L1B Visa - Help!
 

Arghhhh! I'm pulling my hair out ... Can someone help me figure out the best course of action here as I'm struggling to make sense of the London US Embassy website!

Here's what's happened so far in my L1-B application:

1) I-129 has been filed by US lawyer (premium processing). They made a 'Request for Evidence', which was completed and they are currently reviewing this.

I now need to know if I should be doing anything at my side in the meantime. In particular:

- At what point can I complete the DS-160 and arrange an interview appointment? (which do I do first too!?).
- If I made an interview appointment tomorrow (current wait time for an appointment is 8 days) and my I-129 isn't approved in time is is easy enough to re-schedule my interview?
- My wife will be coming in an L2-B visa. Do I complete a seperate DS-160 for her and do I just make one interview appointment for the both of us? I'm a bit concerned about this as nowhere in the I-129 has she been referenced. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance - I cannot wait until this is over it's causing more stress than ANYTHING else has in our lives so far! Hopefully someone who has been through this can reassure us.

oh and hi, i'm new here! :-)

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

hi there, welcome :)

At this point, you can't do any of the visa application activities (DS-160, interview etc). Most people don't realize that visa applications are a two part process, the petition and then the visa application. You are still waiting for petition approval. Until you have the petition I-129 approval, you have no basis to make an interview appointment or fill out a visa application.
Your lawyer should be keeping you abreast of these steps.

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

Thank you for your response - much appreciated.

I have prepared the D-160 applications (one for me and one for my wife) so that once the petition has been approved I can then move forwards.

Can I just check, do I need to submit the D-160 before calling to make the interview? or the other way around?

Also, do I need to take the official paperwork of the petition with me or would a faxed/emailed copy be acceptable? I'm wondering if I need to have them ship the paperwork once completed (which would add on a couple of extra days).

Thanks again!

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

Considering that it'll be difficult to make an appointment for an interview when the Consulate doesn't yet know that you want a visa... I suggest you submit the DS-160 first. :)

Ian

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

thanks for the answer (feel stupid now). It doesn't actually seem to declare the exact process to follow on the embassy website though (at least not the pages i've checked). It details both processes but doesn't seem to have a breakdown of the exact steps to follow.

So when I submit the D-160 is it then immediately in the system so I could for example submit the document and call up 10 minutes later to book my interview?

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

It may be immediately in the system, but someone still needs to review it. Once it is accepted as complete, you will be invited to book an interview appointment.

If I can offer a comment... you seem quite anxious about this process and the timelines involved. It will take several months from start to finish, and you can't speed it up. In due time, things will happen when they need to. While applying for a visa can be a frustrating experience, you shouldn't put your life on hold as a result. Since getting a visa isn't a life/death issue... in the grand scheme of things, it'll all work out.

Ian

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

It does feel like a life/death matter when you were given incorrect information about the timelines from the start. i.e. my lawyer/employer told us that we would be able to move after I had worked for the company for 12 months, instead of the actual fact that after 12 months we can apply for the visa.

We rented out our house in preparation for the move only then to be told about the full visa process (which has come through in drips also). It's only now that I have researched myself that I discover the full process - they were never outlined by the lawyer, which sucks.

So apologies if I sound anxious about dates, but I have sacrificed a lot so far and want to get in my head (and more importantly my wifes) a worst case timeframe.

p.s. thanks for the support though! I know it will all come good in the end, it's just proving to be very stressful!

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

For my husband's H1B and then his O1 we needed the original approval petition so they should courier it to you as soon as they receive.

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

thank you kindly (*adds on a few more days to the calendar*) :p

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

We just went through this for an L1A visa. I am the L2 and also wasn't mentioned anywhere in any of the paperwork, but it didn't matter. We actually arranged our interview first and then filled out the DS-160 on line (one each).

You might find this useful / interesting... http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...47#post9201447

Good luck - the one thing this whole process has taught me is the value of patience ;)

Re: L1B Visa - Help!
 

Thanks - just got the petition approved today and made my interview for the 6th May (They could have done as early as 3rd!). I'll complete the D-160 now.

I decided to wait a few more days so that the paperwork can be FedEx'd to me in time from the US as the person on the phone said that it is us to the consular official doing the invterview if he will accept a photocopy of the documentation! Not worth the risk I suspect!?

It's only now we are getting towards the end of this process that I think I understand the whole thing! typical! (and I suspect very normal!)