2010 United Kingdom AOS Thread

[beatlesrebel 0]

Hi guys,

Since we've been following each other's progress on the other UK interview thread, I thought it'd be nice for us to follow each other's adjustment of status progress. I know there are a few people who had their interviews in 2010 who have already landed in America. What have your experiences been and have you started filing for AOS yet? Good luck to all of us with this next step!!

[English Muffin 59]

You might not know but there's a UK AOS thread in the AOS forum. Here's the link http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=189022

[Justine+David 218]

Right, we've discussed on the interview thread already that we should start a new one for 2010...since it is 2010, lol.

Thanks Beatle! I figured it was too preemptive for me to start one since David and I haven't had our interview yet

Edited February 16, 2010 by Justine+David

[beatlesrebel 0]

Right, we've discussed on the interview thread already that we should start a new one for 2010...since it is 2010, lol.

Thanks Beatle! I figured it was too preemptive for me to start one since David and I haven't had our interview yet

You're welcome! I know there's a thread for 2009 AOS'ers on the AOS thread, but we in the 2010 UK Interview thread have become a bit like family, so I thought it'd be nice to chart our progresses through this one!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Moving to AOS Case Filing and Progress Reports from UK sub-forum as per the 2009 AOS thread.

Edited February 16, 2010 by elmcitymaven

[Justine+David 218]

So uh...how 'bout them civil surgeons eh? I actually found one in Alexandria for fairly cheap thank goodness. I sure hope the fees for AOS don't go up when we file, as GaryandAlla indicated, eep!

[SunDrop 59]

So uh...how 'bout them civil surgeons eh? I actually found one in Alexandria for fairly cheap thank goodness. I sure hope the fees for AOS don't go up when we file, as GaryandAlla indicated, eep!

Oh my good *%$"£... visa fees nearly tripling and AOS going up?? This is just.. mean.

FFS....

[Justine+David 218]

I KNOW!!!

But Gary said the director of the VSC or something like that told him to expect the fees to go up soon. The last time they did that they almost doubled the fees; I couldn't believe how much less they used to pay a few years ago...

[beatlesrebel 0]

So uh...how 'bout them civil surgeons eh? I actually found one in Alexandria for fairly cheap thank goodness. I sure hope the fees for AOS don't go up when we file, as GaryandAlla indicated, eep!

Well sh*t!! As if $1,000 isn't enough they want more? So frustrating. I looked at the civil surgeon list and there are a few in the big city near me (an hour or so away), but I think we're going to take the chance and just send the DS-3025 and see how far we get. I believe nich-nick did the same thing (correct me if I got the person wrong) and they had no trouble (other people have done the same). Phill had all his shots completed by the time of the medical, so they are all documented. I'm going to look into it a bit more to make sure the rules haven't changed in the past few months.

Edited February 16, 2010 by beatlesrebel

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Not to mention when the fees went up the last time, I believe August 2007, everyone filed all at the same time, July 2007. Caused a lot of delays and loads of backlog. Not so much for the embassies but for the service centers.

We also just sent the DS-3025 and had no problem at all, actually was waiting for the RFE as we waited to file and by the time we got transferred to CSC, my husband's medical was expired. but they approved us no problems. I'm very shocked at the number of RFEs for medicals at the minute, as most shouldn't have a problem seeing as they approved us with an expired medical. We filed March 2009 and the medical expired April 2009, we were transferred to CSC early May 2009 and approved in July.

[beatlesrebel 0]

Not to mention when the fees went up the last time, I believe August 2007, everyone filed all at the same time, July 2007. Caused a lot of delays and loads of backlog. Not so much for the embassies but for the service centers.

We also just sent the DS-3025 and had no problem at all, actually was waiting for the RFE as we waited to file and by the time we got transferred to CSC, my husband's medical was expired. but they approved us no problems. I'm very shocked at the number of RFEs for medicals at the minute, as most shouldn't have a problem seeing as they approved us with an expired medical. We filed March 2009 and the medical expired April 2009, we were transferred to CSC early May 2009 and approved in July.

Wow, wonder if we'll see delays this year. Thanks for sharing your experience with the DS-3025! I want to double check, the medical is good for a year correct? Or is it only 6 months? I know I have it written down somewhere in my paperwork.

[John and Camie 39]

OMIGOD, they're going to hike up the fees for AOS?!!

You know, USCIS really needs to get its procedural #$@&! together before thinking about a fee increase. John and I did everything for our medical that we were supposed to do, and I'm STILL ready to get an RFE, for no other reason than because USCIS have been alarmingly out to lunch with the medicals lately.

[SunDrop 59]

Well sh*t!! As if $1,000 isn't enough they want more? So frustrating. I looked at the civil surgeon list and there are a few in the big city near me (an hour or so away), but I think we're going to take the chance and just send the DS-3025 and see how far we get. I believe nich-nick did the same thing (correct me if I got the person wrong) and they had no trouble (other people have done the same). Phill had all his shots completed by the time of the medical, so they are all documented. I'm going to look into it a bit more to make sure the rules haven't changed in the past few months.

From what I've read recently, anyone filing AOS after November 2009 (why it wouldn't have applied to Nich-Nick or Damian&Kelly) has to submit a I-693. Those on the cusp seem to be the ones getting RFEs.

I honestly think they're working at making it more attractive to get married and file for a CR1 rather than a K1. I just think that's irresponsible because people are getting married for the wrong reasons (ease of process and/or cost) and it just encourages hasty/ rash decision making. Had I known the fees were going up for AOS too (I knew about the visa fee) I probably would have changed my flight from Jan 12th to Jan 30th and gotten married Jan 29th, when my divorce was finalised on Jan 28th. Would have been MUCH cheaper, quicker to work, no AOS, no farting around with Civil Surgeon cr*p.... And they wonder why so many people AOS on VWPs.... it's bordering on the ridiculous.

Edited February 16, 2010 by SunDrop

[Nik+Heather 121]

Agree with SunDrop - people who send in DS3025 end up getting RFEs for I693 part 1, part 2 (vacc. section only) and part 5 - in specifically worded RFEs despite the DS3025 showing complete history.

Even then, expect an RFE. There was a thread recently about how they are using contractors to open the packages and send off RFEs for anything missing. Unfortunately, as K visas are extraordinarily uncommon (when you take into account all the other AOS categories, we are in the single digit percentages), they are easily confused, and I don't think they even look for our POE packet before shooting off an RFE. People before me have had their medicals "found" again in their actual file, and it happened to us too. I would expect an RFE due to incompetence (or, if I'm nice, poor training), but there are relatively easy ways to fix it. Added bonus: when the guy was poking around in my file for the medical, he approved our AP and EAD, so we were a bit ahead of the curve in that processing time BECAUSE of the RFE.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Nik+Heather

[Justine+David 218]

Grrrr.

Well, maybe in 6 months when I apply the newbies will get their act together.

Are there really that many people adjusting from other visas vs the K1? Really? When we're doing it the legal way? Not that you can't do it legally the other way, but not 100% of the cases I'm sure. How frustrating.