recarver

I was wondering if anyone could give me an approximate timeline. My fiance's medical exam is on 25 May. I know that it takes at least 4 business days for the US embassy in London to receive the results. Does anyone know how long it usually takes to schedule an interview after the results have been received? All the paperwork for packet 3 has been received as well. Also, how long does it take to get the visa in hand after the interview?

ian-mstm

Probably 2-3 weeks... maybe more, maybe less.


If approved, he will surrender his passport at the interview and it will be returned to him about a week or so later by courier.

Other than the usual anxiety, is there any reason you need to know specific timelines which, by the way, aren't written in stone?

Ian

recarver

Thanks Ian. Our wedding date is set for 23 July. I've realized nothing is written in stone. I was hoping to get an idea from other people's experiences. We started this process back in October, allowing ourselves enough time (or so we thought). There were some major delays in the US, i'm assuming because of the potential governmental shutdown in March/April. We're now cutting it really close. If we do not get the visa in time, the plan is to have a civil ceremony in the states, he'll come back to England, go to the interview, get the visa (hopefully), then fly back to states, and finally have a proper wedding. It would be nice if the visa came in time since my fiance has sold his house and quit his job. Thanks again for the response!

ian-mstm

You can't do that. The moment you get married, you invalidate the entire K-1 process - the sole purpose of which is to provide a visa so that you can get married in the US after the visa is issued. If you marry ahead of time and your hubby leaves, he'll be stuck outside the US while you submit the paperwork for a spouse visa... and that'll tack on another 8-10 months.

Ian

recarver

A ceremony...just for the purpose of having friends and family together...nothing legally binding would invalidate the entire process? The actual wedding wouldn't take place until the visa was granted.

Noorah101

You can have a party, but you can't have a "civil ceremony" as you said. A civil ceremony means you guys go before a judge or justice of the peace, and he performs the vows, and it means you are legally married.

If you just want to have him come visit you for fun, and have a party for all your friend and family to attend, that's fine. But don't do anything "wedding"-ish at all. If you're OK with having the "actual wedding" after the visa is granted, then you should be OK with having the "civil ceremony" after that date as well.

Rene

recarver

I didn't mean to write civil ceremony-meant to say it won't be a civil ceremony until the visa is granted. Thanks so much for your response.

jeffreyhy

Semantics becomes important. A "civil ceremony" means, to most people (Americans anyway), a marriage ceremony performed by an authorized government official rather than an authorized religious official. Public official or religious official, you're married.

So what kind of 'ceremony' are you thinking of? You won't be taking out a marriage license, right?

Regards, JEff

sir_eccles

In some places and depending on the "officiant" any ceremony that closely resembles a wedding requires a marriage license. Hence why I have two marriage certificates.

ian-mstm

We have had the occasional report of an officer demanding proof that a ceremony wasn't, in fact, legal and binding. It's impossible to prove insofar as you can't prove a negative!

I think the whole concern here is... tread carefully.

Ian

jeffreyhy

Exactly. So this person needs to find an officiant who does not require a marriage license.

Regards, JEff

meauxna

2 months should be sufficient time to have the interview scheduled and travel to the US.

nmoon83

Ok bit of good news for u guys!

I just had my medical on the 05/05/2011 and i literally have just found out my interview date TODAY! on the 17/06/2011
Although im a bit unhappy with the date as was hoping to get married in mid June but will push it back to July now.

bivlover

The information in my signature should help.

Zap-Robo

My own timeline is here (click me!)