ChDaun331

Hi Everyone, I first posted here last year before the process all started, and I didn't have a clue what was going on, or who to best speak to. I was advised not to waste money on an attorney / legal representative as people here could give me all the information and help I needed....So I did just that. Please see my visa timeline below, inclusive are the honest mistakes we made, I hope this will highlight to those who need it most like I did, the do's and dont's and when not to forget to apply for certain documents which leads to unnecessary delays.Our visa timeline goes from first submitting our I-130 Petition and money order to the day of My visa appointment in the Embassy. I will end my relationship with this forum on a high note and thank you all for your contributions to gaining success throughout this, at times....complex and personally....uncharted process. It is 100% attainable without and legal support, aslong as you have the right people to guide you. I hope this timeline can help someone else, and I would be happy to help anyone and pass on what I have learnt during this journey. Please find below, My CR1 Visa Timeline:

USCIS CR1 Visa application timeline

9th October 2017 - Sent off I-130, including I-130A, Affidavits of bona fide relationship, photographic evidence, and a Money order of $535. – Destination Phoenix

12th October 2017 - USPS Tracking agent confirms I-130 received and signed for by a Mr H Brown at 07:02am

30th October 2017 - I130 Petition filed with USCIS

2nd November 2017 - Notification of Receipt from USCIS

6th June 2018 - Petition approval. Awaiting NVC welcome letter

25th July 2018 - NVC Welcome E-Mail with case number and Invoice ID Received (but CEAC down for maintenance)

28th July 2018 - ACRO Police Certificate ordered (45GBP) I should have ordered this earlier, now we have to wait 10 working days to submit Civil documents and Financial Documents.

31st July 2018 - CEAC Becomes available after technically fault mended, Paid support fees $120 and IV fee $320

2nd August 2018 NVC Payment status changes to PAID - DS260 and Affidavit of Support forms become available on CEAC - All forms completed - Civil Documents Scanned and uploaded as required - Unable to submit application until receipt of Police Certificate.

10th August 2018 Received ACRO Certificate in mail - All Required Documents for Applicant now collected - In process of completing Affidavit of Support forms

23rd August 2018 Received Tax Transcript from IRS. Form 1040a. – All documents now scanned and uploaded.

6th September 2018– 3 Documents Rejected by NVC (Make sure you hand sign and scan your I864 Document, Make sure photocopies are submitted in the correct orientation, make sure not to upload ACRO Certificate covering letter with certificate, it will come back invalid, all they want is 1 document. I submitted cover letter as it stated "NO TRACE" and thought that would be supporting my certificate....sadly not.

11th September 2018 – Corrections on Documentation Submitted to NVC

24TH September 2018 – Considered “Documentarily Qualified!” – Now awaiting Consulate Interview arrangements and correspondence.

18TH October 2018 - The National Visa Center (NVC) completed its processing of immigrant visa application and forwarded it to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate General, where an immigrant visa interview has been scheduled for 13TH November 2018.

19TH October 2018 – Registered my Immigration Visa Appointment with Embassy, Selected Courier and also booked Medical with VISA MEDICALS.CO.UK at Bentinck Mansions (3rd November 2018 (10 days in advance a working week longer than advised).

1st November 2018 - Received Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (split virion, inactivated) from Local Pharmacy (required before attending medical, also check rest of vaccinations list from your GP (patient summary) against https://uk.usembassy.gov/wp-content/...cine_chart.pdf if your unsure what you may need. (This will reduce the cost significantly if you require multiple vaccinations on the day of your medical, as it is quite expensive per injection.

3RD November 2018 – Attended Visa Medical appointment in London, Completed; Blood Test, Eye Test, Physical Exam (Reflexes, Abdominal abnormalities, Heart rate, blood pressure), Provided a Urine sample, Confirmed all vaccinations, Received up to date Tetanus, Diptheria and Polio vaccination + 40GBP (5 required in life time for USA, only 3 in UK, Must have a 5th in 10 years), Underwent chest X-ray with in house Radiologist. Signed all documentation regarding health and previous medical history, handed over my passport and police certificate, letter from the NVC stating my Case number and visa category (IR1) along with the printed and completed medical questionnaire provided online or via email and 4x US Passport sized photographs, with Patient summary from GP highlighting medical history and immunizations to date. I was In and out of the Doctors within 1 hour, with no problems or delays. I received documents for US Medical insurance purposes, assuring that I comply with their regulations and specifications. Standard Medical price per Adult is 330GBP + Any unplanned vaccinations like myself. My total was 370GBP and was free to leave with some important documentation with regards to a completed visa medical, information from the embassy and a confirmation certificate to hand to my GP to up date local records.

Side note - There is a Q Park on Church Street in Lisson Grove which is in fair walking distance to Bentinck Mansions (15-20 minutes walking and a leisurely pace, 15.00GBP for 24 hours secure parking. 3 or 4 GBP in an Uber if not happy to walk.

*NB (Medical results will now take 4 – 7 working days for Doctors to receive results back from the labs, then an additional 5 working days to be delivered and registered with the embassy via courier. This will not be received in time for my Embassy interview. I have been advised to attend Interview as normal, and assured visa will get pre-Issued as a result of a positive interview but will not be validated until Embassy has received clear medical results.

13th November 2018 – Attend US Embassy Visa Interview Appointment at 10:00am

There is a checklist for Interview documentation requirements on the embassy website which is vitally important to assure you have the correct financial supporting evidence from you petitioner or sponsor and any further original documentation and photocopies for example Photocopies of petitioner or sponsors latest IRS Taz transcripts / Tax returns or relevant W2's, check this list carefully and use it to organised paper work in the correct order. This will save alot of time and will help the embassy clerk process your file quicker and more efficiently on the day.

I will update this post with our visa interview outcome etc,

To whom ever found this insightful / helpful, I wish you the best of Luck, and thank you again to everyone that has had an input or has offered me words of advice.

Regards,

Mr D Alty.

Projected Dates of Travel; November 30th – December 5th – Dependant on Interview / Medical outcome and delivery.

Rete

Thanks for the write-up. Very concise and helpful.

I'm sorry to see you leave. As you know the USA forum and all of BE is more than just for immigration visa information. There is still much for you to discover about your life in the US from entry, wait for the green card, removal of conditions if applicable to you, naturalization is desired, obtaining your social security card if applied for and not received, getting a driver's license, buying a car, obtaining credit, finding housing, getting a mortgage, schooling for your children, if and when applicable, etc.

If you show us your back, we wish you well and are here if you feel that you need assistance or if you just want to commiserate or touch base with other countrymen.

KK85

Thank you for this write-up! I'm sorry you had some delays, but glad to know everything worked out in the end. Good luck at your interview! (Side note: I was asked to show none of the financial documents at my interview. I had them all with me in an obsessively-organised folder along with photographs, tax transcripts and all the rest, and everyone should do the same, but you may just find that the worst of the paperwork is over with for now. )

I second Rete's comment, in that it will be a shame to see you go. I continued to find this forum invaluable (arguably necessary) in the weeks following my arrival to the States, especially when my SSN was taking months to arrive, and I wish I'd sought reassurance here during my AWOL green card confusion. It wasn't until I disappeared for several months that I realised how great a source it is for not only advice, but solidarity. If you ever need any further help or just need a sense of familiarity, please don't forget us!

Congratulations on your almost completed visa journey.

ChDaun331

So quick update as promised.

I attended my scheduled embassy interview on the 13th November and it is exactly what everyone describes it as!! massively underwhelming considering all of the anticipation, organisation and nerves involved! I turned up at the embassy, by the way there is a Waitrose carpark right next door were you get 3 hours free parking, anything after 3 hours is paid for....which I wasnt aware of and ended up parking miles away. Entered the airport style security, Mobile phones, Tablets, and small bag ARE allowed, and was granted access to then walk through to the reception desk (expect queues!). Lucky enough I had an emigration interview and was lead to the front of the queue and given an number/ticket immediately and directed to the first floor. Once in the waiting room for it was within 5 minutes my number appeared on the screens and above the window, were I was greeted by cheerful american bloke who only asked for my original documents; passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate and police certificate.Everything else was not needed, I took a photocopy of everything and made a packet of everything they needed on the check list supplied, including petitioners original financial documents, w2, IRS Tax forms etc etc.. (I still recommend doing this, better safe than sorry). Fortunarely and unfortunately none of my documents were needed as we had already supplied the CEAC with them, so they had them available electronically already. The bloke was there just to check my original documents and make small talk and welcome me to the embassy. I spoke to him for no longer than 3 or 4 minutes until he asked me to take a seat and wait for my number once more. After 2 minutes my number popped up again and I was greeted at a different window by an American women who was holding my passport and gave back my original documents. She asked me to take an oath by raising my right hand and repeating "what, I shall state shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." She was very relaxed and happy to ask me when I planned to travel and how I met my Wife. I answered both questions honestly and was then responded to with "Okay we would like to inform you we have approved your visa", I spoke to this women for no longer than 60 seconds and I was free to go with an information packet explaining the next step (awaiting courier delivery within 7-10 working days). I spent 5 hours driving from the north of England an 11 hour round trip for a 60 second interview! Worth every minute. All together I spent a total of 25 minutes at the very most inside the embassy from the moment I passed the security gate.

Happy to say I now have my CR1 Visa in my hand (On my 30th birthday too) 6 days after my interview and I can now travel imminently.

Noorah101

Congratulations!

Rene

KK85

Fantastic news! Congratulations! Have a safe trip and a wonderful holiday season! Are you planning on heading over for Christmas?