Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	CONGRATULATIONS to all of you who have received your NOA2s! Thats fantastic news!!!! I hope we are soon too. Fingers are still crossed	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-24 04:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	QUOTE (Simon and Janet @ Sep 20 2009, 01:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> OM MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE GOT OUR NOA2!!!!! I'm stunned....absolutely stunned! I know they were pushing through them quickly....but this is amazing! *** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL *** The last processing action taken on your case Receipt Number: EACxxxxxxxxxx Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E) Current Status: Approval notice sent. On September 18, 2009, 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. If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283. *Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Check My Case Status and Check Processing Times. *** Please do not respond to this e-mail message. Sincerely, The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ohhhhhhh my goddddd! WOW! Congratulations to you both! We're both so excited for you!!! We've just been talking about this together and we're praying and hoping it comes soon for us too. Congrats again and please keep us up to date with the next step!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-20 09:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	QUOTE (Musho @ Sep 19 2009, 12:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey July people How do you see that there has been a touch!? Do you go to the uscis with your number.. but there just writes that petitions are sent and that they are still pending! are there some other things that i can see.. like that there was/wasn`t touch?! I know it is a stupid guestion , but i really dont know A touch, Musho, means literally that someone has 'touched' your file, ie it has been referred to or processed in either a small or significant way. You'll only see it online when you log into to the USCIS website by noticing a date change. It won't say 'touched' the date will just be updated. You have to keep track of the date yourself, they won't tell you separately. Hope that makes sense Hey July people how are you all holding out? I'm going home back to England on Tuesday afternoon. We had a sad morning together before Russ went off to work today, but we're trying to keep positive! Hope your NOA2's are on their way to you all sooooon. Our earliest date today is November 3rd now! We're praying for an Oct date for approval now. Fingers crossed! Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 19 September 2009 - 07:39 AM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-19 07:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	We are now at Nov 9th at the earliest!!!I can't believe it!!!!!! I saw one couple on Igors List that sent off their petition in early June and have just been approved. 93 days! All going well, that means if they keep that up, some of us will be approved this time next month! Keep positive everyone! We are! Oh and by the way, we have only had one touch since we mailed our package and that was way back on 15h July. And we've had nothing since, is that normal??! Bit worried in the back of my mind that theyve forgotten us...???	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-17 07:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	QUOTE (pdcvcm @ Sep 12 2009, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi all, One of my favorite CSC July '09 filers listed the following info for her group and I thought it was a great idea. If you want to be added or you don't want me to keep your name when I post again in a couple weeks, pls let me know. Just thought it would be neat to keep track. Name NOA1 Embassy NOA2 Estimate NOA2 After Wedding Simon and Janet 07/06/09 Sydney, Australia Nov 13 - Dec 1 US Colleens 07/07/09 Montreal, Canada Nov 14 - Dec 2 US Tinkerbell TX 07/09/09 Sydney, Australia Nov 16 - Dec 4 Houston, TX RUSSandRACHEL 07/10/09 London, UK Nov 17 - Dec 5 NJ pcdvcm 07/13/09 London, UK Nov 20 - Dec 8 Dallas, TX EasternDE 07/17/09 France Nov 24 - Dec 12 Wilmington, DE Kadrin&Robert 07/18/09 Estonia Nov 25 - Dec 13 US oldahmed 07/20/09 Czech Republic Nov 27 - Dec 15 DC Musho 07/21/09 Bosnia/Herzegovina Nov 28 - Dec 16 US mike&andi 07/21/09 Argentina Nov 28 - Dec 16 US PeruvyandGringa 07/22/09 Madrid, Spain Nov 29 - Dec 17 FL NewYorkSydney 07/24/09 Sydney, Australia Dec 1 - Dec 19 US Albert 7 07/24/09 Krakow, Poland Dec 1 - Dec 19 US Well done pdcvcm! Great list! Most of us are almost half way between NOA1 & 2!!! Not long to go... QUOTE (ScottThuy @ Sep 12 2009, 03:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> There are June filers getting approved in as little as 93 or 94 days now. if you want to be optimistic, calculate your NOA2 date based on that timeframe and your NOA1 date using This date calculator. We should se approvals in less than 93 days in the coming weeks. If they keep going strong through Sept, there could be July approvals late this month.... That sounds fantastic! Lets hope all at VSC keep up the good work. Everytime I check on our timeline status, it keeps creeping up, nearer and nearer. Now we're at Nov 17th! Good luck to everyone. My fiance and I say it every single day... we can't wait to be married and for everything to just be settled. Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 12 September 2009 - 03:41 PM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-12 15:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	I just wondered... how is everyone getting on? Its a bit quiet on this thread lately compared to the July California Filers thread... Anything to report? Any touches? My estimated date has been lingering around November 20th at the earliest. We're almost at the end of September so not too long to go. Fingers are still crossed. I'm feeling a bit low today. I'm here in NJ with my beloved fiance (I've been here for almost three months over the summer). On 22nd of this month I am due to go home to the UK. I looked on my calendar this morning and its exactly two weeks today. This trip has been the first whereby we've been thrown into a 'real life' situation for the first time. In previous trips, he was self employed and worked only a few hours a week so we had plenty of time together doing things... But this year, he's started a new job (for the puposes of meeting the poverty line) which has kept us apart for 40 hours a week over the three months. Public transport is few and far between here so I have been in the apartment for most of the time on my own and subsequently I have occassionally taken it out on Russ. I just feel bad now, because reading other peoples posts today on VJ, some people are not as lucky as us to spend as much time together. One couple hadnt even seen each other in 17 months. I dont know how I would get through that! I'm just going to miss him so much and we won't be reunited until Christmas when he comes back to England. Any words of encouragement people...?? How do we get through this?	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-08 13:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	QUOTE (Wade+Kristin @ Sep 6 2009, 04:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi everyone! I've been a member of this site since june, and a lurker here even longer and I can't believe I haven't seen this thread until now! So nice to meet other people who are in the same boat as Wade and myself. We filed july 15, and our timeline says we might get our NOA2 between october 16-20. It sounds incredible fast, so we're hoping the estimation is correct. It's such a drawnout process, so lets hope for a smooth journey for all of us july 09 filers Kristin Hi and welcome. The reason your date is earlier than ours is becuase you filed at California. We're all with Vermont, which is a little behind California. Good luck to you. Hope it comes soon!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-07 06:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	Another update from me... it was only 29th November a couple of days ago, now my timeline says... Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between November 22, 2009 and December 7, 2009*. Ooooooh my god!!! Yay!!! I can't wait! We've set our wedding date for June 27th (althought I want to fly out there 2 months prior if I can). I hope everyone else is having a smooth Visa Journey and I recommend all of you to stay upbeat and positive! We'll all get there soon	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-02 13:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	I'm so excited... we have been looking at our estimated date for NOA2 approval on our timeline every single day and it was estimated for the end of December, then it went to mid December and now, for the first time there's a mention of NOVEMBER!! The 29th to be precise! I'm so excited!!! At the rate Vermont is going now, it will all be a swift journey for everyone!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-08-31 06:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	Oh and I forgot to ask, how are you all getting on with wedding plans? We've set our date for June 27th 2010! I'm hoping to fly out with my labrador and Russ at the end of April at the latest. Get settled, and then have the wedding two months later. The ceremony site, reception venue, photographers, flowers and officiant are all booked. Oh and I have my dress as well! I know people say wait for the NOA2 before you make plans, but thats just not possible for us. Nothing would be available! So we're thinking positive and keeping our fingers crossed! Whats everyone else doing?	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-08-21 14:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July 2009 Filers	QUOTE (Simon and Janet @ Jul 5 2009, 04:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Let's get this thread rolling. We sent our I-129F and documents on June 26th, and had the check cashed on the 2nd of July. Just waiting for the NOA1 in the mail now. Hopefully we're all in for a smooth ride...but no doubt there will be alot of impatience and stress ahead. So let's stick together and ride it out as one! July is the 7th month... that's our lucky number as well Yay! 7 is our lucky number too! We also filed our I-129F on July 7th (my birthday) and we recieved our NOA1 on the 16th of July (even though the date on it was the 10th). I just wanted to share my support and find other people in the same boat. Good luck everyone	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-08-21 13:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	July '08 filers	Hi everyone and happy christmas! Congrats to all of you for coming so far on this frustrating visa journey! We cannot wait for the same to come to us! I hope you don't mind me cutting in here, I'm a July 09 Filer at VSC and at the moment we awaiting our interview date at the London Embassy. I just wondered if anyone with a bit more experience could answer my query... I have just had my medical in London a few days ago and was told my vaccination history isn't up to date and I will require Tetanus and MMR for AOS. Theres lots of talk on our forum about having to find a civil surgeon to complete your paperwork. But no-one really knows for sure. I plan to have my missed vaccinations carried out at my local doctors but was planning to just provide proof from my doctor that I've had them, in with the AOS package, not get a civil surgeoun to transfer the information to another form. I have heard that many people don't get an RFE if they go about it this way... How did you all get on with this issue? RFE or not? Thanks to you all so much!!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-12-28 05:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Affadavit of Support-length of employment?	Hi Everyone! My boyfriend has been a cheerleading instructor in the United States for the past 5 plus years and has been self employed. Unfortunately, this has not paid him very highly because he has persued this career for a love of the sport, not the financial benefits. We are compiling all the forms and documents together, needed to file the I-129F. I am going out to New Jersey in the United States to be with him this summer for three months and we're going to start the ball rolling and mail off the package then. However, I have some concerns about the Affadavit of Support needed and additional documents needed. I have been looking on the USCIS website and through the VJ website and it looks as though the 125% above the poverty line is needed only as his present financial status (not what he has earnt in past years). Is it worth my boyfriend seeking permanent employment, so we have 'better records' on paper of employment - and if so, would it be ok that he would only be employed for 6-8 months by the time my visa interview comes up? Or shall he just carry on with his self employed job now and when it comes round to doing his tax returns in april 2009, for the past year, show that instead. What do you think will be the best? Oh and can anyone advise as to what additional documents of proof of his earnings are needed for my interview? Ie - pay slips, bank statements etc... and how many months worth? Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 12 February 2009 - 02:02 PM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-02-12 14:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Advice about the affadavit of support/length of employment required?	QUOTE (Gary and Alla @ Feb 15 2009, 04:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (RUSSandRACHEL @ Feb 15 2009, 04:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Everyone! My boyfriend has been a cheerleading instructor in the United States for the past 5 plus years and has been self employed. Unfortunately, this has not paid him very highly because he has persued this career for a love of the sport, not the financial benefits. We are compiling all the forms and documents together, needed to file the I-129F. I am going out to New Jersey in the United States to be with him this summer for three months and we're going to start the ball rolling and mail off the package then. However, I have some concerns about the Affadavit of Support needed and additional documents needed. I have been looking on the USCIS website and through the VJ website and it looks as though the 125% above the poverty line is needed only as his present financial status (not what he has earnt in past years). Is it worth my boyfriend seeking permanent employment, so we have 'better records' on paper of employment - and if so, would it be ok that he would only be employed for 6-8 months by the time my visa interview comes up? Or shall he just carry on with his self employed job now and when it comes round to doing his tax returns in april 2009, for the past year, show that instead. What do you think will be the best? Oh and can anyone advise as to what additional documents of proof of his earnings are needed for my interview? Ie - pay slips, bank statements etc... and how many months worth? You are correct. CURRENT income is used. If he has an employment letter and a few check stubs, he is good to go. There is no qualification that he must have the job for any given length of time. I think if he has been there long enough to have 2 or 3 check stubs you would have no problem. If he has regular employement at the time of your interview, he will not have to give thre years tax returns (actually, even if self employed, he only needs one year for the interview but will have to declare for three years for the AOS). I would say you have enough time to decide this. If you will start the process in July you will likely have an interview late this year. Thank you so much for your advice. I think it'll be easier if he has 'employment' so we can offer a few pay stubbs instead. Thankyou! Oh and does anyone know exactly what the 125% above the poverty line is now. For 2 people, would that mean the petitioner has to earn $20,000+? And what documents shall we prepare to prove this aside from pay stubs? Bank statements etc...? Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 15 February 2009 - 01:17 PM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-02-15 13:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Advice about the affadavit of support/length of employment required?	Hi Everyone! My boyfriend has been a cheerleading instructor in the United States for the past 5 plus years and has been self employed. Unfortunately, this has not paid him very highly because he has persued this career for a love of the sport, not the financial benefits. We are compiling all the forms and documents together, needed to file the I-129F. I am going out to New Jersey in the United States to be with him this summer for three months and we're going to start the ball rolling and mail off the package then. However, I have some concerns about the Affadavit of Support needed and additional documents needed. I have been looking on the USCIS website and through the VJ website and it looks as though the 125% above the poverty line is needed only as his present financial status (not what he has earnt in past years). Is it worth my boyfriend seeking permanent employment, so we have 'better records' on paper of employment - and if so, would it be ok that he would only be employed for 6-8 months by the time my visa interview comes up? Or shall he just carry on with his self employed job now and when it comes round to doing his tax returns in april 2009, for the past year, show that instead. What do you think will be the best? Oh and can anyone advise as to what additional documents of proof of his earnings are needed for my interview? Ie - pay slips, bank statements etc... and how many months worth?	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-02-15 04:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 Petition - Passport Validity??	Myself and my fiance are preparing the I-129F package for the K1 Visa. Upon reading the checklist of things to send that is listed on VJ, it says we need to send photocopies of each page of the US Citizens passport - with a validity of 5 years. Does this mean my fiance's passport has to have another 5 years left on it before it expires?? Or does it mean he has to have had it already, for 5 years? His passport expires in 2012, meaning we only have 3 years left on it! What should we do??	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-05-20 12:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What copied documents do we need notarized for the I-129F?	What copied documents do we need to get notarized for the I-129F? Myself and my fiance are compiling all the documents and evidence needed to complete the I-129F package for the K1 Visa and we are confused as to which (photocopied) documents we need to get notarized? And also, as I'm am from the UK, and have previously changed my name (my name on my birth certificate differs from that on my Statutory Declaration of Name Change), I will need to send my documents too. Can I get my copied documents notorized in the USA with my fiance or do they have to be done here? And if so, where can I get them done? Thanks in advance!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-05-20 12:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Outstanding US tax a problem for obtaining K1 Visa?	Great help thanks to both of you! I have been nagging him to file his tax return for AGES! If we have it all ready, even if its not asked for, you're right, it'll avoid delays! Thank you!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-07-29 08:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Outstanding US tax a problem for obtaining K1 Visa?	My fiance and I have sent off our I-129F and are waiting for the NOA2 (should be a long while yet - we only sent it mid July) and I was just wondering about some fiancial details of ours that might be a problem... My fiance has been self employed (hes the US citizen) for the last 20+ years and unforunately didnt earn enough to meet the poverty guidelines so in June he got a new employed job - He now meets the requirements, he enjoys it and anticipated staying there for the next few years. By the time our interview comes around we should be more than fine to show plenty of pay stubs and employments letters etc... And his current situation is that he meets the financial requirements so Im not worried about that. However, when he was working, as self employed, so far this year (before June) he hasnt filed his tax return for 2008-9. Will this be a problem for us? Will we need it during the interview and does anyone know if he has any outstanding unpaid taxes from the past, will that present a problem for us obtaining the visa?? Just want to get a heads up to sort this out now while we have time. (My fiance his a bit unorganised and has just let it snowball). Any advise??	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-07-29 08:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	what happens if we don't get the K-1 in time???	QUOTE (Nik+Heather @ Aug 27 2009, 05:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I know everyone on here cringes when I answer one of these threads...because I'm one of those who decided to plan and put deposits down while the visa was still processing (before NOA2 even...). I did just like you, using the stats on here to figure out with some degree of confidence how long I thought it would take, and then added on some padding. End result: He had the visa more than 90 days before the wedding, and now we are sitting with the visa in hand but still apart (he wanted to work as long as possible). I'd just like to reiterate that you should not make any completely inflexible plans without being willing to eat the cost if things don't work out (and believe me, you won't get any sympathy from VJ if you come back to complain! ). Check your contracts so you can change the date - know what the fine print says about notice (60 days? etc). If it's not in the standard contract, ask if it can be put in. I found many of my vendors were sympathetic when I explained the situation. If you can't afford to loose deposits on venues and caterers, and can't get a change the date for free clause, then start working on things like flowers, dress, rings, officiant, invite design, etc. These are time independent and might ease your planning bug! Go into this with your eyes open - even people who thought they would have no problems get hung up too, so take it seriously when I say be prepared to loose what you cannot build flexibility into. I understand wanting to be able to plan a complete wedding (legal and ceremonial together + family and friends from all over). It takes meticulous planning and the will/ability to take calculated risks, so not everyone can do it. Best of luck! QUOTE (Vanessa&Tony @ Aug 27 2009, 02:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm not from Canada so I'm not gunna be much help except for sticking up for making wedding plans "early" I too started planning my wedding AGES ago. We filed in late Feb 09 set a tentative date for Nov 09.. thinking this was plenty of time. By June we still hadn't heard anything and were REALLY freaking out... I'd also booked my flight because it was cheaper when I did.. and that flight was booked 12 Sept 09... I was told that it would take 6 months. Only after filing, and finding this website did I find out that it CAN be six months but it's typically longer. Anyway my FH and I set June 30th as our "need NOA2" by date. If we didn't get it by then, we would move my flight back. The night of June 30 I received my NOA2 by email. Not long after that (you'll have to check my signature or timeline) I got P3. P3 took a while to get together but we set the deadline (again) of July 30th to have it sent by, and we were *fingers crossed* that I'd get an appointment in August sometime. Turned out that it took an extra week (so early August) to send P3 but 2 days or so after sending it I received P4. My interview was set for 25 August 2009 at 10am. While waiting for the interview my FH paid for the reception hall in full he was that confident. My sister and her husband booked flights from Germany (were they will be around my wedding time) to come to my wedding, my bridesmaids have ordered their dresses, my sister has bought her dress,... things are in motion. i was scared, don't get me wrong, but I was also determined. So it's the 27th August today, and here I sit, waiting for my Visa to be sent in the mail because I got APPROVED! I am catching my Sept 12 flight, I am sticking with my Nov 7 wedding date and it took almost 6 months to the day for me to get my Visa. So I suppose what I'm trying to say is there's nothing wrong with planning. My sister and her hubby could have changed flights. My FH and i would be getting married at SOME stage so the dresses weren't wasted... and I have my wedding dress already and it's being altered so everything is transferable... Stick with it. Double check everything. Have someone else read over the forms and the correspondence to make sure you didn't miss anything (I had my mum check some things and my FH check others) and also, as a matter of note, we had NO RFE's which I think helped, had we, might have been a difft story. Good luck!! First of all, can I just say thank you to the two positive posters. I know people are trying to be helpful and cautious by advising people to not make any wedding plans, but sometimes its just not realistic. If you truly want the dream wedding that you have had your heart set on for many years, taking a small risk on the date is completely worth it in my opinion. Also, it seems a little more than a co-incidence that the people worrying or making wedding descisions within a short time span are the people waiting and waiting. We have made our wedding plans, but we've made smart choices, and flexible plans. For almost everything we've booked, the date can be changed in an emergency and on top of that, we have allowed a good 11 months before the wedding (which is way above the average time). We're thinking positive and it will all be alright. It has to. I have the love of my life now and losing a few dollars (if that) is a tiny price to pay for having our dream day and reducing our stress levels by organising things in advance as much as we can. Saying that though, we are more than well aware that the whole process is unpredictable and things can come up, but we've decided to stay positive, we've done plenty of research and we've made intelligent choices. Different people have different priorities and this is ours. Not everyone wants the same quickly-arranged small wedding. Also, it means alot to me to have our close family and friends with us on our day and unfortunately that takes some pre-planning. I respect everyone for their opinions but I just wanted to give my support out there to everyone who's chosen to do things the same way as us. Good luck everyone!!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-08-27 17:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	AOS - Affadavit of Support	QUOTE (Stephen + Elisha @ Sep 13 2009, 12:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm trying to put this in the gentlest way possible... the guides reward a careful reader. Thanks, but there are many, many editions available out there, of forms that are needed to be completed throughout the whole K1 process and I did see the two guides, but I have already seen some confusion on VJ about the two Affadavits of Support and wanted to get a clear answer. I didn't think people minded answering queries on the forums... Thats why I asked. I certainly don't mind assisting people who are unsure... VisaJourney K-1 Guide: QUOTE 4.I-134 Affidavit of Support form. Ensure it is signed, with all required supporting evidence. Begin collecting the required information ahead of time, as it can often take several weeks to collect it all.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-12 19:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	AOS - Affadavit of Support	Thank you both of you. I have looked everywhere for that information but couldnt find it anywhere. It should say on VJ somewhere the difference between the two Affadavits of Support, because I'm sure I'm not the only one getting in a pickle over the two forms. Oh and also, did either of you make a brief explanation of the name change on AOS, or is that unnecessary? Thanks again!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-12 18:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	AOS - Affadavit of Support	Even though my fiance and I are waiting on our NOA2 for the K1 visa, we have decided to go ahead and compile the forms for the Embassy interview (in London) and for the Adjustment of Status package that we'll send off after we get married (Next June all going well). On the "Guides" section of this website it says that for AOS we should send off I-864 Affadavit of Support, but, I have also come across form I-134 also. Which one should I use for AOS and which one should be completed ready for the Embassy Interview? Also another thing... does anyone know when filing for AOS, should the beneficiary's name on the paperwork be her new name? As, I will then be married and taking my fiance's name, or should it all be in my maiden name, as per the I-129F Petition? Help! Thanks in advance for your replies. This website is amazing and we wouldnt have gotten this far without it!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-09-12 17:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Case Specific Information Requests	Hi Gary and Alla, you are always so helpful with offering advice on VJ and this is so wonderful that you are able to give us this priceless information on behalf of your friend, the USCIS director. Thank you so much! Our query is that we are July VSC filers. We recieved our NOA1 on July 10th and have since only been 'touched' on July 15th. 90% or more of July VSC filers have all been approved and the majority of August and Septembers filers have too aswell. We are going out of our minds, waiting and have called USCIS twice trying to figure out what is happening with our case, only to be told conflicting things. We know that we are still within the 5 month timeline but is there anything we can do? We can't help but be concerned that even October filers are now being approved with no more than a few weeks to wait! Is it worth contacting our congressman to see what is happening? Could it be possible that our case has just simply been lost?	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-11-04 17:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can my US fiance just be refused time off for emmigrating/helping me move?	I knew I'd hear some sense from an English-American couple. Thanks guys!!! I knew someone would understand! I think thats what we're going to do if things don't work out soon. This manager is the only one whos behaved in his way so all this 'welcome to america' stuff is all rubbish. Its her, plain and simple. I think people seem to think the US and the UK are completely different planets but it actually not that different, the people are the same. Some bad apples, some understanding folk... its got nothing to do with the country as a whole. And no we're not confused about dates, but thanks for your input. Anymore helpful & constructive advice is welcomed and appreciated!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-07 11:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can my US fiance just be refused time off for emmigrating/helping me move?	I sure hope I wont have to be dealing with this. Russ says no one will mess with me, once I give them the 'legal eagle' speech lol! Im known to give employers a hard time if they try messing me about... long story... Thanks for your replies everyone. And no its not 3 requests for time off within a 6 month period - He started his position on June 12th 2009. He is requesting 4 days off at the end of May 2010 (to help me move) - which on his payslip says he has accrued at this time. He has to take these 4 days before the year of employment runs out - ie by June 12th 2010. That to me, is perfectly reasonable. He has not taken any other holiday in the past year! Separately, we are getting married on June 27th and my family and friends will be coming over to NJ from the UK to spend time with us. Obviously we wont be seeing them fo a very long time afterwards so we would like to spend time with them and also - doh - we need time off for the wedding. This request for a few days off will be during Russ' 2nd year of employment - which according to his tems of employment will entitle him to 18 days paid off to be taken throughout the next year (June 12th 2010 - June 12th 2011). His manager has said she is fine with him taking the time off to get married. We dont even care if he is paid for that time off though. Its our wedding (!) and nothing is going to stand in the way of that. As far as giving more notice goes, how were we supposed to do that? Like alot of people know very well on here - you cant do anything until you are approved for your K1 visa. So we're having to go with it a step at a time. This just makes me so mad. They offered him the store manager position as his experience far outweighs the position hes in now. But, he refused because he wanted to do a 'simple job' and just get paid for something with little responsibilty for a change (he has run his own company for 22 years prior). But this woman just makes my blood boil. The things I hear about her drive me crazy... she has completely humiliated staff in that store in front of customers and just done so many bad things (including the incident with the safe - that my fiance is reporting to HR)... I hope Russ finds another job within the next two months. He only applied for this job to meet the poverty guidlines on paper for K1. He had so many job offers before accepting this one. Its ridiculous how bad they are treating everyone there... Oh and fyi, she is the third general manager to be employed in the last 6 months haha! Thanks for listening! Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 07 March 2010 - 04:22 AM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-07 04:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can my US fiance just be refused time off for emmigrating/helping me move?	My fiance and I have almost finished going through the K1 visa process which has taken us almost a year. I am from the UK, he is from NJ, US. He works for a large pet retailer, Petco, and recently had a new general manager take over who has treated the whole team, but particuarly him, very badly. Right from the start she has deliberately changed his quantity of hours and schedule at the last minute for no reason, (which she knows doesn't suit him), she once refused to answer her phone to him in an emergency (he was the manger on duty in the store), she reprimands him in front of customers for not carrying out certain tasks that he has never been trained to do, she belittles other staff, she refuses to acknowledge him for work that he's done well, she also refuses to pass on compliments of good work from customers to higher up in the company and generally just makes life extremely difficult for him. He also recently saw her acting suspiciously around the safe one evening recently and when he queried why it wasn't balanced, she looked nervous and he saw her throw in money from her own pocket to make up the balance... Anyway, he is so miserable there and hates his job so much he is about ready to walk out. He has been looking for another job for weeks already. He also fought very hard to get a letter for K1 to say that they pay him so much salary and so many hours and they have totally gone back on that. Now they just give him minimal hours and obviously not the same salary. So in preparation for our new life together, it was always planned between us that he would come over to the UK and fly back with me in May when I emmigrate, to help me move and assist me transport my labrador dog over to the US. I am so grateful that he is coming over to help me as I really couldn't do it without him. At this time, despite working for the company for a year, he is entitled to only 4 paid days off. These are for him to take before his 1 year of service runs out (which is by June 12th). We are then planning to get married during the last week of June, which he has also requested a week of paid time off for - as he will be entitled to 18 paid time off days by then. By the way, he has not taken any time off since he started working for the company last June. Today he has been told by the manager that she is not prepared to authorise the first set of 4 days off at the end of May, and that he cannot have time off to come to england and must stay in work. She said she will authorise our time off to get married but not the time needed to emmigrate together. She has not given a reason and won't when she is asked repeatedly. What can my fiance do? His payslip clearly says that he is entitled to this paid time off, but regardless of that, he should be entitled to take it unpaid if necessary in these circumstances. Does anyone have any suggestions? Can he complain to HR? Is this unfair treatment? Many thanks for your help!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-06 18:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Coming to America...	I wouldn't even bother trying to apply for a B2 while a K1 app is in process. Trust me, the K1 takes up enough stress, time and money alone. If I was you, I wouldn't want to complicate things. Depending on what your legal issue is, I'm sure if you've been advised it won't count against you, all will be fine. I hear sometimes they transfer cases to other offices with less workload. We also called USCIS every day once it got to the 4 month mark, and were about to contact Russ' congressman too, just to see what was happening. Have many other people that filed during the same month as you, been approved yet?	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-05-10 11:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Waiting in the US?	You will have to be in Canada for your interview date. Trying to reschedule your appointment might set you back months and months as they don't like to be messed around. You will also need to schedule your medical and arrange to get your police certificate just before the interview too, so it would be best around that time if you stayed in Canada or your fiance could come to you instead? Aswell, if you are planning to go to the US for a lengthy time, be warned that you may be questioned heavily about why you are vsiting for such a long time. They can even refuse you to stay for the whole length of time. You will also need to provide proof of your ties to Canada and proof that you intend to return (apartment lease, job details etc) I visited Russ for three months, just before we filed the I-129F last summer and had my payslips, employers letter etc at the ready for passport control. Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 10 May 2010 - 11:19 AM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-05-10 11:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	General K1 Guides and Info	QUOTE (kaylamarie @ Oct 1 2009, 06:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hi guys...sorry if you get mad at me for posting in the wrong area..i'm sooo new to this but im about ready to pull my hair out and cry. my boyfriend and i have been dating for..2 years feb.24th but we've known each other longer. I'm moving there to the United States in Oregon (I'm a Canadian citizen he's American) I'm also 19, hes turning 21. please no comments about age . anyways how long estimate should this take? Just an estimation i would really love, from reading everyone's stories here my guess was about 5 months for everything to be done? does that seem right. anyways he's visited here twice once for two weeks, and again for 3 weeks. and being apart is just too hard (we've been apart for about 7 months) I was calm about all this before, but then reading things is really stressing me out. Anyways so my questions are. 1. what happens during the medical exam 2. estimate time of how long it takes those questions are pretty different from each other but..those are just the little things i have to ask before i start hyperventilating lol. Thanks. -Kayla I can't really tell you about the Medical as we havent quite got there yet ourselves, but I have read a lot of useful info on the London Medical in the UK forum. So maybe do a search for the Medical procedure nearer to where you live in Canada? As far as timing goes, you will be extremely lucky to be fished with the whole process in 5 months. We filed for the I-129F in early July and we're still waiting to hear anything back. Our estimated date on Igors list (see Immigration Timelines) was initially December for our NOA2, now its October as there have been many approvals already for July Vermont filers. Many August filers, who filed after us have even been approved! So as you can see, this is a very unpredictable process. But, if you look on other timelines, you will see the norm is an optomisic 6-8 months in total until you will recieve your K1 visa. Some much longer, it all depends... In the meantime, gather together all of the forms you will need for the I-129F and start making inquiries into your fiances earnings to ensure he meets the poverty guidelines for you both. You will also need his payslips and his tax returns for the past year at the very least for your interview. But you can begin compiling proof of your relationship now to get ahead. See the K1 Guides for help. Hope that helps and good luck on your journey! Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 07 October 2009 - 10:09 AM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-10-07 10:07:00
United Kingdom	Thinking about the next step...	Me and Russ had our K1 interview date on January 25th and were successful!! Yaaay! I then recieved my passport, visa and the mysterious brown envolope shorty after. We have set our leaving date as May 31st (the wedding will be on June 27th) and we have also: worked out my notice date with my employer finalised all travel plans/pet passport information for our dog Honey found a new house to rent in NJ and signed the lease, (well Russ has) all ready for him to move in on April 1st looked at flights for me and Russ (he's coming over to the UK to help me move) So we have most definitely had our hands full. The past few weeks I have not even been on VJ cos we've been so busy. But now, I've been starting to look over the next step... filing for AOS. I have looked through the guides and guess we'll take it step by step like the K1 petition. But I just wanted to hear from anyone else who's in the same boat. I'm a little confused and daunted at the following: Applying for a SS number Applying for a marriage licence (do I need a SS number to do this) Finding a civil surgeon to complete medical paperwork (I still am outstanding with my tetanus & MMR vaccinations - should I get them done here or in the US?) Then, what happens? - we get married and then how do I go about changing my name on my SS card? After that, I guess we send off our appliaction for AOS, Employment Authorisation & Advance Parole? (that step seems simple enough) Im just a bit overwhelmed that what we have been waiting for has finally arrived. I know there is a UK forum for general questions, which I have been on a lot in the past, but its more for people with their interview coming up. Im neither at the stage of AOS, so inbetween I suppose. Is anyone else feeling the same??? Sooooo excited but a teensy bit scared! Its coming so fast! Rachel	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-02-21 05:11:00
United Kingdom	visa fee	Yep thats right. Right before the consular officer does your interview. Good luck	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-08 15:33:00
United Kingdom	visiting the doctor back home?	I haven't left yet for the US but have moved soooo many times throughout the UK and never told my GP. I stayed on their books and whenever I needed an appointment made the journey to see them. They never knew any wiser. I recently went to my drs to get my pill and got 6 months supply. Right before I leave in May I'm going to ask for another 6 months. My personal doctor knows my situation and that I'm emmigrating but simply says - you should make as much use of the free healthcare while you can I think if you don't leave it too long (ie more than a year) I think if you returned to the UK, no one would ask any questions as long as you don't tell them you live in US now. Just make the appointment the normal way, go and get your prescription... You've paid your dues I'm a cheerleader too haha! Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 08 March 2010 - 03:27 PM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-08 15:26:00
United Kingdom	queuing at the embassy?	My appointment was for 8.30 and when I arrived at the embassy at about 7.40 there was a good 30 people waiting in front of me. Although the interview appointments don't run on time, if you do miss your time once you get in the building, I have heard that the wait can be much, much longer! But, even though my appt was for 8.30am I still had a 2 1/2 hour wait, but that was quick compared to some people that had to wait much longer! I'd get there at least 1 hour before your appointment time. Think of it this way - the sooner you get in, the sooner you'll be out Good luck Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 18 March 2010 - 05:46 AM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-18 05:44:00
United Kingdom	Interview	I agree with the hotel option. My nerves would be shot too if I had to travel from Birmingham at that time. I honestly think that preparation is the key. I was so nervous, but being extra organised definitely helped me. I stayed at the Churchill Hyatt just off Oxford Street the night before. It only took 3 mins to walk to the embassy and as a bonus I got my stay for free cos I work for the company. But if I hadn't have got it, I still would have booked somewhere cheaper!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-18 05:39:00
United Kingdom	Official HPV Vaccine/New Police Certicate Thread	QUOTE ive been told several times that you do not need the vaccine until AOS.. if you are to be 27.. you could wait a few days after and then apply for AOS.. that way, you will not need the vaccine as you are 27 Thank you! Yay! I just saved myself money! At the medical, do they try and insist you have the vaccine there and then though? Just for information...	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-08-21 15:02:00
United Kingdom	Official HPV Vaccine/New Police Certicate Thread	Hi everyone, my fiance and I have had our NOA1 back in July but are still waiting on the NOA2. We are making plans for the wedding for the end of June next year. My 27th birthday will be on July 7th. Does anyone know if I will need the HPV vaccine or not? I estimate my medical will be around February time or so...? If the vaccine is needed for AOS, can't we just file for AOS on 7th July instead of the day after the wedding? If I can get out of it, I'd be happy! Edited by RUSSandRACHEL, 21 August 2009 - 01:05 PM.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2009-08-21 13:04:00
United Kingdom	Contraceptive Pill -	I have just stocked up on my Microgynon ready for the big move to NJ on 31st of this month. I now have 9 months worth! I recommend everyone else who's about to move to do that same! We have enough to pay for already! You have to count the pennies, every which way you can!	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-05-03 11:58:00
United Kingdom	Contraceptive Pill -	What brand is that CDAgirlMI? Cos I'm on Microgynon too and need to find an equivalent. I heard that the pill in the US costs about $30 a month... We don't have health insurance at the moment so it will be one more thing to add to the list! Uhhh! I am going to get a good 6 months supply from my doctor when I leave the UK at the end of May though, to keep me going...	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-03-18 04:52:00
United Kingdom	How to get US Dollars into UK Bank Account	We have sent money back and forth for the last 2 years and now especially with the wedding coming up, I make a payment to Russ' savings account every month. I looked into doing it with my bank direct, but they charge £25.00 fee per tranasction so instead we use PayPal. I can send him currency in either USD or GBP and vice versa and it automatically converts. Paypal only take about 3.4% in fees and is also much cheaper than Western Union who we used once. I would recommend you use PayPal, pay the money from your TSB account into his US account, then he withdraw the money to pay from there.	RUSSandRACHEL	Female	United Kingdom	2010-04-28 08:18:00