waiting for an interview date

[Londonlassie 0]

We received Packet 3 three weeks ago and I posted the forms, including the checklist back to them the next day. I arranged the medical (which was yesterday - and went fine) and am now waiting for an interview date.

I have been looking at other people's timelines and nearly everyone seems to have heard from the embassy within 14 days of sending off the checklist from packet 3. I have been phoning the State Department but the date still has not been set, let alone a letter been posted out to me.

I know I need to be patient, but this process is taking so long and it is impossible to speak with anyone in the London Embassy to get any information.

Is anyone else in the same situation as us? How long should we wait for the interview date to be set before we really start to worry? We are supposed to be getting married in June - we put our application in October 2006

[Marina + Dave 0]

We received Packet 3 three weeks ago and I posted the forms, including the checklist back to them the next day. I arranged the medical (which was yesterday - and went fine) and am now waiting for an interview date.

I have been looking at other people's timelines and nearly everyone seems to have heard from the embassy within 14 days of sending off the checklist from packet 3. I have been phoning the State Department but the date still has not been set, let alone a letter been posted out to me.

I know I need to be patient, but this process is taking so long and it is impossible to speak with anyone in the London Embassy to get any information.

Is anyone else in the same situation as us? How long should we wait for the interview date to be set before we really start to worry? We are supposed to be getting married in June - we put our application in October 2006

Hello,

I'm a couple week behind you as we just posted our completed packet 3 and checklist to them today. I've been looking at lots of timelines as well and it appears to me that the interview is usually about 1.5-2 months after you send back the packet 3. Also, from what I've seen, it looks like it takes about 1 month to receive packet 4 after returning packet 3, in which case you are still within the time. I'm not sure where you are getting 14 days (perhaps I just haven't looked at enough time lines! but I think you are probably still within normal times) So assuming you get packet 4 after 1 month and the interview about a month after that, you should make your August wedding with no problem. As I said, we mailed ours back today and we are aiming for a July 7th wedding! (and judging by others time lines we should make that too).

Good Luck and let us know when you get the Packet 4!

[raymaga 25]

Every case is treated differently, so while some people get their interview dates quickly, others do not.

Hope you hear something soon, being as you have planned your wedding for June. It is always good advice that VJ members give to not plan the wedding until after you have your approval. I hope all goes well for you.

[TracyTN 237]

Hello,

I'm a couple week behind you as we just posted our completed packet 3 and checklist to them today. I've been looking at lots of timelines as well and it appears to me that the interview is usually about 1.5-2 months after you send back the packet 3.

Is it taking that long to get an interview? I hadn't noticed that same trend when looking at recent timelines. In my head, I was thinking a few weeks after mailing in packet 3.

Of course, I suppose it can slow down at any time for any reason.

[Teddy406 0]

We received Packet 3 three weeks ago and I posted the forms, including the checklist back to them the next day. I arranged the medical (which was yesterday - and went fine) and am now waiting for an interview date.

I have been looking at other people's timelines and nearly everyone seems to have heard from the embassy within 14 days of sending off the checklist from packet 3. I have been phoning the State Department but the date still has not been set, let alone a letter been posted out to me.

I know I need to be patient, but this process is taking so long and it is impossible to speak with anyone in the London Embassy to get any information.

Is anyone else in the same situation as us? How long should we wait for the interview date to be set before we really start to worry? We are supposed to be getting married in June - we put our application in October 2006

I sent my forms back on the FOURTH OF MARCH, and the checklist on the 14th and was told last week they havent even looked at my forms. Mind you, it took them untill the 20th odd to even say "yeah, we've got them but we arent doing jack ###### with them"

Im gonna call once this week and once next week. (the state dept)

Infact, im gonna go bug them now, and then wait till after Easter possibly.

Teddy

[TracyTN 237]

Wow - it does seem like they're hitting a slow down right now. Although I wonder if sending the forms and checklist separately made a difference. We were having a debate about that last week - I'll try and dig up the thread.

But hopefully when they send you packet 4, the interview date will be shortly thereafter (like 2 weeks).

Edited April 3, 2007 by TracyTN

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Wow - it does seem like they're hitting a slow down right now. Although I wonder if sending the forms and checklist separately made a difference. We were having a debate about that last week - I'll try and dig up the thread.

But hopefully when they send you packet 4, the interview date will be shortly thereafter (like 2 weeks).

There's certainly been a slow down on the I-130 processing front for those of us doing DCF -- for the past 3 or 4 weeks it was accelerating rapidly, but then last week it stuck on the 10 January submission date for the second week running. (I am only a little peeved about this, as I submitted on the 17th!) I have an awful suspicion this might be linked to the addition of other countries to the London office for the DCF route, and in turn this may be bogging down the whole system. But then I have become completely paranoid as a result of this whole process, and what I say should be discounted!

[tonyeck 0]

If I remember, the embassy slows down at this time of the year as there is an increase of educational visas, summer workers and all sorts of J1'ers....

I sent my packet 3 with the checklist, so we'll see what happens...

[TracyTN 237]

I didn't think DCFs were processed by the same folks who process K1, K3s and CR1/IR1s? Mainly because K1s, K3s and CR1/IR1s were done by the State Dept, while DCF was done by Homeland Security?

Or do I have that wrong?

[Londonlassie 0]

thanks for your information and words of advice.

We have the 'formal' wedding (friends and family etc) on August 4th, but were hoping to have a civil wedding in early June, just to get the paperwork moving. Fingers crossed that will happen, but otherwise, August is fine. As long as we can get married we will be happy!

I had been looking at other people's timelines over the past month and it did seem that people were hearing from the embassy remarkably quickly after sending in the checklist....we sent in the forms and checklist together....but I guess things have slowed down. Just our luck!

Anyway, I am trying so hard to be patient and not kepp phoning the state department to ask if they have any new information for me. They were able to tell me last Tuesday that our forms (DS-230, DS-156, DS-156k, and checklist) had been processed and that the 'system' was saying that I was ready for the interview. So at least I know all is well on that front. I guess the file is sitting in a pile on someones desk now and I neet to patiently wait until they are ready to decide when to call me in.

That is the hardest part though.....knowing that someone else is determining my immediate future. They get to decide when I will be able to finally return to the States, marry my fiance, and get on with our lives together. Until then, it is a waiting game!

'Keep positive....and distracted' is my new mantra!!!!!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I didn't think DCFs were processed by the same folks who process K1, K3s and CR1/IR1s? Mainly because K1s, K3s and CR1/IR1s were done by the State Dept, while DCF was done by Homeland Security?

Or do I have that wrong?

I think you may be right, but I fear it may be indicative of a general slowdown down in Grosvenor Square...

[TracyTN 237]

I knew they would slow down some for the summer. All I really need is my fiance here by August, so I'm not sweating it (yet).

[flutter95 4]

I'm sorry you stuck waiting!

I hope it comes soon.

I remember that my interview date coming felt like FOREVER

[Londonlassie 0]

YEAY I got an e-mail from the Embassy in London this afternoon. They have given me an interview on Friday April 20th at 10:00. That is only two weeks away!!!! I really can't believe it. I worked out they will have got my medical results this morning and I did send in a cover letter explaining our circumstances. I guess they took pity on us and listened.

Good luck to all you who are waiting for packet 4. It will come....and you will be dancing around the room when it does :-)

YEAY I got an e-mail from the Embassy in London this afternoon. They have given me an interview on Friday April 20th at 10:00. That is only two weeks away!!!! I really can't believe it. I worked out they will have got my medical results this morning and I did send in a cover letter explaining our circumstances. I guess they took pity on us and listened.

Good luck to all you who are waiting for packet 4. It will come....and you will be dancing around the room when it does :-)

[TracyTN 237]

WHOO that's excellent news!!!

BTW were they responding to an email you had sent, or did they send the email notification of the interview on their own accord?

Edited April 5, 2007 by TracyTN