DCF in London - January 2020

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

11 hours ago, Stuwoolf said:

I doubt if the difficulty of applying for UK Visas will ever change. The personal experience of applying for the UK Spouse Visa and the frustration and helplessness attached to that experience will linger with me for a very long time. Up until this pandemic, I often considered how the US visa application system was far better than the UK. In fairness, our experience so far, the issues which we, and indeed many others, have experienced places no blame or shortcomings on the US system. Certainly that I am aware of.

This is very true. Thankfully, our application to come to the UK was fairly straightforward, but the amount of paperwork required to prove so many things was insane. I've been through the US path twice now (once K1 for hubby back in 2008 and now this one), and I can say the US route is much more simplified if just slow at times. 

[Stuwoolf 44]

Having a real stressful time with all this and moving from our house to my sisters (our house went under offer in 36 hours and we need to be out by August 24.😳....) so it would be nice to hear if anyone got some good LND news today.

 

Anyone?😊😊😊

[Morgan5698 58]

3 minutes ago, Stuwoolf said:

Having a real stressful time with all this and moving from our house to my sisters (our house went under offer in 36 hours and we need to be out by August 24.😳....) so it would be nice to hear if anyone got some good LND news today.

Sorry to hear you're stressing out. These kind of processes are indeed stressful and with all the waiting, it's been tough on many, some more than others. On the bright side you sold your house fast, which is better than taking too long! Everyday I still keep an eye on this feed as I know at some point soon i'm going to see that the next person has received their LND number. 

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

22 minutes ago, Stuwoolf said:

Having a real stressful time with all this and moving from our house to my sisters (our house went under offer in 36 hours and we need to be out by August 24.😳....) so it would be nice to hear if anyone got some good LND news today.

 

Anyone?😊😊😊

Sadly, nothing here yet. Neither in the post or via email. Not sure how long it will take them to respond to the online form. I sent it out last Friday.

[Stuwoolf 44]

5 hours ago, Morgan5698 said:

Sorry to hear you're stressing out. These kind of processes are indeed stressful and with all the waiting, it's been tough on many, some more than others. On the bright side you sold your house fast, which is better than taking too long! Everyday I still keep an eye on this feed as I know at some point soon i'm going to see that the next person has received their LND number. 

Suppose there is nothing else for it but to just keep on keeping on😂 Made huge headway today by moving on some items from the garage😊

 

Things are looking up on the home front. Clear out is coming along nicely. Woohoo......

 

Now we need some LND good news.😊😊😊

 

[The4Sands 67]

Well, I see quite a lot of IR1/CR1 VJers who have been waiting for NVC to send their app to the embassy have gotten their interview dates (end of September).  Puts paid to the idea that they were going to clear the backlog at the embassy before they got to NVC (unless these were expedited ones, I guess).  Not really the news I wanted today...

 

Trying. To. Stay.  Positive. 😖

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

28 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

Well, I see quite a lot of IR1/CR1 VJers who have been waiting for NVC to send their app to the embassy have gotten their interview dates (end of September).  Puts paid to the idea that they were going to clear the backlog at the embassy before they got to NVC (unless these were expedited ones, I guess).  Not really the news I wanted today...

 

Trying. To. Stay.  Positive. 😖

I just wish I would hear something from the online form I filled out last Friday. Not one peep.  Post has already been today and nothing. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, The4Sands said:

Well, I see quite a lot of IR1/CR1 VJers who have been waiting for NVC to send their app to the embassy have gotten their interview dates (end of September).  Puts paid to the idea that they were going to clear the backlog at the embassy before they got to NVC (unless these were expedited ones, I guess).  Not really the news I wanted today...

 

Trying. To. Stay.  Positive. 😖

Here’s a long shot idea for you. Back when I did this, my wife discovered calling the Department  of State was a way to get all kinds of info. We had no case status CEAC and such back then. Everything was by mail and paper forms. They (DOS) can access your case online. She found out interview date, when visa issued, and things like that with no wait time for somebody to answer. That eventually spread on VJ and everybody was calling them so they quit answering visa questions. Maybe if your USC calls, you will get lucky and get a sympathetic person who will not hang up on you. I found the old cracked iPad with her list of immigration phone numbers In the notepad, but it had been wiped clean.

 

There is a current number for emergency services for American citizens 202-502-4444. 

Perhaps the USC could call and say you seem to be stuck in no man’s land and need help because...insert any hardships like mom illness, house sale and being homeless.  You want to find out if  a State Department case number has been issued so you can finish.  Your Spouse visa petition was approved on [date] by the USCIS office in London. The case has been with the consulate in London for some time but you can’t continue with the automated procedures without a case number. The embassy will not respond even though they are open and conducting interviews. Can they please help you find out if a case number has been assigned or give you more information on how to get one.
 

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by Wuozopo

[os306 103]

1 hour ago, The4Sands said:

Well, I see quite a lot of IR1/CR1 VJers who have been waiting for NVC to send their app to the embassy have gotten their interview dates (end of September).  Puts paid to the idea that they were going to clear the backlog at the embassy before they got to NVC (unless these were expedited ones, I guess).  Not really the news I wanted today...

 

Trying. To. Stay.  Positive. 😖

I know, it's frustrating. That being said, I did have a look at the timelines of some of the NVC filers who received their interview dates and it looks like some of them sent off their I-130 petitions at the beginning of 2019. So I guess I'm grateful that we were able to go down the DCF route relatively quickly, although it would still be nice to get that bloody LND number now!

[The4Sands 67]

2 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Here’s a long shot idea for you. Back when I did this, my wife discovered calling the Department  of State was a way to get all kinds of info. We had no case status CEAC and such back then. Everything was by mail and paper forms. They (DOS) can access your case online. She found out interview date, when visa issued, and things like that with no wait time for somebody to answer. That eventually spread on VJ and everybody was calling them so they quit answering visa questions. Maybe if your USC calls, you will get lucky and get a sympathetic person who will not hang up on you. I found the old cracked iPad with her list of immigration phone numbers In the notepad, but it had been wiped clean.

 

There is a current number for emergency services for American citizens 202-502-4444. 

Perhaps the USC could call and say you seem to be stuck in no man’s land and need help because...insert any hardships like mom illness, house sale and being homeless.  You want to find out if  a State Department case number has been issued so you can finish.  Your Spouse visa petition was approved on [date] by the USCIS office in London. The case has been with the consulate in London for some time but you can’t continue with the automated procedures without a case number. The embassy will not respond even though they are open and conducting interviews. Can they please help you find out if a case number has been assigned or give you more information on how to get one.
 

 

Oh, I had no idea there was someone else I could ask.  That was primary frustration: there wasn't anyone to escalate to.  I will def look into this. Even if it is a shot in the dark, at least I will feel like I tried.  Thanks @Wuozopo!!!

[The4Sands 67]

Just now, os306 said:

That being said, I did have a look at the timelines of some of the NVC filers who received their interview dates and it looks like some of them sent off their I-130 petitions at the beginning of 2019.

That's a good point @os306.  It helps to have some perspective.  Some of those people have been waiting twice as long as we've even been considering moving... Patience is a virtue.  We're all going to be saints after this, we'll have so much virtue 😂

[Robyn-n-Kris 72]

6 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

That's a good point @os306.  It helps to have some perspective.  Some of those people have been waiting twice as long as we've even been considering moving... Patience is a virtue.  We're all going to be saints after this, we'll have so much virtue 😂

I think what has me stressed, is knowing we are just waiting on the LDN number. We hate it when we can't action things. Doesn't help that we had to do the visa process in reverse just over a year ago to come here. So, my nerves are just gone. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

10 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

Oh, I had no idea there was someone else I could ask.  That was primary frustration: there wasn't anyone to escalate to.  I will def look into this. Even if it is a shot in the dark, at least I will feel like I tried.  Thanks @Wuozopo!!!

 It was many years ago, but the Dept of State could see what was happening at NVC or embassy because all are under the same DOS umbrella. They quit answering questions after it became the hot number to call. And we have lost the number we actually called. But maybe somebody sympathetic will be able to search for the case in embassy records if it has been registered. Then again, it may not have been pick up by anybody since arrival from USCIS London.

[Stuwoolf 44]

14 minutes ago, Robyn-n-Kris said:

I think what has me stressed, is knowing we are just waiting on the LDN number. We hate it when we can't action things. Doesn't help that we had to do the visa process in reverse just over a year ago to come here. So, my nerves are just gone. 

Hang in there....I do feel your pain.🙂

[The4Sands 67]

Just now, Stuwoolf said:

Hang in there....I do feel your pain.🙂

@Stuwoolf is right.  It does help to know that we're not alone in this.  This little group of people is definitely helping to keep me sane 😊