CR-1 / IR-1 Interview updates

[Dags 134]

3 hours ago, Xyrstine said:

This is the chart they enclosed for the visa medical appointment.

 

I think flu/influenza shots start in October.

Brilliant, thanks! 😊

[BGjiffy2021 1]

30 minutes ago, shallot343 said:

Just wanted to say hi--I am in Brooklyn too!

 

Also you may be able to reschedule your medical for a few days time; there were a ton of appointments when my partner thought he would have to reschedule his due to the missing MH letter!

 

 

Amazing!! Yay BK friends

 

We were thinking that, but our interview is scheduled for Sept 30, so we're really down to the wire (and we'd need to pay a cancellation fee most likely). This happened in part because the doc office never sent my partner an email after he scheduled his appointment. He finally followed up yesterday to ask about it, so we only learned about the need for a medical history when that delayed email came through. All that to say, in the event we don't get the summary in time for tomorrow's appointment, I'm hoping they'll be lenient with us

 

(Side note- can't believe the UK embassy hasn't updated their required document list to include medical summary -- looking at this at VJ forum, it's been in place since at least mid-2018!)

Edited September 22, 2020 by BGjiffy2021

[RadChan 84]

2 hours ago, BGjiffy2021 said:

 

(Side note- can't believe the UK embassy hasn't updated their required document list to include medical summary -- looking at this at VJ forum, it's been in place since at least mid-2018!)

Ha, I can! They seem to take an, um, relaxed attitude towards updating the website. It still says a medical costs £290 and not £350, which seems to be the price it was in 2016. 

[Bug&Bug 147]

Done. I think I spent about an hour in the embassy of wich 10 min were providing documents and the interview. Most if it was waiting .

[Dags 134]

17 hours ago, Xyrstine said:

This is the chart they enclosed for the visa medical appointment.

 

I think flu/influenza shots start in October.

Thank you! That’s really helpful.

[MattyUKtoUS 242]

On 9/22/2020 at 10:25 AM, Mpere said:

Congratulations on the approval! I guess you are British National?  I had my interview on 3rd September, an additional document was requested which I already sent(my guess is because of my chinese nationality, the additional document was requested) but my visa status stuck at” refused” for almost two weeks now. If yours is at “AP” it should be issued later today or Tomorrow! Good luck! And I’m very jealous 

Ohhh that is very painful. I went through something similar with my K1 a few years ago. I hope you're no longer showing as Refused?

 

As for my case, still showing AP. I'll start worrying if it's still that way tonight. I felt like It should be saying issued after 24hr. That could be misguided by reading others experiences. 

 

All the best! Matt

[MattyUKtoUS 242]

I just saw this after checking every hour!

 

Hold in there folks! good status's be coming your way soon! 

[RadChan 84]

2 minutes ago, MattyUKtoUS said:

I just saw this after checking every hour!

 

Hold in there folks! good status's be coming your way soon! 

Congratulations!

[Bear_and_Bunny 25]

Thought I would update here as well as the review section.  

I arrived in the US on september 5th, so I've been here a couple of weeks. 

 

Leaving Heathrow there was a slight issue as there was a block on my passport being a UK one, so luckily the Delta guy checking me in handled it well and called a number and discussed my visa etc and it was cleared. 

 

I landed in Atlanta for my onward flight to Alabama (my final stop) and it was so relaxed and quiet.  There was hardly anyone there.  My wife (who travelled with me as she was already in the UK on a spousal visa anyway) and I were directed to foreign entry.  We went through and the guy asked a couple questions which are typical such as where were we staying and was I happy for the address on the visa to be where my green card would be sent.  I chose to update the address as we had leased our own place and wouldnt be with her sister now.   He mentioned he was a Alabama guy and wished us well and directed us to a waiting area. 

 

After about 5 minutes my name was called and I went to the counter and the guys first words were "what happened to the pink hair?" ( as for one of my pictures during visa process my hair was pink).  Then he gave me a piece of paper with key details of administrations and confirmed the address and told me to give it a few days for any updates on social security as it was labour day weekend and said "welcome home". And that was it!!

Since then I have had 4 job interviews and am just waiting on my social security card to arrive so I can complete a couple of background checks.  

 

 

[BGjiffy2021 1]

17 hours ago, BGjiffy2021 said:

Amazing!! Yay BK friends

 

We were thinking that, but our interview is scheduled for Sept 30, so we're really down to the wire (and we'd need to pay a cancellation fee most likely). This happened in part because the doc office never sent my partner an email after he scheduled his appointment. He finally followed up yesterday to ask about it, so we only learned about the need for a medical history when that delayed email came through. All that to say, in the event we don't get the summary in time for tomorrow's appointment, I'm hoping they'll be lenient with us

 

(Side note- can't believe the UK embassy hasn't updated their required document list to include medical summary -- looking at this at VJ forum, it's been in place since at least mid-2018!)

In case this is helpful to anyone in a similar boat -- my partner did not receive his medical summary from Babylon in advance of his medical exam, despite putting in an urgent request. He called to alert the Visa Medical office, and they were fine to see him regardless. The doctor said that they'd be happy to receive his summary by email whenever Babylon gets back to us. They also gave my partner a letter to show/send to Babylon, which may get things moving faster. Overall, Visa Medical was really helpful. 

 

They also advised that the embassy will do the interview without first having the patient summary (I think this just means that we may need to wait for the medical interview results to be sent over), so we're keeping out Sept 30 interview knowing we may need to wait a while on the backend for the medical to reach them, if the summary takes more than 1-2 days.

 

EDIT: One (possibly significant) caveat is my partner has no major medical history / no chronic health issues that require ongoing management / no mental health history, so his exam was easy and the medical summary will merely confirm this. It may be a different story with a more complex history. 

Edited September 23, 2020 by BGjiffy2021

[MattyUKtoUS 242]

2 hours ago, Bear_and_Bunny said:

Thought I would update here as well as the review section.  

I arrived in the US on september 5th, so I've been here a couple of weeks. 

 

Leaving Heathrow there was a slight issue as there was a block on my passport being a UK one, so luckily the Delta guy checking me in handled it well and called a number and discussed my visa etc and it was cleared. 

 

I landed in Atlanta for my onward flight to Alabama (my final stop) and it was so relaxed and quiet.  There was hardly anyone there.  My wife (who travelled with me as she was already in the UK on a spousal visa anyway) and I were directed to foreign entry.  We went through and the guy asked a couple questions which are typical such as where were we staying and was I happy for the address on the visa to be where my green card would be sent.  I chose to update the address as we had leased our own place and wouldnt be with her sister now.   He mentioned he was a Alabama guy and wished us well and directed us to a waiting area. 

 

After about 5 minutes my name was called and I went to the counter and the guys first words were "what happened to the pink hair?" ( as for one of my pictures during visa process my hair was pink).  Then he gave me a piece of paper with key details of administrations and confirmed the address and told me to give it a few days for any updates on social security as it was labour day weekend and said "welcome home". And that was it!!

Since then I have had 4 job interviews and am just waiting on my social security card to arrive so I can complete a couple of background checks.  

 

 

Would it be fair to say that assuming the airport arrivals is not too busy that this process is fairly quick at POE?

 

Best of luck with your interviews too, hope you're settling in OK?

 

 

Matt

[Appy 38]

1 hour ago, MattyUKtoUS said:

Would it be fair to say that assuming the airport arrivals is not too busy that this process is fairly quick at POE?

 

Best of luck with your interviews too, hope you're settling in OK?

 

 

Matt

Mine took between 5-10 minutes and it was at a normal CBP desk. No room/waiting area.  That was JFK two weeks ago. 

[MattyUKtoUS 242]

1 hour ago, Appy said:

Mine took between 5-10 minutes and it was at a normal CBP desk. No room/waiting area.  That was JFK two weeks ago. 

Thanks Appy!

 

I'll be flying into Newark EWR so hopefully I'll get a similar experience. 

[Hannahl4211 42]

Our expedite request got denied (I’m not surprised but still very frustrated). Can anyone tell me if this is just a generic email?!
I’m confused by the “once we have received all fees and documents” part, because I have been DQ since May!!!!! 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

4 minutes ago, Hannahl4211 said:

Our expedite request got denied (I’m not surprised but still very frustrated). Can anyone tell me if this is just a generic email?!
I’m confused by the “once we have received all fees and documents” part, because I have been DQ since May!!!!! 

 

I’d say it’s generic. They probably send 100 a day.