Medical question

[NealandCari 0]

My fiance didn't get to schedule his medical today. Can he still send back the P3 checklist tomorrow and just write 'pending' for the medical date until he schedules it on Monday?

Thanks in advance!

[SanfordnBonnie 0]

Our checklist said only to schedule the medical. But as you can see from our timeline the interview came really fast afterwards, so I'd sent it back but only if he can have his medical done within a week or so.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

We did book the medical before sending off the checklist, but we changed the date after it was sent. I called the DoS and asked if changing the date would be a problem -- would the Embassy think, "we weren't expecting this for another week...bottom of the pile for you, Sonny Jim!" The DoS said that it wouldn't be a problem at all to change the date, and that the Embassy wouldn't have a problem marrying up the medical to our file even if it was a week earlier than expected.

So...I am going to say something a little controversial here. Given that London is giving out August interview dates now, you are highly unlikely to get an interview date before the medical unless you do something like forget to schedule the medical in the first place. Why not write down what you think is a likely date for the medical (choose something in the next 2 weeks), post the thing and then make the appointment? As you can change the date without causing any problem at the Embassy, it looks like a risk you can take without consequences.

[Captain Oates 911]

We did book the medical before sending off the checklist, but we changed the date after it was sent. I called the DoS and asked if changing the date would be a problem -- would the Embassy think, "we weren't expecting this for another week...bottom of the pile for you, Sonny Jim!" The DoS said that it wouldn't be a problem at all to change the date, and that the Embassy wouldn't have a problem marrying up the medical to our file even if it was a week earlier than expected.

So...I am going to say something a little controversial here. Given that London is giving out August interview dates now, you are highly unlikely to get an interview date before the medical unless you do something like forget to schedule the medical in the first place. Why not write down what you think is a likely date for the medical (choose something in the next 2 weeks), post the thing and then make the appointment? As you can change the date without causing any problem at the Embassy, it looks like a risk you can take without consequences.

Pardon my ignorance - just catching up on the medical thing -which is the fastest way to do it ? some say you MUST have the London visa reference number ? so I would have to wait for packet 3 before I could book it ?

When I did K1 I got the medical early and then emailed the embassy and asked for a cancellation - and got an interview in 10 days !

I know things have changed a lot nowadays but what is the fastest way to do this ? If a London number is not needed, could I go ahead and arrange it after NVC say 'case complete' or is that way too early. Does the clinic insist on me knowing an interview date or can i just make one up and tell the embassy that I have already had ithe medical when they write to me ?

Looking for some new tricks

alan

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Hey Alan -- glad to see your case is moving on a bit and you can now worry about the medical! Basically, it boils down to this: You need your Embassy-specific case number (starts LND2007...) to book your medical. When you call to book your medical, they'll ask you if you have an interview date yet. If you say it hasn't been assigned, they say "okay, that's fine. When can you come in for the medical?"

The checklist you have to send back to the Embassy (DS2001) will ask you for your medical date, so it's probably for the best that you book the medical before you send back the checklist. Other people do it differently and wait to hear when the interview will be before booking, but if you get a date and then there are no medical slots available until after the interview...well, we didn't want to even think about that.

So in a nutshell: get LND case number. Book medical. Wait for P3 to arrive. Return checklist with medical date on it. And then, of course, go to the medical, get interview date, etc etc. Hope this helps!

[Captain Oates 911]

Hey Alan -- glad to see your case is moving on a bit and you can now worry about the medical! Basically, it boils down to this: You need your Embassy-specific case number (starts LND2007...) to book your medical. When you call to book your medical, they'll ask you if you have an interview date yet. If you say it hasn't been assigned, they say "okay, that's fine. When can you come in for the medical?"

The checklist you have to send back to the Embassy (DS2001) will ask you for your medical date, so it's probably for the best that you book the medical before you send back the checklist. Other people do it differently and wait to hear when the interview will be before booking, but if you get a date and then there are no medical slots available until after the interview...well, we didn't want to even think about that.

So in a nutshell: get LND case number. Book medical. Wait for P3 to arrive. Return checklist with medical date on it. And then, of course, go to the medical, get interview date, etc etc. Hope this helps!

just to check -the LND2007 case number that I have from the NVC stays with it all the way ? London embassy does not assign their own ?

If so, then i could book the medical as soon as NVC says 'case complete '? but that would mean that on the checklist, I would have to say 'medical already done '... or do you think its best to wait for packet 3 before booking....i was thinking that if i could get the medical done before packet 3, then they might assign an interview after a couple of weeks like last time - i reckon they only leave 5 weeks in order to get the medical done, so i was thinking, do it really early like before packet 3 ?

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

just to check -the LND2007 case number that I have from the NVC stays with it all the way ? London embassy does not assign their own ?

If so, then i could book the medical as soon as NVC says 'case complete '? but that would mean that on the checklist, I would have to say 'medical already done '... or do you think its best to wait for packet 3 before booking....i was thinking that if i could get the medical done before packet 3, then they might assign an interview after a couple of weeks like last time - i reckon they only leave 5 weeks in order to get the medical done, so i was thinking, do it really early like before packet 3 ?

Yes, the LND number stays the same. (I even used it to call the DoS with a question after the visa had been delivered!) It is fine to put on the checklist that you've already done the medical -- they just want the date. You can even put down that it hasn't been done yet. As far as any of us can tell over at the UK forum, they're assigning dates in late August/early September right now, and that's for people who sent in their checklists at the end of May/beginning of June. When you choose to have your medical seems to have no impact on when you get the interview date, but when they get your checklist does.

There is some evidence that if you have an absolute make-or-break date that you MUST be in the US by, the Embassy will try to accommodate you, but this seems to be for those who are doing K1 and have scheduled wedding plans before the interview date was given out.

[Captain Oates 911]

just to check -the LND2007 case number that I have from the NVC stays with it all the way ? London embassy does not assign their own ?

If so, then i could book the medical as soon as NVC says 'case complete '? but that would mean that on the checklist, I would have to say 'medical already done '... or do you think its best to wait for packet 3 before booking....i was thinking that if i could get the medical done before packet 3, then they might assign an interview after a couple of weeks like last time - i reckon they only leave 5 weeks in order to get the medical done, so i was thinking, do it really early like before packet 3 ?

Yes, the LND number stays the same. (I even used it to call the DoS with a question after the visa had been delivered!) It is fine to put on the checklist that you've already done the medical -- they just want the date. You can even put down that it hasn't been done yet. As far as any of us can tell over at the UK forum, they're assigning dates in late August/early September right now, and that's for people who sent in their checklists at the end of May/beginning of June. When you choose to have your medical seems to have no impact on when you get the interview date, but when they get your checklist does.

There is some evidence that if you have an absolute make-or-break date that you MUST be in the US by, the Embassy will try to accommodate you, but this seems to be for those who are doing K1 and have scheduled wedding plans before the interview date was given out.

ah thats very clear - i will try and schedule the medical as soon as i have the 'case complete ' at nvc.. i believe its valid for a year like the police certificate so thats ok... i like to try and get as much in front as i can...

So its 3 months to the interview from the checklist receipt ? thats really scuppered us then. I reckon we will be case complete nvc mid august - so checklist early september and interview late november ? rats we are scuppered - that means i wont get medicare at 65 as i will be a few days short of 5 years in the country ...I was aiming for 5th november...

I dare not tell carolyn - she thinks she will be home late fall...

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

ah thats very clear - i will try and schedule the medical as soon as i have the 'case complete ' at nvc.. i believe its valid for a year like the police certificate so thats ok... i like to try and get as much in front as i can...

So its 3 months to the interview from the checklist receipt ? thats really scuppered us then. I reckon we will be case complete nvc mid august - so checklist early september and interview late november ? rats we are scuppered - that means i wont get medicare at 65 as i will be a few days short of 5 years in the country ...I was aiming for 5th november...

I dare not tell carolyn - she thinks she will be home late fall...

Unfortunately (fortunately for us?) we didn't have to deal with the NVC so I don't have experience there. Our interview date was just over 7 weeks after we sent the checklist, and 6-8 weeks appeared to be the norm for a looooong time over at the UK forum (with a few lucky souls who had a shorter lag). Now it's slowed down again, and the hypothesis is that Embassy staff will be on holiday in August, so fewer dates available. Again, this is a hypothesis only! It could very well be that by the time you get your P3, the lag will be back down to 6-8 weeks.

[Captain Oates 911]

ah thats very clear - i will try and schedule the medical as soon as i have the 'case complete ' at nvc.. i believe its valid for a year like the police certificate so thats ok... i like to try and get as much in front as i can...

So its 3 months to the interview from the checklist receipt ? thats really scuppered us then. I reckon we will be case complete NVC mid august - so checklist early September and interview late November ? rats we are scuppered - that means i wont get Medicare at 65 as i will be a few days short of 5 years in the country ...I was aiming for 5th november...

I dare not tell Carolyn - she thinks she will be home late fall...

Unfortunately (fortunately for us?) we didn't have to deal with the NVC so I don't have experience there. Our interview date was just over 7 weeks after we sent the checklist, and 6-8 weeks appeared to be the norm for a looooong time over at the UK forum (with a few lucky souls who had a shorter lag). Now it's slowed down again, and the hypothesis is that Embassy staff will be on holiday in August, so fewer dates available. Again, this is a hypothesis only! It could very well be that by the time you get your P3, the lag will be back down to 6-8 weeks.

Fingers and all appendages crossed !

It's been a weird day - first my AOS fee bill was confirmed as received 2 days ago by NVC -proving I did my bar codes ok !

Then I wondered where the AOS fee bill original was - it just turned up in the mail from Carolyn's ma in Wisconsin - so NVC ignored the fact that she is a UK resident - but at least we know where it went.

Then I learned good news that the visa comes 2 days after the interview

Then the good news that I can do the medical early - even before the file leaves NVC as I have the LON2007 number

Then the bad news about interview delays at London - but as you say it could be staffing shortages in August - I am dreaming of a mid October interview so perhaps we might just squeak it - especially if i say i have had the medical and got the police cert and i am ready to roll with no notice...

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

You'll be fine! I understand all this can make your brain feel fried at times, if not at ALL times. Hang in there, deep breaths, almost to the last stage now, believe it or not.

[NealandCari 0]

Well, we mailed off the Packet 3 on the 23rd and wrote "pending" for the medical date. Neal booked his medical at the beginning of this week. It's next week, on the 3rd of July at 3:30 pm. Obviously that will give plenty of time before the interview date.

My question, however, is this: Should he email or call the embassy to let them know he now has a legitimate medical date? Or will they figure it out?