hopeful0811

I have heard of people submitting expedite requests on the basis of pregnancy! However, there seems to be mixed results on whether it is successful or not. I've heard some people say they were denied because it wasn't a good enough reason, yet other people get accepted. It is worth trying!

With the CR1/IR1 visa, you are entitled to start working as soon as you enter the US. You don't need to wait until you get your green card (mine arrived 7 weeks after entry and I began employment after 3) As for the SSN, mine arrived 2 weeks after entry - I had ticked the box on the form for it to automatically generate one for me. If you didn't, you'll have to go to your local office to get one sorted. I'm not sure about working whilst waiting for one though

I can't offer advice on most of your query but I can share my experience with the Utah Online Marriage - this is absolutely fine and recognised! My husband and I did this, we got impatient waiting for the covid restrictions to lift. We were married April 2021, and filed our petition in August. I then visited for the first time in November 2021 when I was able to travel to the US again. I just arrived in the US on an IR1 visa last Friday (it was CR1 but we crossed the 2 year mark)

I was told it takes 5 working days for the medical centre to process your results and then another 5 working days for them to send it over to the enbassy

Hiya my visa was issued on Thursday 20th April and I received it back on Monday 24th April

It's impossible to say really, it entirely depends on the embassy and how backlogged they are. I waited 7 weeks between DQ and interview date at London embassy

Okay, I can stop panicking now lol. Just checked the website, and my status has changed to visa issued and my visa has been printed. I'll receive it in the post in the next few days or so. Woo! Crisis averted, although I'm still not happy that this delayed option was presented to me! But I suppose that's water under the bridge now.

I am so relieved to hear someone else is in the same boat (that I'm not alone!). It's so frustrating isn't it. I know that all my docs and forms are okay, as the officer actually said he was "completely happy with everything" and would have issued the visa there and then if I hadn't decided to wait (even though I know now that was unnecessary...). Yeah it's the fact it's still saying refused that's making me panic. I am one of those people who likes to know what's happening, when, why etc. so I can plan, even if those plans are just in my head. I don't like the not knowing, so I'm going slightly bonkers. For all I know, my passport has been lost down the side of a desk and they've forgotten. Or, my visa has already been approved and it's being processed, but the CEAC website just won't update for a while. I don't understand why we can't get a phone call from the officer saying that everything has been sorted, that would make it so much easier. I read on the website that for "normal" interviews, it can take 7-10 days to process the approval, and then another 3 or so days to get your docs back in the mail (or be ready for pickup, whichever you chose). So possibly I was approved on Monday as planned, but I won't know till at least next Monday at the earliest. I might have a heart attack before then LOL

I'm driving myself mad with worry, hopefully they respond within that timeframe. I checked my case this morning and it says updated again today but still refused. I'm hoping that means stuff is happening in the background? Because before this week, it hadn't updated since 6th April (even though my interview was 16th March). If nothing happens this week then next week I might have to argue with the embassy on the phone until I get somewhere, but I'm not sure that would get anywhere. I think I might just be a bit too impatient right now, as it's only been a few days. It's just worrying me that it's updating daily as refused, and not changing to approved, making me think the officer has forgotten. But he has my passport etc. and I am definitely hoping that the embassy wouldn't just leave that lying around with no knowledge about it. Sorry, I'm rambling haha. This is what my brain has been like since yesterday morning. I just wish I could talk to them on the phone. It would be resolved within minutes.

I wish the officer knew that, and I wish I did too.

Yes my medical was in February so I have until mid-August until that expires. I feel very frustrated that the officer steered me towards this delayed option unnecessarily. It was the fact he said he'd not heard of it being changed upon entry that ultimately made me choose it, because I thought surely he'd know about it. I guess I can only hope he has remembered to do it and my case will be updated in the next few days. I have literally no idea what to do otherwise. The embassy has my passport and other information. -- Have anyone contacted the embassy via the contact form - how long did it take to get a response?

I hope I'm just being impatient and the website just hasn't updated to reflect my actual status.

Yeah, the first person I spoke to at my appointment who took my documents and fingerprints said they can change it to IR1 at the border upon entry, but then the officer who did my interview said he's not heard of that before and offered to wait a month and approve it as IR1. Because of the way he spoke about it, whilst he couldn't officially say "I recommend this option", it was heavily implied to just wait a month. I'm now so worried that this was a mistake and I've caused bigger issues and it's so frustrating that I can't talk to anyone about it

This is my first time creating a topic, so I hope I've done it right. Does anyone know if there is any way to actually speak on the phone to the immigrant visa department at the embassy, or (long shot), to the officer who took my interview? I had my interview on 16th March for CR1 visa. My 2nd wedding anniversary was yesterday 17th April. It was mutually agreed with myself and the officer that my CR1 visa would be refused at my interview, for no reason other than so he can approve it as an IR1 visa on my anniversary. My passport etc. was all kept by him at the embassy. He did say the CEAC website could take a few days to update showing he has approved it. Today, 18th April, it has updated but still showing refused. This has made me very concerned, because it should have been accepted as of yesterday. The officer was 100% happy with all documents and forms, so maybe he's just forgotten to update it yesterday? I've just tried phoning the embassy, but they're so unhelpful, just repeating that they don't deal with visa queries. They're literally the people I need to speak to! So I've submitted a contact form, but with 0 clue when they might get back to me. Has anyone else been in this situation? Is there any other way I can contact the embassy? Am I just being impatient and maybe he has done it, and I just need to wait? I've been worried about something going wrong with this since my interview, so I'm quite panicked.

You'll be able to register in a day or two, it seems to take a little bit to update properly! Congrats, hope everything goes well for you!