DCF in London - January 2020

[Morgan5698 58]

1 minute ago, Jaclyn K said:

We did DCF. I am the USC sponsoring my husband. Am I allowed in with him?

When I was there last week they were not allowing anybody in except those with appointments. I had an Email A few days prior saying this. 

 

To facilitate social distancing within public areas, only visa applicants will be admitted.

 

If the weather is decent though its quite nice to sit outside. And there are a few bars, cafe's and restaurants right there depending on the interview time. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

11 minutes ago, Jaclyn K said:

We did DCF. I am the USC sponsoring my husband. Am I allowed in with him?

Normally yes, but Covid rules apply now.  
Fill out your profile with an embassy and applied for IR1/CR1 (DCF)

[Stuwoolf 44]

Another day gone and once again there is no post from Visa Unit. The wait for the elusive LND continues.😔

 

Its been a couple of years since I saw some of my USC wifes family. Her 2 daughters and her granddaughter are almost a distant memory.

 

Are we both permitted entry to US while this DCF debacle continues? Is there a limit of time I, UKC, can remain there? Can I use VWP as I have done in the past?

 

Maybe by the time we returned the LND would be waiting for us........

Edited September 1, 2020 by Stuwoolf

[Morgan5698 58]

1 minute ago, Stuwoolf said:

Another day gone and once again there is no post from Visa Unit. The wait for the ellusive LND continues.😔

 

Its been a couple of years since I saw some of my USC wifes family. Her 2 daughters and her granddaughter are almost a distant memory.

 

Are we both permitted entry to US while this DCF debacle continues? Is there a limit of time I, UKC, can remain there? Can I use VWP as I have done in the past?

 

Maybe by the time we returned the LND would be waiting for us........

Hold on in there. As A spouse of A USC you are exempt from the Presidential Proclamation on Covid. I'd recommend using a well known Carrier like BA or Delta, arrive at the airport early, take a copy of your marriage license and dont check in online, wait until you get to the airport. They will speak with CBP regarding your exception.  Assuming you're travelling with your wife that will be fine, if not take a copy of her passport. As always, entry is at the discretion of the CBP officer when you enter the US. Assuming you are going on an ESTA you can stay up to three months, but i'd recommend going no where close to that as it just raises suspicions, especially as you are married to A USC with a pending immigrant visa.  

[The4Sands 67]

1 minute ago, Morgan5698 said:

Hold on in there. As A spouse of A USC you are exempt from the Presidential Proclamation on Covid. I'd recommend using a well known Carrier like BA or Delta, arrive at the airport early, take a copy of your marriage license and dont check in online, wait until you get to the airport. They will speak with CBP regarding your exception.  Assuming you're travelling with your wife that will be fine, if not take a copy of her passport. As always, entry is at the discretion of the CBP officer when you enter the US. Assuming you are going on an ESTA you can stay up to three months, but i'd recommend going no where close to that as it just raises suspicions, especially as you are married to A USC with a pending immigrant visa.  

Also maybe check on the day/the day before that your ESTA is still valid.  I have seen on here in the past few months that some people have booked travel only to realise the day before or the day of their flight that their ESTA had been cancelled with no notice. I think the system was auto-cancelling people because it doesn't know anything about the exceptions to the travel ban.

[Stuwoolf 44]

5 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

Also maybe check on the day/the day before that your ESTA is still valid.  I have seen on here in the past few months that some people have booked travel only to realise the day before or the day of their flight that their ESTA had been cancelled with no notice. I think the system was auto-cancelling people because it doesn't know anything about the exceptions to the travel ban.

Wow! Good advice, thanks.

 

In an effort to circumvent such an issue, is there another means to secure a travel visa which would mean checks etc being made thus validating the application?

[Morgan5698 58]

4 minutes ago, The4Sands said:

Also maybe check on the day/the day before that your ESTA is still valid.  I have seen on here in the past few months that some people have booked travel only to realise the day before or the day of their flight that their ESTA had been cancelled with no notice. I think the system was auto-cancelling people because it doesn't know anything about the exceptions to the travel ban.

So what happens here is they cancel it if you check in online as they see you are not valid for travel. The US embassy website states not to check in online (presumably to stop this happening) then at the airport the airline contacts CBP and they put an override in place. Here it is on the embassy web page 

[Stuwoolf 44]

2 minutes ago, Morgan5698 said:

So what happens here is they cancel it if you check in online as they see you are not valid for travel. The US embassy website states not to check in online (presumably to stop this happening) then at the airport the airline contacts CBP and they put an override in place. Here it is on the embassy web page 

So ESTA remains a workable option.🙂

[Morgan5698 58]

3 minutes ago, Stuwoolf said:

So ESTA remains a workable option.🙂

Assuming yours is still valid! I have no idea what applying for a new one would do. You may have to contact through the official ESTA website in that case if you cannot apply. But I think an ESTA is your only option as applying for a tourist visa wont work as that would require a trip to the embassy, and they are not issuing them. It's all pretty messy at the moment. 

[Stuwoolf 44]

Morning all🙂 I sincetely hope you teceived your LND today.

 

All I received was a response to my previous email asking where my LND was.

 

This is the reply.

 

"As previously advised, due to COVID-19, we are currently experiencing a significant backlog. The Immigrant Visa Unit will be in contact with you in due course with detailed information on how to proceed with your application. 

 

Sincerely,....."

 

Utterly no help at all.😑

 

Our wait to receive our LND continues.😔

[AlanD26 14]

Yup still nothing here.

 

This is the reply I got:

 

"Thank you for your email. 

 

We understand your frustration. Due to COVID-19 we are experiencing a significant backlog and our colleagues in the Immigrant Visa Unit are working hard during this time. They will contact you directly with information on how to proceed with the case in due course. Please be patient and bear with them. "

 

I then replied to them this:

 

"Thanks so much for getting back to me, I really appreciate that.

 

I totally understand the COVID-19 situation, it's been insane out there. I'm more than happy to wait and I know people are working hard.

 

Do you see my concern however in that it's been 23 weeks (March 16th) since I've had any contact from them and people who got their I-130s approved AFTER me in June and in some cases July have got their LND numbers, its slightly concerning. We had lots of problems with our mail during the pandemic and I'm really worried that they have sent me my LND details but that it hasn't arrived at my house. Is anyone able to at least check? If my case hasn't been processed that's absolutely fine, I understand the backlog and work everyone is doing. It just worries me that people who were approved in June and July have got theirs whilst mine was approved in March and I've heard nothing. I'm worried it's been processed (I find it strange that they would process June acceptances having not done Marchs) and sent out to me but I havent got it. In which case they will be waiting for me to send documents and organise interviews when I cant as I dont have my LND number.

 

Apologies for the rant but it's just really concerning."

 

To which they have totally ignored as that was 6 days ago now....... 

 

 

[Stuwoolf 44]

30 minutes ago, AlanD26 said:

Yup still nothing here.

 

This is the reply I got:

 

"Thank you for your email. 

 

We understand your frustration. Due to COVID-19 we are experiencing a significant backlog and our colleagues in the Immigrant Visa Unit are working hard during this time. They will contact you directly with information on how to proceed with the case in due course. Please be patient and bear with them. "

 

I then replied to them this:

 

"Thanks so much for getting back to me, I really appreciate that.

 

I totally understand the COVID-19 situation, it's been insane out there. I'm more than happy to wait and I know people are working hard.

 

Do you see my concern however in that it's been 23 weeks (March 16th) since I've had any contact from them and people who got their I-130s approved AFTER me in June and in some cases July have got their LND numbers, its slightly concerning. We had lots of problems with our mail during the pandemic and I'm really worried that they have sent me my LND details but that it hasn't arrived at my house. Is anyone able to at least check? If my case hasn't been processed that's absolutely fine, I understand the backlog and work everyone is doing. It just worries me that people who were approved in June and July have got theirs whilst mine was approved in March and I've heard nothing. I'm worried it's been processed (I find it strange that they would process June acceptances having not done Marchs) and sent out to me but I havent got it. In which case they will be waiting for me to send documents and organise interviews when I cant as I dont have my LND number.

 

Apologies for the rant but it's just really concerning."

 

To which they have totally ignored as that was 6 days ago now....... 

 

 

I too responded as follows

 

"Sir,

 

Whilst I understand there are backlog issues as a result of Covid-19, this does not explain why other Petitioners and their Benificiary, who received their Approval from USCIS on June 29 (the same date as our USCIS Approval) have now received their LND Number yet our LND Number has not been sent.

 

Working in an NHS hosptal ward I honestly do understand the impact of Covid-19, however as mentioned, it does not explain why some, with the same Approval date as me, June 29, have received the LND Number and I have not?

 

Grateful for your continuing assistance.

 

Sincerely,"

 

Lets see what happens.

[AlanD26 14]

Yup, no matter how much logic you use it appears they aren't interested in helping. As I said, I sent mine 6 days ago now and haven't heard anything back so I'm assuming they will just be ignoring it.

 

Ill be at the embassy soon to sort out my boys passport and whilst there I will not be leaving until I have spoken to someone about it. Once I've got the dates for his passport, I'm more than happy to ask them about your case as well if you want to message me your names. Totally up to you.

[The4Sands 67]

Nothing here so far either, although I'm not sure if the postie has been or not.  I'm not holding my breath.

 

I got my I-130 approval after @AlanD26 and before @Stuwoolf so it does all feel very random.

 

7 minutes ago, AlanD26 said:

Ill be at the embassy soon to sort out my boys passport and whilst there I will not be leaving until I have spoken to someone about it. Once I've got the dates for his passport, I'm more than happy to ask them about your case as well if you want to message me your names. Totally up to you.

I would be happy for you to ask about my case but with the way GDPR is here I can't imagine they'd actually give you any info.  Maybe if we wrote up one of those permission forms like the congresspeople make you fill out when they contact USCIS on your behalf!

 

Here's hoping you get your LND before you have to stage a sit-in at the embassy...

[AlanD26 14]

Oh yeah I wouldn't expect them to give me your LND number but could at least say "yes, its been issued" or "no, its still processing". That way you know its either been lost in the post and you can then get in touch with them.

 

What they seem to not understand is that none of us are chasing them demanding numbers, we just want some information as something clearly doesnt seem to be right and appear to have zero interest in helping.