LynannC

I thought it might be helpful to those currently going through the I-130 filed in the States to give my experience of the whole process.

I had my interview on Friday morning and received an approval pending medical results, as my medical results had not been received yet.

From the beginning: We filed in November 2007 and got caught in the backlog created by the fee hike in July 2007 and the transfer of all I-130's to the Chicago lockbox. Frustratingly we didn't get our receipt of the application until February 2008, which meant a delay in filing for the K3 (and also the K3 turned out to be pointless for us.) Finally in May 2008 our I-130 was approved and moved to the NVC.

After months of nothing but endless waiting the process at the NVC seemed very quick to us. I emailed my Choice of Agent, DS3032, instead of waiting for the form (which took nearly 4 weeks to arrive in the post) which saved us several weeks of further waiting. It only took about 2 weeks for the DS3032 to be processed. My husband then received the fee bill for his I-864, Affidavit of Support, which he paid by cashier's check and snail mail. Next he received the fee bill for the DS230, Immigrant Visa Application, which we paid online after asking the Cust Serv Operator for our IIN, Invoice Identification Number. Less than 24 hours later the DS230 showed as paid and we downloaded the barcoded front page. I had already FedEx'd the completed DS230 and certified copies/originals of the civil documents to my husband ready to send in when the barcoed sheet was ready. As the barcode sheet gave the case number but not the form it was for, he printed 2 copies and used the other one to send in his I-864 at the same time. Both forms were received on 23rd June, appeared on the automated service on 24th June and our case was completed by the NVC on 1st July.

I called and spoke to an operator on the cust serv line again on the 10th July to find out interview date was 1st August. After another week of no paperwork I called again and they put an email request so we would be sent a copy by email. The following day my husband received his copy of the interview letter. Most of the information had to be downloaded from the State Department's website. I finally got my copy of the interview letter just 2 days before the interview. With such a quick interview date there really had not been enough time for all the paperwork to be received by us. I only got my medical arranged in advance of the interview because I had been proactive in asking for the date before the letter arrived.

The medical was fairly straightforward. The offices were easy to find. The waiting room was too small and overcrowded, as they were fully booked and running behind schedule. I was there for 2 hours in total. I had to pay for the Tdap vaccine, as immigration insist on a booster every 10 years, so completing the booster programme at school is not enough for them. It cost me £25, so get it at your GP if you can. In total I had to pay £205 because of the vaccine. I did also have to take back a letter for my GP requesting that he confirm my medical history of depression. I had situational depression several years ago that include 2 stays in hospital. I did have my complete medical records with me and gave the doctor a copy of the discharge reports from the consultant psychiatrists. I have been symptom free for nearly five years and medication free for four and a half years, but they wanted a letter from my GP confirming this and giving a prognosis on the likelihood of a recurrance of the depression. My GP did it right away on the Monday and faxed it back to them, so I know it wouldn't hold up my medical results.

The visit to the Consulate was pretty much like other people's recent accounts so I won't go into too much detail. The screens that show your number and what window to go to were not working on Friday, so there was only the loud speaker, which was not always clear. When my number was called it said go to window 4, which is a non-immigrant window, and there was much confusion involved. The applicant right after me also got called up to this window and were also told to go sit back down. An hour and a half later I was finally called again, from a different speaker system and told to go the window 14, which is where I was apparently called to earlier. The man was a bit stroppy about me not going up to that window earlier, even after I explained what had happened. So if you are there for an immigrant visa interview you will probably either be called to window 1 or 14 (not 4). Fortunately after I finished with that man I only had to wait about another 15-20 minutes for the actual interview. The ConOff was very friendly and helpful and quite chatty as well. When the interview was over it seemed like there should have been more to it. He didn't want any of my evidence I had carried around with me all morning. I did give the W2 for 2007 to confirm my husband's income, and I also had a letter from my husband's accountant explaining why his 1040 for 2007 showed him as single. The accountant had taken full responsibility for the error and that seemed to satisfy the ConOff. He even made a joke about the government liking when citizens overpay their taxes.

So now I just have to wait for my passport to arrive with my visa inside, and my x-ray to come along with them. The ConOff did say he thought I should have them back in about a week, so I have plenty of time before my 8th September flight to the US.

After all this waiting it's hard to believe I only have five more weeks here in the UK.

This forum has been a real blessing to both of us so far in this immigration journey. I learned a lot about taking charge and being proactive in the process instead of just accepting everything. It has also been comforting to know you're not alone while waiting to finally live with your spouse, and dealing with a long distance marriage.

All the best to those who are about to go through the interview, and for those just starting a lot of patience and a good phone plan will be your best ways to get through the coming months.

Almost Stateside

Lyn

jeffmich2007

Congratualtions Lyn I know we have already talked about your experience in London but i just wanted to say Congrats again

5 weeks is not long before you leave sunny Scotland ! hahahaha!

jeff is posting out the documents that he got RFE on (he didnt post out 3 years proof of income ) I was so frustrated with him because i did tell him just to go send it ...more info is better than not enough right ! However im over it now so hopefully i will have case complete this week and next week hear of my nterview date plus is need to double check with NVC if my 12year old son has definitely got to attent medical & Interview so i can book flights for both of us being immigrant visa i'm thinking that he will

Enjoy the short time you got left here cause i know you will miss somethngs from your homeland besides family.

You can take the girl out of Scotland but you can't take Scotland out the girl

Good Luck & God Bless

Michelle

meauxna

Congratulations, Lynne!!!

Thanks for the detailed report, and especially all the NVC help you've offered lately.