To send the checklist or not... that is the question
Jan 23rd 2003, 10:28 am
#1
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Richmond, VA, USA
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To send the checklist or not... that is the question
Hello all!! I need your input!!!!
Ok -- we've hit a little stumbling block, it seems...
Mark sent for his birth certificate last Friday. To make a long story short, he *thought* he sent an expedited request and would have it this week. However, this was not the case, and we just discovered today that he won't get it until mid-February!
This is essentially the last piece of the puzzle for us. He's filling out and posting the DS-230, DS-156 and DS-156K forms to London today. I'm going to post the I-134 and the accompanying docs to him this weekend. He's got everything else -- his passport, police certificate, originals of my birth/marriage/divorce certificates, photos, evidence of having met, etc. Once he has the I-134 stuff next week, the ONLY thing left is his birth certificate, which should arrive about February 14 or so.
So...... here's the million-dollar question: Should Mark go ahead and send in the checklist anyway?
I've already submitted a vacation request for the first week in May to get married. That's over 3 months away. I'm worried that if we put off sending in the checklist until the BC arrives mid-Feb that he won't get his interview in time to arrange to be here in May.
(BTW, we're planning on putting April 12 as our tentative wedding date, so they don't delay his interview until it's too late to arrive in May.)
I realize that *technically* he's not suppose to send in the checklist until he has physical possession of all the required items. But I'm thinking the risk of him NOT having the BC by the time of the interview is almost nonexistent. The only way that could happen would be if his interview was sometime in the first 2 weeks of February, which isn't likely.
What do YOU think??
~ Jenney
Ok -- we've hit a little stumbling block, it seems...
Mark sent for his birth certificate last Friday. To make a long story short, he *thought* he sent an expedited request and would have it this week. However, this was not the case, and we just discovered today that he won't get it until mid-February!
This is essentially the last piece of the puzzle for us. He's filling out and posting the DS-230, DS-156 and DS-156K forms to London today. I'm going to post the I-134 and the accompanying docs to him this weekend. He's got everything else -- his passport, police certificate, originals of my birth/marriage/divorce certificates, photos, evidence of having met, etc. Once he has the I-134 stuff next week, the ONLY thing left is his birth certificate, which should arrive about February 14 or so.
So...... here's the million-dollar question: Should Mark go ahead and send in the checklist anyway?
I've already submitted a vacation request for the first week in May to get married. That's over 3 months away. I'm worried that if we put off sending in the checklist until the BC arrives mid-Feb that he won't get his interview in time to arrange to be here in May.
(BTW, we're planning on putting April 12 as our tentative wedding date, so they don't delay his interview until it's too late to arrive in May.)
I realize that *technically* he's not suppose to send in the checklist until he has physical possession of all the required items. But I'm thinking the risk of him NOT having the BC by the time of the interview is almost nonexistent. The only way that could happen would be if his interview was sometime in the first 2 weeks of February, which isn't likely.
What do YOU think??
~ Jenney
Jan 23rd 2003, 10:38 am
#2
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Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Bristol UK/MD USA
Posts: 477
Hi Jenny
Mark can go to his local resgistary office and request his birth certificate from them.
I went to mine at 10am paid £6.50 and they gave me mine the same day!!!!
Hope this info helps.
Sal
Mark can go to his local resgistary office and request his birth certificate from them.
I went to mine at 10am paid £6.50 and they gave me mine the same day!!!!
Hope this info helps.
Sal
Jan 23rd 2003, 11:00 am
#3
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Richmond, VA, USA
Posts: 4,316
Originally posted by sal_whit
Mark can go to his local resgistary office and request his birth certificate from them.
I went to mine at 10am paid £6.50 and they gave me mine the same day!!!!
Hope this info helps.
Mark can go to his local resgistary office and request his birth certificate from them.
I went to mine at 10am paid £6.50 and they gave me mine the same day!!!!
Hope this info helps.
But what do you think about sending in the checklist? Should we go ahead and do it? Or wait until he has the BC in hand??
~ Jenney
Jan 23rd 2003, 11:08 am
#4
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Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Bristol UK/MD USA
Posts: 477
Hi Jenney
That maybe a problem,I live in the place I was born so it was easy for me to pick my birth cert up!!!
If he is now in a different part of England then yes he has to send off for it,Unless its not to far for him to travel then he can go in person.
Yes send the check list,I sent mine with pkt 3.Then ran around getting all the stuffs together LOL
You will have 2 to 3 weeks anyway once you get your interview date so it shouldn't be a problem
Sal
That maybe a problem,I live in the place I was born so it was easy for me to pick my birth cert up!!!
If he is now in a different part of England then yes he has to send off for it,Unless its not to far for him to travel then he can go in person.
Yes send the check list,I sent mine with pkt 3.Then ran around getting all the stuffs together LOL
You will have 2 to 3 weeks anyway once you get your interview date so it shouldn't be a problem
Sal
Jan 23rd 2003, 11:19 am
#5
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
At this stage.....
of the game, if I were Mark I woiuld take a day off and go get that birth certificate in person. That is unless he was born in the Hebrides or on top of Snowdon. You've come so far don't let anything stop you now.
Jan 23rd 2003, 11:23 am
#6
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Joined: Oct 2002
Location: UK Citizen Now In Baltimore County USA
Posts: 906
Personally although it does say to the contrary on the IV15, I would send the damn thing in, that way its under way. It may be a race to see which comes first the interview or the Birth Certificate, but if it did come in time, wouldn’t you be just so damn mad at the delay you had.
If it doesn’t come in time you could at least rearrange the interview. Now I know its not strictly the correct thing to do, and everybody will have their own view on this, but personally I would go for it, but then again I have always flown by the seat of my pants.
If it doesn’t come in time you could at least rearrange the interview. Now I know its not strictly the correct thing to do, and everybody will have their own view on this, but personally I would go for it, but then again I have always flown by the seat of my pants.
Jan 23rd 2003, 1:04 pm
#7
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,816
Hey, Jenney!!!
I agree in that you should go ahead and send it. It takes them around 3 weeks to get the info on the system anyway, and he could always state his situation on his cover letter. If you give yourself a good time margin to get the cert, I'm sure the Embassy will accommodate you. Good luck, almost there!!!
Kate. xx
I agree in that you should go ahead and send it. It takes them around 3 weeks to get the info on the system anyway, and he could always state his situation on his cover letter. If you give yourself a good time margin to get the cert, I'm sure the Embassy will accommodate you. Good luck, almost there!!!
Kate. xx
Jan 23rd 2003, 1:08 pm
#8
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Posts: 536
In the evenet that his interview date is early, then he could always trip off and get the bc in person as suggested earlier. In other words, you have a fall back.....so dont delay.
Jan 23rd 2003, 1:13 pm
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Boston MA
Posts: 168
we also plan to go pick up his BC when i get there, which will be the week he has the interview (whenever that is). He was told he can just go to the registry where he was born and pick it up. i agree, send it in, and if worst comes to worst and he has not received it, perhaps he can take a day off before the interview and go and pick it up.
Jan 23rd 2003, 1:48 pm
#10
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Posts: 459
Re: To send the checklist or not... that is the question
I ordered my certificates from a company called 'AHA', they charge £16.00 for each certificate which might seem expensive but it saved me taking a day off work to get them myself!!
Their details are available at www.aha.ndirect.co.uk, you can fax or e-mail your credit card details and you will receive the certificate by post within a few days (7 days max!). I have used their services on two occasions without any problems!
Julie
Their details are available at www.aha.ndirect.co.uk, you can fax or e-mail your credit card details and you will receive the certificate by post within a few days (7 days max!). I have used their services on two occasions without any problems!
Julie
Jan 23rd 2003, 5:42 pm
#11
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 123
You guys are living in a different (and faster!) world than I.
We sent back the checklist alomost before we got it out of the envelope. There is NO WAY that the consulate in China will beat us with an early interview date.
Hmmm, I guess that's a silver lining in a typhoon. Maybe not.
Anyway, I would certainly have Mark take a day and go get the cert in person if you get the interview date without getting the cert by mail.
) world than I.We sent back the checklist alomost before we got it out of the envelope. There is NO WAY that the consulate in China will beat us with an early interview date.
Hmmm, I guess that's a silver lining in a typhoon. Maybe not.
Anyway, I would certainly have Mark take a day and go get the cert in person if you get the interview date without getting the cert by mail.
Jan 23rd 2003, 6:06 pm
#12
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Joined: Jun 2002
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 11,061
Originally posted by Jenney & Mark
I asked Mark before about requesting it in person, but he said it wasn't done that way in the UK, that you had to send away for it. Maybe he's just mistaken. Of course, he doesn't live where he was born, either -- maybe that has something to do with it. In any case, I've already passed along your suggestion to him and asked him to look into it. Thanks for the tip.
But what do you think about sending in the checklist? Should we go ahead and do it? Or wait until he has the BC in hand??
~ Jenney
I asked Mark before about requesting it in person, but he said it wasn't done that way in the UK, that you had to send away for it. Maybe he's just mistaken. Of course, he doesn't live where he was born, either -- maybe that has something to do with it. In any case, I've already passed along your suggestion to him and asked him to look into it. Thanks for the tip.
But what do you think about sending in the checklist? Should we go ahead and do it? Or wait until he has the BC in hand??
~ Jenney
You've been advised that Mark won't receive his birth certificate until mid-Feb and if you send in the checklist, you may possibly get an interview date before the bc is received. Then, you'll have another dilemma.
Best to wait until the bc is received then send in the checklist. I'm sure it states that you're to send it in only after all the documents required are in your possession. I don't think the US Embassy would be too thrilled to hear from you to change your interview date if the birth certificate doesn't arrive on time.
My husband and I did DCF at the US Embassy in Ldn in 2001 so I've been through the process.
NC Penguin
Jan 23rd 2003, 6:16 pm
#13
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Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Fort Worth, TX.
Posts: 1,185
Re: To send the checklist or not... that is the question
Originally posted by Jenney & Mark
Hello all!! I need your input!!!!
Ok -- we've hit a little stumbling block, it seems...
Mark sent for his birth certificate last Friday. To make a long story short, he *thought* he sent an expedited request and would have it this week. However, this was not the case, and we just discovered today that he won't get it until mid-February!
This is essentially the last piece of the puzzle for us. He's filling out and posting the DS-230, DS-156 and DS-156K forms to London today. I'm going to post the I-134 and the accompanying docs to him this weekend. He's got everything else -- his passport, police certificate, originals of my birth/marriage/divorce certificates, photos, evidence of having met, etc. Once he has the I-134 stuff next week, the ONLY thing left is his birth certificate, which should arrive about February 14 or so.
So...... here's the million-dollar question: Should Mark go ahead and send in the checklist anyway?
I've already submitted a vacation request for the first week in May to get married. That's over 3 months away. I'm worried that if we put off sending in the checklist until the BC arrives mid-Feb that he won't get his interview in time to arrange to be here in May.
(BTW, we're planning on putting April 12 as our tentative wedding date, so they don't delay his interview until it's too late to arrive in May.)
I realize that *technically* he's not suppose to send in the checklist until he has physical possession of all the required items. But I'm thinking the risk of him NOT having the BC by the time of the interview is almost nonexistent. The only way that could happen would be if his interview was sometime in the first 2 weeks of February, which isn't likely.
What do YOU think??
~ Jenney
Hello all!! I need your input!!!!
Ok -- we've hit a little stumbling block, it seems...
Mark sent for his birth certificate last Friday. To make a long story short, he *thought* he sent an expedited request and would have it this week. However, this was not the case, and we just discovered today that he won't get it until mid-February!
This is essentially the last piece of the puzzle for us. He's filling out and posting the DS-230, DS-156 and DS-156K forms to London today. I'm going to post the I-134 and the accompanying docs to him this weekend. He's got everything else -- his passport, police certificate, originals of my birth/marriage/divorce certificates, photos, evidence of having met, etc. Once he has the I-134 stuff next week, the ONLY thing left is his birth certificate, which should arrive about February 14 or so.
So...... here's the million-dollar question: Should Mark go ahead and send in the checklist anyway?
I've already submitted a vacation request for the first week in May to get married. That's over 3 months away. I'm worried that if we put off sending in the checklist until the BC arrives mid-Feb that he won't get his interview in time to arrange to be here in May.
(BTW, we're planning on putting April 12 as our tentative wedding date, so they don't delay his interview until it's too late to arrive in May.)
I realize that *technically* he's not suppose to send in the checklist until he has physical possession of all the required items. But I'm thinking the risk of him NOT having the BC by the time of the interview is almost nonexistent. The only way that could happen would be if his interview was sometime in the first 2 weeks of February, which isn't likely.
What do YOU think??
~ Jenney
David
Jan 23rd 2003, 6:38 pm
#14
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
If you've got the same deal in the UK as here in US about ordering bcs online, go for it!. I ordered 3 copies of my US bc that way, since it was considerably cheaper than going to New Hampshire from Georgia to get mine. It wasn't cheap, but you did get a slight discount for multiple copies and you could even get it expedited if need be.
Jan 23rd 2003, 6:51 pm
#15
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Posts: 560
Re: To send the checklist or not... that is the question
GO AHEAD
Send it in. I think the majority of people send it in without having all the stuff because they know it will take at least a couple of weeks to get the interview letter and then the appt is usually a couple of weeks after that.
Like everyone else said, you could always drive down and get it. England is relatively small so you could do the trip in a day or so, if it gets to that point. You may even get it in the post sooner than you think.
Anyway, good luck and hope you guys get your visa soon
Kat
Send it in. I think the majority of people send it in without having all the stuff because they know it will take at least a couple of weeks to get the interview letter and then the appt is usually a couple of weeks after that.
Like everyone else said, you could always drive down and get it. England is relatively small so you could do the trip in a day or so, if it gets to that point. You may even get it in the post sooner than you think.
Anyway, good luck and hope you guys get your visa soon
Kat