Postponing Visa Interview?

[SandyKay 5]

Hey guys!

So I realize that while probably NOBODY wants to have their visa interview postponed, we have a really good reason, and we want to know if it's even possible. Or even really an okay idea.

Here is our issue:

My foreign fiance's sister is getting married on June 19th 2016, and things are starting to look like he's going to get his visa by December this year. That means that he'll more than likely exceed the six month validity period of the K-1 visa if he chooses to stay in the UK to attend his sister's wedding. What we had originally planned, was that he was going to wait to come to the US in April 2016 because he wanted to save more money before he moved here, which is totally fine. However, we don't know if he will get his advance parole in time for him to return to the UK for her wedding. April to June is only two months, and it can apparently take upwards of three months to receive it.

Our other option was for him to move to the US earlier, but the earliest he can move while still managing to hit his savings goal is March - still a little iffy on whether he'll get the AP in time.

So, my question here is this: Is it possible, or even a good idea to delay the visa interview so that the six month validity period will include the month of June? And if so, how do we go about doing this?

(For a little more detail on where we are in the process, the NVC sent our case to the London embassy on September 17th, so they should be receiving it soon.)

I appreciate any advice!

[heo luoi 206]

Timing this stuff is very difficult. Obviously sister couldnt / shouldn't be subject to that but its the nature of our journeys. I think you can change the date 3x for interview whether you really should, for how long, or not is another question. Its tough cause could take early and try to ensure the AP approved on time or delay to extend visa validity possibly to make wedding. If really DEC I think i'd go sooner and get the AP underway, but big swing from your 'original plans' to save for 4 mos but he would have returned home anyways so really just 1 more trip. This user just encountered this strangeness so I would think your petition would definitely get in that window of NOA2 expiring before VISA issuance.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/567308-k1-denied-at-poe-however-visa-expires-02042016/?view=getnewpost

GL

Edited September 23, 2015 by coldhands

[Fox1983 5]

You should take into account that the NOA2 has an expiration date of 4 months and if you haven't gotten your interview you can make a letter requesting an extension ( at least that's what the embassy in my country does). You should check in yours. The medical examination is valid for only 6 months

[mlh 93]

Have you already submitted your readiness form for the embassy to schedule the interview? I've seen tons of threads on here about slowing down the process for K-1 by not sending the readiness form, delaying the medical, etc. which would push the interview date out, along with the visa validity. Sorry I'm not hugely helpful on this as we did a CR-1 and were just given an interview date as soon as the case was complete with the NVC.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

So, my question here is this: Is it possible, or even a good idea to delay the visa interview so that the six month validity period will include the month of June? And if so, how do we go about doing this?

(For a little more detail on where we are in the process, the NVC sent our case to the London embassy on September 17th, so they should be receiving it soon.)

I appreciate any advice!

Your case is already in London if it left NVC on 9/17.

A plan:

Submit DS-160 around Thanksgiving.

Attend medical exam in early January.

Submit readiness form after exam leaving planned wedding date blank.

Prepare a new letter of intent for him to take to the interview because your petition will be expired.

[SandyKay 5]

Your case is already in London if it left NVC on 9/17.

A plan:

Submit DS-160 around Thanksgiving.

Attend medical exam in early January.

Submit readiness form after exam leaving planned wedding date blank.

Prepare a new letter of intent for him to take to the interview because your petition will be expired.

Thanks for your reply!

Do you think it would be a good idea to contact the Embassy about this? Maybe they could simply schedule the interview further out? Also, I read an account from someone here yesterday who said that they were denied entry at the border because their NOA2 had expired before they received their K-1. Will we have issues with an expired NOA2?

Also, if we take a while getting his forms in, such as how your plan suggested spacing them out, will they close our case for taking too long?

[heo luoi 206]

"Prepare a new letter of intent for him to take to the interview because your petition will be expired." is what NichNick suggested already regarding your NOA2 expiration inquiry.

Thanks for your reply!

Do you think it would be a good idea to contact the Embassy about this? Maybe they could simply schedule the interview further out? Also, I read an account from someone here yesterday who said that they were denied entry at the border because their NOA2 had expired before they received their K-1. Will we have issues with an expired NOA2?

Also, if we take a while getting his forms in, such as how your plan suggested spacing them out, will they close our case for taking too long?

Prepare a new letter of intent for him to take to the interview because your petition will be expired.

Your case is already in London if it left NVC on 9/17.

A plan:
Submit DS-160 around Thanksgiving.
Attend medical exam in early January.
Submit readiness form after exam leaving planned wedding date blank.
Prepare a new letter of intent for him to take to the interview because your petition will be expired.

[gavw72 23]

As Nich-Nick says.

Assume that as your case has only just got to London you won't have had the medical done yet?

Similar situation to ours with having to delay due to savings & planned dates (planning to enter the US in March 16). We had NOA2 back in May & only just booked my medical so we've delayed by 4-5 months (our NOA2 1st expiry was 4th September).

The visa runs for 6 months from the date of the MEDICAL, not interview, so bear that in mind when planning timescales.

For your NOA2 expiry just send a letter directly from you in the US to the London Embassy about a month before NOA2 is due to expire saying that due to personal circumstances please can you extend, then after that put that you are still free and willing to marry within 90 days. That is what we did & it was accepted OK.

I'll be also taking an updated letter of intent to the interview.

Just delay the medical until the timescale fits, when I phoned to book mine they were taking bookings for the week after so no long delays.

Interview won't be scheduled by the Embassy until they have your medical results, DS-160 & readiness form.

I've got some template letters that we used for the extension - if you need them drop me a message & I can email them over to you?

Hope that helps a little more?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks for your reply!

Do you think it would be a good idea to contact the Embassy about this? Maybe they could simply schedule the interview further out?

You don't need to contact them. This delay strategy has worked for others. I've been following London for over seven years so know many cases. You could ask for a later interview, but would have to do the medical over. I picked a January medical because it gets a visa good until July. A Jan 5 medical is good until July 4, so pick accordingly.

Also, I read an account from someone here yesterday who said that they were denied entry at the border because their NOA2 had expired before they received their K-1. Will we have issues with an expired NOA2?

No. I don't see how that could happen. An approved visa is an approved visa. Got a link to that?

Also, if we take a while getting his forms in, such as how your plan suggested spacing them out, will they close our case for taking too long?

I have known several London cases where the embassy sent a letter to the beneficiary after six months of zero response to the instruction letter (aka packet 3) saying basically "Hey do you want a visa or not? We sent you instruction on xx-xx-2014. We will close your case if you have changed your mind." One was a guy who never got his instruction letter and was still waiting for six months. Who is that patient? Anyway he found VJ, got some hand holding on what to do, and got his visa. I am pretty confident that London would contact you by mail before they would close you case.

If you submit a DS-160 at the end of November, then only two months would have lapsed (not six like some others) since they sent your instruction. That lets them know you are still in the game. Then six weeks later they get your medical. Not an abandonment or change of heart because you are trickling things in. I think the expiration is purely to give a shelf life. What if you came back two years later after Noa2 and started the London part? They have a legal reason to say "too late buddy". Expiration of petition is a non-issue unless you do nothing until next summer. You will be doing something. You aren't the first to slow it down.

Edited September 23, 2015 by Nich-Nick

[heo luoi 206]

Nich-Nick its in my original post at the top http://www.visajourn...view=getnewpost, although rare, POE denials have happened more than most would expect upon further searching the forums. Technically a Visa only permits access to a POE, CBP still has scrutiny to permit a visa holder THROUGH the POE.

You don't need to contact them. This delay strategy has worked for others. I've been following London for over seven years so know many cases. You could ask for a later interview, but would have to do the medical over. I picked a January medical because it gets a visa good until July. A Jan 5 medical is good until July 4, so pick accordingly.



No. I don't see how that could happen. An approved visa is an approved visa. Got a link to that?



I have known several London cases where the embassy sent a letter to the beneficiary after six months of zero response to the instruction letter (aka packet 3) saying basically "Hey do you want a visa or not? We sent you instruction on xx-xx-2014. We will close your case if you have changed your mind." One was a guy who never got his instruction letter and was still waiting for six months. Who is that patient? Anyway he found VJ, got some hand holding on what to do, and got his visa. I am pretty confident that London would contact you by mail before they would close you case.

If you submit a DS-160 at the end of November, then only two months would have lapsed (not six like some others) since they sent your instruction. That lets them know you are still in the game. Then six weeks later they get your medical. Not an abandonment or change of heart because you are trickling things in. I think the expiration is purely to give a shelf life. What if you came back two years later after Noa2 and started the London part? They have a legal reason to say "too late buddy". Expiration of petition is a non-issue unless you do nothing until next summer. You will be doing something. You aren't the first to slow it down.

Edited September 23, 2015 by coldhands

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Yes I understand CBP has the final word, but this is not standard procedure at every POE...to look at the petition. Unfortunate mistake by CBP in my opinion.

[SandyKay 5]

As Nich-Nick says.

Assume that as your case has only just got to London you won't have had the medical done yet?

Similar situation to ours with having to delay due to savings & planned dates (planning to enter the US in March 16). We had NOA2 back in May & only just booked my medical so we've delayed by 4-5 months (our NOA2 1st expiry was 4th September).

The visa runs for 6 months from the date of the MEDICAL, not interview, so bear that in mind when planning timescales.

For your NOA2 expiry just send a letter directly from you in the US to the London Embassy about a month before NOA2 is due to expire saying that due to personal circumstances please can you extend, then after that put that you are still free and willing to marry within 90 days. That is what we did & it was accepted OK.

I'll be also taking an updated letter of intent to the interview.

Just delay the medical until the timescale fits, when I phoned to book mine they were taking bookings for the week after so no long delays.

Interview won't be scheduled by the Embassy until they have your medical results, DS-160 & readiness form.

I've got some template letters that we used for the extension - if you need them drop me a message & I can email them over to you?

Hope that helps a little more?

That definitely helps, thank you! If we find that we need some template letters, I'll certainly drop you a line! =)

I have known several London cases where the embassy sent a letter to the beneficiary after six months of zero response to the instruction letter (aka packet 3) saying basically "Hey do you want a visa or not? We sent you instruction on xx-xx-2014. We will close your case if you have changed your mind." One was a guy who never got his instruction letter and was still waiting for six months. Who is that patient? Anyway he found VJ, got some hand holding on what to do, and got his visa. I am pretty confident that London would contact you by mail before they would close you case.

If you submit a DS-160 at the end of November, then only two months would have lapsed (not six like some others) since they sent your instruction. That lets them know you are still in the game. Then six weeks later they get your medical. Not an abandonment or change of heart because you are trickling things in. I think the expiration is purely to give a shelf life. What if you came back two years later after Noa2 and started the London part? They have a legal reason to say "too late buddy". Expiration of petition is a non-issue unless you do nothing until next summer. You will be doing something. You aren't the first to slow it down.

Thanks so much for all the info! We've decided to do what you suggested - just space everything out so June is included in the visa validity period. I don't like having to do that, but we really want to make sure we can be there for his sister's wedding.. poorly timed as it may be! Hahaha!

As for the post coldhands noted about someone being denied at the border because of an expired NOA2, like you said, it really does just look like a big mistake by the agent in question.

I really appreciate everyone's responses, because all of this can get so confusing and scary at times!