Jade84

Hello again!

For those of you that have done this before - my UK fiance is getting all of the paperwork together for the interview in London. We haven't sent anything off yet, but I'm just wondering if its possible to schedule the medical and the interview for the same period of time (medical on 1st day and interview on 2nd)?

We live in York, so its a bit of a pain to make 2 trips to London. Obviously we can do whatever it takes, but I'm just curious as to whether or not we can organize only 1 trip.

Also, when we send the documents off, everything has to be completed but UNSIGNED, right? And we don't send the evidence - he just needs to take that with him on the day of the interview in case they ask to see it, right?

Thanks again!

Rete

Yes, you most certainly can do that. It might mean a delay in the issuance of the visa if the results are not available at the time of the interview but not the end of the world.

Jade84

And how do we go about that? I believe we have to send off the forms and checklist (including the date of the medical) before we can get a date for the interview. Seems like a weird catch 22. :/

Also, maybe you can help me with this:

There's a question on the DS156 that says: Have you ever been refused a US visa?

We aren't really sure how to answer this. My fiance flew over to the US this year in April alone and was refused entry in Detroit on the VWP. You might have read about this before, but he admitted to having just given up his flat and job to come to the US, which made them suspicious of him immigrating illegally, so they turned him away and sent him back to England. He never actually entered the country, but was denied entry.

We answered "no" to the question regarding him having ever been to the US. So I'm just not sure as to whether or not we should answer yes to having been denied a visa.

Thanks again - we both really appreciate the help!

ian-mstm

There's no visa denial... since there was no visa involved. That's the beauty of the visa waiver program. "No" is the correct answer.

Ian

Jade84

Yeah, since you put it way, its kind of a no-brainer.

I feel really silly asking all these questions, but I'm just so paranoid about making a single mistake. Thanks for the help!

Jade

Rete

Ask whatever question you need to ask in order to put your mind at ease. We oldies found out the hard way what is and isn't silly questions. So learn from our experiences.

Ginblossom

Hi Jade, good answers for you, but I have a question.

Was he very nervous in Detroit, it seems like a lot of info to tell someone at a 30 second what are you doing in the country type of question. Seems rather harsh and all, so I wonder what made them ultra suspicious in the first place.

Mind you, the one time I flew through Detroit, I did get an overly zealous customs inspection post immigration many years ago so perhaps par for the course there...

meauxna

Wouldn't you know, I just unpinned the recent thread discussing this and now I can't find it.

The Embassy site says:

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...v/medexam.html
The medical examination must take place before the visa interview. If you attend the Embassy without having attended the medical examination, the interview will be cancelled and you will be required to reschedule for a later date.

The medical results will be couriered to the Embassy within approximately 5 workdays of the examination. If the results have not been received by the time you attend the interview, provided the medical examination has taken place, action on your application will be suspended until such time that they are received.

Oh here it is; older than I thought (time flies!)

Important London Medical Info Change

YouWantFriesWithThat

Send off the checklist and where it says about the medical put something like "I will schedule my medical to be before my interview, once I know the date and time of my interview".

Once you have the letter about your interview from the embassy, you can phone the doctors and try and to get an appoitment that is convenient for you.

Only sign the DS-230 part 1. Don't forget to complete the DS-156 and DS-157in duplicate.

Jade84

Got it. Thanks!

Do I need to send the DS 230, DS 156, and DS 157 in with the checklist? Or does he take those in when he actually goes to the Embassy? That part is a little unclear to me because it says not to send any documents with the checklist, but I think somewhere it else it reads something that makes me think we should be sending the forms in. He has not signed anything yet, just completed them. Is that right?



And in response to Ginblossom:

He was asked at the window how long he was planning to stay and he said the full 3 months. They asked him how he was getting that much time off work in this economy and he said he had given up his job to travel in America. Then they asked about his flat and he said he had just given that up and moved in with his parents to save money for the trip. My fiance is a pretty shy person and when he's in the shit, his face is a dead giveaway. Truth is, we were planning to get married on the VWP, so he was really nervous. They never asked about marriage plans, though, and he never gave up that info. In the end, they refused him entry on suspicion of him coming to the US to work and live illegally. He did say that his customs officer was a pretty rude guy and kind of had that high and mighty attitude problem that we are probably all familiar with.

We found out the hard way that the fiance visa is the way to go.

Jade84

Also, on the document checklist for the interview, it has a box to check for a notarized statement. Is it necessary to have the statement (IV-15) notarized?

For every check-able option on the checklist that doesn't apply to us, he wrote N/A next to the box. Is this okay? Items such as:

Adoption Certificates (he wasn't adopted)
Military Records
Court and Prison Records (we are including the police record, but he has no court records)
etc etc etc

And lastly, photographs. I'm assuming they mean passport photos that will be attached to the 156?

ian-mstm

If it asks to be notarized, it probably should be. Note that the language below is the equivalent and acceptable to US immigration. At the end of the statement write the following:

"I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on [date]"

As long as that statement is signed and dated, you are covered.


Yes.


Yes.

Ian

YouWantFriesWithThat

Those documents get sent in with the IV-15 (the checklist). The documents they are saying not to send in are actually the documents that are needed on the day of the interview - the birth certificate, the I-134, etc etc. It's not very well worded, I agree.

Regarding the notarisation - no, the IV-15 doesn't need notarising. You have to read these documents very, very, carefully and then read them again What it says is if more than 4 months have elapsed since the petition was approved, then you will need a notarised letter of intent stating that a person still intends to marry. If needed, then follow Ian's advice for wording above.

Have a careful read of this link, especially the part about photos. http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html

Jade84

Okay, that makes a lot more sense. I think I've got everything we need, just want to double check with you guys.

To be mailed in:

*completed IV-15, signed and checklist
*completed and signed DS 230
*completed and UNSIGNED DS-157, in duplicate
*completed and UNSIGNED DS-156 K, in duplicate
*completed and UNSIGNED DS-156, in duplicate

We have the photos that meet the standards, but I can't find anywhere in the link that says the photos should be affixed to the DS-156. Do we take those in to the interview? Or should they be mailed in with the rest of these forms and the checklist?

If there's anything I'm overlooking, please mention. I've read, re-read, and read again....I hope I've got it right this time.

For the items we are taking to the interview, they are:

Passport and photocopies
Birth certificate and photocopies
N/A adoption certif
N/A military records
N/A court records
Photographs
Evidence of support
N/A Marriage certificates
N/A divorce certificates
Notarized statement
N/A deed poll
Police certificate

archiemiller

I don't know what I'd do without this website.

I was confused a little because I was expecting a packet with the forms needed to arrive after my letter. It never came, so I called and was told to fill them out online, print them and send them. Which is what I've always done for my J1's, so why say they're going to send me something and waste 3 weeks of processing time!They do like to make things complicated.

However. I was told that I must have my medical before my interview and I cannot have it on the day of the interview and wait for delayed approval! It's so hard when your trying to do everything right!

I decided to book my medical for Jan 15th. I'm sending my Packet 3 this week. I know I probably can do it in one day but I'm gonna suck it up and do two trips. Any advice is greatly appreciated though.