Hello everyone,
Following my approval at my visa interview in London on the 26th September, I had to wait for my passport to be returned to me. I was initially informed that this would take up to two weeks, however I found myself in great disbelief when I had an email from the Department of State a few days later informing me that my documents had been passed to the courier already! They will provide you with a tracking number in that email so you can see where your package is online at the website they send you. I'll be honest, I'm not exactly sure how it works if you chose to collect your documents from a depot (which is the default option unless you chose home delivery), however I would imagine you still get emailed with the specifics, otherwise there would be no way of knowing they were ready for collection.
So, my documents were delivered less than a week later, and I was now able to book my flight! Your documents will be sent (or handed over at the depot) to you in a plastic courier bag. You can open this bag, and inside you will find your passport (with the visa printed in it) along with information about how to pay the immigrant visa processing fee before arriving in the US. There will also be a large envelope in the package which contains other documents about you. This envelope states clearly on the front that you must NOT open it or tamper with it in any way. It is only to be opened by the immigration officer at the border, upon entry into the US.
As I said above, before you can travel to the US, you must visit the visa service website to pay for the processing of your immigrant visa. Only you, the immigrant, can do this. The fee is currently $165, which once converted by my bank was around £105. You can find out more information here.
Once that is paid for and you have booked your flight, you are free to travel to the US before the expiry date printed on your visa.
I'll make another post later about checking in for your flight and arriving at the US border, as there are some points worth mentioning with those.
Dan.
Thursday 16 October 2014
The Visa Interview!
Hello everyone,
So following my ordeal at the medical exam, a whole month passed and I found myself at the big day finally! Visa interview day!
Prior to attending the interview you will be required to log on to the visa service website and accept the interview and confirm the delivery option for your documents. You can chose to have them held at a specific depot "near" your home, or you can pay extra to have them home delivered by courier. I chose the courier option, as it only cost me £18, and my depot was miles away. It probably would have cost me nearly that in travel and fuel.
Jon and I had agreed that given it was such a huge day, and the fact I was likely to be a nervous wreck, that he should be in the UK. So, he booked a flight a couple of weeks before to be with me on the day. We already knew however he wouldn't be allowed in the embassy with me, but at least he could travel to London with me (which is an ordeal in itself), and be with me in line at the gate, and be waiting outside once I'm done. Then we could celebrate together, too right?...
Back to that morning, and we got up ridiculously early having not really slept well through anticipation. We got to London Charing Cross and walked the rest of the way. You have to understand, Charing Cross is at least a half hour walk at my own brisk pace (everyone always tells me I run along rather than walk), but we chose to do this in fear of getting on a tube and it breaking down or being delayed. Cautious yes, paranoid, maybe a little - but better safe than sorry, right?
We found ourselves in Grovesnor Square at about 7.15am, a full hour and fifteen minutes before my interview time - but we weren't the first ones there! There was already a line, and it started to get long after we arrived too, so bear that in mind. I'm glad we got there when we did.
A little while before the embassy opened for the first appointments of the day staff started to trickle out and set everything up. They will organise the queue line into different sections depending on your appointment time. We had to stand in a separate, second line, since my time was not until 8.30am - apparently appointments begin at 8am, so they let all those people through first. The staff at the front of the line will ask to see various documents which you must have with you. You MUST take with you:
• Your appointment confirmation - whether that is an email printout or an actual letter doesn't matter.
• Form DS260 confirmation page from the DOS website (it has barcodes on it that they scan)
• Your confirmation of your accepting the interview printed out from the visa service provider website. This is the page that basically states how your documents are to be delivered. If you have chosen home delivery it is imperative you print this page, as they will ask for it inside in order to ferry your documents once all is said and done.
Of course, any other documents may also be required, and these are specified in your appointment letter from the NVC. We had already submitted everything, and we didn't need anything else, but be aware that you may be required to take originals and/or copies of any other document, such as birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, photographs etc. Of course, you also need your passport, too, but I would assume that goes without saying!
Once the guard has admitted you to the embassy you pass through airport style security checks. You are allowed to take your mobile phone, but NOT laptops or tablets. You should definitely avoid any unnecessary hassle by minimising the items you take with you on the day. Luckily I had Jon who would wait outside, so he could take everything I didn't need. Unless agreed by special arrangement prior to your appointment, you will NOT be allowed to take anyone - even your US spouse - into the embassy with you. While waiting in line we saw several people be told that they would not be allowed entry.
Once through the security checks there are signs telling you to proceed around the side of the building. You go up some steps and enter a lobby area. Present your documents again, and the person at the desk will give you a ticket number. You'll then be directed up the stairs to the waiting area.
The waiting area basically looks like any other waiting room - it could be a hospital for all it's worth. There is a large screen that displays the ticket numbers and which window to attend to. It took well over an hour for my ticket to be called, and there were a lot of people that morning.
Once your number is called you go up to the post office style counters and the officer will proceed to ask you a series of questions and ask for some of your documents. It was here that I handed over my document delivery confirmation page. I'll be honest, I was not at the window probably even 7 or 8 minutes. The officer asked how I knew Jon, what Jon does for a living and one or two other very minor things that didn't seem that important in all honesty. He took my passport and I was told to sit back down and that I would be called again shortly.
I literally sat back down, text Jon to let him know I'd been called up, then my number was called again! This time I had to go to the next window along. The officer there informed me that this was my actual visa interview. I was told to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth. I said I would, and he proceeded to ask a couple of similar questions to the first officer. Again, I was there only minutes, and the questions were nothing taxing; all very generic, "how long have you known each other", "where is Jon right now?", etc.
After the officer was apparently satisfied he turned to me and said, "Your visa application is approved. You'll get your passport back in two weeks. Good luck!" And that was literally it! I was approved! I thanked him, gathered my things and walked away from the desk in a daze! All the panic and worry that I had caused myself over this day, wondering what it would be like, what they would as, say or do - and now it was over in 10 minutes flat!
I ran outside and met with Jon, and we spent the rest of the morning wandering London having fun, in celebration of the most excellent news!
My advice to anyone is literally, do NOT panic. I got myself into such a state over this interview and it was so easy. You have to remember that you have already been approved, you have already had the medical, you have already given them everything they could possibly want about you - this is the final part so they can just meet you and check everything over one last time before giving you the visa. I know it's easy to say that in retrospect, but my lawyer kept telling me this over and over, yet I still got worked up over it. Providing you are genuine (and I hope that anyone reading this would be), then you have no reason to worry.
I'll be making another post later about the final steps after the interview, as there are a couple more things that you must do.
Dan.
So following my ordeal at the medical exam, a whole month passed and I found myself at the big day finally! Visa interview day!
Prior to attending the interview you will be required to log on to the visa service website and accept the interview and confirm the delivery option for your documents. You can chose to have them held at a specific depot "near" your home, or you can pay extra to have them home delivered by courier. I chose the courier option, as it only cost me £18, and my depot was miles away. It probably would have cost me nearly that in travel and fuel.
Jon and I had agreed that given it was such a huge day, and the fact I was likely to be a nervous wreck, that he should be in the UK. So, he booked a flight a couple of weeks before to be with me on the day. We already knew however he wouldn't be allowed in the embassy with me, but at least he could travel to London with me (which is an ordeal in itself), and be with me in line at the gate, and be waiting outside once I'm done. Then we could celebrate together, too right?...
Back to that morning, and we got up ridiculously early having not really slept well through anticipation. We got to London Charing Cross and walked the rest of the way. You have to understand, Charing Cross is at least a half hour walk at my own brisk pace (everyone always tells me I run along rather than walk), but we chose to do this in fear of getting on a tube and it breaking down or being delayed. Cautious yes, paranoid, maybe a little - but better safe than sorry, right?
We found ourselves in Grovesnor Square at about 7.15am, a full hour and fifteen minutes before my interview time - but we weren't the first ones there! There was already a line, and it started to get long after we arrived too, so bear that in mind. I'm glad we got there when we did.
A little while before the embassy opened for the first appointments of the day staff started to trickle out and set everything up. They will organise the queue line into different sections depending on your appointment time. We had to stand in a separate, second line, since my time was not until 8.30am - apparently appointments begin at 8am, so they let all those people through first. The staff at the front of the line will ask to see various documents which you must have with you. You MUST take with you:
• Your appointment confirmation - whether that is an email printout or an actual letter doesn't matter.
• Form DS260 confirmation page from the DOS website (it has barcodes on it that they scan)
• Your confirmation of your accepting the interview printed out from the visa service provider website. This is the page that basically states how your documents are to be delivered. If you have chosen home delivery it is imperative you print this page, as they will ask for it inside in order to ferry your documents once all is said and done.
Of course, any other documents may also be required, and these are specified in your appointment letter from the NVC. We had already submitted everything, and we didn't need anything else, but be aware that you may be required to take originals and/or copies of any other document, such as birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, photographs etc. Of course, you also need your passport, too, but I would assume that goes without saying!
Once the guard has admitted you to the embassy you pass through airport style security checks. You are allowed to take your mobile phone, but NOT laptops or tablets. You should definitely avoid any unnecessary hassle by minimising the items you take with you on the day. Luckily I had Jon who would wait outside, so he could take everything I didn't need. Unless agreed by special arrangement prior to your appointment, you will NOT be allowed to take anyone - even your US spouse - into the embassy with you. While waiting in line we saw several people be told that they would not be allowed entry.
Once through the security checks there are signs telling you to proceed around the side of the building. You go up some steps and enter a lobby area. Present your documents again, and the person at the desk will give you a ticket number. You'll then be directed up the stairs to the waiting area.
The waiting area basically looks like any other waiting room - it could be a hospital for all it's worth. There is a large screen that displays the ticket numbers and which window to attend to. It took well over an hour for my ticket to be called, and there were a lot of people that morning.
Once your number is called you go up to the post office style counters and the officer will proceed to ask you a series of questions and ask for some of your documents. It was here that I handed over my document delivery confirmation page. I'll be honest, I was not at the window probably even 7 or 8 minutes. The officer asked how I knew Jon, what Jon does for a living and one or two other very minor things that didn't seem that important in all honesty. He took my passport and I was told to sit back down and that I would be called again shortly.
I literally sat back down, text Jon to let him know I'd been called up, then my number was called again! This time I had to go to the next window along. The officer there informed me that this was my actual visa interview. I was told to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth. I said I would, and he proceeded to ask a couple of similar questions to the first officer. Again, I was there only minutes, and the questions were nothing taxing; all very generic, "how long have you known each other", "where is Jon right now?", etc.
After the officer was apparently satisfied he turned to me and said, "Your visa application is approved. You'll get your passport back in two weeks. Good luck!" And that was literally it! I was approved! I thanked him, gathered my things and walked away from the desk in a daze! All the panic and worry that I had caused myself over this day, wondering what it would be like, what they would as, say or do - and now it was over in 10 minutes flat!
I ran outside and met with Jon, and we spent the rest of the morning wandering London having fun, in celebration of the most excellent news!
My advice to anyone is literally, do NOT panic. I got myself into such a state over this interview and it was so easy. You have to remember that you have already been approved, you have already had the medical, you have already given them everything they could possibly want about you - this is the final part so they can just meet you and check everything over one last time before giving you the visa. I know it's easy to say that in retrospect, but my lawyer kept telling me this over and over, yet I still got worked up over it. Providing you are genuine (and I hope that anyone reading this would be), then you have no reason to worry.
I'll be making another post later about the final steps after the interview, as there are a couple more things that you must do.
Dan.
The Visa Medical
Hello everyone,
16 October 2014: It should be noted this entry was supposed to have been posted several weeks ago, but alas life gets in the way!
My apologies for not writing in a while again. Life has been hectic as always! This entry is about my visa medical on 26th August. I didn't write earlier about this experience because to be honest, I didn't want to "relive" the day so soon again! However, I also am aware there is very little information on the internet about the medical, as I looked myself before mine, so I wanted to document it here.
The only doctors you can see for USA visa medicals are the ones specified by the US immigration authorities, which at time of writing (in the UK) are the Knightsbridge Doctors in London. My appointment was at 10.50am.
I left home very early, parking my car at a station near where I live and taking the train to London. It was raining, of course, which made things even more unpleasant than they already would be. Arriving in London at London Bridge I discovered the Jubilee line wasn't stopping at Bond Street due to engineering works, which is exactly where I needed to get off. So, I found an alternate route and got off at Green Park. I had to walk in the rain the now longer distance to the doctors, just north of Oxford Street.
When you arrive, press the outdoor buzzer, then once inside the hallway, the door to the surgery is immediately on the right. No need to knock, just enter. Once inside there are two windows at reception. Somebody will check you in and ask for your documents. I should note at this point that you will need to have already filled in the medical questionnaire before arrival (which you can find online). You will also need your police certificate if it hasn't already been submitted to the government, or a good photocopy of it, plus a US style passport photo (2 inches by 2 inches) and your passport. You will also need to provide your vaccination record, and make sure that your own surgery has given you a copy with your name and date of birth on it. As I discovered, a print out isn't enough. I gave them what I had, but had to go back to my doctor once I was home later that day, get a copy with my name and date of birth on, and email it to them. It wasn't a problem to do that, but it was an extra hassle on an already stressful day.
So, I gave my documents in, and was told to sit in the waiting area and fill out yet another questionnaire about my general health. You will be called by a nurse to review your vaccination records and determine if you need any boosters. Of course, again, nobody informed me, nor was it apparent at any point during this process that I'd need an MMR. I had already gotten my DTP booster at my own doctors surgery but now I had to get an MMR too! I was not amused, especially since their booster fee was another £45 on the £245 medical exam fee. This day was not going well! So I had the MMR there and then. As a side note, you will also need to get the one month booster from you own doctor, around a month after this first one. I had mine just a couple of days ago. You may be required to provide evidence you had it, in the future. After seeing the vaccination nurse, you have a chest X-ray to determine whether you have TB (because you wouldn't already know, right?!). I had to have mine taken twice (yay radiation?!) because the radiologist saw "a dark patch" and had to be sure it wasn't TB (like I said, like I wouldn't have already known anyway). If for some reason you are found to have TB you'll have to be treated for it and cleared again by these doctors at some later date before you can pass the medical and move to the US.
Once you've seen the radiologist you'll be called to see the panel doctor. The doctor will go through your questionnaire with you and ask questions about your general health and anything that you may have mentioned on your questionnaire that they feel needs further information, such as if you have suffered from depression or ever been hospitalised for any reason (operations, accidents, etc). The doctor will also check your height and weight, and ask you to read an eye chart (no idea why these would affect anything, and if they did, it'd be a gross violation of your rights and very discriminatory). Then, you will lay on a bed and have your blood pressure taken, and a blood test for STDs (some might call this having "blood drawn"). Men are also examined for testicular cancer.
If there is anything the doctor feels they need any more information on, they will tell you, and you might be given a form to take to your own doctor to request more information about whatever the case may be. If they don't require any more information, after everything described above, you'll sit and wait again to be called back to the reception window. Once called, pay the fees due, and you'll be on your way! If you don't hear anything from them within about 3 working days, then you can safely assume your blood test and X-ray results were fine. A few days later you will get in the post a copy of your vaccination record, but on a special US Department of State form. It is imperative you keep this form safe, apparently.
So that was my experience. Overall the actual being there wasn't that bad, but I have to say, it is not an experience I want to ever repeat. Knowing these doctors have the power to basically decide your whole life is intense, and being injected, X-ray'd, prodded and poked by strangers is not nice. On top of that, getting there is a pain, especially if like when I went train stations are closed and it is pouring with rain.
Dan.
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