Originally Posted by clarissageo

Thought I'd just give a quick update.....

The Courier picked up our package of documents on Saturday morning, which he told us would get to the Embassy on Monday morning.

We then got a phone call yesterday from a lady at the embassy, who told us that we needed to send my sister in laws birth certificate to her for the I864a (which suprised me a little, because they didnt ask for my FIL's for his I864a)

She said that she was going to send our passports back with the courier and as soon as we had it to send everything back again!........ At which point I told her that she should keep hold of them and I would get it to her before this morning - she was pretty insistant that she had to send them back, so I pretty much begged her lol, and said if she didnt have that birth certificate by end of business today, then ok, send them back, but pleeeeeease just let me try get them to you!

Cue another phone call to MIL, who rang SIL at work to ask her to get it to her when she was done at work, but my wonderful organised SIL had it in her purse! MIL drove to her work, picked it up, and took it home and faxed it to the embassy...

Fast forward to 8.30am this morning and I'm frantically on the phone calling nice embassy lady (my new BFF) to check she'd got it - when I finally got through at 10am, she hadn't, so I ran into town and faxed over the copy I had emailed to my by my FIL - I faxed it twice! Then I got back and emailed it to them as well....... am I sounding sad and desperate yet?

I called them at 2.15 (thought i'd give the poor woman chance to digest her lunch) and she said she had received it, and passed to the ConOff. I mentioned to her that at my interview I was told it took 5 days to process from the date they received the docs, and as Friday would be the 5th day, did she know roughly how long it would take them to go through them because of the delay with the Birth Certificate. She said she had passed it to the ConOff before lunch so would go ask him..... I sat on that damn phone shaking waiting for her to come back.........

When she came back on she simply said 'He's all done with it, and you've been APPROVED'.... That was it, I just went to pieces. I asked her to double check, if it was all 3 visa's approved, and she said yes, the case was a bit messy, but if he managed to finish up before 3.30 the visas would go to SMS today, and if not, then they definatley would tomorrow and would be with us early next week.

Soooooooooo We're FINALLY going home. Its taken 11 months, which I know compared to alot of other people is a short time, but it feels like its been never ending. There have been alot of sleepless nights, tantrums and tears, but its all done with now.

I just want to say, to everyone that has helped on this forum, not just with responses to my posts, but to those by others from which I have got fantastic information and advice Thank you so, so much. Not just the information but the support I got through private messages and Karma when I first started this thread calmed me down, and made a huge difference.

Thanks Guys....... You rock

Originally Posted by LondonLondon2USA

I am so, so pleased for you and know exactly what you have been going through as I have been going through exactly the same process (IR-1 suspended) these past few weeks. But you have now scared the bleep out of me!!!

I had my docs and passport collected on Tuesday 18th November 2008 and have heard absolutely nothing since. I called the operator assisted number on Monday and all they said was, that it can take up to 15 working days to deal with. I am now at business day 13....... All I sent was my joint sponsors documents - tax returns, photocopy of passport, I-864 etc and of course my passport. I am now really worried.

I am flying over to the US in 13 days to sort out accommodation, meet my wife's employers (She is USC) so I am desperate to get my passport back. Does anybody out there know whether the fact that I have waited so long, is a good thing, or a bad thing????

I think I might call the Embassy again tomorrow and ask if everything is ok! I would appreciate anybody's opinions on this. I have been sooo patient!!

Originally Posted by clarissageo

I'm sorry you haven't heard anything yet

Have you tried phoning the main London Embassy number rather than the call center? The nice lady who I spoke to did make a point of saying to me that they can't hold onto my passport for long, So it might be worth trying them directly, ask nicely for the immigrant visa unit and if the receptionist asks any questions just explain how concerned you are because you are meant to be travelling soon and they still have your passport and if you could just have a very brief word with someone to make sure they do actually have everything etc etc.

Originally Posted by SallyCinnamon

Ah, I managed to get a connection to Lexington - which will be handy as I'll have 6 suitcases!

Originally Posted by clarissageo

LOL!! We actually looked at that flight, but when we looked at the connections to CVG it bumped the price up by silly amounts! Unless the prices have come right down since I last looked, we'll probably do LGW-CVG

Hubby & DD are booked on that flight on the 14th, so hopefully we'll be able to get on the same one.... Sods law I was expecting another hiccup so I didnt make my credit card payment until today so now i've got to wait until tuesday to book!

Originally Posted by LondonLondon2USA

Thanks! What number did you use?