Interview Date Disaster
Apr 3rd 2018, 5:12 pm
#1
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 30
Interview Date Disaster
I'm really hoping someone here can offer me some advice on a very stressful situation.
I have a wedding planned for May 28th in the USA, and am currently going through the K-1 process. This was filed back in August 2017 and was all going swimmingly until today. I booked my medical this morning, and was very happy to be able to secure one for this coming Saturday. I then cheerfullly logged onto the portal for scheduling my embassy interview, and to my horror discovered that the earliest available appointment is not tilll May 15th. Given the roughly 2 week turnound of actually receiving my visa after the interview, I am obviously extremely stressed that this won't allow me to attend my own wedding!
I phoned the embassy and was advised to book this slot, and then fill out a form requersting an expedited appointment, which I have done. However, I am aware that this expedition is usually granted due to emergencies involving death or illness, so I am still very worried. I am also aware that I can check the portal periodically to see if new appointments have opened up, but this is not guarunteed.
I am honestly tearing my hair out. I had seen in many places that a two week wait would be more normal for such an interview, so thought I was comfortably within the timeframe. We have spent over a year planning our dream wedding, have family & friends flying in from all over the world, and have already paid a lot in wedding expenses.
If anyone here has any advice on my situation then it would be deeply appreciated!
I have a wedding planned for May 28th in the USA, and am currently going through the K-1 process. This was filed back in August 2017 and was all going swimmingly until today. I booked my medical this morning, and was very happy to be able to secure one for this coming Saturday. I then cheerfullly logged onto the portal for scheduling my embassy interview, and to my horror discovered that the earliest available appointment is not tilll May 15th. Given the roughly 2 week turnound of actually receiving my visa after the interview, I am obviously extremely stressed that this won't allow me to attend my own wedding!
I phoned the embassy and was advised to book this slot, and then fill out a form requersting an expedited appointment, which I have done. However, I am aware that this expedition is usually granted due to emergencies involving death or illness, so I am still very worried. I am also aware that I can check the portal periodically to see if new appointments have opened up, but this is not guarunteed.
I am honestly tearing my hair out. I had seen in many places that a two week wait would be more normal for such an interview, so thought I was comfortably within the timeframe. We have spent over a year planning our dream wedding, have family & friends flying in from all over the world, and have already paid a lot in wedding expenses.
If anyone here has any advice on my situation then it would be deeply appreciated!
Apr 3rd 2018, 5:32 pm
#2
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 58,679
Re: Interview Date Disaster
The typical advice we give is to NOT book or finalize any wedding plans that can't be rescheduled, rearranged, or refunded, for exactly this reason. You never know what could delay getting the visa.
It sounds like you are doing all you can to get an earlier interview appointment, so keep trying that. Otherwise, just go with the flow if you don't make it there in time.
You could cancel these wedding plans, do a quick courthouse ceremony once you get there, and have the fancy ceremony later... this is another suggestion we often make. Then you won't have the stress of trying to make it in time.
Doesn't help to stress about it because you can't really do any more than you're doing.
Rene
It sounds like you are doing all you can to get an earlier interview appointment, so keep trying that. Otherwise, just go with the flow if you don't make it there in time.
You could cancel these wedding plans, do a quick courthouse ceremony once you get there, and have the fancy ceremony later... this is another suggestion we often make. Then you won't have the stress of trying to make it in time.
Doesn't help to stress about it because you can't really do any more than you're doing.
Rene
Apr 3rd 2018, 6:59 pm
#3
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,382
Re: Interview Date Disaster
Continue to go onto the scheduling site early in the morning and late afternoon/early evening. If there is a cancellation, you can nab it. This is usually what people have done and do when they need an earlier appointment than what they are given to chose from.
Apr 3rd 2018, 7:16 pm
#5
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,382
Re: Interview Date Disaster
If you want to be tied to the computer, then go for it. Usually cancellations which open up appointments appear to come up on the schedule either first thing in the morning or very late afternoon when the site is updated. Good luck.
Without going back to your other posts, what was the reason why you didn't set up an appointment before this?
Without going back to your other posts, what was the reason why you didn't set up an appointment before this?
Apr 3rd 2018, 7:24 pm
#6
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 30
Re: Interview Date Disaster
Ah, I see. I thought it would be dynamically updated, as in when someone cancels or reschedules the system is automatically updated. Is it a case of someone at the embassy manually updating early in the morning or late afternoon?
Apr 3rd 2018, 7:25 pm
#7
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Re: Interview Date Disaster
I only just received a letter from the embassy advising me to book. As soon as I had booked my medical and filled out my DS-160 I jumped on to the portal and got this nasty surpise.
Apr 3rd 2018, 7:45 pm
#8
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,382
Re: Interview Date Disaster
You were lucky that it only took you seven months to get to this stage. Again, good luck with changing the appointment to this month. At worse, you go on 5/15, fly to the US on May 26 and get married within 48 hours. Be packed and ready to go.
Apr 4th 2018, 9:41 am
#10
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Re: Interview Date Disaster
Able to give a very happy update on this today - logged in this morning and have secured an appointment for the 24th of April!
As expected, I also received an email denying my request for an expedited appointment, but obviously that doesn't matter now.
For anyone in a similar situation's future reference, I logged on first at 0815 and there was no extra availability. I logged on again at 0845 and there were about ten new appointments, mainly in early May, and the one in April which I was able to secure.
Thanks again to Rete for the advice and positivity.
As expected, I also received an email denying my request for an expedited appointment, but obviously that doesn't matter now.
For anyone in a similar situation's future reference, I logged on first at 0815 and there was no extra availability. I logged on again at 0845 and there were about ten new appointments, mainly in early May, and the one in April which I was able to secure.
Thanks again to Rete for the advice and positivity.
Apr 4th 2018, 10:14 am
#11
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Joined: Mar 2015
Location: NC, USA (ex Yorkshire)
Posts: 4,375
Re: Interview Date Disaster
Able to give a very happy update on this today - logged in this morning and have secured an appointment for the 24th of April!
As expected, I also received an email denying my request for an expedited appointment, but obviously that doesn't matter now.
For anyone in a similar situation's future reference, I logged on first at 0815 and there was no extra availability. I logged on again at 0845 and there were about ten new appointments, mainly in early May, and the one in April which I was able to secure.
Thanks again to Rete for the advice and positivity.
As expected, I also received an email denying my request for an expedited appointment, but obviously that doesn't matter now.
For anyone in a similar situation's future reference, I logged on first at 0815 and there was no extra availability. I logged on again at 0845 and there were about ten new appointments, mainly in early May, and the one in April which I was able to secure.
Thanks again to Rete for the advice and positivity.
