Ricky07

Hello! My first post here. I've learned a lot from you all so I thought I'll pay it forward by sharing my story and the timeline: EB1-A (sent as normal and then updated to Premium Processing after 3.5weeks) I-140 Sent: 2024-09-16 I-140 Approval: 2024-10-23 Package received by NVC: 2024-11-15 DQ: 2024-12-04 IL: 2025-01-28 Interview: 2025-03-12 Three questions asked: What is your profession? Are you planning to work in your field? Have you lived anywhere else? Issued: 2025-03-13 Passport collection: 2025-03-20 People who were recently approved might find this information useful. Just before our interview at the embassy on 12th March, we were given an information slip stating that the courier service would change from DX to Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) two days later (14th March), and providing the address of the new courier. Our visa status changed to 'issued' the next day (the 13th), and we patiently waited until the 19th with no tracking number or updates. Frustrated, we went to MBE to inquire. A slightly rude staff member dismissed us with a blunt "no tracking number, no passport here, bye." When we tried to explain and ask further questions, we received minimal information, along with some smirks and slight mockery from other staff. I emailed UK.Visas@gdit-gss.com for clarification and received a response yesterday morning: "Please be advised that your passport is in transit between the previous courier and the new courier, Mail Boxes Etc. As soon as your passport is received at the new location, you will receive an email notification confirming that you can come and collect it." Determined to find answers, we legged it to DX. Initially, the staff tried to brush us off, but after some pleading, one reluctantly agreed to check. There was no record of our passports ever being picked up, no trace of anything. He mentioned that the transfer from DX to MBE should take a maximum of one day, and if our passports hadn’t surfaced by now, they might be lost. We then hurried back to Mail Boxes Etc. for a second, more persistent attempt. This time, a slightly more helpful staff member confirmed that my wife and I were in their system but noted that it had a status of 'no tracking number'. They weren’t sure what it means, tried to tell us this is some in-between stage but nobody seemed to know anything. After checking their basement where they store the passports and the visa packets, they claimed our passports were definitely not there. A lovely French gentleman came to our rescue, agreeing to dig deeper and email the embassy. He must have received some information because, after an hour of searching through their unsorted pile downstairs, our packet was finally found. It had been sitting there for seven days (since last Friday), addressed to DX with no proper tracking code. It must have been picked up from the embassy by DX and then dropped at MBE as part of a larger batch of documents, but the staff didn't even bother to go through them for the best part of the week. The level of incompetence, ignorance, and disregard for how they handle people’s lives was truly astounding. While we were there, we witnessed four other individuals in a similar situation who, unfortunately, were turned away because they weren’t as persistent. Good luck to everyone, and I hope this helps someone on the final leg of their journey toward their American Dream.