QUESTIONS re:affidavit of support, & other stu

I'm working on a MASSIVE outline of exactly what I need to do to complete this process. I've already got it to 2 pages... and I'll post it as soon as it's completely complete.

But myy brain needs help on a few items. Can you help my brain? Please?

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So far, this is my basic understanding of what we do:

1. Get police certificates arranged since this takes a while

2. When police certificates received & other documents assembled, do the following:
    Mail documents:
       a. Envelope 1: I-130 & G-325A’s
       b. Envelope 2: DS-230 Part 1 and DS-2001 Checklist with documents (am I right in thinking these 2 things can be mailed separately, but you save time doing it all together?)

3. Wait for confirmation

4. Wait for interview date

5. Go to interview & medical.

6. Get visa.

7. Be happy.

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Questions:
1. At what point do I have my sponsor in the US fill out the I-864? Do they mail it to ME and then I include it with all the documents (thereby doing it first, along with the police certificate gathering), or do they mail it directly to the Embassy? I'll be having one of my brothers sponsor us since we're poor as monkey butt.

2. Do we schedule David's medical poking session, or do they send us an appointment?

3. What the heck is a Packet 3?  

Hi Sara – Here is what I have done: (funky format!)

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Ordered the police report on Jan 6th

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Sent I-130, (see below for what was included) on Jan 9th

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My credit card was charged the $130.00 fee on Jan 16th

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Received completed police report on Jan 17th (not long at all)

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Received notice of approval of petition on Jan 26th

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I am still waiting for our appointment date.

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Kevin has gone to the local surgery to get all of his required jabs (shot record) on surgery letterhead. I have read that if for some reason they don’t have the required jabs, the doctor surgery can give them at the visit, or you can get them during the doctor visit of the interview.

You will bring the I-864 with you to the interview – they do not need it before that. That’s good for me because I am in the states as we speak and need to complete my 2003 tax returns!!!

Completed I-130 & G-325A’s  Mailed in one envelope to:
DHS (Immigration) / I-130
American Embassy
PO Box 2444
London W1A 5WT

Here is what was mailed along with a cover letter, thanks to marsbar here: http://www.uk-yankee.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=repat;action=display;num=1073798164

1. Fee payment form (credit card)
2. I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
3. 1 Photograph of You
4. 1 Photograph of Spouse
5. G-325A Bio Form:
6. G-325A Bio Form:
7. Photocopy: Passport Identification Page for you
8. Photocopy: Passport Endorsement Page - Indefinite Leave to Remain for you
9. Photocopy: Letter from Home Office Re: Indefinite Leave to Remain for you
10. Photocopy: Marriage Certificate
11. Photocopy: US Birth Certificate obviously for you
And, divorce papers if necessary

Kevin completed DS-230 Part 1 and DS-2001 Checklist and send in a separate envelope to:
Immigrant Visa Unit
American Embassy
5 Upper Grosvenor Street
London W1A 2JB

Hope that helps a little. Sarah (marsbar) has been queen of repat info - I am sure she can add some more info too  

Just to check/clarify - under 2b,  when you send the DS-230 Part 1 and DS-2001 Checklist, you don't (I understand) send the documents to London - just sign the checklist to say they are ready, and bring along one original and one copy of these on the day of the interview

Just to check/clarify - under 2b,  when you send the DS-230 Part 1 and DS-2001 Checklist, you don't (I understand) send the documents to London - just sign the checklist to say they are ready, and bring along one original and one copy of these on the day of the interview

Exactly right!

Just to check/clarify - under 2b,  when you send the DS-230 Part 1 and DS-2001 Checklist, you don't (I understand) send the documents to London - just sign the checklist to say they are ready, and bring along one original and one copy of these on the day of the interview

OH!
I thought you had to send them photocopies...
:/ No surprises that I'm wrong though...

*blush at missy*

DS-230 Pt 1 & Checklist can be sent together to save time (if you have all or most of your evidence assembled). Otherwise keep working on getting that evidence and send the checklist off a bit later on - its perfectly fine to send it seperatly. Send it to the same address you sent the DS-230 Pt 1.

The evidence outlined on the checklist should not be sent to the embassy. You just check everything off on the checklist and sign it to let them know you have everything you need. The evidence goes with you on the day of the interview. Take photocopies of all the evidence and paperclip the photocopy to the back of the original. At the interview they'll take a look at the orginals and steal the photocopy from you so they can give you the original back. Having photocopies paperclipped to the back of the originals helps them get you through your interview faster so make sure you do this.

Packet 3 is usually the packet you get your DS-230 information in once your petition has been approved. If you send out your DS-230 and I-130 on the same day you'll skip packet 3 and go right on to packet 4.

Packet 4 is the packet you get with your interview date (as I recall). It includes a medical questionaire that you take with you on your interview day. Also included is a letter about how to find the embassy, what to do when you get there etc etc.

The medical questionaire is a simple form that you take to your medical. It asks about weight, height, previous surgeries, and things like that. You put it in the green folder at the interview medical and stick it in the bucket on the wall. All will become clear on the day

You dont have to schedule the medical - its done on the interview day at a clinic not far from the embassy. The All of the people having interviews that day will be there. Its the office of Dr Michael Phelan, 53 Great Cumberland Place, London W1. People with last names starting with A-H should be at the doctor's office at 8:00 AM on the day of their interview. Those people will have their medicals first. The exam includes a chest x-ray and a blood test, which includes testing for HIV. After the medical they go straight to the embassy for the interview. People with last names starting with I-Z should go to the embassy first and have their interview. Then they go to the doctor's office for the medical and return to the embassy in the afternoon for their visa. About 1:00 pm. Pregnant women do not need the x-ray if they dont want to have it done. Arrangements can be made later on to have the x-ray taken ater the baby is born. The medical costs £125.00 + vaccination charges and can be paid in sterling in cash or credit card (visa or mastercard). Children cost £45.00.

Vaccinations: you should get a letter from you regular doc on surgery letterhead stating what vaccinations you've had. If you need to get some you can have your doc do them or  have them done on the day of the interview at a cost.

The embassy, btw, is just inside the congestion charge zone but there's a parking area very close to the embassy that's just outside the zone. Its MasterPark, Park Lane (phone 020 7402 7259) and it cost us about £20 for the day. Its underground just under hyde park. No need to book online - there are thousands of spaces. If youre coming down Park Lane towards the embassy you need to get on the north bound size of park lane in order to get into the car park. Theres a break in the road you can use to get into the north bound lane. Tubegoers can get off at Marylebone.

Oh yeah - Affidavits. Have your sponsor fill out the affidavit and include all the evidence they need to provide (tax returns etc) and have them put it in a sealed envelope and send it to you in another envelope. The USC will also have to fill out an affidavit even if they need a co-sponsor. All the affidavits go with the applicant on the interview day.

Wow, thats a lot of info. I kinda got off on a tangent. I'll reorganize that and make a post about it later on.

Hope that helps,
Sarah

You are an ANGEL.
It makes perfect sense - - - thank you BILLIONS!