HELP! Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling After Expedite (Manila)

[Filipina128 0]

Hi everyone, we just got an approved expedited scheduling but there are no schedules available through USTraveldocs. It just says no schedule slots available. 

 

We have a F2B for my brother and his derivative son needed to be interviewed. Because of the confusing and lack of instructions on the VAC portal, we were able to schedule initially a biometrics appointment without the consular interview, so when we asked for the consular interview appointment, they said that we should have had 2 schedules in the first place, so they had us cancel the biometrics and schedule another one.

 

Now, we cant find any available schedules. We just finished their medical exams at st lukes and now in the limbo on not knowing as to when the next available interview schedules will open.

 

Can anyone please shed me some light on how to navigate this? I called the VAC and they said they have no clue, I've asked so many questions and they cant give me answers, turns out, they are just contractors and cant even schedule us even when the letter said we can call and schedule.

[nelmagriffin 151]

Greetings!

Last year, we had the same thing for my two brothers (F2B), expedited, I think this is due to caught up with the backlog.  We were so happy but then again worried about the appointments as most were fully booked, but anyways I helped them by scheduling their appointments. I made sure that everything was ready and the only thing I did was book for appointments. Every day, and every two hours, I waited for available schedules as some cancel etc. and I was able to do it on the third day, the embassy opened a lot more schedules esp. when someone cancel appointments. Just make sure to have their documents ready, and all nearly expired documents such NBI etc. are renewed. 2x2 photos etc. also if you have a new document, always download it on CEAC before their interview, otherwise it will be a hassle later as they will ask you to go our and download any new documents before the interview. so be wise and download it ahead. At this time, they had two appointments as finger printing is different from the interview at least that what I learned.

1. also I had appointment for medical.

[spicynujac 38]

We were able to find a free spot within a week of trying.  They seem to schedule interviews for a 30 day advance period, so I would expect after Jan 1 you will have some options for scheduling in February.  Whenever they release new spots (once a week?) you can easily grab them.  It's a bit scary when they give you access to the site and then you can't book, but that's normal for the PH embassy   They give you access to the site in a mass approval with a bunch of other people (which they inexplicably call "expediting" but it really just means scheduling) but don't add available booking dates into the website until later.

 

It will tell you "no dates available" for several days and then once the embassy releases the next week of slots, you will be free to book them (and there are many, many free slots each day so don't worry).  We just checked once a day until the bookings were available.  We had several choices of dates, and each day had dozens of spaces left. 

 

Just pay attention because it's confusing, you book the biometrics and the interview separately and it is NOT clear what you are doing until you've completed it.  They use some vague abbreviation like "VAC appointment" and then change that in the next screen to read something else in fine print without telling you these are 2 separate actions.  It never explains you will be booking 2 separate dates so we had to cancel ours afterwards because we booked them 4 days apart without understanding we were booking 2 different things.  You are booking fingerprinting in one location and in person interview on Roxas Blvd, in the same website action.

 

Due to the holidays, you might have to try for more than a week until there are free spots, but they should be there soon.  You are almost there!