DCF in London - January 2020

[Stuwoolf 44]

Another update from USEL.

 

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

 

Again, not sure what is new.....

[Morgan5698 58]

13 minutes ago, Stuwoolf said:

Again, not sure what is new.....

At least we know the IT team is back.....

[The4Sands 67]

29 minutes ago, Stuwoolf said:

Another update from USEL.

 

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

 

Again, not sure what is new.....

Because the connection to my remote desktop at work has been painfully slow, I had a second and compared today's version with Friday's version in the Wayback Machine.  The only thing updated looked to be the section about students, which has been significantly expanded.

 

@Morgan5698 is right though, at least we know someone is reviewing info and making changes, I can't imagine that's happening in a vacuum.

[os306 103]

2 hours ago, Cauldron said:

Just to add, I spoke to my practice nurse and although I haven't had a DT/P vaccine in 10 years, I have had all five which according the UK schedule gives lifetime immunity. Is there some discrepancy here?

 

1 hour ago, Morgan5698 said:

So I was out having a beer with a friend last week and his friend joined who happened to be a GP. So i handily asked him a few of these things (me being born in the 80's) he said Mumps/measles/rubella I would have had as part of my vaccination plan as a kid and TDP  I may have had but likely would need it again if I hadn't had it in past 10 years which I definitely haven't. So DTP all the way for me. 

 

I think the confusion arises due to differences in 1) vaccines and 2) vaccination schedules between the US and the UK.

 

Briefly, in the UK you get 4 doses of DTaP in childhood. This vaccine additionally protects you against polio as well as diphteria, tetanus and acellular pertussis. You then receive a 5th and final dose of diptheria, tetanus and inactivated polio (known as Revaxis) when you are aged 13-18 years, which is what the nurse at your practice was referring to. After that 5th dose, you wouldn't normally receive any further "booster" doses against diphteria, tetanus, pertussis or polio on the NHS UNLESS you are about to travel to an area where any of these conditions are prevalent/high risk, in which case you will receive another short of Revaxis.

 

In the US, however, once you complete your 5 DTaP shots in childhood, you receive a 6th dose known as Tdap (basically the same as DTaP but at a lower dose) at age 11-12. After this, the CDC recommends a booster dose of either Tdap or Td (the same as Tdap except no diphteria) every 10 years. For immigration purposes, I guess they want you to abide by the CDC's vaccination schedule. For the purposes of your medical, if you can show that you were immunised against pertussis as a child (i.e., you received the DTaP vaccine) then all you need is the Td booster.

 

 

 

 

 

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

10 minutes ago, os306 said:

 

 

I think the confusion arises due to differences in 1) vaccines and 2) vaccination schedules between the US and the UK.

 

Briefly, in the UK you get 4 doses of DTaP in childhood. This vaccine additionally protects you against polio as well as diphteria, tetanus and acellular pertussis. You then receive a 5th and final dose of diptheria, tetanus and inactivated polio (known as Revaxis) when you are aged 13-18 years, which is what the nurse at your practice was referring to. After that 5th dose, you wouldn't normally receive any further "booster" doses against diphteria, tetanus, pertussis or polio on the NHS UNLESS you are about to travel to an area where any of these conditions are prevalent/high risk, in which case you will receive another short of Revaxis.

 

In the US, however, once you complete your 5 DTaP shots in childhood, you receive a 6th dose known as Tdap (basically the same as DTaP but at a lower dose) at age 11-12. After this, the CDC recommends a booster dose of either Tdap or Td (the same as Tdap except no diphteria) every 10 years. For immigration purposes, I guess they want you to abide by the CDC's vaccination schedule. For the purposes of your medical, if you can show that you were immunised against pertussis as a child (i.e., you received the DTaP vaccine) then all you need is the Td booster.

 

 

 

 

 

Thankfully hubby and I both did our updated tetanus just before we moved back to the UK last year. So hubby should be good on all his shots so long as we can get in for the medical before Oct 1st. 

[The4Sands 67]

New Update:

 

General Information

[NEW] Are U.S. Embassies and Consulates in the UK conducting visa interview appointments?

As of July 27, 2020, the United States Embassy in London and as of August 3, 2020 the United States Consulate General in Belfast are resuming certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services, including: immigrant visas for spouses and children of U.S. citizens; F-1 and M-1 student visa categories.

 

While we aim to process cases as soon as practicable, there are likely to be increased wait times for completing such services due to substantial backlogs. The MRV fee is valid and may be used to schedule an interview appointment in the country where it was purchased within one year of the date of payment.

 

If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided through your Visa Appointment Service account to request an expedited appointment. Once you have booked the earliest available appointment, you can then follow the on-screen instructions to request an expedited appointment.

 

Applicants for H1B, H2B, H4, L and certain J categories covered by Presidential Proclamation 10052 should request an appointment only if you have reason to believe you may qualify for one of the exceptions listed in the Proclamation.

When new appointment dates are available for booking, they will display through your appointment calendar within your Visa Appointment Service account. If no appointments are available when you first check, please continue to check your account as any newly released appointments will show on your appointment calendar. We do not operate a waiting list.

 

Please ensure that you monitor the email address that you used to register with the Visa Appointment Service, including the junk or spam folder, as that is how you will be contacted if it is necessary for your future appointment to be rescheduled.

 

This does not affect travel under the Visa Waiver Program. See the official ESTA website for more information.

Please keep checking this webpage and your email account for the latest information and any further updates.

 

 

[Morgan5698 58]

What we've all been waiting for! Great news! 

[The4Sands 67]

The cynical part of me says all those DQ people at NVC who either had their interviews cancelled already or who are waiting for interviews to be scheduled will probably get sorted before we ever even get an LND. 

 

But that's still seven days from now, the slightly more optimistic side of me (which is admittedly small) is hoping they sort us now before things get rolling.

 

I think I will settle with being happy that there's a date and a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Morgan5698 58]

1 minute ago, The4Sands said:

The cynical part of me says all those DQ people at NVC who either had their interviews cancelled already or who are waiting for interviews to be scheduled will probably get sorted before we ever even get an LND. 

 

But that's still seven days from now, the slightly more optimistic side of me (which is admittedly small) is hoping they sort us now before things get rolling.

 

I think I will settle with being happy that there's a date and a light at the end of the tunnel.

You would hope the two (interview scheduling and LND allocation) dont work in tandem. So one wouldn't dramatically affect the other. The good news is as you say, things are rolling and it is only a matter of time and now there is some clarity of movement so there's a light, a small light but one none the less. 

 

I think things will start moving soon for us. But that's my glass half full kinda side! 

[The4Sands 67]

Just now, Morgan5698 said:

You would hope the two (interview scheduling and LND allocation) dont work in tandem. So one wouldn't dramatically affect the other. The good news is as you say, things are rolling and it is only a matter of time and now there is some clarity of movement so there's a light, a small light but one none the less. 

 

I think things will start moving soon for us. But that's my glass half full kinda side! 

I guess I was just thinking if NVC allocates interviews to all those who have been waiting since March, there won't be any interviews open until Christmas.

 

But as you say, at least things will be moving again! 

[Stuwoolf 44]

34 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

New Update:

 

General Information

[NEW] Are U.S. Embassies and Consulates in the UK conducting visa interview appointments?

As of July 27, 2020, the United States Embassy in London and as of August 3, 2020 the United States Consulate General in Belfast are resuming certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services, including: immigrant visas for spouses and children of U.S. citizens; F-1 and M-1 student visa categories.

 

While we aim to process cases as soon as practicable, there are likely to be increased wait times for completing such services due to substantial backlogs. The MRV fee is valid and may be used to schedule an interview appointment in the country where it was purchased within one year of the date of payment.

 

If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided through your Visa Appointment Service account to request an expedited appointment. Once you have booked the earliest available appointment, you can then follow the on-screen instructions to request an expedited appointment.

 

Applicants for H1B, H2B, H4, L and certain J categories covered by Presidential Proclamation 10052 should request an appointment only if you have reason to believe you may qualify for one of the exceptions listed in the Proclamation.

When new appointment dates are available for booking, they will display through your appointment calendar within your Visa Appointment Service account. If no appointments are available when you first check, please continue to check your account as any newly released appointments will show on your appointment calendar. We do not operate a waiting list.

 

Please ensure that you monitor the email address that you used to register with the Visa Appointment Service, including the junk or spam folder, as that is how you will be contacted if it is necessary for your future appointment to be rescheduled.

 

This does not affect travel under the Visa Waiver Program. See the official ESTA website for more information.

Please keep checking this webpage and your email account for the latest information and any further updates.

 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Maybe things are on the up🙂🙂🙂

[Morgan5698 58]

38 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

I guess I was just thinking if NVC allocates interviews to all those who have been waiting since March, there won't be any interviews open until Christmas.

 

But as you say, at least things will be moving again! 

There will be a backlog for sure, but no K1's and no tourist visa's or business etc will reduce the backlog - If they were coming online at the same time that might be a different story! There will also likely be cancelled appointments etc due to the varying nature of the current pandemic. Def good idea to plan for the worse, but I think there is a good chance pre-December is a reasonable outcome for us DCF waiters now things are beginning to show signs of life. 

 

Lets take the good news today! On to tomorrow.... 

[Stuwoolf 44]

I guess the local postie just got a fresh bunch of pals, all eager to see whats in the bag😂😂😂

Edited July 20, 2020 by Stuwoolf

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

4 hours ago, The4Sands said:

I guess I was just thinking if NVC allocates interviews to all those who have been waiting since March, there won't be any interviews open until Christmas.

 

But as you say, at least things will be moving again! 

My understanding was that they only book up for the next 2 months. Ie they are booking Aug and September and won't open up dates for October until end of August. At least I thought I read that somewhere. I'm anxious for our LDN. Tomorrow marks 5 weeks since our 130 approval. 

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

2 hours ago, Stuwoolf said:

I guess the local postie just got a fresh bunch of pals, all eager to see whats in the bag😂😂😂

Okay so confused by this lol do I need a decoder?