ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresThe RFE Master List
New to the site. Just been reading about people's experiance. We just made a application for the I-129f on the 05/02/2013 sent by USPS next day delivery to dallas lock box. We checked online via the tracking number and got a confirmation it was delivered and signed for by a T Grimmett. From reading other people's experiance of rfe I went through the papers again and realised that we left a section blank on the I-129f form where it says A# for petitioner and we also left a few blank sections on the G325a where it says all other names used i realised I didn't put none and also where it says applicants last address outside the US in the last year we forgot to write my UK address cos we assumed they would realise it was the same address from the question where it says address in the last 5 years. Anyway I assume we shall be getting a rfe for all that. Anyone had similar experiance? And how long before we get the NoA1 since we only filed on the 05/02/2013?
Any UK citizens had there's recently move along in less than 4 months?

Evidence we sent:

My boarding pass for visit in nov 2012 and April 2013
My passport stamp in nov2012
I would have sent the passport stamp for this Aprils visit but they never stamped my passport which is odd cos its a UK passport is that normal procedure? All I could send was boarding passes and flight iteniary and emailed confirmation of flight as well as receipt for payment of ticket.
We sent 2 passport photo of both of us printed names at the back and attached to G325a forms
Letter of intent to marry from each of us
Statement of how we met
Pic of both of us together maybe like 20 pics hand dated and explanation of where we were.
Receipts from restaurants some paid by cash some by card and grocery receipts from krogers, publix dollar general parking tickets. item i bought online mailed to me at his address as well as both of us useing our bank card in the same country and money withdraw made via ATM by me.
Luggage receipts from airline.
My sons boarding card hand written and stamped since he was a infant on lap that's how they do it. He is also a American citizen as he was born there and his dads US born so I sent a copy of his passport and my passport showing the November stamps. I wonder if they will ask for the April stamp that I don't have in my passport. If not for the boarding passes it would look like I never travelled.
Hopefully that's enough info for them.

Is this enough anyone?
Thanks for your help in advance.

New to the site. Just been reading about people's experiance. We just made a application for the I-129f on the 05/02/2013 sent by USPS next day delivery to dallas lock box. We checked online via the tracking number and got a confirmation it was delivered and signed for by a T Grimmett. From reading other people's experiance of rfe I went through the papers again and realised that we left a section blank on the I-129f form where it says A# for petitioner and we also left a few blank sections on the G325a where it says all other names used i realised I didn't put none and also where it says applicants last address outside the US in the last year we forgot to write my UK address cos we assumed they would realise it was the same address from the question where it says address in the last 5 years. Anyway I assume we shall be getting a rfe for all that. Anyone had similar experiance? And how long before we get the NoA1 since we only filed on the 05/02/2013?
Any UK citizens had there's recently move along in less than 4 months?

Evidence we sent:

My boarding pass for visit in nov 2012 and April 2013
My passport stamp in nov2012
I would have sent the passport stamp for this Aprils visit but they never stamped my passport which is odd cos its a UK passport is that normal procedure? All I could send was boarding passes and flight iteniary and emailed confirmation of flight as well as receipt for payment of ticket.
We sent 2 passport photo of both of us printed names at the back and attached to G325a forms
Letter of intent to marry from each of us
Statement of how we met
Pic of both of us together maybe like 20 pics hand dated and explanation of where we were.
Receipts from restaurants some paid by cash some by card and grocery receipts from krogers, publix dollar general parking tickets. item i bought online mailed to me at his address as well as both of us useing our bank card in the same country and money withdraw made via ATM by me.
Luggage receipts from airline.
My sons boarding card hand written and stamped since he was a infant on lap that's how they do it. He is also a American citizen as he was born there and his dads US born so I sent a copy of his passport and my passport showing the November stamps. I wonder if they will ask for the April stamp that I don't have in my passport. If not for the boarding passes it would look like I never travelled.
Hopefully that's enough info for them.

Is this enough anyone?
Thanks for your help in advance.

New to the site. Just been reading about people's experiance. We just made a application for the I-129f on the 05/02/2013 sent by USPS next day delivery to dallas lock box. We checked online via the tracking number and got a confirmation it was delivered and signed for by a T Grimmett. From reading other people's experiance of rfe I went through the papers again and realised that we left a section blank on the I-129f form where it says A# for petitioner and we also left a few blank sections on the G325a where it says all other names used i realised I didn't put none and also where it says applicants last address outside the US in the last year we forgot to write my UK address cos we assumed they would realise it was the same address from the question where it says address in the last 5 years. Anyway I assume we shall be getting a rfe for all that. Anyone had similar experiance? And how long before we get the NoA1 since we only filed on the 05/02/2013?
Any UK citizens had there's recently move along in less than 4 months?

Evidence we sent:

My boarding pass for visit in nov 2012 and April 2013
My passport stamp in nov2012
I would have sent the passport stamp for this Aprils visit but they never stamped my passport which is odd cos its a UK passport is that normal procedure? All I could send was boarding passes and flight iteniary and emailed confirmation of flight as well as receipt for payment of ticket.
We sent 2 passport photo of both of us printed names at the back and attached to G325a forms
Letter of intent to marry from each of us
Statement of how we met
Pic of both of us together maybe like 20 pics hand dated and explanation of where we were.
Receipts from restaurants some paid by cash some by card and grocery receipts from krogers, publix dollar general parking tickets. item i bought online mailed to me at his address as well as both of us useing our bank card in the same country and money withdraw made via ATM by me.
Luggage receipts from airline.
My sons boarding card hand written and stamped since he was a infant on lap that's how they do it. He is also a American citizen as he was born there and his dads US born so I sent a copy of his passport and my passport showing the November stamps. I wonder if they will ask for the April stamp that I don't have in my passport. If not for the boarding passes it would look like I never travelled.
Hopefully that's enough info for them.

Is this enough anyone?
Thanks for your help in advance.

New to the site. Just been reading about people's experiance. We just made a application for the I-129f on the 05/02/2013 sent by USPS next day delivery to dallas lock box. We checked online via the tracking number and got a confirmation it was delivered and signed for by a T Grimmett. From reading other people's experiance of rfe I went through the papers again and realised that we left a section blank on the I-129f form where it says A# for petitioner and we also left a few blank sections on the G325a where it says all other names used i realised I didn't put none and also where it says applicants last address outside the US in the last year we forgot to write my UK address cos we assumed they would realise it was the same address from the question where it says address in the last 5 years. Anyway I assume we shall be getting a rfe for all that. Anyone had similar experiance? And how long before we get the NoA1 since we only filed on the 05/02/2013?
Any UK citizens had there's recently move along in less than 4 months?

Evidence we sent:

My boarding pass for visit in nov 2012 and April 2013
My passport stamp in nov2012
I would have sent the passport stamp for this Aprils visit but they never stamped my passport which is odd cos its a UK passport is that normal procedure? All I could send was boarding passes and flight iteniary and emailed confirmation of flight as well as receipt for payment of ticket.
We sent 2 passport photo of both of us printed names at the back and attached to G325a forms
Letter of intent to marry from each of us
Statement of how we met
Pic of both of us together maybe like 20 pics hand dated and explanation of where we were.
Receipts from restaurants some paid by cash some by card and grocery receipts from krogers, publix dollar general parking tickets. item i bought online mailed to me at his address as well as both of us useing our bank card in the same country and money withdraw made via ATM by me.
Luggage receipts from airline.
My sons boarding card hand written and stamped since he was a infant on lap that's how they do it. He is also a American citizen as he was born there and his dads US born so I sent a copy of his passport and my passport showing the November stamps. I wonder if they will ask for the April stamp that I don't have in my passport. If not for the boarding passes it would look like I never travelled.
Hopefully that's enough info for them.

Is this enough anyone?
Thanks for your help in advance.








































































NurselingFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-05-05 13:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresThe RFE Master List
@Laurka thanks for the fast reply,.. we are already 5 month from october we filed yet no RFE or NOA2,. So how long will it take for approvals after replying the RFE's
DonloveEssMaleNigeria2013-04-01 17:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresThe RFE Master List
Hello everyone,.. My fiancé filed only form 129f and put lots of pictures, his travel documents, call records, western union and mails. But he didn't put "our passports or fill form G-325A" are we likely to get RFE?
DonloveEssMaleNigeria2013-04-01 16:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresThe RFE Master List
Thanks so much Laurka. Your right I shouldn't think about rfe since I pretty much put everything i am keeping fingers crossed that who ever picks up the file is not too picky about where I put none to where I left blank cos it didn't apply to me. I must say for all on the waiting game it must be pretty frustrating for those that have been waiting for months on end. Am at the beginning of this journey so trying to stay positive. Fingers crossed for everyone.
NurselingFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-05-05 16:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresThe RFE Master List
Hey Laurka

I was just looking at your time line and saw you got yourNoA1 6 days after posting i129. If you don't mind me asking what was your rfe for? I guess I want to see if I maybe getting something similar. Thanks again


NurselingFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-05-05 14:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresThe RFE Master List
Hey Laura

Thanks so much for the reply. I was beginning to fret lol. I guess I jus got to wait now. Any idea when the NoA1 usually comes?

Thanks again




NurselingFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-05-05 14:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresapproved

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-22 18:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresVISA APPROVED!

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-23 18:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresafter the interview...

i just checked the status on the CEAC  website and it already says ISSUED! yaaay. hoping to have it in my hand in a couple of days

 

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-29 07:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresafter the interview...

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-25 08:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresApril 1st filer in TX, NOA 2!!! APPROVED!!!! WOOHOOO!!!

Omgggg after what seemed like endless days, weeks, months, I finally got my NOA2.

 

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-25 21:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAOS under process, want to travel to UK

Hello Everyone,

M Where can I find the process for applying visit/tourist visa for UK when a person is under AOS process. Please help.

 

Check here;

https://www.gov.uk/g...visa-in-the-usa

 

I hope this helps!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-26 11:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures11.35 screams in the phone " APPROVED" PETITION

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-29 23:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNo Reason Denial. URGENT HELP.

Unless the consulate had substantial evidence to doubt your relationship, USCIS will review your case file and hopefully re-affirm your petition then send it back to her consulate for final processing! keep us posted with any updates. All the best of luck to you both :)


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-08-20 06:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNo Reason Denial. URGENT HELP.

Sorry to hear this! Does she recall the exact qns asked by the CO?


Edited by KASH2011, 20 August 2014 - 05:45 AM.

KASH2011MaleUganda2014-08-20 05:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWho believes in miracles?

Wow..finally! Congrats to you :)


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-30 09:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresjust received my passport back & two envelopes

hi guys, just got my passport with my k1 visa inside!!! i knew there was going to be a yellow envelope that im not supposed to open but bring with me to the POE, but ive got two envelopes, one is big one is small, the big one says " to be opened only by a US immigration or public health service officer. this is your visa..." and the other one is smaller and it says "M-708, envelope for documents and other items" and i opened it and there are photos we submitted! so they gave them back to us, thats nice of them, haha. so i understand that the big secured envelope i take with me to the POE and just give it to the officer yes? Correct!

 

Congrats!
 


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-30 07:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHappy Birthday to Me!

Happy birthday and Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-09-30 20:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresSo surprised!!

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-02 10:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresi751

Call USCIS again and request to be transferred to a tier 2 rep (agent) who should provide you with a case number that you can use here to check you case status! Good luck :)


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-02 22:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresApproved!!!!!!!1!

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-06 21:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAPPROVED

APPROVED!I'M SO EXCITED I RECEIVED OUR MESSAGE FOR OUR NOA2. ??????????. I CANT STOP SMILING

 

 

Congrats! Got mine today as well! Whoohoo!!

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)


Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity


On October 7, 2014, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

 







 

 

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-08 11:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 Approved heading to DOS.

 

On October 2, 2014, we shipped this approved or re-affirmed case to the Department of State for visa processing. For more information, please contact them directly.

 

Congrats!
 


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-08 06:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresk i 1fiance visa process

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-08 11:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresInterview date received happy!!!!

Just received my interview date am so happy :)

 

Congrats and good luck!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-09 07:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAPPROVED!!!! :D

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-08 22:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresApproved...

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-08 23:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAproveddddd!!!!!!! k-1visa

Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-15 09:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2 WAY TOO EARLY 29 DAYS :)

That was quick! Congrats!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-18 03:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresdone with my medical

Good luck!


KASH2011MaleUganda2014-10-18 03:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresYes, you can visit!

Just visited again. I'm the beneficiary. This is the third visit since July, and it doesn't seem to matter to border patrol (petitioner came to Canada once, and I've gone to the USA twice. 

 

Same questions as always: what's your job, who are coming to see, how long have you known each other/be engaged, let's see your return ticket."

 

Coming back to Canada, the officer looked at my passport and said thanks. No questions, no scanning, nothing. Sweet.


mstewartMaleCanada2013-10-14 19:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresYes, you can visit!

I just visted this past weekend, here's how it went. Fairly smoothly I must say!

 

Also this was the first time I crossed saying "boyfriend"and "fiance" entering the states went like this, at the Detroit/Windsor tunnel POE:

 

Where are you from? --- London, ON

Where are you going? --- Atlanta, GA

Who's there? --- Boyfriend

Let me see your return ticket --- (I had this, and also a letter fro my employer, lease, and I-129F packet as proof too, but he only wanted the ticket)

Where do you work? --- Answered

Where does he work? --- Answered

What do you do at work? --- Answered

Where does he work again? --- Answered

How long are you going? --- 4 days, until the 6th.

Have a nice trip!

 

RETURN HOME:

 

Where do you live?

Where did you go?

Who did you go see? --- Fiance (I proposed this weekend)

Did you buy anything?

When do you plan on getting married? --- When my visa gets approved

Oh! So you're going to immigrate! --- Yup!

Have fun! Travel safe!


mstewartMaleCanada2013-08-09 09:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK-1 petition information
Wow!!!I am in awe. I did not want to believe that there were people in this world that still just wanted to help their fellow man with no strings attached.
You have done and I guess are still doing a great service to everyone that takes the time to read your posts. I Know I now have a different view of the process and new found respect for the people that deal with our applications.

From the bottom of my heart: T H A N K Y O U and may god bestow many blessings upon you and yours.
Vanessa&DagoMaleDominican Republic2012-04-27 16:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresVISA APPROVED!

WE ARE APPROVED!!! I almost thought this day would never come. The Interview experience was a good one. I'll post a review later. Long two hour wait to be called to the window but in the end it was all worth it. I pick up the visa on Thursday. To GOD be alllll the Glory! This process has been so tough and long but we made it. We filed a year ago and we are just now getting our visa so to all who are just starting or are in the middle TRUST GOD, PRAY, and have FAITH and you will get through it. Thank you to all who helped, prayed,encouraged and thought of us. I pick up the visa on Thursday. PRAISE the LORD!!!! So happy and cant wait to be with my love!!!!!!


jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-09-23 16:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFREAKING OUT!

VISA IN HAND. FINALLY!


jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-09-29 14:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFREAKING OUT!

Thanks everyone. I WAS able to cancel my ticket without issue since I canceled less than 24 hours after booking so that's good. And yes, to all of you who reprimanded me for buying my ticket before I had my visa in hand, you're right, I should have known better. Under normal circumstances I am an EXTREMELY cautious person (most of my friends/family would say, "too much so") and I would never have done something like that BUT when the love of your life is laying in a hospital bed and the IO says to come back on thursday morning to pick up your visa, I defy any of you to tell me that you wouldn't be booking that ticket immediately. In fact, I thought I was doing the cautious thing by buying the ticket for the next morning instead of the SAME DAY just in case there were any issues. Well, turns out there's a big issue and I'm still stuck here without my visa. THIS SUCKS! Has anyone experienced this system failure before? They said it happens from time to time and they cannot issue the visa until it's cleared up but it only seems to be affecting the K-1 applicants though- i.e. ME since my contact at the Embassy told me I'm the only K-1 applicant at this time. This is beyond frustrating and of course I was freaking out at first thinking that maybe it had something to do with me or that they found something and wanted to revoke my approval but I found this article online that proves this happened as recently as July of this year. I hope it clears up soon, I need to get to my love. :cry:

 

http://rt.com/usa/17...sa-ccd-crashed/


jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-09-27 07:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFREAKING OUT!

Hi guys, I was approved for my visa on Tuesday and told to come pick it up today (thursday) but when I got into the building they said that some system error caused them to not be able to properly read my fingerprints and for that reason they were not able to print my visa. In my mind I was like, "okay so re-fingerprint me" which they did and I think the prints came out fine but they still keep saying that their system is down so they can't give me the visa.  :cry:

My contact at the Embassy who has been handling my case took my cell number and said that she would call me once they are able to print it but she's not sure it will be today. So of course I'm sticking by the phone but my mind is going crazy with doubts and fears. I'm thinking, suppose this causes them to look into my case again and decide to change their minds on the approval? I'm just a basket case at this point.

To top it all  off, I had my ticket booked for tomorrow morning first thing and now if they don't call me in the next few hours I will have to cancel. My fiance is having surgery TODAY and I was already disappointed that I couldn't be with her while she was having the surgery and now it looks like I'll have to miss yet another day of seeing her. This is so FRUSTRATING.

I must admit, the IO who approved me on Tuesday did tell me NOT to book my ticket until I had my visa in hand but I didn't listen. I was so excited and so ready to get to my fiance for her surgery that I figured. "I'm approved so what could go wrong?" and booked the ticket. Now I'm so worried I don't know what to do. I know God is in control and everything happens for a reason but I can't help but feel scared, nervous and depressed. Has anyone ever had an issue after approval that caused you not to be able to get the visa when you were supposed to? 


jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-09-25 12:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWho believes in miracles?
wow, that's incredible. congrats!!!
jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-09-30 16:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHELLO USA!
I'm here! I can't believe it. The stupid system error that caused me not to be able to pick up my visa on Thursday of last week cleared up on Monday and I was able to get it. I booked my ticket for the first thing smoking on Tuesday morning (today) and I got here at about 11am. After a year and some change I am finally back in Atlanta and with my love. I gotta say, once you cross over; all the stress and setbacks and dissapointments you felt during this long process will melt away. I was so happy and giddy this morning that I went to the wrong baggage terminal entirely and had to be driven via shuttle back over to the international side where my love and her parents were waiting to pick me up. I've done this trip a million times but for some reason, today, I made a huge error. LOL . In the end I chalked it all up to blind happiness. My fiance is in recovery from major surgery--which I was trying to make it back in time for if only my visa was ready-- but if this process has taught me ANYTHING it's that everything happens for a reason! I'm here now and that's what counts. Thank God for her parents who drove down to be with her every step of the way and now that I'm here I can let them go home knowing she's in good hands. :) I'm SO EXCITED about our future together! As of today, there's 89 days left on the countdown to the wedding. I can't wait. AOS process here I come!

Edited by jens_prodigy, 30 September 2014 - 04:36 PM.

jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-09-30 16:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresInterview and Border Experience

Decided to post this here as well as in the review area. Sorry it's so long but I hope this helps someone. My US consulate is in Nassau, Bahamas.

 

Since I don't live in Nassau, I flew in the night before my interview. Luckily, my sister lives there so I didn't have to worry about booking a hotel, car etc. In fact, she literally lives right around the corner from the Embassy so I knew the horrible Nassau traffic wouldn't be a problem. Anyway, the week before, my fiancé had FED-Exed my sister (since there's no Fed-Ex locations on the island where I live) a packet filled with the sponsor form, a copy of our K-1 packet, our approval notices, our whats-app chat logs and copies of everything else we thought we might need to further prove our relationship.So when I got to my sister's apartment I was anxious to open the packet and organize it. Upon looking through it, I realized it was perfect EXCEPT she didn't include any new photos from our past year together since filing the K-1. I was so confused because she had PLENTY to choose from since she came to visit me twice in that time. The only pics in there were in the original K-1 petition!! I immediately began freaking OUT and planned to visit a local library the next morning to print out some pics just to ease my mind.Well, the next morning it just didn't happen, my sister was busy with dropping off my niece at school, running some errands etc and by the time we got around in the traffic it was just too late. I decided it was best to be on time for my interview than to have the pics but I was still really nervous about it.  My appointment was set for 10:30am on a Tuesday morning but Ms.Darling (my embassy contact who helped me greatly answering all my questions throughout this experience) advised me to arrive 30mins early for fingerprinting, payment of fees($265) and to turn in required documents (birth certificate, passport sized photos, sponsor guarantee form, and a couple other things I don't remember.) After going through two security checks (in which you have to check in your cellphone) I was told to take a seat and wait for Ms.Darling who came out after about ten mins. It was nice to finally meet her and to put a face to the name on the countless emails LOL. She was really pleasant, took all my docs and told me to have a seat. She also added that the wait would be "a while" today which surprised me because it didn't look terribly full inside but I said okay and found a seat. I was not as nervous as I thought I would be even though I was wishing that my fiancé could've been there but since she's a teacher AND she was having surgery that same week it was impossible. I saw a few people reading, some were talking with the people they brought with them and others were just mindlessly watching the tv in front of us. I decided to do the latter since I was too nervous to do anything else. In the embassy they turn all chairs away from the interview windows so that you can't watch whats going on while other people are being interviewed. In fact, one of the security guards actually came over to one lady and made her physically turn around because I guess she had been looking behind her at the interview windows and that was a no-no. BUT it's not a big room so you can still hear whats going on. As time waned on I heard so many interviews but I didn't hear a single K-1, they were all tourist visas, one student visa or work visas and I realized I was the only one for a fiancé visa which made me slightly uneasy. I heard mostly approvals but a few denials and I just prayed and prayed that everything would go well. The prayer helped settle me but I was starting to wonder why it was taking so long for them to call me because there were people who came in after me who were being called. I didn't know what to make of it and I wondered if it was a bad sign. Finally, TWO HOURS later at about 12:05pm, I heard my name. I went up to the window and saw a really young IO who was obviously new because when I first got there I saw him asking MsDarling a lot of questions. I inwardly groaned and hoped he knew what he was doing but then I thought it could also be an advantage like maybe he'd be easier on me lol. The other thing I noticed was that there was a document in front of him with my fiancé's passport photo attached to it that was stamped with a big red APPROVED. I didn't know if that meant we were approved for the interview or if it was just the approval from the original application. He made take an oath and began asking his questions . I wouldn't say he was friendly or unfriendly . Instead he was very professional and direct. he asked :What's your fiance's name? When/Where was she born? How old is she? When is her birthday? I fumbled on birthday and age like an idiot!! Those two simple questions that I know by heart. But when he asked "when's her birthday" I started to give my own before correcting myself and the same with her age. I inwardly kicked myself and hoped I didn't sabotage myself but he just raised one eyebrow and moved on. What does she do? When/How did you begin dating? Who proposed to whom and when? Where did you buy the ring-which I replied we didn't have rings yet. Then he asked about me; what I do and for how long have I worked there etc. Then he got to the scary part of the interview that I had been so nervous about. He asked me about my brief overstay which I explained to him then he asked when was the last time I was in the US and how long was my last stay. He also asked me to explain my denial of entry last year which I did in a short but honest way.I figure if he wanted more detail he would ask which he didn't. Then he asked again if I had overstayed any other times which I replied no and I worried whether he saw another overstay on my record which I had forgotten about and maybe it looked like I was lying but I was pretty sure there was no more overstays . I just had one from my student visa for a few weeks.He asked if I'd ever been arrested which again was no. Then he held up my sponsor guarantee form and asked, did you complete this form today? I said "no my fiancé did and FEd-exed it to me" to which he replied, "Well she didn't date it" and my heart literally STOPPED! In my head I was like "nooooooooo". He said, "Well I have to call my supervisor and ask if this is okay so give me a sec". So he used the phone attached to the wall and called Ms Darling right in front of me. My stomach was turning over and that 5second convo felt like an hour but in the end she told him it was okay and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Then he casually told me I was approved and could pick up my visa on Thursday. Inside I jumped over the moon but in reality I just looked at him and said, thank you. He never even looked inside the packet I brought with me that I had been so nervous about. *Shrug* . I guess it's like everyone says, they pretty much know whether or not you will be approved beforehand and the interview is more or less a formality to ensure that you backup everything you said on your application, so he didn't need to see further evidence. I don't know.

Anyway, I then asked if there was anyway I could pick up the visa earlier since my fiancé was having surgery Thursday but he said no. I was slightly disappointed but so happy to be approved that I said, "okay" and practically skipped out of the Embassy to the McDonalds next door where my sister was waiting. She asked how everything went with a worried look on her face because earlier I had told her that it shouldn't take long and if it did it probably meant bad news LOL. So the whole time I was in there for two hours she had been worried about me but I told her I was approved and we celebrated together!!!

Well, They told me to pick up my visa on Thursday at 11am and knowing that my fiancé was having surgery that same morning, I bought my ticket for friday morning thinking even though I would miss the surgery at least I could be there first thing the next day.I arrived, went through security and sat and waited for ms darling. When she called me up to the window I noticed she didn't have my visa in her hand and I got nervous. That's when she told me that there was some system error or failure that had something to do with my fingerprints and the FBI's system and blah, blah blah. Honestly, I was so upset that I don't even really remember what she said. I just remember thinking that maybe they'd found something in my file and decided to revoke my approval or something or wanted to conduct further checks on me. it was nerve wracking. She made me retake my fingerprints but said it still wasn't working. Then I thought, maybe the new IO who conducted my interview did something wrong. Who knows?. In the end she sent me away empty handed which was so devastating. I cancelled my ticket and had to call my fiance's parents (she was out of it so I couldn't speak to her) to tell them I wasnt coming the next day and didn't know when I would be. I went back to the Embassy that friday and the system still wasn't working which meant that I was stuck for the entire weekend. I started frantically searching the internet to see if this had ever happened before and I found some articles saying that it had and that it took a couple weeks to get it fixed, I was in tears that I couldn't be there for my fiancé. Anyway on Monday I called Ms.Darling and she said that "they were working on the system" and that she would call me later on that day. I waited on pins and needles for her to call and she did about an hour later and said it was working and I could pick up my passport that afternoon. I was THRILLED but this time I didn't book my ticket until I had it in hand- I had learned my lesson. LOL. When I got there, Ms.Darling was so sweet and apologetic and she even asked how my fiancé was doing which I thought was nice. She gave me my passport with the visa inside, a large sealed envelope and a HUGE envelope containing my chest X-rays. She explained not to open the sealed envelope and to hand it over to the CBP at the border.When I got home that night I realized I hadn't asked her whether or not I was supposed to give my chest X-rays to the CBP as well. I decided not to and packed them inside my luggage.

Also at my interview, the IO also told me to make sure I gave myself extra time at the airport which I did. My flight was at 845am but I got to the airport at 6am and it was a good thing I did. I checked-in in less than 5mins (during which the agent asked me why I only had a one way ticket so I had to explain that I was in possession of an immigrant visa ,which she confirmed and said okay). When I got to the initial CBP officer, she was a really nice lady who looked at my visa, smiled and said, "oh you're getting married" and I smiled back and said yes. Then she  asked me to follow her to secondary where I sat for an hour and a half! Some other guy was in there with his huge chest x ray envelope and I thought, "Oh no, was I supposed to bring them after all?" but the officer immediately gave them back to him and said he didn't need them. Finally, the CBP officer took my packet from the tray and I saw him going through it. I found myself holding my breath yet again because since it's a sealed envelope I had no control over the contents and just hoped the folks at the embassy assembled it correctly. In fact, in the case of the guy before me with the chest x-rays, they hadn't included his passport photos in his packet and he was so scared but they let him go through anyway. When my name was called the actual thing only took about ten mins, he explained that I had to get married in 90 days and that I should not leave the US until I adjusted my status etc and he was really nice too. I wasn't asked to swear an oath like some other people on this forum said they did. He also told me that he had to keep everything in my envelope and he just passed me my passport back with my I-94 number and Alien registration number written on top of my visa. MAKE SURE THE CBP TAKES YOUR ENVELOPE.DON't ALLOW THEM TO GIVE IT BACK TO YOU, it's for them not you.

By the time I got to my gate they were calling my flight!!!!! So I seriously advise everyone to give themselves a LOT of extra time.

All in all, I have to say I had a good experience with the exception of the system error that was no-one's fault but it was surely inconvenient. I would'nt have cared if my fiancé wasn't in the hospital but hey, that's life and things happen. If not for that I would've given my experience a 5 star review, everyone was very pleasant and professional and the process for the most part was a smooth one!

Sorry this was long but I hope it helps someone who like me wanted to know EVERY detail of everyone's experience who'd gone before me so that I could prepare myself and help calm my nerves.


jens_prodigyFemaleBahamas2014-10-03 09:53:00