is to submit it. My fiancée has it all completely filled out and ready. May we submit it now, or do we have to wait for London to receive the case...?

Hey

 

I submitted mine once it said 'in transit' - although I now think it was already in London by then.  Once you have the case number you can submit the ds-160 I think.  It probably just sits in the system until you book your visa appointment and they join all the case numbers up and stick it all together for the interview. I don't think it can be submitted too early - if you have the case number you can get going. You just have to wait for the letter from the embassy to book the interview - I know this because i have tried to book the interview and it told me 'case not ready' (although the ceac status says ready).

 

 

[fishe23a 240]

3 minutes ago, Chelleyandaaron said:

Hey

 

I submitted mine once it said 'in transit' - although I now think it was already in London by then.  Once you have the case number you can submit the ds-160 I think.  It probably just sits in the system until you book your visa appointment and they join all the case numbers up and stick it all together for the interview. I don't think it can be submitted too early - if you have the case number you can get going. You just have to wait for the letter from the embassy to book the interview - I know this because i have tried to book the interview and it told me 'case not ready' (although the ceac status says ready).

 

 

 

Thanks - this puts me at a lot more ease about when to submit it!

[fishe23a 240]

Our case status was just set to ready! Thankfully, thanks to @Chelleyandaaron, we know not to get too excited about scheduling an interview as it won't let us until we receive the information from the NVC and the embassy, likely after her medical and etc. But it still feels like a step, knowing it's at the embassy!

[fishe23a 240]

I also have a hunch about why it takes so long to be able to schedule an interview even though the tracker says "ready". I called the NVC today to get the IIN number for my fiancée's case, as I had forgotten to ask for it before and realize that the website for the visa payment does ask for it (when we do submit the payment, which we don't plan to do until after she receives the letter from the embassy). The woman on the phone was much more helpful and chatty than usual. She said that the case status was indeed set to "ready", but that always happens when the *electronic* portion of the application is received at the embassy and uploaded into the system. She said it's longer (no specifics, alas) for the paper portion of the case to be physically mailed there and then scanned into their system, but the CEAC tracker has no way of letting you know that only the electronic portion has been received. It's not until the paper copy arrives, is opened by a worker, and loaded into the system that it registers as truly "ready" and the Packet 3 information goes out to the beneficiary. Maybe other folks already knew this - but just in case!

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

5 hours ago, fishe23a said:

I also have a hunch about why it takes so long to be able to schedule an interview even though the tracker says "ready". I called the NVC today to get the IIN number for my fiancée's case, as I had forgotten to ask for it before and realize that the website for the visa payment does ask for it (when we do submit the payment, which we don't plan to do until after she receives the letter from the embassy). The woman on the phone was much more helpful and chatty than usual. She said that the case status was indeed set to "ready", but that always happens when the *electronic* portion of the application is received at the embassy and uploaded into the system. She said it's longer (no specifics, alas) for the paper portion of the case to be physically mailed there and then scanned into their system, but the CEAC tracker has no way of letting you know that only the electronic portion has been received. It's not until the paper copy arrives, is opened by a worker, and loaded into the system that it registers as truly "ready" and the Packet 3 information goes out to the beneficiary. Maybe other folks already knew this - but just in case!

Thank you!

 

I have two slight worries at the moment.  Aaron has not yet received the letter from the NVC - despite several cases processed after ours having received theirs.  And - I just called my doctors to ask whether I could pick up the summary letter today (on Friday they told me Tuesday or Wednesday) and no-one at the doctors knows who is dealing with it or which doctor has it - and 'we don't push the doctors for administrative tasks' and 'oh, call again in a couple of days'.  Er, no, I'll be calling in again this evening to find out if you have found it.  And leaving in another copy of the letter and asking that it is done tomorrow. I said in the original letter that I would pay for this.  I decided to leave a letter in rather than making an appointment to see a doctor to ask them to do it in order to save surgery time.  I wouldn't do that again.  I would go and see a doctor.

[AmieDee 23]

55 minutes ago, Chelleyandaaron said:

Thank you!

 

I have two slight worries at the moment.  Aaron has not yet received the letter from the NVC - despite several cases processed after ours having received theirs.  And - I just called my doctors to ask whether I could pick up the summary letter today (on Friday they told me Tuesday or Wednesday) and no-one at the doctors knows who is dealing with it or which doctor has it - and 'we don't push the doctors for administrative tasks' and 'oh, call again in a couple of days'.  Er, no, I'll be calling in again this evening to find out if you have found it.  And leaving in another copy of the letter and asking that it is done tomorrow. I said in the original letter that I would pay for this.  I decided to leave a letter in rather than making an appointment to see a doctor to ask them to do it in order to save surgery time.  I wouldn't do that again.  I would go and see a doctor.

I don't think Paul has received a letter from the NVC either. I got a letter from the embassy though.. 

 

The receptionists at Doctors surgery are the worst! I was told 3-4 weeks just for a summary, so I wrote a letter to the doctor saying it was urgent. I went back the next day and tried to escalate the situation - a different receptionist said I could collect the medical summary/vaccination record the next day.

 

I received my letter from the embassy on Friday (my case changed to 'ready' on the 22nd). But I was unable to schedule the interview, so I emailed them and they replied the next day saying the case should have been updated. I just booked my appointment for Friday 7th April! My medical is this Friday. Exciting times! Now to get the Affidavit sent to me! 

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

2 minutes ago, AmieDee said:

I don't think Paul has received a letter from the NVC either. I got a letter from the embassy though.. 

 

The receptionists at Doctors surgery are the worst! I was told 3-4 weeks just for a summary, so I wrote a letter to the doctor saying it was urgent. I went back the next day and tried to escalate the situation - a different receptionist said I could collect the medical summary/vaccination record the next day.

 

I received my letter from the embassy on Friday (my case changed to 'ready' on the 22nd). But I was unable to schedule the interview, so I emailed them and they replied the next day saying the case should have been updated. I just booked my appointment for Friday 7th April! My medical is this Friday. Exciting times! Now to get the Affidavit sent to me! 

my case also changed to ready on the 22nd but no letter yet...

 

I tlooks as though I will have to wait until the end of April if they are only scheduling the 7th at the moment - i go away on the 12th April and need my passport so can't have it tied up - and will need to wait until I get back then  

 

I am going to call in at the doctors in person later today and explain - with another copy of the letter.  (Also suggesting that they might want to add I was perfectly sane before this process began...)

[AmieDee 23]

44 minutes ago, Chelleyandaaron said:

my case also changed to ready on the 22nd but no letter yet...

 

I tlooks as though I will have to wait until the end of April if they are only scheduling the 7th at the moment - i go away on the 12th April and need my passport so can't have it tied up - and will need to wait until I get back then  

 

I am going to call in at the doctors in person later today and explain - with another copy of the letter.  (Also suggesting that they might want to add I was perfectly sane before this process began...)

The next available interview date was 17 March. I just need to wait for the affidavit etc so booked it a little later. 

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

5 minutes ago, AmieDee said:

The next available interview date was 17 March. I just need to wait for the affidavit etc so booked it a little later. 

Oh! Okay - I was hoping for an interview before the 22nd March - so I might make it!

[AmieDee 23]

4 minutes ago, Chelleyandaaron said:

Oh! Okay - I was hoping for an interview before the 22nd March - so I might make it!

Yeah there were a few dates left before then. Get in quickly though! I just changed mine to 30th March. I'm getting impatient! Haha. 

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

Just now, AmieDee said:

Yeah there were a few dates left before then. Get in quickly though! I just changed mine to 30th March. I'm getting impatient! Haha. 

I just tried the online appointment again and it still said not ready to schedule - so I'm guessing they haven't posted the letter yet...  I'll try again on Friday if I don't receive the letter before then.  Not holding out much hope at this point. I just don't want to organise much more in terms of selling my stuff or packing until I have the visa.  Although I can't leave untill early July, I have a lot to organise in terms of sorting out my kids and the house.  I don't want to start a lot of it until I know I am going!  And the wait just makes me anxious.

[AmieDee 23]

Just now, Chelleyandaaron said:

I just tried the online appointment again and it still said not ready to schedule - so I'm guessing they haven't posted the letter yet...  I'll try again on Friday if I don't receive the letter before then.  Not holding out much hope at this point. I just don't want to organise much more in terms of selling my stuff or packing until I have the visa.  Although I can't leave untill early July, I have a lot to organise in terms of sorting out my kids and the house.  I don't want to start a lot of it until I know I am going!  And the wait just makes me anxious.

Mine kept on saying case not ready. I did have to email them a scan of the letter from the embassy for them to change the date though. 

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

1 minute ago, AmieDee said:

Mine kept on saying case not ready. I did have to email them a scan of the letter from the embassy for them to change the date though. 

okay - just going to hope that I get the letter soon.  When did you get your case number from NVC - and your NOA2?

[Chelleyandaaron 528]

Oh - I just checked the case tracker and it says case last updated 1st March (today) so perhaps my letter is on its way and I can schedule tomorrow or Friday...

[AmieDee 23]

16 minutes ago, Chelleyandaaron said:

okay - just going to hope that I get the letter soon.  When did you get your case number from NVC - and your NOA2?

Similar times to you: 

 

27 Jan: Petition approved

02 Feb: NOA2 received 

14 Feb: NVC sent case to London 

15 Feb: Case number received (by phone)

22 Feb: Case status changed to 'ready'

24 Feb: Letter from embassy received