Big V

I sent an email to [email protected] on 23rd November as instructed by the helpline to notify a change of address. I phoned the helpline today to check that my file had been updated.
To my surprise, they still had the old address in their systems...
Does [email protected] send an auto response back to confirm that they have received your request like [email protected] does?

C_C

I've always been instructed to contact [email protected] for any questions related to my visa. Have you tried emailing [email protected] about that?

Big V

No I haven't. Might be worth trying.
When I phoned them, they clearly instructed me to send it to the LondonIV address.
I received the same instruction when I phoned them again today.

C_C

Update:
Like I said, I had my medical last week and I also returned DS-230 I and DS-2001 (received by the Embassy on Friday the 3rd of December).
In my covering note, I have asked for an interview date in early to mid February. they'll schedule me in for then.

How's everyone else doing?

shayward

I'm busy waiting for a criminal records check to come back from South Africa, no idea how long that's going to take *sigh*

krosfyah

Had medical this morning. In and out in 40 mins, felt a bit like a sausage factory, they're onto a nice little earner there!

Can confirm they need the police cert. They took a photocopy of mine and the doctor even did a visual inspection of it, asking me about drug use etc. I guess its now an additional layer of checks the embassy has got the doctors to do?

shayward

They asked for the police cert at the Drs?

I thought they only needed that at the interview?

I was going to schedule my Drs appointment for January, which will be a couple of weeks before my SA certificate even arrives.

I'll have the UK one by then though.

C_C

Yes, they asked me to bring the police certificate in with me too. I assume it's to check for any drug or alcohol-related charges. It appears to be a new guideline from the Embassy.

Unlike krosfyah though, nobody ever asked me for the police certificate at the clinic and nobody ever looked at it.

Just the UK certificate may be fine. But if you have an idea of when the South Africa certificate may be due to arrive and it's not too late, maybe you can wait till then to schedule the medical. Knightsbridge Docs are very prompt with medical appointments, so you'll be able to call one day and get an appointment for 2-3 days later if you wish.

shayward

Thanks C_C,

The South African home office is the big variable in our case at the moment. I asked them for a new birth certificate over 12 weeks ago and am still waiting.

Oh well, I guess this is what you get when you emigrate for the 2nd time :-)

Big V

I had my medical on 25th November and sent DS-230 and 2001 on 23rd November, delivered on 24th by 9am.
According to the helpline we called today, they still have not received any documents concerning my file. The person said it could take up to 4 weeks for them to open the mail and load your docs on their system and then another 4 before the interview.

C_C

Sounds about right.
It normally takes about 4-5 weeks from the time you send in the documents for the interview appointment letter to arrive, and they usually give you approximately 4 weeks' notice for the interview, unless you have requested an expedited interview. So for an average case, approximately 2 months between returning the forms and the date of the interview is an accurate estimate.

dwest85

got our interview date today via email. i think it was because we had address issues that they took FOREVER to get back to us about, so they just included our date. our interview is 10 January 2011 at 9am, but we have requested a slightly earlier date as we booked flights for the 11th of January!! (if they can't give us another date, we'll just change our flights).

so yep. we've got a date. hopefully you will all hear yours soon!!!!

C_C

Congrats and good luck!!
Keep us posted!!
I'm curious - did you specifically ask for an interview in early January? It seems to have gone through very quickly.
I have requested an interview in early to mid February, so I'm hoping to get the letter with the date sometime in the next month

krosfyah

Can you request an interview date/time period? I just put intended date of travel in the covering letter which is what it states on the Emabssy page.

dwest85

that's what we did. we listed our travel date (the 11th of jan.) but they scheduled us for the 10th of jan. definitely can't make our flight with that interview date!! so that's why we've emailed for a possible earlier appointment. it worked for someone in this thread:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=695667

so if they can't give us an earlier date, we'll just change the flight...hopefully they can though!