Australians Waiting For Interview at US Consulate Sydney

[RM1664 10]

Hi Guys quick update

My interview was the 5th of January (spouse visa, I posted about it a few pages back), got me visa on the 8th of January in the mail. SO three days to have visa in hand mailed to Newcastle NSW. I flew to the states on the 21st.

Warning, Sydney international has no food or shops open past Immigration etc, so if you need to eat before your flight, do it before you go to the airport, or you will be eating plane food only. I would say 99% of everything was shut, a book store was open, 2 cafe shops were apparently opened, but I saw no staff serving anyone, and a amcal chemist.

Duty free booze, electronics etc was open, but no food like normal.

I arrived into LAX, my process lasted my 5 mins at immigration, didnt ask me anything. Was straight forward.
It took me 20 mins total to walk off plane, go through immigration, get my bags, walk through customs (no one touching anything, only dog sniffers, but about 5 dogs due to covid, so was nice not having bag tossed and having to repack etc) and walk to terminal 6.

Lax was 50% shut I would say.

Arrived to Salt Lake city, its like covid isnt even here, every shop open, no one cares.....


I started my journey from Newcastle at 455am on the train to Sydney. From then, until I got in the car in SLC, I had to wear a mask the entire time. so that ended up being 24.5 hours.
My face felt so gross, bring something to wash your face and bring a spare mask to swap out during flight etc. (all public transport in NSW you need a mask, same in LA etc.)

It took me about 1 week to get my permit from dept of home affairs to leave Australia too, I had my passport back with visa before I had  permit to leave.

Only 30 people total on my American Airlines flight to LAX, no one was allowed to sit next to each other including husbands and wives, which meant everyone got their own row to lay down etc.

Thanks to everyone who posted in this entire thread!! Honestly better than my lawyer! Better than the gov at keeping me informed.

Ill try and remember to check in with any updates or things I discover if I think it will help.
For now, I have to wait 21 months then adjust status from CR-1 to IR-1 visa. Wait for SSN and GC to arrive, somehow get a Drivers Liense here in utah and a bank account.
Ill update when I think it will be helpful.

Thanks again guys.





 

[HRQX 4,145]

7 hours ago, RM1664 said:

I have to wait 21 months then adjust status from CR-1 to IR-1 visa.

It's called "Removal of Conditions" (ROC). If you start employment with the 2-year GC then your employer shouldn't ask to see new card when the 2-year GC expires. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/complete-correct-form-i-9/completing-section-3-reverification-and-rehires

Employers should not reverify:

• U.S. citizens and noncitizen nationals
• Lawful permanent residents who presented a Form I-551, Permanent Resident or Alien Registration Receipt card for Section 2. This includes conditional residents.
• List B documents

[ClaireH93 4]

On 1/14/2021 at 1:41 PM, icantsmell said:

Hi!

We got the email asking for correspondence to schedule an interview on December 9.

On December 9 we replied and we received a response on December 13 telling us our interview will be on 12-Jan.

 

The interview went smooth, now my husband is basically stranded in Sydney because he's from Melbourne. He's asked the consulate to mail him the passport/whatever else to his hotel so he can travel straight to USA from Sydney.

Unfortunately there's been no movement on neither the travel exemption to leave the country, nor the passport so we're just bleeding $ since he has to keep extending his hotel stay.

 

Does anyone else have an estimate or is anyone else waiting right now for getting their passport/docs back from the consulate? How long does it typically take? We've been waiting since the 12th.

 

Thanks

 

 

I assume he has received his passport now?

They print visas and mail on Thursday.

I had my interview on Monday 4th, received passport Friday 8th. Was staying at a hotel round the corner

[icantsmell 0]

3 minutes ago, ClaireH93 said:

I assume he has received his passport now?

They print visas and mail on Thursday.

I had my interview on Monday 4th, received passport Friday 8th. Was staying at a hotel round the corner

 

He went back to Melbourne because the borders opened back up. Our status on the CEAC website was still "Administrative Processing" until Tuesday morning when it changed to "Issed". They shipped it out Tuesday the 19th, and the hotel forwarded it to his home address and he just needs the travel exemption now

 

I think there was a delay because as someone correctly pointed out, Monday was a US federal holiday.

Edited January 22, 2021 by icantsmell

[thisisnotnormal 12]

4 hours ago, ClaireH93 said:

I assume he has received his passport now?

They print visas and mail on Thursday.

I had my interview on Monday 4th, received passport Friday 8th. Was staying at a hotel round the corner

Hi Claire,

 

Could I ask where you are getting this information that visas are only printed on a Thursday from? I’ve never heard of that before. 

[KeishaAB 0]

On 1/15/2021 at 1:58 PM, ErinB said:

Hey guys 👋

 

So, as many of you may know, we’ve had our interview done and have just completed our medical, but unfortunately the doctor is away until the 25th so he won’t be signing off on my results and sending the report to the consulate until then. 
 

I just checked the CEAC tracker today and our case still says refused (expected), but ever since the interview it’s had the “last updated” date as our interview date. Now, although our status hasn’t changed, the last updated date was yesterday. 
 

I’m sure this is fine and completely normal, but I was wondering if anyone had some insights as to why our case would be being touched when they don’t have our medical records yet?
 

thanks!  

Hi, Do you know how much the medical costs?

 

[ErinB 17]

On 1/23/2021 at 2:42 PM, KeishaAB said:

Hi, Do you know how much the medical costs?

 

mine was $633 + a $75 deposit I had to pay to have the appointment confirmed

[ErinB 17]

Hi guys!

Quick question for those who've been through this before:

I'm currently waiting for my medical to be sent to the consulate, which I expect will be done sometime today. Does anyone know if, should that happen, we should expect to see any movement on CEAC tracker today? I know, I know, a watched pot never boils: but my anxiety is in overdrive and honestly I can't concentrate on anything else. If we won't hear anything today regardless, maybe my brain can let this go for the day lol

[ClaireH93 4]

On 22/01/2021 at 8:12 PM, thisisnotnormal said:

Hi Claire,

 

Could I ask where you are getting this information that visas are only printed on a Thursday from? I’ve never heard of that before. 

The consular officer that interviewed me said "we're only printing visas on a Thursday currently so it should get mailed Thursday afternoon". 

 

He was spot on, mine changed to issued at about midday on the Thursday and I received it Friday morning 

[thisisnotnormal 12]

28 minutes ago, ClaireH93 said:

The consular officer that interviewed me said "we're only printing visas on a Thursday currently so it should get mailed Thursday afternoon". 

 

He was spot on, mine changed to issued at about midday on the Thursday and I received it Friday morning 

Thanks for letting me know. 

[A&C NJ, USA 15]

Had my interview this morning (25/1) 

it was lots of Covid and security, but once I started the official interview it was super quick and easy. 
Visa approved and should be mailed this week. 
 

Side note - K1 visa’s, they are now asking for us to supply our own express post return envelope for passports etc.

I received an email for this request the Friday before the Monday interview. 
 

The officials are super nice and helpful, and I’ve enjoyed my experience with them. 

[Gii 48]

I had my K1 interview today! All went smoothly, really easy process. The officer told me I was approved and to keep an eye out for my package in the next couple of weeks! 

[RM1664 10]

On 1/22/2021 at 1:27 PM, HRQX said:

It's called "Removal of Conditions" (ROC). If you start employment with the 2-year GC then your employer shouldn't ask to see new card when the 2-year GC expires. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/complete-correct-form-i-9/completing-section-3-reverification-and-rehires

Employers should not reverify:

• U.S. citizens and noncitizen nationals
• Lawful permanent residents who presented a Form I-551, Permanent Resident or Alien Registration Receipt card for Section 2. This includes conditional residents.
• List B documents

thanks Mate, thats great!

[RM1664 10]

On 1/22/2021 at 8:42 PM, KeishaAB said:

Hi, Do you know how much the medical costs?

 

Mine cost about $600 plus a deposit.

Be aware if you need vaccinations, you will have to pay even more for them. I am not sure how much they are, as I had my vax done in the military already.

 

[RM1664 10]

14 hours ago, ErinB said:

Hi guys!

Quick question for those who've been through this before:

I'm currently waiting for my medical to be sent to the consulate, which I expect will be done sometime today. Does anyone know if, should that happen, we should expect to see any movement on CEAC tracker today? I know, I know, a watched pot never boils: but my anxiety is in overdrive and honestly I can't concentrate on anything else. If we won't hear anything today regardless, maybe my brain can let this go for the day lol

Sorry I dont know, I did my medical about 2 weeks before my interview. I didnt even bother looking at ceac to see if it updated.
The doctor has to wait for the TB Xray and Blood Pathology reports to come back to him, I my Doctor said it would be sent about 5 days later electronically to the consulate.
But I am not sure there is anyway you could tell online.

You can always call  docs and asks if it was uploaded yet if you are that worried.