London - Rfe
 

Very briefly, for now, I promise to post a complete run down
of my day and all of the pitfalls and emotions in the next day or two. (If only to keep the Mother of all Nags, Happy :o)

My daughter and I went to the interviews today.
We were "approved" pending supplying a couple more pieces
of paper.

1/. Katie is 17 and I failed to pick up on the fact that I needed to
take a letter from her mother (my ex-wife) giving her permission
to take Katie with me, even though katie has lived with me for 2 years, I don't (effectively) have legal custody of her

2/. The affadvit (I-864) I was under the impresssion that I had to
take an original signed and notarized and then a copy for Katie
which the INS people would compare and then notarize at the
Embassy.
Wrong, I needed two original signatures.

I must say, the guy who interviewed me was excellent, he went out of his way to be helpful, but couldn't do anything about the
2 "problems"

The result is that I have to get ...
a/. A letter from my ex-wife
b/. A signed and notarized copy of (only) page 6 of the I-864 from
the US.

I was told to take these to the Embassy (on my own if necessary)
with our two passports, anytime between 9am-10am. (in the next week or so)
I don't need an appointment, just turn up, present the two documents and our passports would be stamped, with the visas.


So yes, it was an approval, enough for me to come home and open a bottle of bacardi, the icing on the cake would have been,
if I had sorted those 2 minor problems before I went.

I had another couple of potential "banana skins" but they were
OK.

Please feel free to ask any questions, and I'll try to help or give my opinion (only based on my experience)
Roger

Re: London - Rfe
 

rogerpenycate wrote:
    >
[ ... ]
    > I was told to take these to the Embassy (on my own if necessary) with our two
    > passports, anytime between 9am-10am. (in the next week or so) I don't need an
    > appointment, just turn up, present the two documents and our passports would be
    > stamped, with the visas.

I could be wrong, and I'm certainly being pedantic, but once you have been approved
for I-130 your passports won't actualy be stamped until you arrive in the US. You
should receive the "mysterious yellow envelope" when everything is sorted. Perhaps
things have changed since my wife and I did DCF there.

Re: London - Rfe
 

CONGRATULATIONS ANYWAY ROGER.

Kind regards


Keith & Debs

Re: London - Rfe
 

"rogerpenycate" <[email protected]>
    > So yes, it was an approval, enough for me to come home and open a bottle of
    > bacardi, the icing on the cake would have been, if I had sorted those 2 minor
    > problems before I went.

Nice one Roger!

Hopefully, it will be me soon posting such a message!

Alan

Re: London - Rfe
 

Congratulations Roger! Aren't you glad the worrying is almost over =).

Jeannine,
experiencing that strange calmness just before the interview

Re: London - Rfe
 

Roger a quick question for you, what intended travel date did you put down on your
OF-169 form?
S.M.

"rogerpenycate" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Very briefly, for now, I promise to post a complete run down of my day and all of
    > the pitfalls and emotions in the next day or two. (If only to keep the Mother of
    > all Nags, Happy :o)
    >
    > My daughter and I went to the interviews today. We were "approved" pending
    > supplying a couple more pieces of paper.
    >
    > 1/. Katie is 17 and I failed to pick up on the fact that I needed to take a letter
    > from her mother (my ex-wife) giving her permission to take Katie with me, even
    > though katie has lived with me for 2 years, I don't (effectively) have legal
    > custody of her
    >
    > 2/. The affadvit (I-864) I was under the impresssion that I had to take an original
    > signed and notarized and then a copy for Katie which the INS people would compare
    > and then notarize at the Embassy. Wrong, I needed two original signatures.
    >
    > I must say, the guy who interviewed me was excellent, he went out of his way to be
    > helpful, but couldn't do anything about the 2 "problems"
    >
    > The result is that I have to get ...
    > a/. A letter from my ex-wife
    > b/. A signed and notarized copy of (only) page 6 of the I-864 from the US.
    >
    > I was told to take these to the Embassy (on my own if necessary) with our two
    > passports, anytime between 9am-10am. (in the next week or so) I don't need an
    > appointment, just turn up, present the two documents and our passports would be
    > stamped, with the visas.
    >
    >
    > So yes, it was an approval, enough for me to come home and open a bottle of
    > bacardi, the icing on the cake would have been, if I had sorted those 2 minor
    > problems before I went.
    >
    > I had another couple of potential "banana skins" but they were OK.
    >
    > Please feel free to ask any questions, and I'll try to help or give my opinion
    > (only based on my experience) Roger
    >
    >
    >
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Re: London - Rfe
 

Thanks all for the congratulations.
I sent in the OF-169 on the 6th June with a departure
date of 15th July, so I could have made it.
But have now decided to stay until my house sale is
completed in mid-August.

Good luck to all of you.
Please fire away with any questions, if I can help, I surely will.

Roger (+ Ida)

Re: London - Rfe
 

Roger, Congratulations!

I have a question, I have my K1 interview next week at London. How long will the
interview take - Medcial and the paperwork I am just wondering, as I dont want to be
going home from London late !I will arrange to stay another night there if possible!
thanks! Lucy

rogerpenycate <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > Thanks all for the congratulations. I sent in the OF-169 on the 6th June with a
    > departure date of 15th July, so I could have made it. But have now decided to stay
    > until my house sale is completed in mid-August.
    >
    > Good luck to all of you. Please fire away with any questions, if I can help, I
    > surely will.
    >
    > Roger (+ Ida)

Re: London - Rfe
 

From my experience, the Embassy personnel like to have all visas handed out by/around
lunchtime. You could be out around 12-12.30, depending how fast they get your medical
results to the embassy, or allow a couple of hours later to be safe.

"lucyo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Roger, Congratulations!
    >
    > I have a question, I have my K1 interview next week at London. How long will the
    > interview take - Medcial and the paperwork I am just wondering, as I dont want to
    > be going home from London late !I will arrange to stay another night there if
    > possible! thanks! Lucy
    >
    >
    > rogerpenycate <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > > Thanks all for the congratulations. I sent in the OF-169 on the 6th June with a
    > > departure date of 15th July, so I could have made it. But have now decided to
    > > stay until my house sale is completed in mid-August.
    > >
    > > Good luck to all of you. Please fire away with any questions, if I can help, I
    > > surely will.
    > >
    > > Roger (+ Ida)

Re: London - Rfe
 

Hi Lucy,
From my experience and those of others on here (and the above
poster) you should be finished by 12.30-1.30.

Good luck next week and believe me if all of your paperwork is
in order, it will be a doddle, the staff there are really friendly and helpful.
An example, I had my 17 year old daughter with me, When we were called to the booth for the actual interview, the "big cheese"
who interviewed us wore glasses, he looked around and said
" Where's Katie ?" (my daughter)
He then lifted his glasses and said "Oh there she is"
so he really made an effort to try to help us relax, knowing that everyone there is "petrified"

Good luck next week, you'll be fine, it really isn't the frightening
experience everyone imagines (and anticipates)

Roger

Re: London - Rfe
 

rogerpenycate <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > Hi Lucy, From my experience and those of others on here (and the above poster) you
    > should be finished by 12.30-1.30.
    >
    > Good luck next week and believe me if all of your paperwork is in order, it will be
    > a doddle, the staff there are really friendly and helpful. An example, I had my 17
    > year old daughter with me, When we were called to the booth for the actual
    > interview, the "big cheese" who interviewed us wore glasses, he looked around and
    > said " Where's Katie ?" (my daughter) He then lifted his glasses and said "Oh there
    > she is" so he really made an effort to try to help us relax, knowing that everyone
    > there is "petrified"
    >
    > Good luck next week, you'll be fine, it really isn't the frightening experience
    > everyone imagines (and anticipates)
    >
    > Roger
    >
    > Please may I ask about your letter of consent from your x wife.
What did she have to write, and where can I find the info needed so that my x can
give his consent ? thank you
    >
    > --

Re: London - Rfe
 

Hi,
I have a letter that says
"I Mrs........... (formerly Mrs Penycate) give my permission for
my daughter Katie to eimgrate to America with her father"
Signed..........
The consular officer said it didn't need to be notarized.
However, I am going down to London with it on Thursday
and will post then as to how it went.
Roger

Re: London - Rfe
 

rogerpenycate <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > Hi, I have a letter that says "I Mrs........... (formerly Mrs Penycate) give my
    > permission for my daughter Katie to eimgrate to America with her father"
    > Signed.......... The consular officer said it didn't need to be notarized.
    > However, I am going down to London with it on Thursday and will post then as to
    > how it went. Roger
    >
    >
    >
    > --Roger
Thank you, good luck on Thursday

Re: London - Rfe
 

Kittycat,
Thanks, keep your eye out on here on Thursday or Friday and I'll
let you know how I got on, and exactly what my ex-wife wrote,
and of course, how successful it was.

Re: London - Rfe
 

For those of you taking children out of the county this may help.
My 17 year old daughter is moving to the US with me.
At our initial interview I was refused (one point is not relevant to this posting)
I did not have a letter from my ex-wife giving permission for me to take her out of the county.
Although she has lived with me for 2 years I do not have legal custody of her (Katie)
S I went back to the Embassy to day with a letter from my ex-wife.
At this point names have been changed to protect the innocent !!

Hand written on white paper (and NOT notarized)

Mrs C ............(formerly Mrs C Penycate)
Adress...............etc

To whom it may concern,
I, Mrs C........... (formerly Mrs C Penycate) hereby give my consent
for our daughter, Katie Penycate to emigrate to the United States with my ex-husband, Mr Roger Penycate

Signed...........

That was it, and it was accepted.

Now you would think that with such an important document.
a/. they would need more proof
b/. they would have asked for it to be notarized.

Neither of these applied.

My assumption.
1/. Having gotten this far with the process, and never having told a lie (as they would know) I would not jeporadize my whole future by forging a letter.
2/. My daughter was at the first interview and it is obvious that I am not exactly forcing her to go against her will.

If I can be of more help, let me know.

good luck

Roger (+ Ida)