thenoblesavage

People, you are all getting too serious about all this! I just posted to share my experience, to give warning to be careful and to ask others how long it had taken them to apply for a police certificate. I'm not faulting the Consulate for anything, in all this the only thing I'm disappointed about is the fact those issuing the police certificate lost my photo, and that as a result of that I have to pay £35 more, but hey I took the risk so I pay the price. It was my decision, my risk (if you consider it a risk) and it doesn't affect anyone else at all. I'll get my police certificate in time still and I'll get my visa, I'm not stressing about it at all, I have plenty of other things to be stressing about!

And what is this thing about taking parts of what people have said on here and really dissecting it with negative comments?! You can't take parts of a paragraph and interpret each sentence, you have to read everything someone writes and take it as a whole!

Regardless, thank you all for your comments.

James

meauxna

ha ha! Internet much, James?

Seriously folks, I think this topic has been beaten to death. James made a good point: plan far enough ahead or pay the consequences.

Police certificates for US immigration are valid for a year from issue date per the notes on the consular website, so apply away.. it's one of the first things a beneficiary can do while waiting for petition approval.

Now everyone take a deep breath and be glad YOU didn't have to go to the hardware store this morning.

ian-mstm

Yes, you can.


No, you don't.

Ian

thenoblesavage

Ok, so you don't have to take the whole of what someone says and you can split and comment on a single sentence!!

You can't take part of, say this sentence "... government departments can be slow and inefficient, so take this as a warning", cut out the "so take this as a warning" and say "Exactly" in response as if I hadn't even acknowledged that you have to be careful!!

meauxna

I'll be happy to split this topic off into the Trailer Park. I'm sure there are plenty of folk who'd love to debate this.

Ian, if you respond, that's where you're headed...

thenoblesavage

Hey all, just wanted to let you all know that I got my Police Certificate this morning, phew! So I have everything in order and ready for the interview next Monday. Provided that goes to plan I'll post my entire timeline afterwards (3 months, pretty impressed with the US Embassy, so far at least.......).

James

kimbap

Good for you Noble Savage,
I am hoping to do the same -- 3 months start to finish. I filed the I-130 on April 26 and sent the DS2001 and 230 in on the 17th June. We need to leave London on the 31 July. What did you write for your leaving date on the 2001? I wonder if they take that into account. I'm actually the USC, it's my husband's app although I've handled it all. He has a job that starts on Aug 3. We wrote on the 2001 that the medical was on 29 June.

oh, and thanks meaxuna. i was just annoyed about the affidavit of support because I spent an evening photocopying six account statements in duplicate on my pokey home copier.

meauxna

Phew, I had my fingers crossed for you that they'd be more efficient than promised!


kimbap, I hear you on the copier. I think our biggest expense besides travel during our DCF was photocopies! We had to go to some weird shop in the next village to even find one.. I think I put that lady's kid through college!

Yes, the Consulate does take your estimated travel date into account when setting interview dates.

thenoblesavage

Thanks Kimbap

We're the same as you guys, my wife being the USC and our 2 children are dual citizenship, how lucky is that!!

Anyway I filed the I-130 towards the end of March, and sent my DS2001 and 230 on the 26 May, received letter from US Embassy on 19 June giving interview date of 29 June. Just for the hell of completion, I had my medical on 4 June.

I put my travel date as mid to late July. I also included a covering letter explaining that we have a family holiday in North Carolina starting 15 August so it was our wish to be able to stay and start looking for a home then, rather than travel back with 2 young children. So I'm guessing they take your travel date into consideration as I was seeing people with later interview dates than mine, even though they had submitted their forms before me.

If you have everything in order and they deal with yours as quick as mine then you should be fine for 31 July, but who knows every case is different. You'll have to keep us updated, fingers crossed!!

What's this about photocopying six account statements, do they need that many? I thought it was original and one photocopy of everything?

James

kimbap

hi noble savage:
i do often look at my 6-month old and think that unlike her father or me, she has the right to move easily between the two countries (if one of us carries her of course!).
i didn't write a note about our situation. hmm, perhaps i should have.
the many photocopies are because we used assets rather than income and our money is spread across different accounts -- i think you do only need the one required copy set and then of course there is the recommended set of copies. i overegged the asset pie so we wouldn't have any trouble. as i didn't want to deal with getting a letter from my husband's employer.
well, we shall see what happens. i'm hoping for an appt the week of july 20 or earlier!

thenoblesavage

Visa approved, so 3 months start to finish, very pleased. Now all we have to do is book our flights, sell our furniture, lease/sell our house, deal with the dogs, pack, all by the end of July..........easy!!

meauxna

Congratulations!

Arriving In America: Navigating the POE

kimbap

Congratulations NS!
Let us know when you get your passport.
We, too, are hoping to pack up and fly out by end of July. Husband had medical yesterday. Still waiting on appointment letter. I hope it comes soon.
It's nice to know that three months isn't a fluke -- that if one gathers everything and sends it off right away, it can be done.

ian-mstm

It still might be!


As long as you don't count on it being done in 3 months, you'll be fine.

Ian

thenoblesavage

Thanks Kimbap, I got a text today saying my passport will be with me tomorrow by 12pm. I should tell you that there was alot of waiting at the interview. I was there for about 2 1/2 hours, only done about 10-15 minutes of talking, the rest of the time was sat yawning and staring at the screen waiting for my number to be called! The ConOff didn't really have too much to ask me, she still asked how I met my wife even though we've been married almost 3 years and have 2 children! Anyone have any idea what I could have said that could have got me refused here??

The ConOff asked where I'd be staying, I had a letter from my father-in-law saying we could stay at his as long as it takes to find our own place. I really had all my papers in order, which makes their job easier and quicker to do, which in turn makes it easy for you, so go organised and prepared.

I've no idea how much of a fluke 3 months is, I only have my own experience to go by. Whatever happens, fingers crossed and good luck!

James